Indiabite – Food Recipes

Ingredients (serves

• 125g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mashed banana (you will need 2 large, very ripe bananas)
• 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

• Icing

• 180g white chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease base and sides of a 7cm deep, 19cm square cake pan and line with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in sour cream and bananas. Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda over batter and gently fold through.
3. Spoon batter into cake pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
4. Make icing Place chocolate and sour cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring constantly with a metal spoon, for 3 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat. Stand for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour icing over cake, allowing it to drizzle down sides. Serve warm.

Notes & tips

• Sour cream banana cake (without the icing) can be made a day in advance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. To warm, place un-iced cake on a microwave-safe plate lined with baking paper. Heat, uncovered, on MEDIUM-LOW DEFROST (30%) for 4 to 6 minutes or until warm to the touch. Ice while warm.

Ingredients (serves

• 2 eggs
• 155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 1 x 250g ctn mascarpone
• 1 1/2 tbs boiling water
• 2 tsp powdered gelatine
• 12 savoiardi (sponge finger biscuits)
• 80ml (1/3 cup) Frangelico liqueur
• 300g fresh or frozen raspberries
• Fresh mixed berries, to serve

Method

1. Line the base and side of a 20cm (base measurement) springform pan with plastic wrap, allowing the side to overhang.
2. Use an electric beater to whisk together the eggs and 100g (1/2 cup) of sugar in a heatproof bowl for 2 minutes. Place over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and whisk for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Remove from heat and whisk for 2 minutes or until cool.
3. Combine the mascarpone and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add one quarter of the egg mixture and fold until just combined. Add remaining egg mixture and fold to combine. Place boiling water in a bowl and sprinkle with gelatine. Stir until gelatine dissolves. Add to mascarpone mixture and fold to combine.
4. Dip half the biscuits in Frangelico and arrange in the pan. Top with half the raspberries. Pour over half the mascarpone mixture. Repeat with remaining biscuits, Frangelico, raspberries and mascarpone mixture. Place in the fridge overnight to chill.
5. Place cake on a serving plate. Top with mixed berries to serve.

Notes & tips

• You can prepare this recipe to the end of step 4 up to 1 day ahead. Continue from step 5 just before serving.

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup choc-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
• 80 small solid chocolate Easter eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 20cm (base) round cake pan. Place chocolate into a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Heat on MEDIUM (50%) power for 2 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, or until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add cooled chocolate. Mix well.
3. Sift flour and cocoa powder together. Fold half the flour mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold half the milk into chocolate mixture. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk.
4. Spoon cake batter into cake pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Spread choc-hazelnut spread over cake. Top with Easter eggs. Serve.

Notes & tips

• Hint:This cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• Vegetable oil, to grease
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 1 x 75g pkt toasted slivered almonds
• 1 x 350g pkt double unfilled round sponge cake
• 125ml (1/2 cup) fresh espresso coffee
• 80ml (1/3 cup) marsala
• 45g (1/4 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
• 2 x 250g ctns mascarpone
• 45g (1/4 cup) icing sugar mixture
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Cocoa powder, to dust

Method

1. Brush a large baking tray with oil to lightly grease. Place the sugar in a large saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until sugar caramelises. Remove from heat. Add the almonds and stir to coat. Pour over the prepared tray and set aside for 10 minutes to set.
2. Meanwhile, use a large serrated knife to split each sponge cake in half horizontally. Combine the coffee, marsala and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Place the mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir until well combined and mixture thickens slightly.
3. Place 1 sponge-cake layer, cut-side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush the cut surface lightly with coffee mixture. Spread one-sixth of the mascarpone mixture evenly over the sponge cake.
4. Brush the cut surface of another sponge-cake layer with coffee mixture and place, cut-side down, on the mascarpone mixture. Brush the top lightly with coffee mixture. Continue layering with half the remaining mascarpone mixture and the remaining sponge cake and coffee mixture. Spread the top and side of the cake with the remaining mascarpone mixture.
5. Finely chop the almond praline and press evenly over the side of the cake. Dust the top with cocoa powder and cut into slices to serve.

Ingredients (serves 5)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 340g (1 cup) apricot conserve
• 1 x 340g pkt golden butter cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 60g butter, at room temperature
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk
• 35g (1/3 cup) flaked almonds
• Double cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush five 250ml (1-cup) capacity dariole moulds with butter to grease. Line the bases with non-stick baking paper. Spoon apricot conserve evenly among the moulds.
2. Prepare the cake mix using eggs, butter and milk, following packet directions. Pour the mixture evenly among the moulds and smooth the surface.
3. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool before turning onto serving plates.
4. Meanwhile, place the almonds in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until toasted.
5. Top the puddings with the almonds and serve with double cream.

Ingredients (serves 16)

• 400g butter, chopped
• 400g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 2 x 60g Mars Bars, chilled, chopped
• double thick cream, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 4cm-deep, 22.5cm x 28cm (base) slab pan. Line with baking paper, allowing 2cm overhang at both long ends.
2. Combine butter and dark chocolate in a large, heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, or until almost melted. Add cocoa and whisk until smooth.
3. Add sugar and mix well. Add one third of the egg and stir to combine. Repeat with egg in 2 batches. Sift flour over chocolate mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle Mars Bars over batter and press in slightly.
4. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre has moist crumbs clinging. Cool completely in pan. Cut into squares. Serve with cream.

Ingredients (serves

• 4 large ripe bananas, peeled, cut crossways into eight slices
• 200g (1 layer) 16cm-square bought unfilled sponge cake
• 170g (about fresh dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbs marsala
• 1L light & creamy 97 per cent fat-free vanilla ice-cream softened slightly
• 3 tsp cocoa powder
• Extra cocoa powder, to dust

Method

1. Line the base and 2 opposite sides of an 11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly. Place banana slices on a baking tray and place in the freezer for 3 hours or until frozen.
2. Cut cake layer in half. Trim halves to line the base of the prepared pan. Combine dates and marsala in a bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes to macerate.
3. Place banana in the bowl of a food processor and process, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally, until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the ice-cream and dates and stir until combined.
4. Spoon ice-cream mixture over the cake in the pan and smooth the surface. Dust with cocoa powder. Cover with foil and place in the freezer for 8 hours or until firm.
5. Use paper to lift ice-cream cake from the pan. Transfer to a serving platter. Dust with extra cocoa powder, if necessary. Cut into slices to serve.