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Glorious to look at, with a taste to match, this Pecan Streusel Cake is deceptively easy to get right! A streusel is simply a mix of flour, butter and sugar plus added nuts and spices layered throughout the cake and on top. So you’ll end up with a gorgeous layer cake that will get everyone's mouth watering. In this recipe, pecans, subtle spices and that gorgeous, buttery streusel topping are perfect for that autumnal afternoon tea. So get ready to impress. Pop on the kettle and polish the cake forks!  Ingredients:
For the Streusel: 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup caster sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 tsp mixed spice 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp cold butter, cubed 1 cup raw pecans For the Cake: 170g butter, cubed 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups full fat greek yoghurt 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup caster sugar 1 level tablespoon (15g) baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda Method: FOR THE STREUSEL: Place flour, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and process for about 15 seconds to combine. Add in pecans and cubed butter and pulse carefully until pecans and butter are in pebble-like pieces. Set aside. FOR THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced) and grease a large bundt pan well. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. add butter and 1/2 cup of the yogurt and beat until ingredients resemble a grainy, wet sand. In a separate mixing bowl, add eggs and whisk until beaten. Add in remaining yogurt and vanilla extract and beat for 30-45 more seconds or until combined. Add wet to dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. ASSEMBLY: Basically we are layering streusel and cake batter, so when the cake is cut you get a beautiful ribbon of streusel through it. Sprinkle some streusel mix into the bottom of the cake tin. Spoon ⅓ of the batter into the bundt pan using a spatula to smooth it out and top with half of the remaining streusel. Place another ⅓ of the batter on top of the streusel, then final portion of streusel, then the last of the cake batter. Press it gently down into the batter to ensure the strudel mixture at the bottom sticks when cooking. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes then turn out of the bundt pan and allow to cool fully (about 2 hours, sorry!) before slicing. NOTES: I always use salted butter in my cakes but feel free to use unsalted. If you do, you might want to add ¼ tsp salt to both the cake batter and streusel mix. If the amounts of baking powder and bicarb soda seem a lot, just go with it. We want this cake to reach as high as Dolly Parton's hair. No bundt tin? A round pan or loaf tin will be fine, just adjust baking times. A bundt takes longer to bake than a loaf tin by about 15 mins. Best plan of attack is to check with a skewer at the 35 minute mark. With this version I added a simple glaze and some reserved chopped pecans. It’s a lovely addition to this cake if you want to up the decadence. Just remember to reserve a tablespoon of the pecans (chop these separately) for scattering over the glaze afterwards. To make a quick glaze: whisk together 1 cup of icing sugar with 1 tbsp of water and then pour or spoon over the cake, after you turn it out and it's still a little warm. Scatter over the chopped pecans and admire.
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It was the humble lima bean that cemented my love of legumes. Other beans all have their place in my cooking arsenal, but lima beans, with their creamy and comforting texture, are my absolute favourite. When I discovered that they also go by the names Butter Beans and Gigante, a plethora of recipes became available to me! This one is my favourite. Enjoy as a hearty breakfast with a slice of buttery toast, a relaxed and cosy supper, or as a side dish for a bigger feast.  Ingredients:
250g dried lima/ butter beans 100ml olive oil 2 onions, finely diced 2 carrots, finely diced 3 celery stalks, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 2 x 400g tinned tomatoes OR 800g ripe tomatoes,roughly chopped Juice of ½ a lemon 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp sugar 2 tsp vegetable stock Salt and pepper ½ tsp lemon myrtle (optional) Handful flat-leaf parsley or oregano, finely chopped 100g feta or goats cheese (optional) Method: The night before, pop your lima beans in a large cooking pot. Cover with cold tap water - the beans absorb a lot, so really fill that pot to the brim! Cover and leave overnight. 8-12 hours is ideal soaking time. The next day, drain the water and replace with fresh tap water then set it on the stove. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to get a nice gentle simmer for 20-30 mins. They should be almost soft, ¾ cooked. Drain, but keep a cup of the cooking liquid. Heat the oil in a large flameproof lidded casserole pot, and cook the onions, carrots and celery on low-medium heat until tender and the onions are soft and transparent, but not browned. Stir in the remaining ingredients - garlic, tomatoes, lemon, paprika, oregano, sugar, vegetable stock, lemon myrtle (if using) Add in half of the chopped herbs and feta (if using). Heat oven to 180C/160C fan. Cook over a gentle heat for a further 5 mins, then pour over the reserved bean cooking liquid. Cover the dish and bake in the oven for 30-40 mins. Check occasionally that the beans are not drying out – add a little more water if needed. Remove the lid and bake for 5 mins more. Stir through the reserved chopped herbs, season to taste, then crumble over the remaining feta, along with a generous glug of olive oil just before serving. Can be made 2 days ahead and reheated. It also freezes well for up to 6 months. Falafel mix is such a versatile ingredient and can even be used as a delicious, crunchy pizza base.  Ingredients:
1 cup falafel mix 3/4 cup water 1 tbsp hulled or unhulled tahini Veg of choice, precooked. I used diced pumpkin and beetroot, roasted. 10 Cherry tomatoes, halved Feta, cubed or crumbled 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp salt Garnish 1 tbsp Parsley or mint, roughly chopped 2 tbsp greek yoghurt Method: Preheat the oven to 200°c (180°c fan forced). Combine falafel mix and water in a bowl, leave to sit for 30 mins. Turn it out onto a lined pizza or oven tray, flattening into a 1cm thick circle with your fingers. Bake in the centre of the oven for 10 mins, remove and set aside. Spread tahini over the par-cooked pizza base, then scatter your veg, feta and tomatoes over it. Sprinkle the spices over, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 15 mins or until outside of base is a bit crunchy and the toppings look golden. Garnish with fresh herbs and yoghurt In this recipe, falafel mix is used for crumbling. Quick, simple, delicious!  Ingredients:
1/2 a Cauliflower, cut into small florets 2 tbsp Olive oil 1/4 cup dry falafel mix Tahini Dressing sea salt 1 tbsp hulled or unhulled tahini 2 tbsp natural yoghurt Juice and zest of 1 lemon Method: Preheat the oven to 200°c. Combine Cauliflower florets, oil and falafel mix in a mixing bowl mix until well coated, then spread out on a lined baking tray. Roast for 25 mins or until cauliflower is tender and golden. Meanwhile make the tahini dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. Serve with the cauliflower. This recipe sees falafel mix being used as a tart shell! It's truly scrumptious.  Ingredients:
1 cup falafel mix 3/4 cup water 400g pumpkin, cubed 2 garlic cloves, minced sea salt extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons baharat spice mix, or just a mixture of ground cumin and coriander Tahini Dressing sea salt 1 tbsp hulled or unhulled tahini 2 tbsp natural yoghurt Juice and zest of 1 lemon Garnish 2 tbsp fresh coriander or flat leaf parsley 1 tbsp Dukkah or crushed pistachios Method: Preheat the oven to 190°c. Combine falafel mix and water in a bowl, leave for 30 mins. Press it into the bottom of a lightly greased tart dish. Bake in the centre of the oven for 10 mins, remove and set aside. Scatter diced pumpkin on a lined oven tray, drizzle the diced pumpkin with olive oil, balsamic, minced garlic, salt and the dried spices and scatter. Roast for 20 mins or until almost soft. Spread the pumpkin over the pie base and return to the oven for 15-20 mins, or until the crust is golden and a bit crunchy. Meanwhile make the tahini dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. To serve, spoon over the dressing, and garnish with the fresh herbs and dukkah or pistachios. |
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