Lime, Coconut & Macadamia Cake (Dairy Free)

This is the original recipe I used when I made my Blood Orange cake from my previous post. It is a nice and light cake, that could easily be made gluten free. The flavours are Summery, and definitely suit the very warm weather we have been experiencing here lately. 

I originally made this cake back in August, and while the zingy flavour of the lime was really nice, it didn’t really go well with the Winter weather! I shared some of the cake with a friend and she commented that the cake was definitely a Summer one! And I agree. Which is why I have waited a little to share the recipe with you. It would be lovely at the end of a weekend meal, or taken to BBQ or picnic in the warmer months. 

The recipe comes from one of Bill Granger’s many great cookbooks. Every one of his books have great recipes, and most are fairly easy, yet packed with flavour. I am always disappointed when I try a recipe that looks easy, and doesn’t take much time, but has compromised on flavour to do so. Bill’s recipes never disappoint, and this salmon recipe in particular, has become a tasty and quick weeknight staple in our house. 

But back to the cake… I added a few slices of lime on top of the cake, as I didn’t like the way the cake looked just with the icing. The top of the cake wasn’t even, and so the icing showed all its flaws. I coated a few very finely sliced pieces of lime in white sugar, and cooked them on a low temperature in the oven for 40-50mins. They caramelised a little, and covered the top of the cake nicely. I did ensure I had allowed the excess liquid from the slices to drain however, or they will make the cake soggy. You could use lime or kaffir lime leaves, or coconut to decorate the cake if you wanted however. 

Lime, Coconut & Macadamia Cake

Ingredients: 

200g macadamia nuts 

40g self-raising flour

6 eggs, separated 

165g caster sugar

finely grated zest of one lime 

45g desiccated coconut 

Ingredients for Icing: 

125g icing (confectioners) sugar

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp finely grated lime zest

Method: 

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line the base of a 23cm spring form cake tin. 

In a food processor, blitz the macadamia nuts and flour until the nuts are ground (about the consistency of almond meal).

Beat the egg yolks and sugars in a bowl for about 3 minutes, or until they are pale and fluffy. Fold in the zest, coconut and macadamia mixture. 

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk and macadamia mixture, a third at a time. 

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through. 

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool (the cake can be iced when still a little warm, if you want the icing to drizzle down the sides of the cake).

To make to icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the lime zest. Gradually add the lime juice, until you have a smooth icing. Spread over the cooled cake. 

Reference: ‘Bill’s Open Kitchen’ by Bill Granger (Murdoch Book Pty Ltd, 2003), p.91.

How to Make a Blood Orange Cake (Dairy Free)

Believe it or not, until recently I had never tried blood oranges before. I now know what I have been missing, and will be eagerly anticipating buying them when they are next in season. 

The first lot I bought were from the Pyrmont Growers Markets. The flesh was a deep purple and they were clearly at their prime. I have since bought more and each time I buy them their colour is lighter and lighter, more a pink-ish hue than the deep purple of the first ones. Their flavour is still great, and I have frozen a fair bit of the juice. I saw a recipe for a blood orange, peach and mango granita in Katie Quinn Davies first book, and will be making it as soon as Australian peaches are in season! 

The idea for this cake came to me after the first thing I baked with the first lot of blood oranges I bought didn’t work out so well. I found the recipe online and it combined the flavours of blood orange and coconut, and they just went together so well. Unfortunately the addition of blood orange juice in the recipe, just made the cakes very wet, soggy and unstable and they just fell apart. 

I then thought about trying another cake with these same flavours, and remembered a lime and coconut cake I made a little while ago (recipe here) that I thought I could adapt to suit the blood oranges. Luckily, this time it worked! While only using the zest in the cake reduces the punchy blood orange flavour a little, the blood orange icing mostly makes up for that (and the cake doesn’t fall apart!). 

I used some coconut blossom sugar in the recipe, just to try it and add to the coconut flavour of the cake, but it can be substituted for caster sugar. Also, if blood oranges aren’t available regular oranges could be used. 

This cake could also easily be made gluten free - try substituting the self raising flour for gluten free flour and baking powder. The quantity of flour in the cake is quite small, so as long as you don’t knock the air out of the egg whites when folding them into the batter, you should still get the same result.

