Louise Cake

I'm amazed at how many people have never heard of Louise Cake... if you have, you're clearly one of the lucky ones. Buttery moist cake like base (it's almost a pastry to be honest!), baked, then smothered in jam (traditionally raspberry), then topped with a coconut meringue, before being baked again. 

I recently purchased a slice of Louise Cake to take away from a cafe, and to my horror when I arrived home and sat down (with my cup of tea) to eat it, I realised they had given me the wrong one. Instead I had a caramel meringue slice - yuk. Okay, it was still pretty tasty, but I'm not the biggest caramel fan so it was a bit overwhelming for me. Needless to say, my Louise Cake crave was not fixed. 

You can find a classic Louise cake recipe in your Edmonds recipe book, it's one I've made dozens of times, but find you need about three pieces to feel satisfied. It's true with many of those old school recipes, the portions and ratios of base to topping were much smaller. So my version has a thicker more decadent base, and today I've chosen to smother it in homemade feijoa jam, but you could use any of your favourite jams, preserves, or even a lemon curd. The coconut topping is also thick, and I've tried not to add too much sugar. I find with the base and jam, the meringue doesn't need to be overly sweet, however it does require enough sugar to give it that wonderful thick glossy texture. 

Tips: 
Room temperature eggs are best for baking with. 
To separate eggs I just crack them in the middle and pour the egg yolk between the two halves over a bowl until the white drops out and the yolk is remaining in the shell. If you're not confident to do this then you can use a fancy egg separator contraption. 
The key is that you don't want any yolk in with the whites, but a bit of egg white with the yolks is A-Okay.    

Ingredients (makes 20-25 pieces):

Base

• 180 grams butter
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp coconut essence (use vanilla if you don't have coconut essence) 
• 3 egg yolks 
• 2 1/4 cups self raising flour 

Topping

• 1 cup of jam 
• 3 egg whites 
• 1/2 cup sugar - caster sugar is best
• 1 1/2 cups of desiccated or thread coconut 

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius, and line a 20 x 25cm baking tray with baking paper (allow the baking paper to come up higher than the tin if possible. 

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamed. If you have a freestanding cake mixer it makes this job really really easy. Once creamed add your egg yolks and coconut essence, mix till well combined.

 

Now add the flour and stir, or mix well until you have a crumbly dough. Press the dough evenly into your lined pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes till risen and lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for ten minutes before adding the toppings. Increase the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius. 

While the base bakes, prepare the topping. If you are using the same bowl on your mixer, make sure that the bowl is thoroughly cleaned. You don't want any of the butter residue in the bowl otherwise the whites will not whip properly. Beat the egg whites on high using a freestanding or hand electric mixer. 

Once thickened, gradually add the sugar. I add a few spoonfuls at a time while continuing beating. You eventually want the mixture to be thick white and glossy, like meringue. You may want to rub a little of the mix between your fingers to check that the sugar has dissolved. If it still feels quite grainy, beat for another couple of minutes. Finally fold in the coconut. 

On the slightly cooled base, spread your jam evenly, getting right to the edges. (Note: If your base has shrunk down during cooling, that's fine - remember it's a cross between a cake and a pastry). Use a spatula to dollop and spread the coconut meringue mixture evenly across the top of the jam. 

Once spread, I rough up the top a bit so that it's not too smooth. Pop back into the oven for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden on top. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before using a sharp knife to slice the still warm slice into 20-25 pieces. Then leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. 

This is ideal served with mugs of hot tea. Enjoy x

 

Breakfast Burritos

Burrito's are awesome. So much goodness crammed into a light tortilla casing and best of all, you can eat it with your hands. Bacon and eggs are also awesome, though a little harder to eat with your hands. You could try, but let's face it, it would be messy. Well the breakfast burrito is the perfect solution to this problem. It's your favourite fry up foods, with Mexican flair and some salad and salsa for good measure. Plus it makes it healthy right? Yes! This has just become a health food. Just... maybe don't eat it every day. 


Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 flour tortillas
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 small tomato
• 1/2 small green capsicum
• 4 cm of cucumber 
• juice of half a lime 
• 4 rashers of middle eye bacon - the not too fatty kind, it makes it easier to bite through inside the wrap, oh and healthier.  
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk 
• salt and pepper 
• 1 cup of leftover cooked white rice 
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce (optional) 

• 1 can of baked beans (or chilli beans) 
• 4 slices of cheddar cheese (or 1/2 cup grated cheese)  
• 2 cups of salad greens 
• optional: jalapenos, sriracha sauce, and sour cream to serve

Salsa

Finely dice the onion, tomato, capsicum and cucumber and mix together in a bowl. Add lime juice and season with a little salt. Stir and set aside. 

Bacon 

Heat a tbsp of oil in a heavy based fry pan and on a low heat, cook bacon until lightly browned on each side, then set aside in a warm oven (about 60 degrees) to keep warm while you prepare the rest. 

Red Rice

In the same pan that you cooked the bacon, add the cooked rice, 1/4 cup of water, tomato sauce and sriracha, stir over a low heat till all the tasty bacon flavours are lifted off the pan, the rice is a lovely red colour, and the water has evaporated, it may still be a little wet at this time, but remove into a small bowl and pop in the warm oven while you scramble the eggs.  

Eggs

Use a fork to lightly beat the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper. In a clean pan, heat 1 tbsp oil on a low heat and pour in the beaten eggs. Use a spatula to occasionally scrape the bottom of the pan so that the eggs scramble. Once set remove from the heat. 

To Assemble

Heat the baked beans in a small pot or microwave. 

Heat the tortillas for a couple of minutes in the warm oven, or 10 seconds in the microwave. 

Divide the fillings between the four tortillas centring in the middle a little: bacon, beans, cheese, rice, eggs, then salsa and a handful of greens. Adding jalapenos, sriracha, and sour cream if desired, though it's equally as tasty without. 

Fold the ends of each tortilla in slightly, then roll the tortilla around the filling so the seam is on the bottom, the slice diagonally. 

B & E Mini Pies

Everybody loves bacon and egg pies amiright? Well they sure are a winner in our house. These mini pies were created because I had some extra pastry and bacon that needed a home (like bacon every needs a home, but anyway). Best of all, they only take minutes to whip up, 25 minutes to bake, and seconds to devour. Pop them in lunchboxes, perfect for a picnic, take a plate or morning tea.
Be careful though, they're one of those things that you blink and they're gone. Seriously, I was eating one, (as I typed this recipe) and then it was gone, may have accused the Mr of taking my last bite, but alas, it was me. Whoops.

Ingredients (makes 6 texas muffin sized mini pies - recipe easily doubled)

• approx 150 g puff pastry 
• 3 rashers of free range middle bacon
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 3 free range eggs
• 3 tbsp milk 
• salt and pepper 
• butter to grease

Grease 6 texas muffin sized muffin holes and preheat your oven to 190 fan-bake.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry to make 6 x 15 cm squares. Gently press a square of pastry into each muffin hole, letting it overlap in spots, and leaving excess pastry to hang. 

Roughly chop bacon and divide between the pastry cases. 

Rinse frozen peas with water and drain, divide amongst pastry cases. 

Lightly beat the eggs with the milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pastry cases. 

Use a pastry brush to brush a little of the egg mixture over the pastry which overhangs (this step isn't necessary, but will make the pastry golden when it bakes). 

Pop into a hot oven for 25 minutes till puffed and golden. 

Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing. Eat warm or cold with or without a dollop of your favourite chutney.   

Spiced Chicken Pita's with Fix and Fogg Smoke and Fire Peanut Butter.

Are you a peanut butter fan? I most certainly am. On toast, crackers, fruit toast, hot cross buns. Toasted sandwich with banana and peanut butter, and best of all, SATAY. So when Fix and Fogg released their new Smoke & Fire Peanut Butter I was so intrigued. 
One taste and all I could think of was eating it with a chicken pita and slaw, trust me, it did not disappoint. 

In this recipe I have marinated the chicken in a lovely spice blend. I use whole seeds, which I lightly toast in a dry pan and then grind in a mortar and pestle. This is how you'll get the best and freshest flavour from the spices, but you can buy the pre-prepared ground spices if you wish. 
To make the slaw a little lighter in fat and flavour I've made a mix of garlic aioli and plain yogurt. The yogurt adds a subtle tang which accompanies the spice of the rub and Fix and Fogg perfectly.  

