Ina Garten's Blueberry Crumb Cake

I have been getting lots of blueberries in my fruit boxes this summer, finding things to do with this under used fruit has been fun.  We in Australia don't use blueberries as much as we possibly should.  Of all the summer berries they are by far the cheapest, raspberries and blackberries are far to expensive to buy on a regular basis.

One of my possibly bad habits is watching cooking shows, my other half will only watch Gordon Ramsey, so I watch my favourite shows in the morning over my coffee after he has left for work.  This is one of the Barefoot Contessa recipes I saw about a week ago.

Streusel.

1/4 cup castor sugar
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tspn ground cinnamon
115g room butter melted
1 1/3 cup plain flour

Cake.

90g room temp butter
3/4 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 tspn vanilla
1/2 tspn grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 tspn baking powder
1/4 tspn baking soda
1/2 salt
1 punnet blueberries

Pre heat your oven to 180C and prepare your cake tin, I use a 23cm round spring form.

For the streusel, combine the castor sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Toss the berries in a little flour to stop them sinking and then fold the blueberries in and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

 

 

Allow to cool and then serve.

Annalise's Lemon Mousse Pie

Can I just say, I love anything lemon, must be the influence of my Mother who eats lemons like they are oranges, but that is another story all together.

I found this recipe earlier this week and have been dying to make it all week.  As stated in my previous post I had been having trouble with my curd recipes and this is the one I found it in.  Thanks Annalise from www.completelydelicious.com

To begin you make to curd from the previous recipe, you can make it up to a week ahead or the day of, but leave time for cooling.

Base.

1 Packet dry biscuits of your choice, I used Butternut Snaps
60g butter melted

Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until crumbs.  Mix melted butter and crumbs, press into pie dish or tart tin.  Bake at 180C for 10 mins then allow to cool completely.

Mousse.

3 tblspn water
1 package or 2 leaves of gelatin
4 egg whites
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 cup cream
2 cups lemon curd from previous recipe

If using package gelatin follow instructions for softening before melting over low heat in saucepan.  If using leaf soften in cold water before mixing with water over low heat in saucepan until dissolved.  Add half a cup of the curd to the gelatin and mix until smooth.  Remove from heat and mix in another cup of the curd until smooth.

In mixing bowl beat egg whites until foamy, slowly add sugar and whip until smooth and glossy almost like meringue.  Fold the egg mix into the curd in 3 batches so that you don't deflate the eggs.

In the same bowl as the eggs whip the cream to stiff peaks, fold through the curd mixture until combined. 

Place the mousse mixture into your cooled pie shell and smooth top. 

At this stage you could also put the mousse mixture into glasses for a light dessert.

Place into the fridge for 2 hours to set.  When set take pie from the fridge and gently spread remaining cup of curd in thin layer over the top.  You can refrigerate for a further hour or eat straight away.

 

 

Lemon Curd



Over the last couple of weekends I have tried numerous recipes for lemon/orange curd,  frankly I didn't like them, most were a pain to make and didn't work.  Today I tried yet another recipe which on paper, well computer really, looked easyish. 

This was to be my final try as I dislike waste and wasting lemons and eggs is just wrong as I can do many more enjoyable things with them.

Success!  I have found a nice easy recipe that works.

1 cup lemon juice (about 6 medium lemons)
1 cup sugar
110g butter
4 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup corn flour (corn starch)

In a saucepan heat the lemon juice, sugar and butter to just before simmering.
In a mixer mix together eggs, yolks and corn flour.  When the liquid is hot pour into the mixer with motor running on medium in a slow steady stream, you don't want to scramble the eggs.  When all the liquids are combined transfer the mix back to the saucepan and heat over a low flame, stirring until thickened.  You may towards the end need to whisk to keep smooth.  Turn the curd out into a bowl and cover with cling film directly on top of the curd to prevent forming a skin and place in the fridge to cool.

Keep the egg whites as you can use them in my next post.  Lemon Mousse Pie.

 

Chocolate brownies with a Cherry ripe suprise.

What can I say? but YUM!

For those that don't know what a Cherry Ripe is, well it is cherries, coconut and dark chocolate and apart of Australian Chocolate bar history and in my eyes the best!

300g Dark Chocolate
90g butter
1 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
3 eggs beaten
2 tblspn cold water
1 bag of cherry ripe bites

Over a double boiler melt together the chocolate and butter.  When melted and combined set aside to cool. 

Stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture until just combined. 

Beat eggs and water together then add to the chocolate mixture and beat to combined.

Stir through the flour until just combined.

Put half the mixture into the prepared pan.  Add the cherry ripe bites.

Cover with the remaining brownie mixture and bake at 180C for 25 to 30 mins.  The edges will be slightly  puffy and the centre just set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins in the pan then remove to a wire rack.


