Cassava Cake (Enyucado)

The Recipe

Makes: 1 x 20cm (8’) square cake
Preparation: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 40-45 minutes

“Cassava has been a significant crop of survival and symbolism for the Indigenous people of the Americas.”

Enyucado is a popular cake made predominately in Colombia, however, variations of it can be found in other countries within the region where yuca/cassava is a staple such as Venezuela, Nicaragua and El Salvador.  

This not overly sweet and dense cake is the perfect example of the culinary evolution in the Americas. Yuca, originating on the continent, mixed with coconut, a reflection of African and Caribbean influence all mixed with cheese, a Spanish import.

You can read more about Cassava and its importance throughout history in the Americas HERE, or we can push on with the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

450g grated yuca
150g grated coconut
2 medium eggs (50g each)
150g full cream milk
75g melted butter
280g piloncillo (or coconut sugar, caster sugar is also ok)
160g softened cream cheese
130g caster sugar
Condensed milk to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to around 170’C

2. Heat caster sugar over a medium heat until golden brown Pour into baking tray and allow it ti set

3. Peel the cassava and grate coarsely, squeeze out any excess liquid and set aside

4. in a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar until the sugar has dissolved

5. Then mix in cream cheese, milk, coconut, butter and lastly the grated cassava

6. Mix well until combined - the batter is very dense but this is what we want!

7. Pour into the lined cake tray and tap to spread the mixture evenly

8. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes

9. Take out, and allow to cool before turning it out of the tin completely, alternatively, you can pour condensed milk straight onto the cake in the pan and spoon the cake into a bowl.

Coconut Lime Cake with Gula Melaka Caramel

The Recipe

Makes: 8 slices
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 30-35 minutes

“To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of coconut and coconut cream can be a little challenging on my stomach, however, I always stop by the fresh coconut stall at the market that grates coconut to order.”

I have lived in Southeast Asia for a big chunk of my life and despite the time spent here, the markets throughout the region never ceases to amaze me.
From the variety of chillies in Thailand to the plethora of herbs and flowers in Cambodia, I see and learn every time I venture into the markets.
This is what I love about anything related to food, its constant journey of learning!

To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of coconut and coconut cream can be a little challenging on my stomach, however, I always stop by the fresh coconut stall at the market that grates coconut to order. I always purchase it and arrive home thinking, hmmm what do I do with this now??

Bake it, in a cake, with lime and drench it in gula Melaka caramel, and that is what I did.

Oh and you can read more about what GULA MELAKA IS HERE.

INGREDIENTS

Preparation time 15 minutes
Baking Time 30-35 minutes
Serves 8

Cake
225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
2 limes, zest and juice
1 tsp good vanilla extract
30mls coconut milk

225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1.4 tsp salt
225g fresh coconut (or dried and rehydrated)

20g grated gula Melaka

METHOD

Preheat the oven to around 170’C and line a 20cm square cake tin (you can use a round one if you fancy)
Add butter and sugar into a large bowl and cream the two until nice and fluffy. Continue to beat in lime juice and zest, coconut milk, and vanilla extract.
Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk gently, then add them to the buttery mixture
Once combined, ditch the mixture and grab a spatula to fold in sifted flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Finally, add in the coconut milk and stir.
Place the batter in the lined cake tin and grate gula Melaka over the top.
Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, when a sharp knife is inserted in the centre, it should come out clean – meaning it is already!
Allow to cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a cooling tray.
This cake is quite crumbly, so allow it to cool completely before slicing it into squares.
Serve slices with good vanilla bean ice cream, berries, and gula Melaka caramel.

Gula Melaka Caramel

Never heard of gula Melaka? Read more about it here. If gula melaka is not available where you live, it can be substituted for brown sugar or coconut sugar.

225g gula Melaka
80mls cream or coconut milk
50g unsalted butter
Salt

1. Chop gula Melaka into small pieces
2. Place gula Melaka, with a tablespoon of water, heat until the gula melaka has melted and continue cooking until the mixture has slightly thickened.
3. Lower the heat and mix in salt, butter and cream or coconut milk
4. Stir until combined and heat until the caramel reaches to the desired consistency.
5. Drip generously over the cake.  

Lavendar and Lemon Scones

The Recipe

Makes: 6-8 large scones
Preparation: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes

“The word lavender is derived from the Latin word ‘lavare’ meaning to wash”

Lavender is not everyone’s favourite flower when it comes to baking, to be honest I am more partial to rose, yet I made these scones and with the hint of citrus, pungent purple flower (to me), seemed to mellow out somewhat.

Lavender is said to have originated in the Mediterranean, yet there is also evidence of it being used in Ancient Egypt for embalming and its aromatic properties. It is perfect for soothing headaches and soothing weary muscles, and also is pretty tasty when combined with chocolate.

For a lighter taste I added it to the scones which turned out really well and this recipe is super simple to make. Try it!

INGREDIENTS

Topping
2 oranges (cut the ends off and slice into 3mm wheels)
100g fine-cut citrus marmalade
50mls water
20g brown sugar
30g salted butter

Cake
200g unsalted butter
200g white caster sugar
4 medium eggs
1 tsp good vanilla paste

2 oranges zest and juice
80g yoghurt

2tsp baking powder
200g plain flour
100g nut flour (almond or hazelnut works)
½ tsp fine sea salt
2tsp cardamom powder

METHOD

1) Heat the marmalade, water and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally
2) When it reduces slightly, add the butter and stir in until melted and combined.
3) Turn off the heat and set aside

1) Preheat the oven to 170°C
2) Grease and line a 20cm springform cake pan
3) Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy
4) Add in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla paste
5) Mix the juice and zest of oranges with the yoghurt
6) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, add the nut flour
7) Add ½ of the dry mixture to the sugar and egg mixture, and mix until just
combined.
8) Then add the yoghurt, juice, and zest mix.
9) Finally finish up with the dry mixture, stirring until all ingredients are incorporated
10) Pour the topping mixture into the lined cake tin and layer the slices of oranges to cover the entire base.
11) Lastly, add the cake batter and tap lightly to even it out.
12) Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before turning out the cake onto a plate.
Admire the bottom of the cake which is now the decorative top! Cut a generous slice and enjoy.

Orange Marmalade Cardamom Cake

The Recipe

Makes: 1 x 20cm cake
Preparation: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 40-45 minutes

“The earliest recording of citrus can be found in Chinese literature dating around 314BC”

Oranges are an extremely vitamin-rich fruit that can be used in many cooking applications.

