Dessert - by Scarlett

From soufflé to parfait, you'll find my personal selection of yummy dessert recipes here and more!! So for home-made goodness or sweet treats around Sydney, be sure to check here - oh, and bon appétit!! Scarlett :)

Cakes - Dessert

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Rich Dark Fruit Cake

August 8th 2008 06:51

Rich Dark Fruit Cake

About Rich Dark Fruit Cake

This moist, fruit-rich cake is so packed with flavour that you will not notice it has none of the fat of traditional recipes.

About Fruit cake

Fruit cake (or fruitcake) is a cake made with chopped candied and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits. In the United Kingdom certain rich versions may be iced and decorated. Fruit cakes are often served in the celebration of weddings and Christmas.
Fruitcake is also used, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States, as insulting slang for a ‘crazy person’ (e.g. “he’s a complete fruitcake”). It is derived from the expression “nutty as a fruitcake”, which was first recorded in 1935. It can also be used as a derogatory term to imply that someone is homosexual.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 32 slices

375gm / 13 oz ready-to-eat stoned prunes
6 tablespoons brandy, sherry or orange juice
200 gm / 7oz soft dark brown sugar
4 eggs
1 large lemon, finely grated zest
1 large orange, finely grated zest
350 gm / 12 oz plain white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

750 gm / 1 lb 10 oz luxury mixed dried fruit
4 – 6 tablespoons skimmed milk

1. Heat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF. Line a deep 23 cm / 9 inch round cake tin with baking paper.

2. Purée the prunes and brandy, or sherry or orange juice, to a smooth paste in a food processor or with hand-held mixer.

3. Transfer the purée to a large bowl; add the sugar, eggs, lemon zest and orange zest, and whisk until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy.

4. Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice onto the prune mixture, then fold them in with a large metal spoon.

5. Fold in the dried fruit and enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency.

6. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth over the top.

7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160ºC / 325ºF. Continue baking for a further 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the cake is well risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, if, during baking, the top of the cake appears to be over-browning, cover it loosely with a piece of foil.

8. Leave the cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then remove the cake from the tin, peel off the paper and leave to cool completely on the rack.

9. Store it wrapped in foil, or in an airtight container.

Tips:

The flavour of this cake becomes even fuller if it left to mature for a day or two before it is cut.

**From “Low Fat No Fat Cookbook” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” **

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Blueberry and Cinnamon Streusel Cak

July 30th 2008 13:45

Blueberry and Cinnamon Streusel Cake

About Blueberry and Cinnamon Streusel Cake

Juicy blueberries and a crumble topping combine to make this light, flavourful sponge popular with all the family.

About Streusel

In baking and pastry making, the term streusel (a German word meaning “something scattered or sprinkled”, from the verb streuen, akin to the English verb ‘strew’) refers to a crumb topping of butter, flour, and sugar (traditional German) that is baked on top of muffins, breads, and cakes (e.g. Streuselkuchen). Some modern recipes add various spices and occasionally chopped nutmeats. Although the topping is of German origin, it is sometimes referred to as Danish or Swedish.
The term is also sometimes used for rich pastries topped with, or mixed with, streusel.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 8 squares

50 gm / 1¾ oz ready-to-eat stoned prunes
150 gm / 5½ oz low-fat natural yoghurt
225 gm / 8oz caster sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
350 gm / 12 oz plain white flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch of ground nutmeg
25 gm / 1 oz butter
1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
250 gm / 9 oz blueberries, defrosted if frozen

To garnish

fresh blueberries

1. Heat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF. Line the base of a 22 cm / 8½ inch square, shallow cake tin with baking paper.

2. Purée the prunes in a food processor or with hand-held mixer, adding 1 tablespoon of hot water if necessary to get a smooth consistency.

3. Scrape the purée into a large mixing bowl; add the yoghurt, caster sugar, whole eggs, egg whites and vanilla essence to the bowl and beat until they are evenly mixed.

4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

5. To make the crumble topping, transfer 75 gm / 2¾ oz of the spiced flour to another bowl and rub the butter into it, then stir in the muscovado sugar and set aside.

6. Sift the baking powder into the remaining flour mixture. Using a hand-held mixer on low speed or a wooden spoon, beat it into the prune and yoghurt mixture.

7. Tip the mixture into the prepared cake tin, top with the blueberries, then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the surface.

8. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the cake is firm and lightly browned.

9. Leave the cake to cool slightly in the tin on a wire rack.

10. Serve just warm or at room temperature, garnished with blueberries.

Tips:

You can use other soft fruit such as raspberries instead of blueberries.

**From “Low Fat No Fat Cookbook” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” **