23/02/2011 by D.

These little Australian cakes are extremely morish and a fun activity to do with small children.  It is also a great way of using up sponge pieces or cakes that haven’t risen well.  Otherwise you need to make a basic sponge first.

Sponge
8oz soft butter
8oz caster sugar
4 medium eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
8oz self raising flour
a little milk

Preheat the oven to 180c.  Grease and line a large square tin, or two 7in cake tins with baking paper. 

Cream together butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy.  Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, and give them a quick beating with a fork.

Slowly add a little of the beaten egg and a tsp flour.  Continue adding egg until it is all incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Gently fold in the flour with a large metal spoon, until the batter has a soft dropping consistency.  If too stiff add a bit of milk. Spread out the mixture into the tin/tins.

Bake for 20-25 mins until golden-brown and a skewer comes out clean.  Take the cake out of the tin and peel off the paper then leave to cool on wire rack.  When cool, cut cake into 1 inch cubes.

Icing
2 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups dessicated coconut

Mix icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until thick and smooth.

Roll cubes of cake in the chocolate icing then in the coconut and leave on wire rack to set.  NB If the icing cools enough to solidify after a bit, just put it back over the hot water to melt again.

These are very moreish… you have been warned!

Posted in Flour, Coconut, Icing sugar, Vanilla, Cake, Chocolate, Eggs, Butter, Milk, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

08/02/2011 by D.

These sweet little potato cakes from Saxony in Germany can be eaten as either a filling pudding, supper or brunch.  NB this recipe makes quite a lot, you may want to halve it for the first go!

1kg potatoes
150g flour
1 tsp baking powder
500g quark
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g raisins
butter to fry

Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until tender.  Push through a fine sieve, potato ricer, or mash extremely well and leave to cool.

Stir the flour and baking powder into the potatoes, then mix in the quark.  Whisk the eggs with the salt, nutmeg, lemon peel, sugar, vanilla extract and raisins. 

Add the egg mixture to the potato mixture and knead the mixture to ensure everything is thoroughly combined, but don’t overwork it.

Flour your hands and the work surface, then shape the dough into a 6cm thick roll.  Cut off 1.5cm pieces and flatten each one slightly.

Heat a frying pan to a good heat, then turn down a little.  Melt 2 tsp butter in the pan and fry the little cakes for about 2 mins on each side until golden brown.  You will need to do more than one batch.  Adjust the amount of butter accordingly so they don’t stick.

Serve warm with cinnamon sugar and some fruit compote (stewed apples, pears, cranberries, apricots or bottled cherries).

These freeze well and make great quick breakfasts!

Posted in Supper, Butter, Raisins, Flour, Quark, Pudding, Brunch, Potato, Vegetarian, Lemon, Eggs, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

30/12/2010 by D.

Fed up with hunting down blini for the New Year’s Eve canapé, and then finding them a bit tough and dry?  Make your very own with this lovely recipe, which I’ve adapted from Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall’s.

500g plain white flour
350ml warm milk
350ml warm water (approximately)
5g powdered dried yeast
5g salt
1 tsp baking powder
A little sunflower or vegetable oil

Whisk together the flour, milk, water and yeast in a bowl and leave in a warm place to get bubbly for an hour (or more).

Heat a heavy frying pan or skillet and grease lightly with a piece of kitchen towel dipped in oil.  Make sure the heat is medium.  Whisk the salt and baking powder into the batter.  The batter should be the consistency of thick cream.

Drop a small spoonful of batter into the pan (the size you’d like the blini or pikelets to be).  When you see bubbles on the surface, flip it over and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side - you can take a peek and see if it is brown.  Remove to a warm plate.

Now drop in several spoonfuls and repeat until all the batter is finished.  You can re-grease the pan as necessary.

These are delicious with a spoonful of sour cream, a dollop of caviar and some chopped chives.  Alternatively they make a superb breakfast loaded with butter and jam, marmite, nutella or golden syrup.  Reheat them gently under the grill or in a toaster (for the bigger ones).

You can keep them for a couple of days in a plastic bag in the bread bin, but ours never last that long!

Posted in Flour, Baking, Milk, Vegetarian, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

26/07/2010 by D.

This lovely recipe comes from Bill Granger’s Sydney Food

1 lb potatoes
1 small onion
2 eggs
2 tbsp chopped mint
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/4 cup plain flour
salt and pepper
vegetable oil to fry

Peel and grate the potatoes and onion, stir in a little salt and leave to drain in a colander for 20 mins.  Lightly beat the eggs and add the mint, feta and potato mixture (squeeze and discard the water out of each handful as you add it).  Mix in the flour and season with a little black pepper.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add tablespoons of mixture (depending on the size you like).  Squash a little to make flat pancakes.  Cook on both sides until golden brown.

Serve with lemon wedges and a fresh salad.  Perfect for small canapes too.

Posted in Eggs, Flour, Mint, Feta, Vegetarian, Potato, Onion, Recipe | Print | No Comments »