Mandarin & Bay Leaf Olive Loaf

Mandarin & Bay Leaf Olive Loaf

Course Dessert
Cuisine Modern Australian
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

  • 160 ml mild extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 fresh bay leaves crumpled/bruised, plus extra to decorate
  • 5 –6 mandarins (about 600g depending on their size
  • 225 g plain flour all-purpose
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 100 g apple purée
  • 80 ml buttermilk
  • 3 eggs

Apple purée

  • 4 large apples

Instructions
 

  • For the apple purée, peel, core and roughly chop the apples. Put the apples and a splash of water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes or until tender. Stir and mash the apples, still over the heat, until broken down – they should be mushy and quite thick. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  • Heat the olive oil and bay leaves in a small saucepan over low heat for about 10 minutes or until bubbles start to form around the leaves. Set aside to cool and infuse, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, reserving the oil.
  • Finely zest and juice 3 mandarins – you need 2 tsp of zest and 80ml juice. Thinly slice the remaining whole unpeeled mandarins. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Grease a loaf (bar) tin (11.5 cm x 21.5cm) and line the base and two long sides with a piece of non-stick baking paper, extending the paper about 4cm above the sides of the tin.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Whisk the cooled olive oil, apple purée, mandarin zest and juice, buttermilk and eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined. Pour into the prepared tin and top with the mandarin slices, slightly overlapping them along the centre, as they will spread out as the cake rises.
  • Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before gently turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely, mandarin-side up.
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Posted on Categories Cakes

LEMONY CAULIFLOWER CAKE

LEMONY CAULIFLOWER CAKE

Course Dessert
Cuisine Modern Australian
Servings 1 6 inch cake

Ingredients
  

  • Crust Ingredients:
  • 1.5 cups pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds or any nut of your choice if not nut-free)
  • 8 soft medjool dates pitted
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Filling:

  • 2 cups steamed cauliflower florets
  • 2 medium avocados peeled and de-seeded
  • 1 cup chopped pineapple fresh or thawed out
  • 8 tbsp maple syrup
  • 6 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp lemon extract or zest of 1 lemon or more to taste
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • pinch optional: aof turmeric for a yellower colour I didn't use
  • 1/4 cup poppy seeds
  • Toppings:
  • a few handfuls of pumpkin seeds poppy seeds, and fresh flowers

Instructions
 

  • Process all crust ingredients into a sticky crumble in a food processor. Transfer the mixture into a 6" springform pan with tall walls. Press down to compact into an even crust along the base. Freeze while working on the next step.
  • Blend all filling ingredients, except poppy seeds, into a smooth mixture in a power blender.
  • Add in the poppy seeds and pulse briefly to blend them in without crushing them (or can stir them into the mixture by hand if you prefer). Transfer this mixture over the prepared crust and smooth out the top.
  • Sprinkle with any desired toppings (except fresh flowers) and freeze for 5-6 hours or overnight.
  • Decorate with fresh flowers prior to serving if using. Thaw the cake out on the counter a few minutes and enjoy!
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Pasta with Burst Cherry Or Grape Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Burst Cherry Or Grape Tomato Sauce

Course Entree, Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g spaghetti
  • Sea salt flakes
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 3 punnets cherry/grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
  • Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan or wide heavy saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic, then tomatoes, pepper, sugar, and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and release their juices to form a sauce, 6–8 minutes.
  • Toss pasta with tomato sauce and basil.
  • Top with Parmesan & enjoy!
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