First Glimpse: Sophie White Recipes

Sophie White has written a brilliant book called Recipes For A Nervous Breakdown. If you weren’t fully convinced by our interview, then check out some of her favourite recipes from the book, and then go and buy a copy!

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
Makes 30 pieces

Oil or butter, for greasing
300g white chocolate chips
400ml tinned condensed milk
300g smooth peanut butter
75g chopped salted cashew nuts

Line a 21cm square baking tray with baking paper. Lightly grease the paper with a little oil or butter. Put the chocolate chips, condensed milk and peanut butter into a heavy-based saucepan set over a low heat. Stir until melted and thoroughly combined.

When the mixture is smooth, add the cashew nuts to the pan and stir them through. Pour the fudge mixture evenly into the prepared tray. Smooth the top of the fudge. Place in the fridge for about 1 hour to speed up the setting process.

When the fudge is firm, turn it out onto a board and carefully peel off the paper. Cut into 30 bite-sized pieces and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

PEANUT-DRESSED ASIAN-STYLE CHICKEN SALAD

Serves 2

2 teaspoons dark miso paste
juice of ½ lime
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
1 head of baby gem lettuce, roughly shredded
40g mixed fresh basil, mint and coriander, finely chopped
2 cooked chicken breasts, roughly torn
60g roasted cashew nuts

Put the peanut butter, miso paste, lime juice, water, sugar and chilli into a large bowl and whisk until well combined.

Add the carrot, red pepper, spring onions, lettuce, herbs and chicken to the dressing and toss well until all the components are evenly coated.

Divide the mixture between two bowls and scatter the roasted cashew nuts over the top.

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE

Serves 12-16

150g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
100g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
125g butter
75g golden syrup
150g digestive biscuits
2 Crunchie bars
100g mini marshmallows
50g white chocolate, broken into pieces

Line a 20-cm round springform cake tin with baking paper. Put the milk chocolate and the plain chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat, stirring, until almost completely melted.

Add the butter and golden syrup and stir until everything is melted and fully combined. Remove from the heat. Place the digestive biscuits in a polythene bag and gently bash them with a rolling pin. Using the rolling pin, bash the Crunchies in their packets. Don’t bash them too much, as you don’t want to turn them into dust.

Add the crushed biscuits and Crunchies to the melted chocolate mixture in the bowl, along with the mini marshmallows, and stir well to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading it evenly and pressing it in to flatten the surface. Leave to set.

Put the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat, stirring, until melted. Drizzle the chocolate in thin lines over the top of the cake and leave to set, then unclip and release the springform and cut the cake into 16 thin slices.