Pecan Slice

January 27, 2014 By

Last Updated on January 27, 2014 by Grab Your Spork

After buying an abundance of pecans at the shops the other week Brooke has been needing to use up the rest and has already made enough Maple Mixed Nut Granola to last her a couple of weeks! As a result she decided to make some deliciously buttery Pecan Slice – no complaining here of course! I don’t know about you but I love the flavour of pecans. Although they are similar to a walnut, they are a bit softer and not quite as bitter.

This recipe is pretty much just a variation of pecan pie. However making it in a square tin makes it easier to cut up, as it can be quite an indulgent treat. Pecan Slice is the perfect combination of chewy gooey pecan filling topped on shortbread crusted base. I find this recipe to be more for the cooler months and can easily be spiced up using cinnamon or even some spiced rum.

To prepare you need to make a very simply shortcrust base, before adding the filling. The filling requires corn syrup; however you can simply substitute with glucose syrup. Glucose syrup tends to be thicker, but do not worry as we have had no issues using either. For those in Australia, you will probably find easier to source in your local convenience store.

Once you have prepared the slice you need to bake it again until the filling is bubbling away. When this is done, simply remove from the oven and allow to completely cool. Cut into even squares to serve. I am sure you all will be happy with crunchy top bursting with toasted pecan and caramel filling and soft shortbread base. Delish!

Pecan Slice Ingredients

Pecan Slice Dough

Pecan Slice Base

Pecan Slice Ingredients

Pecan Slice Mixture

Pecan Slice in Pan

Pecan Slice

Pecan Slice

5.0 from 1 reviews
Pecan Slice
 
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Pecan Slice made with the perfect combination of chewy gooey pecan filling topped on shortbread crusted base.
Author:
Recipe type: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Crust
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose plain flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tspn salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
Filling
  • ¾ cup packed light-brown sugar
  • ¼ cup corn syrup, or glucose
  • ¼ cup thickened cream
  • ½ tspn salt
  • 2 cups pecans
  • ½ chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Line a Line a 9-inch square baking pan.
  2. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg; pulse just until a dough forms.
  3. Transfer dough to prepared pan; with floured fingers and an offset spatula, press firmly into bottom and ¾ inch up sides. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
  4. Prick bottom of dough; bake until lightly golden, 20 minutes. Let cool while preparing filling.
  5. Make the filling: In a large saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly until smooth. Continue to boil, without stirring, until slight darkened. About 2 minutes.
  6. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in cream and salt. Mix in pecans.
  7. Spoon hot filling evenly over crust, using a spoon or spatula to press in nuts so they fit snugly.
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes. The slice should be bubbling and amber coloured. Cool completely in pan.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods

Zucchini and Bacon Slice

January 20, 2014 By

Last Updated on January 20, 2014 by Grab Your Spork

Trying to think of healthy alternative options to take too work during the week can be hard. This recipe for Zucchini and Bacon slice is a great as not only is this slice ridiculously easy to make, it’s really tasty and is quite versatile. This slice can also be eaten hot or cold which is perfect for those who have kids going back to school soon.

After our weekend ritual to the farmers markets and a new local fresh provisions shop we picked up the extra ingredients we needed that we didn’t have around the house. To start this recipe you need to cook the onion, bacon and garlic in a pan for about 5 minutes. Honestly just this smell alone will have your stomach rumbling! Once this is cooked off you need to add it too the remaining ingredients.

It is really important to drain the excess water from the zucchini, as zucchini holds a lot of water! Once the ingredients are combined simply spread evenly in a prepared (well greased) pan and cook for around 40 minutes.

Serve this slice hot or cold, or even freeze in portions in an airtight container for up to three months!

Zucchini and Bacon Slice Ingredients

Zucchini and Bacon and onion Slice

Zucchini and Bacon Slice Mixture

Zucchini and Bacon Slice Combining Ingredients

Zucchini and Bacon Slice in Pan

Zucchini and Bacon Slice in Oven

Zucchini and Bacon Slice in baking tin

Zucchini and Bacon Slice

5.0 from 1 reviews
Zucchini and Bacon Slice
 
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This recipe for Zucchini and Bacon slice is ridiculously easy to make and is perfect for a healthy lunch or snack.
Author:
Recipe type: Baked Goods
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 4 rashers bacon, rind removed and chopped
  • 2 zucchinis (courgette), grated
  • 200g feta, crumbled
  • 200g ricotta
  • ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
  • ¼ cup chopped chives
  • sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup (150g) self-raising (self-rising) flour, sifted
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook for 5 minutes or until light golden.
  3. Place in a bowl with the zucchini, feta, ricotta, parmesan, chives, salt and pepper and mix to combine.
  4. Place the eggs and flour in a bowl and mix well to combine. Add to the zucchini and mix to combine.
  5. Spoon into a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm tin lined with non-stick baking paper and smooth.
  6. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
  7. Cut into slices to serve.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods

Blueberry and lemon cupcakes recipe

December 23, 2013 By

Last Updated on October 5, 2019 by Grab Your Spork

This blueberry and lemon cupcake recipe is just one of those things that is very regular but somehow elevates the day a little bit. It’s low maintenance, highly snackable, and 100% delicious.

