Run by Rachel Morgan and Emily Cuddeford, Twelve Triangles has four cafes and bakeries in Edinburgh. With a strong focus on local and sustainable sourcing, they use flour grown on Balcaskie Estate in Fife and milled by Scotland the Bread.
RACHEL
Q Desert island food?
A I mean it feels like the obvious answer but probably bread.
Q Favourite TV chef?
A For sheer entertainment value over content – The Two Fat Ladies.
Q Favourite cook book?
A Anything by Diana Henry, her books are just fantastic.
Q Favourite ingredient?
A This is tricky, but in terms of versatility, a great butter is probably pretty high up there.
Q Most hated ingredient?
A Possibly cinnamon? I don’t hate it but just feel like it’s probably over used.
Q Perfect dinner guest?
A Bit of a dull answer but I actually love having dinners with all my family. I can’t think of anyone I’d prefer to cook for.
Q Favourite kitchen gadget?
A I love my Wilfa Svart coffee grinder; my mornings would be much sadder without it.
Q Favourite music to cook to?
A I always listen to the radio in the kitchen, either BBC6 music or Radio 4.
Q Perfect menu?
A I’m a big fan of a roast dinner: anything with locally sourced meat and lots of seasonal veg. We use lots of veg from Pittormie Fruit Farm in Fife.
Q Favourite country for food?
A In terms of eating out I feel like I’ve had some of the best food I’ve ever eaten in the UK, but for produce I think France.
Q Favourite culinary season?
A Autumn: squash, brassicas, damsons – it’s all the best flavours and colours with so much choice!
EMILY
Q Salt or pepper?
A Salt because it enhances flavours.
Q Favourite herb?
A Thyme – it’s great in both sweet and savoury.
Q Favourite spice?
A Fenugreek – I add this into most slow cooked dishes I make. It has quite a light subtle flavour which goes with most fish meat and veg.
Q Favourite way to cook the humble potato?
A Baked, they stay dry but fluffy so you can then make the best mash.
Q Favourite go-to recipe if you’re in a hurry?
A I don’t follow recipes – tend to look for ideas and then just work from there with whatever is in the fridge.
Q Favourite health food?
A Most food is healthy if it’s made from scratch.
Q Ideal picnic dish?
A Roast chicken wrapped in foil to keep it warm, sourdough and a packet of butter.
Q Ideal BBQ food?
A sweetcorn with lots of butter.
Q Are you critical of the food when you’re dining out?
A Yes but on the other hand sometimes it’s lovely to just have it done for you.
Q Do you tip in restaurants?
A Always unless someone has been specifically rude. I used to be a waitress.
Q Top tip for failsafe cooking?
A Always taste what you make.
Q Worst cooking sin in your opinion?
A No salt, it just makes the whole thing a bit bland even with the greatest of ingredients.
Banana, chocolate and whey caramel croissant loaf
Ingredients
Serves 8-10
6 eggs
150g caster sugar
800g whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 left over croissants
3 bananas
4 tbsp whey caramel (recipe below)
75g chopped dark chocolate
2 tbsp demerara sugar
For the whey caramel (makes 650g jar) 500g whey (can be picked up from your local cheesemonger)
500g caster sugar
125g cubed unsalted butter
500g double cream
2 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
directions
To make your custard whisk the eggs, sugar, milk, salt and vanilla together.
Slice your croissants in half and fill with a generous layer of caramel followed by half a banana.
Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper
Slice four of your filled croissants and layer them inside your tin, once you have completed your first layer soak it with your custard mix and add half your chopped chocolate.
Arrange your second layer of croissant slices and soak again with the custard and adding in the chocolate.
To finish, cut the final 2 croissants in half and place them along the top of the loaf tin – pouring the last bit of custard over them.
Leave soaking for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.
Sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake at 170c for around 1 and 1/2 hours until it has puffed right up and is firm to touch but with a bit of wobble.
Serve warm with extra whey caramel and ricotta.
For the whey caramel: Place the sugar and whey into a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil. Use one bigger than you think, when the whey and sugar begin to boil it will foam and roughly triple in volume before dropping back down.
Do not stir it as the sugar will crystalise at this stage.
Once it has begun to boil you can turn the heat up and let it boil away.
Let this mixture boil until it reaches 158c or it has turned a really dark amber and smells caramalised.
Add the butter stirring it through and once melted, slowly add the cream little by little.
Bring it back to the boil and give it 1 minute then add in the salt and taste.
