Ingredients:

• fresh ripe figs
• honey
• balsamic vinegar
• creme fraiche or plain yoghurt
• vegetable oil

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 oC for 20 minutes.  (Remember I use a fan oven so you may need a hotter temperature)
2. Take your lovely fresh figs and give them a good wash
3. Now cut a deep cross shape in the top of each fig so that the bottom of the fruit remains whole, but so that you are able to push out the fruit into 4 ‘corners’, (a bit like a spiky tulip!)
4. Place the figs onto a baking tray.  I use a silicone liner sheet but this is not essential.
5. On to each fig spoon in 1 tsp of runny honey, a few drops of Balsamic vinegar (if you keep kosher make sure it is a kosher approved brand), 1/2 a tsp of vegetable oil.
6. Now bake the figs in the oven for about  20 minutes or so.
7. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or plain yoghurt

Seven Species of Israel

To mark Tu Bishvat I shall be posting some appropriate recipes, so watch this space.

Wishing everyone a very 'deer' Chanukah!

… btw, due circumstances beyond my control I have been unable to post the new chicken recipe, but have no fear I shall try and remedy this as soon as I can.

I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and wealthy Jewish New Year and well over the fast.

Happy New Year

So here is a funny Shavuot video …  sing along to #Stay Up All Night!

Here at Marge Land I would like to wish Israel a very Happy 63rd Birthday!

Ingredients:

• 120g cocoa powder
• 30g ground almond
• 120g matzo cake meal
• 180g beetroot
• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 3 tbsps grape juice
• 2 apples
• 150g caster sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 oC for 15-20 minutes.
2. Take your fresh beetroots and just cut most of the leaves off leaving the main top bit on so the colour won’t bleed out when they cook.
3. Just lightly rinse the beetroots under the tap and then place in a pressure cooker with a little water.  Bring to steam and then cook on low for 15 minutes.  If you don’t have a pressure cooker you will have to boil the beetroots for 30 minutes in a normal saucepan.
4. Carefully de pressurise the pressure cooker and wearing thick rubber gloves carefully slough off the beetroot skins and tops, which should come off easily.  Make sure you have plenty of hot soapy water and newspaper around so you don’t make a great big purple mess!
5. Place the hot beetroots into the food processor with the chopping blade attached and blitz.
6. Wash, core and blitz the apples too.
7. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
8. Add the beetroot, apple, egg and other wet ingredients.
9. Mix well with an electric whisk until well combined.
10. I made little Chocolate Exodus cakes in cake papers etc. and baked them for 15 minutes in the middle of the (fan) oven.  If you want you can make a big cake but use a shallow dish and bake for 25 minutes before checking to see if it is done.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy, Kosher Pesach

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Here is the promised coffee cake recipe

This coffee cake is a favourite Shabbat afternoon treat and naturally goes well with nice cup of coffee

Ingredients:

• 200g caster sugar
• 200g self raising flour (can be a mix of plain and wholemeal)
• 150g margarine or butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsps instant coffee (can use decaff!)

• 1 tsp vitamin C powder (optional)
• a handful of raisins (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 oC (Gas Mark 4 ish)
2. In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients.  The vitamin C powder is used by bakers to help bread rise and is also known by its posh name of ascorbic acid.  If you don’t have any then use a tsp of baking powder.
3. Add the eggs and fat and mix well with a wooden spoon (it helps to take the fat out of the fridge for a bit so it softens).  If you don’t want the workout then usean electric whisk on a low setting.
4. Put 2 tsps of instant coffee in a mug and add just 1 tbsp of boiling water and mix it well so there are no bits.  Add this to the mixture and yes, you’ve guessed it – mix again!
5. Pour the cake mixture into a shallow tray bake dish for preference, or a round cake tin with a removable base.  Remember the grease the baking dish!
6. Bake in the middle of the oven (or bottom of oven if using a fan oven) for about 25 minutes and then test the cake with a knife to see if it comes out clean.  You may need to bake the cake for another 10-15 minutes or so.  If you are concerned about the possibility of ‘health crunch’ – ie burnt bits!, then cover lightly with tin foil.
7. When the cake is done allow it to cool.
8. If you want to add an icing topping like I did make sure the cake is completely cold and then simply follow the instructions on the box of icing sugar and just add 2 tsps of instant coffee to a little water (see point 4) and mix in with the icing sugar.
9. Try and let the icing ‘settle’ on the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes or so before serving.
10. Last point, I know it is difficult – but this cake is best the next day. If you can try and wait before sampling.

A slice of coffee cake with icing before it was scoffed