Coffee and Praline Cake

Coffee cake is truly a British classic, and one of my all-time favourite cakes. It is often found on dessert menus and afternoon tea trays. This is also an easy cake to bake, a delicious coffee sponge topped with a smooth coffee buttercream. 

One of the reason why I love this coffee cake is that both the sponge and the buttercream are absolutely jam-packed with coffee flavour.

Also if you have to make a cake for a tea stall at a fete or a show, then Coffee Cake is your best bet. IN my experience, it is the most popular cake to offer and it is straightforward to make. You only need buttercream icing for the top and middle and then finish it off with walnuts, pecans or praline (as I have here). You can always skip the praline if you like a more everyday cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coffee granules
• 4 large eggs
• 225g butter, plus extra for greasing, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the praline:

• 100g granulated sugar
• 75g shelled hazelnuts

For the coffee buttercream:

• 1 tbsp coffee granules
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven.

Grease two 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.

Dissolve the coffee in 1 tablespoon of boiling water. Put the eggs, butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and coffee into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level the surface.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until well risen and the sponge has come away from the sides of the tins. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

To make the praline: Line a baking sheet with a baking paper. Put the sugar and 4 tablespoons of water into a saucepan over a low heat. Slowly stir until the sugar dissolves and you have a clear syrup. Remove the spoon, increase the heat and boil, without stirring, until the syrup is pale golden. (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully).

Add the hazelnuts and swirl to coat them in the syrup, then quickly tip the mixture onto the baking sheet. leave to cool and harden.

To make the buttercream: Dissolve the coffee in 1 tablespoon of boiling water. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the coffee and icing sugar a little at a time, beating until smooth, light and fluffy.

Break the cooled praline into pieces over a wooden board, then chop into very small pieces.

Put one cake on a plate, upside down. Pipe small dollops of buttercream on the cake, reserving half the buttercream for the top. Sprinkle with half the praline. Sit the second cake on top, spread with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle with the remaining praline.

 

Easy Tarka Dal

Serve this great-tasting, healthy Easy Tarka Dal with steaming rice or naan bread for a delicious flavourful meal. This recipe is great for vegetarians/vegans or anyone looking for a meat-free option. It's the perfect accompaniment for spicer curries! This recipe is adaptable and can be made with almost any lentils.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
• 3 cups water
• 1 green chillies, optional
• ½ tsp turmeric powder

For Tarka:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 dried chilli
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, diced
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves

Method:

Wash the lentils in the water until clear. Drain and set aside.

Add lentils, water, turmeric powder, green chilies to the saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat and cook until tender. Skim the foam on the top. Cooking lentils can take between 15-20 minutes.

Once the lentils are cooked, simply whisk it through for a smooth consistency. Add another ¼- ½ cup water if the dal is too thick. Season with salt.

Tadka for Dal: Heat 1 tbsp oil in another pan and add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dried chillies and allow the seeds to pop.

Add onion, ginger, garlic and fry for 3-5 minutes until translucent.

Add the tomatoes, spice powders, salt and stir. Cook again for another 1 minute.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or roti for a comforting Indian meal.

Ginger Sweet Potato and Coconut Milk Stew with Kale & Lentils

This creamy comforting, hearty and nutritious ginger sweet potatoes is loaded with texture and good-for -you ingredients like sweet potatoes, ginger, lentils and kale. This stew is dairy-free and vegan, and because of all the plant-base protein, you will be amazed just how filling it is!!

It is hard to beat a good stew. A classic comfort food, warm, hearty stews fill our bellies and make us feel good. The best part about stew is that it is easy to make them nutritional powerhouses. This ginger sweet potatoes stew with coconut milk, lentils and kale is simple, healthy, and oh-so comforting.

What's not to love about this sweet potatoes stew recipe? It is bright orange colour with gorgeous bursts of green kale make it as easy on the eyes as its creamy texture with a hint of spice does on the taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil or any cooking 
• 1 large onions, diced
• ½- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 2 large sweet potatoes, diced into 2-inch cubes
• ¾ cup brown lentils
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tin full fat coconut milk
• bunch of chopped kale, add more if desire

Garnish (optional) :

• chilli flakes
• lime wedges
• chopped coriander
• nigella seeds

Method:

Heat a large pot over a medium heat and melt coconut oil. 

Sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the spices and stir until fragrant, about 1 minutes.

Add ginger and garlic and stir for another minute.

Stir in salt and pepper.

Add in the sweet potatoes and lentils and stir until everything is coated.

Season again with salt and pepper.

Add the vegetable stock and stir thoroughly, so everything is mixed well, no dry clumps.

Put the lid on the pot and bring the soup to a boil.

Lower the heat to simmer with the lid slightly off the pot to allow for steam to escape.

Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes and lentils are both soft and tender.

Stir in the coconut milk and kale. Put the lid back on and simmer until the kale is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.

Check for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or chillies as desired.

Coffee Chiffon Cake

Because I am such a glutton when it comes to chiffon cake, I do not allow myself to bake too many in a month. Well, it is for the best really, otherwise I may not be able to fit through my kitchen doors.😛😛

I love the aroma of coffee brewing and I am an avid coffee lover, so why not married the love of coffee and cake together!

This chiffon cake is so so soft and fluffy and has enough coffee aroma but is not overpowering. I also added some Camp Coffee in this chiffon cake. It's so perfect for that morning breakfast or with that afternoon tea/coffee break!

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp (10g) instant coffee powder, 2 tbsp if you want a more stronger coffee flavour
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 5 egg yolks
• ¼ cup (50g) castor sugar
• ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable or sunflower oil
• ¼ cup (60ml) milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1½ tsp camp coffee*
• 1 cup (100g) cake flour or plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 5 egg whites
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• ½ cup (100g) sugar

Method:

You will need a 23cm chiffon cake pan.  Do not grease the mould.  Preheat oven to 170ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven.

Before starting making the cake, add 1 tbsp hot water with the coffee. Mix well and set aside. 

Separate the eggs to yolks and whites. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl with the coffee mixture. Mix until all incorporated well. 

Add in the ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup oil, vanilla extract, camp coffee until all the ingredients are mix well.

Add in the ¼ cup milk.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth and free from lumps. Set aside while you whisk the egg whites.

In a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium low speed until opaque, foamy and bubbly. Increase the speed to high and add in the ½ cup sugar slowly in small increments. It takes about 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. To check on stiff peaks, pull up your whisk and see if the egg whites go straight up and just the tip is soft enough that it folds over.

Using a whisk, fold in 1/3 of the egg whites in the batter until the mixture is homogeneous. Fold in the rest of the egg whites in 2-3 increments and mix gently until the mixture is homogeneous.

Pour the batter into the ungreased 23cm chiffon cake pan in the same location to prevent from forming more bubbles.

To prevent or remove air pockets before baking, run a skewer or spatula through the batter and then drop the pan gently on the kitchen worktop a few times.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed. 

As soon as you take out the cake pan from the oven, drip it gently on the kitchen worktop to stop shrinking. The cake must be cooled upside down in its pan so that it stretches downward instead of collapsing. Let it cool completely.

To remove the cake, run a thin sharp knife around both the outer and inner edge of the cake. Remove the cake from the pan and run the knife on the bottom. Move onto a serving plate.

Dust with icing sugar on top, if you like, and enjoy!

Orange And Almond Loaf Cake

I was looking to make a simple yet fabulous and delicious cake. Also I wasn't looking to buy more ingredients! Just looking to make a cake from what I can find in my larder.  After a few minutes of searching online, I stumble across this recipe from Dr Oetker website. This fabulous fruity loaf is super easy to make and so delicious. This is an amazing dessert or even a breakfast with a nice cup of coffee!

Ingredients:

• 175g plain flour
• 2g baking powder
• 100g ground almond
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml vegetable oil
• 100ml milk
• 5ml Valencian Orange Extract

For the topping:

• 300g Dr Oetker Vanilla Buttercream style icing*
• zest of 1 orange
• 100g chopped almond

Method:

Preheat the oven at 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Line a one pound loaf with baking paper and set a side.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly.

Add the wet ingredients directly into the bowl and whisk together.

Pour the mixture into the loaf pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is golden and when you insert a skewer in the centre, it comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before decorating.

To decorate, thoroughly mix the buttercream with the zest. Gently spread over the icing and then sprinkle with chopped almonds and flower, if desire. 

Enjoy!!

*Notes: If you wish you can make your own buttercream icing. 

Mexican Spiced Quinoa Vegetable Stew

Self-care comes in many forms and sometimes it is the shape of a BIG pot of nourishing soup!. Whip up a fresh batch at the beginning of the week to have a cosy bowl available any time you need a dose of TLC. Filled with healing spices, plant-based protein, vibrant veggies, line and leafy greens too, there is nothing like a warming bowl to brighten your body + soul!

Ingredient:

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil, or any cooking oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1½ tsp salt or to taste
• 5-6 cups vegetables, chopped ( squash, cauliflower, zucchini, parsnip, potatoes, sweet potatoes)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup quinoa
• 1½ cups cooked black beans
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 cups spinach
• juice of 1 large lime
• ½ cup coriander, reserved some for garnishing

Method:

Heat a heavy based sauce pot or a cast iron pot over a medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and sauté until tender about 5-6 minutes. Next, add in the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook for one to two minutes until the mixture is well coated. Add in the chopped vegetables of choice and sauté (reserving tomatoes and spinach until the end). Cook for 5 minutes until softened.

