Melilot Friands

Yet another friand recipe but this one is definitely my favorite, well for now at least. After my foraging trip last month I discovered Melilot which is used in french cooking and grows wild this time of year. Its a weed slash yellow flower that has a very distinct pleasant flavour similar to vanilla, hay, almonds and honey. Thank god very little is needed to reap the flavours from melilot, at £400 a kilo you don't want to be too heavy handed with this particular ingredient.
This batch will yield 24 friands and the unbaked batter will sit happily in the fridge for a week.

600g flaked almonds
300g caster sugar
250g good quality salted butter
100ml buttermilk
10 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5g melilot

ICING:
200ml double cream
150g sugar
5g melilot
500g cream cheese

METHOD:
Place butter and melilot in a small sauce pan and melt over medium heat till it becomes foamy then remove from heat and leave to stand. Ground almonds in food processor till fine like bread crumbs might take several minutes to get the right consistency. Then place almonds in a large mixing bowl with sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and mix together till combined. Add the buttermilk, egg whites, vanilla and strained butter to the dry mixture and beat together for 2 minutes.
To bake friands grease a friand pan with either oil spray or butter and 3/4 fill each mold then bake in a pre-heated oven set at 180oC for 25 minutes.
To make icing put cream, sugar and melilot into a sauce pan and place over high heat, bring to a rolling and rapid boil for 5 minutes then remove from heat and strain out the melilot. Once cooled beat the infused mixture into cream cheese till well combined.
Once the friands have cooled completely turn out from pan and spoon a large dollop of icing on top and garnish with a little sprinkling of melilot.

Incredibly Moist and Super Juicy Carrot Cake

My friend Matt who lives in Auckland emailed me the other day asking for a good carrot cake recipe, I had one but its in my head and I'd never bothered to write it out. My ideal carrot cake has a lot of other ingredients to make it really moist and fruity, so I add bramley apples which are good for cooking and banana, but my secret ingredient is a teaspoon of good quality dark cocoa powder which rounds all the flavours together. Also if you can't get sweet spear carrots then just use regular carrots.

Here you are Matt happy baking x.

175g self-raising flour
175g golden caster sugar
175g butter at room temperature
3 large eggs
150g finely grated sweet spear carrot
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon dark cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
70g walnut halves
100g sultanas
1 lime
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 small ripe banana mashed
1 bramley apple peeled and finely grated
10g pumpkin seeds

ICING:
200g full at cream cheese
50g icing sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD:
Pre-heat the oven to 170oC, grease 2x20cm sandwich cake tins with butter then line the base and sides separately with parchment paper.
In a small pot place the rind and juice of lime, vanilla and sultanas and place on medium heat stirring once in a while till the sultanas have soaked up the liquid then remove from heat to cool slightly.
Place in a large mixing bowl the flour, sugar, butter cubed, eggs, carrot, cinnamon, cocoa, soda, 50g of the walnuts, sultanas, banana and apple. Using a electric beater mix all the ingredients till evenly combined. Then divided the cake batter between the 2 cake tins and place in oven on middle shelf for 30 minutes to cook.
Once cooked leave to cool completely before turning out and removing parchment paper.
For the icing place the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon in a bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon till well combined. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate and evenly spread out half the icing over the top then place the second cake on top and evenly spread out the remainder icing over the top surface. With the extra walnuts place them evenly round the top edges of the cake (almost like a watch face) then sprinkle the pumpkin seeds round the middle of the cake and your cake is now ready to eat!

Tiramisu Cake

Tiramisu meaning 'Pick me up'.Breaking the rules slightly I've used a french sponge mixture (Genoise) in a typically Italiano dessert. I know Rome will never have me again but I prefer a more avant garde approach to cooking.
Rich, creamy, sweet, bitter and will have you up awake in the middle of the night in a sweat panting.


