Apple Cake (Finnish Apple Pie/ Omenapiiraka)

Yields approx. 16 slices
note: recipe below is adapted from a Finnish recipe, so I have converted the dl (decilitre) measurements into grams

Ingredients

• 1kg apples (pink lady or royal gala)
• 4 eggs
• 3dl (approx. 255g) caster sugar
• 150g melted butter let cool
• 2dl (200g) milk or milk substitute
• 5dl (52g) all purpose flour
• 3tsp baking powder
• 2tsp vanilla sugar (optional)
• half tsp ground cardamom (optional)

Decoration (before baking)

• 2-3tbsp sugar 
• 2tsp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Cut apples into quarters removing the core, then slice into thickness of choice 
2. Whisk eggs with sugar at room temperature, then pour cooled down melted butter into it to mix
3. Add milk then dry ingredients and mix thoroughly 
4. Pour cake batter into baking paper lined tray
5. Sprinkle over ground cinnamon and sugar
6. Bake at 200degrees on the lower shelf of oven
7. Serve with vanilla custard or ice cream if desired

Tips

• You can reduce the sugar called for in main recipe if baking for toddlers
• If you love your apples, try cutting them in thick chunks 
• If you’re out of apples, try replacing with rhubarb or berries 

Beet Cake

Banana Cake

This recipe has been adapted from a recipe found on Sunset Food - Veronica Pape's great-grandmother's moist banana cake.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Large Eggs
2. 1 cup Granulated Sugar
3. 1 cup Sour Cream
4. 1 cup Mashed Ripe Banana (approx. 2)
5. 1 tsp Vanilla
6. 2 cups All-purpose Flour
7. 2 tsp Baking Powder
8. 1 tsp Baking Soda
9. 1/2 tsp Salt
10. 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
11. 1/8 tsp Ground Ginger
12. 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
13. 1 tsp Coffee (espresso or instant coffee)
14. Icing Sugar

Method:

1. Mix eggs, sugar, sour cream, bananas, and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
2. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
3. Stir flour mixture gradually into banana mixture, ensuring both mixture blend well.
4. Transfer banana cake batter into a buttered baking tray.
5. Bake at 350° in the oven for approximately 35mins, or until top springs back when gently pressed. To check, insert a wooden stick or skewer in the center, and the skewer comes out clean.
6. Dust with icing sugar before cutting up the cake to serve.

Hint:

1. The coffee acts as a camouflage to the baking soda taste in the cake.
2. For those without a convection oven, you can use aluminium foil to cover the top of the baking tray and bake for approximately 20mins, then remove foil to bake a further 15mins until cake is ready.

Plum Traybake

This traybake recipe yields 12 squares. Tried and tested and is highly favoured.

Recipe originates from Waitrose.com recipes.

Also try:
Blueberries instead of Plums (see below)

Williams-Sonoma Tiramisù

This recipe serves 12 to 15.

Ingredients

• EGG YOLKS, 6
• SUGAR, 3/4 cup
• MASCARPONE CHEESE, 1 pound, softened
• HEAVY CREAM, 2 cups chilled
• RUM, 2 tablespoons
• VANILLA EXTRACT, 1 teaspoon
• ESPRESSO, 2 tablespoons, plus 2 to 3 cups brewed
• EGG WHITES, 5
• SAVOIARDI [LADYFINGERS COOKIE], 40 to 50
• COCOA POWDER
  

Method

1. In a mixing bowl set over but not touching a pan of simmering water, beat the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick ribbons fall from the whisk (4 to 5 minutes).
2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth and creamy (2 to 3 minutes).
4. In a chilled large mixing bowl, beat the cream to stiff peaks.
5. Add the rum, vanilla and the 2 tablespoons of espresso and beat until smooth.
6. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks (when the whisk is lifted straight out of the bowl and inverted, the whites should hold their shape).
7. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the cream until blended and smooth.
8. Add about 1 cup of the beaten egg whites and fold gently until blended.
9. Add the remaining egg whites and fold gently until the mixture is smooth and blended.
10. One at a time, submerge each ladyfinger into the remaining espresso, then put it on the bottom of a 6-quart glass or ceramic baking or serving dish (about 2 inches deep).
11. Continue to form a complete layer.
12. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the soaked ladyfingers until evenly covered.
13. Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers over the mascarpone cream, then spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly over the top.
14. Dust the Tiramisù with cocoa powder to create a rich, dark topping.
15. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 1 day before serving.

Fruit Glazed Cake

I was set a challenge in November - to make a Fruit Glazed Cake for Sami. I went searching for a suitable recipe online. The search wasn't that successful, but I did find one which was good to use: Tropical Fruit-Topped Cake

The cake base I'd say is rather important. Due to the lack of time for practice on the cake, I thought of other methods to ensure a successful cake base. In the end I cheated and bought those ready to use sponge cake mix - which made the base.

