Sweet treats
Apple and Olive Oil Cake
Serves 12
120g sultanas
150ml olive oil
200g caster sugar
2 eggs
350g flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp cream of tartar
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp sea salt
500g cooking apples
grated zest of 1 lemon
butter for greasing
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
30g Demerara sugar
l Soak the sultanas in warm water for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Pour the oil into a bowl, add the caster sugar and beat well. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until it resembles a thin mayonnaise.
l Sift the flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and salt into another bowl. Gradually fold in the oil and sugar mixture. Grate in the apples, add the zest and mix thoroughly.
l Drain sultanas, add to mixture and combine well. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin so the baking paper rises above the tin. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin. Mix the walnuts with the Demerara sugar and press lightly onto the cake.
l Bake for 1½ hours or until spongy. Cool slightly in the tin, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Serve with ice cream or cream.
Stewed Fruit
Serves 8
1 vanilla pod
255g caster sugar
1 clove
? cinnamon stick
1 star anise
Zest of ? orange
2 pears, peeled and cut into eight
4 peaches, halved
4 plums, halved
500g rhubarb
Handful of strawberries, hulled
Handful of blackberries, hulled
Small handful of fresh basil or mint leaves
l Score down the length of the vanilla pod and remove the seeds by scraping a knife down the inside of each half.
l In a deep saucepan, add the sugar and 255ml of water. Place on the heat and as it starts to warm up add the vanilla pod and seeds, clove, cinnamon stick, star anise and orange zest. Bring to the boil until the liquid becomes clear, then remove the clove, cinnamon and star anise. Turn it down to a simmer and put the pears, peaches, plums and rhubarb into the pot. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until tender. A couple of minutes before the end add the soft fruit. Leave the fruit in the syrup for the flavours to develop.
l Remove the stones and skin from the peaches and plums. Divide the fruit between bowls and top with mint or basil leaves. Serve with cream.
Dark and Milk Chocolate Raisin Clusters
Makes 24 of each
200g dark chocolate (no more than 50% cocoa solids), broken up
600g raisins
300g milk chocolate, broken up
l Line 4 large baking sheets with baking paper. Put the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of just-simmering water. Leave to melt for 4-5 minutes then remove and stir until smooth.
l Add half the raisins to the chocolate and stir well to coat evenly. Use a teaspoon to place the clusters onto the baking sheets. Set aside to cool and firm up.
l Repeat the same procedure with the milk chocolate and remaining raisins. If you want to experiment with other dried fruit, try using 24 of each mango slices and apricots. Half coat the fruit some in 75g of melted milk chocolate and others in 50g of dark melted chocolate.