The holidays are finally here for some and to start the break off we headed to the markets for a quick breakfast bagel and a look to see what else was available. After a couple of purchases and a jam doughnut – we also ended up with some great blueberries grown in Mt Baker.

With it just being the start of blueberry season here in Western Australia, there are plenty of yummy things to make with them and we paired our blueberries with of course Brooke’s favourite – lemon! Add them together and what you get is a simple blueberry and lemon cupcake recipe which will have you looking for just one more.

The combination of the two fruits actually works really well. The cake itself isn’t overly sweet and has a nice zesty flavour, combined with the bursting tang of fresh blueberries. Although the decadence of a lemon cream cheese icing isn’t at all unwelcome, the cupcakes are flavourful enough on their own given the delicious combination. If you are making these on a hot day like it was in Perth, I would even recommend skipping the icing and simply giving the cupcakes a simple dusting with icing sugar.

This recipe for blueberry and lemon cupcakes is a great summer treat. So bring a little sunshine to your day with these delicious lemon blueberry cupcakes.

If you like this recipe – then check out our other dessert and sweets recipes – like our recipes for no-bake mars bar slice, ginger-nut biscuits, easy raspberry friands, blueberry and lemon loaves or Belgian lemon tea cake.

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes Ingredients

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes Mixture

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes batter

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes Mixture

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Tray of Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

How to make blueberry and lemon cupcakes

Blueberry and Lemon Cupcakes
 
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These Blueberry and Lemon cupcakes are a great summer treat and have a nice zesty flavour, combined with the bursting tang of fresh blueberries.
Author:
Recipe type: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Cupcake
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter (roomtemp)
  • 3 eggs (let stand at room temp)
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
  • Blueberries, coated with flour
Icing
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (let stand at room temp)
  • 1 block cream cheese (250g)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Cupcake
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and place paper cups into cupcake tins.
  2. Mix the butter and eggs.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
  4. Mix the granulated sugar, milk and lemon peel together.
  5. Then mix the butter and eggs into the milk and sugar mixture.
  6. Mix the flour into the wet mixture and blend.
  7. Fill each cup three-quarters full with batter. Drop the coated blueberries on top.
  8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Icing
  1. Combine the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest together until light and fluffy.
  2. Pipe onto the cupcakes and decorate with lemon peel, blueberries and a mint leaf.
Notes
Decorate your cupcake with extra fresh blueberries, lemon peel or mint leaves.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods Tagged With: ,

Sugar Cookies

October 14, 2013 By

Last Updated on April 8, 2016 by Grab Your Spork

This weekend was Brooke’s future sister in-laws Kitchen Tea. I am still not entirely sure what the afternoon entails, but I know there was an array of savoury and sweet treats thanks to the leftovers that got brought home! To contribute to the afternoon Brooke volunteered herself to take on the sweets, which included mini lemon meringue pies, cupcakes and lastly sugar cookies.

Sugar cookies are well known throughout America and are usually made at festive times including Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Halloween as they can be easily cut into various shapes. The other great thing about Sugar Cookies is the recipe is so simple and so are the ingredients! Sugar cookies are made from sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla and either baking powder or baking soda. For this recipe Brooke opted for baking powder. When making these cookies you need to make sure you refrigerate your dough first, as the chilled dough makes it so much easier to roll ( it doesn’t stick as much to the rolling pin).

When it comes to decorating the cookies, this is the fun part – although the mess isn’t so much. To decorate it is really your choice whether you wish to decorate with a glaze, royal icing or fondant. For this recipe Brooke opted for a combination of royal icing and a glaze. Royal icing is great for decorating cakes, cupcakes or cookies and is made using egg whites or meringue powder, which is what helps it dry hard. If you want to make a glaze also, I would recommend making a royal icing in addition to pipe around to outside, then put the glaze in the middle as it holds it in place. Remember you will need to work quickly with your royal icing as it does crust quickly.

Brooke’s handy tip if you are using a pipe for the royal icing. Put a damp piece of paper towel in a tall glass and use this to stand your piping bag in. The damp towel will stop your piping nozzle from drying out and blocking the pipe.

