Baby Apple Bundts

Did you know that you can ward off cancer with apples?  The fruit’s quercetin helps eliminate carcinogenic toxins by boosting the liver’s ability to make detoxifying enzymes.  A simple and delicious way to enjoy apples?  Baby apple bundts!

For this recipe, you will need:

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
• 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda and salt
• 3/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
•  2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  2 apples, peeled and grated

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.  In bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients.  In separate bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat oil and eggs 1 minute; or until creamy.  Add brown sugar and vanilla extract; beat 30 seconds.  Add flour mixture; beat 30 seconds.  Stir in apples.  Divide batter between  2 greased and floured 6-well mini Bundt pans.  Bake 20 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Lemon Meringue Pie

This one’s by Alton Brown. It’s easy to make and really delicious.

For the filling you will need:

• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
• 1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows

Directions:
1)  Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2)  Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.

3)  In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.

4)  Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

For the topping you will need:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

Orange Upside Down Cake

I got the recipe from Good Housekeeping.

For this cake you will need:

• 1 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, softened
• .5 cup(s) packed light brown sugar
• 3  navel oranges
• 1.25 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• .75 cup(s) granulated sugar
• .25 cup(s) cornmeal
• 1.5 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• .5 teaspoon(s) salt
• .5 cup(s) milk
• .25 cup(s) olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bottom of 10-inch cast iron or heavy skillet with ovenproof handle, spread butter. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
• From oranges, grate 1 teaspoon peel; set aside. Cut peel and pith from oranges; discard. Slice oranges crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; arrange in single layer over sugar in skillet (if necessary, cut 1 or 2 slices into pieces to fit into spaces).
• In large bowl, with wire whisk, combine flour, granulated sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In small bowl, whisk milk, oil, egg, vanilla, and orange peel until blended. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to flour mixture and beat until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat 1 minute. Spoon batter over oranges and spread evenly.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on wire rack 10 minutes. Run knife around side of cake to loosen from skillet. Place platter on top of skillet; carefully invert cake onto platter. Remove skillet. Let cool 30 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Steamed Cake

There is only one recipe I found for the steamed cake. The original calls for plain chocolate, I just changed it to dark chocolate.

For this recipe you will need:

• 125g dark chocolate
• 125g butter
• 4 eggs
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour

Procedure:
1. Line the bowl/basin you are using (does your steam come with one?) with microwave plastic wrap.
2. Separate the eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peak stage.
4. Cream the butter.
5. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie. When melted, beat in the butter and the egg yolks.
6. Gently fold in the sugar, flour and the whisked egg whites. Pour the mixture into the bowl/basin.
7. Cover the bowl/basin with microwave plastic wrap and place in the steamer.
8. Steam for 40 minutes.
9. Allow to cool slightly before turning out.

Coffee ‘n Cream Cake

For this recipe you will need:

• 1/3 cup each cornstarch and cake flour
• 6 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 /4 cup granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
• 1 tbs., plus 3/4 tsp. instant coffee granules, divided
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tbs. coffee-flavoured liqueur
• 8 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 8 oz. dark chocolate, shaved

Directions:

1)  Heat oven to 350°F.  Over large bowl, sift together cornstarch, flour and 4 tbs. cocoa powder, set aside.  In double boiler, simmer water (or set heat-proof bowl over sauce pan filled with 2″ simmering water, making sure bottom of bowl is not touching water.  Add next five ingredients.  Cook 1 minute, or until warm, whisking constantly.  Remove from heat.

2)  Using hand mixer, whisk egg mixture 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.  Whisk in flour mixture and 2 tbs. coffee granules; pour into greased 9″ springform pan with removable bottom.  Bake 25 mins. or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  Let cool completely.  Remove cake from pan; slice horizontally into 3 even layers.

3)  With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream and confectioner’s sugar 2 min., or until stiff peaks form.  Reserve 1 cup; stir liqueur, chocolate and remaining coffee granules into remaining whipped cream.  On platter, stack and frost cake layers with chocolate mixture.  Sprinkle shaved chocolate on top of cake.