Chef's Dish: Lesley Draper talks to Cross Scythes' Simon Ayres

Head chef Simon Ayres is no stranger to TV stardom '“ he first hit screens on Ramsay's Best Restaurant back in 2010, leading the Milestone team to success.
Simon AyresSimon Ayres
Simon Ayres

Now he is giving his new team at the Cross Scythes in Totley a taste of stardom, as they launch their own internet recipe channel.

The channel, available on YouTube, was launched at the end of last year, almost by accident.

Chocolate fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberryChocolate fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberry
Chocolate fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberry
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“We thought it would be funny to see ourselves in a time lapse video, so we did a recording over the course of one evening, just for a laugh,” says Simon.

The team put it up on their Facebook page – and were astonished at the interest it provoked. So they put it on YouTube too and within days they had 60 hits.

Then chef Darren Utley, a finalist in Eat Sheffield’s Young Chef of 2015 competition, took a hand. Deciding a more professional touch was needed, he edited the footage, set it to music, then set up the inn’s own channel on YouTube.

“The idea grew from there,” says Simon. “And now we’re really enjoying passing on simple hints and tips to all our customers and anyone else who’s interested.”

Cross ScythesCross Scythes
Cross Scythes
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The channel now features not only the behind-the-scenes view of the kitchen, but also Darren’s entry video for the young chef award and a whole range of recipes.

Viewers can follow step-by-step instructions on how to make anything from hot water-crust pastry with a pork and apricot filling, to a mandarin cheesecake.

More recipes are planned, along with tips on cocktail making and growing your own vegetables – a subject on which Simon is something of an expert.

While head chef at the city-centre Showroom cinema, one of his first moves was to establish a roof garden at the Workstation, growing fresh herbs and vegetables for the café-bar three floors below.

Head chef Simon Ayres (l) and co-owner Stuart Hitchman with the lamb breast dish at the Cross Scythes, Totley. Picture: Andrew RoeHead chef Simon Ayres (l) and co-owner Stuart Hitchman with the lamb breast dish at the Cross Scythes, Totley. Picture: Andrew Roe
Head chef Simon Ayres (l) and co-owner Stuart Hitchman with the lamb breast dish at the Cross Scythes, Totley. Picture: Andrew Roe
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The videos are set to become more polished too, with a team of professional film-makers booked to give advice on lighting, angles and slow-motion filming.

“We enjoy making the videos and we’ve had a really good response,” says Simon, who has now been at the Cross Scythes for nearly a year.

The recordings can be accessed direct from YouTube – just search for Cross Scythes – or go to the inn’s website Cross Scythes and click on ‘videos’.

Meanwhile, Simon is whetting readers’ appetites with one of his favourite recipes.

Chocolate fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberryChocolate fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberry
Chocolate fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberry
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“This chocolate fondant is one of the best around. It’s big and rich with an amazingly silky-soft warm centre – perfect for cold winter nights,” he says.

Recipe by Simon Ayres

Chocolate Fondant with mango sorbet, banoffee sauce & raspberries

INGREDIENTS:

104g good quality dark chocolate

50g salted butter

Cross ScythesCross Scythes
Cross Scythes

110g whole eggs

16g egg yolk

80g icing sugar

12g cocoa powder

55g plain flour

4/5g baking powder

Plus extra butter and cocoa powder for lining rings or moulds

METHOD:

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over steaming water or in a microwave on a medium-low setting (stir the mix lightly every 30secs). Once your chocolate is melted leave to one sit to cool.

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While the chocolate is melting, place eggs, yolks and icing sugar in a mixer and whisk on full speed until light and fluffy. This may take a few minutes so while you wait, sieve dry ingredient on to a tray or a piece of silicone paper, ready to fold into the mixture

Take whipped egg mixture (sabayon) and chocolate mixture and pour the eggs into the chocolate. Fold in carefully.

Once fully incorporated, mix in half of the dry ingredients that have been sieved – and, once completely mixed, do the same again with the other half. Set aside but do not refrigerate yet.

Take a little melted butter and brush the inside of the ring mould, then dust the inside with cocoa powder, tap off the excess, then refrigerate. For best results repeat this process.

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Place the rings on a baking try and place a small square of silicone paper under each, to avoid sticking. Fill each mould with 100g of the mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour before cooking.

Bake at 180ºC for 7-8 min in a pre-heated oven and rest for 2mins before de-moulding and serving with mango sorbet , banoffee sauce and raspberries

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