Pumpkin and leek tart recipe

July 28, 2014 By

Since returning from our holiday we have had a very busy weekend catching up with friends and family. Luckily we managed to find a bit of time yesterday to get back into some humble home cooking and Brooke made this delicious pumpkin and leek tart recipe.

Whilst being away we have definitely eaten our fair share of delicious Vietnamese food, but now that we are home in the middle of Perth’s winter I am craving some simple winter food.

With pumpkin and leek in season, Brooke made one of my favourite recipes, pumpkin and leek tart. This tart is delicious and if Brooke can be bothered tackling homemade short crust pastry is a great winter warmer.

Cook the pumpkin slightly in the pan first with a little butter and garlic for added flavour, then combine with the sliced leeks, some fresh tomatoes for colour, dried onion flakes, cheese and an egg and cream filling. Bake it in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Served with a simple salad this tart is great for a light lunch or dinner or in the warmer months for a picnic!

Looking for some more savoury baked goods then check out our recipe for Ham and Cheese Croquettes or Zucchini and Bacon Slice. I like to pair this pumpkin and leek tart with our Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup recipe.

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Healthy Pumpkin and Leek Tart – Recipe Instructions

Pumpkin and Leek Tart
 
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Pumpkin and Leek Tart great for a light lunch or dinner.
Author:
Recipe type: Baked Goods
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Pastry
  • 1⅔ cups (250g) plain flour
  • 125g unsalted butter, chilled, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, chilled
  • 1 Tbsp cold water
Tart Ingredients
  • 300g pumpkin, cubed
  • 1 leek, washed and sliced
  • ½ cup cheese, grated
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 – 4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 120 ml thickened cream
  • 2 tbsp onion flakes
  • 1 tsbp butter
  • 1 tsp garlic, crushed
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. To make the pastry, place the flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and water and process until the mixture just comes together. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pumpkin and garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat.
  3. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  4. Roll out the pastry into a 3mm thick rectangle or disc. Line a round 23cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin or a 33cm x 9cm rectangular tart with removable base with pastry and trim any excess. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
  5. Cover pastry with non-stick baking paper and fill with rice or dried beans. Place on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove paper and rice or beans, and bake for a further 8 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C.
  6. Fill pastry base with pumpkin, onion flakes, leeks, cheese and tomatoes.
  7. Whisk cream and eggs together in a jug. Spread over pastry base.
  8. Bake in oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods Tagged With: , , , , ,

Sticky Date and Banana Loaves

June 16, 2014 By

Why is it that as soon as the weather gets cold, we instantly want some yummy comfort food? Well, this last week in Perth the weather during the day has been beautiful, but the temperature has definitely dropped making us crave some serious comfort food. That’s where this recipe for sticky date and banana loaves comes in.

What’s not more comforting than a sticky date pudding? It’s such a rich, fluffy pudding and when topped with some delicious salted caramel sauce hits the nail on the head for ultimate indulgence.

For our recipe, we added some banana for extra texture and flavour to the traditional recipe.  I like this combination as the two flavours really complement one another and I find it breaks up each mouthful – one full of dates one full of banana or both!

When making the mixture, rather than mashing the banana through the mixture Brooke leaves the banana in chunks to help leave pieces of banana throughout the cake. Then lastly stirs through the chopped dates and you’ve got yourself the perfect mixture for sticky date and banana loaves.

To serve we made a simple salted caramel sauce which was featured with our French Apple Cake. Serve your sticky date and banana loaves warm with some vanilla ice cream and the ooey gooey sauce this recipe will definitely satisfy your cravings this winter.

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Mini Sticky Date and Banana Loaves – Recipe Instructions

Sticky Date and Banana Loaves
 
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Sticky date and banana loaves topped with some delicious salted caramel sauce.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Plain Flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ Tsp baking powder, sifted
  • ¾ Cup butter, at room temperature
  • ½ Cup brown sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 4 Ripe bananas, chopped
  • 1 ½Ttsp vanilla extract
  • ½ Cup dates, chopped
  • 1 cup salted caramel sauce, or other caramel sauce to top
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease and flour an 8 loaf tin or 12-cake cupcake tin.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at at time. Add bananas and vanilla and mix until blended.
  3. Slowly mix in flour and baking powder, until just incorporated. Stir in chopped dates.
  4. Divide batter equally among cups and bake for 20-22 mins, or until lightly golden on top. While cakes are baking, prepare caramel sauce.
  5. Serve cakes warm with ice cream and salted caramel sauce.

 

Filed Under: Baked Goods Tagged With: , , , ,

Spanish Baked Eggs

June 9, 2014 By

Over the last couple of years, Baked Eggs have become a popular item on many café menus. They are great brunch item and became a regular go-to choice for Brooke during our current phase of always going out for breakfast on the weekends. Since getting into a regular pattern of going to the local markets, we tend not to eat out so often and either opt for bagels from The Holy Bagel Company or experiment with our own breakfast cook-ups. This weekend we made Spanish Baked Eggs which were delish! Using some home grown red capsicums we added some other key ingredients to give the dish a Spanish kick.

