Indiabite – Food Recipes

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• chocolate curls or shavings (optional), to serve (see note)

• Chocolate icing

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup thickened cream

Method

1. Make chocolate icing: Combine chocolate and cream in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, until almost melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes or until thick enough to spread.
2. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line base and side of a 6cm deep, 22cm (base) round cake pan.
3. Place chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM (50%) for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, until almost melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add melted chocolate. Beat until well combined. Sift flour and cocoa together. Fold half the flour mixture into butter mixture. Add half the milk. Stir gently to combine. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Stand cake in pan for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Spread icing over top and side. Top with chocolate curls, if using. Serve.

Notes & tips

• To make chocolate curls, run a clean potato peeler down the side of a block of chocolate, allowing curls to fall onto a plate.

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) golden syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (55g) almond meal
• 1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk
• Double cream, to serve

• Earl Grey syrup

• 4 Earl Grey tea bags
• 3/4 cup (175g) caster sugar
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm round cake pan with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat butter, sugar and golden syrup until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs and lemon rind.
2. Fold in the flour, almond meal and milk until just combined. Spread mixture into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, infuse the tea bags in 1 cup (250ml) boiling water for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Stir the tea, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Boil for 5-6 minutes until thickens.
4. Turn cake out onto a plate. Use a skewer to pierce all over the top of the cake. Spoon one-third of the syrup over the cake. Allow to cool. Cut into wedges. Serve drizzled with remaining warm syrup and cream.

Ingredients (serves

• 180g cubed butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups (185g) self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup (40g) plain flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
• 1 tbs caster sugar, extra
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs melted butter

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 20cm-round cake pan with baking paper. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Sift flours and cinnamon together. Fold in alternately with milk in 2 batches. Spoon into pan and smooth surface. Bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
3. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Mix extra sugar, cinnamon and melted butter together. Pour over cake and set aside to cool. Serve.

Ingredients (serves

• 2 1/2 cups (375g) self-raising flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 8 eggs (59g each), at room temperature, 2 separated
• 375g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
• 375g caster sugar, plus 1/3 cup extra
• Finely grated rind and juice of 2 mandarins
• 4 x 250g punnets strawberries, hulled, sliced widthways
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Cointreau or other orange-flavoured liqueur
• 1 1/2 cups (240g) icing sugar, sifted
• 300g mascarpone
• Sugar flowers or edible flowers, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease two 24cm cake tins and line bases with baking paper. Sift flour, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Add 6 eggs, butter, sugar, and mandarin rind and juice, and beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat for 1 minute or until mixture is smooth and well combined. Divide mixture between tins. Smooth tops, then bake cakes for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cakes in tins for 8 minutes, then turn on to a wire rack to cool completely.
2. Combine strawberries, liqueur and 1/4 cup icing sugar in a bowl and set aside for 20 minutes. Using an electric mixer, whisk mascarpone, 2 tbs extra sugar and 2 egg yolks until very thick. In a clean bowl, whisk 2 eggwhites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tbs extra sugar and whisk until firm peaks form, then fold gently into mascarpone mixture.
3. Drain juices from strawberries and reserve. Place strawberries on one cake half and top with mascarpone mixture, spreading it 3cm from edge. Top with second cake. Add enough strawberry juices to remaining icing sugar to form a thick icing, then spread icing over top of cake, allowing it to drip down sides slightly. Stand until icing is set, then decorate with sugar or fresh flowers.

Ingredients (serves

• Melted butter, to grease
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• 80g (1/2 cup) wholemeal self-raising flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 155g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 125ml (1/2 cup) reduced-fat milk
• 60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 240g (about 2 large) carrots, peeled, finely shredded
• 1 tbs icing sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, extra

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.
2. Sift the flours and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Add the husks to the bowl. Stir in the sugar. Whisk the milk, oil and eggs together in a bowl. Add to flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix until well combined and smooth.
3. Stir carrots into mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Combine the icing sugar and extra cinnamon in a small bowl. Sift over the cooled cake before cutting into wedges to serve.

Notes & tips

• Keep this cake in an airtight container in fridge for up to 1 day – serve at room temperature.

Ingredients (serves

• 1 3/4 cups (280g) wholemeal plain flour
• 1 1/4 cups (115g) rolled oats
• 1/4 cup (40g) slivered almonds
• 200g butter
• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
• 425g can peaches, drained
• 1 tsp Masterfoods ground cinnamon
• Cream or custard, to serve

• Custard

• 2 tbs custard powder
• 2 tbs caster sugar
• 1 cup (250ml) milk
• 1 tsp Queen vanilla extract
• 20g butter

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm springform pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. To make the custard, combine the custard powder and sugar in a small saucepan, gradually stir in the milk. Stir over a medium-low heat until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and butter until melted.
3. Combine the flour, rolled oats and almonds. Melt butter and sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat, until sugar has dissolved. Mix with the flour mixture. Press half of the mixture into cake pan. Scatter the peaches over the base and sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour the custard over the fruit. Crumble remaining oat mixture over custard and press down gently.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool then remove from pan. Serve warm with cream or extra custard.

Ingredients (serves 20)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 250g butter, chopped
• 200g good-quality dark chocolate (Lindt Excellence 85 per cent Cocoa brand), coarsely chopped
• 250ml (1 cup) freshly brewed strong espresso coffee
• 430g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 60ml (1/4 cup) bourbon whiskey
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 300g (2 cups) plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Cocoa powder, to dust
• Creme fraiche, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a square 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place butter, chocolate and coffee in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
3. Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Add sugar, bourbon and egg, and use a wire balloon whisk to whisk until well combined. Sift flour and baking powder over chocolate mixture and stir with the whisk until well combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake (cover with non-stick baking paper halfway through cooking if it browns too quickly). Remove from oven and set aside for 1 hour to cool.
4. Turn cake onto a chopping board. Cut into squares and dust with cocoa powder. Serve with creme fraiche.