Showing posts with label Honey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honey. Show all posts
I love cake. It is a weakness of mine. I try to always have some sort of cake in the house, preferably homemade. Perhaps that is why I look the way I do. 😁
Be that as it may, I am a happy person, and cake is one of my little joys in life.
This recipe for Portuguese Honey Cake is one I adapted from The Redpath Canadian Bake Book, by Redpath Sugar. It is filled with over 200 recipes for cakes, cookies, breads, pies, etc. I love it!
But then again, I love to bake. I had never considered myself to be much of a baker, but I have come to realize late in life that I am. If I was a much younger woman, I would probably study the art of patisserie and baking, but I am a bit too long in the tooth now.
The original Portuguese Honey Cake comes from the Island of Madeira, off the coast of Portugal. I have never been there myself, but it was on my bucket list at one time.
Madeira is one of two autonomous regions of Portugal, the other one being the Azores. It is known for its fortified wine, beautiful seafood and this delicious cake, which you will find there baked into much smaller cakes that are traditionally broken not cut.
This cake has a beautiful unique flavor, owing to the use of honey, as well as lemon, cinnamon and olive oil, and by that I mean extra virgin olive oil.
Normally in a cake you wouldn't use the assertive flavor of an extra virgin olive oil, but here it totally works. You will see evo used in a lot of cakes in this region and the Mediterranean.
It has a lovely dense texture and yet at the same time it is very light. I found it to be really lovely.
You will want to use a honey in this with a beautiful flavor. Redpath suggests a honey with a floral bouquet and flavor. Something like a clover or a wildflower honey would be good.
And yet, now having tasted this delicious cake, I find myself wondering how it would taste if I were to make it using Greek Honey.
Greek honey is considered to be some of the finest honey in the world. I adore it personally. It almost as a bit of an anise flavor to it. The darker the honey, the more like anise it tastes.
I think the flavor of it would go very well with the lemon in this cake, as well as the cinnamon.
I used Dori Greenspan's technique of rubbing lemon zest into sugar when baking. This really helps to bring out the natural oils of the lemon and makes for a very fragrant combination.
I used to belong to a baking group that was baking its way through Dori's book, Baking From My Home to Yours. Each week we would bake, ensemble, a recipe from the book.
It was great fun and I have to say I made a few really great friends from the group, some of whom I am still friends with today. I am pretty sure that is how Monique (La Table de Nana) and I discovered each other!
So anyways, I have been doing that with my citrus zests ever since. It does make a difference in the end result, I have to say. I highly recommend you try it at least once.
You would think that with such assertive flavors in a cake, they might overwhelm each other, but they simply don't
They work beautifully well with each other . . . with no one flavor dominating.
With each bite of cake you get the essence of the honey, a bit of citrus and the hint of cinnamon, not forgetting the richness of the olive oil.
It also smells really wonderful when it is baking. Open your doors so that the whole neighborhood also gets to enjoy it!
I sent half of the cake over to a friend that I had prepared a meal for. I have not heard what they thought of it, but I am sure it went over well.
The flaked almonds on top add a lovely look and crunch to this cake. I do so love a cake topped with almonds, don't you?
I didn't bother to toast these first as they are only sprinkled on top of the cake and I knew they would get a nice toasting in the heat of the oven.
This cake seems to become even more delicious as the days pass. I just had a piece (three days later) and it was even nicer than it was on the first day.
I have been tempted to toast it, and spread it with butter . . . glutton that I am.
This is a cake that is perfect for the tea table, served with a hot cuppa, or with coffee for breakfast. It would make a lovely dessert served with fresh berries.
If you are a drinker, you may want to serve it thinly sliced along with a small shot of madeira wine or sweet sherry.
Or, if you are like me, you will just want to enjoy it any time with any thing! Fact being, you WILL enjoy it!! I am so happy it tempted me into doing just that!
Portuguese Honey Cake
Yield: 0ne (8 by 4-inch) loaf, 10 servings
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 55 Min
Make sure you use a really nice flavored honey for this moist and delicious cake!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (160g) fine granulated sugar (caster sugar)
- the finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 4 large free-range eggs, divided
- 1/3 cup (80ml) liquid honey
- 1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 TBS flaked almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 3. Butter an 8 by 4-inch loaf tin. Dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess. Set aside. (Alternately you may line the tin with baking parchment. I like to leave an overhang to lift the baked cake out with.)
- Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt together into a bowl. Set aside.
- Measure the sugar into a bowl. Add the lemon zest and rub it together until very fragrant. Add the egg yolks and beat the sugar and egg yolks together for three minutes at high speed. Add the honey and the lemon juice and beat for a further minute.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, alternately with the olive oil, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until there are only a few streaks of flour.