SPONGE:
150g plain flour
150g caster sugar
3 large eggs
60g butter
1 teaspoon baking powder

CHEESE FILLING:
3 egg yolks
80g sugar
2 tablespoon water
250ml double cream
400g mascarpone

COFFEE SYRUP:
200ml coffee espresso shots
125ml Kahlua
75g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH:
50g bitter dark chocolate
1/2 teaspoon dark cocoa powder

METHOD:
To make the sponge grease 2 sandwich cake tins 20cm diameter with butter and then line the base and sides seperatly with parchment paper, pre-heat the oven to 180oC.
Place a small pot of water on medium high heat and bring to boil. In a large stainless steal or glass mixing bowl crack the eggs and add the sugar, beat together till evenly combind and place over boiling water turn the heat down to medium. Beat the eggs and sugar together over the heat till the mixture has quadrupled in voloum and is a pale creamy colour then remove from heat and keep beating till the mixture has cooled down completely (use a eletric beater if you're struggling with a whisk and arm action). Place the butter in a small sauce pan and melt over a high heat till it turns nutty and brown then remove from the heat to cool slightly. Sieve the flour and baking powder together then using a metal spoon gently fold the dry mixture into the eggs a third at a time till just under combined then carefully fold in the butter till just mixed. Divide the sponge mixture evenly between the sandwich cake tins and bake in  oven on middle shelf for 15 minutes. Once cooked the sponges will be slightly springy to the touch, leave to cool for 10 minutes before tipping out of the tin.
Now make the coffee syrup, pour the coffee and sugar in a small pot and place on a low heat and stir till the sugar has dissolved then take off heat and add the Kahlua and vanilla put aside to cool.
To make the cheese filling beat together the yolks, sugar, water and 2 tablespoons of the coffee syrup in a medium stainless steal or glass mixing bowl and place over a small pot of simmering water. Whisk till pale and creamy should take around 8-10 minutes,  remove from heat and leave to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl whisk the cream till just whipped and slightly floppy then fold in the mascarpone and finally mix in the cooled yolk mixture a third at a time till just incorporated.
Length ways cut the sponges evenly in half.
To construct the tiramisu place one slice of the sponge on a serving plate and drizzle a 8th of the coffee syrup over the sponge. Followed by spooning a quarter of the cheese filling into the center of the sponge and gently spread over the surface till 1cm from the edge, dribbled a few drops of coffee syrup over the cheese filling, repeat this process 3 more times.
To garnish melt the dark chocolate and drizzle in circles over the top of the tiramisu then using a small fine sieve tap the cocoa powder over the surface of the tiramisu and place in fridge for at least an hour to set before serving.

Passion fruit friands

In the 80's and early 90's it was all about the muffin. During the late 90's and into the naughtiness it was all about the wheat and gluten free cake. You can use pre-ground almond but I find it makes the finish product too dense and smacky on the palate. For a fine friand I like to ground up flaked almonds in a food processor this makes a more buttery and lighter texture.

600g flaked almonds
250g good quality salted french butter
10 egg whites
300g caster sugar
100ml butter milk
1 lemon
3 large passion fruit
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

ICING SUGAR:
400g full fat cream cheese
3 passion fruit
50g sugar

METHOD:
Place the flaked almonds in the food processor and blend till very fine then tip into a large mixing bowl, you could use pre-ground almonds instead however I find the texture is more dense and the finished product isn't as moist.
Place the butter in a small pot and melt over a medium heat, once melted put aside to cool slightly.
Add to the almonds, caster sugar, baking powder, soda and cinnamon and mix together till well combined. Zest and juice the lemon onto the dry mixture and stir in the passion fruit, buttermilk and egg whites till incorporated and finally stir in the butter till evenly combined.
I like to pour the friand mixture into a container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours to set before cooking this will also give a more even rise to the finished product.
The mixture yields around 24 friands and the batter will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days so you don't necessarily need to cook off the whole mixture all at once.
To cook the friands grease a friand baking tin and spoon in mixture till 3/4 full and place friands in pre-heated oven at 180oC on middle shelf for around 24-26 mins. Once cooked the friands should be golden and slightly crisp on top. Leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before attempting to remove from pan.
To make the icing cut the passion fruit in half and spoon the seeds and flesh into a small pot and add sugar, place on a medium to high heat and bring to a rapid boil for a couple of minutes till the passion fruit resembles a syrup then remove from heat and leave to cool. Using either a electric mixer or good old fashioned gorilla arm and spatula beat the cooled passion fruit syrup in to the cream cheese till evenly whipped and combined. Using a tablespoon quinelle the icing onto each of the friands, an optional way to garnish the friands is using a teaspoon add 3 or 4 passion fruit seeds to the top of the icing.

