Tag Archives: Homemade

Spiced Plum & Almond Cake

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Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Spiced Plums

  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 piece star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broke in half
  • 2-3 pieces of unwaxed lemon peel
  • ¾ cup water
  • 6 small red plums, halved and pitted

Cake

  • 1 and ½ cups ground almonds, divided
  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds

Method

Spiced Plums

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, water and bring  to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the plums, ensuring they are submerged in the hot liquer. Let rest for 20 minutes. After this time drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooled syrup

Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare with butter or baking spray the sides of an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper
  2. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the ground almonds, all the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Whisk to combine and set aside until needed
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. At low speed or with a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients. Set aside ½ cup of the batter. Transfer the remaining batter into the prepared pan and arrange the infused plums, cut side down, on the surface
  4. Stir the remaining ½ cup of ground almonds into the reserved batter. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip. Pipe the mixture in the spaces between the plums and sprinkle with the almond slices. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove. Lightly brush the top of the cake with the plum infusing syrup from earlier (gently reheated for ease of brushing)
  6. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Babka

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Makes 1 large 10” Babka loaf ring

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active yeast
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick butter, softened and cubed
  • 5 cups All-purpose flour

Filling

  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • ⅔ cups sugar
  • 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Glaze

  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup sugar

Method

Dough

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a dough hook, combine the warm milk, yeast, the sugar, mix and allow it to sit until foamy, about 10 mins
  2. Add in the pumpkin, butter, egg, salt, and spices and mix to combine. Add in the flour, bit by bit, until completely incorporated, then knead for 6 minutes at medium-high speed using the dough hook of a stand mixer, until the dough is smooth
  3. Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size

Filling

  1. About 10 minutes before your pumpkin dough has done rising, prepare the chocolate filling by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stirring in the sugar until almost completely dissolved.
  2. Remove from heat and add in the chopped chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth, then add the cocoa powder and stir to combine and form a thick filling. Set aside until needed

To Finish

  1. Prepare your baking pan. I use a 10” fluted pan to make this, prepared with brushed baking spray
  2. Take your risen dough and knock it back by punching then turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a large rectangle (apx 14x 18 inches) and then spread the chocolate filling evenly across the dough, spreading it all the way to the edges
  3. Roll the long edge of the dough into a tight log, just like when making cinnamon rolls.  Use a sharp knife pr bench scraper to slice the dough in half lengthwise, leaving one end intact. Then with the cut sides facing up, cross one end over the other and repeat all the way down the length of the dough, keeping the cut sides facing up while wrapping the two lengths of dough around each other to form a rope or twist
  4. Gently lift the twisted loaf and squish it into your prepared pan. Cover loosely with oiled cling wrap and allow to rise for about 35-40 minutes
  5. While dough is rising, prepare the syrup by combining the water, sugar and bringing it to a boil in a small saucepan. Let the syrup boil for 4 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. When oven is hot, bake the babka for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Remove the cooked babka from the oven and drizzle/ brush it with the room temperature syrup
  8. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, before removing and allow to cool fully on rack
  9. Slice and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Pavlova

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Serves 8-10; Curd makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Curd

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 stick butter, chopped into small pieces

Meringue

  • 3 large egg whites
  • ½ cup fine sugar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, or ½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 cup mascarpone
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and lightly toasted
  • 2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • 2 oz white chocolate, chopped

Method

Pumpkin Curd

  1. Add all ingredients except the butte,  to the saucepan and whisk to combine
  3. Heat over a medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely and it is slightly bubbling
  4. Continue to heat until the curd thickens slightly. When it’s ready it should coat the back of a spoon. Once you can draw a line on the back of the spoon with your finger without it running back together, it’s ready
  5. Remove from the heat. Add the butter in small chunks, stirring and letting it melt into the curd before adding the next few chunks
  6. Let cool completely and then put in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to use it

Meringue

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F. Cover a large baking tray with baking parchment and trace a circle, about 9-10 inches in diameter, on to the paper. Turn the paper over so the drawn-on side is facing down but still visible
  2. In a clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer, using whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and whip to soft peaks.
  3. Reduce the speed to medium-low and with the whisk continuously running, add in the salt and the sugars a spoonful at a time, until thick and satiny
  4. Spread the meringue inside the drawn circle, creating a nest by making the sides a little higher than the centre. Place in the oven and bake for 3 hours, then switch off the oven but leave the meringue inside until completely cool: this will take about 2 hours.
  5. Once cool, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to assemble

To Assemble

  1. Once your meringue has fully cooled, place the cream and mascarpone in a large bowl and whisk for about 1 minute, until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whisk, If the mixture begins to split use a spatula to fold a little more cream into the mix to bring it back together
  2. Carefully spoon the cream/ mascarpone mixture into the centre of the meringue. Add a layer of the pumpkin spice curd on top – as much or as little as you like
  3. Sprinkle over ½ the dark and white chocolate pieces
  4. Add another layer of the whipped cream and finish by sprinkling with the remaining chocolate pieces and the toasted pecan pieces
  5. Serve and enjoy!

