Category: Food

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Rory O’Connell’s Tuscan Apple, Lemon & Almond Cake






Food on RTÉ

@RTEfood
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Crisp on top and full of plump, juicy apples, this Tuscan tart is simply delicious.

By Rory O’Connell

Celebrity Chef

I am never quite sure if I should be calling this a cake or a tart but in any event, it is delicious and quite easy to make.

Ingredients

I am never quite sure if I should be calling this a cake or a tart but in any event, it is delicious and quite easy to make.

The origins of the recipe are from Tuscany in Italy but I like to use highly perfumed Irish dessert apples when in season. Look out for some lesser known but very delicious Irish dessert apples such as Irish Peach and Ardcairn Russet. 
 
Serves 8 
 

  • 10g butter melted for greasing the parchment paper 
  • 4 dessert apples 
  • Finely grated zest of 2 lemons 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 250g caster sugar 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 150ml cream 
  • 110g butter melted and cooled 
  • 125g whole almonds, blanched, peeled and ground to a fine powder in a food processer or ground almonds 
  • 110g plain flour sieved 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder sieved 
  •  100g of apricot jam 
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, warmed and sieved 
  •  2 tablespoons of chopped sweet geranium leaves ( optional) 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c / 350 f / gas 4 
  2. Line a 28cm flan ring with a removable base with a disc of parchment paper. The paper should in one piece cover the base and sides of the tin and come up 1cm above the edge of the tin. Brush the paper with a little melted butter.
  3. Peel, core and quarter the apples and slice into c 3mm slices. Mix with the lemon zest. Whisk the vanilla, sugar, and eggs to a thick and light consistency similar to a batter. Whisk in the cream and cooled melted butter. Fold in the almonds, flour and baking powder. Add ¾ of the sliced apples, being careful not to break the apple slices.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared flan ring and gently smooth over the surface. Scatter the remaining apples over the surface and sprinkle with 1 dessertspoon of caster sugar.
  5. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160c etc and cook for a further 40 minutes by which time the tart will feel gently set. It may be necessary to cover the tart during the cooking with a sheet of parchment paper if the tart is getting too dark.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. While the tart is still warm, Paint the surfaced with the warm sieved apricot jam to achieve a glossy glaze and if using the chopped geranium, sprinkle on immediately after glazing the tart. 
  7.  Serve warm with softly whipped cream. 
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Clodagh McKenna’s Orange Pistachio Yogurt Cake @NDC_ie #homebaking

clodagh orange pistachio

Yields 8 Servings
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 30 mins

This is one of my favourite cakes at this time of the year. It’s a much needed burst of sunshine. Deliciously light, and moist due to the natural Irish yogurt. You can make a gluten free version by simply using gluten free breadcrumbs. You can substitute the pistachios with hazelnuts, roast the hazelnuts before you add them to the cake, it enhances their flavour. It will last for one week, but not sure you will have any left for to test me on that!

To serve:

Decorate with 50g roughly chopped pistachios and the zest of one lemon on top. Serve with a dollop of natural Irish yogurt

Ingredients checklist
50 g slightly stale white breadcrumbs
100 g almonds, ground
100 g pistachios
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
150 g caster sugar
125 ml sunflower oil
200 ml natural Irish yogurt
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
Ingredients checklist for the citrus syrup
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lemon
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / Gas 5.

Grease a 20.5cm (8in) round and 5cm (2in) deep tin and then lightly dust with flour.

In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, almonds, pistachios and baking powder.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the caster sugar. Continue to whisk while pouring in the vegetable oil, followed by the natural Irish yogurt.

 

Next stir the liquid pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the orange and lemon zest.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and into the pre-heated oven.

 

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the cake is golden brown. To ensure cake is done, insert a skewer into the center – if it’s ready, the skewer should come out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate.

 

Meanwhile, make the citrus syrup. Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring gently to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thick.

 

While the cake is still warm, pierce it several times with a skewer, then spoon the hot syrup over the cake, allowing it to run into the holes. Leave to cool. Spoon any excess syrup back over the cake every now and then until it is all soaked up.

 

Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top, and the zest of one orange. Serve with natural Irish yogurt

https://ndc.ie/recipe/clodaghs-orange-pistachio-yogurt-cake/

 

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Rory O’Connell – sponge filled with preserved raspberries, wrapped in pillowy marshmallow with a scattering of roses @kerrygoldirl


rorysfood
I will be making this beauty on @rteone this evening at 8 30. It’s a sponge filled with preserved raspberries and all wrapped in a pillowy marshmallow before having roses scattered all over it. It’s a special cake for the special people in your life. @kerrygoldirl @nomos.ie #cake #marshmallows #preserves #eat #delicious #ilovetocook