James Martin urges fans to ‘stay well clear’ of common ingredient ‘not pleasant’
James Martin spoke about an ingredient he prefers to avoid (Image: ITV)
On today’s episode (May 23) of James Martin’s Saturday Morning, the beloved TV chef warned fans about a widely-used baking ingredient.
James Martin, 53, labelled the ingredient as “not pleasant” and urged ITV viewers to “stay away” from it when cooking at home.
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This morning, James welcomed composer and pianist Alexis Ffrench into the studio, alongside country duo The Shires and chefs Stephen Terry and Daniel Galmiche.
He treated his guests to a host of mouth-watering dishes, among them prune and armagnac tarts with almond frangipane, sticky glaze, and clotted cream.
Hailing frangipane as a timeless culinary staple, James went on to highlight where he believes home cooks frequently go wrong when attempting this particular recipe.
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James served up some prune and armagnac tarts with almond frangipane, sticky glaze, and clotted cream (Image: X/@sat_jamesmartin)
“You want to mix this until it’s sort of cream, there’s a nice creaminess to it,” he began. “So just give this a good mix.
“Sometimes you’ll see recipes for almond essence, but I stay well clear of it,” he revealed.
He then went on to warn: “You don’t need it; it’s a chemical thing and it’s not very pleasant in food.
James Martin returned to ITV this morning (Image: ITV)
“You’re better off just using proper blended almonds with this. You get the flavour out of the almonds,” he added, before reiterating: “Just stay away from almond essence, it’s not good stuff.”
Almond essence is a widely-used ingredient in desserts, notably more potent than other popular baking extracts such as vanilla, reports The Mirror. It is generally considered safe for consumption, unless you suffer from a nut allergy.
After completing the tart, James recommended fans serve them at room temperature or “nice and warm out of the oven” and cautioned against serving them directly from the fridge.
“There we have it, a real classic!” James concluded proudly as applause could be heard in the studio.
Later in the programme, James presented a stunning strawberry meringue swan filled with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Accompanied by a vibrant strawberry sauce, the recipe is described as “light, so beautiful and perfect for sunshine days!”
Meanwhile, chef Daniel showcased his pan-roasted sea trout with soy, lime, chilli, and fresh herbs, accompanied by caramelised chicory in a glossy butter sauce.
