Raspberry Yogurt Cake - Part 1 of the Yogurt Cakes

Raspberries are here! They are in season and they are tasting mighty fine. As such - I had to do some more baking with them. Although not the prettiest cake this cake was seriously moist and tasty. It had pockets of fresh raspberries which disintegrated into little jam like nuggets just bursting with raspberry flavor. A very nice cake indeed!

Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter at room temp.
1 and 3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. orange juice
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup of low fat plain yogurt
1 tsp. grated orange zest
3 large eggs at room temp
1.5 cups fresh raspberries

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Grease a bundt pan.

3. In a large bowl whisk 2.5 cups of flour, salt and baking powder together.

4. In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.

5. Add the orange juice, almond extract and orange peel to the butter mixture - beat together for 30 seconds.

6. Add one egg at a time, beating for 30seconds between each egg.

7. Mix in the yogurt.

8. Add the dry ingredients until they are barely blended.

9. In a separate bowl put in the raspberries and add 1/2 a cup of flour. Mix together.

10. Fold in the berries with the rest of the batter.

11. Put the batter in the bundt pan and bake for 1hour and 10 min. The cake is ready when you place a thin knife through it and it comes out clean.

12. Serve!

Taken from the July 2008 "Bon Appetie" p. 63.

Chocolate, Caramel and Honey Roasted Peanut Tart

This is a tart I've been wanting to make for quite some time. A layer of caramel pitted with honey roasted peanuts and then coated by a bittersweet chocolate ganache means decadent salty, caramelly, sort of sweet tasty.

Ingredients: Tart Base

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Ingredients: Caramel

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar, sifted

1 Tbs. light corn syrup

2 Tbs. salted butter, at room temp.

Ingredients: Ganache

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup + 2 Tbs heavy cream

4 Tbs. unsalted Butter cut into 4 pieces and at room temp.

Ingredients: Extras

3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts (or other nuts - this would work well with hazelnuts for a more nutella feel)

Method: Tart Base

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter, and process until large moist crumbs form.

3. Transfer the dough to a round tart pan (9inch in diameter).

4. With floured fingers press the dough into the pan.

5. Freeze until firm (around 30min).

6. Take out the freezer, and prick all over with a fork.

7. Bake until golden (20-25min).

8. Let cool to room temp.

Method: Caramel

1. Bring the cream to boil.

2. Meanwhile, in a non-stick fry pan over medium heat sprinkle in around 3 Tbs of sugar.

3. Wait for it to melt, stir it with a wooden spoon. Then add another 3 Tbs of sugar.

4. When this set of sugar has melted add the rest of the sugar, wait for it to melt.

5. Stir with a wooden spoon.

6. Add the corn syrup and stir again. Boil until a deep caramel colour has been achieved.

7. Stand back from the fry pan and add the butter.

8. When the butter has melted, add the cream.

9. Lower the temp. a smidge and let the caramel boil for 2 min.

10. Pour the caramel into a heatproof bowl (also make sure the bowls microwave safe) and set aside.

Method: Ganache

1. Put the chocolate bits into a heatproof bowl.

2. Bring the cream to a boil and pour half on top of the chocolate.

3. Wait 30 seconds, and then with a whisk very gently stir the chocolate and cream together (begin with small circles in the center and then slowly make larger circles).

4. Pour in the rest of the cream, and stir using the same circular motions.

5. When it is smooth and shiny stir in the butter (one piece at a times). Don't stir the ganache any more then you have to - the less you work it the better the texture will be.

6. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap - pressing the plastic against it as to seal it.

7. Set aside at room temp.

Method: Assembly

1. Using a small rubber spatula stir the peanuts into the caramel. If the caramel has cooled to an unusable concrete consistency put it in the microwave and zap it for 3 seconds and see how it is. Keep zapping it until it becomes useful again.

