WHOLE ORANGE SYRUP CAKE

This cake is an orange version of the Baklava cake  which was published on my blog on 28th Sept 2013.  ( same but different )
This cake can be made successfully with mandarins  or cumquats ..( use the equivalent weight of 2 medium oranges.)
This cake is literally made with whole oranges .
It is delicious .Preheat your oven to 180 deg C
Prepare your cake tin... 24 cm spring form pan ...( I use a 30cm loaf tin ).
Wash 2 medium oranges ( unpeeled ) and place in a saucepan of water .
Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 hour .
Cool.
Slice oranges ( unpeeled ) and place in a food processor  and puree until smooth.
Now in a large mixing bowl place........
 4 lightly beaten eggs
200gm of softened butter
1 cup of castor sugar
2 cups of plain flour
1. tsp of bi carb soda
1. cup of buttermilk
2 tsp of vanilla essence
1 cup of ground almonds
Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 12 minutes.
The batter will be light and fluffy .
Now fold in lightly 1/2 cup of slivered almonds.
pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 60 minutes .
( if the cake top starts to darken too early , lay a piece of baking paper over the top of the tin and continue cooking )

FOR THE SYRUP
Heat 1 cup of castor sugar with 1/2 cup of orange juice , stir till sugar is dissolved .
Slowly bring to the boil.
Add 2 tbs of orange marmalade , stir to dissolve .

The cake is cooked when it is golden brown and bounces back when gently pressed in the centre .
Spoon the syrup over the top of the cake while it is still in the tin .
Remove cake from the pan .

Freezes beautifully.



 

MUSHROOM GOUGERE

This is a savoury choux pastry ring .
Choux pastry is really easy to make , as no rolling out is required .
The secret of success is to let the flour and butter mixture cool before beating in the eggs , to prevent them from setting .
First preheat your oven to 200 deg C 
Grease an ovenproof dish , approximately 23 cm / 9 "round
To make the choux pastry ....
Sift 1/2 cup of plain flour and a tsp of salt onto a sheet of baking paper.
In a large saucepan , heat 75 gms of margarine /butter , 200ml of cold water until the shortening just melts ....Do not let the water boil.
Now fold the baking paper and let the flour and salt stream  into the warm water and melted shortening .
Stir with a wooden spoon over a low heat until the lumps disappear and the mixture becomes smooth .
Remove from heat once the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Now add the 3 beaten eggs slowly to the cooled  mixture , beat until it is smooth but still quite firm dropping consistancy.
You may not need all the egg .
Then stir in 75gm of  gruyere cheese .
Now spoon the mixture round the sides of the prepared dish .

THE FILLING ...
Saute a sliced onion , a grated carrot , 225gm of sliced mushrooms in 40 gm of margarine for 5 minutes.
Add 1 tsp of tikka
25gm of plain flour
Gradually stir in 300ml of milk.
Stir continually over a low heat until thickened
Add 2 tbs of freshly chopped parsley
Season with salt and ground black pepper .
Pour into the centre of the choux pastry.
Bake for 40 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.
Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

In a large bowl combine combine all these ingredients ......

1. cup of cocoa
2 . cups of castor sugar
2. tsp of vanilla essence
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of rice bran oil
4 eggs
2 cups of flour
2 tsp of baking powder

Mix together , forming a dough .
Wrap in cling wrap and place in refrigerator for 6 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180 deg C
Tear off pieces of the dough and form into balls the size of golf balls .
Roll the balls in icing sugar
Place the balls on a lined baking tray and bake for 12 minutes .
Cool on a wire rack.

That was on 14 th October ...

THE PACKAGED ALTERNATIVE
Today 16th October I was stopped in the supermarket by a lady holding a red velvet cake mix package , asking me  how much batter in a patty pan , makes a perfect patty  cake .
The cake box product advertised red velvet crinkle cakes ....
The recipe used ...
butter in place of oil
lemon zest in place of vanilla essence
they used a thickening agent ..cornflour
1. box of cake mix ....( that`s bone big load of energy  11532 kj  without the other ingredients )

You choose .

COFFEE NUT BALLS

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C
Heat a tbs of rice bran oil in a pan .
Add 1 sliced onion
2 cloves of garlic sliced
Fry till softened .
Remove from the heat  and add 1 cup of ground mixed nuts .
2 cups of wholewheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup of strong black coffee.
1 egg lightly beaten
1 dsp of dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Shape the mixture into balls  and coat in sesame seeds.
Place the balls on a greased baking tray .
bake in the oven for 40 minutes .....
Serve these with a mixed salad .
 

COFFEE NUT BEIGNETS

Savoury beignets are usually served as an appetiser , but can also be served as a canapé for a cocktail party .

In a pan heat 2 tbs of butter / margarine  and 3/4 of a cup of weak black coffee until the shortening has melted , then slowly bring to the boil.
Reduce heat
Add 1/2 cup of plain flour and beat till the mixture becomes smooth and leaves the sides of the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Beat 1 egg and I egg yolk together and slowly beat into the cooled coffee mixture .
When the egg and yolk are well incorporated  the paste should be smooth and shiny .
Now stir in 250gm of bacon pieces , 1/4 cup of chopped almonds , 1/2 cup of chopped parsley and 1 tsp of ground coffee , with salt and pepper to taste.
Drop teaspoonfuls into a deep fryer  of oil  and fry till golden brown  and crisp .
Drain on paper towels and serve hot with a sweet chutney.

POTATO BABKA .......kartopliana babka

Preheat your oven to 220 deg C  and grease a 9" round cake tin .
Place 2 cups of mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl and beat in 2 egg yolks.
Add 1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
A pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.
Then gently fold them into the potato mix .
Spoon the mixture into the greased pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and puffy .
Serve immediately

 

EGGS WITH POTATO PUREE

Boil 6 large potatoes in salted water .
Cook till the potatoes are softened , drain off the water .
Mash with 2 tbs of butter , a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of hot milk.
Place the mashed potatoes in a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with fine breadcrumbs and 1/2 a cup of grated tasty cheese .
Drizzle with a little melted butter .
Bake for 10 minutes at 200deg C.
Remove from the oven and with a tablespoon hollow out 4 dents in the mixture .
Break an egg into each hollow and return to the oven for 5 minutes till the eggs are set.
Serve with crispy rashers of bacon and slices of black pudding.