Monday, July 30, 2007
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake
photo on the way
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
3/4 cup milk
juice of 1/2 lemon
250gm unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (250gm) Castor sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
4 eggs
2 cups (300 gm) plain flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
lemon syrup - recipe below
- oven 180C
- grease a 25cm kugelhopf, bundt or ring tin
- soak poppy seeds in milk and and lemon juice for 1 hour
- beat butter, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy
- beat in eggs, one at a time, alternating with a little flour until combined.
- sift together remaining flour and baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, then fold into mixture
- gently stir in milk and poppy seed mixture until smooth and combined
- spoon into prepared tin
-bake 55 - 60 minutes
- allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes then turn out on a cooling rack
- brush hot lemon syrup over top and sides of cake
- leave to cool
Lemon Syrup
- combine juice from 2 lemons add 125gm Castor sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then simmer gently for 5 minutes
Chicken Korma
photograph on the way
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoon grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 - 10 chicken thighs cut into 3 cm cubes
1 onion sliced
1 can lite coconut milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 ground almonds
3 potatoes, peeled, cut into 3 cm cubes
2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
1 1/2 red capsicum diced
1 bunch coriander
- blend ingredients up to vegetable oil
- heat oil and add onion slices and cook on low heat for 5 minutes until soft
- add chicken and cook stirring for about 6 minutes until colour has changed - may need to be done in batches
- return all chicken to the pan
- add blended spice mixture and cook for a minute
- add potato and cook for a couple of minutes
- add apple, capsicum, cinnamon stick, ground almonds, coconut milk and enough water to just cover
- cook until chicken is cooked and potatoes are cooked but still hold their shape
- stir in roughly chopped coriander
- serve with rice
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Spicy Date and Ginger Squares
Photo to follow.
170 g (1 cup) chopped dates
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125 g soft butter, chopped
220g (1 cup) Castor sugar
2/3 cup golden syrup
2 eggs
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground allspice ( I used 1/2 cinnamon and 1/2 nutmeg)
300 (2 cups) plain flour
icing
60g soft butter, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons golden syrup
240g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- combine dates and milk in small bowl and bring just to the boil, ,remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda and let it stand for 10 minutes
-beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add golden syrup and beat til well combined
-add eggs, one at a time beating well then add spices and half the flour and mix well.
-stir in date mixture and mix until smooth then add remaining flour and mix well
- pour into a 20 x 30 cm lined tin and bake 180C for 30-35 minutes
- stand in tin for 5 minutes and turn onto rack to cool
icing
- beat butter ginger and golden syrup until soft and well combined.
-add icing sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and beat well after each addition, then stir in lemon juice and mix well
-spread over cake
-cut into 5cm squares
-can keep in an airtight container for up to a week
-makes about 24 squares
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Jam Donut Muffins
This recipe is from http://cakescookiesandanoddroastdinner.blogspot.com/search/label/Muffins
http://reddirtmummy.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html (great to find another West Australian foodie blog)
They are easy to make and delightful mouth size treats.
Photograph on the way
1 2/3 cups self raising flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon+ extra 1/2 teaspoon
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup caster sugar + extra 3 tablespoons
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
raspberry jam
2 tablespoon butter
- preheat oven 180C
- lightly grease a mini muffin tray
- sift flour, salt, cinnamon and sugar together in a large bowl
- in separate bowl, mix the oil, egg and milk together
- add the wet mix to the dry mix and stir until just combined
- half fill the muffin tins with batter
- add 1/4 teaspoon jam to each muffin then cover with more batter
- bake for 20 minutes or until risen and golden
- remove from oven
Topping
- melt 2 tablespoon butter in a small bowl
- mix together 3 tablespoon caster sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- while muffins are still hot, dip their tops into the melted butter and then into the sugar and cinnamon mix
- cool on rack
- recipe says it makes 24 ( I made 36 mini muffins)