Liz’s Quick Chocolate Cake

Oven temp moderate.
Grease a 20cm round tin.

4 oz (112g) butter
1.25 cups caster sugar
1.75 cups SR flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
Pinch salt
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Sift all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Melt butter, stir in milk and vanilla, add to dry ingredients. Beat together with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Add eggs and beat another 2 minutes. Pour into greased tin and bake for 1 hour or until cake springs back when lightly touched in centre.
Cool on wire rack. Ice with chocolate icing.

Pat’s low carb chocolate cake

Cake

  • 100 gms flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder / levure chimique
  • 1 tsp baking soda / bicarbonate de soda
  • 150gms almond meal
  • 100 gms caster sugar
  • 20gms cocoa pure
  • 50 gms brown sugar / vergeoise
  • salt
  • 112gms butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
Sift and mix dry ingredients (it will be hard to sift the almond meal)
Add liquids (including melted butter), stirring well (I like to add butter first and then progressively add the rest of liquid to ensure a very smooth mix; it will be quite pourable)
Add eggs
Cook 35-40 minutes at 165 fan-forced

Icing

  • 200 gms chocolate
  • 100 ml cream
slowly melt chocolate and cream, mixing well until glossy and smooth
take off heat and beat, then cool (can use freezer for faster results)
beat again and re-cool quickly
once stiff enough spread over cake, this is usually enough to do a fine layer in the middle as well.

Variations

You can also adjust with coconut instead of the almonds, coconut cream instead of the milk, ghee or oil instead of the butter and even coconut flour (gluten free and lower GI) instead of the flour if desired. Can also use coconut cream instead of the cream in the icing, or peanut or almond butter.

Salmon bake, from Elizabeth

454 gm can salmon or tuna
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk and salmon can liquid
salt and pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
3 hardboiled eggs sliced -I often omit
1 285 gm can asparagus pieces drained well, or any lightly cooked vegetables – can omit
lemon wedges and parsley
Topping: optional breadcrumbs and grated cheese.
Drain salmon and reserve liquid.
Remove skin and bone. Eat bone.
Melt butter and sauté onion gently then blend in flour and cook 2 min, stirring.
Add liquid, blending continuously, and stir until sauce boils and thickens.
Topping: optional breadcrumbs and grated cheese.
Season with salt and pepper, dry mustard, mayonnaise and parsley.
Put a layer of sauce in buttered casserole and a layer of each of sliced egg, salmon and asparagus . Cover with sauce, repeat layers.
Finish with sauce, add topping if desired.
Moderate oven 30 mins.
Garnish with lemon and parsley.

Ginger cake


1.5 cups plain flour (210g)
1 cup SR flour (140g)
1 tspn carb soda (5ml)
2 tspns ground ginger
0.5 tsp cinnamon
0.5 tspn mixed spice
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar (250g)
2 eggs
1 cup milk (250ml)
125g butter
1 cup Golden Syrup (375g)
Lemon Icing
1 cup icing sugar (185g)
Juice of 1 small lemon juice
Grated rind of lemon
2 tspns butter
Sift flours soda, spices and salt in bowl
Add sugar, beaten eggs and milk and mix well
Put butter and Golden Syrup in a saucepan and stir over low heat until butter has melted
Stir into flour mixture and mix well.  (Should be smooth and glossy)
Suggest lining tin with paper (goes square tin)
Bake in moderate oven 1-1.25 hours 
Leave in tin at least 10 minutes before turning out on rack (or leave in tin to cool
When cold add lemon icing.
Add grated rind to juice in saucepan to heat
Add to icing sugar and butter and mix well
Keeps well – good for picnics and camping
Source-Australian Womens Weekly (except lemon rind)

Pomegranate Chicken

This fragrant chicken dish is loaded with notes of pornegranate, honey, carrots, and apricots -traditional foods served with hope for a sweet and fruitful New Year during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

2 medium onions, sliced
2 cups baby carrots (or 2 Cups peeled and sliced regular carrots)
2 whole chickens (3-1/2 lb. each), out into pieces
1 tsp dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried whole apricots, loosely packed
1 cup pitted whole prunes, loosely packed
2 tsp sweet paprika

Marinade
1/2 cup pornegranate juice (or juice of 1 pomegranate)
2 cloves garlic (about 2 tsp minced)
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp honey

INSTRUCTIONS

According to ancient lore` the amount of seeds in  pomegranate is exactly the same number (613) as the mitzvot (good deeds) found in the Torah (the Jewish Bible). If you’re curious, count away!

Step 1: Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Scatter the onions and carrots in the bottom ofthe pan. Rinse the chicken well and pat dry with paper towels. Trim the excess fat. Place the chicken on top ofthe vegetables and sprinkle _ under the skin and on top _ with thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Tuck the apricots and prunes between the chicken pieces.

Step 2: Whisk the ingredients for the marinade together in a bowl. (lf using the juice of a whole pomegranate, reserve some of the seeds for garnish.) Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Cover and rnarinate in the refrigerator for at least l hour or for as long as 2 days.

Step 3: When the chicken is marinated, preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the chicken, covered, for l-1/2 hours or until tender. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes longer, basting occasionally, or until the skin is golden. Remove from the pan from the oven and let cool before refrigerating overnight.

Step 4: About 30 minutes before serving, remove and discard any eongealed fat from the chicken. Reheat, covered, for 25-30 minutes at 350’”F. Transfer the heated chicken to a large serving platter and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately. Keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator; reheats well. Freezes well for up to 4 months.

All images and recipes © Norene Gilletz, 2010
(www.gourmania.com)

Choux puffs (cream, asparagus or salmon filling)

Liz Fitzgerald used to make these for either appetizers or part of a buffet style event. 
 
Choux pastry

1 cup water
2 ½ oz butter
Pinch salt
I cup plain flour
4 large eggs at room temperature
 Put water, butter and salt into saucepan, bring to boil. Add sifted flour all at once. Stir vigorously over heat until mixture is very thick and forms a ball. Put into small bowl of electric mixer or a food processor and allow to cool to warm. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mixture should be smooth and glossy.
Well greased baking tray.
Mug of water.
Big teaspoon		 Preheat oven to 475 F.
Put small balls of dough on tray.
Put your hand into cup of water and shake over tray.
Bake in hot oven for 10 minutes then for 12 – 15 minutes at 375 F.
Knife, teatowel Immediately put a small slit in side of each puff to vent steam.


At this point you could fill with whipped cream, ice with melted good dark choc and chomp but for the savoury version reads on……
White sauce and fillings…

2 oz butter
2 oz flour
3/4I pint milk
Pinch salt & pepper		 Melt butter in pan over low heat and stir in the flour. Cook gently for one minute and then gradually stir in the milk a little at a time. Beat each addition of milk in well – keep a smooth paste then a smooth liquid.
Asparagus
2 cans of asparagus cuts		 Drain 2 cans of asparagus cuts and mash in to half the white sauce. Add pepper and salt to taste and fresh herbs.
Salmon
Can of red salmon
Fresh parsley
Lemon juice		 Drain a big can of red salmon, mash in to remaining half of white sauce and add lots of finely chopped parsley and a little lemon juice.
Mushroom


Refrigerate until planning to serve. Heat in oven.

Judy’s Ginger Cake

Judy’s Ginger Cake

1 1/2 cups Pl flour
1 cup SR flour
1 tsp soda bic
2 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
Pinch salt
1 cup caster  sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp instant coffee
1 cup water
4 oz butter
I  tbsp vanilla
1 cup golden syrup		 Grease and flour a cake tin.
Combine all dry ingredients
Add eggs,  water and mix.
Melt butter and golden syrup together.
Add to main mixture and beat together.
Bake in a moderate oven 1 hour to 1 hour 15 mins. Cool and ice/frost .
Lemon icing: I cup icing sugar, 2 tsp butter, beat together, add warm lemon juice to preferred consistency.

Judy’s coffee cake

Moist Coffee Walnut Cake from Judy –based on PWMU Chocolate Simplicity Cake.

6oz  butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 tbsp instant coffee
1 or 2 tbsp hot water
2 cups SR flour
1 cup milk
I  tbsp vanilla
3-6 oz chopped walnuts		 180 gms
90-180 gms		 Grease and flour a cake tin.
Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and coffee dissolved in water. Mix in sifted flour and a pinch of salt alternately with milk and vanilla.
Bake in a moderate oven 45 mins. Cool and ice/frost .

Mocha Ripple Cake (coffee cake)

Commonly made by Mum (Liz F née P) without the ripple. 

4oz  butter
5oz brown sugar
2 eggs
I large tbsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp hot water
Pinch salt
2 cups SR flour *
1/3 cup milk		 120 gms
150gms
2
I large tbsp

1 tbsp
Pinch
240 gm
1/3 cup milk

 Grease and flour a cake tin.

Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and coffee dissolved in water. Mix in sifted flour and a pinch of salt alternately with milk.

Spread 2/3 batter in tin, sprinkle over chocolate, cocoa, sugar mixture.

Bake in a moderate oven 45 mins. Cool and ice/frost.

* SR flour = 1 cup plain flour + 1/2 tsp salt + 1½ tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda or bi-carb soda)
2 oz chopped chocolate
1 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp sugar		 60 gms
1 tbsp
1 tbsp

 

Fitzgerald’s lemon delicious

Source is an old magazine extract, quite possibly family circle. The below is word for word as Dom typed and sent it to me.


lemon delicious

125 g butter
1 1/3 cups castor sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/3 cup lemon juice
4 eggs seperated
1 cup milk

lightly grease an ovnproof dish (4 cup capacity)
cream butter and suger, add flour, mix together. add rind, juice, egg yolks, milk and beat until combined.
beat egg whites until soft peaks form, fold into lemon mixture.
pour mixture into prepared dish, place dish into baking dish, pour enough boiling water into dish till it comes halfway up the filled dish
bake in moderate oven about 45 minutes or until cooked in centre. serves hot, serves 4 very generous serves do not freeze do not microwave. 180 – 150 fan forced