a commonsense approach to eating well, living well and travelling
A variation on the universally popular sticky date pudding. This recipe is modified from Greg and Lucy Malouf’s cook book titled Turquoise. The figs are less sweet but this is a surprisingly light sponge and the butterscotch sauce makes it so unctuous.
INGREDIENTS
250 grams figs, finely chopped
450ml boiling water
1 plus ½ teaspoon baking soda
I arrived in New Zealand in the late 80’s and we moved to a peaceful cul de sac in the Christchurch suburb of Casebrook. My neighbour Pearl, would bake goodies on Sunday afternoon and I credit her for introducing me to Kiwi cuisine. I learnt about pikelets and crumpets as well as slices and scones. This fruit and nut squares recipe has been in my collection since then.
INGREDIENTS
180 grams butter
180 grams sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
½ teaspoon soda
250 grams dried fruit (apricots, sultanas and dates)
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup walnut pieces
180 grams high grade flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
METHOD
Melt butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large microwave safe bowl. (5-6 minutes on high). Remove from heat. Add soda and dried fruit. Cool slightly. Mix in the egg and walnut pieces. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
Spread into a greased sponge roll tin (approximately 22cms x 26cms) and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. At the end of cooking, turn off the heat but leave in the oven for another 15 -20 minutes. Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar before cutting into squares.
This recipe is from Dish, the magazine (Issue 85). I love that it is straight forward and doesn’t use too many bowls and pans. The loaf takes a long time to cook but it is absolutely scrumptious, so it seems worth the time The texture is nutty, yet the cake does not use any almond meal.
INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs, size 7
1 plus ¾ cup caster sugar
1 cup neutral oil (eg sunflower oil)
1 cup buttermilk (I used plain yoghurt)
Clafoutis is a very simple classic French dessert. I used well drained tinned black cherries. During summer, you can use a punnet of black berries.
1 x 400 grams tin of black cherries in syrup, well drained
200 ml whole milk
100 ml cream
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but I can never pass up gooey things with caramel sauce. Having said that I cannot eat more than a piece or a spoonful of the luscious dulce de leche. My daughter made this over the weekend for a bake sale at her work and it was popular. This is easy and the recipe is adapted from Jo Seagar. Makes a perfect gift or if you need to take a plate.
Base
2 cups plain flour
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
1.5 cups of brown sugar
3 cups rolled oats
2 eggs
250 grams butter, melted
Filling
200 grams butter
400 grams sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Maldon sea salt
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 180oC. Grease a large 25 centimetre x 35 centimetre x 5 centimetre (depth) tin with baking paper. Make sure the paper has a good overhang.
Lightly toast the desiccated coconut and set aside. For the base, combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add eggs and butter. Mix well, then press half of the mixture into the prepared tin. Take time to press it down and place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
While the base is browning, slowly melt butter, condensed milk and golden syrup together. Stirring continuously and taking care not to burn the bottom, heat the filling until it turns golden and smell the caramel flavour as it intensifies. Mix the vanilla essence. Remove tin with the base from the oven and pour filling onto base. Spread evenly and now place the remaining crumble mixture on top. Sprinkle Maldon sea salt on top so that as you bit into the slice, there is a hint of saltiness. Bake for a further 15-20 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.
TIPS
Best to cut after it has been refrigerated for at least 6-8 hours. Remove the slice from the tin and place on chopping board. To get perfect slices, trim the edges off first and then cut into 24 -28 pieces.
It was my son’s birthday over the weekend and I baked this cake. This is my go to cake for any occasion. A friend of mine Trish, gave this recipe about 20 years ago and we love it. It is so moist, easy to prepare and uncomplicated and gluten free. The whole house has a beautiful orange aroma when the cake is in the oven.
6 Eggs
250 grams caster sugar
250 grams ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 oranges
Put the oranges and 2 cups of water into a saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. Cover and boil for 2 hours. Check that the oranges don’t boil dry. Once cool, discard the water and cut oranges open. Remove pips and core and purée.
Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Fold in oranges and ground almonds then add baking powder.
Pour into a lined cake tin, preferably with a removable base. I used a 26 centimetres tin. Bake for about 60 minutes at 180°C. Cool in the tin before turning out.
Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.