almond meal

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TORTA DE DURAZNO, Peach Cake: The Food of Argentina – Ross Dobson & Rachel Tolosa Paz

the-food-of-argentina-9781925418712

From The Food of Argentina: Asado, empanadas, dulce de leche and more by Ross Dobson and Rachel Tolosa Paz. Photography © Rachel Tolosa Paz | Food styling © Vanessa Austin (Smith Street Books, November 2018 – AU$ 49.99, NZ$ 59.99)

 

TORTA DE DURAZNO

Peach cake

SERVES 8–10

250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) full-cream (whole) milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

80 g (2¾ oz/¾ cup) almond meal

1 teaspoon baking powder

250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

460 g (1 lb/2 cups) caster (superfine) sugar

4 eggs

185 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) pouring (single/light) cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons icing (confectioners’) sugar

2 peaches, stones removed, cut into thin wedges

 

Peach cake

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 23 cm (9 in) springform cake tin with baking paper.

 

Combine the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.

 

Combine the flour, almond meal and baking powder in another bowl and set aside.

 

Using electric beaters or a stand mixer, beat the butter and gradually add the sugar, until pale and creamy. Add 1 egg and beat until well combined, then repeat with the remaining eggs, beating well between each addition.

 

Beat through half the milk mixture followed by half the flour mixture, until well combined. Repeat with the remaining milk and flour mixtures.

 

Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

 

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Use a large serrated knife to cut the cake in half horizontally and carefully remove the top half.

 

Beat the cream, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the icing sugar to form soft peaks. Spread half the cream on the bottom layer of the cake, then carefully replace the top layer of the cake. Spread the remaining cream over the top and arrange the sliced peaches on the cream. Finely sieve the remaining icing sugar over the cake, then cut into thick slices and serve.

 

Authors note:

‘Verdulerías’ (fruit and vegetable stalls) are always immaculately presented in Argentina, with lined-up produce glistening with water droplets. As with many local shops, when you buy produce, you need to speak to the shopkeeper to find and purchase what you are looking for. It is a lovely exchange that usually ends up in a friendly chat.

The size and climate of Argentina means that most fruit can be grown there. In summer, stone fruit, such as peaches, are at their peak and are a beautiful addition to cakes. If peaches aren’t in season, nectarines, plums and berries will work just as nicely in this recipe.

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Frangipane Dream: I’m Just Here for Dessert – Caroline Khoo

Happy Mothers Day!

I'm Just Here For Dessert

Recipes and Images from I’m Just Here for Dessert by Caroline Khoo (Murdoch Books)

 

FRANGIPANE DREAM
MAKES: enough filling for four small 10 cm (4 inch) tarts
PREP TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
• 90 g (31/4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 100 g (31/2 oz) caster (superfine) sugar, plus an extra teaspoon
for decorating
• 2 eggs
• 90 g (31/4 oz) almond meal
• 15 g (1/2 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 15 g (1/2 oz) soft icing mixture or icing (confectioners’) sugar
• pinch of fine salt
• 4 small plain pastry tart shells (see recipe and note on p. 138)
• handful of frozen berries

METHOD
1. Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment over a medium speed until soft, then add the caster sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add one egg at a time until fully incorporated.
3. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the frozen berries to the bowl and mix on high speed for 1–2 minutes.
4. Divide the mixture between the tart shells, and sprinkle some frozen berries into each shell. Push the berries down gently with your fingers so they are slightly submerged in the frangipane filling.
5. Bake for 4 minutes, then sprinkle the extra caster sugar on top of each tart. Return the tarts to the oven and bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until golden.
TIP Allow the tarts to cool, then top with a few slices of fresh strawberry and some fresh blueberries. Add a pretty edible flower too, if you like.