- Using clean beaters, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold half of the egg white mixture into the batter. Fold the remaining egg white mixture in until just combined. Don't over mix, a few white streaks should remain.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the loaf tin lightly on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles, then sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top of the cake.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If you think your cake is getting too brown, cover the pan loosely with foil.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before tipping the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely (Upright). (If you have used baking paper, you should just be able to lift it out.)
- Cut into slices to serve, using a serrated knife.
- Store any leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes:
This cake can also be baked in an 8-inch Bundt pan. Butter the pan really well and dust with flour, shaking out any excess flour. Mix and bake as above. Let cool in the pan for five minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen and tip out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
17th Century Honey Cake. There are not many 17th century cake recipes out there, but every once in a while you come across one that you just have to bake!
This is a delicious loaf cake recipe that I baked a week or so ago and am only now just getting to show you. I have adapted the recipe from a National Trust Cookery book, entitled, "Good Old-Fashioned Cakes," by Jane Pettigrew.
It is said that this recipe dates back to the 17th century, so its a very old recipe indeed!
Honey is one of the first sweeteners known to mankind.
Honey is one of the first sweeteners known to mankind.
A daily dose of honey is said to be very good for you, boosting the body's supply of anti-oxidents which help to protect us from age-related diseases.
I'm all for good health! Honey in a cake? Yes, please!
This is one of those cakes which seems to get better tasting with each day that passes. I love cakes like that. Cakes that age well.
It is also a cake which just begs to be enjoyed along with a cup of tea.
I enjoy it with Lemon and Ginger tea myself, but you can pick whatever tea it is that you like drinking. I am betting an English Breakfast tea would go down a real treat!
The cake itself is delicately flavoured with honey and almond.
The cake itself is delicately flavoured with honey and almond.
After baking, a drizzle of honey and lemon is applied to the warm cake, that soaks in, increasing it's moistness.
Then once it is cooled, it is iced with a lemon cream cheese icing. Mmm . . . cream cheese icing.
Say what??? A dense rich cake.
Say what??? A dense rich cake.
A lemon and honey drizzle icing and then a cream cheese frosting???
Do I need to say more???? Get baking! You know you want to!
or 1 2-pound loaf cake
This
tender and delicious cake is said to date back to the 17th century.
Honey is said to boost the immune system and guard against age related
disease.
For the cake:
175g of butter, softened (3/4 cup)
175g of caster sugar (scant cup)
3 large free range eggs, beaten
175g of self raising flour.sifted (1 1/4 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
1 TBS clear liquid honey
few drops almond extract
for the glaze:
1 dessert spoon clear liquid honey
the juice of one lemon
To ice:
150g of cream cheese (5 ounces)
the juice of half a lemon
175g of icing sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F gas mark 4. Butter and line either a 7 inch round deep cake tin or a 2 pound loaf tin.
Beat
the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the
eggs, one at a time. Sift together the self raising flour and the
baking powder.
Bake for
1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cover the top with a double sheet of baking paper
about half an hour into the baking time to prevent it from over
browning.
Beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice and icing
sugar and spread over the cooled cake.
*Honey Cake*
Makes one 7 inch round cakeStir this into the creamed mixture and beat well to
combine. Beat in the honey and almond. Scrap the batter into the
prepared pan, smoothing the top over.
When done a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out
clean. Remove from the oven.
Stir together the glaze ingredients and
then spoon this mixture over top of the cake allowing it to soak in.
Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing from the
tin.
Cut into slices or wedges to
serve. Store in an airtight container.
Enjoy! This is a real winner of a cake. Moist, delicious, historical and oh so scrumptious! You can't lose!
Enjoy! This is a real winner of a cake. Moist, delicious, historical and oh so scrumptious! You can't lose!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: theenglishkitchen@mail.com
We are big fans of lemon cookies in this house . . . okay, so I lied, it's really only me that likes baked lemon anything, but I didn't want you to think I was a glutton and eat all the lemon stuff myself, even if it is true. haha That's actually a lie as well, I normally send half of every lemon bake I make to our good friend Doreen. She doesn't mind in the least!
I was recently sent a jar of Steens Raw 15+ Manuka Honey and challenged to try one of the recipes that Amber Rose has written which are not only healthy but very easy to make.
I chose to make the Immune Booster Super Berrie Smoothies. Not only was it easy to make but it was incredibly delicious. Especially the Banana part! (and I am not normally fond of bananas)
*The Immune Booster Smoothie*
For two
Steens is the industry leader in Manuka Honey. Raw Steens Manuka honey contains a huge amount of beneficial enzymes. The high NPA level means that the Manuka honey has superior antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, giving it great health credentials.