Giant Strawberry Sponge Cake

Cornflour sponge cakes are yet to be discovered in the northern hemisphere, light, sweet and dissolves like a marshmallow! If you're a feeder and like to win over work colleagues, flat mates, neighbours, parking wardens and the dentist (he's making money off sugar cavities) then this is the only recipe you ever need know.

SPONGE:
6 large organic free range eggs
1 cup cornflour
1 cup caster sugar
4 tablespoon plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

FILLING:
300g strawberries
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 lime
1 teaspoon cornflour
2 teaspoon cold water

CREAM:
300ml double cream
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH:
4 strawberries
Icing sugar to dust

METHOD:
First grease 2x20cm sandwich cake tins with a little butter make sure you cover base and sides, then line the base of the tine with grease proof paper. Separately cut 2 very straight lines of grease proof 63cm long and 8cm width then carefully line the edge of the cake tin. Place the oven on to heat at 180oC.
To make the sponge sieve the cornflour, flour, and baking powder together 3 times to get air into the dry ingredients and place aside. Then separate the eggs making sure no yolks break into the whites, place the whites in a large mixing bowl made of stainless steal or glass. With a electric mixer beat the whites till stiff peaks form, gradually beat in the caster sugar. The whites should form stiff peaks and be very glossy then add the yolks and beat till just combined. Using a metal spoon fold in the dry ingredients a 3rd at a time, try to under mix a little. Divide the sponge mixture between the 2 cake tins, place a tray of warm water on the bottom shelf of oven (this will enhance the sponges texture) then place the sponges next to each other on the middle shelf and bake for 25 minutes, don't open the oven door to peek! You'll lose volume. Once cooked remove from oven and leave to cool completely.
Wash the strawberries and remove the stalk, cut them in half and place in a small pot with sugar and juice of the lime then dissolve the cornflour in water and add to the pot. Put the pot on a medium heat stir gently with a wooden spoon then leave to simmer for 5 minutes once cooked remove from heat and leave to cool.
Whip the cream with sugar and vanilla, don't over whip the consistency should be floppy.
Now its time to construct the cake, remove the sponge's from the tin and peel off the grease proof paper. Place one of the sponges on a serving plate followed by spooning the cream in the middle and spread out slightly (not to the edges) then spoon out the strawberries from the syrup and place evenly round the cream. Gently place the second sponge on top of the base and press down till the strawberries and cream come to the edge. Finally to garnish wash the strawberries, remove stalks and slice thinly and arrange on the center of the cake finish off with a light dusting of icing sugar. This cake will make 8 pieces when serving I like to drizzle the remaining strawberry syrup over each slice.

Lemon Curd Layer cake

Last Christmas my friends and I hired a farm house in the Highlands to celebrate the festiveness and get some fresh air and destroy any diet we may have been on at the time. Whilst up there I came across several dated cook books from the 80's and 90's one of which was Delia Smith's winter collections. Lemon curd layer cake features in the book! I loved the book and this recipe soooooo much that it made its way into my bag and onto my bookshelf in London. Basically I've copied and pasted this recipe and can't claim any credit.

175g Self-raising flour
1 level tespoon baking powder
175g butter at room temperature
175g caster sugar
3 sized one eggs (large)
Greated rind of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice

FOR LEMON CURD:
75g caster sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 large juicy lemon
2 sided 1 eggs
50g unsalted butter

FOR THE ICING:
50g sifted icing sugar
Zest of one large lemon
2-3 teaspoon lemon juice

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C).

