food/drink
RECIPE
Ultimate
Carrot Cake
words RUTH JOSEPH
www.ruthjoseph.co.uk
www.veggischmooze.blogspot.com
5
OF THE
BEST... Things To Make
pic: PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTOS
On A Bonfire
It doesn’t have to be the fifth of the month for you
to have a bonfire, so why not make the most of the
‘setting things on fire’ season by cooking up some
bonfire grub suggested by Conor Knight.
SERVES 10 people generously
INGREDIENTS 3 free-range organic eggs / 350g
fair-trade soft brown sugar / 1tbsp golden syrup
/ 350ml vegetable oil / 100g ground almonds /
150g spelt flour/ 1½tbsp baking powder / 1tbsp
bicarbonate soda/ 2 heaped tsp mixed spice/
1tbsp allspice / 1tbsp ground ginger / 50g
chopped stoned dates / 50g dried crystallised
tropical fruit / Juice ½ orange / Zest 1 lemon +1
tablespoon juice / 400g carrots finely grated.
To decorate: 150g dark chocolate / 1 punnet or
more fresh fruit in season
PREPARATION
Simple, traditional and tasty. Who would have thought that a potato wrapped in foil and thrown
onto the fire could become customary in our annual festivities? Whether keeping it plain and easy
with butter or burying it with baked beans, chilli and cheese, there’s a variation for everyone
sitting around the fire.
S’MORES
Probably the easiest combination on the list, but definitely my favourite. You can’t go wrong with a
stick, melted marshmallow, chocolate and biscuit to make your bonfire experience that much tastier.
BAKED BANANA SPLIT
A more obscure option, but definitely one to try out, the baked banana split is a delicious addition
to one of your five-a-day. Plastered with sweet fillings and stoked over the fire, it may not be the
healthiest fruit option, but for a 10-minute venture, why not?
CINNAMON TOFFEE APPLE WEDGES
An option for the more experienced bonfire stoker as, if it’s done right, these apple wedges will create
a taste of autumn which you won’t forget. Using a pan, sweeteners, spices and butter, the ingredients
form on the fire to make a delightful alternative to the usual sticky toffee take on the apple.
HOT DOG SKEWERS
Although it may be seen as a BBQ cliché, the hot dog is as relevant in the autumn as it is in the
summer. Impaled and set on the fire, the sausage can be spiced up with herbs or made pungent
with pre-made chilli to become as dynamic as the fireworks above.
TAPAS TO TAKE AWAY
Well known tapas restaurant Bar 44 is taking to the streets
this month with their new Tapas Street Kitchen. Serving up
the same authentic tapas and drinks as the restaurant, the
new street kitchen aims to bring the same quality food on the
road. Named ‘El Boqueron’, the brand spanking new silver
fan will be the UK’s first tapas y copas street kitchen.
Info: www.bar44.co.uk
• rease and flour either a 23/24cm bundt tin or
G
springform tin. Set the oven on 170?C/fan 150?C/
gas mark 3.
• n a small bowl, soak the fruit with the juice and
I
zest and leave aside to swell for at least ½ hour.
• ieve the flour with the baking powder, the
S
bicarbonate of soda and the spices in a large
bowl. Add the ground almonds. In another large
bowl sieve the sugar – this may seem a waste
of time but brown sugar can be lumpy. Add the
eggs, the oil, the golden syrup, and the dried fruit
mixture to the sugar.
• rate the carrots and add them to the lemonG
juice/dried fruit mixture. (Leave that process until
last and mix with the lemon juice, as the carrots
are inclined to go brown.)
• ombine the flour with the fruit/carrot mixture
C
making sure there are no lumps underneath.
Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for
approximately 1 hour or longer, until the top is
firm and golden. Leave to cool slightly in the tin.
• o decorate, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl
T
over a saucepan of hot water,
taking care that the
water doesn’t
touch the
chocolate.
Drizzle over
the cake.
Decorate
with the
fruit.
pic: FRANCESCA HILL
JACKET POTATO
BUZZ 34
IT’S that time of year when you may have
a party, perhaps family and friends coming
together and you need a special dessert or
cake. This cake is ideal. It’s unusually light
and fresh but stays moist for days and the
recipe always works! If you decide to try it
you will bask in myriad compliments. Enjoy.