Super moist Date-raisin Cake

This cake is idiot proof. It is super tatsy and moist. It has lots of warm spices in it which makes it perfect for the holiday season. It is great warm from the oven but even better the day after with coffee for breakfast. A lot of people serve this cake with sticky toffee sauce and whipped cream but I think it is best enjoyed on it's own.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup raisins
  

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and place a small rectangle of parchment in the bottom of the pan.
  
• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring dates and water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until melted. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Place date mixture into a large bowl. Blend in flour, spices, eggs and vanilla.
  
• Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• Drool
  

Oatmeal-Cherry cookies

I made these cookies for some friends to take on a flight to Scotland. What says I love you more than freshly baked cookies? Also long haul flights can be intolerable without home baked treats. These are a take on the traditional oatmeal raisin cookies. I like them better because the tartness of the dried cherries combined with chocolate is awesome. And the oats make you feel like they are a healthy treat :)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup pecans or chocolate chips (Note: Chocolate makes everything better!!!!)

Method:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cream butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
  
• Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; Do not over mix.
  
• Add oats and cherries; mix until combined.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Enjoy chewy goodness!

Plum Upside down Cake

Our neighbours Tim and Sarah have an Italian plum tree that is spewing plums so I happily took a bag over and helped myself to enough plums for a lovely upside down cake.

Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup (or honey)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
  
• 6 large plums, halved, pitted, each half cut into 6 wedges

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardomom and golden syrup in a bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes until butter melts and sugar and syrup blend in, forming thick, smooth sauce. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Arrange plums in overlapping concentric circles atop sauce.

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using Kitchen Aid, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter in large bowl until light. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until blended. Spoon batter evenly over plums.

Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 30 minutes.

Using knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter atop cake pan. Invert cake; place platter on work surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift off pan.

Give to loved ones with whipped cream for maximum brownie points :)

Whole wheat bread

Is there anything better than a house filled with the smell of freshly baked bread??

Ingredients:

• 1 packet instant yeast
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup AP flour (or white bread flour)
• 1 1/8 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or I used golden syrup for an Australian touch)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
  

Method:

• Mix water, yeast and sugar and allow to stand until foamy (5 minutes)
• Mix in all other ingredient (I used a kitchen Aid with a dough hook)
• Need dough for 5-8 minutes (or whenever your arms get too tired!)
• Place dough in an oiled bowl in a warm place for 1 hour
• Punch down dough, knead briefly and place in oiled loaf pan in a warm place for another hour
• Preheat oven to 350F
• Bake bread in loaf pan for 30 minutes
• Allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing (though at our house this turns into 10 minutes before we can't help ourselves)
• Smear liberally with butter :)

Pizza & Calzones

This recipe makes anywhere from 3-5 mini pizzas or 4-6 calzones, depending on how generous you are with your portions. I suggest 4 servings for very happy tummys :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water


• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
  


• 1 Tbsp honey


• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt


• 1 1/2 cups bread flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Fillings/Toppings: Endless possibilities such as spinach, mushrooms, brocolli, peppers, olives

Cheese: Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano (any combination of the 3)

Method:

1. Place water in kitchen aid bowl and sprinkle yeast on top


2. Whisk in honey and olive oil


3. Stir in flour and salt until mixture is moistened


4. Place dough hook on Kitchen Aid and "knead" for 5 minutes


5. Place ball of dough in lightly oiled bowl and let rise in warm place for 1-2 hours


6. Dough can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours, frozen or used straight away


7. For a Calzone: If using straight away divide dough into equal balls (4-6); stretch/roll out dough to desired size and place filling on one half. Be sure to allow a border of dough to seal the calzone. Brush egg wash over calzones and bake for 15 minutes
8. For a pizza: Stretch/roll dough out and bake on tray sprinkled with cornmeal for 10 minutes. Place toppings and cheese on pizza and bake for an extra 10 minutes. I pre-cook topping such as mushrooms and red peppers in garlic and olive oil for better texture and taste.
   

