A delicious classic recipe for a very classy cake.
Ingredients
butter (melted, for greasing)
4 eggs
125 g (41/2 oz) caster sugar (plus 3 tbsp for sprinkling)
2 tblsp warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
125 g (41/2 oz) plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
for the filling
200 g (7oz) rhubarb (about 2 stalks, trimmed), cut into 5mm (1/4 in) slices
125 g (41/2 oz) caster sugar
200 ml (7fl oz) milk
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
15 g (1/2 oz) cornflour
100 ml (31/2 fl oz) whipped double or regular cream (measured when whipped)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5). Line the base of the Swiss roll tin (25 x 38cm/ 10 x 15′) with baking parchment, brush the base and sides of the tin with melted butter and dust with flour.
Using a hand-held electric beater or an electric food mixer, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, water and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Sift in the flour, about one-third at a time, and fold it into the mixture. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared Swiss roll tin and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes or until the centre of the sponge is slightly springy to the touch and the edges have shrunk a little from the sides of the tin.
Take a piece of baking parchment slightly larger in size than the tin and spread out on a work surface.
Sprinkle the paper evenly with caster sugar (this is to stop the cake sticking to the paper). Quickly flip the Swiss roll tin over onto the sugared paper, then carefully remove the tin and baking parchment from the bottom of the cake.
Place a clean, slightly damp tea towel over the cake while it cools – this will prevent it drying out and cracking when you roll it.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the rhubarb in a saucepan with 75g (3oz) of the caster sugar and 25ml (1fl oz) of water and place on a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and allow to boil, uncovered and stirring regularly, for 10–15 minutes or until the rhubarb is completely soft and the mixture is quite thick.
Tip out onto a plate and allow to cool.
Next make the custard. Place the milk and the split vanilla pod (if using) in another pan and bring to the boil.
Whisk the egg yolks (and vanilla extract, if using) with the remaining sugar (I like to use a hand-held electric beater for this) for a few minutes or until pale and light. Then briefly whisk in the cornflour.
Pour the hot milk and vanilla pod (if using) onto the egg mixture, whisking as you pour, then tip it all back into the saucepan and cook, stirring all the time, over a low heat for a few minutes or until it forms a thick custard.
Pour it into a bowl and allow to cool, then fold in the cooled rhubarb and the whipped cream – you can leave it slightly marbled (not fully mixed) if you prefer.
When the sponge is completely cold, spread over the rhubarb and custard mixture, then, with one of the short sides facing you, roll up the Swiss roll away from you and carefully transfer to a serving plate.
Sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar to finish, then cut into slices about 2cm (3/4in) thick to serve.
Granulated Sugar (depending on sweetness of apples)
How to:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish about 28cms x 18cms (11″ x 7″).
Cream together the butter or margarine and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the lemon rind.
Sieve flour and baking powder. Add the flour to the batter, alternately with the milk.
Spread half the mixture into prepared dish, layer half the apples over this and top with remaining mixture. Arrange the apple slices on top. Sprinkle with sugar if wished and finally sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Bake for about 40 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch.
100g dried apricots, chopped in the food processor
3 Quality Assured large eggs, beaten
Oranges in caramel
4 large oranges, peeled and sliced
4 tablesp. sugar
125ml water
To Cook
Set oven 180°C (350°F) Gas Mark 4.
Line a shallow 23cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Beat the butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy, add the lemon juice and ground almonds. Fold in the flour, apricots and eggs. Transfer the mixture to the lined cake tin, smooth the top and bake for approx. 35 mins., until firm to the touch.
Oranges in Caramel
Place the oranges in a flat dish, heat the sugar in a heavy pan, allow the sugar to brown add the water and boil until you have a caramel sauce. Pour it over the oranges. Serve with the cake.
