Dried fruit, orange and banana loaf.

I'm really trying very hard to keep a cool attitude while we melt away in this heatwave. Our solar hot water system has a temperature display which was telling me that the  water in tubes on the roof  is 139 deg C. Now that is just too hot. The temperature in the tank is regulated with hot water to keep it at a safe heat.

 

Salads and sandwiches have been high on the menu the past few days. No one wants to sit down to anything heavy and we are eating a little later in the evening when the sun has dipped over the hill to our west. If I bake, I have been doing so in the morning. Today it was a loaf style cake which is just right with an afternoon cup of herbal tea which oddly enough is cooling. This is much lighter than Christmas style fruit cakes and the inclusion of cranberries gives it a bit of zing too.

 

Dried fruit, orange and banana loaf

 

 

Dried fruit, orange and banana loaf

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup dried fruit

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup orange juice

2 ripe bananas

 

Method

Grease and line a 14 x 21 cm loaf tin.

Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C

Cream butter and sugar together  with an electric mixer until light and fluffly.

Beat in eggs, bananas and juice.

Stir in dried fruit.

Stir in flour until combined.

Spread into prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes. My oven which is slow, takes the hour but I would recommend checking it after the 50 minute mark.

Allow to cool slightly and then remove from tin.

Enjoy warm or allow to cool. My dad would spread butter on a cake like this but it isn't necessary, just a little bit of decadence.

I had a disaster in the kitchen today. My 20 year old electric hand mixer has decided it is time to go where old mixers go (in the bin). It is a cheapy KMart  model that my mum gave me years ago, a Kitchen Maid which if you say it quickly enough sounds kind of impressive, like a Kitchen Aide. It has served me well and I know that for the $20 price tag I won't get anything near as good in today's market. Never mind, wooden spoons and wire whisks are good enough for the time being but I will not be making any meringues without electric beaters. I think I will put my $30 that my mother in law gave me for Christmas towards a new mixer.

Tracy

Rose Syrup and a cheescake too

The rose petal syrup was a sweet success. It is a fairly basic syrup recipe and I am not sure of its keeping qualities (though there is plenty of sugar in it)so best stored in the fridge and made in small batches. It has a real Turkish delight type of flavour and the colour is amazing. It should come with a warning that it is uber sweet. I did use some lime juice in the recipe to cut it a little but it really is only for the sweet tooth. An added bonus, when simmering the kitchen smells like roses.

Rose Petal Syrup

Ingredients

2 cups rose petals (the fragrant red varieties would be best)

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

Method

Rinse the rose petals because there is most likely some kind of wild life amongst them.

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat gently.

Allow to steep on the lowest possible heat (not bubbling) for around an hour.

Strain into a clean saucepan and bring to the boil.

Allow to lightly boil until the syrup thickens slightly.

Pour into sterilised bottles and seal.

I will make this again and next time I will let it reduce a little more as I would prefer a slightly thicker syrup. It was delicious on the cheesecake and gave it an exotic flavour a bit like Persian fairy floss. The first two strawberries of the season were a nice addition too. Actually I will admit here that I picked a strawberry on Sunday and ate it in the garden but that's my secret.

Simple Baked Cheesecake

Ingredients
250 grams plain biscuits

125 grams butter, melted

4 eggs

3/4 cups white sugar

500 grams cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon lime/lemon juice

Method

Grease a 20cm springform tin and line the base with baking paper.

Process the biscuits until fine and add the melted butter until combined.

Press the biscuit mixture into the tin, on the base and sides.

Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Pre-heat oven to 160deg C.

In the food processor combine the eggs, sugar, cream cheese and juice and mix until smooth. This could be done with an electric mixer but I think it is easier(lazier) to use the processor which is already out.

Pour mixture into tin.

Bake for about 50 minutes and cool in the oven.

Refrigerate until it is cold and serve.

This is a very plain and basic cheesecake so it really takes the syrup well but also any fruit topping or even lemon curd is nice.

The oven is having a rest today, it is being cleaned.
Tracy

Guests

As I said last week, my sister and her two sons came to visit over the weekend. Fun times were had by all but we are all completely exhausted. She was a very appreciative audience for offerings from the kitchen. So much so that she ordered the asparagus pizza for lunch on arrival and then perused the cookbook and suggested (very wisely too) the curried sweet potato soup for dinner the next day. Only a sister would be so bold.

Grace had her birthday cake which was completely luscious and too much for even the nine of us to eat. Grace's biggest fan is her little cousin Ted. He calls her Mary and is relentless in his adoration of Grace. Her patience with a four year old is to be commended.

The cake was inspired by the latest Donna Hay magazine. I couldn't make the icing as white as that in the magazine but I'm a little dubious about the authenticity of magazine pictures sometimes. I also didn't make the cake into six layers, four was quite enough. The proof was in the taste though and it was lovely.

Farm activities also go down well with little boys and Ted loved having the freedom of Sunny Corner Farm. The baby being eight weeks was completely adrift, and unsettled so I'm hoping that now he is safely back home he can be the good baby that he is and let Kelly get a little more sleep.

Tracy

Banana Fruit Loaf

You never realise how much you like something until you can't have it.Bananas had been off my shopping list since cyclone Yasi made them unaffordable but they are back in my basket. I have missed them a lot. Bananas are one of the few fruits that I let creep in beyond the local eating parameters. Bananas and mangoes, I just can't say no to them. The availability of the new season fruit and also some stiff competition amongst retailers has even allowed me to buy enough to make a banana fruit loaf. It is sweet and moist but with a little bit of a healthy feel to it because of the fruit. It is a great loaf to serve warm and for those who are wont to, with a little butter. Besides that, it is easy peasy.

Banana Fruit Loaf

Ingredients
2 cups mixed dried fruit
1 cup black tea (I use Chai)
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons honey
2 and 2/3 cups self raising flour

Method
Preheat oven to 180 deg C and grease and line a loaf tin.
Boil the kettle and make two cups of tea, one to drink and one for the cake.
Soak the dried fruit in the tea for about 10 minutes or the time it takes to drink your tea.
Combine all the ingredients together and mix until combined.
Pour mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 65 minutes. It may take a little longer so test the cake with a skewer to see if it is done.
Allow to cool slightly and then turn out onto a wire rack.

As the kids don't particularly like this cake I usually slice it up when it is cool and pack the slices in the freezer separately. That way they can be defrosted and toasted or warmed in the microwave as desired.

Tracy