2. Spread the caramel over the base of the tart shell.

3. Put the tart base with the caramel in the fridge for 15 min to let the caramel set.

4. Next is the ganache - check and see if it is a pourable consistency. If not, do as you did the caramel to make it useful again (zap zap zap).

5. Rap the bowl on your bench and then pour it on top of the caramel and peanuts. Jiggle the pan to even it out.

6. Refrigerate for 30 min. And then let it be at room temp for serving.

Taken from the ever wonderful: Dorie Greenspan "Baking from My home to Yours" pp. 355-7.

Lisa's Lemon Raspberry Desserts

This was a wonderful idea from Lisa my co-worker who suggested the wonderful combo of lemon cream, berries and tuiles.

Ingredients: Tuiles
1/2 cup cake flour
2/3 cup icing sugar
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

Ingredients: Lemon Cream
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 3 lemons
4 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4-5 lemons)
2 sticks + 5 Tbs. of butter, at room temp, cut into 1 Tbs pieces.

Ingredients: Accoutrement's
3 punnets fresh organic raspberries
a couple of tsp. worth of icing sugar

Method: Tuiles
1. Cut out a cardboard stencil of the size of the tuiles you wish to make (mine was around 12cm x 5cm).
2. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment, and trace the stencil onto the paper.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. In a large bowl whisk together the flour and icing sugar.
5. Add the egg whites and vanilla extracts and whisk until smooth.
6. Whisk in the melted butter until well blended (the batter should look smooth and shiny).
7. Use around 1 Tbs. of batter for each tuile. Place the batter in the center of the stenciled shape and spread with a metal spatula.
8. Bake for around 7-9 min or until the edges have a deep brown color and the center is still pale.
9. Remove carefully (these are remarkably thin) from the parchment paper and let cool on a wire rack.

Method: Lemon Cream
Have an instant read thermometer, a strainer and a blender at hand.
1.Bring a few inches of water to boil in a saucepan.
2. Put the sugar and zest in a large heatproof bowl (that will fit inside your saucepan of simmering water). Off the heat, rub the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, and very aromatic.
3. Whisk in the eggs, and then add the lemon juice.
4. Set the bowl over the pan and start stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid.
5. Cook the lemon cream until it reaches 180F whisk the lemon cream the whole time.
6. Once it has reached 180F, remove it from the saucepan of simmering water and strain it into the blender. Throw away the lemon zest.
7. Wait until the temperature of the lemon cream is 140F before turning the blender on.
8. Once it is 140F, turn on the blender, and proceed to feed the butter into the lemon cream 5 Tbs at a time. Make sure you periodically scrape down the sides of the blender.
9. Blend for 3 min. on the highest setting - this makes the cream light and airy.
10. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Method: Assembly - to be done as close to serving time as possible
1. Place 1 tuile on a serving plate.
2. Spread around 1 Tbs. of the lemon cream on top.
3. Halve some raspberries and arrange them around the edges of the tuile.
4. Place another tuile on top and repeat.
5. Place another tuile on top, and then place the lemon cream on top. Instead of halving the raspberries for this final layer, simply stand them up (like the photo).
6. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve!

Taken and adapted from: Williams and Sanoma "Essentials of Baking pp. 136-7 and Dorie Greenspans book "Baking: From My Home to Yours" pp. 331-33.

Apple Fritters

I received a deep fryer for my birthday from my brother and his wife ( my arteries sincerely thank them for it!). This is one of my first attempts at deep frying as deep frying has always been such a daunting proposition for me (fire! splattering oil! fire!). These were, by the way - very nice indeed!

Ingredients
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 eggs - separated

1 Tbs. unsalted butter - melted

2 Tbs. sugar

2 cups of apples peeled, cored and grated

Method

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt.

2. In a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, egg yolks, melted butter and sugar.

3. Add the flour mix and stir well.

4. Let the mixture rest for 1 hour.

5. Grate the apples and squeeze out the excess juice (the recipe I used had an additional recipe for a honey apple dipping sauce - if you want to make the sauce keep the apple juice).

