How to Bake with Panela Sugar - Plum & Panela Cake with Vanilla & Panela Ice Cream

This recipe not only celebrates our lovely in season plums, but also a fantastic organic and unrefined sugar called Panela. Panela sugar is a product of dried sugar cane juice. It retains the beneficial nutrients and minerals (so that makes this cake healthy, no?) and has a caramel like flavour. I found it worked so well with the slightly tart flavour of the plums, and gave the cake a rich golden colour. 

I was introduced to Panela sugar by Sophie, one half of the Ballarat based business Grounded Pleasures. Sophie and I met last year at a Local is Lovely Workshop, at which she brought along some of the Grounded Pleasures products which mostly consist of exquisite hot chocolates. We made hot chocolates the old fashioned way over the gas stove in the shed in which our workshop was hosted in. And since it was a very chilly Winters day, they were much welcomed by everyone. 

Sophie told us about some of the other products they sell at Grounded Pleasures, which included the Panela Sugar, vanilla (beans & extract) and a Real White Drinking Chocolate. I was quite interested in the latter, since I am unable to eat (or drink) chocolate for health reasons and thus always miss out on a warming cup of hot chocolate in Winter. 

Soon after the workshop, I got some of the Panela Sugar and the White Hot Chocolate and instantly loved cooking and eating/drinking both. The Panela Sugar is easily substituted in many recipes where caster sugar is called for, and I found it added a lovely depth of flavour to muffins in particular. 

Since then Sophie has sent me some more of their delicious products, which has lead to much recipe inspiration. I found the Panela Sugar and vanilla products not only worked really well in this cake, but also made a really nice simple homemade ice cream. The Panela Sugar gave a rich caramel flavour and colour to the simple vanilla ice cream, which paired well with the cake, but also tasted so good on its own as a simple mid-week dessert. 

A note on using vanilla beans in baking - don’t throw away the vanilla pods after the seeds have been used in the cake/ice cream. Keep them to make vanilla sugar or homemade vanilla extract, even without the seeds the pods retain a lot of flavour. 

Plum & Panela Cake

Ingredients: 

125g flavourless margarine, or softened unsalted butter

150g Grounded Pleasures Organic Panela Sugar, plus extra

1 Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped

1/2 tsp Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla Extract

75g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

150g almond meal

3 eggs

2 plums (any variety)

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a 20cm round loose bottomed (or springform) cake tin with baking paper.

Beat the margarine/butter with the Panela sugar, seeds of the vanilla pod and the vanilla extract, until fluffy and creamy. In a separate bowl, gently whisk together the flour and baking powder.

Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Then fold in the plain flour and baking powder, along with the almond meal. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Cut the plums in half, then in half again. Then slice up each plum quarter into 3 or 4 slices. Place the plum slices onto the top of the cake, working your way around the outside of the cake then moving into the middle (you might not need all of the two plums, it will depend on their size). Keep the slices of plum fairly close together as they will separate a little when the cake rises. Sprinkle the plums with some more Panela sugar. 

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden in colour and a skewer comes out clean. The cake will be a deep golden colour due to the Panela sugar. 

Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool - alternatively serve warm as a dessert with the Vanilla and Panela Ice Cream. 

Vanilla & Panela Ice Cream

Ingredients: 

165ml full cream milk 

6 tbsp Grounded Pleasures Organic Panela Sugar

250ml pouring cream 

1 tsp Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla extract

1 Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Method: 

Whisk the milk and Panela Sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and the milk has become frothy. Then add the cream, the vanilla extract and the seeds of the vanilla bean and whisk until combined. 

Transfer mixture into the bowl of an ice cream machine, and process according to machine instructions. Once ready, transfer ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours (overnight is best). 

References: ‘Holiday’ by Bill Granger (Murdoch Books, 2007), p.124; ‘Lomelino’s Ice Cream’ by Linda Lomelino (Roost Books, 2015), p.13.

Thanks to Grounded Pleasures for sponsoring this post and providing the Panela Sugar, Vanilla Beans & Extract!

