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Chocolate, Prune and Port Upside down Cake

Chocolate, Prune and Port Upside Cake

This is a lovely moist cake, deep chocolate flavor with an almost brownie like texture with the added treat of those port soaked prunes.

Perfect with a little dollop of thick cream and some extra port soaked prunes as garnish.For best results ,eat on day of baking or serve warm.

You might be thinking there’s nothing luxurious about prunes but these prunes have been soaked overnight in port turning them into deliciously soft  boozy pockets of joy.Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

350 grams whole prunes or 285 gm pitted prunes
1 cup of Port
250 grams unsalted butter, cubed
250 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped (good quality)
4 eggs, separated
100 grams raw castor sugar
100 grams soft brown sugar
50 grams plain flour
50 grams almond meal

METHOD:

Pit whole prunes by slicing length-ways halfway and removing stone carefully and then reshaping back to natural prune shape.
Place the prunes in a small bowl and pour in port to soak into the prunes. Seal and store in the fridge overnight.

Next day, carefully pick the prunes from the liquid, and lay them out on paper towels and cover with another sheet of paper towel and set to one

side.

1.Preheat oven to 170C.Put the butter and chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of gently simmering water. Give it a little

stir when you see it starting to melt and when it is almost totally melted, remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Let this cool a little

before proceeding.

2.Place the egg yolks, caster sugar and brown sugar into a bowl and whisk until light and creamy. Pour in the cooled chocolate mix and stir well

3. sift together the plain flour and almond meal and add to the bowl, folding this in until evenly distributed.

4.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until thick (firm peak stage). Take a large spoonful and add to the cake mix – stir this in to slacken

the mixture. Add in the rest of the egg whites, folding it through gently.

5.Line the base of a 22cm/23cm cake tin (either spring-form or removable base works best) and butter the sides.Layer prunes in a symmetrical

pattern and then cover with the cake mix.

6.Place in a preheated 170°C oven and cook until set but still slightly soft in the middle.This will take about 45 minutes.

7.Let the cake cool in the tin for about 30 minutes and using a palette knife, run it along the sides to loosen the cake from the tin. Remove the

tin but let the cake cool completely before trying to place it on your serving dish.

 

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Smokey BBQ Pork Ribs

Smokey BBQ Pork Ribs

Summer in Australia means one thing..BBQS! So i thought i would share my favorite recipe for the BBQ.
This recipe is for 2 people and can be multiplied by the number of guests you have.
Can replace Smokey BBQ sauce with a good quality cherry plum sauce for a sweeter flavor or just experiment with your favorite flavors to make your own baste sensation!
Serve with a saffron pilaf rice and tossed salad for a satisfying and tasty BBQ meal for all the family!

INGREDIENTS

2 PORK RIB RACKS
250ML OF A GOOD QUALITY SMOKEY BBQ SAUCE
150ML OF TOMATO SAUCE
1/2 TEASPOON OF WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
A GOOD PINCH OF CURRY POWDER
2 TABLESPOONS OF HONEY
2 TABLESPOONS OF HP SAUCE

METHOD:

1.Bring pork ribs to the boil, starting with cold water and pour off water once brought to the boil.
2. Refill with cold water and boil gently for approx 40 minutes till tender ( bone will give a little once ready)
3. Blanch ribs by leaving under running cold water for 15 minutes till cool.Drain and refrigerate till needed.
4.To make basting sauce, mix all together in a medium sized mixing bowl.
5. Pre-Heat BBQ for 10 minutes till hot before placing ribs on grill.
6.Place ribs on BBQ grill and brush baste liberally on ribs with a pastry brush.
7.Once slightly marked by the grill, turn ribs over and baste other side.
8.Keep repeating this process, until the ribs are nicely charred or all baste has been absorbed by the ribs.
9. Remove from BBQ and slice ribs between ribs sections with a sharp knife on a chopping board and serve!

