Pecan Marsala Cake Recipe (GF) (LF)

Pecan Marsala Cake is a decadent 'grown-up' cake that I made for a dinner with a couple of friends; one of which is gluten intolerant, the other lactose intolerant - both seemed to enjoy this for dessert. Probably because this soft and moist cake comes with the comforting aromatics of Marsala. It is right at home as part of  afternoon tea or as treat with a cup of good coffee.

Pecan Marsala Cake

INGREDIENTS:

For Cake:
4 eggs, separated
1 egg white
140g caster sugar
200g pecans, chopped
4 heaped tbsp (GF) breadcrumbs
1/2 heaped tsp cream of tartar

For Icing:
225g margarine
255g icing sugar
10mL Marsala

Pecan halves and cocoa powder to decorate.

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
Beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add nuts and breadcrumbs then mix briefly.
In another bowl, beat the 5 egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff.
Fold 2 tablespoons of egg whites into pecan mixture then gently fold in the rest.
Spoon into a 20cm, greased and lined, springform tin.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Leave to cool in tin for 20 miuntes, then turn out and remove lining.
Allow to cool on a cake rack
Beat margarine and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Marsala, a little at a time.
Slice cake horizontally and when cold, sandwich together with about a third of the icing.
Cover top and sides of cake with icing.
Decorate cake with pecan halves and a dusting of cocoa powder

Hints:
- Do not add too much or over beat when adding Marsala or the icing may separate.
- Can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until required. 
- Can add up to 75mL of Marsala to the icing if you want a more 'adult' cake.


Enjoy!

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Normandy Pear Tart recipe

Normandy Pear Tart originates from Normandy, France where the area is known for its pears. The following is the attempt I made a few months ago for the enjoyment of a group of friends. I assume the guests loved it as I had no leftovers to take home and the plate was spotless!

Normandy Pear Tart

INGREDIENTS:
For Pastry:
175g flour
3 size 6 egg yolks
60g sugar
pinch salt
75g butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla escence

For Frangipane/Filling:
125g ground almonds
125g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
1 size 6 egg
1 size 6 egg yolk
1 tbsp brandy
4 ripe pears (I used packham)
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp flour

For Glaze:
150g apricot jam
3 tbsp water

METHOD:

For Pastry:
Sift Flour in to a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add egg yolks, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt to the well.
Mix well using your fingers until the mixture is like breadcrumbs.
Knead dough for 2 minutes then wrap in clingfilm and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Grease a 24cm tart tin.
Roll dough out and line the tart tin.
Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.

For Frangipane/Filling:
Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes until fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
Add the brandy and round almonds then gently stir until well blended.
Peel and core the pears then cut into wedges abd toss with lemon juice.
Spoon and spread frangipane into the pastry shell.
Arrange the pears in a spiral on top of the frangipane.
Place tin onto a baking tray.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 180 degrees celcius and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the frangipane is set.
Cool and unmould the tart.
Brush with glaze.

For the glaze:
Melt jam with water then pass through a sieve.

Serve this at room temperature. It can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days but it is best when eaten the same day

Enjoy!

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Italian Meringue Recipe

Italian meringue is wonderful stuff. Its sweet, addictive fluffiness can be used on top of pies and often  forms the base for many dessert fillings such as charlottes, baked alaskas and macaroons. Italian meringue differs from ordinary meringue in that hot sugar syrup is whisked into the egg whites rather than granulated sugar. This slowly cooks the egg white resulting in a meringue that's less likely to deflate and is already cooked.


INGREDIENTS:
360g caster sugar
30g lquid glucose
6 egg whites
80ml water

METHOD:

Put water, sugar and glucose into a pan.
Bring to the boil over medium heat whilst stirring.
When it reaches 110 degrees celcius, beat egg whites in a clean bowl.
Remove sugar syrup from heat as soon as it reaches 121 degrees celcius.
When egg whites form stiff peaks, slowly pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream whilst whisking.
Continue beating on low speed for about 15 minutes, until mixture has cooled to about 30 degrees celcius.

This mixture can be kept in thefridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

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Mango Charlotte Recipe (can be (GF))

Mango Charlotte is an impressive looking dessert that is matched in its delicious-ness; especially when served with Raspberry Coulis. I used store bought sponge fingers here to save time but you can make your own (a recipe for gluten-free sponge fingers can be found by clicking here). Any italian meringue mix will do but the recipe I used can be found by clicking here.

Mango Charlotte

INGREDIENTS:
2 packets of sponge fingers ( x45)
200ml whipping cream
120g italian meringue
100g mango flesh, diced

For mango creme anglaise:
35ml milk
200ml mango puree
1/2 lime, juiced
3 egg yolks
20g caster sugar
1.5 sheets gelatine

For topping:
1/2 mango, sliced
blueberries or raspberries

METHOD:

For Creme Anglaise:
Put milk, mango puree and lime juice into a saucepan, slowly bring to the boil
Soften gelatine in a covering of cold water for 5 minutes.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl to a ribbon consistency.
As soon as milk mixture comes to the boil, pour into egg yolks whilst whisking. Pout mixture back into saucepan.
Cook over low heat whilst stirring until it coats the back of the spoon and reached 85 degrees celcius.
Drain gelatine, squeeze out excess water and add to the mix, stirring to dissolve.
Allow to cool to 10 - 15 degrees celcius.

For base/crust:
Trim about 1cm off one side of enough sponge fingers to line the outside of a 20cm diameter springform or loose bottom tin (sugar side out).
Line the bottom of the tin with sponge fingers too; cutting them to fit into the gaps.

