Blackberry and plum crumble

Posted on by Adam Page

Using granola for the topping is a brilliant crumble shortcut. Swap in whatever fruit you have to hand.

  • Feeds 4Feeds 4
  • Ready in 30 minutes
  • Vegetarian
  • Low in Saturated Fat

Ingredients

  • 4 Co-op Irresistible British plums, sliced
  • 125g Co-op British blackberries
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Co-op pure Canadian maple syrup
  • 250g Co-op simple granola
  • Light custard, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6
  2. Toss the fruit together with the vanilla extract, maple syrup and 4 tbsp water
  3. Tip into an ovenproof dish and cook for 15 mins
  4. Sprinkle with the granola and cook for 10 mins more, until golden and bubbling
  5. Serve with light custard.

Each serving contains

  • Energy 16%1356kj 322kcal
  • Fat Med 11% 7.6g
  • Saturates Low 5% 1.1g
  • Sugar Med 22% 20.2g
  • Salt Low 0% 0.03g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 52g

(Cheap!) Chocolate chunk cookie cheesecake

Posted on by Adam Page

Need a few things to do to keep the kids entertained this summer? This super-simple cheesecake will go down a treat – and it costs less than £5 to make!

  • Feeds 12Feeds 12
  • Ready in 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 Co-op bakery double chocolate chunk cookies
  • 45g Co-op unsalted butter, melted
  • 300ml Co-op double cream
  • 2 x 200g tubs Co-op soft cheese
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Method

  1. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper
  2. Whizz the cookies in a food processor or bash with a rolling pin to give fine crumbs
  3. Put 200g of the cookie crumbs into a bowl with the melted butter
  4. Stir until fully combined, then press into the bottom of the cake tin and chill for 1 hour until set
  5. Put 135g of the remaining cookie crumbs into a bowl and stir in the double cream
  6. Place in the fridge for 1 hour
  7. Stir together the cream and cookie mixture, the soft cheese and lemon juice, then spoon into the tin over the cookie crumb base
  8. Decorate with the remaining cookie crumbs and leave to chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours, until set
  9. Timings exclude chilling

Each serving contains

  • Energy 18% 1470kj 355kcal
  • Fat High 41% 28.9g
  • Saturates High 85% 17g
  • Sugar Med 13% 11.3g
  • Salt Low 4% 0.27g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 20g

Dropping into Brock!

Posted on by Adam Page

On Saturday afternoon, we gave a very berry welcome to Laura from New Forest Fruit at our Brockenhurst store! Not only did customers and staff get to try a tasty new treat, but we also heard about all the environmentally friendly methods used at New Forest Fruit.

Laura from New Forest Fruit at our Brockenhurst store

Environmentally friendly business      

Based in Beaulieu, New Forest Fruit has grown strawberries on the same site for over 15 years. Sustainability and the environment are at the forefront of the decisions made. One method used is specially designed sensors placed within the strawberry crops. These sensors indicate the humidity, temperature, and moisture levels of tunnels. The information provided allows the team to adjust the conditions within the tunnels, and as a result, the plants are healthier, which helps to reduce wastage.

A brand-new healthy summer snack

The summer is officially strawberry season, and there’s nothing better than enjoying deliciously sweet berries! However, there’s also a demand for dried fruit as a healthy ‘on-the-go’ snack alternative. This is something New Forest Fruit has considered, and as a result, launched a new product – called Pulsed Dried Strawberries.

The best thing about this product is – no added sugar or preservatives, only strawberries grown on the farm. These can be crushed and sprinkled over cereal or used in baking. Plus, pulsing splits the cells of the strawberry, so the berry can rehydrate and is ideal for infusing in drinks such as sparkling water or a celebration glass of prosecco! If that wasn’t enough, the packets are 100% compostable – so you can give a little back to nature too.

Summer picnic inspiration

The summer holidays are right around the corner, and if you are planning a picnic this summer, why not add this delicious, healthy, and nutritious alternative? The new range by New Forest Fruit Snacks is available now at your Welcome store – have you tried them yet?

Aligned business goals

At Welcome Stores, we work hard to use as many eco-friendly practices as possible, which is also achieved by being involved in several local initiatives. This work also allows us to support other businesses, like New Forest Fruit, to do the same. Pop into your local branch to hear more.

Supplier spotlight: New Forest Fruit Company

Posted on by Adam Page

It’s June! And the time is “ripe” for soft fruits. In our latest supplier spotlight, we spoke to East Boldre’s New Forest Fruit about sustainability pledges, technology-firsts to introduce new ways of farming using traditional methods, and even robot pickers.

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful New Forest National Park, there is a special kind of fruit farm, aptly called New Forest Fruit. The farm is situated over three sites which span eighty hectares.

CEO Sandy Booth

New Forest Fruit is now in its thirteenth year of trading

The main crop is strawberries, which are sold to leading supermarkets, local farm shops, restaurants and greengrocers. A small amount of raspberries and blueberries are also grown, but these are only sold locally. The company is led by owner Sandy Booth who has been involved with NFF since 2008, fully taking over as CEO in 2018. Sandy’s team consists of several close-knit departments that cover every aspect of the business and give the company the feel of being family-run.