 

Frangipane Dream

PLAIN PASTRY

INGREDIENTS
• 200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 120 g (41/4 oz) soft icing mixture or icing (confectioners’) sugar
• 11/2 eggs (see page 30)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence (optional)
• 370 g (13 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
• canola oil cooking spray
EQUIPMENT
• electric kitchen scales
• measuring spoons
• stand mixer with paddle attachment
• good-quality plastic wrap
• good-quality baking paper
• rolling pin
• 6 or 7 tart tins 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter
• sharp knife
• scissors
• baking beads/uncooked rice or beans
• baking tray

METHOD
1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on
a medium speed until creamy and soft.
2. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the soft icing mixture a little at a time until completely incorporated.
3. For plain pastry, add the eggs and vanilla now. For chocolate pastry, add the eggs and egg yolk until fully mixed in.
4. Slowly add the flour. If making chocolate pastry, add the cocoa and salt now too. Mix until a dough has just started to form.
5. Transfer the dough from the stand mixer to a clean bench lightly dusted with flour and knead with clean, lightly floured hands for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball. Don’t overwork the dough, just knead it enough to bring it together into that smooth ball. Cut the dough in half and then form each half into a ball again. Push down on each ball to create a disc, and then tightly wrap both discs in plastic wrap.
6. Chill the dough in the fridge for 2 hours. (You can leave it overnight if you are making this ahead of time.) The dough will need time to come to room temperature before you roll it out.
ROLLING OUT YOUR PASTRY
METHOD
1. Place one disc of dough between two sheets of baking paper (see p. 140)then begin to roll out to form a thin rectangle of pastry about 8
6 cm (31/4 21/2 inches) and about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Repeat with the other dough disc.
2. Lightly spray your tart tins with the canola oil.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut each rolled sheet of pastry into 6 pieces, each larger than a tart tin. That way, there will be overhanging pastry when you line the tins. Use your fingers to gently but firmly push the dough into the tart tin. If any area is short of pastry, add some dough so that it is covered. Repeat with the rest of the pastry and the tart tins.
4. Run your rolling pin over each tart tin so any overhanging pastry
is trimmed off and you have a clean edge.
5. Poke a few holes in the base of each tart with a fork.
6. Cover the pastry-lined tins tightly with plastic wrap, then place the tins in the fridge and allow to chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
7. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced (FF).
8. Cut out six small squares of baking paper, each big enough to cover
a tart tin.
9. Fill the lined tart tins with baking beads, then blind bake for 6 minutes.
10. Remove the baking paper and baking beads then return the tart shells to the oven for a further 10–12 minutes (or 7, if you are making frangipane tarts, see note below), until slightly golden, then allow to cool completely in their tins on a wire rack.
NOTE If making frangipane tarts, remove the tart shells from the oven after
7 minutes of extra baking time then follow the instructions on page 150.

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Spiced Almond Fritters with Pumpkin and Apple: Real Food For Babies and Toddlers – Vanessa Clarkson

Recipes and images from  “Real food For Babies and Toddlers” by Vanessa Clarkson (Murdoch Books)

Spiced Almond Fritters with Pumpkin and Apple 

Makes 10

Preparation time 10 minutes  Cooking time 15 minutes

DIETARY INFO: Dairy-free    gluten-free    vegetarian

 

4 eggs

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) peeled and grated butternut pumpkin (squash)

3 eating apples, cored

3 tablespoons almond meal

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

coconut oil for frying

maple syrup (optional), to serve

 

To make the batter, beat the eggs well in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin and grate in one of the apples, along with the almond meal and spices. Stir to combine. Finely slice the remaining 2 apples and set aside.

Working in batches and allowing 1 teaspoon coconut oil per fritter, heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, spoon 2 tablespoons of the fritter batter into the pan, and shape into a fritter using a spoon or spatula. Continue until you have three or four fritters in the pan, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Press a slice of apple into the top of each fritter. Cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side, then flip over and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until cooked through and crisp and golden on the outside. Keep warm on a plate lined with paper towel while cooking the rest. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Serve the fritters drizzled with a little maple syrup, if you like.

“For little ones: As raw apple presents a choking hazard for babies, these fritters are a great way to introduce this fruit in its whole form. The apple slice is unlikely to be soft enough for beginners, so either leave this off their fritter or grate all the apples into the batter. You may need to add a little more almond meal if the apples are especially juicy.”p.70

 

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Banana, Almond & Date Loaf: Delicious Everyday -Anna Gare

delicious-every-day

I am having a bit of a baking evening  – tonight I made Anna Gare’s gluten free, sugar free, dairy free Banana, Almond and Date Loaf  p. 183 .  My sister is visiting tomorrow so preparing a few home made treats. This is the second time I have made this loaf –  it is so yummy,healthy and easy to make – mix in the food processor. Coconut oil, shredded coconut, dates, bananas, nuts and almond meal, superb!   And it even looks as good as the loaf in the book.

 

Banana Almond & Date Loaf