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Christmas puddings with Muscat Custard

Christmas puddings with Muscat Custard

If you haven’t had time to make a Christmas cake this year,this recipe is the next best thing.
These rich and opulent Xmas puddings make a great gift once made and wrapped nicely.
You can reheat the pudding(s) the same way you cooked it by reheating in a steamer for 90 minutes.
This recipe is designed for 1 large pudding but will make these in 5/6 smaller pudding moulds.
Once cooked these puddings will last 1 month in refrigerator.
Serve with muscat custard, fresh raspberries, icing sugar and holly leaves for the ultimate Xmas day pudding!

Merry Christmas and safe and a Happy new year to you all!

INGREDIENTS:

300GM PITTED PRUNES (FINELY CHOPPED)
150GM CURRANTS
150GMS RAISINS
150GM DRIED CRANBERRIES
150GM PITTED FRESH DATES (FINELY CHOPPED)
100GM OF ALMONDS (FINELY CHOPPED)
100GM OF CANDIED ORANGE PEEL (FINELY CHOPPED)
1 ORANGE (JUICED AND FINELY GRATED RIND)
125ML MUSCAT
60ML GRAND MARNIER OR COINTREAU
60GM QUINCE PASTE (FINELY CHOPPED)

250GM OF SOFTENED UNSALTED BUTTER (GIRGAR BUTTER PREFERRED)
250GM BROWN SUGAR
3 LARGE EGGS
200GM FINE SOURDOUGH BREADCRUMBS
1 CUP OF PLAIN FLOUR
150ML OF MILK
2 TSP CINNAMON
2 TSP MIXED SPICE
1/2 TEASPOON OF BICARBONATE SODA

1.5 CUPS OF POURING CREAM
75ML MILK
1 VANILLA BEAN, SEEDS SCRAPED
6 EGG YOLKS
110GM CASTER SUGAR
150ML MUSCAT.

METHOD:

1. COMBINE PRUNES,CURRANTS,RAISINS,CRANBERRIES,DATES,ALMONDS,CANDIED ORANGE PEEL AND ORANGE RIND IN A BOWL.
2.COMBINE ORANGE JUICE,MUSCAT,GRAND MARNIER AND QUINCE PASTE IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, STIR OVER LOW HEAT UNTIL QUINCE PASTE IS MELTED (5MINUTES) AND THEN POUR DRIED FRUIT MIXTURE AND MIX.
3.COVER WITH A LID OR PLASTIC WRAP AND LET STAND FOR A MINIMUM OF 4 HOURS.FOR BEST RESULTS LET STAND OVERNIGHT.
4.WHEN READY TO MAKE PUDDINGS, BEAT BUTTER AND SUGAR IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, ADD EGGS ONE AT A TIME,BEATING VERY WELL AFTER EACH EGG AND THAN TRANSFER TO A VERY LARGE BOWL.
5.ADD BREADCRUMBS, FLOUR,MILK ,SPICES, BICARBONATE OF SODAS,AND 1/2 TEASPOON SALT AND STIR IN DRIED FRUIT MIXTURE TO COMBINE.
6.SPOON MIXTURE INTO EITHER A 2.5 LITRE PUDDING MOULD OR 5 X 500GM PUDDING MOULDS.
7.SECURE WITH 2 LAYERS OF FOIL WITH 1 LAYER OF BAKING PAPER CLOSEST TO THE PUDDING MIXTURE.
8.PLACE PUDDING(S) IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN AND FILL WITH ENOUGH HOT WATER TO REACH BELOW THE RIM.
9.COVER COMPLETELY WITH LID OR FOIL AND LET SIMMER OVER LOW HEAR FOR 5 HOURS.KEEP ADDING HOT WATER AS NEEDED.DON’T NOT LET WATER DRY OUT!
10.ONCE FINISHED COOKING LET PUDDINGS COOL IN BASIN OF WATER FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE REMOVING.

TO MAKE THE CUSTARD, BRING THE CREAM,MILK, VANILLA BEAN AMD VANILLA SEEDS TO THE SIMMER IN A SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT.
WHISK YOLKS AND SUGAR IN A HEATPROOF BOWL UNTIL THICK AND PALE THEN POUR OVER CREAM MIXTURE WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY, RETURN TO PAN AND CONTINUE COOKING UNTIL COATS BACK OF WOODEN SPOON (3-4 MINUTES), STRAIN, ADD MUSCAT AND SET ASIDE. EITHER SERVE WARM OR CHILLED.

