After the pineapple doughnut recipe development episode, there were a goodly number of pineapple slices still remianing. After numerous batches had been made, I'd seen enough doughnuts for quite a while. Arguably I had rather over-invested in A10 tins of pineapple, two of them, each containing at least 1.7 kilos of slices. There were a … Continue reading Pineapple More – Pineapple Upside Down Cake

(Please note - recipe has been updated for the pineapple filled version at 4.51pm today.) For those who have been listening to the discussion on ABC radio Sydney over the past couple of weeks, there's been discussion with Indira Naidoo and I and listeners regarding bakery favourites. One intriguing item that was the centre of … Continue reading Pineapple Doughnuts – recipe

Just like that - turn your back for a couple days and the zucchinis grow wild. It was only a few days ago that I made a very large jarful of pickled zucchini slices. Oh well, they're so delicious it's no chore to make another batch or two, maybe even three. Incidentally even though the … Continue reading Zucchini Time Again!!

I've had loads of requests for the recipes for the three Apricot cakes I posted a couple of days ago, so here they are. Let me know if there are any questions regarding the recipes. Apricot Mousse Cake Serves 8 For the base 60g butter, softened 60g sugar 1 egg yolk 60g plain flour 60g … Continue reading Apricot Baking Recipes

Now that the apricots are all preserved, time for a little indulgent comfort cake baking to share with friends and family. Apricot Mousse Cake, apricot macaroon slice and apricot crumble crostada. That was yesterday, today another new invention - this tray bake contains in its batter a large stalk of rhubarb (finely diced), and was … Continue reading Apricot Baking begins…

Apricots all done! A friend came to learn how to preserve today, an extra pair of hands, which was excellent. There's just a jam pan of stewed left, which I could bottle, but with cakes to bake and visitors coming tomorrow for lunch and dinner, these will form the basis of delicious apricot sweets for … Continue reading Preserving the apricot bounty

The apricot hunt today went extremely well. Excellent quality and lovely friendly people at Lowdina Orchards (both staff and other customers alike). It was great to talk with other jam makers and preservers. I bought 40kg for us (including 5kg jam quality, 35 kilos second grade for bottling), as well as 5kg for a neighbour … Continue reading Apricot Hunt 2023

Yesterday friends Michael and Roberto (owners of Explorers Lodge B&B) were able to purchase 17kg+ of Moor Park apricots from the local market. They brought them here to preserve - such an advantage having a big kitchen adjacent to our house, almost like colonial times! A happy couple of hours was spent preserving them together … Continue reading Let the Apricot Games 2023 begin!!

Cherry Plum Latticed Shortcake (Crostada) For the pastry 125g butter 125g sugar 1 egg, lightly beaten 125g self raising flour 125g plain flour Whisk butter and sugar together, add egg and mix well. Add the combined flours and mix with a metal spoon to make a soft dough. Wrap in cling wrap and place in … Continue reading Cherry Plum Crostada – recipe

And so to the last of the cherry plums..... Once the preserves were done, a goodly number were stewed and thickened. They needed a little sugar, to bring them back from super sour just to the cusp of a delightful plummy sherbert. Paired with sweet shortcrust pastry, this crostada is one of the ultimate baked … Continue reading Cherry plum baking and ice cream