Book Review: For Family & Friends by Nicky Stubbs

Words: Crush

 

For Friends & Family is a love song – to the family and friends who have fed us, taught us to cook, and have eaten with us. Who have eaten simple meals at our dining room table. Because these meals were a reason for gathering and celebration. In For Friends & Family you will find all the necessary recipes you are looking for, ranging from breakfast, starters and mains to baking and pudding. So cook something and invite your friends and family over. It’s time for creating new memories.

A few years ago I bought a chocolate cake at a school fundraiser. After tasting it, I hunted down the baker and asked her for the recipe. The secret is twofold: 100 g Cadbury milk chocolate and beating the eggs and sugar for 10 minutes in total. Thank you, Wendy!

Chocolate cake using milk chocolate
Serves 12

250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
100 g Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate
125 ml (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
250 ml (1 cup) canola oil
4 extra-large eggs
440 ml (1. cups) castor sugar
250 g cake flour (for accuracy use a scale to measure the flour)
15 ml (3 rounded teaspoons) baking powder
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease or spray two large cake tins.
Place the boiling water in a measuring jug, break up and add the chocolate and let it melt. Add the cocoa and oil.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs at high speed for 5 minutes.
Add the castor sugar and beat at high speed for another 5 minutes.
Add the water and chocolate mixture and beat at high speed for 1 minute.
Add the flour, baking powder, vanilla essence and salt and beat at high speed for
2 minutes.
Pour into the prepared cake tins and bake for 35 minutes until well risen and starting to pull away from the sides of the tins.
Allow to cool slightly in the tins, then turn out gently onto a cooling rack to cool completely

Ice with the Butter Icing on page 200.

Christa’s health squares

When our daughter Sophia was born, my kind and lovely sister-in-law brought me these delicious health bars in hospital. They were the perfect counter to my physical depletion. They are also great for lunchboxes.

Makes 32
500 ml (2 cups) cake flour
500 ml (2 cups) desiccated coconut
750 ml (3 cups) oats
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
250 ml (1 cup) pecan nuts or walnuts
250 ml (1 cup) All-Bran® Flakes
250 ml (1 cup) raisins
250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
70 ml honey
250 g (1 cup) butter
10 ml (2 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

Optional
250 ml (1 cup) dried cranberries
125 ml (1/2 cup) sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Grease or spray a baking tray.
Mix together the flour, coconut, oats, salt, nuts, All-Bran Flakes, raisins and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the beaten eggs and mix in.
Melt the honey and butter together and add the bicarbonate of soda. Allow to coolslightly. Mix into the fruit and egg mixture.
Press the mixture down lightly into the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 30–35 minutes.
Cut into squares while still warm and allow to cool in the pan.

Tip: If using the cranberries and seeds, add another egg and 30 ml (2 Tbsp) butter.

humanrousseau.com

 

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