The earliest recording of citrus can be found in Chinese literature dating around 314BC. From Asia, the Arabs were influential in the journey of oranges through the Mediterranean in the 7th Century.

Christopher Colombus was most likely responsible for transporting one of the first orange seed trees to the United States, the second-largest producer of oranges in the world.

The sweet orange we know today is actually a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin and is the most common citrus available all around the world.

I have used some Egyptian oranges in this month’s recipe that calls for one of my favourite and unique spices – cardamom. The bottom of the cake layered with wheels of orange and buttered marmalade ends up being the decorative top of the cake.

All that is needed is a good scoop of thick double cream.

INGREDIENTS

Topping
2 oranges (cut the ends off and slice into 3mm wheels)
100g fine-cut citrus marmalade
50mls water
20g brown sugar
30g salted butter

Cake
200g unsalted butter
200g white caster sugar
4 medium eggs
1 tsp good vanilla paste

2 oranges zest and juice
80g yoghurt

2tsp baking powder
200g plain flour
100g nut flour (almond or hazelnut works)
½ tsp fine sea salt
2tsp cardamom powder

METHOD

1) Heat the marmalade, water and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally
2) When it reduces slightly, add the butter and stir in until melted and combined.
3) Turn off the heat and set aside

1) Preheat the oven to 170°C
2) Grease and line a 20cm springform cake pan
3) Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy
4) Add in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla paste
5) Mix the juice and zest of oranges with the yoghurt
6) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, add the nut flour
7) Add ½ of the dry mixture to the sugar and egg mixture, and mix until just
combined.
8) Then add the yoghurt, juice, and zest mix.
9) Finally finish up with the dry mixture, stirring until all ingredients are incorporated
10) Pour the topping mixture into the lined cake tin and layer the slices of oranges to cover the entire base.
11) Lastly, add the cake batter and tap lightly to even it out.
12) Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before turning out the cake onto a plate.
Admire the bottom of the cake which is now the decorative top! Cut a generous slice and enjoy.

Chocolate and Pistachio Cassata Cake

The Recipe

Makes: 1 x 20cm cake
Preparation: 40 minutes
Baking Time: 40 minutes

Cassata is a traditional sponge layer cake from Sicily. It consists of ricotta, dried fruits, nuts, marzipan, and chocolate.

Credit: @etstudiosg

Although still a region of Italy, Sicily seems like another country with locals referring to themselves as ‘Sicilians’ and not Italians. In Sicily, they speak ‘Sicilian’ and little English in the smaller towns which makes travelling through this part of Italy all the more exciting.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and has a rich history and culture, which to my delight, is prevalent through a lot of its architecture and food from region to region. A couscous in Trapani will be the influence of North Africa, Pomodoro (the most amazing in the world), region-wide, is an influence of Spain, spices, citrus, and dried fruits came about from Arab occupation, and ingredients such as melanzane, olives, and seafood have come from my other food country love, Greece.

It was not only the people of Sicily that inspired me and warmed my heart with their open arms, beautiful hospitality, breathtaking beaches, and amazing food, but the travelers I encountered on my journey – free spirits from around the globe that made their way to this beautiful island and took away so much more than we had all expected.

While in Marsala, a beautiful town known famously for the landing of Garibaldi in the 1860s and also for Marsala wine,  I learned how to make pasta al forno, arancino, cornetto, pane, and cassata in a traditional bakery/café called Bar Lo Stagnone.

When I travel I always make sure I visit as many local bakeries as possible to learn how they make traditional desserts. I love that traditional recipes always have a twist from region to region and person to person.
My favourite Sicilian desserts, hands down are cannoli and cassata, so I made a cake that was inspired by the two!

Cassata is a traditional sponge layer cake from Sicily. It consists of ricotta, dried fruits, nuts, marzipan, and chocolate. This recipe is inspired by many a cassata I tried while on my travels through Sicily.  I remember the tiny wild strawberries and the amazing pistachios found in this region of the world, so I included some dried wild strawberries in the garnish.

The cake is fairly easy to make but will take some time – it is best made the day before so it has time to set and is, therefore, easier to ice.

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Cake
130g unsalted butter
150g brown sugar
100g white caster sugar
180g plain flour
180mls whole milk
2tsp/8g baking powder
60g cocoa
3 medium eggs
Pinch of fine sea salt

Ricotta Filling
640g ricotta cheese
300g thickened cream
60g sifted icing sugar
4tsp vanilla bean paste
200g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped.

Cake liquor
50mls sweet vermouth
20g water
10g white sugar

Ganache Topping
150g cooking cream
120g semi sweet chocolate
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160’C. Line a 20cm circular spring-form cake pan.
Beat butter and sugars in an electric mixer until creamy and combined
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa in a separate bowl
Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture until the eggs are folded in
Mix in 1/3 flour to the mixture then 1/3 milk. Continue this finishing with the flour.
Allow mixture to combine and then pour into the cake tin.
Bake for 40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool slightly before turning it out on a cake rack so it cools completely

Whip ricotta, cream and icing sugar and vanilla until completely smooth
Add in chocolate pieces and refrigerate.

Heat in a pan over low heat until the sugar is dissolved
Set aside

Heat cream on a low heat
Add a pinch of salt
Add in chocolate until it is melted and the ganache mixture is shiny and smooth. Refrigerate until cool

Assembly
With a serrated knife, slice the top of the cake to make it flat
Slice the cake across into 3 even pieces
Line the cake tin with cling film with extra hanging over the edges
Place one piece of the cake in the tin, brush liberally with cake liquor and then smooth over a layer of ricotta
Continue with the next two layers, finishing with the cake on top
Fold over cling film and set the cake in the fridge ideally overnight or for 2-3 hours until firm and set.
When the cake is set, turn out upside down and remove the cling film
Place ganache on the top of the cake allowing it to spill over the sides
Sprinkle the chopped pistachios and strawberries on top

Decoration/Garnish
80g dried or fresh strawberries
80g roasted pistachios

Dark Chocolate & Aqua Vitae Prune Cake

The Recipe

Serves: 6-8 people
Preparation: overnight
Baking Time: 45 minutes

This lusciously indulgent cake is made with some absolutely delicious Aqua Vitae from Lindores Abbey Distillery in Fife, Scotland. If you can, get your hands on this balanced malt spirit with a myriad of balanced fruit, spices and locally grown herbs.