Prepare two 7 inch (18 cm) sandwich tins, 1½ inches (4 cm) deep, by greasing them, lining the bases with silicone paper (baking parchment) and greasing the paper too.

Method

Just measure all the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat – ideally with an electric hand whisk – till you have a smooth, creamy consistency. Then divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake them on the centre shelf of the oven for about 35 minutes or until the centres feel springy when lightly touched with a little finger. While the cakes are cooking, make the lemon curd. Place the sugar and grated lemon zest in a bowl, whisk the lemon juice together with the eggs, then pour this over the sugar. Then add the butter cut into little pieces, and place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently till thickened – about 20 minutes. You don't have to stay with it – just come back from time to time to give it a stir. When the cakes are cooked, remove them from the oven and after about 30 seconds turn them out on to a wire rack. When they are absolutely cold – and not before – carefully cut each one horizontally into two using a sharp serrated knife. Now spread the curd thickly to sandwich the sponges together. Then to make the icing, begin by removing the zest from the lemon – it's best to use a zester to get long, curly strips. Then sift the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually stir in the lemon juice until you have a soft, runny consistency. Allow the icing to stand for 5 minutes before spreading it on top of the cake with a knife, almost to the edges, and don't worry if it runs a little down the sides of the cake. Then scatter the lemon zest over the top and leave it for half an hour for the icing to firm up before serving.

Lamingtons

Lamingtons are antipodean tea-cakes made of sponge dipped in chocolate and strawberry icing covered in coconut and served with whip cream. Hardly healthy but who cares? Eat cake, get chubby, be jolly! Traditional recipes uses a Victoria sponge but I'm not the biggest fan of English sponge reminds me of the foam mattress I used to sleep on during sleep overs.
So I've based my sponge on a famous cornflour sponge recipe found in the New Zealand Edmounds Cook Book a cooking bible for anyone who grew up in Aotearoa. Its sweet and dissolves in the mouth and perfect with whipped cream.


Lamington sponge recipe:
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Caster Sugar
1/2 Cup Corn Flour
2 tablespoon Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Strawberry Icing:
1x135g strawberry jelly
200ml water
25g butter
375g Icing sugar
Chocolate Icing:
25 g Cocoa powder
25g butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
150ml water
375g Icing sugar
Extras:
Desiccated coconut
200ml double cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
 
Method:
Preheat Oven to 190oC, line at 6 inch by 8 inch sandwich tin with baking paper.

Beat egg whites until peaks fold over when beater is removed. Slowly add caster sugar to the egg white and continue to beat until the mixture is stiff and sugar dissolved.

Add the egg yolks and beat until well blended. Sift corn flour, flour and baking powder three times and fold into egg mixture gently with a metal spoon. Use and up and down movement. Don't stir.

Bake in prepared tins at 190deg C for 15 - 20mins. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto a rack. One tray will cut into 16 squares.

Once the sponge is cut peel the brown top off the sponge as it will make less of a mess later on when dipping in icing.

To make icing you will need 2 small pots, in one pot place the strawberry jelly, butter and water and place on a high heat till the jelly has dissolved. In the other pot place cocoa, vanilla, butter, water and place on high heat and stir till the cocoa has dissolved into the water and makes a syrupy paste.

With electric beater place the strawberry jelly mix into bowl with icing sugar and beat till there are no lumps then place aside.

To make the chocolate icing place chocolate mixture into bowl with icing sugar and beat till smooth and runny.

Place in 2 separate 1 litre containers coconut almost fill to the top, one container is for the chocolate lamington the other is for the raspberry lamingtons.

Dip half the sponge squares into the raspberry icing covering all sides, then dip the lamington in coconut coating the sponge with coconut and place aside onto grease proof paper to set.

With the other half of sponge squares dip into the chocolate icing and repeat the same process.

Whip the cream, vanilla and caster sugar till the cream is quite floppy make sure you don’t over beat as this will turn the whipped cream into butter.

To complete the lamington spoon one dollop of whipped cream onto a lamington square and carefully place another square on top, this is a lamington!