Toffee Apple Cake

Ingredients

200 g dates, roughly chopped
200 ml milk (plus an extra splash)
250 g butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
280 g self-raising flour
200 g light brown soft sugar
½ tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1 tbsp mixed spice
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 small red apples
a squeeze lemon juice
handfull toffees
icing sugar, for dusting

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan). Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with baking parchment.
  2. Put the dates and milk in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 mins to cool.
  3. Whizz the date mixture to a smooth purée in a food processor or blender, then scrape into a large mixing bowl.
  4. Tip in the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, mixed spice and vanilla. Set aside while you prepare the apples.
  5. Quarter and core the apples, then slice quite thinly, tossing in a little lemon juice as you go.
  6. Quickly beat together the cake ingredients with an electric whisk until smooth, then scrape into the baking tray.
  7. Arrange the apple slices, overlapping in rows, on top of the cake - you should be able to get 3 rows lengthways down the tray.
  8. Bake for 45-50 mins until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tray.
  9. Put the toffees in a small pan with a good splash of milk and gently melt, stirring until runny.
  10. To finish, dust the cake with a little icing sugar. Drizzle the sauce all over the cake. Cut into squares or slices to serve.

Devon Apple Cake

One of our oldest "family" recipes that we were given by Sandra Davison, many years ago in Plymouth.

Ingredients

110 g butter
110 g sugar · for the dough
225 g self raising flour
1 egg · beaten
450 g baking apple · peeled, cored and thinly sliced
50 g raisins or sultanas
2 tbsp sugar · for the fruit
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
  2. Melt the butter and allow to cool a little. Add the sugar for the dough and the beaten egg and mix well. Stir in the flour to make a soft dough.
  3. Put half the dough in the bottom of a lined deep cake tin.
  4. Mix the sugar for the fruit, cinnamon, ginger & apples together and spread over the dough.
  5. Top with the remaining mixture
  6. Bake for 40-45 mins at 180°C
  • Serve hot with clotted cream, or cold and sliced.
  • Goes nice and crispy on the outside.
  • Don’t slice the apple too thickly as it needs to cook inside the cake.

Cauliflower Cheese

Vegetarian. Serves: 4 (easily). Prep. and cooking: 35 mins.

Always a reliable filling meal.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower
50 g flour
75 g butter
½ l milk
100 g fresh cream
50 g grated Gruyère cheese
salt and pepper
pinch nutmeg

Technique

Wash the cauliflower and separate into small florets.  Boil gently in salted water for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Béchamel sauce:  Melt 50 g of butter in a saucepan and blend in the flour gradually, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps.  Pour in the milk slowly, stirring all the time.

Bring to boil and leave to look for 5 minutes.  Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Remove from the heat and blend in the fresh cream.

Heat the oven to 230℃.  Strain the cauliflower.  Butter a gratin dish with the remaining 25 g of butter.  Arrange the cauliflower florets on it and pour over the Béchamel sauce..  Scatter with grated cheese and cook in the over for about 15 minutes before serving immediately.

Note:  Cheddar cheese can be substituted for the Gruyère quite happily and can also be mixed into the sauce, if desired..

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ingredients

225 g plain flour
175 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
chocolate, chopped or chips

Method

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder together and rub in the butter to “breadcrumb” texture.
  2. Stir in the sugar, vanilla and beaten egg.  
  3. Mix to a smooth dough and knead for 2 minutes.
  4. Add in the chopped chocolate.

This may be eaten as 'dough', or...

  1. Refrigerate for 15 mins, in a 5cm diameter roll.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190℃.
  3. Chop into slices, and place on a greased baking sheet.
  4. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
  5. Cook in the oven for 10 mins or until brown.