If you can’t do so, this recipe can be substituted with rum or even a whisky.

INGREDIENTS

Aqua Vitae Prunes
200g pitted prunes
100mls Lindores Abbey aqua vitae (if not, a dark rum, whiskey)
1 tblsp sugar
Combine all ingredients and soak for a minimum of two days until the prunes are deliciously plump and juicy.

Ingredients - Cake
200g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
100g brown sugar
3 eggs
60g cocoa
¼ tsp sea salt
250g plain flour
1.5tsp baking powder
100g dark melted chocolate (65% or more)

Dark Chocolate Ganache
300g dark chocolate (70%), chopped into bits
300g cream
1 tbsp honey

METHOD

1. Heat the cream on a medium setting and melt in the chocolate and honey until combined Take off the heat and allow to cool completely.

2. Preheat the oven to 180 °Celsius and grease and line a round 20cm (ish) cake tin.

3. Strain the prunes, reserving the liquid, and roughly chop the prunes.

4. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

5. Crack the eggs in a separate bowl individually before mixing them into the creamed butter mixture until combined. At this stage, you can add the reserved liquid from the soaked prunes.

6. Sift the cocoa, baking powder, salt, and cocoa in a separate bowl.

7. Mix the melted chocolate into the wet mixture and then fold in the dry ingredients

8. Place the batter in the lined cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes

9. When the cake is done, allow to cool slightly before turning it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

10. Dress the cooled cake with the ganache on top or just the sides, whatever you fancy

11. Cut into not-so-generous slices as this cake is sumptuously rich, you can always go back for a second – don’t worry, I won’t judge.

Super Easy Pita Bread

The Recipe

Makes: 10 x pieces (100g)
Preparation: 40 minutes
Baking Time: 5-8 minutes

Pita bread is not what it was many years ago. It began as a flat bread without any leavener and eventually morphed into a puffy round piece of goodness.

Pita bread is a wonderfully versatile simple bread. You can stuff them with meatballs, salads, or felafels, dip them into a dip such as hummus or simply eat them on their own (preferably warm).

Pita bread is not what it was many years ago. It began as a flat bread without any leavener and eventually morphed into a puffy round piece of goodness.

Its roots are found in the middle east and the Mediterranean. If you want to learn more about bread check this out, or simply go ahead and bake some pita! It will last for a week and is also easy to freeze and defrost when you need it.

Make sure you use good flour that is unrefined and unbleached - you won’t regret it.

INGREDIENTS

400mls warm water
10g instant yeast
2tsp white caster sugar

900g strong bread flour (you can also do 50/50 with wholemeal)
2tsp fine sea salt
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

1. Add 300mls of warm water to the yeast and sugar. Stir a little and allow until the mixture becomes a little frothy

2. Add the oil to the water/yeast mixture and have the remaining 100mls of water on standby

3. Mix salt and flour together

4. With a dough hook on your mixer, combine the water/yeast mixture and the dry ingredients until it comes together. Add a little extra water if needed.

5. Mix until the dough is smooth and supple.

6. Place the dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover it with cling film, a clean shower cap, or a damp tea towel until it has doubled in size.

7. Weigh out 100g pieces and place them on a floured tray, covered for 20-30 minutes.

8. In an oven preheated at 220°C, bake for 5-8 minutes until brown and a little puffy.

9. Stuff with your favourite fillings and enjoy. If you bake too many you can always freeze them for another day.

Russian Honey Cake (Medovik Torte)

The Recipe

Makes: 1 x 20cm cake
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 1 hour

The Medovik Torte or Russian Honey cake was an invention of a young chef in the Imperial Palace of the Russian Empire in the 19th Century.

The Story of the Medovik Torte

The Medovik Torte or Russian Honey cake was an invention of a young chef in the Imperial Palace of the Russian Empire in the 19th Century. It was developed to incorporate honey into a dessert for Empress Elizabeth Alexeyevna, the wife of Alexander I who was not the biggest fan of honey.
The method of heating the honey to a caramel colour allows it to take on a sweet caramel flavor and the inclusion of a sour cream frosting allows it to balance out quite beautifully.

A word or two about honey

Honey, a wonderful golden liquid that has a composition of a complex mixture of sugars, water, vitamins, minerals, pollen, and protein. It is made by these wonderful little black and yellow foragers known as bees, who collect nectar from flowers (or honeydew) near and far, store it in their honey stomachs (crops) and regurgitate it into the little vessels of the hive. The vessel is then fanned with its wings which leads to water being evaporated and the pure honey remaining.

Bees have been going about their business for more than 100 million years according to fossil evidence of these little creatures that have been preserved in resin. Cave paintings in Spain dating back 8,000 years ago show that humans have relied on bees by raiding their nests and collecting the sweet liquid they produce. The earliest evidence of beekeeping was in Ancient Egypt where hives made of clay from the Nile were placed on rafts that travelled up and down the river depending on the season.

Honey bees, honey, and wax were a part of everyday life in the ancient world. The application of honeybees’ by-products was used for culinary purposes, spiritual and religious rituals, embalming, medicinal treatments, and even as a currency.

Honey is classified according to the floral source (monofloral, poly floral, blend) and by region or country. It can be bought in both its raw form and pasteurized form.  Raw honey comes straight from the honeycomb and is mashed and filtered to remove the honeycomb and other debris. Honey in its raw state is unadulterated, containing beneficial health and medicinal properties due to the pollen, propolis, antioxidants, natural vitamins, and minerals present. When honey is pasteurized, it results in a smooth clearer liquid and while it is aesthetically pleasing, will contain a loss of vitamins, essential nutrients, and minerals.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
120g unsalted butter
300g browned honey
150g brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
500g plain unbleached flour
1.5tsp bicarbonate soda
4 medium eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

FROSTING
200g browned honey
½ tsp salt
Zest of 1 orange
600g whipping cream.
400g sour cream

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180’C. Line as many trays as you have with baking paper and draw a 20cm circle on each bit of paper.

2. To brown the honey, place 500g In a large saucepan on medium heat and allow it to cook for 10 -15 minutes until it becomes a dark caramel colour. Keep a close eye on it as it may boil over. Turn off the heat and pour 300g into a heat-proof bowl and 200g into a separate bowl for the frosting.