Strawberry & Earl Grey Cake + How to Make Strawberry & Earl Grey Jam

Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a lovely start to 2017. I am kicking off my first blog post for 2017 and celebrating three years of blogging, with this Strawberry Earl Grey Cake with Homemade Strawberry Earl Grey Jam. This cake, and the accompanying jam, are inspired by a Strawberry & Earl Grey jam I bought in Fortnum & Mason three years ago. They also make Earl Grey Shortbread which I love and compounded my desire to get my hands on some bergamots or bergamot essence so I could recreate these biscuits and jam at home. 

For about two years, I scoured gourmet food shops, online stores and kept an eye out pretty much wherever food is sold for bergamot essence. I didn’t hold out much hope for an actual fresh bergamot, but more on that in a moment. 

It wasn’t until later last year I was listening to back episodes of my new found favourite podcast, Radio Cherry Bombe, that I finally found someone who made bergamot essence. One of the interviewees for this particular episode was Mandy Aftel. Mandy creates fragrances from natural essences and also has a line of Chef’s Essences within her business, Aftelier Perfumes. 

As soon as I heard Mandy talking about her Chef’s Essences, I quickly looked up her website (while I was on the train to work no less), and checked what flavours she creates. And success! Finally I had found not only someone who stocked bergamot essence, but also shipped to Australia! I was beyond excited, and purchased some that night when I got home. I also picked up some blood orange essence and raspberry essence as well - I mean if you are going to pay for shipping you might as well get a few things right?! I have used the blood orange essence in marshmallows as an addition to blood orange juice, and will share a recipe on the blog soon that uses the raspberry essence. 

Not long after I found Aftelier Perfumes and received my coveted bergamot essence, I found a citrus tree supplier in Sydney who stocked bergamots! I was actually searching for nursery’s that sell blood orange trees, but happily stumbled across the bergamot as well! We now have a small bergamot tree, with three bergamots growing nicely, and a small blood orange tree which will hopefully fruit next year. If it were up to me alone we would have walked out with a quince, pomegranate and peach tree as well, but space in the garden not permitting we compromised on my favourite citrus instead. 

So now all is right in the bergamot searching world, and the list of baked goods I wish to create with it continues to grow. Next on my list will be recreating the Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey Shortbread! 

Recipe notes: The jam recipe is easily doubled. The bottled jam should keep for a year unopened so there is no harm in making more! A coarsely grated apple (I prefer pink lady) can also be added as part of the quantity of fruit. Apples naturally contain pectin so will help the jam set, and are a nice option if you don’t have pectin or jam sugar. 

The bergamot in both the jam and the cake can be either left out completely or substituted for vanilla. For the jam, either stir in a teaspoon or two of vanilla bean paste at the end of the cooking time or cut a vanilla bean in half and add at the beginning of the recipe then remove when bottling the jam. For the cake use either 1 tsp of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, or even a little lemon zest (or bergamot zest if you have any fresh bergamots!) in place of the bergamot essence.

Strawberry Earl Grey Jam

Ingredients: 

500g strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped

40 ml lemon juice, plus extra 

440 g jam sugar (or the same of white sugar with about 2 tbsp pectin added)

3-4 drops bergamot essence, or 1 tbsp earl grey tea leaves tied in muslin

Method: 

Begin by placing two small plates in the freezer. You will need these later to test if the jam is jelling and ready to bottle. 

Then, pre-heat the oven to 90-100 degrees Celsius, wash four or five small/medium jam jars and lids in hot soapy water, then place the jars upside down on an oven shelf. Allow the lids to air dry. Leave the jars in the oven for at least 20 minutes. 

Whilst the jam jars are being sterilised, start making the jam. Using a large heavy based saucepan (preferably enamel, stainless steel or aluminium), mix all the ingredients together, including the muslin wrapped tea if using or 1-2 drops of the bergamot essence if using. Place on the stove and stir over high heat without boiling, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the jam mixture to simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes without stirring. The jam mixture should have reduced by the 15-20 minute mark (particularly if you are using jam sugar) and will also appear to have thickened. If necessary stir the jam a little ensure it is cooking evenly. 

After 15-20 minutes test the jam to see if it has reached jelling point. To test the jelling point of the jam, use one of the chilled plates and drop a small amount of the jam onto it. Leave for a couple of minutes, then push your finger through the jam. If a skin has formed over the jam and you can now see it wrinkling, the jam is ready. If it is not ready, leave to cook for a few more minutes and/or add some extra lemon juice or pectin. Then use the remaining chilled plates to test if the jam has jelled. Check the earl grey flavour at this point, if you need more add another drop or two of the bergamot essence if using.

