Recipes to Try

Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake...

2008-05-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

* 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed (I used 1/4 cup of dried raisins)

* 1 cup medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal

* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1 cup ricotta

* 1/3 cup tepid water

* 3/4 cup sugar

* 3/4 cup honey

* Grated zest of 1 lemon (I used an orange)

* 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

* 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits and chilled

* 2 large eggs

Directions:

- Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.

- Butter a 10-1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. (Don’t skip this step!)If your figs are the least bit hard, put them in a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry.

- If the figs are larger than a bite-size, snip them in half.Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt together.

- Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth.

- With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey and lemon zest and beat until light.

- Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth.

- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.

- Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.

- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

-The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the pan.

-Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.

Recipe and picture from here.

Granola with Flaxseed...

2008-05-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

* 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
* 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (I left this out)
* 3/4 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) sliced blanched almonds (I used whole)
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries
* 1/2 cup golden raisins
* 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed (from about 1 1/2 teaspoons whole)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Toss together oats, coconut, and almonds in a medium bowl; set aside.

- Whisk together vegetable oil and honey in a small bowl; stir into oats mixture. Spread out oats mixture on a rimmed baking sheet.Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes.

- Let cool 10 minutes; toss with flaxseed oil. Let cool completely. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, and ground flaxseed.

Yields about 5 and 1/2 cups.

Pictures and recipe from here.

Cardamom Coffee Cake...

2008-05-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

Cardamom and Almond Mixture
* 1/2 cup almonds, with skin, chopped coarsely (125 ml)
* 3 tbsp packed brown sugar (45 ml)
* 2 tbsp all purpose flour (30 ml)
* 1 tsp cardamom (5 ml)
* 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (45 ml)

- In a medium bowl, mix together almonds, sugar, flour and cardamom and melted butter with a fork or your fingertips.

Cake
* 2 cups all purpose flour (500 ml)
* 1 tsp baking powder (5 ml)
* 1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon (2 ml)
* 1 1/4 tsp baking soda (6 ml)
* 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (250 ml)
* 1 cup packed light brown sugar (250 ml)
* 2 x large eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
* 1 cup sour cream (250 ml)

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

- Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and set aside.

- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beating well between additions. Beat in vanilla.

- Add the dry ingredients in thirds to the creamed butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream, beating in between additions and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides and beat for 1 minute to develop structure of cake.

- Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease sides. Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle half of the almond mixture over the cake.

- Pour the remaining batter into the pan, spreading it out if necessary. Top with the remaining almond mixture.

- Bake on the middle rack of oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave cake in pan and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Cardamom and Apple Cake...

2008-05-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
* 1 cup granulated sugar (250 mL)
* 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (175 mL)
* 2/3 cup melt ed butter, cooled (150 mL)
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla (5 mL)
* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (500 mL)
* 2 tsp baking soda (10 mL)
* 2 tsp cinnamon (10 mL)
* 1 tsp each nutmeg cardamom (5 mL)
* 1/2 tsp salt (2 mL)
* 1 cup chopped pecans or unblanched almonds (250 mL)
* 4 cups peeled, cored chopped apples (1 L)
* 3 tbsp icing sugar (50 mL)

Preparation:
- Grease 10-inch (4 L) angel food cake pan or similar pan and dust lightly with flour.

- In large mixing bowl, blend together sugars; beat in butter, eggs and vanilla to make smooth batter.

- Sift together flour, soda, spices and salt. Measure out about 1/4 cup (50 mL) and dust nuts.

- Mix sifted dry ingredients into butter batter; quickly stir in floured nuts and apples. Transfer to prepared pan.

- Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 50 minutes or until skewer inserted in centre of cake comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan on rack. If possible, store for 1 day in airtight container before cutting.

- To serve, remove from pan and, positioning patterned cardboard (or paper lace doily) over top of cake, sieve icing sugar onto cake. Remove cardboard.