That way it saved me on the tedious measuring as all I had to do was to follow the instructions found on the sponge cake mix packet. Then I adapted the recipe I found for the topping & glazing steps.

Ingredients:

Cake base

1. 1 packet of Sponge cake mix
   The ready to use sponge cake mix is made up of:
   • wheat flour
   • sugar
   • vegetable oil
   • skimmed milk powder
   • raising agents
   • emulsifier
   • salt
2. 1 egg
3. 5 tbsp of water
   
   Topping
   
4. 1 packet of cream cheese, kept at room temperature
   
5. 1/4 cup powdered sugar
   
6. 3/4 chilled whipping cream
   
7. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
   
   Glazing
   
8. 6 ounces guava juice concentrate or passion fruit concentrate or passion fruit concentrate (I improvised & used the juice from the canned fruits)
   
9. 2 tbsp cornstarch
   
10. 1 tsp sugar
    
11. 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    
12. 1 small carton strawberries
    
13. 1 kiwi fruit
    
14. 1 can sliced peaches
    
15. 1 can sliced pineapples

Method:

Cake base

1. Bake the cake bottom following instructions found on the sponge cake mix packet.
   
2. Bake for 20-30minutes until golden brown.
   
3. Leave the cake to cool in the cake tin and start preparing for the topping.
   
   Topping
   
4. Mix together cake topping ingredients in the mixer bowl. Starting from a low speed & gradually move upwards.
   
5. Keep the mixing speed constant after you've reached a high speed. Mix thoroughly until the cream is well bodied.
   
6. Spread the cream evenly over the cake base and leave it in the fridge to chill.
   
   Glazing
   
7. Heat guava juice concentration, cornstarch and lemon juice to boiling, stirring constantly careful not to let the cornstarch cake up into lumps.
   
8. Let cool. Add to the top of cake. Decorate top with fruit and chill it in the fridge again. When the glazing is set, the cake is ready to be served.
   

Having cheated on this attempt, I feel that I will give it another attempt using the original recipe & method found above. Will definitely post the outcome once I give it a try.

If you find any good Fruit Glazed Cake recipes, do leave a message!

Strawberry Charlotte

An ideal spring/summer dessert, absolutely delicious and fantastically easy to make.

Ingredients:
Fresh strawberries (1 pck)
Creme Fraiche
Sugar
Lady Fingers (1 pck)

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the cream and the sugar until it's smooth (2 parts cream 1 part sugar- you can put less sugar if you wish).
   
2. Line the bottom of a flat base container with lady fingers and also the sides.
   
3. Cut the strawberries into small pieces and lay them onto the lady fingers.
   
4. Spoon in a layer of the cream mixture.
   
5. Repeat.
   
6. Leave in the fridge for at least an hour, for best results, leave it overnight.
   
7. The idea is to have layers of lady fingers, strawberries and cream.

Et Voila! Your strawberry Charlotte is done!

Bon Appetite!

Baked Cheesecake

This is my favourite cheese cake recipe picked up 10 years back. It has a light weight cheese taste, especially suitable for those who like it light and not too creamy.

Ingredients:
Crust

150g digestive biscuit (pounded into crumbs)

90g butter (melted)

Cream Cheese Mix

500g cream cheese @ room temperature (philadelphia Kraft soft cheese)

60g castor sugar

3 eggs, separated

75g cream (single pouring cream)

30g plain flour (sifted)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

pinch of salt

Method:
Base
Grease well 22cm springform cake pan. Mix biscuit crumbs with melted butter & spread on base of cake pan, pressing mixture down with the back of a wooden spoon. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Cream Cheese Mix
Put cream cheese, half the sugar, egg yolks, cream, flour and vanilla
essence into an electric blender or food processor & blend until smooth & creamy.

In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites with salt for 2mins, till fluffy. Add remaining sugar gradually & beat just until stiff. Carefully mix cream cheese mixture with beaten egg whites & pour onto chilled crust.

Baking
Bake in preheated 160deg oven for 50mins or until centre is quite firm. Turn off oven & leave cheesecake to cool inside oven. Chill in refridgerator for two hours or overnight. When serving, bring the cake out and slice to desired sizes, let thaw a few minutes before serving.


*Hints on Improvisation*
Spring Form Cake Pan = Disposable Aluminium Cake Pan
Crust = Readymade/Off-The-Shelf Cake Crusts
Single Cream = Whole Milk (when in dire urge to get cheese cake made but single cream is not available)
Sweetness of Cake = Just adjust amount of sugar as desired.