Apple & Mincemeat Crumble Cake

This cake reminds me in appearance, and taste (and in construction) of the favoured Dorset Apple Cake from my own recipe library. After much excitement decided to give this one a go and found i throughly enjoyed it. Its incredibly rich, but beware - its also incredibly moreish. I suppose in some ways it could be a refreshing alternative to the fables xmas cake, and would be a worthy dessert with some custard, or cinnamon and honey creme fraiche on boxing day or similar family oriented gathering.

In true "me" fashion we put half of this cake portioned into the freezer for later use, should visitors drop by.

Ingredients

4 firm apples , peeled, cored and cut into thumb-size pieces
3 tbsp golden caster sugar (or demerera)
1 tsp mixed spice

For the cake mix

250g softened salted butter
250.0g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract / vanilla essence
5 large eggs
200g self-raising flour (or plain flour - but be sure to add a heaped tbsp of baking powder if using plain)
100g ground almonds
7 tbsp plain flour
6 tbsp mincemeat

The doing bit:

Add pears to a pan with 2tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp water. Cook on a moderate heat until just tender, stirring occasionally.

Heat oven to 160C, grease and line cake tin (20cm).

In a mixing bowl combine sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Beat together until uniform paste and pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time then flour gradually.

Remove 90g of the batter and put into a small bowl. Add the 7tbsp plain flour and rub together into a crumble mix.

Spoon half of the cake mix into the lined tin, then add half of the apples and mincemeat. Reapeat with the other half, then top with crumble mix.

Bake for 90 mins approx, then cover the tin with foil and return to oven for a further 30 mins. Check with a small knife - if the knife comes out clean its ready to cool.

Cool throughly before portioning. Devour, with avarice.

Kirschentorte (The original black forest gateaux)

Kirschentorte is I suppose the original "black forest gateaux" its main flavours containing cherries, kirsch and chocolate. oddly enough im a big fan of both chocolate and cherries, so its probably why I love this torte so much.

I remember first making one of these for a fathers day menu a good few years back. The pic above is of that very same day. The kirschentorte itself isnt dificult to make but it does take a bit of time. That said once you get there and you see the finished behemoth cake you'll be more than fairly pleased with yourself.

You will need

(for the cake section)


6 Large Eggs
8 oz. Graulated Sugar
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
8 oz. Self raising flour
1 oz. Cocoa Powder

For the Cherry compote

12 fl oz. Water
12 oz. Granulated Sugar
8 oz. Dark or  Sour Cherries (pitted)
4 fl oz.Kirsch (Cherry Liqueur)

For the cream filling

250ml double or whipping cream
4 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence

Decoration:

8 oz grated dark chocolate
Extra cherries (optional)

Preparation:

(cake)
Preheat oven to 180C

Add eggs sugar and vanilla in mixing bowl and beat quickly until the volume has tripled. I would advise using a mixing machine or electric whisk or you may lose al feeling in your arm. While the eggs are beating, sift in the flour and the cocoa in 3 same sized amounts. It will take about 8-10 mins with an electric whisk.

When mixed seperate the mix into 3 equal sized amounts and cook each section seperately in a sprung cake tin. When you have three of these cooked allow to cool. These can be cooked a day in advance to save yourself some intensive labour.

For the cherry compote

Combine the water and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil gently stirring occasionally. Add the cherries to a heat proof bowl and pour over the syrup. When the mixture has cooled a little add the kirsch. Cover bowl with clingfilm and allow to cool throughly.

For the cream

Whip the cream adding the vanilla essence first and then add the sugar gradually until the sugar has been added and the mixture has formed stiff peaks

Assembly

Drain the cherries from the syrup (keeping both cherries and syrup). Take each cake section one for the bottom layer and the other two will perform middle and top. Brush the top of each cake section with the syrup and add a third of the cherries for each bit. Sprinkle about 2 oz of the grated chocolate to each layer and spread about a quarter of the whipped cream over the top. Add second layer, repeat, then for the third layer place third cake section on top to level. Ice sides of cake with remaining cream keeping a bit back for piping on top. Pipe top with rosettes and sprinkle remaining chocolate over the cake. Add optional extra cherries to each rosette if you wish.

Portion, and serve. And devour.

Cantucci

image courtesy of shutterstock.com

Cantucci are a wonderful type of biscotti that are good for a variety of occasions, such as elevenses, afternoon tea, to have with the occasional coffee, or as a dipping medium for other "dippy" desserts such as chocolate mousse, lemon posset or ice cream.

These are even more indulgent than regular biscotti, and so are even naughtier. They are however very well suited to this time of year and in particular the festive season, sue to their wonderful sweet indulgent flavours. That said they are enjoyed year round.

500g Sugar
4 Eggs
Vanilla essence
500g Plain flour
2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
250g of flaked almonds or Hazelnuts
250g of dried fruit

Whisk eggs and sugar until creamy and form soft peaks

Add all the other ingredients

Form mixture into a large sausage

Place upon a silicone mat, and allow to prove for 20 minutes

Bake for 20 minutes at about 180C

Allow cooling before slicing into biscuits

Rebake for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

Devour.

Tiramisu

Image courtesy of godine.co.uk

This Tiramisu recipe is not too dissimilar from alot of  cheesecake recipes I have encountered before, but i make no pretence - it is VERY indulgent. The following recipe is meant for a standard cake tin size, so if you are going to make larger ones then by all means adjust the recipe accordingly.

This recipe is going to take a bit of time, so give it plenty of love. You wont be disappointed with the time spent..

For the sponge base: (you'll need three of these)

(makes 1)

75g self raising flour

1 egg

75g caster sugar

75g butter

Cream butter & sugar, then add the egg. Add the flour (sieved) bit by bit. baked at 180C until when pierced with a knife, the knife comes out clean. When the sponge bases are made, soak them in coffee for an hour or so.

For the mix:

4 Egg yolks

4 tablespoons of sugar

4 table spoons of Vanilla sugar

1 kilo of marscarpone cheese

1 espresso sized cup of strong mocha coffee

2 teaspoons of coffee liquor (tia maria / kahlua)

Cocoa powder

Preparation:

Sabyon the sugars and egg yolks till thick

Add the coffee and the liquor

Beat in the Marscarpone cheese

To make the gateau spread on alternative layers of thin sponge soaked in coffee (within a flan ring or similar)

Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder

leave to set in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. 

Enjoy.

Long Island Cheesecake

This is one of the more indulgent baked cheesecake recipes I have encountered before now, and is notorious for the amount of eggs and cheese it uses. For that reason alone, it intruiged me when i first encountered it. Having tried it for myself I fell in love with it, and have adored it ever since. This recipe is meant for a large cake ring (10 in diameter). If you find you want to make a smaller version, by all means half the recipe volumes.

This is a standard mix, but I have found you can add whatever you like, be it having a berry theme, or a citrus one. use your imagination. Adding fruit to the base before adding the cheesecake mix can give impressive results. Go mad.


For the sponge base:

100g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter
2 eggs
Vanilla Essence

Cream butter & sugar until mix turns white
Add eggs one by one, and beta until uniform
Add tsp vanilla essence
sieve flour and fold in bit by bit.

Place in a 10 in cake ring and backe at 180C until cooked. Usually you can test this by piercing with a knife, when the knife comes out clean, its ready.

For the cheesecake mix:

750g of cream cheese full fat
225g of caster sugar
12 eggs
270ml of double cream
4 lemons, juiced and zested

Beat all the ingredients together

Place on a sponge base

Cook at 180 degrees till golden brown, for about 30 minutes (longer may be required).

Allow to cool, then devour. You wont be disappointed :)