Zucchini Bread with Pineapple

The original recipe called for 2 cups of zucchini, but I like to make it with 3, just because I have so much zucchini that needs to be used up. More zucchini yields a moister loaf.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 to 3 cups coarsely grated zucchini
• 1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, drained
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup golden raisins (optional)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare 2 buttered 5 by 9 inch loaf pans.

2 In a medium sized bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3 In a mixer, beat eggs on medium speed for one minute. Add the sugar and beat for one more minute. Add the oils and vanilla; continue beating mixture until thick and foamy. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a spoon, stir in the zucchini and pineapple.

4 A third at a time, add dry ingredients into wet and gently stir (by hand) after each addition. Add the walnuts and raisins, blend gently.

5 Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Bake for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in to the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

Yield: Makes 2 loaves. 

Credits go to: Simply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com

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Apple Crisp

Ingredients

• 7 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, and vanilla. Toss to combine.
2 Layer sliced apples in a 9 x 12-inch (or approximately the same size) baking pan.
3 Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and oatmeal in a bowl. Cut in the butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples.
4 Bake 45 minutes or until topping looks crunchy and apples are tender.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Yield: Serves 8.

Credit go to: Simply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com

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Banana Sheet Cake

Here's a tip, leave the cream cheese and butter for the frosting out while you make the cake, that way they will be softened by the time the cake is cooled and ready to frost. This cake is on the sweet side (it is a cake after all). If you are trying to cut sugars, you may want to experiment dropping the sugar in the cake mixture by a half cup and cutting the amount of frosting in half.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• The scraped insides of one vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas (2 large or 3 medium bananas)
• 1/2 cup full fat sour cream

Frosting

• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) . In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2 Beat together in a mixer the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla and mashed bananas.
3 Mix in half of the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then the other half of the flour mixture.
4 Spread batter evenly in a greased 10x15 baking pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned and the surface bounces back when you press it with your finger. Cool completely before frosting.
5 To make the frosting, mix all of the ingredients together with an electric mixer. If too stiff to spread, add a teaspoon or two of water. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake and slice to serve.

Yield: Makes 30 pieces.

Credits go to : Simply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com

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Apple Carrot Cupcake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil (light olive oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil)
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated carrots (about 3 medium)
• 1 1/2 cups packed coarsely grated tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

• 5 ounce fresh, mild chèvre (goat cheese), at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups powdered sugar

Method

1 - Preheat oven to 350° and place rack in the center of the oven.

2 - In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices, cocoa, pepper, and salt. Whisk to combine, then stir in oil and eggs. Stir in carrots, apples, and pecans.

3 - Set aluminum or paper cupcake holders in muffin tins. Spoon the batter into the cupcake paper cups, three-quarters of the way to the top. Bake approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

4 - Beat goat cheese, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Once cupcakes are cool, apply frosting.

Yield: Makes 24 to 28 cupcakes. 

Credits go to : Simply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com

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Cardamom toffee tart

Recipe by Michelle Southan

Photography by Ben Dearnley

 

Ingredients

• 160ml (2/3 cup) thickened cream
• 80ml (1/3 cup) orange juice, strained
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 x 250g punnets strawberries, washed, hulled, halved
• 60ml (1/4 cup) water
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar, extra

Cardamom pastry

• 225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 60g (1/3 cup) icing sugar mixture
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 125g chilled butter, chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbs chilled water

1. Step 1
   To make the pastry, place flour, sugar, cardamom and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water and process until the dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
2. Step 2
   Roll out the pastry to a 4mm-thick disc. Line a round 22.5cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin, with removable base, with pastry and trim any excess. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
3. Step 3
   Preheat oven to 200°C. Cover pastry with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights or rice. Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 160°C.
4. Step 4
   Whisk together cream, orange juice, sugar and eggs in a bowl. Pour into pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes or until just set. Set aside for 3-4 hours to cool.
5. Step 5
   Arrange strawberries over the tart. Stir the water and extra sugar in a saucepan over low heat for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Drizzle over the strawberries and serve.

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