Home-made vanilla ice cream in ice bowl decorated with our Irish Native Bluebells… make time for a walk on our woodland paths if you are visiting @Ballymaloe this weekend! Photo @JRRyall
For the base 1 & 2/3 cups of Flahavan’s Rolled Oats 1 cup of toasted hazelnuts 1/2 cup of butter, plus extra for greasing the tin 1/3 cup of soft brown sugar 1 tbsp honey
For the cheesecake topping 1 & 1/3 cups of good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces 1 & 1/4 cups of sour cream 1 cup of cream cheese 1 tbsp lemon juice
To decorate 2 tbsp Flahavan’s Rolled Oats 2 tbsp hazelnuts, roughly halved 3 tbsp soft brown sugar ½ tsp lemon juice 3/4 cup of berries of your choice – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants or blackberries 1 ripe fig A few thinly sliced grapes
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 320°F. Grease a 9-inch, round, straight sided tart tin with removable base and line the base with a circle of baking parchment. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, honey and sugar for the cheesecake base over a low heat stirring until combined. Leave to cool a little.
Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Mix the Flahavan’s Oats with the hazelnuts and stir in the melted butter mixture until fully combined. Press the mixture into the prepared tin using the back of a spoon and push evenly up the sides to form the crust.
Place the cheesecake base in the oven for 15 mins. Once baked, remove from the oven and smooth over the mixture again with the back of a spoon pushing the mixture up the sides again if it has slipped down. Place the tin in the fridge to cool completely (this should take around 30 minutes).
When the base is cool, make the cheesecake filling by melting the chocolate in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of hot water (making sure the base of the pan does not sit in the water). Once melted, leave to cool for 10 minutes – the chocolate should be liquid but not too hot.
In a mixing bowl whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and cream cheese until fully combined. Next, add in the melted chocolate and whisk.
Pour the filling over the cooled base and, using a small spatula, spread it into a smooth, even layer. Place the cheesecake in the fridge for around 6 hours, until completely set.
To decorate, start by toasting the remaining Flahavan’s Oats and hazelnuts in a small frying pan over a medium heat, moving them around the pan for approximately 3 minutes, until completely toasted and golden brown. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, and cook for around 1 minute until fully melted and combined. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool. Remove the tart from the tin by gently heating the edges to release it – you can do this with a cloth soaked in a little hot water – and slide the tart onto a serving plate. Gather together the berries, figs and toasted Oats and arrange as you please. Slice into wedges to serve, and enjoy
Put the tofu, ground star anise, vanilla seeds, treacle and agave syrup into a large bowl and blend with a hand blender until silky smooth.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl sat over a saucepan of simmering water, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Fold into the tofu. Spoon the mixture between 4 glasses and refrigerate until set.
To make the honeycomb, line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the sugar, glucose and golden syrup into a deep saucepan and heat until it reaches 145C. (This should take about 5 minutes). Quickly whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up very suddenly. Quickly pour onto the lined baking tray. Set aside to cool and harden.
To make the apricots, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the apricots and star anise and cook until the apricots start to caramelise. Sprinkle over a pinch of sugar and leave to cool.
To serve, sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the mousse and serve with the apricots and peices of honeycomb.
You will have just as much fun making and dusting this cake as you will eating it. This deliciously simple recipe comes from Rachel Allen.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
100g (3½oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
350g (12oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) cocoa powder
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
225ml (8fl oz) buttermilk or sour milk
For the Meringue:
3 egg whites
150g (5oz) caster sugar
275ml (9½fl oz) double or regular cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the bases of the cake tins with rounds of baking parchment, brush the sides with melted or soft butter and dust with flour.
To make the cake, place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and one of the eggs and beat again, then add the other egg and mix. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a separate bowl and set aside. Measure the buttermilk and set aside also.
Now, start the meringue. Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until frothy using an electric food mixer or hand-held electric beater. Add in half of the sugar and continue whisking until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Turn off the whisk and fold in the remaining sugar.
Next, go straight back to the cake. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk, then divide the mixture between the two cake tins, making sure they are level. Divide the meringue between the two cakes and spread out evenly over the cakes.
Cook in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Take out of the oven and allow to sit in the tin for 15-20 minutes before loosening around the sides with a small, sharp knife, removing the cakes from the tins and allowing to cool completely meringue side up.
When ready to assemble, whip the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then place one of the cakes (save the best cake for the top) on a cake stand. Spread the whipped cream over the top, then sit the second cake on top of the cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve.