I have no idea why this is called Saturday cake but it is an old family favourite. It has been renamed Footy cake in certain circles as it is such an easy thing to throw together it was made one night when friends were over watching rugby and the sweet cravings kicked in. It's REALLY good when eaten warm, but still good when cool (if it lasts that long).
125g butter
1 tin condensed milk (it's fine to use lite version)
1 cup sultanas (or raisins)
1 packet plain biscuits - crushed.
Melt the butter and condensed milk together then mix with other ingredients. Pour into a lined slice tin and bake 30 - 40 minutes at 180 degrees C. Ice with chocolate icing while still warm.
About Me
- Merrans Kitchen
- Hi all. You may be wondering who or what is Scatty? Well Scatty is a cat who likes only one person and one person only. Therefore whatever I do or wherever I am at home, Scatty needs to be involved. Rarely do I spend any time in the kitchen when Scatty isn't getting under my feet and demanding attention. A little tip when looking for specific recipes...use the search button with terms like salads, desserts, etc. to find recipes under each category. I will endeavour to stick to this format. Most of these recipes have been taken or adapted from books and I will try to recognise the original author whenever possible. Where something is a little more original, I have a tendency to add a dash of this or a pinch of that... quantities and specifics are not my strong point. I will attempt to be more specific :-)
Sunday 24 April 2011
DESSERT: Spicy fruit and chocolate bread and butter pudding
This is a fantastic way to use up leftovers or bits of stale fruit buns or hot cross buns. It's pretty flexible in terms of what you add to it so just use this as a guide. This version made last night was not very custardy so next time I would probably add more milk and/or eggs. Just makes sure that the bread is well covered with the custard mix. This is how I made it last night...
4 spicy fruit buns - slice into approx 4 pieces
Chocolate spread (ie Nutella)
3 eggs
Milk - I didn't measure but probably 200 - 300 ml
3 dessert spoons caster sugar
1 dessert spoon cocoa powder
A handful of raisins
2 dessert spoons Pedro Ximenez sherry.
Lightly grease a casserole dish with butter. Spread the pieces of fruit bun with chocolate spread and layer into the casserole with additional raisins between layers.
Whisk eggs, caster sugar, milk, cocoa (I would recommend dissolving the cocoa in a small amount of hot water first as otherwise it is likely to go lumpy) and Pedro X (or brandy). Pour the custard over the bread and push bread down so everything gets soaked. Leave to soak for at least 1 hour.
Cook in a water bath (this keeps the bottom of the pudding more custardy) for approx 45 minutes on 180 deg.
Personally I love hot chocolate puddings with vanilla ice cream but in the absence of ice cream or cream last night we found it was pretty good on its own too. :-) Serves 3 - 4.
Variations:
Add a different liquor
Use any bread /. croissants etc and add fruit and spices according to taste
Add orange zest
4 spicy fruit buns - slice into approx 4 pieces
Chocolate spread (ie Nutella)
3 eggs
Milk - I didn't measure but probably 200 - 300 ml
3 dessert spoons caster sugar
1 dessert spoon cocoa powder
A handful of raisins
2 dessert spoons Pedro Ximenez sherry.
Lightly grease a casserole dish with butter. Spread the pieces of fruit bun with chocolate spread and layer into the casserole with additional raisins between layers.
Whisk eggs, caster sugar, milk, cocoa (I would recommend dissolving the cocoa in a small amount of hot water first as otherwise it is likely to go lumpy) and Pedro X (or brandy). Pour the custard over the bread and push bread down so everything gets soaked. Leave to soak for at least 1 hour.
Cook in a water bath (this keeps the bottom of the pudding more custardy) for approx 45 minutes on 180 deg.
Personally I love hot chocolate puddings with vanilla ice cream but in the absence of ice cream or cream last night we found it was pretty good on its own too. :-) Serves 3 - 4.
Variations:
Add a different liquor
Use any bread /. croissants etc and add fruit and spices according to taste
Add orange zest
DESSERT: Chocolate Caramel Tart
This was a bit of an experiment and an amalgamation of a couple of recipes I have used before. It is very rich. I found that in this version the caramel was a bit grainy which I didn't like particularly, so if you have a better caramel recipe by all means substitute (or be more careful than I was when making it!!)
Base:
1 packet oreo cookies - crushed
Melted butter to moisten - I start with about 100g but don't add it all at once because you don't want the base too buttery... add about half and then gradually to moisten.
Press into a plastic wrap lined tart tin or springform tin and chill.
Caramel:
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp golden syrup
30g butter
Melt all ingredients together then bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly then pour over the chocolate cookie base and chill.
Chocolate Ganache:
250g dark chocolate
300ml cream
1 tsp vanilla
Bring cream and vanilla to boil then tip over the roughly chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and the cream and chocolate are amalgamated. Tip into a bowl to cool, then pour over the caramel.
Roughly chop SKOR candy bars (if available - they stock them at our local dairy). I used 3 bars for this recipe. Scatter bits of skor bar over the chocolate and chill. You may wish to freeze to set then take out of the freezer 30 minutes prior to serving.
I found that the chocolate didn't set particularly well in the time frame I had. In the future I would possibly reduce the amount of cream in the ganache to get a better set.
Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Base:
1 packet oreo cookies - crushed
Melted butter to moisten - I start with about 100g but don't add it all at once because you don't want the base too buttery... add about half and then gradually to moisten.
Press into a plastic wrap lined tart tin or springform tin and chill.
Caramel:
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp golden syrup
30g butter
Melt all ingredients together then bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly then pour over the chocolate cookie base and chill.
Chocolate Ganache:
250g dark chocolate
300ml cream
1 tsp vanilla
Bring cream and vanilla to boil then tip over the roughly chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and the cream and chocolate are amalgamated. Tip into a bowl to cool, then pour over the caramel.
Roughly chop SKOR candy bars (if available - they stock them at our local dairy). I used 3 bars for this recipe. Scatter bits of skor bar over the chocolate and chill. You may wish to freeze to set then take out of the freezer 30 minutes prior to serving.
I found that the chocolate didn't set particularly well in the time frame I had. In the future I would possibly reduce the amount of cream in the ganache to get a better set.
Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Thursday 31 March 2011
CAKE: Oat and Apple Streusel Cakes
From Julie Le Clerc's Little Cafe Cakes
This is another really quick and easy cake using basic pantry items. It's a great one to whip up in a hurry and is lovely served warm as a dessert, or cool. This recipe is for little individual cakes but I have also made it as a large cake. It doesn't make a huge cake though so for my last effort I doubled the cake recipe, but kept the single quantity of the streusel topping as it is plenty to cover the cake. The amount of cinnamon in the cake recipe seems a lot, but have faith!!
Cake recipe
60 g butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 apple, grated (ok to leave the skin on)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 175 deg C. Grease and flour 10 individual cake or muffin tins or one 20cm springform tin.
Place butter, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar, apples, raisins and milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Remove to cool.
Beat in egg. Add oats, sifted flour and baking powder and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared pans, sprinkle with streusel topping and bake for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool in tins for 10 minutes before turning out.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Streusel topping
50g butter, cubed
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Rub butter into flour until crumbly. Stir in cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over cakes before baking.
This is another really quick and easy cake using basic pantry items. It's a great one to whip up in a hurry and is lovely served warm as a dessert, or cool. This recipe is for little individual cakes but I have also made it as a large cake. It doesn't make a huge cake though so for my last effort I doubled the cake recipe, but kept the single quantity of the streusel topping as it is plenty to cover the cake. The amount of cinnamon in the cake recipe seems a lot, but have faith!!
Cake recipe
60 g butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 apple, grated (ok to leave the skin on)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 175 deg C. Grease and flour 10 individual cake or muffin tins or one 20cm springform tin.
Place butter, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar, apples, raisins and milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Remove to cool.
Beat in egg. Add oats, sifted flour and baking powder and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared pans, sprinkle with streusel topping and bake for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool in tins for 10 minutes before turning out.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Streusel topping
50g butter, cubed
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Rub butter into flour until crumbly. Stir in cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over cakes before baking.
