from my orchid kitchen

It's necessary in loquat season to make the most of this fruit. This one is a sweet suggestion even for those who often turn up their noses at these orange wonders.

First of all, what is a frangipane?
Many out there will never have heard of this designation, or they may have heard it but are not sure what it is.
Frangipane is a creamy preparation that traditionally consists of an almond flour, butter, sugar, and egg mixture, with almond, butter, and sugar being used in equal amounts.

Sometimes variations are presented, such as other nuts in place of almonds, vegetable kinds of butter, and other varieties of sugar or sweeteners.


This name has been known since 1674 and derives from an Italian marquis, Muzio Frangipani, who lived in France in the 17th century and who created an almond-scented perfume very famous in the court of Louis XIII, later inspiring confectioners to add almonds and almond extract to pies and pastries fillings.

For those who follow the blog, it is not the first time that I present a dessert where I use this preparation, as you can see in this Puff pastry with almonds and figs.

The frangipane base can be used with many fruits, but my opinion is that it works especially well with fruits that are not very juicy and not very sweet, as is the case with loquats.

The ingredients

Shortcrust pastry - for this recipe I used a store-bought pastry, but you can use another pie base to taste.
Loquats - in my fruit bowl I had only 6 large units, but you can add more depending on the size of the fruit.
Sugar - white sugar was used here, but it can be substituted for brown or coconut, remembering that the color of the frangipane in these cases will be darker.
Almond flour - it is not necessary to be fine almond flour, you can use almonds ground in any food processor.
Butter - traditionally, the 3 main ingredients of frangipane are added with the same weight, but I thought that 100gr of butter would be too much for this pie, considering that almonds also have natural fat.
Egg - its presence serves to bind all the ingredients of the filling.
Honey or Jam - is optional, and serves to give the pie a brighter surface. The amount of honey (which can also be replaced by a little agave) or jam to use is between 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Loquat frangipane tart recipe

Ingredients

1 package of shortcrust pastry
6 to 8 large loquats
100 g of sugar
100 g of almond flour
3 tablespoons of butter
1 large egg
Honey or jam for brushing (optional)

1. In a bowl, beat the egg together with the sugar.
2. Add the softened butter and almond flour, mixing well.
3. Roll the dough over the tart pan, prickling the bottom with a fork or the tip of a knife.
4. Pour the cream over the dough, smoothing the surface.
5. Reserve in the fridge.
6. Meanwhile, peel the loquats and remove the pits.
7. Cut each loquat into slices.
8. Arrange the loquat slices, pressing each piece a little over the pie filling.
9. Bake at 150ºC for about 30 to 35 minutes.
10. While the pie is still hot, brush the surface with a little honey or peach/apricot compote to glaze it up.

Notes on how to make

• So that the loquats don't oxidize, there are 2 options to consider: peel the fruit and sprinkle it with a little lemon juice, or the technique I usually use, which is to put the loquats that I peel in a bowl of water and drain them when I am going to use them. 
• In the pie you see in the photos, only 6 very large loquats were used, which, after being peeled and pitted, were each divided into 8 thin slices. However, depending on the quantity and liking, they can be cut into larger portions and/or different shapes.
•  If halfway through cooking the oven starts to burn the surface of the pie, it is best to place an aluminum foil on top of it until the end of the set time.
• Remember to check if the crust is fully cooked, especially if you're using another type of crust.
• Before brushing with honey or jam, add a few drops of water to make it more liquid and easier to spread over the surface of the pie without damaging it.

 

1. In a bowl, mix the coconut flour with the salt and baking soda.
2. In another bowl beat the eggs and add the milk, oil, sugar and vanilla.
3. Fold the flour into the previous preparation.
4. Leave to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Turn on the waffle maker and let it heat up.
6. Pour about 1/4 cup of the mixture, close the machine and cook for about 3 minutes.

Adapted from "Coconut flour waffles" 

Notes on how to make

• Unlike some waffle batters, this one is a bit thicker. To make it easier to pour the mixture, I use a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop onto the hot plate.
• The amount shown in the recipe yields about 6 waffles with the size you can see in the images.
• The cooking time and temperature for waffles will vary depending on the machine used.
• In the one I have (you can see it here), I use it on level 3 for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, these waffles are cooked but soft; if you prefer them to be crunchier, you can leave them in the waffle maker for longer or heat them in a frying pan until they reach the desired texture, or even put them in the oven on the grill function for a few minutes.
• These waffles can also be made in advance and frozen.

 

 

 

This dessert with an intense chocolate flavor comes in two layers: a brownie textured top that covers a thick cocoa and banana mousse.