Like many businesses, the New Forest Fruit farm is embracing technology

It became the first company in the UK to be involved in trials of traceability technology – a process that allows businesses to track food at every single stage of the production process. They also use robots used to apply a UV treatment for mildew at night. Not only is technology being used to improve and enhance the soft fruit but it’s also helped address other areas of the business too.

New Forest Fruit is trialling robot pickers!

It means the fruit can be picked at the perfect time, and the business isn’t hindered by labour shortages – something else that affects so many fruit farms like theirs. Being a home-grown British fruit farm, the team at New Forest Fruit takes its eco-friendly pledge very seriously. The company recently produced a sustainability report to highlight all the measures implemented to support this.

The environment is at the heart of all the decisions made

Some of these measures include a management system for all the hedgerows on the farm so that wildlife corridors are maintained and can provide shelter. This includes laying 240m of hedgerow this year. There are also bat and bird boxes around the farm. This season there have been 3000 apple trees planted to promote the biosphere in and around the farm. Three on-site reservoirs to ensure it uses its water supply, which limits the amount that’s taken from the rivers. Plus, rain gutters on the strawberry tunnels feed directly back to the reservoir. The farm uses Integrated Farm Management, which is marrying traditional techniques of farming with the latest innovations and enabling a whole farm approach.

Plus a brand new product has been launched this month that uses any second-class fruit which is turned into a delicious ‘pulsed’ dried strawberry snack! Pulsed dried is special as these berries will rehydrate when added to a glass of champagne, sparkling wine or gin & tonic. They also come in compostable packaging.

Photo credit: Monika Grabkowska

These are available to buy in Welcome Brockenhurst and more information is available at newforestfruitsnacks.com

If that wasn’t enough, the farm has also invested in three electric vehicles and two electric forklifts. Some on-site solar panels provide electricity to the Packshed and they recycle and reuse everything they can – all the coir from the strawberry crops is reused for the early-season asparagus.

What is the best thing about working with Welcome Stores?

“Welcome genuinely champions other local businesses and has created little hubs across the forest for people to access local produce. Also, their business values regarding sustainability and the environment align with the values held at NFF. Both businesses want to protect the environment.”

You can find New Forest Fruit’s juicy, perfectly ripe sweet-scented strawberries & also the brand new Pulsed Strawberry snacks on sale at your local Welcome store. You can also learn more about New Forest Fruit on newforestfruit.com or newforestfruitsnacks.com.    

Rainbow frozen fruit kebabs

Posted on by Adam Page

Freshen up with these fruity treats — the tangy lemon curd and yogurt dip is a game-changer!

  • Feeds 24Feeds 24
  • Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 300g pack Co-op melon & mango fingers
  • 1 kiwi fruit, peeled
  • 24 blueberries
  • 12 red or black grapes, halved
  • 200g Co-op Greek style natural yogurt
  • 1 tbsp Co-op lemon curd
  • You‘ll also need 24 cocktail sticks

Method

  1. Cut the melon and mango into even pieces — you’ll need 24 pieces of mango and 24 of both types of melon
  2. Cut the kiwi into 24 similarly sized pieces
  3. Thread one piece of both types of melon, mango and kiwi onto each cocktail stick
  4. Finish with a blueberry and a half-grape
  5. Put the mini fruit kebabs on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and freeze for 2 hours, or until frozen
  6. Put the yogurt in a bowl and swirl through the lemon curd
  7. Serve with the frozen kebabs

Each serving contains

  • Energy 1%105kj 25kcal
  • Fat Med 1%1g
  • Saturates Med 3% 0.6g
  • Sugar Med 4% 3.3g
  • Salt Low 0%0.01g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 4g

Strawberry cheesecake bites

Posted on by Adam Page

These delicious mouthfuls have all the flavour of the popular dessert, but require a fraction of the effort

  • Feeds 16Feeds 16
  • Ready in 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 16 large Co-op British strawberries, hulled
  • 200g Co-op light soft cheese
  • 2 tbsp Co-op strawberry jam
  • 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
  • 60g Co-op ginger nut biscuits

Method

  1. Using a small knife, carefully cut away some of the insides of each strawberry, leaving a hollow
  2. Mix together the soft cheese, strawberry jam and lemon zest, if using, until smooth
  3. Using a teaspoon, fill each strawberry with the mixture
  4. Put the ginger nuts into a freezer bag, then bash into fine crumbs with a rolling pin
  5. Tip onto a saucer and dip the end of each strawberry into the biscuit crumbs to coat
  6. Serve immediately

Each serving contains

  • Energy 3% 228kj 54kcal
  • Fat Med 3%2g
  • Saturates Med 6% 1.2g
  • Sugar Med 5% 4.9g
  • Salt Low 2% 0.11g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 7g