Meander Retreat
Teddy Bear Apple Cake (gluten free)
This cake is a rustic comfort cake. Wonderful slightly warmed with cream or ice cream.
200g raisins
2 tblspns apple brandy
275g unsalted butter
300g fine sugar
250g ground almonds
70g millet flour
60g glutinous rice flour
2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn guar gum
1 tspn cinnamon
250g dessert apples (not tart)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 eggs
2 extra dessert apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 tblspn cinnamon sugar
Preheat oven to 170C.. Line a 23cm springform tin with parchment. Butter and flour the paper. Make a flat collar of aluminium foil encasing wet paper towel to wrap and tie around the outside of the tin to slow browning of the sides of the cake.
Heat the raisins in the brandy for a few minutes and then set aside to cool.
Melt butter and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients well together.
Core and peel the apples. Cut into large chunks and toss in the lemon juice. Set aside.
Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat lightly. Then add the dry ingredients, raisins and brandy along with the melted butter.
Beat together until you have a smooth batter. Then using a spatula, gently stir in the apples..
Pour the mixture into prepared tin and smooth top. Bang the tin to get rid of air pockets.
Decorate the top of the cake by inserting slices vertically, skin side up into the cake so just the skin is showing. (A large circle of slices pointing toward the centre will be easier to cut later.) Dust top with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake 20 mins and then cover with foil. Bake for a further 40- 50 minutes or until it meets a skewer test. If the cake is taking some time to set, sit it on an extra baking tray to stop the base from overbrowning during the last part of the bake.
Leave to cool in the tin.
Almond and Cumquat Granola (gluten free and vegan)
Delicious with almond milk; or sprinkle over thick yoghurt and serve with fresh berries or stone fruit. (Quantities of nuts and fruit can be varied to taste.)
2 cups whole almonds
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey or rice malt syrup
4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup mixed sultanas/cranberries
1/2 cup chopped glace cumquats
​
Spread the almonds on a tray and toast in an oven at 180C till aromatic (about 12 mins). Set aside till cool and then chop coarsely.
On the same tray add the coconut oil, honey or syrup and warm in the oven until melted and then stir together. Add the oats, brown sugar, seeds and shredded coconut; stir together thoroughly. Then return to the oven for about 20 minutes to toast till golden brown; you will need to stir the mixture every few minutes to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and cool. Then stir through the fruit and chopped almonds. When completely cool, store in an airtight tin.