Once the jam has reached jelling point, remove the sterilised jars from the oven and place onto a flat surface covered with an old tea towel (so much easier than cleaning sticky jam of your bench!). Using a wide mouthed funnel or jam funnel, pour the hot jam into the hot sterilised jars. Fill right to the top and seal immediately. Leave to cool, and store in a cool dark place. This jam should last about 1 year stored correctly and unopened. Once opened keep in the fridge.

For jam making tips please see this previous post. 

Strawberry Earl Grey Cake

Ingredients: 

125 g canola based (or other flavourless) margarine or softened unsalted butter

165 g golden caster sugar (raw caster sugar)

1-3 drops bergamot essence

2 eggs 

250 g self-raising flour

105 ml milk 

300 ml pouring cream

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

strawberry early grey jam

extra strawberries to serve

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line two 18 cm round spring form or loose bottomed cake tins. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the margarine/butter, sugar and 2 drops of bergamot essence until light and fluffy. 

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add half the flour and half the milk and mix. Add the remaining flour and milk and mix on medium speed until well combined. Taste the batter at this point if you want to check the bergamot flavour - add a drop more if you want the flavour to be stronger and briefly mix into the batter.

Divide the mixture evenly into each cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden in colour, springs back when touched lightly and a skewer comes out clean. 

Cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and leave until completely cooled.

Once the cakes have cooled completely, whip the cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form. Place one cake on a serving plate or cake stand and spread some of the strawberry earl grey jam over the top - start with 1-2 tbsp and go from there. 

The thickness and consistency of your jam will determine how much you use. The thicker and more set it is the more you can use without it running down the sides. Spread 1/2 to 3/4 of the cream over the jam and top with the remaining cake. Gently spread the remaining cream over the top of the finished cake and decorate with fresh strawberries.

Mixed Berry Shortcake

This is another recipe I have found in my Grandma’s collection. I never remember her making it, I think by the time grandchildren came along her baking repertoire had been much refined to her favourites and she didn’t seem to sway from them very often. Not that any of us complained. There was comfort knowing your favourite would be served to you when you visited or brought with her to share when she came over to us. Even if the baked good du jour wasn’t your favourite, it was still one of her well known staples. 

Looking back, it probably would have been slightly shocking if Grandma turned up with some new baked creation - I mean, no one likes change, do they?! Particularly where nostalgic baking is concerned. I remember one time Grandma was inspired by a pavlova made at a cake shop I was working at at the time, which was quite different to hers. When we next had dinner she made a pavlova, but had lightly crushed some toasted hazelnuts and mixed them through the meringue before cooking. I was silently horrified that my beloved pavlova had been altered and didn’t have the heart to tell her that hazelnuts were not the ‘secret ingredient’ of the pavlova she was trying to re-create. In hindsight, I probably should have encouraged my Grandma’s baking creativity a little more. Maybe then more family favourites would have been found and more baking discussions would have been had. But I guess now, I will have to be happy with the cookbooks and handwritten recipes I have from her, and the memories we did create in the kitchen. 

This shortcake, is kind of a slice/cake combination and is very simple to make, and very easy to eat! Many jams would work here, but I can rarely pass up a good berry jam. 

Mixed Berry Shortcake

Ingredients: 

340g margarine (flavourless) or unsalted butter

240g caster sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs 

250 g self-raising flour 

210g mixed berry jam (I used this homemade jam) 

55g coconut chips or shredded coconut

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a 30 x 20 cm (approx.) lamington tin (I use this one). 

Cream together the margarine, 120 g of the sugar and the vanilla until it becomes light and fluffy. Then add 1 egg and mix well to incorporate. Add the flour and mix to combine. 

Evenly spread the mixture into the lamington tin, ensure you push it into the corners. Gently spread over the jam. 

Then in a bowl, gently whisk the remaining egg with a fork, then add the coconut and remaining sugar. Mix well to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated. Gently spread the coconut mixture over the jam. The coconut mixture will only end up being a thin layer over the jam - it may look like there isn’t enough but don’t worry, it will work! 

