Category Archives: Cakes

Deb’s Pear Tarte Tatin

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Pear Tarte Tatin

To mark the end of the olive harvest, we decided to have a meal to celebrate, and Deb suggested this as a pudding. She made it using our winter pears and it was absolutely delicious served with custard.

Pear Tarte Tatin

Servings: 8
Total time: 1h

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 pears, peeled, cored and halved
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100g butter
  • 2 star anise
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 2 tbsp brandy
  • 500g all-butter puff pastry

METHOD

  1. Prepare the pears by peeling, coring and halving them, then set aside.
  2. Put the sugar, butter and all the spices into a 20cm ovenproof frying pan. Warm over a medium–high heat until it bubbles and turns a deep caramel colour, stirring now and then.
  3. Laying the pears into the caramel, cook them for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until glossy and well coated. Add the brandy and let it briefly flambé, then lift the pears out and set aside.
  4. Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Roll the pastry to the thickness of a €1 coin. Using a plate slightly larger than your pan, cut out a circle and thin the edges gently with your fingers.
  5. Arrange the pears back in the pan, cut side up, in a flower pattern. Return the cinnamon stick to the centre and scatter in the cardamom pods.
  6. Lay the pastry over the pears, tucking the edges down the sides and under the fruit. Prick the pastry a few times to allow steam to escape.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes. If juices bubble up around the edges, carefully pour them off. Reduce the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
  8. Let the tart rest for about 10 minutes, then invert it carefully onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

Cherry Cake

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CHERRY CAKE

Now that the cherries are ripe, it’s a race to get them before the birds finish them off and I’ve been trying out new recipes to use them up. 

Cherry Cake

INGREDIENTS

  • 225g butter, softened
  • 225g white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 350g cherries, stoned
  • icing sugar

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC.
  2. Line a 23cm square tin.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar together.
  4. Beat in the eggs.
  5. Gradually mix in the flour.
  6. Fold in the cherries.
  7. Put in the cake tin and bake for 60 minutes.
  8. Sprinkle the top with icing sugar.

 

Dorset Apple Cake

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cortijoblog dorset apple cake

DORSET APPLE CAKE

We had a bumper harvest of apples last Autumn which we’ve been enjoying throughout the winter. We wrapped the larger apples in brown paper and stored them all in wooden crates and have been eating them ever since.

cortijoblog dorset apple cake

Dorset Apple Cake

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 115g cold butter, diced
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 115g brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 50ml milk
  • 225g apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • 100g sultanas, or other dried fruit (e.g. figs)
  • 2 tbsp demerara sugar

METHOD

  1. Heat the oven to 160ºC fan.
  2. Butter and line a deep 500g loaf tin with baking parchment.
  3. Mix together the flour and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  4. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your fingers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  5. Stir in the light brown sugar.
  6. Beat in the egg and milk to form a thick batter.
  7. Add the apples and dried fruit.
  8. Mix well and then put in the tin.
  9. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of demerara sugar over the top.
  10. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Pancakes

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PANCAKES

Ingredients:

  • 125g plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 300ml milk
  • Sunflower oil

Method:

  1. Sift 125g plain flour into a jug.
  2. Whisk together the eggs and about 50ml of the milk
  3. Pour the egg/milk mixture onto the flour and slowly whisk, incorporating the flour a bit at a time.
  4. Slowly whisk in the remaining 250ml of milk
  5. Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
  6. Heat a frying pan and brush with a little oil.
  7. Pour two or three tablespoons of batter into the pan.
  8. Tilt the pan to spread out the batter.
  9. Fry the pancake for 45-60 seconds until the bottom is cooked
  10. Flip the pancake and cook the other side.
  11. Serve with lemon and sugar.

Walnut Brownies

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WALNUT BROWNIES

This brownie recipe uses dark chocolate and cocoa powder and is made with butter rather than oil.

Walnut Brownies

These brownies only need to be baked for a short time in the oven but time will depend on your oven.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 120g dark chocolate
  • 120g butter
  • 20g cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 150g soft brown sugar
  • 70g plain flour
  • 50g chocolate chips
  • 50g walnuts, roughly broken
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC fan.
  2. Brush your brownie tin with melted butter and line with greaseproof paper.
  3. In a saucepan, melt the chocolate, butter and cocoa powder and leave to cool.
  4. Whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy in a bowl.
  5. Stir the chocolate mix into the bowl with the eggs and sugar and whisk well.
  6. Fold in the flour, walnut pieces and chocolate chips.
  7. Spoon the brownie into the tin and bake for 25 minutes.
  8. The brownies should have a slight wobble wen cooked so put back in the oven for another couple of minutes if they look undercooked.