Add in the tomato paste, stock and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Adjust the water amount if necessary. Reduce to simmer and cover for 10 minutes. Next, add in the quinoa and black beans and cook for additional 15 minutes or until all the vegetables can be pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat and add in the tomatoes, ¼ cup coriander and spinach. Mix with a spoon to distribute evenly. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the pot and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with an extra squeeze of lime, coriander and crushed red pepper flakes!

Spicy Tomato Almond Chutney

 Spicy Tomato Almond Chutney is a simple delicious and nutritious accompaniment to any Indian bread, like phulka, dosa and idli. This delicious chutney can be ready in 15 minutes !

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 2-3 tomatoes, diced
• 3 dried red chillies
• 5 cloves garlic
• 4 cloves
• ¼ cup almonds
• 1 small ball tamarind, about a size of marble
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, sauté the onions, tomatoes, dried chillies, garlic, cloves and almonds one after another. Take it off the heat and let it cool. Then transfer it to a blender, add salt and tamarind and blitz to make a smooth chutney.

Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve as side with any dish!

Vegan Char Siew (BBQ Tofu)

This vegan Char Siew (BBQ Tofu) is simply delicious and easy-to-make. Rich, sweet, and savoury sauce made from a blend of hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, garlic and spices coats pan-fried tofu for a delicious vegan dish high in protein.

Ingredients:

• a block of firm tofu, 396g
• ¼ cup corn flour
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup/golden syrup
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• a drop of dark soy sauce, for colour (optional)
• white pepper
• ¼ cup water

Sweet sauce mix (optional)

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup or golden syrup

Method:

Combine all the char siew sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Cut tofu into 3 slabs, lengthwise. Rub all sides with corn flour.

Heat a non-stick pan and add in a tablespoon of oil. Using low-medium heat, pan -fry the tofu until golden brown on all sides. Do not flip the tofu until a crust is formed.

Once the tofu is ready, add in the sauce. Coat each side with the sauce until the tofu has a nice glossy sheen. This process takes a little bit of time as you need to turn and coat each side evenly.

Remove the tofu from the pan and let them cool down completely before slicing it into slices.

Now, make the sweet sauce by mixing maple syrup and soy sauce with toasted sesame oil in a bowl. Or you can simply cook the sauce in the pan with the remaining oil in the pan. 

You can serve the vegan tofu with flavoured ginger rice. Add a spoonful of sweet sauce mix on top of the Char Siew then pair it with a side of sliced cucumber and ginger garlic chili sauce.

Enjoy!

Sourdough Roti/Phulka

This is a simple traditional Indian flat bread with a touch of sourdough starter. Amazingly it is only made with only 4 ingredients!!

What is the difference between chapati and phulka? Chapati is made on a tawa only and roasted with oil or ghee. Whereas phulka are partially cooked on the tawa and pater puffed on direct flame. Also chapati is usually larger in size than a phulka. 

Ingredients:

• 260g whole wheat flour, extra for rolling
• 50g sourdough starter
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup water

Method:

In a bowl add the whole wheat flour, salt, sourdough starter and water. Combine well to form a dough.

Set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll them into round ball. Roll the dough into the extra flour that you keep aside for rolling.

Using a roller, spread the dough into 6 inch thin round. Make sure to spread thin, with a thickness of a credit card or ½ inch. Also dust off the extra flour, so that you will not see any burnt flour in the griddle.

Once you spread half of the dough, heat a griddle or tawa. When you sprinkle water, it will sizzle, that is the sign that your gridle is ready.

Carefully place the spread disc and cook for 30 seconds or until you have blister or bubbles on the top, flip and cook the other side too for another 1-2 minutes or until you see brown spots.

Place directly into the flame, phulka will puffed up.

Remove from the fire and transfer to a tortilla container (if you have one). Close the lid immediately. This will make steam to trap inside and make a soft phulka.

Serve with phulka with side dishes. You can store the sourdough phulka at room temperature for one day and reheat in microwave for 15 seconds before serving.

Creamy Sri Lankan Prawn Curry

 Sri Lankan prawn curry or what some of you may know as a shrimp curry. 

A seafood curry with delicious, addictive flavours you can cook under 30 minutes. Serve with a crispy, flaky roti, fluffy naan bread or even goes well with steamed rice!

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves
• 4cm piece ginger, peeled, roughly chopped
• 1 large mild green chilli, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 400g peeled and deveined prawns
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• coriander for garnishing

Method:

Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic, ginger, chilli and a pinch of salt to a very rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring, for half a minute. Then add the curry powder and tomato paste and stir for another half a minute. Add the tomato and cook for about 2 minutes to allow the tomato to soften. Then add the coconut milk, chicken stock and cinnamon stick. Simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns are cooked through. Season with sugar and salt to taste. Serve topped with coriander.

