Apple Scroll

Behold our Apple scroll that we had for dessert.

This one has become a family favourite. It’s from a Woman’s Weekly book called ‘ The Great Dessert  Cookbook’ , one that I bought way back in the early 1980’s

In the book it is called a ‘Caramel Apple Ring’, but my boys have christened it Apple Scroll.

It’s basically a sweet pastry dough  rolled out to a rectangle. Then a mix of sliced Apple, a squeeze of lemon juice, some caster sugar and cinnamon is placed over the top. It is then rolled up into a long roll, then cut into slices about 7cm. These are then placed in a prepared oven proof dish with the cut side down. I use a ring shaped cake tin.

The tin is prepared with a creamed brown sugar and butter mix which is spread all over the inside of the tin. The cut scrolls are placed into the tin, and it is baked in an oven for about 30 minutes. 

It’s best leaving a few minutes before turning upside down, then serve it warm with custard. Yum! 

Steak Pie

When the weather gets cooler we look for warming things to eat. This steak pie is one that I have been making for a while now, served with some mashed potatoes and steamed veggies of choice. Carrots and fresh beans go extremely well.

It's a recipe that I found in The Woman's Day Meat Lover's Cookbook, one that I bought way back in the early 1980's. My book has lost it's cover now from so much use, but I still refer to it regularly.

The recipe is just chuck steak, onion, tomato pure, salt and pepper, and chopped parsley. Cooked long and slow, it is then thickened, placed in a pot with some pastry on top. I now add some smoked paprika and garlic to the mix to give a new  depth of flavour. Sometimes I make my own pastry, but sometimes I am lazy and just use a sheet of commercial puff pastry. Brushed with beaten egg or milk, then sprinkled with sesame seeds. Yummo on a cold winters night.

Coffee And Walnut Cake

This coffee and walnut cake is one I make occasionally.

I was after something a bit different to take for morning tea to one of my groups one day, so went on a search. I had never heard of a coffee and walnut cake, let alone made one, so it looked like it fit the bill. I had all the ingredients in the house so off I went.

The recipe is one from Nigella Lawson, so it will be easy enough to find if anyone wants it. It's delicious! I've iced it with a coffee icing and sprinkled chopped walnuts over the top for some crunch. Yum.

Pavlova

Pavlovas are  easy to make when you know how. All you need is some eggs, sugar, white vinegar, some cream, vanilla, and fruit of choice.

Recipes for pavlovas are easy to find these days, the vinegar helps to stabilize the meringue, and if you leave them to cool in an oven slightly ajar, all will be fine.

This one has been topped with some Chantilly cream, sliced banana, strawberries, passion fruit pulp and some cherry sauce.

The cherry sauce is new to me. I had some cherry juice left over from something else, so I just added some sugar and thickened it with some arrowroot. once cooled I just drizzled it over the top. Yummo.

Pavlovas are a favourite dessert in this house, they might just get the cherry sauce a bit more often.

Pistachio & White Chocolate Biscuits

Well, it's been a while. Believe me the kitchen is always in use.

I was expecting a visitor, and I always like to make something home made to have for morning and afternoon tea, and quite often with coffee after dinner.

These biscuits are the best, pistachio and white chocolate. I found the recipe in a Supper Foods magazine a few years ago. The usual butter, sugar, eggs and flour with added chopped pistachio nuts and white chocolate. This one was brown sugar.

They are quick to mix, then just roll into balls and squash onto trays with a fork and bake.

I always make a double batch, because they never last long.

The recipe can be found here if anyone wants to try them.

Date Scones

I love date scones, but very rarely make them.

I don't use a recipe, just use what my Mum taught me to do when I was little. just sifted flour and a little icing sugar sifted together. Some butter rubbed into the flour. Some dates chopped, then also rubbed into the flour a little. Then add some milk to form a sticky dough, mixing with a knife.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and pat into a rectangle shape. Cut the scones, place onto a greased oven try and bake in a hot oven about 15 - 20 minutes. Serve warm with butter.

A Bread Story - Fruit Loaf

Making bread - this was something inspired by the cooking channel. We always used to have shop bought bread, no-one I knew made bread at all. No-one I knew even played with yeast.  I had tried to make pizza bases for a while using yeast, but the shop bought, pre-made ones were easier and better, so why bother? I also had trouble getting the yeast to rise. Then a lady I know who had been to bread making classes gave me hints on getting the yeast to rise, and I was hooked.

 I started watching The The Great British Bake Off, and The Great Australian Bake Off, and was inspired into making bread. My first attempt was dismal, it took a lot of kneading! It tasted OK ,and was OK as toast the next day, but took so much time and effort with kneading. So my son ordered me a dough hook for my trusty old mixer and I have not looked back. It may not be the light fluffy bread sold at the bakery up the road, but it sure is good.

This is my fruit loaf, different to what we get in the supermarket. I has dried apricots, dried figs, and dates as well as the usual sultanas and currants. I can regulate the amount of spice that goes in to my taste. 

This one didn't even last 24 hours it was so good!

At one stage I contemplated buying a bread maker, but why bother? A dough hook on my near 40 year old mixer and my acquired yeast rising skills are enough.