Tips:

  • Add you sugar in SLOWLY. I usually add it a Tablespoon at a time and let the mixture whisk for a couple pf minutes before I add the next. When all your sugar has been added you can check if its ready by dipping the back of a spoon (or your clean finger!) into the meringue mixture. Check by rubbing it. If it feels grainy- you need to whisk for about 2-3 more minutes. If it feels smooth – you’re good to go!
  • I know it sounds a long time but cooking (and cooling) your meringue as per the recipe ensures you’ll have the crispiest shell, with a chewy inside, and minimal cracks. But don’t panic! If you’re meringue does crack, or break, you can piece it back together and under the filling no on will know! Pavlovas are best when they look rustic anyway.

Cherry & Peach Pavlova w/ Tonka Bean Lemon Curd

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Makes 9 inch pavlova, yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Pavlova

  • 3 large egg whites
  • ½ cup fine sugar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar, or ½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 ½ cups mascarpone
  • 3 ripe peaches, sliced
  • ½ lb cherries, halved and pitted
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon rum
  • Toasted, flaked almonds (optional)

Tonka Bean Lemon Curd

  • 5 unwaxed lemons
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 medium Tonka bean (1 inch), grated using a micro-plane
  • 3 whole eggs and 3 yolks, room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 7 Tablespoons butter, cubed, softened to room temperature

Method

Pavlova

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F. Cover a large baking tray with baking parchment and trace a circle, about 9-10 inches in diameter, on to the paper. Turn the paper over so the drawn-on side is facing down but still visible
  2. In a clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer, using whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and whip to soft peaks. Reduce the speed to medium-low and with the whisk continuously running, add in the salt and the sugars a spoonful at a time, until thick and satiny
  3. Spread the meringue inside the drawn circle, creating a nest by making the sides a little higher than the centre. Place in the oven and bake for 3 hours, then switch off the oven but leave the meringue inside until completely cool: this will take about 2 hours. Once cool, remove from the oven and set aside
  4. Place the chocolate into a small heatproof bowl and set it over a small saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Cool slightly, then brush the chocolate inside the meringue nest, leaving the top and sides bare. Do this gently, as the meringue is fairly delicate. Leave to set for about 2 hours
  5. Place the cream and mascarpone in a large bowl and whisk for about 1 minute, until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whisk, If the mixture begins to split use a spatula to fold a little more cream into the mix to bring it back together. Refrigerate until needed
  6. In a bowl combine the peach slices, cherries, sugar and brandy. Leave to macerate on the counter while you prepare the curd

Tonka Bean Lemon Curd

  1. Zest three of the lemons into a bowl with the sugar and grated tonka bean. Rub together with your fingertips to release the oils, then squeeze enough the lemons to give 1 cup juice
  2. Whisk the eggs into the sugar followed by the lemon juice, a little at a time, until fully incorporated
  3. Put in a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir continuously with a rubber whisk or wooden spoon until thickened- which should take about 7 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl to remove any lumps or debris
  4. Whilst gently whisking, start dropping in the butter, a  tablespoon at a time, beating well at each addition until incorporated before adding in the next. When all the butter has been added continue beating until smooth
  5. Cover with cling wrap and allow to cool fully in the fridge before use

To assemble

  1. Carefully spoon the cream/ mascarpone mixture into the centre of the meringue. Using a teaspoon, place dollops of the tonka bean lemon curd onto the cream and swirl using a knife or chopstick.
  2. Top with the macerated fruit, drained of liquor, and pipe drizzles of additional curd over the fruit
  3. Sprinkle with a few toasted, flaked almonds for a finishing touch and serve immediately

Strawberry Cheesecake Tacos

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Makes 20

Ingredients

  • 5x 8 inch soft tortillas
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 cup strawberries, roughly chopped
  • ¼ granulated cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 2 Tablespoons cold water
  • ½ cup cream cheese, softened
  • ½ tsp lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ cup whipping cream

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a large flat dish mix together the graham cracker crumbs and ground cinnamon
  2. Cut 4 rounds out of each tortilla shell with a cookie cutter to get 20 shells*. Dip each into melted butter then coat in graham cracker crumb mixture
  3. Flip a muffin tin upside down. Place the tortilla pieces in between muffin cups. Bake 10 minutes until just golden brown. Let cool in pan
  4. In a small pot pour water, add sugar and strawberries. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer to soften the strawberries. Occasionally stir to break down the strawberries
  5. Dissolve cornstarch in water and pour into strawberry mix and bring to a boil, stirring constantly (mixture will be slightly chunky). Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
  6. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Add in the whipping cream and beat on medium speed, until it thickens. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag
  7. Fill the taco shells with cream cheese filling and top with 1/2 tsp strawberry filling. Sprinkle with additional graham cracker crumbs. Any remaining strawberry sauce can be used for dipping
  8. Serve and enjoy!