Coconut & Lime Cake

I find people either love or hate coconut, I love it.  I guess that's alright then ....

I tweaked this recipe a little, adding lime curd to the filling & drizzling the sponges with rum, well, you can't have coconut without rum, can you?

The recipe is from Peyton & Byrne & has been adapted from the coconut & raspberry fairy cakes, I just doubled the mixture & divided it into two 10" tins.

Sponge

200g

4 eggs

300g self-raising flour

60g desiccated coconut

120g natural yogurt

Coconut Icing

2 large eggs 

115g caster sugar

175g unsalted butter

50 ml coconut milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170oC/gas 3

Grease & line two 10" tins

In a bowl cream the butter & sugar & sugar together until pale & fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Sift the flour into the creamed mixture & mix until all the flour is well incorporated.  Add the coconut & yogurt and mix just until incorporated.  Divide the mixture between two tins & bake for about 35 - 40 minutes until the cakes are springy to touch.

Turn out out the cakes onto a cooling rack.

Combine the egg whites & caster sugar in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water & whisk continuously by hand until the sugar has dissolved (about 8 - 10 minutes).  Test by rubbing a small amount between your fingertips; it should feel completely smooth, with no sugar grains.

When the sugar has dissolved & the syrup is warm to the touch, remove the bowl from the pan.

Using an electric had-held whisk, whisk for about 10 minutes until fluffy peaks form & the mixture has cooled (check by touching the bottom of the bowl).

The meringue needs to be completely cool before adding the butter.

Start by adding small lumps of the softened butter a little at a time, whisking well after each addition & scraping down the bowl from time to time.  The icing may appear to curdle & split  as you add the butter, but keep going & it will come back together again.

Gradually add the shaken coconut milk & the vanilla extract until everything is well incorporated & the icing is smooth.

Gluten-free Pecan Pie

First pecan pie I've made. Ever.  You don't have to make this gluten free, just make a normal sweet shortcrust pastry.  I must say, it was rather tasty.  Serve it warm with lashings of cream .....

The recipe is from Leon Baking & Puddings.

Serves 8 - 10

For the sweet pastry

150g butter

100g caster sugar

1 free-range egg, 1 yolk

270g gluten-free plain flour (I used Doves Farm)

For the Filling

50g butter

225g golden syrup

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour

2 large free-range eggs

200g pecan nut halves

Cream together the butter & sugar until smooth.

Add the egg & egg yolk & mix until fully incorporated.  Add the flour & quickly bring it together in a ball.  Wrap the pastry in clingfilm & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Butter a 23-25cm fluted flan till.

Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to about 3-5mm thick & line your tart case with it.  

Trim the edges & chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 160oC/325oF/gas mark 3

Line the chilled pastry case with baking paper , & fill it with baking beans.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes then remove the baking beans.  Return to the oven for another 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Put the butter & golden syrup into a saucepan over a low heat.  When the mixture becomes runny, take it off the heat & whisk in the sugar.

In a bowl, whisk the cornflour & eggs until smooth then add it to the syrup & butter mixture.

Fill the pastry case with the pecan halves.  Pour the golden syrup mixture on top and fill it up to just below the edge of the case.  Put into the oven, making sure not to spill any liquid over the sides, this might make it difficult to remove from the tin once baked.

Bake for around 40 minutes, or until the tart is golden in colour & it has slightly risen in the middle.

Watermelon & Feta Salad

I don't like melon .... well, I didn't, until I made this little beaut of a salad.

It goes fantastically well with my Dr Pepper Ribs.

800g watermelon, chopped

 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

200g feta, crumbled 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

micro herbs

Put the watermelon, feta & red onion into a bowl & toss.

Drizzle with the olive oil, lemon juice & some seasoning.

Garnish with the micro herbs.

Dr Pepper Ribs

Once you have made these ribs, you will never want to order ribs off a menu again .... they just won't compare.  Try them & you'll know what I'm talking about.  This recipe is from Delicious Magazine.