MISC: Lemon Curd
There are many recipes for lemon curd out there, but this is a tried and true version from Delicious Magazine, August 2007. I usually make a double recipe if I am going to the effort to make it as I find it keeps pretty well in the fridge and is also nice as a gift. Having said that it's not that much of an effort to make it more regularly. The left over egg-whites are a good opportunity to try the chocolate and hazelnut meringues from my previous post :-)
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup chilled unsalted butter
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
Whisk whole eggs, yolks and sugar in a saucepan until smooth, then place pan over low heat (make sure you don't use too high a heat as this can scramble the eggs). Add the butter, juice and zest and whisk continuously until thickened. Strain through a sieve into a sterilised jar.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup chilled unsalted butter
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
Whisk whole eggs, yolks and sugar in a saucepan until smooth, then place pan over low heat (make sure you don't use too high a heat as this can scramble the eggs). Add the butter, juice and zest and whisk continuously until thickened. Strain through a sieve into a sterilised jar.
Monday 28 March 2011
CAKE: Black Bottom Cupcakes
From Jill O'Connor's Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey (I LOVE this book... )
Makes about 24 small cupcakes
Without the filling, this is a dairy-free and egg-free cake (for you Vegans!!) The recipe seems improbable, but it works and the result is a not-too-sweet, dense and dark chocolate cake. I have had fun playing with additions and fillings and have never made it exactly per the recipe below, but the outcome has always been successful. If you choose not to use a filling, note that the mixture does not make many cakes if using a larger cupcake case, so you may choose to double the recipe. Because there is no creaming of butter etc, this is a really quick and easy option and the basic cake recipe uses very simple pantry staples.
For the Cake Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (I have always used White vinegar instead because that's what I had)
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the Filling:
200g Mascarpone Cheese
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 large egg
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup chocolate chips
For the Glaze:
200g semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chopped into pieces
1/4 cup corn (glucose) syrup
1 tsp vanilla
NOTE: I have never made this glaze but have substituted with a chocolate ganache or simple chocolate icing
Preheat the oven to moderate 180 deg C. Prepare cupcake liners.
To make the filling:
In a medium bowl, cream the mascarpone with the icing sugar, egg, salt and vanilla until smooth. Add the choc chips.
To make the cake:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine the boiling water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir until combined.
Fill each cupcake 1/4 full of batter and top with a heaped tbspn or so of the filling. Divide it evenly to use completely. Top the filling with the remaining batter, dividing it evenly. Bake until cupcakes are firm and puffed (about 25 - 28 minutes).
To make the glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. If choc is not completelt melted, continue to microwave for 30 sec intervals and stir until smooth.
Transfer the cupcakes in the pans to a wire rack and cool completely. When cool, dip the top of the cupcakes in the glaze. Let excess drio from the cupcakes for a few seconds and place upright to firm up the glaze.
VARIATIONS:
* Make without the filling - plain cake with an icing or ganache is delicious
* Add frozen raspberies to the cake batter and bake as above.
* Add Chocolate Chips to the batter
* Most recently I have used the filling and added raspberries to the batter. I removed the cupcakes from the cases as I hadn't filled very well and had lost most of the filling over the top which had made them messy and sticky. Note, the advice to use 3/4 of the batter OVER the filling seems wise after this recent experience. I then made a simple ganache from 200g dark chocolate and about 100g of cream melted together and drizzled over the top. These are delicious served warm (20 seconds in microwave) as a dessert. Feel free to add cream or ice-cream if using as a dessert.
Makes about 24 small cupcakes
Without the filling, this is a dairy-free and egg-free cake (for you Vegans!!) The recipe seems improbable, but it works and the result is a not-too-sweet, dense and dark chocolate cake. I have had fun playing with additions and fillings and have never made it exactly per the recipe below, but the outcome has always been successful. If you choose not to use a filling, note that the mixture does not make many cakes if using a larger cupcake case, so you may choose to double the recipe. Because there is no creaming of butter etc, this is a really quick and easy option and the basic cake recipe uses very simple pantry staples.
For the Cake Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (I have always used White vinegar instead because that's what I had)
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the Filling:
200g Mascarpone Cheese
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 large egg
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup chocolate chips
For the Glaze:
200g semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter, chopped into pieces
1/4 cup corn (glucose) syrup
1 tsp vanilla
NOTE: I have never made this glaze but have substituted with a chocolate ganache or simple chocolate icing
Preheat the oven to moderate 180 deg C. Prepare cupcake liners.
