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Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake

Figs are absolutely delectable when baked and then caramelised, especially when they are swimming in glossy thick caramel sauce, much like pineapple.

So if figs are most luscious utilising the same baking method as pineapple then it makes sense to look at baking techniques that pineapple shines and adapting for figs accordingly.

Thus the upside-down element to this recipe.

Next to work out was what flavours work best with figs and caramel. After a bit of research, taste testing and trial/error I found that using golden syrup in the caramel made the figs absolutely succulent – like addictively delicious.

The addition of the Port enhances the fig flavour and works as a complimentary flavour pairing.

This recipe absolutely exceeded my expectations to the point that they cake was half eaten by me in one sitting (in which a cake needs to be pretty special to do)!

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
Ingredients:
  • 6 dried figs

Golden Caramel Syrup:

  • 60g brown sugar
  • 70g butter
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 70ml cream
  • 100ml golden syrup
  • 30ml Port wine

Cake Batter:

  • 150g butter
  • 150g brown sugar
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 2 eggs
  • 130g self raising flour
  • 60ml buttermilk
  • 20ml Port wine

Vanilla Cream:

  • 200ml cream
  • 30g icing sugar
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence

 

Method:

  1. Soak the figs in boiling water and leave to absorb overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper, ensuring no gaps on the bottom and sides of the tin.
  3. Cut the figs in half horizontally (figs in upright position), then half again small ways (vertically). You should have 24 semi-circle fig pieces.
  4. Add all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and stir on a medium heat until boiling and thickens slightly.
  5. Place the syrup aside to cool slightly.
  6. Pour the syrup into the prepared cake tin and top with the figs ensuring they cover the base completely and evenly (as they are softened from being soaked you can easily squash them to all fit).
  7. Following make the cake by whisking the butter and sugar with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until fluffy and pale.
  8. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one egg at a time beating in between each addition until well combine.
  9. Sieve the flour into the batter mix, pour in the buttermilk and pour in the Port.
  10. Beat the mix on low until only just combine (do not over beat).
  11. Spoon the mix carefully over the figs and caramel completely covering. Following flatten the cake surface with the back of a spoon.
  12. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes of until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  13. Place the cake onto a cooling rack until completely cold, still in the cake tin.
  14. Meanwhile, place the vanilla cream ingredients into a bowl and beat with electric beaters until firm peaks form.
  15. To prepare the cake, invert the cold cake onto a serving plate.
  16. Spoon the vanilla cream on top of the cake and enjoy.

 

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
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Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
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Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
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Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
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Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
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Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake
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Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread

Posted on Posted in Bread .

Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread

Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread recipe

After having some dried figs left over from my Fig and Grape Syrup cake and dates from my Date Spiced Syrup Doughnuts I decided to come up with a recipe that would utilize these two ingredients.

After doing quite a bit of baking with dried fruit in cakes, puddings and pies recently I wanted to step away and bake with dried fruit in a different way.

I have also been baking a lot with dough in the past few weeks and though not an expert I felt I had the confidence to take on bread making.

My favorite bread is raisin toast so I thought I would put my spin on fruit bread and make a gourmet fig and date version.

This bread warmed, with a spread of butter is pure magic tasting!

Ingredients:

  • 400g white bread flour
  • ½ tsn yeast
  • 2 tbsn honey
  • 100g dried figs
  • 100g dried dates
  • 1 tsn salt
  • ½ tsn cinnamon
  • 20g almonds
  • 1 tbsn olive oil
  • Pinch of ground ginger

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c degrees and line a baking tray with oiled baking paper.
  2. Dice up the dates, figs and almonds.
  3. Mix the flour, yeast, honey, salt, cinnamon, almonds, dried dates and figs in a bowl.
  4. Place the olive oil and 280ml warm water in a separate bowl.
  5. Mix the water in the dry ingredient bowl and once combine knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  6. Oil the bowl and place the dough back in the bowl, covering with cling wrap to prove for 1-2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
  7. Push-back the dough by kneading for 2 minutes, shape into a load shape and allow to prove again for 1 hour on the tray covered with cling wrap.
  8. Once proved slash a cross on the top of the loaf and dust with a pinch of flour and ground ginger.
  9. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
  10. Allow to cool then slice and spread with butter, enjoy!

Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread recipe

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Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread recipe

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Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread recipe

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Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread recipe

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Dried Date Fig and Honey Bread recipe

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Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Honey Figs Syrup

Posted on Posted in Panna Cotta .

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Honey Figs Syrup

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Honey Figs Syrup recipe

I recently went through a phase where I wanted to make ‘healthy’ desserts, but without using super expensive ingredients or ingredients that are difficult to find.

On top of this I didn’t want them to be too hard to make, I wanted to make the recipe easy for anyone to pick up and master. Additionally, I wanted people to be able to zip into Coles for ingredients and make a simply tasty and not KJ (calorie) heavy dessert.

This Panna Cotta recipe uses low fat yoghurt and milk instead of fattening cream and honey to add some extra sweetness.

The figs provide some beautiful flavor and sweetness (especially being soaked in honey).

 

Ingredients:

Panna Cotta:

  • 120ml low fat milk
  • 2 tsn honey
  • 2 tsn vanilla essence
  • 2 + ¼ tsn gelatine
  • 480ml low fat vanilla yoghurt

Syrup:

  • 120ml honey
  • 200ml water
  • 320g figs (around 5 figs)

 

Method:

  1. Spray 4 x 250ml cup ramekins with oil spray.
  2. Place the milk, honey and vanilla essence in a bowl and heat in the microwave until boiling, stir to combine.
  3. Add the gelatine and beat until smooth with no lumps.
  4. Add the yoghurt and whisk to combine.
  5. Pour the mix evenly between the 4 ramekins and place in the fridge to set for 4 hours.
  6. Meanwhile, make the figs cut up the figs into 6 pieces vertically and place in a saucepan.
  7. Add the honey and water to the saucepan and heat on high on the stove.
  8. Stir constantly until the figs are soft and a syrup has formed (will take around 5 minutes on high/medium heat).
  9. Place the syrup and figs into a bowl and leave aside to cool completely.
  10. Once the Panna Cotta has set turn out onto a plate and top with the cooled figs and cooled syrup. Serve.

 

Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Honey Figs Syrup recipe

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Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Honey Figs Syrup recipe

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Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Honey Figs Syrup recipe

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