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top has turned golden brown and the cake underneath is cooked through (use a skewer to check). Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for about 5 minutes to start cooling, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Cut into squares and serve with tea, and maybe some cream! 

The shortcake will keep in an airtight container for a few days.

Blood Orange Cupcakes

Before blood orange season is officially over, I really wanted to share this simple cupcake recipe with you. The basic recipe is my staple cupcake/cake recipe I bake over and over again, and thus adapt over and over again. 

I have had a bit of a ‘thing’ for blood oranges this season. If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed! And luckily, this season seems to have been particularly plentiful. To me they are much nicer than a regular orange and I always feel some level of excitement when cutting one open - how red/purple will it be?! I have bought many whilst perusing the local green grocers on my lunch break, and carried them home on the train with either grand plans to bake something that weekend or just to juice them and freeze it for something later on. 

This recipe can suit either plan, use whilst the oranges are fresh, or defrost the juice later on and make when blood oranges have long gone from the markets. If making with fresh oranges, use the zest in the cake and the juice for the icing as the below recipe suggests. If you only have the juice, use that for the icing and add the zest of a regular orange to the cake batter, or substitute for one teaspoon of vanilla extract or paste. The recipe could of course be used for a whole cake rather than cupcakes, I particularly liked making it as a simple ring cake (picture below) - just remember the cooking time will be a little longer. 

Another option - Blood Orange Ring Cake 

Blood Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients: 

125g canola based margarine (or other flavourless margarine)

165g golden caster sugar (or caster sugar)

finely grated zest of one small/medium blood orange

2 eggs 

250g self-raising flour

105ml milk (preferably skimmed)

Ingredients for the Icing: 

1 1/2 cups icing sugar, plus extra

juice of 1/2 - 1 blood orange 

edible flowers for decoration, optional 

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with cupcake cases. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the margarine, sugar and blood orange zest until light and fluffy. 

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add half the flour and half the milk and mix. Add the remaining flour and milk and mix on medium speed until combined.

Evenly divide the mixture amongst the cupcake cases, the mixture should fill each case so they are about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched lightly and a skewer comes out clean. The cakes will be lightly golden when they are done. 

Remove the cupcakes from the tray and cool on a wire rack. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add one tablespoon of blood orange juice, and stir. Continue to add small amounts of the juice and stir well, until the icing is a nice smooth consistency. If you find the icing becomes too runny, add little bits of sifted icing sugar until you have created the right consistency (if the icing is too runny it will just run off the cupcakes and make a mess, it needs to have a slight spreadable consistency so you end up with most of the icing on top of the cakes, rather than all down the sides).  Spread icing over each cupcake, don’t worry if it runs downs the sides a little. Top with edible flowers immediately, if using. Allow the icing to set a little before serving. 

Cakes that have been decorated with edible flowers are best eaten the day of making. If there are any leftovers store in the fridge, as the decoration will not store well at room temperature. Otherwise, storing in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days will be fine.

Blood Orange Chiffon Cake & A New Kitchen

As soon as blood orange season arrived, I had recipe ideas swimming around in my head. I buy them about once a week, from the shops near where I work, only three or so at a time so they are easy to carry home after work. Then, come the weekend, I use some for baking things like this cake, then I juice the rest and freeze the it to use later on. My freezer is now quite full, along with the copious amounts of varying berries, homegrown mandarins and so much bread, the zip lock bags and small containers of blood orange juice are artfully placed in small gaps and spaces ready to be used once the weather gets warmer and ice blocks become necessary. 

The base recipe of this chiffon cake has been adapted from my favourite chiffon cake (of all time), the Custard Chiffon Cake which can be found in the Monday Morning Cooking Club’s first book. This chiffon cake was the first I ever tasted or made. Now it still remains my favourite, however adaptations such as this Blood Orange Chiffon are amazing and a great way to mix things up a bit and show off some lovely fresh produce. Not to mention I always love a cake with pink icing! Any excuse for pink icing!!

I have also added a few before and after photos of the kitchen to this post - just in case anyone was interested to see what I kept going on about for 4 months! As I mentioned in my last post, I am spending as much time as possible in the kitchen now, and am really enjoying being able to bake again. Making something like this Blood Orange Chiffon wasn’t at all possible for a while there, and I am so so happy it is all over and done with now! 