3. The frosting is best made ahead and allowed to set further in the refrigerator so add sour cream to the cooled browned honey, orange zest, and salt. Mix well. Whip the cream in a separate bowl until firm, then fold it into the sour cream mixture until combined. Cover and store in the refrigerator while you make the cake

4. In the heat-proof bowl containing the browned honey, add sugar, salt, and butter. Heat slowly over a pot of boiling water until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Take off the heat and whisk in the bicarbonate soda.

5. Whisk eggs with vanilla in a separate bowl and then slowly whisk this into the honey-sugar mixture.

6. Finally sift flour and cinnamon and fold into the liquid mixture until combined

7. Measure 100 g of the cake batter and spread it evenly inside the drawn circle with a spatula. Repeat this on all the baking paper circles. Place in the oven and cook for 5-7 minutes until the batter is cooked. Allow the cake to cool slightly before transferring it to a cooling rack. Repeat this until you have about 10-12 cookie cake rounds. For the last 1-2 cakes you can cook at 130’C for about 8-10 minutes until the cake is nicely browned – this will be used for decorating later. Allow all the layers to cool completely before icing.

8. Start with the first layer by spreading a small amount of frosting on a 20cm circular cake board. Place the cake layer on top and then add, smoothing out evenly as you go. Keep layering until all the cake has been used up. Finally, ice the top and the sides of the cake. Return to the refrigerator and allow to set.

9. Blitz up the cooled cake layer that was baked in the oven slightly longer until you have a coarse breadcrumb consistency. When the cake is set, gently but firmly pat the crumbs to the top and the side of the cake.

10. Cut into generous slices, drizzle with extra honey, and indulge in this gorgeous cake!



Chocolate & Yoghurt Mini Bundt Cakes

The Recipe

Makes: 12 small Bundt cakes
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 10-12 minutes

Bundt tins were inspired by the shape of a raisin and almond-yeasted bread known as ‘Kugekhopf’ that is found in Germany, Austria, Alsace & Switzerland. They are a recent invention around the 1950s by David Dalquist, a metallurgist based in Minnesota.

So I dropped into a bargain discount store, as I do, to see if anything for the kitchen would catch my eye, and stumbled upon a mini Bundt baking tin. As soon as I see bundt cakes I think of the most delicious bundt/tea cakes at Ottolenghi when I lived in London (I absolutely love all their bakery treats). Unfortunately, they are a rare sight in Singapore and bakeries usually have mini cakes in the form of muffins or mini loaves.

Bundt tins were inspired by the shape of a raisin and almond yeasted bread known as ‘Kugekhopf’ that is found in Germany, Austria, Alsace & Switzerland. They are a recent invention around the 1950s by David Dalquist, a metallurgist based in Minnesota.

A Bundt cake today doesn’t really follow a specific recipe. It is simply baked in a bundt tin and because of the hole in the middle, cooks faster than regular cakes and results in a more dense texture.

As with all baking recipes, the timing and texture of the cake will depend on the oven and how much moisture the flour and cocoa will absorb. I recommend using your gut instinct and add a little more liquid if the cake batter is a little too thick.

INGREDIENTS

80g unsalted butter
150g brown sugar
1 medium egg
100g melted dark chocolate.
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
40g cocoa
170g plain flour
150g Greek yoghurt

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170’C

2. In an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy

3. Sieve the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl

4. Add in the egg and a little bit of flour to bind the eggs and sugar

5. Incorporate the melted chocolate

6. Turn the electric mixer to low and add a half the flour/cocoa mixture and half the yoghurt. Allow the batter to be combined then add the rest of the yoghurt and finish up with the flour/cocoa mixture.

7. The mixture will be slightly firmer than a regular cake batter, if needed you can add a little more yoghurt.

8. Place into a plastic bag and cut off the tip. Pipe into a well-greased bundt tin or muffin tin about 3/4 full.

9. Bake for 10-12 minutes and allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a cake rack

10. Allow the cakes to cool completely sifting over some snowy white icing sugar.

English Tea Scones for Merienda

The Recipe

Makes: 12 x 50g scones
Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 12-15 minutes

The perfect cream scones for afternoon tea - clotted cream and strawberry jam is a must!

We all know about the age old tradition of afternoon tea in the United Kingdom.. consisting of cream scones, cute little crustless sandwiches and loose leaf tea... It is a tradition that was common amongst the upper-class societies in the 1800s and was a light meal, served between 4 and 6.

The tradition of this afternoon tea today is prevalent throughout the world with hotels and established restaurants offering this in-between meal that can be most opulent.

It is also a big tradition in Argentina, which is a reminder of the migration of British citizens to the country between 1837-1901. This was the Victorian Era when Argentina had gained independence from Spain and at the time it was an informal empire of the United Kingdom due to economic influences.

The immigrants to Buenos Aires in particular were industrialists and potential landowners who established their cultures with sports clubs (Cordoba Athletics Club, The Hurlingham Club), Harrods in 1912, and afternoon tea, known as Merienda consisting of baked goods, mate (an infusion of ground leaves and stems from the yerba mate shrub), coffee and always, always, dulce de leche.

A super easy recipe for these traditional scones (Skones or Skons, however, you want to pronounce it).

Enjoy crumbling in the flour and butter between your fingertips (my favourite bit), and of course.. eating them!

INGREDIENTS

260g plain flour
Pinch of fine sea salt
30g caster sugar
15g baking powder
120g unsalted butter, cubed
110g cream
1 Egg yolk (brushing on top)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200’C

2. Whisk the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder

3. Rub in the cold butter to coarse breadcrumb consistency

4. Stir through the cream until the dough comes together

5. Cut/shape the scones into 50g pieces. It should be about 2.5cm thick before baking. If you don't want to weigh the scones - that's fine with me. You can even use cookie cutters to create different shapes if your heart desires so.

6. When shaped, place onto a lined tray and brush with egg yolk. Bake for 12-18 minutes until golden brown. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack

7. It is most important to eat scones slightly warmed, with clotted (or thick double) cream and always good strawberry jam.

Lamingtons for Milo

The Recipe

Makes: 12 medium lamingtons
Preparation: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 20-30 minutes

Supposedly named after Lord Lamington, the governor of the northern state, Queensland in the late 1800s these little vanilla cakes rolled in chocolate and coconut have become a cake that one either loves or hates.

I don't think that there are many foods that are iconic to Australia. Sure, we have pavlova, meat pies, sausage rolls and hamburgers with egg, canned beetroot, and pineapple, amazing seafood and then we have lamingtons.