To make the filling:
In a medium bowl, cream the mascarpone with the icing sugar, egg, salt and vanilla until smooth. Add the choc chips.
To make the cake:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine the boiling water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir until combined.
Fill each cupcake 1/4 full of batter and top with a heaped tbspn or so of the filling. Divide it evenly to use completely. Top the filling with the remaining batter, dividing it evenly. Bake until cupcakes are firm and puffed (about 25 - 28 minutes).
To make the glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. If choc is not completelt melted, continue to microwave for 30 sec intervals and stir until smooth.
Transfer the cupcakes in the pans to a wire rack and cool completely. When cool, dip the top of the cupcakes in the glaze. Let excess drio from the cupcakes for a few seconds and place upright to firm up the glaze.
VARIATIONS:
* Make without the filling - plain cake with an icing or ganache is delicious
* Add frozen raspberies to the cake batter and bake as above.
* Add Chocolate Chips to the batter
* Most recently I have used the filling and added raspberries to the batter. I removed the cupcakes from the cases as I hadn't filled very well and had lost most of the filling over the top which had made them messy and sticky. Note, the advice to use 3/4 of the batter OVER the filling seems wise after this recent experience. I then made a simple ganache from 200g dark chocolate and about 100g of cream melted together and drizzled over the top. These are delicious served warm (20 seconds in microwave) as a dessert. Feel free to add cream or ice-cream if using as a dessert.
CAKE: Lemon and Coconut
From The Essential Baking Cookbook
This is fantastically easy, uses common pantry items, has proven to be fail safe, and keeps well for a few days. If you need a cake in a hurry, this is a great one to keep in your repertoire.
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1 cup caster sugar
125g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Coconut Icing
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
Preheat the oven to a moderate 180 deg C. Line a grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.
Combine sifted flour, coconut, lemon rind, sugar, butter, eggs and milk and mix until smooth. Pour into a tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack to cool.
For the icing, combine icing sugar and coconut in a bowl, then add the lemon rind, and enough juice to make a stiff but spreadable icing. Spread over the cold cake. (Take care not to add too much lemon juice - a runny icing with the coconut is much less attractive on the cake).
VARIATIONS:
* Use as cupcakes - works just as well. Be sure to adjust cooking time for smaller quantities so as not to overcook.
* I have just made this with a layer of lemon curd and fresh passion fruit baked into the cake (put half the mix into the tin, spead with a layer of curd/passionfruit mix, and top with remainder of the mixture). I also substituted some of the lemon juice in the icing for passionfruit juice (strain out the seeds) and some water in order to make the lemon flavour less dominant and to allow the passionfruit flavour to come through. Adjust to your personal taste but try not to make either the curd mix, or the icing too runny.
This is fantastically easy, uses common pantry items, has proven to be fail safe, and keeps well for a few days. If you need a cake in a hurry, this is a great one to keep in your repertoire.
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1 cup caster sugar
125g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup milk
Coconut Icing
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
Preheat the oven to a moderate 180 deg C. Line a grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.
Combine sifted flour, coconut, lemon rind, sugar, butter, eggs and milk and mix until smooth. Pour into a tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack to cool.
For the icing, combine icing sugar and coconut in a bowl, then add the lemon rind, and enough juice to make a stiff but spreadable icing. Spread over the cold cake. (Take care not to add too much lemon juice - a runny icing with the coconut is much less attractive on the cake).
VARIATIONS:
* Use as cupcakes - works just as well. Be sure to adjust cooking time for smaller quantities so as not to overcook.
* I have just made this with a layer of lemon curd and fresh passion fruit baked into the cake (put half the mix into the tin, spead with a layer of curd/passionfruit mix, and top with remainder of the mixture). I also substituted some of the lemon juice in the icing for passionfruit juice (strain out the seeds) and some water in order to make the lemon flavour less dominant and to allow the passionfruit flavour to come through. Adjust to your personal taste but try not to make either the curd mix, or the icing too runny.
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