Mango Charlotte Base

In a large bowl, whip the cream to a ribbon consistency.
Add the italian meringue, using a whisk to combine without overworking.
Fold in mango creme anglaise until evenly combined.
Fold in the diced mango then spoon half the mixture into the sponge finger base.
Arrange another layer of sponge fingers then the remaining mango mixture.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or 2 hours in the freezer.

Aarrange slices of mango and fresh blueberries or raspberries on top just prior to serving.

Serve with raspberry couli on the side.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe (GF) (LF)

Chocolate Mousse Cake is yummy but a bit different. Similar in texture to cheesecake, you'll love this one if you're lactose-intolerant. Again, amazingly it's also gluten-free and vegan - no animal products here. I used 4 mini-springform pans here but a single 20-24cm springform pan can be used. 

Chocolate Mousse Cake

INGREDIENTS:

For Base:
2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup ground toasted pecans
1/2 cup almond meal
4 tbsp melted margarine
1/2 tsp baking soda

For Filling:
1 pkt (~320g) silken tofu
2 cups (~340g) vegan chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla essence

For Garnish:
Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries etc

METHOD:

For Base:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Lightly oil 4 mini-springform pans [or a single 20-24cm springform pan]
Combine almond and pecan ingredients into a bowl.
Mix in baking soda.
Stir in melted margarine.
Press into springform pan(s) using the back of a spoon.

Pressing in the base...

Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and leave to cool.

For Filling:
Place tofu and vanilla essence into a blender (or food processor with an 's' blade).
Over a double boiler, melt chocolate.
Add melted chocolate to blender and quickly start whizzing the mixture until smooth.
Spoon into cooled bases in the springform pans and level off with a spatula.

Adding the Filling

Place into fridge for at least 2 hours or until set.

All filled, levelled off and now in the fridge to set

To remove, gently warm the outside of the tin before removing outer ring of the pan.
Serve with a mixture of berries.

Quick Tips:
- I don't have a double boiler so to melt the chocolate I use a glass or metal bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water - just need to be careful of the steam, I often wear an oven glove on the hand holding the bowl.
 - You can also use a microwave to melt the chocolate by microwaving in stints of no more than 20 seconds at a time (often much less once heated through), stirring in between each stint.
 - Make sure you start whizzing the filling mixture as soon as the melted chocolate has been added because the chocolate will start cooling and solidifying as soon as you add it.
- If you don't have berries, fresh oranges can be used; this is more than just garnish, it helps to cut through the richness of the chocolate filling by giving a refreshing fruity burst.

Enjoy!

Lime Meringue Pie Recipe (LF)

Lime Meringue Pie is a tangy take on my most commonly baked dessert, lemon meringue pie. This time it's not just lactose-free....with the help of  Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero's "Vegan Pie in the Sky" pg 100 it's vegan too. Even the whipping on the top is vegan! This is essentially Isa and Terry's recipe with a few tweaks to suit my fancy.

Lime Meringue Pie with Vegan Whipping!

INGREDIENTS:

For Crust:
1 3/4 cup vegan biscuit crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp melted margarine
1 tbsy almond milk

For Filling:
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 tbsy tapioca flour
1 1/2 tsp agar powder
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup lime juice
1 tbsp grated lime zest
1 tsp vanilla extract

For Garnish:
Vegan Whipping (click here for recipe)

METHOD:


For Crust:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Combine biscuit crumbs and sugar in a bowl. Drizzle in melted margarine.
Use a spoon to mix around then add almond milk and stir to form a crumbly dough.
Press into a 22cm pie plate.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until firm.
Cool before adding filling

For Filling:
Mix together almond milk, tapioca flour and agar powder in a saucepan. Boil and stir constantly for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Very slowly whisk in coconut milk.
Add sugar, lime juice and zest.
Whisk often for about 10 minutes then turn off heat and add vanilla extract.
Pour into pie shell.
Allow to cool for about half an hour then refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set.

Garnish with Vegan Whipping.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Whipping Recipe (LF)

Vegan Whipping is an alternative to cream so those dessert loving vegans or lactose intolerant people can have whipping too. Aside from a few tweaks this is essentially a recipe taken out of Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero's "Vegan Pie in the Sky." I figure this proves that that the recipe is possible - it's quite unusual.

Vegan Whipping - It's Vegan!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup natural cashews, soaked overnight
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
3/4 tsp agar powder
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:
Place a large metal bowl in the freezer.
Drain cashews and blend in food processor or strong blender with the coconut milk and 1/2 cup almond milk until completely smooth, rub the mixture between your fingers to ensure no graininess is left.
Heat the remaining almond milk, agar powder and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Make sure blender is ready...
Add the coconut oil to the saucepan and stir to melt.
Stream the warm mixture into the blender or food processor whilst blending.
Blend for about a minute on high then add vanilla extract and pulse to mix.
Transfer mixture to chilled metal bowl.
Place in freezer for about 30 minutes to get it very cold but not frozen.
Remove from freezer - it should be cold all the way through, rubbery looking and firm.
Beat well using a hand mixer until peaks form and the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
Cover tightly with cling film and place in freezer for at least 3 hours - the longer it is left the fliffier it gets so best results achieved if left overnight.
Remove from freezer and beat again with the hand mixer.
Use it to garnish yummy pies like lime meringue pie (which is also vegan!)

Can be kept stored in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Enjoy!

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