All the pears are ripening on our tree now and I am in a rush to get as much done with them as I can before its too late. I made the crumble the other day and then I made this delicious Spiced Pear Chutney! I call it Autumn in a Jar!
You really can't go wrong with making a delicious chutney. It is a gift that will give back to you all the year through!
We love chutneys in this house. In fact chutney was one of the first things I learnt to make when I went to Culinary College. It is a very British thing. I think I could make a chutney out of just about anything.
When I was at college we were taught the very basics of making a chutney. You need something sweet and something sour, something spicy and a whole lot of spark!
A chutney is a spicy condiment/relish which contains the perfect balance of sweet, sour and spicy! Mango chutney is a favourite, but there is no end to the types of chutney you can create if you stick to a simple rule of thumb.
Whereas relishes mostly contain vegetables a chutney is largely based on a fruit. And you want a perfect balance of the trinity of chutney which is as I said above, sweet, sour and spicy!
This one is largely composed of pears and onions with some dried cranberries. You could also use sultanas if you wished. DO be sure to use firm pears, not soft ones.
Mine were not very ripe which is perfect for chutney as they held up their shape well in the long cooking process. You want to be able to tell that there is pears in it, or why make it?
The sour comes from the use of Cider Vinegar! I love Cider vinegar and it goes very well with the fruity orchard-infused flavour of pears.
Apples and pears, pears and apples . . .the two things just go together like peas and carrots. They have a natural affinity with each other and I don't think that it is any surprise that the two are ripe at the same time of the year.
There is plenty of brown sugar in this chutney, which adds an almost sweet smokey depth to the flavour and then there is the spice . . .
You can never go wrong with a bit of spice. This chutney has them in abundance. Each of them highlighting and showcasing the fabulousness of those pears!
You want your chutney to have a bit of a kick without going over the top. That special kick is what makes a chutney so special and quite different than most other pickles and preserves.
We are really going to be enjoying this over the winter with all sorts. Perfect on cheese trays, in sandwiches, and with cold sliced meats. Boxing Day Lunch with all of he cold leftovers from Christmas day would not be the same without a jar of chutney on the table.
I will let you in on a little secret here. A dollop or two added to a stew, or soup, or yes . . . Swiss Steak, goes fabulously and will have your guests and family wondering just what is that special ingredient you use to make your cookin' taste so good!
Pear Chutney. This is so delicious and it will have your kitchen/home smelling great for a few days after cooking it!
Aside from the deliciousness it is also very easy to make. Delicious and easy, not to mention a great air freshener! That is a combination which is pretty hard to beat.
Yield: 3 Pints
Spiced Pear Chutney
prep time: 35 minscook time: 1 hour and 45 minstotal time: 1 hours and 80 mins
Something delicious to make with your pear glut.
ingredients:
2 pounds firm pears, peeled, cored and diced
1 1/2 pound brown onions, peeled and diced
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and minced
150g dried cranberries (1 cup)
400g soft light brown sugar (2 cups, packed)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
710ml cider vinegar (3 cups)
160g tomato puree/paste (5 1/2 ounces)
instructions:
Prepare the pears and onions. Place them into a large deep saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining
ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 1
to 1 1/2 hours until it is the consistency you want, stirring it
often. Ladle into hot sterilised pint jars, wipe jar rims, and seal.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining
ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for 1
to 1 1/2 hours until it is the consistency you want, stirring it
often. Ladle into hot sterilised pint jars, wipe jar rims, and seal.
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As a Latter Day Saint, I subscribe to a law of health which is called the Word of Wisdom. As a part of that law, we have been asked to abstain from drinking tea and coffee. This can be somewhat of a challenge, especially if you enjoy the flavours of teas and coffees. I have not imbibed them as hot drinks for a very long time now, but have still used them in baking. Recently however I challenged myself to come up with an alternative so that I could follow the WOW in every form, and so I have been using Barleycup as a healthy alternative. For those of you who are not familiar with the product, Barleycup is a range of instant hot drinks created from roasted cereals and chicory
root, which are completely free from caffeine and artificial additives.
It is a very easy product to use. Simply spoon the Barleycup into a mug and add boiling water. This hot drink contains no sugar but has a tempting aroma and mild taste, coming in at only 10 calories per cup. You can enjoy it on its own or with milk (including soy, almond or rice milk) as a part of a balanced diet.
There are four variations of Barleycup to choose from. Barleycup Powder, Barleycup Granules, Barleycup Organic and Barleycup with Dandelion.
It is available in 200g jars from independent health food stores nationwide and on line. Our friends Tony and Tina actually use it to make milkshakes, which I haven't done yet, but it is on my list of things to try.
Basically however, I have been trying to use it in my baking as a suitable substitution for coffee. First I used it in my Coffee & Walnut Cake recipe, with excellent results. It was used both in the icing and in the cake itself and worked very well. In fact I could barely tell the difference!
I love muffins. They are like little cakes for one . . . but not too sweet. I like to think of them as a healthy alternative to cake.