I used a lot of spring blooms when I styled the photos for this cake, and I really like the look they gave. The weekend I made this cake, I went looking around the garden for some flowers to use, and when I saw the weeping cherries we have, I just had to use them. They had burst into bloom since I had last noticed them and were buzzing with lots of bees.

Blood Orange Cake (Dairy Free)

Ingredients: 

200g almond meal

135g caster sugar

30g coconut blossom sugar

40g self raising flour 

6 large eggs, separated 

45g desiccated coconut 

zest of one small/medium blood orange 

Ingredients for the Icing: 

2 cups icing sugar 

juice from 1/2 to one blood orange 

50g coconut chips 

Method: 

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line the base of a 23cm spring form cake tin. 

Beat the egg yolks and sugars in a bowl for about 3 minutes, or until they are pale and fluffy. Fold in the zest, coconut, flour and almond meal. 

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the egg whites into the almond mixture, a third at a time. 

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through. 

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

While the cake is cooling, toast the coconut chips in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they will toast very quickly. 

To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Juice the blood orange, and pass the juice through a sieve to remove the pulp. Gradually add the juice (not necessarily all of it), until you have a smooth icing. Spread over the cooled cake and use the toasted coconut to decorate. 

Reference: ‘Bills Open Kitchen’ by Bill Granger (Murdoch Books, 2003), p.91.

Raspberry, Almond & Vanilla Layer Cake (Gluten Free)

There is a bit of a story behind this cake. I have been wanting to make something like this for a while, pretty much since I first tried the ‘Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake’ from Flour & Stone. While the ingredients are simple, the end result is definitely the best cake you can buy in Sydney. My version, while highly inspired by the cake at Flour & Stone, ends up being a bit different, but equally as delicious. 

It also ends up being gluten free as I opted to use a almond based cake for this recipe. I didn’t choose the almond cake deliberately for its gluten free qualities, I just wanted something that in some way resembled the cake at Flour & Stone, which is denser than a traditional sponge cake, yet still very light and fluffy.

Goodies from Flour & Stone, including the 'Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake'.

The 'Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake'.

My cake, inspired by the 'Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake' from Flour & Stone.

The cake recipe has been adapted from ‘Gran’s almond cake’ in Sophie Hansen’s book ‘Local is Lovely’. This book never ceases to provide culinary inspiration and great recipes.

The filling for this cake, while still being influenced by the ‘Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake’ which has a mascarpone element to its filling, is also inspired by my desire to use some of Pepe Saya’s great products. I visited the Pyrmont Grower’s Market earlier this month and came home with Pepe Saya’s mascarpone and buttermilk. I bought the mascarpone knowing I wanted to try make this cake, and I felt that such good quality products could only be used in something as special as a cake. The buttermilk was used to make a double batch of these muffins, which we are still eating as they freeze so well, and a double batch of these pancakes. The pancakes worked so well with the Pepe Saya buttermilk, I’m not sure I want to make them again unless I have it! 

The recipe for the filling ended up being an amalgamation of this recipe from Delia Online and this recipe from Fool Proof Living. The second recipe has some good tips about whipping mascarpone, as apparently if the mascarpone and cream you are whipping are different temperatures the mascarpone will split. Most places I looked advised using both products at room temperature, however I used both chilled from the fridge and it worked well. 

As a little side note, I did add some toasted coconut chips to the layers of the cake, mostly because I had some leftover from breakfast that morning. I didn't add it to the recipe as I didn't think it significantly added anything to the cake as a whole, however they are visible in some of the photos of the cake.

Raspberry, Almond & Vanilla Layer Cake (Gluten Free)

Ingredients: 

290g almond meal 

315g golden caster sugar

6 eggs, separated

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tsp baking powder

Ingredients for the Mascarpone & Raspberry Cream 

200g mascarpone 

150ml thickened cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

35g icing (confectioners) sugar, plus extra for dusting

250g fresh raspberries

Method: 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius, and grease and line the base of two 18 cm round loose bottomed cake tins (spring form cake tins will work well too). 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar until they are pale and creamy. Add the vanilla bean paste and beat to combine. 