There are various ways to make baked eggs, however, I am a fan of a tomato base which can easily be altered depending on the ingredients you have in the fridge. To make our recipe we simply sautéed some onion, capsicum and garlic together before adding a can of diced tomatoes and some thick tomato paste. To add some heat, we seasoned with red chilli flakes, smoked paprika and salt and pepper to taste. In the meantime, we wilted some spinach while the sauce came to a light simmer. When the spinach is ready simply place the spinach in the bottom of your greased ramekins and top with the tomato base. Create a little well in the middle and crack the egg into the well. We baked our eggs in a moderate oven for around 12 minutes ensuring the whites were cooked and the yolk was still runny.

Serving with some crusty bread these Spanish baked eggs make for a perfect lazy Sunday brunch.

If you are looking for some alternative breakfast options then check out our savoury muffin recipe, maple mixed nut granola, or coconut and vanilla chia pudding or coconut flour pancakes.

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Spanish Baked Eggs – Recipe Instructions

Spanish Baked Eggs
 
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Spanish baked eggs made with sautéed onion, capsicum, garlic, diced tomatoes and some thick tomato paste seasoned with red chilli flakes, smoked paprika and salt and pepper... and course a fresh egg.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Spanish
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 400g tinned diced tomatoes
  • 1 red capsicum, diced
  • ½ brown onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp red chilli flakes
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 4 eggs
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 180 °C and grease your ramekins well.
  2. Over a moderate heat in a non-stick fry pan, sauté onion, capsicum and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
  3. Put the spinach in a pot and allow to wilt over a medium heat.
  4. To assemble, place equal amounts of wilted spinach in each ramekin. Fill each ramekin with tomato filling and create a small well in each. Crack the egg and pour into the well.
  5. Cook in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until egg whites are cooked.
  6. Serve hot with crusty bread.

 

Filed Under: Breakfast and Brunch Tagged With: , , , , ,

Hot jam doughnuts recipe

March 10, 2014 By

Whenever we are within close proximity to a bakery I must get a hot jam doughnut! Seriously no matter what time of day it is, it is always time for a jam doughnut. What’s not to love about them? They are deep fried balls of sweet doughy goodness, coated in sugar and filled with delicious jam. This homemade hot jam doughnuts recipe will have you making these finger licking sugary treats at home instead of buying them from the bakery!

Last weekend while we were cooking up a storm we added this hot jam doughnuts recipe into the mix. However, is it easier to go out to the shops and buy a doughnut? Yes. Do you end up with sugar throughout the house? Yes. Is it worth making your own doughnuts at home? Definitely yes! Brooke might not be as keen to make them again. As similar to the recent post on hot cross buns, there are a lot of steps and patience is key while letting the dough prove.

When making this recipe you need to be mindful of how thick you roll your dough. As you let your dough rise again once it is in circles, it will continue to rise and will puff up when you cook it in the oil. I would aim for around 2.5cm thick, as any thicker and your doughnuts won’t cook in the middle and be darker than necessary on the outside.

Once you have cooked your doughnuts evenly on both sides, drain excess oil and immediately roll in sugar. Allow to cool before filling with delicious jam. We used traditional strawberry this time (which needs to be strained before piping). However, you can fill with other flavoured jams, custards, chocolate or just simply add some cinnamon to the sugar and leave them plain.

I think my sugary grin showed how much I liked these!

If you like sweet treats then check out these our recipes for Chocolate mint fudge, No bake Mars bar slice, or passionfruit marshmallows.

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Jam Doughnuts Recipe

Homemade hot jam doughnuts – recipe instructions

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Jam Doughnuts
 
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Jam Doughnuts aka deep fried balls of sweet doughy goodness, coated in sugar and filled with delicious jam.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg dry yeast 8 grams
  • 1 cup cooled whole milk
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. melted butter
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Approximately 3½ cups all-purpose flour
  • Vegetable Oil, for frying
  • White Granulated Sugar, for dusting after frying
  • Jam or custard, for filling (be sure to strained seeds from jam)
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, heat milk until steaming with small bubbles forming around the edges. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.
  2. To activate the yeast, in a large bowl add the yeast and pour in the lukewarm milk. Let it stand for 5 minutes.
  3. Add 1 cup of flour. Mix together and let stand for 20 – 30 minutes, until really bubbly.
  4. Beat the yolks in a small bowl until they are light and fluffy.
  5. To the proofed yeast mixture, add the melted butter and sugar and mix.
  6. Add salt and vanilla. Add beaten egg yolks.
  7. Slowly add rest of the flour to bowl in ½ cup increments just until a very soft dough form that is moist but not sticky. Knead on the bench to ensure your dough is formed.
  8. Grease a clean bowl and add dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled.
  9. Deflate dough and pat out onto floured cutting board. With a rolling pin, gently roll into a 2.5cm thick circle. Gently cut out circles with a biscuit cutter. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, cover and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).
  10. Heat a deep fat fryer to 190°C. Once the balls have doubled in size, carefully place them, one by one, into the fryer. Be mindful not to cook too many at a time as this well reduce the temperature of the oil.
  11. Once the underside is golden brown, use a slotted spoon to gently turn over. Continue to fry until evenly coloured.
  12. Remove doughtnuts to a cooling rack for about 30 seconds, then immediately roll in granulated sugar. Let stand until completely cooled.
  13. Once cooled, using a sharp knife, poke a hole on the side. Use a pastry bag with a large plain tip to pipe the jam or custard filling inside.
  14. These are best when freshly made, but you can freeze any extras.

 

Filed Under: Desserts and Sweets Tagged With: ,
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