The idea of ​​making this dessert came from the coincidence of having very ripe bananas to use (which would probably be the base of another banana cake - of the many I still have to try...) and also the fact that I was watching TV and switching to 24Kitchen channel and coming across one of Nigella Lawson's "cook, eat, repeat" episodes.

In this episode, she prepared her "chocolate tahini pudding" and as soon as I saw it, I told myself that since I had bananas and a jar of tahini in the pantry, this was exactly what I would serve for dessert at dinner.

Here, the texture inside is similar to a creamy mousse but served hot or warm rather than cold. I chose not to make the tahini whipped cream, nor to use the date syrup because the dessert (despite my adaptations) was already sweet enough.

The ingredients 

Bananas - I used ripe bananas, as they are sweeter and so I could reduce the sugar in the original recipe. You can use frozen bananas but always drain the extra moisture they release. 

Tahini - is the "butter" made from crushed sesame seeds. It can be substituted for peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter. 

Greek yogurt - in the original recipe the amount of yogurt was smaller, but by using 125gr I was able to eliminate the oil used originally. 

Egg - helps bind all other ingredients together. I haven't tried it, but the recipe may also work if it's omitted.

Dark brown sugar - I prefer to use dark brown sugar because it has a slight caramel flavor which pairs well with banana and cocoa. You can substitute with light brown sugar or coconut sugar. 

Flour - together with the egg, it will help to bind the other elements that are mostly moist. 

Powdered cocoa - although not much, it is enough for this dessert to have an intense chocolate flavor.

Baking soda - here the soda will create air bubbles in the dough when it is subjected to the heat of the oven and so the texture of this dessert is similar to that of a mousse. 

Chocolate chips - are an ingredient that will accentuate the chocolate flavor even more, although it has also been reduced regarding the original amount. 

Vanilla - is an optional ingredient that adds extra flavor to many desserts. 

Banana, chocolate and tahini pudding recipe

Ingredients 

250 g of banana
50 g of tahini
125 g of Greek yogurt
1 egg
50 g dark brown sugar
60 g of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
25 g of cocoa powder
40 g of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
pinch of salt

1. Peel the bananas and mash them until you get a puree.
2. In a bowl, beat the egg with the sugar and a pinch of salt.
3. Add the banana, yogurt, tahini and vanilla.
4. In another bowl, mix the flour with the bicarbonate and cocoa.
5. Fold the flour and cocoa mixture into the previous preparation.
6. Add the chocolate chips.
7. Grease a pyrex or other container (that can go in the oven) and pour the mixture.
8. Bake at 160ºC for about 40 to 45 minutes.
9. Serve hot or warm with a little whipped cream.

Adapted from "Chocolate tahini banana pudding with tahini cream and date molasses"

Notes on how to make

• If you don't have chocolate chips, you can simply break 40 g of a chocolate bar into small pieces. 
• Another option is to serve this dessert in individual portions, and for this, place the preparation in bowls or ramekins and reduce the cooking time to about 25 to 30 minutes (or until the surface is cooked). 
• If you serve it with whipped cream, I advise you not to serve it on top of the dessert because it will lose its consistency (the dessert is hot) and go back to being just liquid cream. (In the photo the dessert was cold when it was photographed with the whipped cream...) 
• A better option (for my taste) is to serve it with a scoop of cream or vanilla ice cream.

 

 

 

 

Unlike most apple cakes, where the fruit is used in slices or cubes, in this cake, the Reinette apple is blended and incorporated into the dough along with the other moist elements, giving it a smooth texture and flavor.

It is mainly during autumn, but also in winter, that we can savour this apple originally from the United Kingdom, known since Shakespeare's time as the Russet apple and over the centuries gave birth to other apple species, namely the Reinette du Canada which later developed in Portugal mainly in the areas of Alcobaça and Sintra, with a festival dedicated to the Reineta apple taking place in the area of Fontanelas at the end of October.

The ingredients

Eggs - I used 3 small eggs, but can also be 2 large eggs.
Sugar - in this apple cake I used white sugar but you can substitute with brown sugar or even coconut sugar.
Reinette apple - you can use other varieties of apples, but you should be aware of how juicy they are, as the Reinette apple has a mushy pulp and excess liquid from other apple varieties can give the cake that undercooked center look.
Flour and Baking powder - basic elements that are the cake's main ingredient; in the case of using self-raising flour, only 1 teaspoon of baking powder should be added.
Cornstarch - helps the consistency of the cake to make up for the apple pulp used.
Butter - although it doesn't take much butter, the combination of this with the pulp of the Reinette apple gives the cake a pleasantly buttery flavor.
Milk - any type of milk can be used, and it serves mainly to help crush the Reinette apple pulp.
Cinnamon - it's optional, and I used it because this spice always pairs well with the apple flavor; alternatively, you can use a little lemon zest.