Brian's Bagels

Making bagels at around 11pm can only seem like an inspired idea while heavily under the influence. That said, home made bagels are suprizingly easy to make especially with trusty sous chef Brian :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 2/3 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons butter

Method:

1. Mix together the unsifted flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, yeast, water, and butter in Kitchen aid bowl.

2. Use dough hook attachment and knead dough for 10 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. We (BL and I) put the dough in the fridge over night because boiling bagels while drunk should not be attempted at home kids!!)

3. The next morning after getting over any hangovers...Divide dough into 12 pieces; shape pieces into smooth balls. Poke a 1 inch hole in each and cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes. Pre heat oven to 425F.



4. Drop bagels into a large skillet with 1 inch water (simmering) with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in the water. Cook on medium low heat for 3 minutes, turn and cook 2 minutes; turn again, cook 1 minute more. Drain on towels. Repeat for rest of dough. Place on greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes (basically until they are as deep brown as you like). Remove from sheets and cool. If desired, before baking, mix 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon water, brush on bagels, and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds. But apparently sesame seeds are bloody expensive at QFC so plain is also good.


Best enjoyed with a 1:1 ratio of bagel to cream cheese. Add strawberry jelly if feeling piggy :)

Simple Fruit Tart

A simple fruit tart seemed just the thing to finish a meat-a-thon barbeque.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 2 tablespoons ice water
• dried beans or pie weights for weighting the shell

Filling:

• 1 8 oz package of Neufchatel cheese
• 2 Tbsp Limoncello
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  

Method:

1. Place flour, Sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add egg yolk-ice water mixture and mix until the mixture comes together. Form into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. Refridgerate for 1 hour
3. Roll out crust to slightly 11 inches and place in tart pan (10 inch tart pan). Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Place parchment or foil in uncooked tart and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown
5. Make filling while tart is cooling (combine all filling ingredients in a bowl)
   

Fill tart and arrange fruit on top. Enjoy!

Hanna's Tiramisu

My friend Hanna has great taste. So it was no suprise that when asked what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday she asked for something 1) Italian and 2) Containing alcohol. An additional bonus of Tiramisi is that there is no baking involved and it can be made the night before and only gets better by sitting in the fridge.


Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/8 cups mascarpone cheese
24 ladyfingers
1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
1/4 cup Kalua (Brandy or Frangelico or whatever booze takes your fancy)
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Shaved 70-80% Cacao chocolate to decorate

Method:
1.) In a medium bowl over a simmering pot of wayer, beat yolks with sugar and vanilla until smooth and light yellow. Cool.
2.) Fold mascarpone into yolk mixture. Set aside.
3.) Mix coffee and kalua in a shallow dish.
4.) Dip ladyfingers briefly in coffee and arrange 12 of them in the bottom of an 8x8 inch dish.
5.) Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers.
6.) Repeat with remaining cookies and mascarpone.
7.) Cover and chill at least 1 hour (up to overnight).
8.) Sprinkle with cocoa and shaved chocolate just before serving.

Carrot cake with Cardomom Cream cheese Frosting

Carrot cake recipes seem to inevitably be multi-layered bohemiths filled, covered and topped with frosting. This is a great recipe for carrot cake for just a few people - Single layered and frosting only on top...

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 cup A.P flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 pound carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  

Frosting

• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• large pinch cardomom powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
  

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325F; Butter 9' cake pn and line bottom with parchment
• Toast pecans for a few minutes; Cool and chop finely
• Beat eggs and sugar at high speed 5 minutes until pale and fluffy; Add remaining wet ingredients and beat until combined
  
• Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl; Add to liquid ingredients; Beat until just combined
• Fold in Pecans, grated carrots and raisins
• Pour batter into cake tin; Bake 55-60 minutes rotating half way
• Cool cake on rack until cool to the touch
  
• Mix all frosting ingredients and beat on high until smooth and well combined
• Frost cake and decorate with the most masculine flower you can find.
  

Best enjoyed with the birthday boy who requested it.

Upside down Pineapple cake

When I offered to make my assistant Rebekkah any cake she desired for her Birthday I was not expecting a request for a 1960s throwback. But the cake actually turned out to be very pretty and delicious with crispy caramalized edges.

