MasterChef Recipes with Louisa’s Honey – Cook Like a Finalist at Home
What do MasterChef UK finalists reach for when they want to elevate a dish? As it turns out, one answer keeps coming up: Louisa’s Honey — the award-winning Italian honey that’s been turning heads in professional kitchens and home cooking alike.
We’ve gathered three MasterChef UK recipes created by contestants using Louisa’s Honey — from a showstopping starter to a luxurious brunch. All achievable at home. All genuinely worth making.
Brighton Journal readers also get 20% off all Louisa’s Honey products. Scroll down for your discount.
About Louisa’s Honey
Louisa’s Honey is a family-run business offering an exceptional range of pure Italian honeys, sourced from bee farms in carefully selected areas of Italy, far from pollution, using traditional methods established in 1929.
Every jar carries a certified Total Activity (TA) rating — an independent measure of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Their flagship Bosco honey carries a TA of 26+, equivalent to 1200+ MGO. A TA of 10+ is already considered to have substantial health benefits.
In 2024, Bosco Honey won a Golden Fork at the Great Taste Awards — one of only 10 products out of 14,000 entries to receive this honour.
Recipe 1 — Starter
Roasted Hispi Cabbage with Bosco Honey Gastrique, Chipotle Emulsion & Roasted Macadamia Nuts
By Nickolas Rapson — MasterChef UK 2023 K.O.W. Finalist
Serves 2–4 as a starter or sharing dish ⏱ Prep: 10 min | Total: 25–30 min
Roasted Hispi Cabbage
- 2 hispi (pointed) cabbages, cut lengthways into wedges
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Bosco Honey Gastrique
- 3 tbsp Louisa’s Bosco Honey
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Pinch sea salt
Chipotle Emulsion
- 1 chipotle chilli in adobo (or 1 tsp chipotle paste)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 150–200ml neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
- Sea salt
Roasted Macadamia Nuts
- 60g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
To Finish
- Fresh coriander leaves or micro coriander
- Finely grated orange zest
- Optional smoked chilli flakes
Method
Step 1 — Roast the Macadamia Nuts Preheat the oven to 170°C. Toss the macadamias lightly with olive oil and salt, then roast for 8–10 minutes until just golden. Remove and allow to cool completely.
Step 2 — Roast the Hispi Cabbage Increase the oven to 220°C. Arrange the cabbage wedges cut-side up on a roasting tray, drizzle generously with olive oil and season well. Roast for 18–22 minutes, turning once, until tender with deep caramelisation at the edges. Finish briefly under the grill if needed for extra char.
Step 3 — Make the Bosco Honey Gastrique Combine the honey, orange juice, vinegar, smoked paprika and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for 3–4 minutes until glossy and lightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Step 4 — Make the Chipotle Emulsion Place the egg yolk, mustard, lime juice and chipotle in a blender. Blend until smooth, then slowly drizzle in the oil until emulsified and spoonable. Season with salt and chill lightly to set the texture.
Step 5 — To Serve Arrange the roasted cabbage wedges on a warm plate. Spoon the honey gastrique over and around the cabbage. Add dots of chipotle emulsion, scatter with roasted macadamia nuts and finish with coriander, orange zest and chilli flakes if desired.
Recipe 2 — Main
Soy & Cherry Honey Salmon
By Vanessa Haughton — MasterChef UK 2022 Contestant
Serves 2 ⏱ Prep: 10 min | Cook: 15–20 min
For the Glaze
- 2 tbsp Louisa’s Cherry Honey
- ¼ tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Black pepper to taste
For the Salmon
- 2 salmon fillets
- ¼ tsp garlic paste
- Pinch salt
- Drizzle of olive oil
Method
For the Glaze In a pan on medium heat add olive oil and minced garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds, before adding soy sauces. Stir to combine, then add water and stir for a further minute.
Reduce heat to low and stir in honey, stirring continuously until a thick glaze forms. If the glaze becomes too syrupy, add a little water until desired pourable consistency is achieved. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Salmon Heat oven to 160°C. Place salmon on a heatproof oven tray, season with garlic paste and salt, and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 8 minutes then remove from oven and generously glaze each fillet with sauce. Return to oven and bake for a further 5–7 minutes until desired doneness is reached.
Garnish with spring onions and serve with rice and pak choi.
Recipe 3 — Brunch
Ricotta Pancakes with Greek Yoghurt & Cherry Compôte
By Thuy Hoang — MasterChef UK 2023 Quarter Finalist
Serves 4 (makes approx. 16 pancakes)
Fluffy ricotta pancakes delicately scented with orange zest, lightly sweetened with Louisa’s Cherry Honey — perfectly balanced and delicious served warm with thick Greek yoghurt, homemade cherry compôte and a drizzle of honey.
Cherry Compôte
- 400g frozen cherries, defrosted
- 45g Louisa’s Cherry Honey
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 3 strips of orange peel
- 1 star anise (optional)
Ricotta Pancakes
- 120g plain flour, sieved
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3 medium eggs, separated
- 250g full-fat ricotta
- 1 tbsp Louisa’s Cherry Honey
- Finely grated zest of ½ orange
- 130g full-fat milk
- Vegetable oil and butter, for frying
To Serve
- Thick Greek yoghurt
- Cherry compôte
- Louisa’s Cherry Honey, for drizzling
Method
Cherry Compôte Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove and discard the orange peel and star anise. Set aside.
For a thicker compôte: mix ½ tsp cornflour with ½ tsp water. Whisk into the cherry mixture after removing the peel and star anise, then return to the boil to cook out the cornflour.
Ricotta Pancakes In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the ricotta, egg yolks, honey and orange zest until almost smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk until fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture and gently whisk until just combined — take care not to overmix.
Using a large spoon, gently fold the whisked egg whites into the batter.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a low–medium heat and add a little oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, spoon in about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake, cooking no more than four at a time. Cover with a lid.
Cook for about 2 minutes until golden underneath, then flip and cook for a further 1–2 minutes with the lid on until puffed and just set. Repeat with remaining batter.
Serve warm with Greek yoghurt, cherry compôte and an extra drizzle of Louisa’s Cherry Honey.
Cook’s tip: Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven while you finish the batch.
20% Off for Brighton Journal Readers
Louisa’s Honey is offering Brighton Journal readers 20% off all products while stocks last.
👉 Scan the QR code or visit louisas-honey.com and use your exclusive discount code at checkout.
Find Louisa’s Honey
In store: Selfridges London · Planet Organic · Costco · Elys Wimbledon · Camp Hopson Newbury · Roomes Upminster
Food Festivals: Good Food Show Birmingham · Hampton Court Palace · Christ Church Food Festival
Full calendar at louisas-honey.com
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