BANANA JAM

Peel and slice 1.5 kg of bananas along with 4 apples and place in a large saucepan . Add 750 gm of raw sugar , 375 ml of basalmic vinegar , the grated rind and juice of 3 lemons or limes, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon . Mix together well and place over a low heat and bring to a slow simmer , stirring occasionally . Simmer for 45 minutes and allow to thicken , remove from heat and use a stick blender to puree the mixture , then pour into jars and seal . This is excellent served with fromage blanc or alternatively drizzled over ice cream .

DRIED FIGS IN BRANDY

Fill 1 large jar or a few small jars with good quality dried figs and cover with a mixture of 2 parts runny honey with 1 part brandy . Macerate for 2 months before serving with a strong flavoured cheese or even as a sauce for ice cream . These will be ready for use in mid June . Fermentation at work .

FERMENTED CUCUMBER , TOMATO, ONION , CAPSICUM , OLIVE AND GARLIC .

Sliced cucumbers , onions , tomatoes , capsicums , olives and garlic . Layer the slices in jars sprinkling the layers sparingly with raw sugar and salt . I also added 2 whole cloves and a pinch of mustard seeds to the jars . Fill the jars to the top with the vegetable / fruit slices , weighing them down with a stainless steel disc . Then slowly pour malt vinegar over the slices , filling the jars . Securely tighten the lids . Leave the jars at room temperature for 3 days and they will then be ready to be consumed and or added to your meals . The fermented vegetables will keep for 3 months in the refrigeraor once opened .

GIFTS FROM THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

I love this time of the year preserving , making jams , relishes , chutneys and fermenting . Quince , tomato , fig , lemon, lime , pear and zucchini , have all been harvested from my back garden and passed through my kitchen and ended in some form of preserve . Preserving can be done all year round . DECEMBER....Fermented cucumber , tomato and onion . JANUARY.....Tomatoes FEBRUARY.....Quince. MARCH.....Fig , Corn APRIL....Zucchini MAY.....Cauliflower. JUNE...Eggplant. It really is up to you , how do you use them ? Savoury jams , relish , or chutney are great as a side to pork , beef , lamb and chicken . I love them with poached eggs for breakfast . Take your lasagne to another level by spreading your lasagne sheets with your preserve and continue layering with your lasagne filling . Serve on crackers with sliced cheese .

CHOUX PASTRY ......ECLAIRS

I had not made profiteroles for a long time before today . They are really easy to make , its all about the choux pastry , choux pastry is a soft pastry which is shaped by a spoon or can be squeezed from a piping bag . When it is cooked , it swells to into crisp golden shells. Choux pastry must be cooked and dry right through , a well cooked shell should be golden brown , firm to touch and light as a feather in your hand . Preheat your oven to 220 deg C . Place 125gm of marg / butter in a medium saucepan with 1 tsp of castor sugar , 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 cup of water . Slowly bring to the boil , then immediately remove from heat and tip in 1 cup of plain flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon . Return to heat and continue to stir until it is coming away from the side of the saucepan . Remove from heat and cool a little . Beat 4 eggs together in a separate bowl . Add the eggs a little at a time with your electric beater until thoroughly incorporated . You do not need to add all the eggs , the dough is ready when when it is shiny and holds its shape on a spoon . Spoon tbs full of the pastry onto an oiled and lined oven tray . Place in the very hot preheated oven , so that the pastry puffs quickly , then reduce heat to 180 deg C so that the pastry will cook without over browning . The secret to perfect choux pastry is to leave the cooked shells in the turned off oven with the door slightly open for 20 minutes to ensure that they are thoroughly dried out . Remove from oven and carefully slice in half . Fill the cooled shells with custard made by mixing 100gm of custard powder with 300ml of cream with an electric beater , beat for 2 minutes until the filling thickens . Finish with 50 gm of dark choclate melted and drizzled over the top of the puffs . This amount of ingredients will make enough dough for 12 eclairs.

REASONS FOR FAILURES IN CAKES

SINKING ON REMOVAL FROM OVEN Removed the cake from oven befor completely cooked . Too much raising agent. Too much sugar. SOGGY BASE OF CAKE Insufficient blending of ingredients Oven temperature too low Excess moisture Undercooking . TUNNELS IN CAKES Too little shortening in proportion to other ingredients . Over beating after flour has been added . CRACKING OF CAKE Mixture is too stiff , too much flour or insufficient liquid Oven temperature too high Using the incorrect sized pan . COARSE TEXTURE Under or over beating Too much raising agent Too much sugar Too low oven temperature UNEVEN CAKES Oven shelf uneven , not level . Cake pan maybe uneven Cake batter had not been smoothed over before baking . RISING AND SINKING DURING BAKING Too much moisture Too much raising agent . Incorrect oven temperature Too much sugar Opening the oven door while baking SHRINKAGE Over cooking Too much water Too much flour POOR VOLUME Incorrect measurement of ingredients Excess moisture Pan size too large for the amount of cake mixture .

HINTS FOR SUCCESSFUL CAKE MAKING

For easy removal of cakes from pans , prepare your pans by greasing with spray and lining with baking paper . Have all ingredients at room temperature . Prepare all ingredients before mixing as a cake batter will lose its lightness if left standing . For best results , once the mixing has started , do not stop until the cake is in the oven . Once the cake is cooked , remove from the pan and place on a cake cooling rack and cover the cake lightly with a clean tea towel to cool completely .