Muffins are great for packing into lunch boxes! Perfectly portable, they are great for breakfasts on the go, and they make great bring-alongs to work for break time and are probably a lot healthier than anything you could buy at a bake shop.
Adding Barleycup to these muffins adds some extra fibre, along with a mild flavour that is caffeine free and tastes good! Its also low in calories, so win/win/win!
I like to use dark chocolate chips because they pack a lot of flavour and dark chocolate is actually quite good for you. Try to find a chocolate chip with a high level of cacao. Alternately you can chop of a bar of high level cacao chocolate into smaller bits. This works fine.
As you can see these muffins rise tall with beautiful domed tops! I love domed tops, and these muffins are just the perfect size. You don't need, and shouldn't be, eating anything larger than this!
Why not enjoy them along with a nice hot cup of Barleycup? A beautiful combination. Caffeine free, filled with fibre and delicious too!
Yield: 12
Barley Cup & Chocolate Chip Muffins
prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins
Moist and delicious and stuffed full of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
ingredients:
315g plain flour (2 1/4 cups)
135g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS Barley Cup powder
2 large free range eggs
240ml whole milk (1 cup)
120ml melted butter (1/2 cup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
180g semi sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
A few more chocolate chips to sprinkle on top (optional)instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cups. Set aside.
Sift
the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and Barleycup powder together
into a large bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and Barleycup powder together
into a large bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
Beat
together the eggs, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Make a well in the
dry ingredients and add the wet all at once. Stir together just to
combine. Spoon into the lined muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.. Sprinkle a
few extra chocolate chips on top of each if using.
together the eggs, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Make a well in the
dry ingredients and add the wet all at once. Stir together just to
combine. Spoon into the lined muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.. Sprinkle a
few extra chocolate chips on top of each if using.
calories
343
343
fat (grams)
7
7
sat. fat (grams)
0
0
carbs (grams)
66
66
protein (grams)
7
7
sugar (grams)
19
19
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For further information and recipe inspiration, visit: www.barleycup.com or @BarleycupUK on facebook.
#BakingWithBarleycup
I am determined this year to use all of the pears from our pear tree. I struggle with this each year. We have a Conference Pear Tree, (Bosc Pears) and they are not the best pears for eating. (Lesson learnt.) They are however great pears for cooking with, so bring on your crumbles, cakes and pies!
Our landlord brought us a big bag of cooking apples yesterday and I looked at the pears that Todd had picked and the apples and thought, crumble . . . and then I thought why not add blackberries. But I had only a handful of blackberries, so threw in some frozen cranberries I had to make up the difference. But you can use either all blackberries or all cranberries if you wish.
I can't think of anyone who wouldn't love a crumble . . . not quite a pie, not a cake . . . fruity and sweet and topped with a nutty/buttery/crispy/crumbly topping.
I love to make crumbles. There is no faffing about with rolling out crusts or beating together batters . . . you just prepare your fruit, pop it into a baking dish . . .
Rub together a few ingredients . . . flour, butter, sugar, oats, nuts, etc. . . . scatter them over top and then bake!
Until the fruit is soft and jammy . . .
And the topping is golden brown. If you find your topping browning before your fruit is ready, cover it lightly with some aluminium foil.
Let it sit for a bit . . . you don't want anyone burning their mouth, and then spoon it out into bowls for eating . . .
There is rather a lot with this one, so make sure you have plenty of people around to help you heat it, either that or prepare it in two bakes, and freeze one for later. (Without baking it, just wrap well and pop it into the freeze. Thaw completely prior to baking as below.)
Todd loves cream or custard poured over his . . . I prefer ice cream . . .
Although cream is also very, very good . . .
and what is ice cream, but . . . frozen custard.
Todd managed to scarf down two bowls of this on the day . . . and another big bowl the day after.
In fact, I think he would have it for breakfast if he could . . .
Yield: 6 to 8
Three Fruit Crumble
prep time: 20 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 65 mins
This delicious crumble makes use of three kinds of fruit. Don't be tempted to do the crumble mixture in a food processor. You will loose the rough texture that makes crumbles so fabulously crunchy and crumbly!
ingredients:
175g self raising flour (1 1/4 cup)
75g butter (5 1/2 TBS))
25g oats (1/3 cup)
100g demerara sugar (1/2 cup, turbinado)
600g ripe pears (1 1/3 pound)
650g cooking apples (1 1/2 pound)
100g cranberries or other berries (1 cup)
2 to 3 TBS sugar or to taste
a handful of flaked almonds
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Have a baking tray upon which you have laid out a large shallow baking dish.
Measure
the flour into a bowl. Cut the butter into bits and drop in. Rub in
with your fingertips until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in
the oats and demerara sugar. Set aside.
the flour into a bowl. Cut the butter into bits and drop in. Rub in
with your fingertips until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in
the oats and demerara sugar. Set aside.
Peel
and core the pears and apples. Slice thinly into a bowl. Toss in the
berries and the sugar. Toss all together to coat and them pour into the
prepared baking dish. Scatter the crumble topping over top of all.