Ingredients (Serves 4): 

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil 
• 400 grams free range chicken
• 1/4 cabbage
• 2 carrots
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 heaped tbsp garlic aioli (or any good quality mayonnaise)
• 2 heaped tbsp plain yogurt 
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice 
• 4 large pita pockets 
• 4 (or more) tbsp of Fix and Fogg's Smoke & Fire Peanut Butter

First make the marinade. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Remove to a mortar and pestle and grind. Combine with smoked paprika, salt, and oil in a non-metallic bowl. Slice the chicken into strips, add this to the spice mixture and coat well. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes. 

To prepare the slaw finely shred the cabbage and onion (I used a food processor because I'm lazy, but a large sharp knife will do the same trick). Peel and grate the carrots. Pop all the veggies into a salad bowl and add the aioli, yogurt, and lemon juice. Use two large spoons to toss it all together well, you want the dressing to be lightly coating everything. Cover and set aside in the fridge till serving. You may want to give it another quick toss before serving in case the dressing has settled in the bottom. 

To cook the chicken, heat a large heavy based frying pan. Because the marinade has oil already I don't bother oiling the pan. Place the pieces of chicken in the hot pan and turn them after a few minutes, then continue cooking till cooked through. 

Warm the pita according to packet directions (or a quick pop in the toaster if they will fit). Spread a heaped spoonful of Fix and Fogg's Smoke & Fire Peanut Butter inside each pita pocket before filling with slaw and pieces of chicken. 

Savoury Cheese Veggie and Polenta Muffins

Savoury muffins are my new favourite snack, breakfast on the go, or as they were today, a quick and easy lunch alongside my favourite tinned soup 

These muffins are loaded with veggies and tasty cheese for calcium and a protein kick. You're welcome to chop and change the veggies used. Corn kernals and roasted pumkin or kumara are also very tasty. 

Polenta is also known as cornmeal and is available at most supermarkets, if you don't have it, you could substitute for 1/2 a cup of ground nuts, or 3/4 cup of extra flour.  

This recipe is easily doubled. I make a double batch, then individually wrap and freeze them. Frozen they stay fresh for up to 3 months. Simply grab one in the morning and it will be good to eat by morning tea time, or quickly warm in the microwave for 30 seconds. 

Ingredients (makes 12 regular muffins, or 6 texas* muffins): 

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp dried herbs or 1 tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, chives oregano or thyme) 
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup polenta 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup grated cheese, plus 1/4 extra for sprinkling on top
• 1 grilled red pepper (skin removed), roughly chopped 
• 1 cup of baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped, or 1/2 cup of frozen spinach, defrosted 
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, shallots, or sliced spring onion
• 1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli flakes (optional) 

Pre heat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Grease muffin trays or line with paper cases. 

Mix milk, oil and egg in a bowl. 

Sieve flour and baking powder in another bowl and stir through polenta, herbs, cheese, pepper, spinach, onion and pepper.  

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and fold in the wet ingredients. Be careful not to over-mix, some dry bits are fine. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese. 

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes if making regular size, or 25-30 minutes for Texas sized muffins. 

Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before removing.
Serve warm or room temperature with lashings of butter and a dollop of chutney. Also, a smear of vegemite or marmite adds a salty nutritional boost. 

Can freeze for up to 3 months. 

* Texas muffins are the larger muffin trays and are a similar size to what you would get in a cafe, while regular are the more cupcake size. 

Salmon and feta flan with peas

If you've been following my blog or recipe posts you'll notice salmon has been somewhat of a theme lately. Not to mention my assortment of sweet tarts and pies. This recipe combines the two: smoked salmon baked in a savoury pastry shell to make this delightful flan. 

Don't let the idea of making your own pastry put you off: it's actually ridiculously easy (especially with the use of a food processor - though it can be done by rubbing the butter and flour together with your fingertips), and truely impressive. Not to mention, it is a lot healthier than store bought flaky or short pastry. 

Pastry (Serves 6 - 8 as a light meal): 

• 1 1/4 c flour 
• 90 grams cold butter, diced
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 - 6 tbsp chilled water

In a food processor, place the flour, salt and diced butter. Blitz on high till the butter is combined and it resembles breadcrumbs. 

Slowly add the iced water 1 tbsp at a time while the motor is running. The pastry will combine and become a soft sticky ball of dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius, or 180 degrees on fan bake. Grease a 22cm tart tin generously with butter, or line with greaseproof paper. 