Sift in the almond meal and baking powder, and gently mix to combine. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the egg whites into the almond meal mixture, a quarter at a time. 

Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared cake tins. Turn the oven temperature down to 180 degrees Celsius. Bake the cakes for 30 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. 

Once cooked, cool the cakes in their tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely (leaving the baking paper lining on the cakes as they may stick to the racks). 

Once the cakes have cooled completely, make the mascarpone and raspberry cream. 

Place the mascarpone in a medium bowl and whip until it has thickened and soft peaks form. Gradually add the cream, extract and sifted icing sugar a third at a time, and continue to whip until all ingredients have combined and the cream has thickened and stiff peaks form.

Leave a quarter of the raspberries aside for decoration, and squash the remainder with a fork. Gently fold the squashed raspberries into the mascarpone cream. 

Remove the baking paper from the cakes and cut each of the cakes in half (horizontally). Place the base of one cake on a serving plate or cake stand and cover with a third of the mascarpone cream. Top with the top half of the cake, then another third of the cream, then top with the base of the second cake, the remaining cream and finish with the remaining cake half. 

Decorate with the remaining raspberries and dust with icing sugar. 

This cake is best served on the day it is assembled, but will keep in the fridge for a few days. 

Reference: ‘Local is Lovely’ by Sophie Hansen (Hachette Australia, 2014), p.233.

The Table Series - August 1, 2015

Here are some photos from the first ever Table Series workshop I attended this past weekend. The focus was on mastering the art of the perfect Instagram worthy food flatlay. As you can see by the pictures I took, I got a little distracted by the amazing food and venue and couldn’t help taking photos of that too! 

Many thanks to Kat (@katnt) and Koen (@koentadyy) for organising such a great morning. 

Food: 

@pressedjuices

@theflourybaker

@woahnellybakes

@fikaswedishkitchen

@nutorius_

@ttotalertea

Space: 

@thecommune

Everything else:

@thepaperbunny

@mujiaustralia 

@thetableseries_

Shallow Fried Zucchini Flowers & Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce

These two recipes to me, scream Winter comfort food. I have made the Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce numerous times recently. The original recipe, from the Monday Morning Cooking Club’s second book ‘The Feast Goes On’, says the sauce is enough to feed six. I find when mixed with cooked pasta (any kind will do!), I can feed three or four for dinner then still have enough leftovers for three lunches. This kind of cooking makes the organised side of me very happy. Good dinner? Check! Lunch for work sorted? Check! 

When I made this pasta dish over the June long weekend, I was secretly patting myself on the back. Not only was I going to be able to feed five people at home that weekend, I might even have some leftovers for lunch the next day. Winning, right?! 

I forgot however, to take into account that my brother, who was staying that weekend, eats enough food for like two people per meal. So, no leftovers for me. And even if there were some, the likelihood of them being eaten by said brother for breakfast (yes, breakfast) the next morning would have been quite high. 

If you do make the sauce and happen to have leftovers, it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. 

These two recipes served in the same evening, make for a great Italian style feast. I would cook the tomato sauce before, make and serve the zucchini flowers as they were ready then, cook some pasta, warm up the sauce and serve that as the main for the meal. 

A note on the zucchini flowers: The recipe for the batter can easily be doubled if you are cooking more. The zucchini flowers should be served immediately after cooking, as they are not quite the same when re-heated. 

Shallow Fried Zucchini Flowers

Ingredients: 

8 zucchini flowers 

1 ball buffalo mozzarella 

Handful basil leaves, shredded

¼ cup grana padano (or parmesan) cheese, grated 

Ingredients for the Batter: 

100g self raising flour

¾ cup ice cold water

Pinch of salt 

Vegetable oil, for frying 

Method: 

Wash and dry zucchini flowers, ensuring the insides of the flowers are free from any residual dirt and the stamens have been removed. 

Mix the basil and grated cheese together. Tear pieces off the buffalo mozzarella and use to stuff the flowers. Add some of the basil and grated cheese and twist the top of the flowers to seal. 

Prepare the batter only just before it is needed. 