Steens cold processed honey is 100% pure and sets in it's own natural crystal with all the advantages of natures health benefits.
The rich golden colour, texture, distinct aromas and flavours are testament to the natural processes, freshness and purity of the honey. Unique processing means enhanced health benefits; enzymes and bee pollen are retained in this honey.
Produced by nature in New Zeland and completely natural, each jar is traceable right back to the producer and hive. Their sustainable methods and environmentally friendly production practices have resulted in a quality product which is not only good for you, but ethical and sustainable. To find out more do check out their webpage.
Many thanks to Steens for sending me this. Any opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.
I have never made any secret of the obsession I have with everything Nigel Slater cooks. I just find him so inspiring . . . and I never tire of watching him cook. As I have said before many times . . . he cooks the way I cook, and he obviously eats the way I like to eat. Unpretentious. Simple. Delicious. Good quality ingredients, combined simply and very well executed. You can't ask for more than that.
On one of his last series he did a show based on the flavour combination of Sweet and Sour. This is something I just love . . . sweet and sour. I don't know anyone who doesn't. One of the dishes he cooked was some pork chops in a simple gooseberry sauce. He used light muscovado sugar in his . . . and some thyme, a bit of vermouth . . . and of course gooseberries and fresh pork.
Pork is one of those meats which lends itself beautifully to the use of fruit in it's preparation. It's succulent and rich . . . and fruit just helps to bring out all of those lovely qualities. I had been wanting to do these pork chops since I saw Nigel doing them . . . and of course could not wait for our gooseberries to ripen in the garden, for just that purpose . . .
Today was the day. I didn't quite have all my ducks in a row though . . . some things were missing.
I had the pork chops . . . nice, thick and meaty ones with a lovely layer of fat on the outside edge. I like to clip that edge with some kitchen scissors at even intervals . . . it looks nice and helps the chops to lay flat in the pan so that they brown up evenly. Can anything taste better than crisp pork fat, turned to a sticky golden brown ????? Mmmm . . . think not.
I had the gooseberries of course, but no muscovado sugar or vermouth . . .
I did have, however . . . a lovely jar of Acacia honey that I picked up at Harrods last year on sale and a nice big bottle of French Calvados . . . add to that some English Walnuts, lightly toasted and some fresh Marjoram . . . and we were hitting a home run, if not the ducks!
Think Sweet and Sour, except way better . . . every mouthful brought the taste of rich pork, with crisp fat, sweet honey, cut by the tart gooseberries, herby marjoram and just a tiny crunch from the walnuts.
In short . . . perfect. I love it when my cooking is inspired by Nigel. I just know it's going to come out tasting beautifully delicious! I also love that his recipes are simple and quite easy to make your own. I only wish he could have tasted these. I think he would have totally approved!
*Pork Chops with a Gooseberry, Honey and Walnut Sauce*
Serves 2
What
to do when you have a handful of tart gooseberries and a few pork
chops. Inspired by something which I saw on Nigel Slater's Simple
Suppers. A marriage of sweet and sour. I took it a bit further and
added acacia honey, marjoram, a generous slug of French Calvados and a
handful of toasted walnuts. In short . . . what I had to hand.
Delicious.
2 thick pork chops
a large handful or two of ripe gooseberries, red or green (topped and tailed)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few springs of fresh Marjoram (or dried if that's all you have)
two dessert-spoons of Acacia Honey
a small handful of toasted English Walnuts
a knob of butter
Take
your pork chops and using some kitchen scissors, cut into the fatty
edge at 1/2 inch intervals all along the edge This helps to keep them
from curling up. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper.
Melt the butter in a skillet, just
large enough to hold the two pork chops snugly, over medium high heat.
Once it begins to foam and sputter add the chops. Brown nicely on the
one side and then flip them over and brown on the other side. You will
want them to be pale golden brown. Add a generous slug of French
Calvados and tip in the gooseberries, letting them fall as they may.
Spoon a dessert-spoon full of honey over each chop and sprinkle with
some marjoram leaves and a few toasted walnuts. Cover and cook for
about fifteen minutes, just until the pork is cooked through and the
berries have collapsed somewhat and created a lovely sauce, which is at
once tart, sweet, boozy and herbed. Serve immediately with some
roasted vegetables or mash. Delicious.
What I wouldn't give for the opportunity to cook with Nigel Slater . . . man . . . that is on my bucket list for sure. That would be better than winning the lottery in my books . . . seriously.
What I wouldn't give for the opportunity to cook with Nigel Slater . . . man . . . that is on my bucket list for sure. That would be better than winning the lottery in my books . . . seriously.
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