6. Add the apples to the mixture.

7. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks are formed.

8. Fold in the egg whites.

9. Heat the oil for deep frying.

10. Using a teaspoon measure out the batter and put into the oil (1 tsp. for each fritter).

11. Cook the fritters 3 min the first side and 2 min for the flip side.

12. Remove from heat and serve with icing sugar, cinnamon sugar or with the honey dipping sauce recipe provided by the link.

Taken from: www.care2.com/greenliving/apple-fritters-honey-dipping-sauce.html

Stewed Rhubarb

Ok, not technically baking - but as the last post was me bagging a rhubarb dish I didn't want people thinking that I didn't like rhubarb. So, I thought I'd post on a good rhubarb dish - simple stewed rhubarb.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh rhubarb cut into pieces

1/2 cup sugar (probably will require more - just add more to taste)

3 pieces of thick lemon skin

2-3 pears (or apples) peeled and chopped into pieces (around the same size as the rhubarb pieces)

Method

1. Place all ingredients into a saucepan, and cover with water (the water should cover the ingredients by around 1cm).

2. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer until the rhubarb and pears have boiled down into each other.

4. Taste and see if it requires more sugar - if so then add some.

3. Wonderful served with vanilla ice cream or custard.

Rhubarb Flan

So, there were some good things but also some not so good things with this flan. Firstly, I do love rhubarb I grew up on the stuff. I love the way it eats the enamel off your teeth, and the way it pairs with apples and vanilla ice cream. However, I did have some issues with this recipe - namely it felt disjointed. The base, the rhubarb and the meringue layer on top didn't feel united. There are things I will use again - specifically the base (I loved LOVED the combo of almonds and amaretto cookies as they soaked up the juices and gave a fabulous texture to the whole thing), but I won't be making this flan again, as the flavors just didn't feel 'right'.

Ingredients: Base
150g all-purpose flour

1 pinch baking powder

50g sugar

100g soft butter

Ingredients: Topping

1 cup ground almonds

2/3 cup amaretto cookie crumbs

3 pounds fresh rhubarb washed and cut into 2-inch pieces

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Ingredients: Meringue

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

Method: Shortcrust base

1. line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 400F.

2. In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

3. Add the other ingredients.

4. Using a hand mixer, mix until the dough is formed.

5. Roll the dough out to fit your baking sheet.

6. Prick with a fork, and bake in the preheated oven for 10 min.

7. Let cool.

Method: Topping

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Combine the ground almonds and amaretto cookie crumbs together and sprinkle on top of the shortcrust base.

3. Arrange the rhubarb on top of the crumbs.

4. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle over the top of the rhubarb.

5. Place in the preheated oven, bake for 25-35 min (you want the rhubarb to feel soft to the touch and the sugar to have mostly disintegrated).

6. Let cool.

Method: Meringue
1. Beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff.

2. Spoon into a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe meringue in a lattice pattern over the rhubarb.

3. Bake for 10 min in the 350F oven.

Taken from a couple of books: Dr.Oektker (shortcrust pastry) "German Baking Today" p. 68. The flan itself came from another book - I have to find the name of it as I borrowed it from my boss at work...

Baumkuchen - Tree Cake (aka. Happy Belated Birthday Josh)

A cake with many layers, this cake is suffused with rum and vanilla sugar. A cake that takes quite a lot of time due to the baking process this is one of my husbands favorite cakes.

Ingredients: Cake

Egg whites of 4 medium eggs

250g soft butter

250g sugar

2 Tbs. vanilla sugar

Pinch of salt

2 whole medium eggs, and 2 yolks

4 Tbs. rum

150g plain flour

100g cornstarch

3 level tsp. baking powder

Ingredients: Choc Coating

200g milk chocolate (chopped)

4 tsp. cooking oil

Method: Cake

1. Grease a bread tin, and line the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Preheat the grill, and make sure the oven rack is around 20cm (8 inches) away from the grill.