For other cookie recipes check out our ginger nut biscuits or florentine biscuits.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Dough

Love Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookie Hearts

Icing Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies – Recipe Instructions

Sugar Cookies
 
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Sugar cookies are great at festive times including Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Halloween as they can be easily cut into various shapes.
Author:
Recipe type: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
Serves: 30
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
  • 3 Cups all purpose flours
  • 1 tspn baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg (large)
  • 1 tspn vanilla extract
Royal Icing Using Egg Whites
  • 2 large (60 grams) egg whites
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
Glaze
  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
4 tsp Milk
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
  1. Preheat your over to 180 Degrees celcius
  2. Mix all ingredients together, to form round dough
  3. Refrigerate for 30 mins
  4. Remove the dough from the fridge, and roll the dough flat.
  5. Using your preferred cookie cutter, cut the dough into cookies
  6. Put the cookies on a lined baking tray, and bake in the oven for 8 – 10 minutes, or slightly golden.
Royal Icing
  1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until combined.
  2. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. (The right consistency is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface for a few seconds before disappearing. If the icing runs off the edge, thicken the icing by adding a little more confectioners sugar. Conversely, if the icing is too thick, add a little water.)
  3. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use
Glaze
  1. Mix with fork. To make it more of a thin glaze, add more milk. To make it a thicker icing, add more powdered sugar.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods Tagged With: ,

French apple cake recipe

October 7, 2013 By

Last Updated on February 9, 2020 by Grab Your Spork

There is something that is so comforting about an a French apple cake – and especially one that is served with warm caramel sauce. Okay maybe the caramel sauce is a bit indulgent considering how delicious the cake is on its own. But if you are looking impress guests or simply feel like a treat, I definitely recommend making the sauce with this easy French apple cake recipe.

If you’re like me and love a classic then you will love this French apple cake recipe. A simple apple cake recipe is a great recipe to keep up your sleeve as apples are something that are available nearly all year round in most countries. Brooke has a few go-to recipes up her sleeve already, however on the weekend she wanted to try something new and came across this delicious French apple cake with fresh apples. If I have my way this cake is definitely going to get added to that list.

This recipe is simple and includes ingredients that nearly all households contain. Yes you may need to take a trip to the liquor store if you don’t have the brandy in your liquor cabinet. However I definitely recommend you add it as adds a nice warmth at the end of each bite and really completes the cake.

It comes together quickly, however you want to make sure you don’t over bake the cake. Simply check around the 50 minute mark with a skewer, and if the skewer comes out clean with no batter then your cake is ready. Be careful not to prick the apples as you go though.

French apple cake recipe adapted via Dorie Greenspan via David Lebovitz  via Sarah at strawberryplum.com

If you like this recipe – then check out our other dessert and sweets recipes – like our recipes for no-bake mars bar slice, ginger-nut biscuits, easy raspberry friands, Belgian lemon tea cake or apple and rhubarb crumble.

Apple Cake Ingredients

French Apple Cake Mixture and Apples

French Apple Cake Batter

French Apple Cake in Tin

French Apple Cake

French Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

French apple cake with caramel sauce – Recipe Instructions

5.0 from 1 reviews
French Apple Cake
 
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This simple French Apple Cake is incredibly easy yet simply delicious. Enjoy it with this elegant caramel sauce for an extra degree of indulgence.
Author:
Recipe type: Baked Goods
Cuisine: French
Serves: 8
Ingredients
French Apple Cake
  • ¾ cp All-Purpose Flour
  • ¾ tsp Baking Powder
  • pinch of Salt
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Nutmeg
  • 2 Eggs
  • ¾ cup Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp Brandy
  • ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 8 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing the pan
  • 4 large Apples (I used 4 Granny Smith), peeled and diced into ½-1 in. chunks
Caramel Sauce
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • ¼ cup Water
  • 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • ¼ cup Cream
  • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Thoroughly butter a springform pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and frothy. Beat in the brandy and vanilla.
  3. Stir half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add half of the melted butter, stir, then add the remaining flour, followed by the remaining butter. Fold the apples into the batter and transfer the batter-covered apples to the already prepared pan.
  4. Set the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake until the centre of the cake is set and a tester comes out clean. Mine took approximately 1 hour, 5 minutes, however, baking times are likely to vary based on the size and moisture content of your apples to be sure to keep an eye on your cake.
  5. Let the cake cool for a few minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edges, and remove the springform. Allow to cool slightly, then serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or crème fraîche and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
  6. While the cake bakes, make the caramel. Place the sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk to dissolve. Cook until the mixture become dark amber in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, then slowly stir in the cream and salt. Drizzle over cake. Any leftover sauce can be refrigerated and reheated in a water bath to a pourable consistency.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods Tagged With: , ,
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