Supposedly named after Lord Lamington, the governor of the northern state, Queensland in the late 1800s these little vanilla cakes rolled in chocolate and coconut have become a cake that one either loves or hates.

I remember the lamington drives when I was in primary school. The school would order a massive amount of artificial looking and tasting blocks of stale cake squished together with stark white cream and a small slathering of jam that resembled a little bit of a strawberry flavour. We raised quite a bit of money for these drives; however, the memory of those artificial cakes left a bad taste in my mouth....

Fast forward, to Singapore, in 2012. I was a proud owner of a cafe where I served just as many Australian ex-pats as I did local Singaporeans. It was here I started making my version of lamingtons. using fresh cake, good vanilla, and quality chocolate. Baking a batch at 5am, ensured a sell-out by 10am.

Fast forward, to Mexico, in 2014. A bright young Canadian Mexican graced us with his ever-enthusiastic presence and questioned me... "Do you know how to make lamingtons?", I sure do.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
260g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
113g butter unsalted (room temperature)
150g caster sugar
100mls milk
2 medium eggs (50g in weight each) @ room temperature
1 tsp good vanilla extract or ½ tsp vanilla bean paste

ICING
454 g icing sugar
30g cocoa (sifted)
42g salted butter
120 mls milk (4oz)
100g desiccated coconut

METHOD

1. Preheat the Oven to 180’ Celsius and grease and line with baking paper a 20cm square pan.

2. Beat butter, vanilla & sugar together until smooth and creamy.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour & baking powder.

4. Add eggs to the butter mixture one by one

5. Add 1/3 of the flour and 1/3 of the milk and mix. Continue doing this until all the ingredients are used up, ending with the flour.\

6. Spoon into the pan and level off with a spatula.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes. When a skewer is inserted into the centre of the cake it should come out clean.

8. Allow the cake to cool completely then wrap it in cling film and refrigerate overnight.

9. Once the cake is set and nice and firm, cut it into even squares.

10. Over a double boiler on medium heat, mix all ingredients (except the coconut) until melted and combined

11. Put the coconut in a separate bowl.

12. Take a square of the vanilla cake and dip it into the chocolate mixture until completely covered. Next roll the square in the coconut.

13. Place on a cooling rack to set

*The cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If not used right away it can also be frozen and then defrosted (room temperature)

Damper with Almond & Wattleseed Dukkah

The Recipe

Makes: 1 x 20cm damper
Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 25-35 minutes

Damper is a simple ‘bush tucker’ bread that was made by stockmen who were in remote areas for many weeks and days at a time. This simple bread was mixed and ‘damped’ into the coals of a campfire until it was cooked through. 

From a simple recipe of water, flour and a bit of salt…. You have all the ingredients you need to make traditional Australian damper. Damper is a simple ‘bush tucker’ bread that was made by stockmen who were in remote areas for many weeks days at a time. This simple bread was mixed and ‘damped’ into the coals of a campfire until it was cooked through. 

Over time damper recipes have been altered and made with milk, butter, sugar and baking powder. The texture, however, remains the same – a dense bread with a crispy exterior. Damper must always be paired with the Australian nickname for golden syrup, “Cocky’s Joy”.

Dukkah, originally an Egyptian condiment of nuts, herbs and spices has become extremely popular in Australia with everyone making their own versions. It originally is a savoury dish but I’ve made mine sweet to pair with the damper. Dukkah is also a beautiful thing to be sprinkled on yoghurt, ice cream or granola.

When you are making damper at home, you don’t need a campfire… An oven will do the job. For this recipe, I baked my damper in a cast-iron skillet which resulted in a pretty good texture. 

INGREDIENTS

DAMPER
350g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
160mls water
50g butter

DUKKAH ( makes 130g)
100g almonds, skin on
10g/2tblsp of roasted ground wattleseed
¼ tsp ground ginger
2 tsp black sesame seeds
18g/3 tsp brown sugar
A pinch of salt
*You can substitute with aniseed, caraway, or fennel.

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200’C

2. Mix salt and flour with baking powder and rub in the butter so it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. 

3. Add in the water and mix until combined.

4. Knead the dough on a well-floured surface until smooth

5. Shape into a 20cm disk and place in the oven in a skillet or baking tray

6. Dip a sharp knife in flour and score the top into wedges and sprinkle with a little flour.

7. Bake in the oven for 35-35 minutes… when turned out and knocked on the bottom it should sound hollow

8. Dust with flour, serve with butter, cocky’s joy and dukkah.

1. Toast the almonds in the oven or in a frying pan. Set aside and allow to cool completely

2. Toast the black sesame seeds, you can use white sesame seeds if that works for you

3. In a food processor, lightly pulse the nuts, sesame seeds and then add the sugar, salt, ginger and herbs.

4. Mix until well combined

5. Dukkah should have a nice crunchy texture so it is important not to blend the nuts and sesame seeds too much.

Banana Bread with Pecans

The Recipe

Makes: 1 loaf
Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 50-60 minutes

Despite the tradition of Australians grabbing a coffee and a slice of banana bread - the origins of this simple quick bread (chemically leavened) have its roots in late 18th Century America where pearlash was discovered - and later on, baking powder was used in the mid-19th Century. It is an easy bread to make so please try it!!

Whenever I touch down in Australia - I have to get my hands on a thick slice of banana bread that is well toasted and slathered in good salted butter. No matter how hard I try I can never replicate the giant loaves that are made in the factory that are dense and light all at the same time. But let’s just say this is a gourmet loaf and kills the craving when in need of banana bread while I’m in Singapore.

Despite the tradition of Australians grabbing a coffee and a slice of banana bread - the origins of this simple quick bread (chemical leavened) has it’s roots in late 18th Century America where pearlash was discovered - and later on baking powder was used in the mid 19th Century. It is an easy bread to make so please try it!!

INGREDIENTS

150g plain flour
100g wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
70g white caster sugar
70g brown sugar
½ tsp sea salt
2-3 very ripe bananas (about 280g)
2 medium eggs
50g unsalted butter, melted
100g plain Greek yoghurt

100g pecans, roughly chopped
3 tblsp golden syrup (or honey)
40g salted butter

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180’C and line a loaf pan with baking paper and butter

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together

3. Mash up the bananas and mix in eggs, yoghurt and butter

4. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and sprinkle over the pecans

6. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Insert a knife into the centre of the loaf, it should come out clean if it is cooked

7. While the cake is still hot, melt the golden syrup and butter together then pour over the cake.

8. Allow the cake to sit for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack

9. Slice and toast with lashings of butter.

Black & White Tsoureki

The Recipe

Makes 4 20cm x 10xm braids
Preparation: 2 hours (including proving time)
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes

Tsoureki comes from the Turkish word “Corek”, which is referred to any bread made from a yeast dough.

