We've started a tradition at Chapter, on your Birthday the team cooks lunch and brings it in. This year we started as we mean to go on with Coffee Lemon and Olive Oil Cake for breakfast, followed by an Onion and Stilton Tart for Lunch with an incredible Tiramisu Cake. SO many of you asked for the recipes so lets go. 

Breakfast Healthy Lemon and Olive Oil Cake with Coffee

• 3 large eggs
• 120 ml extra virgin olive oil (use a mild, fruity one)
• 120 ml runny honey (light honey like acacia works beautifully)
• Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 45 ml)
• 150 g ground almonds
• 80 g plain flour (or spelt flour for a nuttier feel)
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Method......

1. Heat oven to 170°C (fan) / 190°C (conventional). Line a 20 cm round tin or loaf tin.
2. In a bowl, whisk eggs and honey until pale and slightly thickened.
3. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then add lemon zest and juice.
4. Fold in ground almonds, flour, baking powder and salt until just combined.
5. Pour into the tin and smooth the top.
6. Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out to cool fully.

Then.....

• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Brush lightly over the warm cake for extra moisture and shine

Red Onion, Stilton & Apple Tarte Serves 4–6 (lunch with salad)

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 250 g plain flour
• 125 g cold unsalted butter, diced
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 2–3 tbsp cold water

(Or use good-quality ready-made shortcrust if you prefer)

For the filling

• 3 large red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Small knob of butter
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt & black pepper
• 2 crisp apples (Braeburn or Cox), thinly sliced
• 150 g Stilton, crumbled
• 3 eggs
• 200 ml double cream (or crème fraîche)
• A few thyme leaves (optional)

Method

1. Make the pastry
   Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring it together into a soft dough. Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the onions
   Heat the olive oil and butter in a wide pan. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft, sweet and lightly caramelised. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, cook for another minute, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Blind bake the case
   Heat the oven to 180°C (fan). Roll out the pastry and line a 23 cm tart tin. Prick the base, line with baking paper and baking beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden.
4. Assemble the tarte
   Spread the onions evenly over the pastry base. Scatter over the apple slices, then crumble over the Stilton.
5. Add the custard
   Whisk the eggs with the cream, season lightly (go easy on salt — the Stilton does the work). Pour gently over the filling. Sprinkle with thyme if using.
6. Bake
   Return to the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until just set with a slight wobble in the centre and deeply golden on top.
7. Rest, then serve
   Let the tarte sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

To serve

With a sharp green salad, good olive oil, crusty bread

 

Last up…..

Tiramisu Cheesecake

Serves 8–10

Ingredients

Biscuit base

• 200 g digestive biscuits (or oat biscuits)
• 100 g unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake filling

• 400 g full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 250 g mascarpone
• 120 g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300 ml double cream
• 3 tbsp strong espresso (cold)

Tiramisu layer

• 150 ml strong espresso, cooled
• 1–2 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional)
• 200 g ladyfinger biscuits

To finish

• Cocoa powder, for dusting
• Dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Method

1. Make the base

Blitz the biscuits to fine crumbs and mix with the melted butter. Press firmly into the base of a lined 20 cm springform tin. Chill for 30 minutes until set.

2. Whip the filling

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and thick.
In a separate bowl, whip the double cream to soft peaks, then gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Fold in the 3 tbsp espresso — this gives that subtle tiramisu depth without overpowering.

3. Assemble

Spoon half of the cheesecake mixture over the chilled base and smooth.

Mix the espresso and liqueur (if using). Quickly dip the ladyfingers — don’t soak — and layer them over the cheesecake.

Spoon the remaining cheesecake mixture on top and smooth again.

4. Chill

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. This is non-negotiable — it needs time to set properly.

5. Finish & serve

Just before serving, dust generously with cocoa powder and scatter with chocolate shavings if you like.