3. Beat the eggs whites until stiff. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl using an electric whisk whisk the butter until smooth.

5. Add the sugars (including the vanilla sugar) and salt, and whisk until the mixture thickens.

6. Add the two whole eggs, whisking for 30seconds between each.

7. Add the egg yolks and whisk for 30sec. between additions.

8. Add the rum and whisk again until smooth and homogeneous.

9. In a smaller bowl add the flour, cornstarch and baking powder, and with a fork mix together until well combined.

10. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two stages, beating with a wooden spoon between additions.

11. Gently fold in the eggs whites.

12. Using a pastry brush, spread 1 Tbs. of the batter on the bottom of the cake tin and bake until a rich golden brown. Repeat this process (adding 1Tbs. of batter to the top of the previously baked layer) until all the batter has been used. Make sure you keep an eye on it, if the layers begin to bake too quickly either turn the grill down or move the baking shelf lower.

13. Run a knife around the outside of the cake, and remove from the tin onto a wire rack. Remove the baking parchment.

14. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Method: Choc Coating
1. In a bain marie add the chocolate and oil together, and allow to melt. We want a nice smooth chocolate coating, so make sure to keep stirring until it has smoothed out.

Method: Icing
1. If you baked your cake in a slightly sloping pan, you can cut the edges to make sure they are square.

2. Pour around 1/2 of the chocolate on top of the cake and spread evenly over cake.

3. Wait for the chocolate icing to adhere and harden (you can place it in the fridge and it should be hardened in around 15min).

4. Add another layer of chocolate.

Taken from: Dr.Oetker: German Baking Today

Chocolate-Studded Swiss Sweet Buns from Basel (aka. Schoggiweggli)

These are a crunchy sweet yet salty bun that pair well with a hot coffee. They are laborious, but they are tasty especially for people who aren't so big on sweet things.

Ingredients

1 cup milk

2.5 tsp. active dry yeast

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. salt

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

6 oz. semisweet chocolate (either chips or roughly cut into small chunks)

Eggs wash: 1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt

Method

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it is lukewarm. Pour this into a small bowl and whisk in the yeast. Set aside.

2. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment place the flour, sugar and salt. On the lowest setting mix together for 30 seconds.

3. Add the butter and mix until the butter is well mixed into the dry ingredients (around 1 min).

4. Add the yeast mixture you set aside earlier and beat together for 2 min on the lowest setting. Stop and let the dough rest for 10min.

5. Mix together for another 2 min, this time on medium speed. You want the dough to be fairly elastic.

6. Beat in the chocolate bits on the lowest speed until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Don't beat for too long as this may mean that the chocolate will melt and the dough will be chocolate brown.

7. Scrape the dough into a well oiled bowl and rub the oil all over the outside of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

8. On a lightly floured surface scrape the dough. Press into a rectangle and divide the dough into 14-18 equal pieces.

9. Round each piece of dough using your palms, let rest for 10 min under a tea towel.

10. Roll the dough pieces into ovals, and squash the ends in until the dough looks like a mini canoe (see the photo below). Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

11. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. At 45 min into the rising preheat the oven to 375F.

12. Paint with the egg wash.

13. With a pair of scissors cut slashes into the top (around 4 slashes depending on the size of the bun).

14. Bake for 15 min and then swap the trays around (middle to top and top to middle). Bake for an additional 10 min. You want the final product to be a deep golden color.

15. Slide the baking paper from the pan and onto a wire rack to cool.

Taken from Nick Malgieri's "A Baker's Tour" pp. 67-8.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

The cakes themselves are a combination of strong instant espresso with a a hint of vanilla, whilst the tops (the froth on the cappuccino) is mostly made up of white chocolate. A wonderful combination!