As Easter comes around year by year - I always want to make something different from your normal hot cross bun. Don’t get me wrong - I love hot cross buns with plump juicy raisins, slightly toasted and smothered in salted butter, but I also like to learn something new and see if it exceeds my expectations.

Tsoureki comes from the Turkish word “Corek”, which is referred to any bread made from a yeast dough. The bread evolved from Byzantine times and was originally molded into a variety of shapes to ward off evil spirits. Now, in Greece it is commonly braided into a wreath and dotted with red eggs that symbolise the blood of Jesus.

Now the tradition of Easter today and the Pagan Festival of Spring equinox does overlap somewhat. Easter, supposedly named after Eostre, a goddess was symbolised by a rabbit or hare. Traditions of baking, exchanging eggs and are related to rebirth, generation and change.

Whether it is a traditional celebration, the resurrection of JC or the official start of spring - it’s always a wonderful excuse to find chocolate eggs the mysterious Easter bunny has hidden and also to bake in your pjs.

I have included the recipes for both of my versions of tsoureki that follow the same method – do let me know what version you liked the best!!!

INGRDEDIENTS

CHOCOLATE & CHERRY TSOUREKI
10.5g yeast
210g plain flour
A pinch or two of salt
40g cocoa powder
80mls milk
50mls warm water
1 medium egg (50g)
70g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
70g dried cherries
40g unsalted butter

ANISEED TSOUREKI
10.5g yeast
250g plain flour
A pinch or two of salt
50g caster sugar
1 medium egg (50g)
70mls milk
50mls warm water
Zest of an orange
40g butter

Good chocolate Easter eggs are difficult to find in Singapore (they don’t celebrate it much here!) so to satisfy my chocolate craving I baked a chocolate sour cherry version of tsoureki and he traditional recipe uses mahlepi (a spice made from the seeds of a certain type of cherry) but I threw in some aniseed because - why not??

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180’ celsius
Put the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cocoa (if using) into the mixing bowl
Separately mix milk, egg, aniseed, zest and 50mls warm water
Mix the two together with dough hook until a soft dough forms (at this stage you can add the cherries if you are using them)
Lastly add in the butter bit by bit until combined
Throw the mixed dough that’s nice and supple into a well greased bowl (olive oil or melted butter will do the trick), cover and set aside until the dough has doubled in size.
Knock back the dough with a fist or two and divide it into 9 equal portions and plait 3 reasonably similar braids
Place the braids on a tray lined with baking paper and brush with
Brush the braids with egg wash and poke in the dyed eggs randomly in the dough
Bake for 20-25 minutes
Brush with melted honey or jam of your choice for a nice sticky glaze
Although this recipe is supposed to be made on a Thursday and eaten on a Sunday – best you eat it on the day it’s baked!

TO DECORATE
18 dyed quail eggs.

The quail eggs are boiled and cooled and dipped in baths of a teaspoon of vinegar, 1/2 cup water and a good dash of food colouring and stored overnight. Drain the eggs and allow them to completely dry on a cake rack before using.

Pan de Muerto

The Recipe

Makes: 8 large buns
Preparation: 20 minutes plus proving time
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes

Pan de Muerto is a traditional Mexican sweet bread that's commonly enjoyed during Dia de los Muertos, a holiday that celebrates and honors deceased loved ones.

Back when I was living in Mexico I learned how to make this bread.
It is an iconic symbol of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. It is one of the symbols that are placed at offrendas or altars that will coax and feed the souls as they return to their loved ones once a year.

Learn more about Dia de los Muertos HERE.

You are more than welcome to freeze this bread and heat it up when you get a craving, but if you taste it straight out of the oven you will not stop at just one. Enjoy the recipe and let me know how it goes!!

INGREDIENTS

14g instant dry yeast
1 cup / 235mls whole milk
4 medium eggs
2 oranges, zest and juice (approximately ¾ cup juice)
170g unsalted butter
180g caster sugar
2 tsp aniseed
¼ tsp fine sea salt
800g plain flour
Extra flour for rolling
1 egg for egg wash

GARNISH
100g sugar
100mls orange juice
120 g fine caster sugar for sprinkling

METHOD

1. Mix 50g sugar, yeast, ½ cup warm milk, and ¾ cup flour. Allow sitting for about 20 minutes to activate the yeast.

2. Whisk the rest of the sugar, milk, eggs, zest and juice, aniseed in a separate bowl

3. Sift flour and salt separately.

4. Whisk the egg and yeast mixture together.

5. In an electric mixer, on low speed with the dough hook attached, pour in the wet mixture and add 1/3 of the flour. Add ½ of the melted butter and allow to mix for about 3 minutes. Continue this until both butter and flour is mixed in.

6. Mix for 5-8 minutes at a medium/high speed until everything is incorporated and the dough comes away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

7. Transfer the mixture into a large, oiled container with a secure lid. Allow to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size, and then transfer to the fridge to sit overnight.

8. Make sure the container is big enough as the dough will rise quite a bit.

   The next day….

9. Preheat the oven to 180’C

10. Turn out the dough on a floured surface and shape 8 x 150g balls of dough. Place on a lined baking tray.

11. With the remaining dough, shape 16 lengths of dough (15 cm each), the thickness of a pen.

12. Make small balls at the ends of the dough, and place them on the buns so they cross over.

13. Roll a small ball of dough and place it in the centre of the crosses.

14. Brush with egg yolk and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes

15. Heat 100g sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved

16. When the bread is ready, take it out of the oven and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

17. Brush with orange juice sugar mixture and dust generously with sugar.

18. Store in an airtight container or the bread can be frozen for up to 3 months.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BABKA WITH MAPLE GLAZE

The Recipe

Makes: 1 medium loaf
Preparation: overnight proofing
Baking Time: 30-40 minutes

The traditional babka, meaning “Little Grandmother” is an Eastern European bread that is dense, rich and light all at the same time. Swirled with chocolate, nuts and cinnamon – this was only a version that seemed to develop mid-century by the American Jews.

