Apple & Honey Muffins

All our friends and family with apple trees have kept us with a steady supply since late July, it has been a bumper year! It is the end of the season now but there are still a lot of English apples around and if you have lots leftover from your own tree this recipe is great as the compote can be made and frozen now and then defrosted whenever you feel like a batch of these delicious muffins!

They make a delicious breakfast treat and are perfect for children’s lunch boxes, the apple compote keeps them lovely and moist.

Makes around 10 muffins.

Ingredients
5 tbsp apple compote (dice up your apples and simmer over a low heat with a splash of water until you have a thick mushy sauce)
90 ml sunflower oil
2 free range eggs beaten
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g golden caster sugar
200g wholewheat plain flour (or a mixture of wholewheat & white plain flour)
3 tbsp rolled oats
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sultanas
2 tbsp chopped pecans (optional)
Mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame) for the topping

Method
1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) and line a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
2) In a bowl mix together the wet ingredients (apple, sunflower oil, eggs, honey, vanilla ext.) and sugar until well blended.
3) In a separate larger bowl sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon and stir in the oats.
4) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined, the mixture will be quite lumpy.
5) Add the sultanas and nuts in the last few stirs. Be careful not to over mix.
6) Spoon the mixture into muffin cases, filling 3/4 of the way up
7) Sprinkle the tops with the seed mix and bake for 20-25 minutes, the tops should spring back easily when lightly pressed, if not cook for a couple of minutes more and check again.

Blackberry Crumble Cake

I didn't get a chance to photograph this cake until it was nearly finished so I know it is a winner! I used blackberries as we have lots growing at the back of our garden at the moment but blueberries or raspberries would also work well.

Ingredients
For the Crumble
25g sugar, I used a mix of granulated and dark soft brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp oats
20g melted unsalted butter
50g plain flour

For the Cake
275g plain flour
175g golden caster sugar
150g margerine
2 eggs
150g reduced fat creme fraiche (or yogurt would work)
zest and juice of half a lemon
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150-200g of fresh blackberries

Method
1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and grease and line the base of a round baking tin (mine is 25cm dia).
2) Make the crumble topping by mixing the sugar, cinnamon, oats and butter together then rubbing in the flour, it should me slightly moister than a normal crumble mix. Put this to one side for later.
3)  Now for the cake batter. Cream together the sugar and margarine until light and fluffy.
4) Add the eggs one at a time and mix well followed by the creme fraiche and lemon.
5) Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and stir until just combined.
6) Fold in the fruit carefully so the berries don't break up too much.
7) Transfer the batter to your cake tin and smooth the top before sprinkling your crumble mixture over it.
8) Bake for 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack and serve with a cup of tea or with custard or ice cream for a proper dessert.
 

Cherry Clafoutis

I have experimented with a few different recipes for clafoutis but this one definitely gives the best results. 

It is a combination of a few recipes, many don't use cream but without the cream I think it tastes too much like yorkshire pudding! 

 

Ingredients.

450g cherries

1 tablespoon kirsch (optional) 

185 ml double cream

1 vanilla pod
125ml milk
3 eggs
55g caster sugar
85g plain flour

Method.

I always leave the stones in the cherries but you can stone them if you like, warn your guests if you leave them in! About an hour before baking I soak the cherries in the kirsch, it is not essential but I think it adds to the almondy flavour.

1) Preheat the oven to 180 C. 

2) Warm the cream in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds before adding to the cream. Heat gently for a couple of minutes, then remove from the heat, add the milk and cool. Strain to remove the vanilla pod.

3) Whisk the eggs with the sugar and flour, then mix into the cream. 

4) Put the cherries in the base of your baking dish and pour the batter over the top. 

5) Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden on top. 

It is delicious served warm (with ice cream) or fine served cold if you want to prepare it in advance.

Hastings Farmer's Market

There was a brief break in the rain showers this morning, just enough time to walk to Hastings Farmer's Market and pick up some lovely local seasonal fruit.

 
At this time of year cherries are everywhere in Kent and Sussex and they are one of my favourite fruits. I am planning to make a Clafoutis aux Cerises this afternoon and if there are any cherries leftover I would love to try out this Quick Candied Cherry recipe from David Lebovitz's Living the Sweet Life in Paris blog.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2005/05/badabing-quick-1/

I'll share the photos and Clafoutis recipe tomorrow and let you know what I decide to do with these delicious gooseberries!

Where is Summer?

The longest day of the year has now come and gone but what has happened to the sunshine? After a fabulous Spring, June has been a bit of a washout. In spite of all the clouds and rain there are still small signs of Summer in the garden and we are starting to enjoy the fruits of our labours earlier in the year...   

 

Our first sweet pea flowers.

 

Rows of rocket shooting through.

 

The first courgettes.

A handful of homegrown raspberries.