** figues et orange

 it's been a while ....

I exchanged England for France

new challenges include

finding the right flour

the right word for baking powder

but I'm getting there with help

from online communities and friends

there's an emphasis on seasonal

and right now it's fig time
we picked fruits from my neighbours tree
there's still plenty more!

yesterday I made some delicious fig jam

a little taste of late summer

to enjoy in the colder months

baking is for sharing so here's a recipe for 

Fresh Fig and Orange Muffins

you will need .....

250g figs ~ chopped and a few more sliced for decoration

220g flour

1 heaped tsp baking powder 

100g sugar

finely grated zest of half an orange
a pinch of salt

120ml milk

60ml oil ~ your choice 

1 egg

preheat the oven to 180c /350f/gas 4 

mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl 

add the chopped figs and stir gently

mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl

and add to the dry

stirring carefully but not overdoing it

fill 12 muffin cases with the mixture

and top with a slice of fig

bake for 20-25mins until they are golden

cool on a wire rack
but best eaten warm
~~~~~

** peachy

some fruits all ripen at the same time

then I'm scratching around for different ways

to use them up

this recipe is adapted from a pear tart

so you could use any fruit you choose here

peach and almond tart

you will need ....

375g shortcrust pastry

4 peaches or fruits of your choice

85g softened butter

85g caster sugar

85g ground almonds

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 eggs

preheat the oven to 200c/gas 6

the line a 20cm tart tin with the pastry

cover with greaseproof and baking beans

blind bake for 15mins, remove the paper and beans

prick the base with a fork, reduce oven to 180c/gas 4

and bake for a further five minutes

to make the almond mixture ~ 

 cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

gradually add the eggs

tip in the almonds and flour and mix carefully

pour the mixture into the cooked pastry base

and top with sliced peaches

return the tart to the oven 

bake for 30-40 minutes until golden

summer in a slice

~

** instagood

when there's windfalls 

the apple recipes come out

this recipe was kindly given to me

by an Instagrammer called

Tonelinrek, after I saw a photo of her bake:

she lives in Norway 

somewhere I really must visit

all that knitting and wonderful houses

and cake!

Nordic Apple Cake

you will need ....

150g plain flour

150g caster sugar

150g butter

a teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

sliced apples

a teaspoon ground cinnamon

a few teaspoons of demerara sugar

heat your oven to 180c/ gas 4

line & grease the bottom of a 20cm tin

mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl

{I also added a teaspoon of freshly ground 

cardamom because I love it}

rub in the butter until it looks like rubble

stir through the beaten eggs 

tip the dough into the prepared tin

then push the slices of apple into it

sprinkle the top with some cinnamon and demerara

then bake for 30 minutes until cooked through

Tonelinrek suggests eating it with vanilla icecream

or cream 

tusen takk

:-)

☼ seasons

when your local market or supermarket 

sells good things

it's time to find a recipe to bake

not with these huge juicy grapes 

but with figs

fig & almond torte {gluten free}

you will need ....

2 figs, thinly sliced

75g unsalted butter ~ heated in a pan, browned and cooled

150g ground almonds

80ml honey

a teaspoon ground ginger

a dash of vanilla extract

an egg yolk

flaked almonds

grease a 7" round loose bottomed tin

then

in a large bowl mix all the ingredients

except for figs and flaked almonds

put this mixture into the greased tin

spreading it evenly

top with the sliced figs 

sprinkle with flaked almonds

and put in the freezer for 30 minutes

preheat the oven to 150c/ gas 2

bake the torte for 25-30 minutes until golden

leave to cool completely in the tin

 delicious on it's own or with cream

recipe from London Bakes

~