After chilling, remove from the fridge and on a lightly floured bench or piece of greaseproof paper, roll the pastry to be about 4 cm wider in diameter than your flan or tart tin. Gently press your pastry into the tin and trim the edges. (See any of my other tart posts for tips and tricks with pastry). 

Filling:

• 4 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 green capsicum, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, covered in boiling water and drained
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 150 grams smoked salmon
• 100 grams feta
• 1/2 tsp dried dill

Beat eggs with milk and salt. In the prepared pastry shell sprinkle the capsicum and peas evenly. Lay salmon over this, and then crumbled feta and red onion. 

Pour egg mixture over the top and gently press filling to ensure it is mainly submerged. 

Sprinkle with dried dill and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes reduce the heat to 180 degrees celsius, or 160 degrees fan bake, and bake for another 20 minutes. Once filling is set (and has most likely puffed up) and the pastry is cooked (it will be coming away from the edges of the tin) remove from the oven and set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool before slicing. 

Serve with dollops of your favourite chilli sauce.

Salmon Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that kind of goes with everything. It's mild in flavour and still in plentiful supply due to the warm weather we've been having. The salmon makes a welcome flavourful addition, and despite the fact that it's rather expensive, a little goes a long way in this dish. 

The best thing about it is you can easily whip it up in 20 minutes, including cooking time for a delightful brunch or quick dinner solution. The recipe below serves 2 - 3 people but could easily be doubled to feed more. 

Ingredients (serves 2 - 3/6-8 fritters): 

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 small - medium zucchini, grated
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried dill 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
• 100 grams flaked smoked salmon 
• oil or butter for frying
• optional: green salad, avocado, grain toast, fried eggs and salted greek yogurt to serve. 

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add the zucchini, spring onion, dill, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Stir in the flour and baking powder, mixing well, then finally add the milk and salmon. 

Heat a little oil or butter in a large frying pan, on a medium heat. Spoon the mixture into even sized fritters in the pan. Leave for 3-4 minutes, till small bubbles come to the surface. Flap the fritters and cook for another 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. 

To serve, prepare a light green salad, and some buttered grain toast. A fried egg on top of the fritter stack is also a nice accompaniment. Finally dollop a spoonful of salted greek yogurt onto the side. The fritters will keep in the fridge till later, but are best eaten fresh. 

Spinach and Feta Tart

As you might have seen I've made a lot of sweet tarts over the past year or so. However it's not often that I dabble with savoury tarts. Partly because I had yet to perfect the pastry. It needs to be buttery, crisp, but still taste wholesome. The addition of wholemeal flour and sunflower seeds in this pastry does just that. You could also sprinkle some toasted seeds over the top once it is cooked. 

This tart eats well warm straight from the oven, or cooled and packed for the lunchbox the next day. 

Ingredients (serves 4 as a meal, 8 as a snack):

• 1 cup of plain flour 
• 1 cup of wholemeal flour 
• 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
• 120 grams butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk 
• 3 - 4 tbsp of cold water
• 4 - 5 large eggs 
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 200 grams spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup of cottage cheese 
• 160 - 200 grams feta cheese
• 1 tsp each of salt and pepper 
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated or ground

In a food processor, combine the flours, salt and sunflower seeds. Blitz to chop the seeds. Add cubes of cold butter and mix on high until it resembles breadcrumbs. 

Add the egg yolk and 1 tbsp of water at a time, mixing until you have a soft dough. 

Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for a minute or two. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and grease a 30cm fluted tart tin, then prepare the filling. 

Place the spinach in a bowl and cover with boiling water for a minute. Drain and squeeze out excess moisture before roughly chopping. 

Put a small frying pan on a low heat and melt the butter and oil. Add the thyme and diced onion. Saute slowly, stirring often, for 10 minutes till the onions are soft, but not browned. Remove from the heat to cool. 

Break the eggs into a bowl with the milk, salt, pepper, and cottage cheese, and nutmeg, use a fork or whisk to beat well. Add the chopped spinach and cooled onion. Mix to combine. 

Roll the pastry and gently line the tart tin, pressing into the edges and trimming away the excess. 

Fill the pastry with the egg mixture, then crumble the feta evenly over the top, gently press it down into the filling with the back of a spoon. 

Bake in the hot oven for 50 minutes till the pastry is cooked and the filling is set. Allow to cool for at least ten minutes before slicing and serving with your favourite chutney and a salad.