Banana Cake

Banana Cake

Ingredients

·     2 ripe bananas

·     ¾ cups of caster sugar

·     2 eggs

·     ½ cup of sunflower oil

·     1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups of plain flour

·     1 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

·     ¼ teaspoons salt

·     1 teaspoon cinnamon

·     ¼ cups of chopped walnuts

·     ¼ cups of raisins

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Method

1.     Heat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

2.     Mash the bananas until they are smooth.

3.     Add all other ingredients, one by one, stirring with each addition.

4.     Lightly grease your baking tin and pour the cake mixture in. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Banana Cake

Banana Cake

Kourabiedes or Kourabiethes (Greek: Kουραμπιέδες)

Korabiedes

Today I would like to share with you all a recipe I learnt from a friend of mine. They are easy to make and are addictive. Greek Butter Biscuits called Kourabiedes (Greek: Kουραμπιέδες)

Ingredients

·         1 Cup butter, softened

·         ½ Cup icing sugar

·         1 egg yolk

·         1 tablespoon Brandy or Ouzo (I have used Metaxa [Μεταξά])

·         1 tablespoon rose water (optional)

·         2 ½ to 3 cups plain flour (approximately)

·         1 Cup ground almonds

·         1 packet icing sugar for dusting

Method 

1.   Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

2.   Mix the butter and the icing sugar until light and fluffy.

3.   Beat in the egg yolk and brandy, then almonds and the flour (start with 2 ½ cups and add little extra if the dough is runny) to form a soft, firm dough.

4.   Make the cookies in your desired shape (I preferred the round shape as it was easy to make)

5.   Place on a baking tray, allowing room for spreading slightly.

6.   Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to the touch.

7.   Meanwhile, sift a layer of icing sugar into a large roasting tin.

8.   Remove biscuits, allow to cool slightly then place in the tin in a single layer.

9.   Sift over more icing sugar (generously) and cool for 3-4 hours.

Tip: Try the biscuits without the icing coat (leave the steps from 7 to 9). 

Almond cake

Almond cake

Ingredients

5 egg whites (at room temperature)
Pinch of salt
75g/3oz caster sugar (1/3 Cups)
175g/6oz ground almonds (1 Cup)
1 orange, zest only, grated
1 tbsp. orange liqueur (optional)
25g/1oz slivered almonds

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Grease and line a 20cm/8in spring form cake tin.
3. Whisk the egg whites with the salt until they stand in soft peaks. Whisking constantly, add the sugar a little at a time. Continue whisking until the mixture is firm, shiny and very thick.
4. Fold in the ground almonds, orange zest and the liqueur, if using, with a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and sprinkle the slivered almonds over the top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Allow to stand in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen, turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack


http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/almondcake_74644.pdf

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/kitchart/kitchart2.html

Sponge Cake

SpongeCake

Ingredients:

Eggs – 3

Flour – 1 cup

Sugar – 1 cup

Baking Powder – 1 tsp.

Whipping Cream.

Method of Preparation:

1.       Preheat the oven to 180° C/ gas 160° C/ gas 4. Grease 20 cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.

2.      Beat eggs in electric mixer for 5 - 10 minutes. Add sugar and beat in electric mixer till it completely dissolves.

3.      Combine baking power & flour to the above mixture

4.     Finally add whipping cream to the above mixture and combine to make batter.

5.      Bake in the preheated oven at 150° C for 40 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out clean.

Plain Cake

Plain Cake

Ingredients:

Eggs – 3

Flour – 1 ½ cup

Oil – ½ cup

Sugar – 1 cup

Baking Powder – 1 tsp.

Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp.

Saffron & Rose Water (2 tbsp.)

Sesame seeds to garnish

Method of Preparation:

• 1.       Preheat the oven.
• 2.      Beat eggs in electric mixer for 5 - 10 minutes. Add sugar and beat in electric mixer till it completely dissolves. Add oil and beat again.
• 3.      Add Saffron & Rose water, cardamom and baking power to the above mixture
• 4.     Add flour to the above mixture and combine to make batter.
• 5.      Line the baking dish and pour the above mixture into the dish.
• 6.     Bake in the preheated oven at 150° C for 40 minutes or until the tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Agar Agar China Grass Pudding

Agar Agar China Grass Pudding

Ingredients:

½ litres of Milk
6 grms of Agar Agar China Grass strips
6 tbsp. Sugar
Flavouring & colour of your choice

Method of preparation:

1. 1.     Soak Agar Agar China Grass Strips in sufficient quantity of water for 10 minutes and drain it.
2. 2.     Boil milk and add soaked Agar Agar into it.
3. 3.     Let it boil with continued stirring till Agar Agar dissolves completely.
4. 4.     Add sugar, colour and flavour to taste.
5. 5.     Pour the contents into a dish or mould and allow to set at room temperature.
6. 6.     Best served after cooling.

