Nutrition key to sound health
CHOCOLATE CREMEUX
Makes 1 Cake (10 portions)
INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
140ml/5floz vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
220/7oz light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
350g/12oz grated carrots, (grated weight)
100g/3½ oz golden raisins
100g/3½ oz walnuts, chopped
200g/7oz self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the orange blossom frosting
300g/10½ oz cream cheese, chilled
70g/2½ oz butter, at room temperature
300g/10½ oz icing sugar, sifted
1 orange, zest only
2 teaspoons of orange blossom water
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and oil and line a 13 x 23cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
2. For the carrot cake: beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, grated carrot, raisins and chopped walnuts.
3. Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and bring the mixture together using a wooden or large metal spoon until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the surface and bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If you’re using a ceramic baking dish then you’ll need to add 15 minutes to the cooking time.
4. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin for about five minutes before removing. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
5. For the orange blossom frosting: beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar, orange blossom water and finely grated orange zest and mix until the frosting is smooth and thick. Using a palette knife, spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake, dipping the knife into a bowl of hot water if the icing is hard to spread out.
6. Decorate with orange zest on top of the frosting.
Line a 1 litre loaf tin with cling film. Put the orange zest and juice, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Beat until thick and creamy.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, set aside. Now beat the cream until it holds its shape.
Fold the cream into the egg mixture, then carefully fold in the egg whites. Stir through the chopped chocolate and spoon into the loaf tin. Cover the surface with cling film. Place in the freezer for about two hours. When frozen wrap in tin foil.
http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes/desserts/pages/orangechocolateice-cream.aspx
1Preheat the oven to 180C.
2 Place the rhubarb into an oven proof dish. Pour over the sugar. Place the orange slices on top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the orange blossom water and leave to cool.
3. Place the rice, milk, chai tea bags and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil on the hob. Turn down to simmer slowly for 30 – 40 minutes, only leave the tea bags in the milk for ten minutes before removing.
4. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom. Spoon the rice pudding into bowls, top with some rhubarb and scatter with toasted almonds. Serve right away.
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
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
Makes 1 Cake (10 portions)
INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
140ml/5floz vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
220/7oz light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
350g/12oz grated carrots, (grated weight)
100g/3½ oz golden raisins
100g/3½ oz walnuts, chopped
200g/7oz self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the orange blossom frosting
300g/10½ oz cream cheese, chilled
70g/2½ oz butter, at room temperature
300g/10½ oz icing sugar, sifted
1 orange, zest only
2 teaspoons of orange blossom water
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and oil and line a 13 x 23cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
2. For the carrot cake: beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, grated carrot, raisins and chopped walnuts.
3. Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and bring the mixture together using a wooden or large metal spoon until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the surface and bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If you’re using a ceramic baking dish then you’ll need to add 15 minutes to the cooking time.
4. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin for about five minutes before removing. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
5. For the orange blossom frosting: beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar, orange blossom water and finely grated orange zest and mix until the frosting is smooth and thick. Using a palette knife, spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake, dipping the knife into a bowl of hot water if the icing is hard to spread out.
6. Decorate with orange zest on top of the frosting.