Serves 4 as a main

1.5kg British pork spare ribs

2 star anise

2 cinnamon sticks

2 litres Dr Pepper

125g soft brown sugar

60ml maple syrup

125ml tomato ketchup

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

60 ml soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 160oC/fan140oC/gas 3.  Line 2 large roasting trays will foil.

Divide the ribs, star anise & cinnamon between the trays & pour 750ml of Dr Pepper into each tray.

Cover with more foil and roast for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender & cooked through.

For the glaze, put the remaining 500ml of Dr Pepper and the remaining ingredients into a pan & cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes until reduces by about half.  Stir the mixture throughout to avoid burning.

Remove the ribs from the oven & discard any cooking liquid in the tin.

Turn the oven up to 180oC/160oC/gas 4.  

Put the ribs on a roasting rack set over a tray, using a pastry brush, coat the ribs with the glaze.

Roast for 15 minutes, turn the ribs over & baste with more glaze.

Cook the ribs, turning and basting every 15 minutes for a further 30 - 45 minutes or until dark & sticky.

Chocolate & Raspberry Pancakes

Pancakes for breakfast = naughty.  Pancakes with chocolate, raspberries, syrup & clotted cream for breakfast = send me to hell!

This pancake recipe, from A Tale of 12 Kitchens by Jake Tilson is real easy & will yield a perfect stack of pancakes every time.  Just make sure you whip those egg whites good 'n proper.

Makes about 4 pancakes

2 Eggs 

1 cup of milk

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

Butter, melted

1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

1 small pack of raspberries

50g dark chocolate chunks

To Serve

Syrup (golden or maple)

Clotted cream

Separate the two eggs.  

Whisk the whites in a bowl until stiff peaks are formed.

In another bowl mix the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, egg yolks, milk & a tablespoon of melted butter, until the mixture has come together.

Fold the egg whites into the flour/milk batter.

Heat up a frying pan (medium/low) & add a teaspoon of melted butter.

Add a ladleful of the pancake bater to the pan.

Place some of the raspberries & chocolate chunks on top of the batter.

Flip the pancakes over after a minute, and continue to cook on the other side until golden brown.

Serve you pancakes stacked up drizzled with syrup & a dollop of clotted cream.

Mmmm. Mmmm.

Peppermint Crisp Pie

Think banoffee pie .... minus the bananas .... with crispy, chocolatey, minty goodness.

This recipe calls for a couple of bars of Nestle Peppermint Crisp bars, I haven't managed to find anywhere that sells these bad boys apart from Cyber Candy.  Mint Aero would be a good replacement though.

The recipe comes from one of my favorite cook books Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros.

Serves 10-12

200g Digestive Biscuits

100g Butter, melted

600g condensed milk

400ml Whipping cream

100g Peppermint Crisp bars, chopped

To make the caramel, put the cans of condensed milk into a saucepan & fill with enough water to cover the cans.  Bring the saucepan up to a boil & cook for 2 hours, make sure the water is kept topped up, otherwise the cans could explode!  Leave to cool.

Crush the biscuits & put them into a bowl with the butter:  Mix together well & then press firmly onto the base & a little way up the sides of a 26cm (10 1/2 inch) pie dish.  Put into the fridge to set.

Beat the caramel in a bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Carefully spread over the biscuit base, trying not to lift any of the biscuit crumbs.

Whip the cream until it holds it's shape well, but take care not to overwhip it.  Spoon it over the caramel to cover the whole surface & scatter the peppermint chocolate over the top.

Keep in the fridge before serving.

Sour Cherry & Pistachio Fudge

You can't go wrong with some proper homemade fudge ..... unless you get the cooking wrong, which is quite easy.  Your best bet it to use a sugar thermometer, so you can get the fudge to the correct 'softball stage' of 118oC.

I found this recipe on the back of a condensed milk can, but it is also available on the Nestle Carnation Milk website . You can add whatever you like to the fudge, fruit, nuts, chocolate chips or even a good glug of whisky!