Ingredients: Cupcakes
3/4 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
7 Tbs. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 heaped Tbs. instant espresso
2-3 Tbs. milk

Ingredients: Icing
5.25 oz white chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup + 1 Tbs. sour cream
1 and 2/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
a little cocoa powder for dusting

Method: Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. In a food processor add all the cupcake ingredients except the milk and pulse to combine.
3. Add the milk and pulse again until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Place 12 cupcake liners into a muffin pan.
5. Spoon the batter into the liners.
6. Bake for around 20min (until a slight golden brown color).
7. Let sit for 5 min and then place the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool down completely.

Method: Icing
1. Melt the white chocolate and butter in the microwave.
2. After it has cooled a tad, add the sour cream and stir.
3. Gradually add the sifted confectioners sugar until it is a good consistency (malleable, but not wet).
4. Spread the icing on top of the cupcakes and then dust some cocoa powder on top.

Taken from "How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking" by Nigella Lawson p. 199.

Ross

Dedicated to my step father Ross: thank you for teaching me to try things, thank you for taking care of my mother and for making us a family. Thank you for the vegetarian dishes I know you didn't always enjoy making and thank you for the scrumptious souffles and eggs done my way.

Ross Ian Atkins: 1954-2008

Unfortunately I probably won't be able to post for a month or so. I apologize for the time with no posts.

Whole Lemon Tart - Myer Lemons

This is from the wonderful Dorrie Greenspan book - well some of it is. I also used an old favorite tart base that hasn't failed me yet from "everyday food" the little mag in the supermarkets. This tart is sweet, and aptly it is also tart. The inclusion of every part of the lemon (bar the seeds) makes the filling zesty and a tad bitter (I'd like to say it's a little "perky").

Ingredients: Crust

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Ingredients: Filling

2 Myer lemons

1.5 cups sugar

1 large egg, at room temp.

2 large egg yolks, at room temp.

1.5 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled

Method: Crust

1. . Preheat oven to 375F or 190C.

2. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter, and process until large moist crumbs form.

3. Transfer the dough to a round tart pan (9inch or 13cm in diameter).

4. With floured fingers press the dough into the pan (you can use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust into the pan).

5. Freeze until firm (around 15min).

6. Take out the freezer, and prick all over with a fork and cover with aluminium foil.

7. Bake until golden for 25 min.

8. Take off the foil and press down the crust with the back of a spoon.

9. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

10. Place on a baking tray.

Method: Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.

2. Scrub the lemons and dry.

3. Cut the lemons into small pieces.

4. Place the lemon pieces and sugar together in a blender and process until a regular consistency (you will need to scrape down the blender with a rubber spatula multiple times, to make sure the lemon and sugar are integrated).

5. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until a smooth consistency has been formed.

6. Tap the blender on your bench top a few times to eliminate some of the bubble and pour into the tart crust.

7. Transfer the tart pan and baking sheet to the oven and bake for 20 min.

8. Increase the temperature to 350F and bake for another 25-30 min. When the tart has finished baking it should be fairly set, and the top will have a sugary crust.

9. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temp.

10. This can be served at room temp. or chilled (it can be served two days after it has been made as long as it's kept in the fridge).

Taken from Dorie Greenspan's "Baking: From my home to yours" p. 336. As well as "Everyday Food" I forget the page - refer to the blueberry tart post if you'd like more details.

Double Choc Cookies

These smelled unbelievable - like a hot chocolate. They were soft and chewy and had a lovely textural change due to the choc chips. I used bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate, although you could have used any combo of contrasting chocolates (eg. milk and dark, semi sweet and bittersweet).

Ingredients

8oz butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

2.25 cups plain flour, sifted

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

4.5 oz milk chocolate, either chips or broken into pieces

4.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, either chips or broken into pieces

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.

2. Place the butter and the two types of sugars into the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment beat until light and creamy.

3. Add one egg at a time, and beat for 1 min between each addition.

4. Add the flour, baking powder, and cocoa and mix together well.

5. Add the chocolate pieces/chips and combine.

6. Using 1 heaped Tbs. of the mixture make into rough round balls and place on a tray lined with baking paper (make sure there is a decent amount of rooms between the cookies as these guys spread).

