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The Coco Meli Courgette , lemon and pistachio cake

09/19/2011 00:51:00

Hi there!! had lots of lovely people asking for this so here we go!

Ingredients

65g sultanas , soaked in 75mls amaretto or Pimms ( or orange juice) till plump , about an hour. or warm up in a small pan.

250g of courgette (trimmed)

2 large eggs

125 ml vegetable oil

150g caster sugar

225g self raising flour

half a teaspoon bicarb of soda

half a teaspoon baking powder

filling -home made lemon curd or the best you can buy.

topping - 75g icing sugar mixed with a tbsp fresh lemon juice

80g pistachios or hazelnuts

Method

Soak the sultanas and prepare the tins, 2 x 20 inch sandwich tins , greased and lined. over to 180 degrees C/gas 4 ( fan 165 degrees c.

wipe the courgettes , and grate with the skin on on a course grater.

Beat the eggs, sugar and oil together until creamy looking. tip in the dry ingredients, stir in till combined.(It will be quite stiff) , then add the courgette and the sultanas with any of their soaking fluid.Stir till combined , then divide between the tins equally . Bake for approx 30 mins , till golden on top and firm to the touch.

Let the cakes go cold, then tip out onto a serving plate , and sandwich together with the lemon curd filling.

Decorate with the icing sugar and lemon mix and sprinkle on the nuts when the icing is still wet. Enjoy!

Gluten free spanakopitta!

07/25/2011 10:39:00

Gluten free filo pastry!

Hi all, had a request for a gluten free spanakopitta from one my Tweet buddies Liz , so i would use Rebecca Reilly's "Gluten-Free Baking" cookbook for the filo. here's her recipe( with american cup measurements):

1-3/4 c rice flour

1/4 c sweet rice flour

4 t xanthan gum

1 t unflavored gelatin

1 egg

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 T honey

Mix together dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients large enough to hold the liquids. Lightly beat the egg with 1/4 c of the milk plus the butter and the honey. You may need to stir in more milk . Wrap the dough in plastic wrap until you are ready to use it. Refrigerate if not using right away.

She uses it for baklava by doing this:Cut the dough into 6 pieces, keeping all but the one you are working with wrapped in plastic. Roll out one piece at a time between 2 sheets of plastic wrap about 16 inches long, rolling as thin as possible. Remove the top piece of plastic and flip the dough over into the pan. Continue to roll and layer, and I would think you would work this like regular filo, brushing with butter and keeping it from drying out. Obviously, remove the plastic wrap in between layers.

Use the pastry for my recipe for spanakopitta here;

Makes 14 medium sized ones!

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/350F/gas 4

Grease and cover a flat baking tray or stone tray with parchment paper

500g fresh young spinach leaves

400g Feta cheese

2 large eggs

a pinch of cinnamon

a good grating of nutmeg

ground pepper

3 tablespoons grated anari or parmesan

400g filo pastry

200g melted butter

Blanch the spinach in boiling water for a minute and drain thoroughly. When it has cooled, pull the leaves into smaller pieces and squeeze to drain any excess water. Put the spinach in a bowl with the feta , spices and seasoning and mix well , mashing as you go. then add the eggs and the anari or parmesan.

Now prepare the filo - lay out one thin rectangular sheet and brush with butter ..keep the rest of the pastry covered to stop it from drying out. cover the first sheet with another and brush with butter again. cut the filo into approx 4 inch strips down its length.

Put a tablespoon and a half of the spinach mixture in the bottom of each strip and fold the right corner over to the left side to form a triangle. fold the pastry again to create another triangle until you have a nice package 1brush all over with butter , place on the baking tray , and when all are done, bake for 15 to 20 minutes till crisp and golden!

Bon appetite!

the hardest bit is the pastry making here and the folding so this link is fab! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-B5PqGj9F8

good luck! x

In the Beginning ...........

06/28/2011 23:13:00

Hi y'all !!! i am going to post a recipe a week on here, on Sunday mornings , after i have watched the re runs of How to Look Good Naked , starting this Sunday! x