Ingredients:

1/4	cup butter or margarine
2/3	cup packed brown sugar
5	slices pineapple in juice (from 14-oz can), drained
5	maraschino (or fresh Bing) cherries without stems
1 1/3	cups All-purpose flour
1	cup granulated sugar
1/3	butter
1 1/2	teaspoons baking powder
1/2	teaspoon salt
3/4	cup milk
1	egg

1 tsp Vanilla

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in 8x8" square pan in oven
• Arrange pineapple slices in pan and fill spaces with finely chopped pineapple. Place cherries in center of pineapple pieces.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt in seperate bowl
  
• Cream remaining butter (1/3rd cup) and sugar together, beat in egg and vanilla
• Mix in flour mixture alternately with milk
• Pour batter in pan over pineapple slices
• Bake for 50-55 minutes or until done
  

Turn out cake onto eat proof plate and leave for 10 minutes for pineapple slices to position themselves on top of the cake. If there are any remaining pieces of pineapple still stuck to the pan, pull them out and rearrange them in place.

Enjoy with whipped cream for optimal weight gain :)

Flourless chocolate cake

Flour really just takes away from space that chocolate could be occupying :) I decided to make this cake as the "dessert" course for a brunch I was having. The cake is super easy and is VERY rich. It is best served in very small slices with freshly whipped cream and berries.


The recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate (usually up to 75% cacao). It goes without saying that the quality of the chocolate will determine the quality of the final cake. I personally love Cailbo Belgian chocolate - YUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

Flourlesss Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 oz best quality semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsweetened butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/2tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
  

Method:

Preheat oven to 300F

Melt chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl over a double boiler or in the microwave. Whisk until smooth and creamy.



Add sugar, cocoa, vanilla and beaten eggs. Pour mix in 8 inch cake pan that has been buttered and dusted with cocoa. Bake for 30 mins. Do NOT over bake! It will look a bit like it's not completely done but it is.

Enjoy the silky texture with your girlfriends :)

Carrot Cupcakes with Lemon-Vanilla Frosting

Carrot Cupcakes with Lemon-Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Nothin' says Lovin' like Something from the Oven...So this Valentine's day I thought instead of buying roses I would bake sweet treats. I don't like carrot cakes that are overly sweet and I think frosting should also not be too sweet. That said I thought I would modify a recipe from Jill Dupleix, one of my favorite Australian chefs. The cream cheese frosting is also a modification of a traditional vanilla cream-cheese frosting. Australian recipes tend to have less sugar than their American counterparts. I have recently become fanatical about weighing everything. My measuring cups and spoons are gathering dust as I type. The results were super delicious!!



Carrot cupcakes:

• 250g A.P. flour
• 15g Baking Powder
• 2tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp ground ginger
• 1tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp orange zest
  
• 200g soft light brown sugar
• 200mL vegetable oil
• 4 eggs lightly beaten
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp fresh orange juice
• 200g raw carrot, finely grated
• 75g walnuts, chopped
• 100g currents
  

Vanilla-Lemon Frosting:

• 80z Cream Cheese
• 2 Oz unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• zest of one small lemon

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Soak current in boiling water to allow them to plump up. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add soft brown sugar and mix well. Then add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in carrots, walnuts, raisins, and orange zest.

Lightly butter or oil a 12-mould muffin tray. Spoon mixture evenly between tins. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating tray half way through (you might want to check at 25 minutes). Remove from oven and leave to cool in tray.

To make icing, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and lemon zest (much easier if everything is at room temperature). Frost with an offset spatula or back of a spoon if you dont have one.

Bread Baking for Dummies

TJ got sick of paying $5 for a loaf of French bread. So we decided to try baking our own. We got the recipe from the NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=1&ref=dining). It was sooooo easy and will surely inspire more bread posts.





Basically you just mix 3 cups of bread flour, a packet of instant yeast, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 cups of water. Leave this in a relatively warm place in the house for a few hours then turn and wait another 30 minutes. Then just dump the dough in a heavy pot and into the oven.



The bread looks amazing (suprising considering what it started as), tastes great and has a fabulous texture. I guess the economy affects us all in different ways :)