7. Bake for around 20-25 min (maybe even longer 30 min). They are cooked when they are brown on the bottom.

Taken from Donna Hay's Modern Classics: Book 2" pp. 30, 32.

Danish Pastries

These were pretty amazing, a flaky buttery pastry filled with two fillings - pineapple and kaimir (a vodka, brandy and vanilla liquor) and a blueberry and kirchwasser filling. These weren't as hard as I thought they would be to make. I used a simplified danish pastry method that worked brilliantly!

Ingredients: Danish Pastry

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup milk, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temprature

1.25 cups white bread flour

1 package dry yeast

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, sliced thinly

Ingredients: Filling - Pineapple and Kaimir

1 can (15.25 oz or 432g) of crushed pineapple, preferably in it's own juice

3 Tbs. corn starch

1 Tbs. cold water

1-3 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. Kaimir

Ingredients: Filling - Blueberry and Kirchwasser

1 can (15oz or 425g) blueberries in light syrup or in own juice

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1 Tbs. cold water

1 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. kirchwasser

Ingredients: Egg Wash

1 egg

1 Tbs water

Ingredients: Sugar Syrup

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Method: Pastry
1. In a small bowl add the water, milk and egg and whisk together with a fork. Set aside.

2. Place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse once to mix.

3. Add the cold slices of butter and process for a short time. You want the butter to still be fairly large (1/2 inch pieces).

4. Place the contents of the food processor into a large bowl.

5. Add the egg/milk/water mixture and using your hands or a rubber spatula combine the dry and wet ingredients. Don't mix it too much, you still want chunky butter bits left.

6. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight (it can be placed in the fridge for 4 days).

7. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temp (for me this took around an hour).

8. Roll the pastry into a 20 inch square.

9. Fold the dough into thirds (draw three horizontal lines on the dough, fold the top down, then the bottom one towards the middle - like folding a letter).

10. Repeat this process three times.

11. Cut the dough in half, and wrap each half and place in the fridge for 30 min before using.

Method Filling: Pineapple

1. Place the can of pineapple in a small saucepan and put over medium high heat.

2. in a small bowl combine the corn starch and cold water to make a paste.

3. Add the vanilla liquor and sugar (keep tasting until the balance is right).

4. Once the pineapple is hot stir in the corn starch mixture.

5. Bring to a boil, and keep stirring until thickened.

6. Let the filling cool before use.

Method Filling: Blueberry
1. Place the can of blueberries in a small saucepan over medium high heat.

2. Add the sugar and kirchwasser (once again keep tasting in this process making sure the balance is right for you).

3. In a small bowl add the corn starch and water and combine to make a thick paste.

4. Once the blueberries are hot, add the corn starch and stir.

5. Keep stirring until the mixture has thickened.

6. Allow to cool before use.

Method: Egg Wash

1. Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.

Method: Assembly

1. Using half the danish pastry roll out into a square.

2. Cut the square in half, and then into thirds making 6 small squares.

3. Place 1 Tbs of filling in the center of the square.

4. At each corner of the square use a sharp knife to cut towards the filling stopping around 1 cm away from the filling (see picture).

5. Pick up one corner and place in the center, then another, until all 4 corners have been placed in the center (see picture).

6. Put a little of the egg wash on the center and squeeze together lightly to hold it down.

7. Place on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.

8. Cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm draft free area, and let rise for 1.5 hours.

9. Preheat the oven to 350F.

10. Just before baking use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the pastry.

11. Bake for 15-18 min until puffy and golden.

12. Make the sugar syrup by placing the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.

13. When the pastries are out of the oven and still a little warm brush them with the sugar syrup.

14. These will keep in an airtight container for 1 day.

Adapted from "How to Be a Domestic Goddess?: Baking and the Art of Comfort Food" by Nigella Lawson, pp 326-8.