    I have used Strawberry Syrup for colour & flavour:

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How to make a 5 minute Chocolate Cake

How to make a 5 minute chocolate cake

You will need:
 4 tbsp Plain Flour
 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
 4 tbsp Caster Sugar
 1 Egg
 3 tbsp Milk
 3 tbsp Sunflower Oil
 Chocolate Chips
 Vanilla Essence
 1 Mug
 1 Tablespoon
 1 Microwave

Step 1: Getting Started

In a mug, combine 4 tablespoons of plain flour, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 4 tablespoons of caster sugar. Give it all a good stir. Now add an egg and mix it up a bit more. Make sure it’s all well combined before moving on.

Step 2: More Ingredients
Stir in 3 tablespoons of milk and 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil. Add some chocolate chips and a splash of vanilla essence.

Step 3: Mix it up
Now give it another stir.

Step 4: Microwave
Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. No liquid nitrogen in sight, just simple, delicious microwave chocolate cake in five minutes flat.

Time to enjoy your microwave cake in a mug. Make sure you share this unique cake recipe with friends and family!
http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/how-to-make-a-5-minute-chocolate-cake.html

Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Brownies

You will need:

• 250 g caster sugar • 180 g plain chocolate drops • 180 g soft butter • 110 g plain flour • 1 vanilla extract • 3 eggs • some butter for greasing • 150 g walnuts • Baking parchment • Baking tin • Oven gloves • Heatproof bowl • Small saucepan • Wooden spoon • Large mixing bowl • Teaspoon • Tablespoon • Spatula • Whisk • Sharp knife • Pallet knife 

Serves: 10

Oven Temperature: 160° c - 320° f
    

1. Grease the side of the tin by rubbing with a kitchen towel dipped in a little soft butter, line with a square of baking parchment. 

Turn on the oven, and set it to 160 degrees Celsius, or 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Fill the saucepan with a little water, and sit a heat proof bowl on top. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water, and definitely not the bottom of the saucepan. Remove some of the water if this is the case. 

Cut the butter up into small pieces. Place them in the bowl and add the chocolate.

3. Put the saucepan over a low heat. Make sure the saucepan handle is facing away from you, so you don't knock it. The chocolate and butter will gently melt over about 10 minutes. Don't be tempted to stir! This will solidify the chocolate, and you won't be able to melt it again after that.

4. When completely melted, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat, remove the bowl from the pan and leave it to cool.

5. Put the 3 eggs, 250 grams of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into a large bowl. Whisk together.

6. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture.

7. Now add 110 grams of plain flour. Use a method called cutting and folding to mix it, moving the spoon in a figure of 8. This helps to keep the mixture light and airy. If you would like, add 150g chopped walnuts, again using the cutting and folding action.

8. Put the mixture in a tin and smooth the top over evenly. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 20 to 30 minutes. If you can, set a timer to make sure they don't overcook. Check after 20 minutes. The chocolate brownies should still be soft but not springy.

9. Remove the chocolate brownies from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes.

10. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Lift the baking parchment from the tin, and use a pallet knife to transfer the chocolate brownies to a serving plate.

Source - Yahoo

Chocolate marble cake

Chocolate Marble Cake

 Ingredients:

• Softened Butter  - 225g 
• Caster Sugar - 225g 
• Eggs - 4 
•  Self-Raising Flour - 225g 
• Milk - 3 tbsp. 
• Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp. 
• Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsp. 

Method of Preparation:

1.   Heat oven to 180C/gas 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper. If you want to make life easy, simply put all the ingredients (except the cocoa powder) into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth. If you prefer to mix by hand, beat the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold through the flour, milk and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.

2.   Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir the cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately. When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you'll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren't any air bubbles. Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.

3.   Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

Excellent Creme Caramel

Ingredients

110g (4 ounces) caster sugar

2 tablespoons tap hot water

150ml (1/4 pint) milk

275ml (10 fl oz) single cream

3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 eggs

3 drops vanilla essence Preparation method 1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C (Gas Mark 2). 2. To make the caramel, melt the caster sugar in a medium saucepan until it bubbles and darkens, a little darker than golden syrup. Take of the heat and stir in the water, CAUTIOUSLY! IT WILL SPIT. Stir until smooth and pour to coat a 1 1/2 pint souffle dish, swirl round the sides. 3. To make the custard, heat milk and cream in a saucepan until steaming hot. Meanwhile whisking the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk the steaming hot milk into to the mixture. 4. Pour custard mixture into the souffle dish. Place souffle dish in a roasting dish in oven and pour hot water into it to make a 'bath'. 5. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the custard has an even jiggle. 6. Cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator, preferably overnight. Run a knife around the edge, give it a little shake to loosen. In one movement (with plate over top of dish), turn out.