Don't press it down, you don't want it compact.
and core the pears and apples. Slice thinly into a bowl. Toss in the
berries and the sugar. Toss all together to coat and them pour into the
prepared baking dish. Scatter the crumble topping over top of all.
Don't press it down, you don't want it compact.
in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the almonds, then
return to the oven and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until golden
brown and crisp in places. Serve warm with either cream, ice cream, or
custard for pouring over top.
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Crumbles speak Autumn to me . . . not quite there yet, I know . . . but only a few more days to go. This is a lovely one. Bon Appetit!
I had some pumpkin leftover from making my Pumpkin Pie Roll ups last weekend and I didn't want it to go to waste and so I decided to make this Pumpkin Pound Cake with its luscious Caramel Walnut Sauce for us to enjoy! It is a recipe that I have adapted from one found in a book by Pillsbury, The Complete Book of Baking, published in 1993. It is a cake that I have made many times through the years, and a real favourite, even without the sauce!
If you don't have this book, I highly recommend it. You can still buy it second hand from a variety of locations. It is filled to overflowing with great recipes and information on baking. I picked it up originally in a second hand book shop, and it became one of my favourite books in due course!
It makes a rather large bundt cake, or you can bake it into two large loaves (9 inches by 4 inches) which is just perfect for us, as we are only two. By baking it into loaves, I end up with one to keep and one to share, or freeze for a later date.
I know it doesn't really look like much, but don't be fooled by its simplicity. There is nothing simple about this. It is filled with wonderful flavour and I'll let you in on a little secret. This cake gets better tasting with every day that passes . . .
On the first day with this wonderful Caramel Walnut Sauce, it is just WOWSA!! If you are not fond of the flavour of dark soft brown sugar, do use some light soft brown sugar in its place. Personally I like the flavour of the dark brown.
It lends a smoky, almost molasses-like quality to the richness of the sauce which just goes beautifully with pumpkin!
I used my homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice to flavour the cake. But if you don't have any you can use this alternative: 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves . . . but if you have it or can make your own, do opt for the Pumpkin Pie Spice. I think it's better.
I always toast my nuts before using them. Just throw them into a hot oven (200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6) on a baking sheet for about 8 to 10 minutes, just until you can smell them becoming nutty. You don't want to burn them.
Toasting nuts really brings out their flavours. Trust me on this. And it makes them crunchier . . . moreish even.
Together with the cake . . . this sauce, this cake . . . just magical. Autumn on a plate.
And Autumn is only a few days away now, you know . . . summer is on its swan song now . . .
Its time to embrace the pumpkin . . . smoke . . . warmth . . . comfort . . . spice . . .
The only way this could get any better would be if you added a dollop of whipped cream. I didn't have any on the day . . . sigh . . . Probably a good thing because I probably wouldn't have been able to control my appetite!
Yield: 16
Pumpkin Pound Cake with a Caramel Walnut Sauce
prep time: 15 minscook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins
This delicious cake with its creamy walnut sauce can be either baked in a bundt tin or two large loaf tins. One for keeping and one for gifting or freezing for later.
ingredients:
For the cake:
525g of sugar (2 3/4 cups)
345g butter, at room temperature (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 large free range eggs
420g of plain flour (3 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
(Alternately use 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves)
180g tinned pumpkin puree (1 cup)
For the sauce:
200g firmly packed dark brown sugar (1 cup)
60ml golden syrup (1/4 cup, corn syrup)
120ml heavy cream (1/2 cup, whipping cream)
(Can use evaporated milk)
2 TBS butter
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
60g chopped walnuts, toasted (1/2 cup)instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and
flour a bundt tin or two large loaf tins, shaking out any excess
flour. Alternatively butter and line two loaf tins with baking paper
and butter the paper. Set aside.
flour a bundt tin or two large loaf tins, shaking out any excess
flour. Alternatively butter and line two loaf tins with baking paper
and butter the paper. Set aside.
Cream the
sugar and butter together with an electric whisk until light and
fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and then beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice. Add
to the creamed mixture, alternately with the pumpkin puree, beating well
after each addition. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin (s)
smoothing the top over.
sugar and butter together with an electric whisk until light and
fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and then beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice. Add
to the creamed mixture, alternately with the pumpkin puree, beating well
after each addition. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin (s)
smoothing the top over.
Bake for 60 to 70
minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes
out clean.Let cool in the tin for 15 minutes before tipping out onto a
plate to finish cooling completely.
minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes
out clean.Let cool in the tin for 15 minutes before tipping out onto a
plate to finish cooling completely.
sauce, combine the brown sugar, golden syrup, cream, butter and salt in
a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring the whole
time. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and walnuts. Serve
warm and spooned over slices of the cake. Store any remaining sauce in
the refrigerator.
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I really hope you will bake this and enjoy it on day one with the sauce and the nuts, and then on every day afterwards . . . just plain. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This is truly amaze-balls as the younguns say! Bon Appetit!
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