Click on the gallery below to check out the old kitchen vs the new kitchen!

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

Old Pantry/Food Storage

New Pantry

Blood Orange Chiffon Cake

Ingredients: 

175 g self-raising flour

35 g plain flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

6 eggs (large), separated

345 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

finely grated zest of one small/medium blood orange

170 ml blood orange juice, strained of pulp

80 ml vegetable oil 

3-4 springs of rosemary

Ingredients for Icing:

2 cups icing sugar, plus extra

juice of 1-2 blood oranges 

sprigs of rosemary (with flowers if possible), for decoration

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Have an angel cake tin ready and nearby but do not grease it. The tin should not be a non-stick tin as the cake needs to cling to the sides of the tin as it cooks. 

Place rosemary into the oil, and leave to infuse. If you have time, leave it for as long as you can. Mix it about and squash into the oil to release some more flavour. 

In a small-medium bowl, sift the flours and cream of tartar three times. 

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar, until pale and creamy. If you have a free standing mixer with a paddle attachment, use this attachment for the egg yolks and save the whisk for later. Once pale and creamy, add the vanilla and blood orange zest. Remove the rosemary from the oil, and discard. Place the oil and blood orange juice in a jug and along with the sifted flour mixture, add to the yolk mixture while the mixer is beating on a low speed. Beat only until just combined. 

Using a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites using an electric mixer until soft peaks have formed. Add the remaining sugar, and whisk until the peaks are stiff (but not dry). 

Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites with a metal spoon, a third at a time. Continue to gently fold until the mixtures are just combined. Do not over mix. 

Transfer the mixture to the cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven you must invert the cake (stand it upside down). Using the hollow centre of the cake tin, place the cake upside down on the neck of a bottle and leave to cool. This process will stop the cake collapsing. This is also the reason for not greasing the tin, as you don’t want the cake to slide out at this stage.

Once the cake is completely cool, use a small serrated knife to cut the cake out of the tin. Start with the outer sides then lift the cake out using the bottom of the pan. Then carefully cut the cake off the base of the tin. 

Carefully place cake on serving plate or cake stand. In a medium bowl, sift in the icing sugar. Gradually add the juice of 1 blood orange. Stir until well mixed and add more icing sugar if the mixture is too wet, or more blood orange juice if it is too dry. The consistency shouldn’t be too thick, as it should be able to run down the sides of the cake, and not weight the top of the cake down. Gently drizzle/spread the icing over the cake and arrange the rosemary sprigs around the top of the cake. 

When serving, cut the cake with a serrated knife. 

Reference: ‘The Monday Morning Cooking Club’ by Merelyn Frank Chalmers, Natanya Eskin, Lauren Fink, Lisa Goldberg, Paula Horwitz and Jacqui Israel (2011), p 35.

Berry Almond Slice + How to Make Homemade Triple Berry Jam

This is the first time I have used homemade jam in this slice, and I am pleased to say it is well worth the effort. I have made this slice numerous times in the past, usually using a raspberry jam, mostly one by Bonne Maman. It was always nice, and always something that I was asked to make often. 

Once I decided I was going to make my own jam however, I knew I needed to try some with this slice recipe. I was quite amazed at how much better the flavours were and I don’t think I will be going to back to using bought jam anytime soon. 

If you are worried about making jam, I urge you to give this a go. Its not difficult you just need to be organised and have everything prepared and ready. Make sure you read through the recipe before you begin, and work out how you want to co-ordinate sterilising the jam jars and getting the jam started. I have also added a few extra jam making tips at the end of the recipe which should help. Fresh or frozen berries can be used for the jam, and you can alter the quantities or types of berries used. Just make sure the total quantity adds up to 1 kg. 

I used fresh berries that I had frozen myself for this recipe. When I see berries in season and at a good price, I always buy them and freeze them immediately. I use tupperware containers to store them in the freezer, and try to keep the most recent purchases at the bottom to ensure I use them after the ones I bought less recently. It is often a good idea to label and date these things, I just often forget or can’t be bothered. I bake with berries so often that they don’t tend to stay in the freezer very long. I find they cook much better than the bought frozen berries, as they hold their shape and don’t bleed so much (which is good when making cakes and muffins etc). 