To prepare the batter, gently whisk all the ingredients together with a fork (the mixture will be lumpy). 

Heat a shallow fry pan with some vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Coat the flowers in the batter, then place one at a time (or three or so at a time if using a larger pan), and allow to cook for 1 minute or so on each side. Ensure all of the batter has cooked. 

Place on paper towel to drain any excess oil after cooking, and serve immediately. 

Recipe Adapted from ‘Maggie’s Harvest’ by Maggie Beer (Penguin Group, 2007), pp. 182-3. 

Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce

2kg very ripe tomatoes 

x 2 large red onions

x 2 cloves garlic

200g dried black olives 

¼ cup capers, drained 

8 anchovy fillets, chopped 

Olive oil 

3 tbsp tomato paste 

½ cup grated parmesan cheese 

1 bunch basil (leaves only), chopped 

Method: 

Pre heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Drizzle some olive oil between two large baking trays. Roughly slice the tomatoes (approximately 1 cm slices), and divide between the two trays. Slice the onion and place one onion in each tray. Divide the black olives, capers and anchovies between the two trays. Drizzle with more olive oil crush one garlic clove over each tray, then toss all the ingredients to coat. 

Reduce the oven to 170 degrees Celsius and place both baking trays in the oven. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Cook until the tomatoes and onions have softened and reduced, and there is still some liquid left in the trays. 

Remove from oven and combine the two trays into one. Stir through the tomato paste, parmesan and basil. 

Serve with freshly cooked pasta, topped with a little extra basil and grated parmesan. 

Reference: ‘The Monday Morning Cooking Club: The Feast Goes On’ by Lisa Goldberg, Merelyn Frank Chalmers, Natanya Eskin, Lauren Fink, Paula Horwitz & Jacqui Israel (HarperCollins Publishers, 2014), p.74.

More Cake! Two Lovely Cakes from 'Tasty Express'

Ok. Now for the second part of my cake apology. Two cake recipes from ‘Tasty Express’.

After attending a Cook Republic workshop with Sneh Roy a little while ago, it re-inspired me to getting cooking from her lovely cookbook, ‘Tasty Express’ again. I was in the mood for cake (nothing unusual about that right?!), and couldn’t decide between the lemon cake and the rose and pistachio cake. So I made both. 

Both cakes are simple to make, yet yield great tasting cakes. It is unusual for me to make cakes without some kind of icing, and though it might seem strange to leave a cake un-iced, these two cakes are quite perfect as they are. Not that the perfect-ness of these cakes should ever have been doubted. They are Sneh’s recipes after all. 

Lemon Cake 

Ingredients: 

125g butter, softened

220g caster sugar 

Finely grated zest of 2 large lemons

3 eggs 

225 g self-raising flour 

Juice of one large lemon 

125ml milk

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line the base of a 20cm round cake tin.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift in the flour, and add the lemon juice. Beat for a few seconds, then add the milk and mix until just combined. 

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and tap the tin gently to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. 

Leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn onto a cooling rack. 

Serve warm or cooled. 

Original recipe from ‘Tasty Express’ by Sneh Roy (Ebury Press, 2014), p.192, or via Cook Republic blog.

Rose & Pistachio Cake with Fresh Raspberries 

Ingredients: 

125g butter, softened

220g caster sugar 

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

1 tbsp rosewater

2 eggs

300g plain flour 

2 ½ tsp baking powder 

¼ tsp salt 

165ml milk 

70g Greek yoghurt 

60 g frozen raspberries 

65g pistachio kernels, chopped

Icing sugar, for dusting

Fresh raspberries and cream, to serve 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease and line the base of a 20cm round cake tin.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, orange zest, and rosewater for 6 minutes on low speed. Mix until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well to combine. 

In a separate bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter mixture, milk and yoghurt and fold together until just combined. Gently fold through the frozen raspberries and pistachios. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Dust with icing sugar and serve with fresh raspberries and cream. 

Original recipe from ‘Tasty Express’ by Sneh Roy (Ebury Press, 2014), p.195.

For more recipes showcasing the best of rose, check out my eBook Baking with Rose by clicking on the link below!