PICTURE COMING SOON

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Peaches and Cream Meringue Cake

Cheffing Arounds Recipe of the month for October 2015 is the delicate Peaches and cream Meringue cake.

A very quick cake to make but best made and eaten on the same day as it will start to disintegrate after 24 hours.

Perfect end for Kids Birthdays or Summer BBQ s and you can substitute strawberries, nectarines or apricots instead of peaches for different flavor combinations  and for price and seasonality.

Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

6 EGG WHITES

300GM CASTOR SUGAR

2 TEASPOON VINEGAR

2 TEASPOON OF SIEVED CORNFLOUR

3 PEACHES (SLICED THEN)

PURE ICING SUGAR FOR SERVING/DUSTING

2 TEASPOON OF VEGETABLE OIL FOR GREASING

PEACH SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

3 PEACHES (COARSELY CHOPPED)

100 ML OF LEMON JUICE

125 GMS OF PURE ICING SUGAR

ORANGE BLOSSOM CREAM INGREDIENTS:

400ML THICKENED CREAM

1 TEASPOON OF ORANGE-BLOSSOM WATER

 

METHOD:

1.Preheat oven to 170C.Grease and line with baking paper a 34cm x 24cm x 3cm tin

2.Whisk egg white in an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then gradually add caster sugar, whisking until glossy.

3.Fold in vinegar and cornflour and the spread into a the greased and lined tin and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and let cool in tin for 5 minutes.

4.Turn out on a piece of baling paper heavily dusted with icing sugar and set aside.

5.For the peach sauce, process ingredients in a blender until very smooth and refrigerate till required.

6.For the orange blossom cream, whisk ingredients in a bowl until soft peaks form and refrigerate till required.

7.To make cake, trim edges of meringue, then cut into half width-ways and place one half carefully on serving platter.

8.Scatter half the peaches over and the spoon orange blossom cream on top, and then sandwich with remaining meringue half and then top with remaining peaches and serve with peach sauce.

9. Serve chilled within the hour for best results.

 

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Rabbit Casserole with prunes and red wine

Cheffing Arounds recipe of the month for June 2015 is Rabbit casserole with prunes and red wine

This a flavorsome rich casserole recipe that is a bit different and uses rabbit and is perfect for this time of year.

The herbs and cinnamon add a nice mulled wine flavor while the other ingredients intensify the flavors and density.

This recipe also works well with Hare if you can get them!?

Remove the bouquet garni before serving.

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 LARGE RABBIT (APPROX 1.5 KG) CUT INTO 6 PIECES

400ML OF RED WINE

1 TBSP OF RED WINE VINEGAR

70ML OLIVE OIL

12 SMALL PICKLING ONIONS

125 GMS OF PIECES OF BACON (THICKLY SLICED)

4 GARLIC CLOVES (THINLY SLICED)

1 TBSP OF QUINCE PASTE

1 TBSP OF FINELY GRATED DARK CHOCOLATE

12 PRUNES

4 THYME SPRIGS,

4 FLAT LEAF PARSLEY STALKS

4 OREGANO STALKS

1 CINNAMON QUILL

4 FRESH BAY LEAVES

METHOD:

1.Combine rabbit pieces, red wine and vinegar in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight to marinade

2.Preheat oven to 180C

3.For bouquet garni, roll herbs and cinnamon in bay leaves and tie up with kitchen string.

4.Heat oil in casserole dish over medium heat.

5.Drain rabbit pieces, and keep marinade.

6.Pat dry each rabbit piece on absorbent paper and fry in batches until golden brown.

7.Add onions and bacon to casserole dish and saute till golden brown.

8.Add garlic, quince paste,chocolate, bouquet garni , marinade liquid and 1 cup of water and bring back to a simmer

9.Place sealed rabbit pieces in casserole dish and cover with lid and bake for 45 minutes.

10.Now add prunes and cook for another 30 minutes until rabbit is tender.Serve with baby potatoes or your favorite potato dish.

PICTURE COMING SOON.

 

 

 

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