Lime, Coconut, and Polenta Cake

This cake is gluten-free, but my daughter is allergic to nuts so I replaced the ground almonds with high-grade flour. I will make it again soon using ground almonds. You could easily replace the limes with lemons.

Ingredients

• 200 g softened butter
• 200 g sugar
• 120 g fine polenta
• 80 g desiccated coconut
• 100 g ground almonds (or flour)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of 2 limes

for the syrup

• Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
• 80 g icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan-forced).
2. Line the base and sides of a 23 cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper and lightly it with non-stick spray.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add one egg and beat.
5. Mix together the polenta, coconut, ground almonds (or flour), and baking powder. Add some of this into the creamed mixture. (the mixture can easily curdle if you add all the eggs at once).
6. Add the second egg and then alternate dry ingredients and the third egg.
7. Add the lime zest and place the mixture into the prepared tin.
8. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack, leaving it in its tin.
10. Make the syrup by boiling together the lime juice and icing sugar in a smallish saucepan until the icing sugar is dissolved.
11. Prick the top of the cake all over and pour the warm syrup over the cake.
12. Leave it to cool before taking it out of its tin.

Creamy Coconut Squares

Published by the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, July 1970. Mum made this regularly on her Monday baking days and it is still one of my favourite slices.

Ingredients – Base

• 115 g butter, softened
• 115 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 C flour
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t baking powder

Ingredients – Topping

• 1/2 tin sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 C icing sugar
• 3/4 C coconut
• 1/2 t vanilla essence

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg and beat well.
3. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture and gently mix until just combined.
4. Spread into a slice tin.
5. Cook at 170 °C (fan-forced oven) for 25 mins or until cooked. Leave to cool before spreading topping.
6. Gently warm the topping ingredients and spread over the cooled base. Sprinkle over some extra coconut. Chill until set.

Makes

24 slices

Red Bean & Chocolate Brownies

I originally found this recipe on http://www.food.com/recipe/kidney-bean-brownies-198852, but have slightly altered it. No one can taste the beans. It’s full of protein and contains no saturated fat.

Ingredients

• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup sugar
• ³⁄₄ cup high-grade flour
• ¹⁄₂ cup cocoa powder
• 1 t salt
• ¹⁄₂  cup unsweetened applesauce (or a tasteless oil)
• 4 eggs (or equivalent egg whites)
• 1 t vanilla
• Handful chocolate drops

Method

1. Line and grease a brownie pan.
2. In a food processor, puree the kidney beans with one of the eggs until the mixture is thick and creamy.
3. Combine all the rest of the ingredients except for the chocolate drops.
4. Beat on low speed until smooth.
5. Pour mixture into the brownie pan and scatter the chocolate drops over the top.
6. Bake in 180 °C oven for 25 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Moro Bar Muffins

So easy and this has been one of my favourite muffin recipes for several years.

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 to 2 Moro bars, chopped into tiny pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup plain yoghurt (or milk if you don’t have any yoghurt)
• 1/2 c oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra milk, if needed

Method

1. Sift dry ingredients together.
2. Add brown sugar, breaking up lumps.
3. Add Moro bar pieces reserving one piece each to put on top if you want.
4. Combine egg, yoghurt, and oil. Fold into dry ingredients until just mixed. Use the extra milk, if neeeded.
5. Spoon into greased muffin pans.
6. Either place one piece of Moro bar on top or sprinkle some sugar on top to make the top crunchy. I usually use raw sugar.
7. Bake at 200 °C for 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes

12 muffins

Yoghurt Spice Cake

Based on a recipe from http://www.foodlovers.co.nz/recipes/yoghurt-spice-cake.html.

Ingredients for cake

• 225 g flour
• 1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground cloves
• 1/2 t grated nutmeg
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 4 large eggs
• 250 g brown sugar
• 175 g butter, melted
• 250 ml plain natural yoghurt

Ingredients for topping

• 50 g dessicated coconut
• 50 g pistachio nuts and walnuts, chopped
• 115 g brown sugar
• 85 g butter, melted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 °C.
2. Grease and flour 24 cm cake pan.
3. Sift flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
4. Break the eggs into another large bowl, add the sugar and beat well, stir in the melted butter and yoghurt. Pour this mixture into the flour and fold until well blended.
5. Pour into cake pan, and smooth over the surface with back of spoon, bake for 40 to 45 mins until a skewer comes out clean. Turn onto wire rack to cool.
6. Mix all the topping ingredients together in a saucepan until the sugar has melted, and spread evenly over the top of the cake when cool. Place the cake under a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes until topping is golden and crisp, taking care not to burn. Return to the wire rack to cool.

Serve with natural or greek yoghurt.

Hayley’s Pinwheel Scones

I showed Hayley how to make cinnamon and chocolate pinwheel scones today. Here’s what we made. What do you think?

Ingredients for scones

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 50 g butter, diced
• 1 to 1 1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for filling

• 50 g butter, diced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 T cinnamon, mixed
• 3 rows of King Size dark chocolate, chopped

Method

1. Place flour, salt, butter, and milk into food processor and mix until it forms a soft ball.
2. On a floured surface, roll out the scone dough into a rectangle.
3. Sprinkle the second lot of diced butter on top.
4. Sprinkle the combined brown sugar and cinnamon on top.
5. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate on top.
6. Roll up from one of the long ends like a sponge roll.
7. Cut into pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 cm wide.
8. Place flat side onto a greased baking tray.
9. Bake for 15 mins at 180 °C or until just golden.
10. Remove from tray and cool on wire rack.

Makes

14

Alternatives:

• Add 1/2 cup sultanas or some grated apple.