Reinette apple cake recipe

Ingredients

3 small eggs
150 g of sugar
125 g of flour
50 g of corn starch
2 teaspoons of baking powder
200 g reinette apple (peeled and seeded)
70 g of butter
50 ml milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
pinch of salt

1. After peeling and pitting the apples, cut them into cubes and place them in a blender or hand mixer jar.
2. Add the milk and previously melted butter to the apples.
3. Blend until you get a lump-free cream. Reserve.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, a pinch of salt, and the cinnamon until obtaining a fluffy cream.
5. To this preparation, add the previous apple cream, mixing well.
6. In a bowl, mix and then sift the flour, starch, and baking powder.
7. Gradually, the flour mixture is involved in the preparation but without beating too much.
8. Place the mixture in a previously greased cake pan and bake at 180ºC for 35 to 40 minutes.

Notes on how to make

• In recipes where flour is used along with corn starch, it is advisable to always sift so that they are well mixed and without lumps.
• Allow the cake to cool for some time before unmoulding, because despite being a very consistent cake after chilled, when it comes out of the oven, especially if you use a bundt type cake pan, the cake can break.

 

 

 

This ice cream is simple to make at home with just 4 ingredients and without the need to use an ice cream maker and is ideal for complementing desserts in the autumn and winter seasons.

In my house, we enjoy ice cream all year round, whether it's hot or cold outside. 

Of course, store-bought ice creams are often purchased, usually Ben & Jerry's or Haagen-Dazs. However, sometimes I also like to try making ice cream at home because I have to use my ice cream maker. 

Many of the homemade ice cream recipes do not require machines to be made, and are known as no-churn ice cream since the preparation after ready is poured into a container and placed directly in the freezer until solidified. 

Rum and raisin ice cream is an ice cream classic and is usually prepared with a base of egg yolks, sugar, milk, and cream. In this case, I was inspired by the lovely Mary Berry's recipe (from the book and series "Love to cook") but I made some changes to it, namely reducing the condensed milk and increasing the amount of cream. The result was delicious creamy ice cream with just the right amount of sweetness. 

I usually serve it along other desserts such as crumbles, pies or galettes, pancakes, crepes, or waffles.

The Ingredients

• Cream - are the main element that gives body to the ice cream; as always I only use fresh cream (they don't have any additives). I haven't tried making it with vegetable cream (the kind you can whip), I think it's possible but probably the texture won't be the same since they don't have the same fat content as cow's milk cream.
• Condensed milk - in Mary Berry's recipe a whole can of condensed milk was used, but it was too sweet so I reduced it to about half the amount. It can be replaced with condensed coconut milk.
• Raisins - this ice cream is usually called rum and raisins, but in reality sultanas are used since here in Portugal raisins are bigger, they come from the muscatel grape variety and contain seeds. I also reduced the amount of sultanas to use.
• Rum - I like to use rum in various pastry recipes and it is one of the alcoholic drinks I have at home for this purpose. However, it can be replaced by Port Wine or Madeira Wine.

Rum & raisin icecream recipe

Ingredients

400 ml of cream
200 g of condensed milk
100 g of raisins
50 ml of rum

1. In a small pot or casserole, place the raisins and rum and heat them, removing right as it starts to boil.
2. Leave to rest so that the raisins absorb the liquid and cool down in the meantime.
3. Meanwhile, whip the cream well with the mixer.
4. Add the condensed milk.
5. Reserve in the fridge.
6. When the rum and raisins have cooled, fold these into the mixture (including the rum that has not been absorbed by the raisins).
7. Pour the mixture into a container that can go in the freezer.
8. At the very least, it should be freezing for 12 hours, but ideally, it's better to leave it longer.

Notes on how to make

• For those who are concerned about the alcohol content of this recipe, I remind you that the rum (or other drink you use) is heated, but if you want to ensure that there is no alcohol, just let it boil a little before adding the raisins.
• As raisins are heavier, and they absorb the rum, they are more likely to settle to the bottom of the container when freezing. If you want to avoid this, 30 minutes or 1 hour after starting to freeze, you can stir the cream with a spoon so that the raisins are better distributed, and you can repeat this process as long as the texture of the icecream allows.
• Despite having an ice cream machine, I didn't use it in this recipe; however, whoever wants to use it (to speed up the process) I advise adding the sultanas only at the end and it is probably better to add them to the preparation outside the machine because they can interfere with the movement of the blades (it also depends on the format of the machine used).