I am very much looking forward to making this jam again. I found it so satisfying that my homemade jam tasted better than the bought stuff, and it was really nice to give as gifts as well. The slice recipe would lend itself to be paired with lots of different types of jams - I’m thinking cherry, or quince for next time. 

Homemade Triple Berry Jam

Almond Topping

Homemade Triple Berry Jam

 If making the homemade jam for the almond slice, make the jam at least one day ahead. 

Ingredients: 

700 g raspberries

175 g blueberries

125 g blackberries

80 ml lemon juice, plus extra 

880 g white sugar 

Method: 

Begin by placing two or three small plates in the freezer. You will need these later to test if the jam is jelling and ready to bottle. 

Then, sterilise at least four 370g capacity jars (I used old Bonne Maman jam jars). There are a few different methods to sterilise jars for preserving, however I prefer to pre-heat the oven to 100-120 degrees Celsius, wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, then place the jars upside down on an oven shelf. Allow the lids to air dry. Leave the jars in the oven for at least 20 minutes. 

Whilst the jam jars are being sterilised, start making the jam. Using a large heavy based saucepan (preferably enamel, stainless steel or aluminium), mix all the ingredients together and place on the stove over high heat without boiling, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the jam mixture to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes without stirring. The jam mixture should have reduced by the 20 minute mark and will also appear to have thickened. If necessary stir the jam a little ensure it is cooking evenly. 

After 20 minutes test the jam to see if it has reached jelling point. To test the jelling point of the jam, use one of the chilled plates and drop a small amount of the jam onto it. Leave for a couple of minutes, then push your finger through the jam. If a skin has formed over the jam and you can now see it wrinkling, the jam is ready. If it is not ready, leave to cook for a few more minutes and/or add some extra lemon juice. Then use the remaining chilled plates to test if the jam has jelled.

Once the jam has reached jelling point, remove the sterilised jars from the oven and place onto a wooden board. Using a wide mouthed funnel or jam funnel, pour the hot jam into the hot sterilised jars. Fill right to the top and seal immediately. Leave to cool, and store in a cool dark place. This jam should last about 1 year stored correctly and unopened. Once opened keep in the fridge. 

Jam Tips

• I often sterilise one extra jar just in case I need it, even if its a slightly smaller jar, just in case the recipe makes more jam than I expect.

• Make sure the jars are filled right to the top with jam. If you do not they may not store as well and could develop mould. If you find you cannot fill a jar to the top, make sure you use that one first.

• If mould does develop on the surface of the jam during storage, discard that whole jar. It will not be safe to eat any of the jam from that jar, even if the mould is removed from the surface.

• In very humid conditions jam can be stored in the fridge even before opening.

• If the jam will not reach jelling point, bring back to the boil and try again. You can also add more lemon juice (which acts as a natural jelling agent), or pectin/jam setter. Jams using apples generally set well as they naturally contain a lot of pectin.

• Ensure all the utensils you are using, particularly the funnel, are well washed. Any contamination of the jam once it is cooling down could compromise its shelf life.

Berry Almond Slice

Ingredients for the Topping: 

60 g unsalted butter, softened

55 g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract/paste

200 g flaked almonds

2 tbsp milk 

Ingredients for the Base: 

150 g unsalted butter, softened

110 g caster sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract/paste

225 g plain flour

40 g cornflour

180-200g homemade triple berry jam  

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and line a 24 x 20 cm baking/lamington tin with baking paper. 

Make the almond topping first by combining all the ingredients in a small/medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the butter has melted. Set aside to cool. 

To make the base of the slice, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, until the mixture is pale and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, sift in the flour and cornflour in two or three batches. Mix until the ingredients are just combined. 

Press the dough mixture into the base of the lined tin, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until it is light golden in colour. Then remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 10 minutes. 

Spread the jam over the base, then top with the almond mixture. Cook for a further 25-30 minutes, or until the almond topping has turned golden brown. You may need to turn the slice half way through the cooking time to bake the top evenly. 

Allow to cool in the tin, and cut into slices once cooled. 

References: ‘Made from Scratch’ by the Australian Women’s Weekly (Bauer Media Books, 2015) pp 48-49, 57 & 270; ‘Holiday’ by Bill Granger (Murdoch Books, 2007) p.22.