Babka is not the easiest bread to make but it is also not the most difficult. It takes a bit of time and patience, a lot of love but the benefits and joys of munching down on this nutty, dense, chocolatey bread is worth it.

A sweet, yeasted bread that finds its origins in Eastern Europe, developed by the Ashkenazi Jews in Poland, Ukraine, Russia, and Lithuania. This Jewish community has a very coloured history with ancestral routes tied to Germany and Austria. It is a bread that is traditionally served on special occasions such as the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat) or holidays and represents good fortune and prosperity.

It can be found throughout the year in Jewish bakeries around the world and there are many variations of babka that exist today, yet the original recipe was either a plain or nut-filled dough that was braided and then baked into a tall cylindrical shape.

This chocolate version is messy and extremely delicious and I hope you have fun making it!

THE INGREDIENTS

BABKA DOUGH

280g plain flour
60g white sugar
7g instant yeast
150mls milk, room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 x medium eggs
¼ tsp salt
140g butter, cubed
Oil (for greasing)

CHOCOLATE FILLLING

120g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp cinnamon
2tblsp/20g cocoa
80g brown sugar
Pinch of salt
80g semi sweet chocolate, roughly chopped or chocolate chips
80g toasted pecans, roughly chopped.

GLAZE

50g maple syrup
10g butter

THE METHOD

The Day Before

1. Mix milk with vanilla, salt, and eggs

2. Place the sugar, yeast, zest, and flour in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment

3. Add milk mixture to the flour until combined

4. Switch to a dough hook and then start adding the butter, bit by bit until all is incorporated.

5. Mix for about 5-8 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth

6. Place in a well-oiled bowl and cover with cling film and allow the dough to rise and double in size then place in the refrigerator overnight so it can work its magic

The Next Day

1. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle 25cm width x 40cm length

2. For the chocolate filling, mix cinnamon, sugar, cocoa, and butter together until combined.
   Have it on stand-by for when the dough is ready to be rolled.
   Spread the chocolate mixture over the surface of the dough, leaving about a 1.5cm edge all around

3. Roll the dough lengthwise to form a 25cm cylinder. Place in the fridge for about 10-15minutes to firm up (you will thank me for this later)
   Take out the dough and with a sharp knife, cut it in half so you have long strips
   Braid the two pieces of dough over each other so they are nicely twisted firmly together
   Place into a greased and lined loaf tin (about 20cm in length), cover with a damp cloth, and allow to rise for 30-40 minutes. For the maple glaze, heat the ingredients at a low temperature until the butter is just melted.

4. Preheat the oven to 190’C and bake the babka for 30-40 minutes until well risen and golden.
   Allow the bread to cool slightly before turning it out and brush the babka while still warm with the maple glaze

MORE BAKING RECIPES

Dark Chocolate Cake with Honey Mascarpone

The Recipe

Yields: 20cm cake
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Baking Time: 35-40 minutes

With a whipped mascarpone and a drizzle of good honey, there is nothing more comforting than this rich chocolate cake.

After writing my article on chocolate, I had a craving for cake - that would be of the chocolate kind. Cake, for me, is as indulgent as it gets and I like to go the whole hog with either a decadent frosting or a drizzle of some kind of delicious sauce with a good scoop of ice cream on the side.

Gluten free, sugar free and less fat - please don't do that to yourselves if you are eating cake. Just don't eat so much of it and it will all balance out. Promise.

Hope you enjoy making and eating this cake as much as my flat mates and I did!

INGREDIENTS

Cake
200g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
180g dark chocolate (60% or above), melted in the microwave or bain marie
3 medium eggs
½ tsp good vanilla extract
3g/ 1½ tsp baking powder
20g/2tblsp cream
50g cocoa powder
¼ tsp fine sea salt
250g plain flour

Honey Mascarpone Frosting
250g mascarpone
½ tsp good vanilla extract
20g good strong flavoured honey
50g whipping cream

METHOD

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature

2. Grease, line and flour a 20cm spring form cake tin

3. Preheat the oven to 180’C

4. Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until it is pale and light in colour

5. Mix in slightly whisked eggs and vanilla extract until combined

6. In a separate bowl, sift cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder

7. Slowly add half the dry mixture and the cream

8. Finally add the last half of dry mixture, making sure the batter thoroughly mixed, that means not forgetting to scrape the bits of butter and other good stuff that may have stuck to the bottom of the mixing bowl

9. Pour into the prepared baking tin (the mixture will be thick), level out and place in the oven for 35-45 minutes

10. The cake is done when inserting a knife it comes out pretty clean. With cooling, the cake will become nice and fudgy so it is important to not over bake!

11. Let the cake rest for 5 minutes before removing from the cake tin and allowing it to cool completely on a cake rack

1. Whisk all ingredients until combined and fluffy

2. Top the completely cooled cake with the mascarpone frosting (as rustic or as neatly as you like) and drizzle with a little more honey

3. Cut a big slab, curl up on the sofa and indulge in the simple pleasure of this glorious cake!

Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts - and a Vanilla Milkshake

The Recipe

Makes: 16 x 60g doughnuts
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Baroness Elizabeth Dimsdale who was the wife of Baron Thomas Dimsdale, a smallpox pioneer, compiled a recipe book in the 1800s containing a recipe by a local cook that made 'dow nuts' which were pieces of dough cut into the size of nuts, fried in pork lard.

Despite doughnuts being a modern-day American symbol of gooey, sweet goodness that can be eaten at any time of the day, the humble doughnut finds its origins not from the Dutch but from a home cook residing in Hertfordhire, England.

Baroness Elizabeth Dimsdale who was the wife of Baron Thomas Dimsdale, a smallpox pioneer, compiled a recipe book in the 1800s containing a recipe by a local cook that made 'dow nuts' which were pieces of dough cut into the size of nuts, fried in pork lard.

Before the 1800's there is also evidence that of variation of doughnuts were dabbled with, excluding eggs. The Romans ad Greeks used to fry pastry dough and drizzle it with honey or syrup and the Germans used to stuff the doughnuts with savoury ingredients at a time when sugar was scarce.

It is said that the Dutch Immigrants brought their 'oliekoeks' (oily cakes) to Manhattan (New Amsterdam) in the early 1800's. In the mid-1800's, Elizabeth Gregory, mother to a New England ship captain made fried dough for her son and crew for their long voyages. Her son claim that it was his invention of the whole inside the doughnut, but nobody really knows.