Vegan Puff Pastry Lentil and Jackfruit Loaf

This vegan loaf is a show stopping entrée perfect for special occasions. Flavourful with lentils, mushrooms and jackfruits filling is wrapped in crisp puff pastry.

Young jackfruit gives this loaf its meatiness, lentils make it filling and mushrooms are responsible for amazing texture and flavour.

When it comes to the holidays, choosing a vegan entrée can be the most intimidating. What can stand in for Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham? Look no further than this vegan  loaf. It is a show stopingly beautiful and has more flavour than a turkey ever could.

Ingredients:

• 2 shallots, diced
• 200g mushroom, small dice
• 100ml red wine
• ¼ cup celery, small dice
• ¼ cup carrot, small dice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tin of jackfruit, drained
• 1½ cup cooked brown lentils, partially pureed with hand blender
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2tbsp cooking oil
• 1 packet of shop bought puff pastry
• soy milk for brushing

Method:

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté shallot until soft and translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté until all the liquid is evaporated, for about 10 minutes.

Pour red wine and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed. Then add celery, carrot and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables start to soften.

Now add rosemary, thyme, cumin, jackfruit, lentils, vegetable stock, soy sauce, tomato paste and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes.

In 10 minutes, taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Stir in the ground flaxseed and cook for a minute until all liquid is absorbed.

Switch off the heat and set it aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 190ºC/170ºC for fan assist oven. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and set aside.

Divide the puff pastry into two rectangles: one twice as big as the other. Roll out the bigger rectangle. Put the lentil jackfruit filling in the middle and shape a loaf. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with soy milk. Roll out the smaller rectangle and place it on top of the loaf. Lift the edges of the bottom puff pastry sheet and press them with the edges of the top sheet.

Brush the top of the loaf with soy milk and place it onto the baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Vegan Chocolate Orange Mousse Cake

Orange and chocolate is just one of those delicious combos! Not forgetting this is also vegan !

Silky, creamy chocolate orange mousse sandwiched between two moist and spongey layers of vegan chocolate orange cake. This showstopper cake is guaranteed to please vegans and non-vegans a like!

Ingredients:

Cake ingredients:

• 280g plain flour 
• 280g granulated sugar
• 35g cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 200ml soya milk, warm
• 100ml orange juice
• 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 120g vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp orange extract
• 1 tsp orange zest

Mousse ingredients:

• 400g silken tofu
• 400g dark chocolate, chopped
• 150ml orange juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup/golden syrup
• 2 tbsp orange extract
• 1 tsp orange zest

Chocolate Ganache layer:

• 100g cocolate
• 100g soya milk

Method:

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven.  Line 2 x 8" sandwich tin or an 8" cake tin with baking paper.

Sieve together all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Set aside. 

Warm up the soy milk, 60 second in the microwave should be warm enough. Add the apple cider vinegar to the milk to make a "buttermilk". Leave to curdle for 10-15 minutes.

Add the remaining wet ingredients including the orange zest to the  buttermilk. Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Whisk together until fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.

Pour the cake batter into the cake tin. If you are using 2 sandwich pans, distribute the batter equally into the 2 pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes for the 2 sandwich pans or 40-45 minutes for the single pan. Use a skewer to test the cake, if it comes out clean it is ready. Take out of the oven and leave to cool completely.

Once cooled, take the cake out from the tin and using a wire cutter or serrated knife, cut the single cake into two even layers. If you are using 2 sandwich pans, no cutting is needed. Cut the top dome of the cake to level them out.

 

Leave one layer in the base of the cake tin, ready for the mousse to be poured on top.

For the mousse: In a food processor, add all the ingredients except for the chocolate. Blitz until smooth. You can also use a hand whisk if you not have a food processor.

Melt the chocolate using a bain-marie or in the microwave using 30 seconds bursts. Pour the melted chocolate into the food processor and blitz until it is fully incorporated.

Pour the mousse onto the bottom cake layer in the tin. Place the cake tin in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set or put into the freezer for 20 minutes to speed up the process.

Place the top cake layer on to the mousse and leave the whole cake to set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

For the ganache: Meanwhile, heat up the soy milk in a saucepan on low heat. When it starts to simmer, pour it onto the 100g chocolate and set aside for 5 minutes to melt.

Carefully take the cake out of the loose bottom cake tin and pour  the ganache layer on top of the cake.

You can decorate the cake as you can see from my pictures, I used fresh strawberries. 

Cut and serve!!!