Walnut Orange Cake

A simple butter cake that has been infused with walnuts and and orange liquor topped off with a chocolate orange icing. This cake is a rather dry cake, and in order for the flavors to seep in I'd recommend waiting until it's cool, wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and letting it sit at room temperature overnight before making the icing and serving it.

Ingredients: Cake

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 eggs

1.5 cups self-raising flour

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup milk

2 Tbs. orange liquor (I used gran gala)

Ingredients: Icing

4 oz. semi sweet chocolate (chopped)

1/2 Tbs vegetable oil

1 Tbs. orange liquor

orange zest from 1/2 an orange

handful of chopped walnuts

Method: Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 8 inch springform tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2.Using a paddle attachment and a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar together for 5 min until thick and creamy.

3. Add one egg and then beat on medium for 1 min and then add the next. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.

4. Fold in 1/2 the flour, and then add half the milk, and then the remaining flour and then milk.

5. Add the walnuts and fold in until just combined.

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth down the top.

7. Bake for 35 min (check at 25 when a thin knife inserted into the center should come out clean).

8. Leave in the pan for 5 min, then run a knife around the edge and remove from the pan.

Method: Icing

1. In a bain marie add the oil, chocolate, orange liquor and orange zest.

2. Stir until melted.

3. Cool for 10 min.

4. Spread on top of the cool cake and add additional walnuts if desired.

Adapted from "Sweet Food" ed. Kay Scarlett pp 110-111.

Liquor #2

Sooo - if anyone has any ideas for the use of liquors I'd be more then willing to try some! I have bourbon, kirchwasser (brandy distilled from cherries), brandy proper, myer's rum, single malt scotch whisky, kamir (brandy + vodka + vanilla), gran gala (triple orange liquor made with brandy), and peppermint schnapps. Any ideas?

Liquors

I was walking along on my way home and I spotted a liquor store. I though I may as well go in as I needed to by some bourbon for some recipe I wanted to try (I still can't recall what recipe but it stuck in my head anyway). And I found the "mini bar" section with all the tinsy liquors in wonderful bottles, and so I bought up big in order to try them out in some recipes. I haven't really a clue in what recipes exactly, but in the next few weeks (months) I'll be attempting to use the liquors instead of the more conventional flavors (lemon, orange, vanilla) or in conjunction with them (eg. peppermint schnapps and chocolate). Wish me luck!

ANZAC Biscuits (cookies)

These biscuits are chewy and buttery and, as they last a while they are a great hiking biscuit. They are a traditional Australian and New Zealand biscuit (ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) and they were used in wartime (specifically WWI) as a nutritional snack that would survive the trip over to the war front. Now, they are traditionally eaten on April 25th which is ANZAC day (the equivalent of Veterans day).

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain (all purpose) flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup shredded coconut (try the unsweetened variety)
2 Tbs. golden syrup (available at world market in the USA and other stores that specialize in English food and ingredients)
4oz butter
1/2 tsp. bicarb soda
1 Tbs. hot water

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 325F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl place the oats, flour, sugar and coconut and mix with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients.

3. Place the butter and golden syrup together in a saucepan over low heat, and let them melt together.

4. In a small bowl stir the hot water and bicarbonate soda together.

5. Pour the water and bicarb soda mixture into the butter mixture.

6. Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients.

7. Mix well using a wooden spoon.

8. Using a tablespoon to measure out the amount place 1 Tbs of the mixture in your palms and then roll together into a ball. Place on the baking trays with enough room for expansion (these do flatten out quite a lot).

9. Bake for between 10-15 min (check after 10min) until they are golden brown.

10. Allow to cool for 5 min and then remove the biscuits and place on a wire rack to cool down completely.

Taken from: Donna Hay "Modern Classics Book 2" p.16.