Either way, doughnuts evolved into an American staple, so much so, they were eaten by the troops in France during the first World War. Doughnuts were big in the states and mass production of these fried doughy sweets began when Adolph Levitt, a Russian refugee inveted the first doughnut machine in the 1920's.

The wholly sweet dough is an indulgent snack and breakfast.... I upped the indulgence scale by throwing in a vanilla bean milkshake... I hope you enjoy making these doughnuts as much as I did and learned a little bit of food history on the way!

INGREDIENTS

DOUGHNUTS
14g instant yeast
60mls warm water
325 mls milk (don't even think about using light milk)
2 medium eggs (they should be around 50g-55g each)
100g fine caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
70g unsalted butter (melted)
625g plain flour
oil for deep frying

CHOCOLATE GLAZE
200g unsalted butter
40g good cocoa powder
100g icing sugar
70g milk

METHOD

1. In a mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over water and allow to stand for 5 minutes

2. With the paddle beater attachment, add the sugar, milk, salt, eggs, and half the flour. Once the ingredients are incorporated, mix in the melted butter and the rest of the flour.

3. Knead the dough with dough hook or if you feel like a workout, by hand until nice and smooth.
   Place in a well-oiled bowl and cover with cling film or a damp cloth. Allow the dough to double in size.

4. Once the dough has doubled, take out all your anger and punch down the dough. Knead lightly on a well-floured surface and use a round cookie cutter about 8 cm in diameter to cut out your shapes. Dip your finger in flour and poke in the centre of the cut circle, move it around and around so a hole is formed.

5. Heat a good amount of oil for deep frying at 180'c/360'f. If you don't have a thermometer, throw a small piece of dough into the oil to see if it is ready. Place the dough onto a slotted spoon and carefully into the oil.

6. Fry the doughnuts on one side and then flip them over. They should be a nice golden colour. Take out the doughnuts and place onto a cooling rack and allow them to chill for a bit before dunking them in some chocolate glaze.

7. For the chocolate glaze, over a low heat, melt butter and whisk in cocoa, icing sugar and milk until smooth.

8. Allow to cool slightly. Dunk one side of the doughnuts into the velvety glaze, turn the right way up and place back on the cooling rack. Let the excess chocolate glaze drip down the sides and allow them to set slightly before dunking them in your very vanilla milkshake.

MILKSHAKE - serves 1!
A milkshake is a wonderful thing. It is so simple to make but you really can get it wrong by using artificially flavoured ingredients.

80g fresh full-fat milk
1/2 tsp good vanilla bean paste or extract (Use an artificial vanilla flavouring and you will regret it)
180g good vanilla ice cream

Blend together and pour into a chilled glass.

Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The Recipe

Makes: 1 x 20cm cake
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking Time: 45 minutes

A classic carrot cake with a sprinkling of candied orange peel to decorate the rich cream cheese frosting

Brownies last week and today, pastel de zanahoria or carrot cake. It appears to be birthday month in Mexico and I love having the excuse to bake like nobody’s business.

It’s an oldie, a goody and a classic. If you consume a dry carrot cake – there is something very wrong.. it has either been in the oven for a good few hours, the recipe has too much flour or not enough carrot. I’ve tried thousands of carrot cake recipes and eventually came up with this one. In all of my cakes I use butter but traditionally the carrot cake was supposedly born in the United States, hence the use of oil, however Britain claims some of the fame during rationing of food in the second world war. Whoever invented it and for whatever reason, this cake is always a crowd-pleaser.

You can use olive oil if you like but the flavour will be super strong. Use a neutral-tasting oil such as sunflower if you want to taste the carrots and spices rather than the oil.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
4 medium eggs
150g muscovado sugar
150g sunflower oil
350g peeled and grated carrots
300g unbleached wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
80g toasted pecans roughly chopped
80g dark raisins (the juicer the better)
fine zest of 1 orange
dash of vanilla

FROSTING

125g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar, sifted
250g of softened cream cheese
juice of half an orange

CANDIED ORANG PEEL

1 large orange, nice and bright and preferably wax free
100g unrefined sugar
100g water

METHOD

Grease your pan!! If it is a fairly good pan, you can do without lining the sides but always line the base of your pan to prevent it from sticking. You want to use a round 23cm springform pan. It is best. If you use a smaller-sized pan – the cooking time MAY increase, depending on how good your oven is.
Preheat oven to 180’C.
Crack the eggs in a bowl and add the sugar. Whisk and whisk and whisk if you don’t have the privilege of owning a kitchen aid (or if you are me, longing to pick up my kitchen aid from a friend babysitting it in Singapore). So you want to whisk it until it changes colour and thickens slightly.
Toast the pecans in a pan or in the oven. Allow to cool slightly and roughly chop.
Grate the carrots and put aside with the nuts and raisins. We will add all of these together soon!
Add the oil and whisk more, throw in the vanilla while you are at it at this stage.
Sift in the flour, spices, salt and baking powder. Mix until all combined.
Now add the chunky ingredients (raisins, carrots and nuts) and fold in nicely.

Pour the batter into the pre-greased tin and bake for a good 40-60 minutes (mine is a gas oven so it takes a little longer. You should know the temperament of your own oven so gauge it within this time frame)

Remove and allow to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. Unmould and turn out onto a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing.

1. Make sure both butter and cream cheese are at room temperature and are quite soft. If one is colder than the other, the fat in the product will seize and you will get a lumpy texture.

2. Mix both butter and cream cheese really well until nice and smooth. Incorporate the juice and finally, bit by bit, sift in the icing sugar. The texture should be smooth and the consistency should not be too runny. If so, feel free to sift in more icing sugar to thicken it up. You will get a good workout if you do this by hand but I advise you to use an electric mixer if you have one to achieve a fluffier frosting.

3. You can choose to ice just the top of the cake or if you want a little bit more work to do, you can slice the cake in half, slap on some frosting midway, sandwich it and pop the rest on top.

4. It’s your cake, do whatever you want!

1. Pop the water and sugar in a saucepan and stir a little. Zest the peel of the orange and then add it to the sugar mixture. Boil until the liquid has become a toffee consistency and the liquid has pretty much evaporated. Allow to cool at room temperature or to speed up the process – throw it in the fridge.

2. The strands should be nice and crunchy. Place on top of the frosting however your heart desires.
   
   I hope you enjoy baking, assembling, decorating, and eating this cake as much as I did.