Cherry and almond Cake

Ahh...it is mid June already and work ramping up which explains my lack of posts. But that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking. I have been making plenty of yummy comfort food during these colder months, usually on a Sunday where I can slow cook and eat the leftovers on Mon & Tue.

What have I been making I hear you ask? One week it was vegetable stew, the next meatballs, then beef bourguignon (yes I had to look up how to spell that!), then osso bucco. I think last week was the only weekend when I didn't make comfort food. Which reminds me I have ox tail lurking in the freezer (I intended to cook it last week but didn't manage to).

God bless my cast iron dish! I didn't take any photos because I was always too hungry and if I lingered about the food will get cold. Plus I don't have a fancy SLR so the shots will most likely turn up a blur.

I did end up baking cake one weekend and yes I did take a photo.

Cherry and almond Cake

Ingredients
100g butter
½ cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
100g almond meal
½ packet of frozen cherries
¼ cup milk

Method
1. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time until combined.
2. Into this mixture sift the flour, baking powder and almond meal. Add cherries and milk, and mix.
3. Bake in a 160c oven for approx. 45mins or until golden.

Seriously, this cake is easy. Also in true me style, as in 'one that never follows a recipe', I've found a basic almond meal cake recipe and added a few bits and pieces to call it my own.

Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients
100g butter, chopped and softened
3 eggs
2 tsp mixed peel
100g glace cherries, chopped
3/4 cup self raising flour
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 caster sugar
1/2 cup pistachio

1. Cream butter and sugar, add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. Add in mixed peel and nutmeg, mix well.

3. Stir in flours and nuts, mix well.

4. Fold in the cherries.

5. Refriderate dough for 1 hour.

6. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.

7. Take a greased/lined tray. Halve the dough and shape each halve into 1 inch high logs. (This is easier if you shape the logs directly onto the tray)

8. Bake for 20mins or until lightly brown and firm. Remove from oven and stand for 10mins.

9. Using a serated knife cut the logs into 1cm pieces wide. Place slices onto an oven tray.

10. Bake in a low oven (approx. 125 degrees) for 40mins, turning the slices every 10mins, or until dry and crisp.