Food things I Love

I haven't yet made this blog a very personal blog, and so I intend to make it a little more personal. I have many favorite things, but when I think of food I can name some right away:

1. Rice Pudding. I grew up with this dish. It wasn't like what I see other people make where cinnamon is integrated into the pudding. Instead it involves very few ingredients, and a two step process. You first cook the rice in the milk with a little salt, and then you melt salty butter in a fry pan until it begins to brown (the smell is nutty) and then you. You squish the rice on a plate and pour on the butter (I know how wonderfully healthy this must sound) and then you add the cinnamon and sugar on top of the butter where it soaks up the butter. This is my favourite dish in the world. Oh if life could be like a good rice pudding!

2. Black Liquorice. I grew up with this stuff (isn't it funny that the stuff we loved as a kid can have such sticking power as an adult?) My particular favorite thing with liquorice is licorice bullets. Liquorice covered in milk chocolate! Delectable!

3. Rose hip Jam. A thick delectable concoction - doesn't really taste very rosy, but has a mellow earthy flavor a good one isn't too sweet either, more on the savory side. Eat with warm toast smeared with salty butter and then jam on top. Yum!

4. Vegemite. Yes I am Australian and yes this is a tad cliche but it can be really good (although it can be really bad as well). I'm of the school which states 'a little goes a long way'. Vegemite isn't to be used like a jam, or peanut butter. For me I have it on toast, bread or biscuits (by this I mean something like an Australia salada - dry water type cracker). A must is a layer or salty butter, and then a very small amount of Vegemite smeared over the top really nice. Try it with a piece of cheese on it (preferably Cheddar), the two flavors (salty, milky) work really well.

5. Tea. I love black tea - adore it in fact. A good cup of strong black tea, made slightly murky by milk and sweet with sugar - delicious!

6. Marzipan. Chocolate covered marzipan...

Butter Almond Cake

I love baking and trying new cook books - especially those with wonderful illustrations to all of the recipes. However I really don't enjoy baking when times are off, especially baking times. This one was off by 30min at guess. I do love the idea of a soft spongy base, with a hard crisp layer of buttery almonds, and eventually this cake did deliver some of those expectations, however it wasn't as good as I'd hoped. I'll write out the recipe with a few changes to the one from the book, including times, and one taste difference (they used 1 tsp.vanilla extract which when the cake was made was utterly overwhelming, I would reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 tsp and allow the butter flavor of the almonds to come through. Or alternatively I would add 2 Tbs. of rum to the batter instead, or even 1 Tbs of vanilla sugar).

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup milk

2 Tbs. cream

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

1 cup plain flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup almonds (slivered or thinly sliced)

Method: Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Grease a 9 inch springform tin and lightly dust with flour

3. In a small saucepan heat 1/2 the butter and all but 2 Tbs. of the milk. Heat until the butter has melted.

4. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment add the eggs, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla extract and mix on medium until the mixture has become light and fluffy (around 3 - 5 min).

5. Add the milk and butter mixture and combine for 1 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

6. Sift in all but 1Tbs. of the plain flour into the mixture, and add in the baking powder.

7. Mix on medium until all the dry ingredients have been well incorporated.

8. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix once again (around 30 seconds).

9. Scrape batter into prepared tin.

10. Bake for 20-25 min, or until the center of the cake is a little undercooked, but the sides are baked.

Method: Topping (to be make when the cake is in the oven)

1. Melt the rest of the butter in a medium fry pan.

2. Add the almonds, the remainder of the sugar (1.25 cups), the 1 Tbs. of flour, 2 Tbs. of milk and the 2 Tbs. of cream and mix until warm and malleable.

Method: Assembly

1. Remove the cake from the oven and quickly apply the topping to the cake.

2. Place back in the oven and bake until the almond topping is a light golden brown (around 15 min).

3. Remove and place on a wire rack.

4. After cooling for 5 min, remove the sides of the pan, and then the base, and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from "Sweet Food" ed. Kay Scarlett pp. 220-1.