See how long they last!

Scones. Plain and Cinnamon

My favourite memory as a child is seeing my Old Nanny, my Dad's Mum.  Old Nanny was the best, she gave the best hugs and we got train Easter eggs, then there were the Passion fruit I was allowed to pick and eat when ever we went to see her.

The one memory that stands out was after she went into the Oldies home, we used to have Nana over for dinner on the weekend and Mum would always do a nice family dinner with a dessert.  The one thing Nana loved was Mum's Cinnamon Scones.

Nana used to get me to help her put some aside for her to take home with her,  sneaky Old Nanny!  We used to rap them in her clean hanky and slip them in her knitting bag.  However Mum did catch her doing this and from then on a double batch was made with the rest going back to the Oldies for a midnight snack.

I have tried many scone dough's over the years,  the Woman's weekly cookbook version, the flour and cream version, the lemonade version.  However I found a dough that I really like, but it all comes down to personal preference.

3 cups plain flour
300g butter (cold and chopped) plus 2 extra tablespoons
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons castor sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

In your mixing bowl sift the dry ingredients, make sure your butter is cold and chopped into cm cubes, put into the dry ingredients and turn your mixer on low, if you don't have a cover for your mixer bowl put a clean tea towel around the bowl top to stop flour covering you and the kitchen.

Mix until the butter is still chunky and pea sized.

In a bowl or measuring jug mix the milk and eggs.  Pour into your dry ingredients while the mixer is on low.  Once all combined turn mixer up to medium for a minute then turn off.  The mixture will look very sticky!

Turn the mixture out onto a floured bench, you will need to sprinkle extra flour over the top of the mixture as it will be very sticky.  I split my dough in half.

Cinnamon Scones.

Roll the  dough to half a cm thick and cut out with large cutter.  I use an egg ring.

In a bowl melt some extra butter and brush half the dough with melted butter,  fold the scones in half, brush the top with melted butter then flip the scone butter side down in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.


Place on baking sheet.  When all done place in the fridge to firm up again.

Plain Scones.

Roll the dough to about 2 cm thick of thicker if you desire.  With a cutting ring cut the dough and place on baking sheet.  When all done place in the fridge to firm up again.

Tip from a CWA winning scone maker.  Always place your scones on the baking sheet the opposite way up from the cut, this is to allow them to get the maximum rise.

Cooking the Scones.

Pre heat your oven to 200C.  Place your scones in the oven directly from the fridge and bake for 20 mins.

To serve split the cinnamon scones in half and butter, eat while hot. 

Plain scones are best served with jam and cream.

 

 

 

 

Rump Steak in Portwine.

Again an old family favourite.

This recipe is for 4 people you could reduce the steak to make for less or increase for a Dinner party.

2 pieces of rump steak
250g mushrooms
1 cup Port
1 cup beef stock
2 tblsp plain flour
2 tblsp butter
3 peeled and smashed garlic cloves
Salt and Pepper

In a fry pan, I use a cast iron fry pan with a lid,  fry the rump on each side. 

When you reach a nice colour on the steak remove to a plate for later.

Pour the port into the fry pan and boil to reduce by half.

Pour the reduced port over the steak and set aside. 

In the fry pan melt the butter and add the flour stirring and allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes,  slowly stir in the beef stock until combined. 

Continue to stir the sauce until it thickens.

Once the sauce has thickened tip the port and meat juices back into the pan and stir,  allow to come to the boil then place the rump back in the sauce, add the garlic cloves, reduce to a simmer, place lid on pan and allow to cook for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes add the mushrooms and cook for a further 30 minutes.  During this time cook your mash and veg.

Just before your ready to serve remove the garlic cloves.

Apple Cinnamon Cake

 

Those readers that grew up in Australia in the 70's and 80's will probably have seen an Australian Woman's Weekly Cookbook or two in their mothers kitchen.  Most, myself included would have learnt to cook from them. 

"Mum there is nothing to eat in this house"

"All the ingredients for a cake are in this house, if your hungry make a cake"

No such thing as instant gratification in our house!

I changed up the recipe in Mum's cookbook to suit myself.

180g butter (room temperature)
1 tspn Cinnamon
2/3 cup castor sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
2 apples

Beat butter, sugar and cinnamon together until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time until combined, the mix will look curdled but this is ok.

Mix in sifted combined flour and milk, you may need to alternate so you don't get flour everywhere.  Spread into a prepared pan,  I used a 20cm round spring form but use your choice.

Peal, core and quarter apples.  Slice almost all the way through and place on top of the cake mix in a fan pattern around the edge.  Bake at 180C for approx. 1 hour.  Check that a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Serve warm with ice cream or cold with whipped cream.