Prune and Apricot Vanilla Oil Loaf
This is a delicious fruit loaf using mainly prunes and apricots instead of the usual mixed fruit type mix, gently flavoured with Equagold Vanilla Grapeseed oil and vanilla raw sugar, in place of vanilla extract - a ‘come again’ sort of morsel.
INGREDIENTS
200g pitted prunes, chopped
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
2/3 cup boiling water
½ cup Vanilla Grapeseed Oil
½ cup Organic Raw Vanilla Sugar
¼ cup golden syrup
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
½ cup sultanas
METHOD
Cover the fruit with the boiling water, and cool to room temperature
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin.
Place the oil, sugar, golden syrup, egg and drained water from the fruit in a bowl, and beat till light and creamy.
Add the fruit and dry ingredients and mix till combined.
Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or till a skewer comes out clean.
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.
It can be a good idea to wrap the loaf in a tea towel to cool to keep it extra moist.
Slice and serve plain, or with butter.
Pure Vanilla Cookies
2 eggs separated
¾ cup vanilla sugar unsifted
100g soft butter
1 ½ cups flour (enough to make pliable but not sticky)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
few drops of pure vanilla if desired
extra vanilla sugar
Beat egg whites until stiff.
Beat sugar in slowly. Add butter, vanilla and egg yolks one by one.
Combine with flour and baking powder.
Roll into balls, roll balls liberally in extra vanilla sugar. Flatten with fork.
Bake at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes until slightly golden.
Thanks to Kathryn Deaker for sending this recipe in.
Rich Chocolate ‘Bread & Butter’ Croissant Pudding
INGREDIENTS
8 Mini Croissants 6 eggs
Nutella Hazelnut Spread 1 cup cream
Chocolate Melts 1 cup milk
8 prunes - halved 1 cup vanilla raw sugar or
1 cup of caster sugar and
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Apricot Jam
METHOD
Grease a rectangular or round casserole dish with butter or a spray on oil. Tuck a chocolate melt into each croissant and place them into the casserole dish and evenly put the prunes between them. Beat the eggs and sugar together; add the cream, milk & vanilla and mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture over the croissants and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Bake in a water bath at 180° for 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Test with a skewer.
Remove from the oven and spread the dessert with apricot jam.
Now serve with Allyson Gofton’s Whiskey Sauce from the Great New Zealand Baking Book.
1 cup sugar 2 eggs
2 tbsp water ¼ cup whiskey
100g butter ¼ cup cream
Put the sugar, water & butter into a small saucepan & heat gently, stirring constantly until the sugar in dissolved. Transfer to a double boiler or place this saucepan over another saucepan a quarter filled with water & stir in eggs & whiskey. Cook gently until the sauce is thickened. Sir in the cream.
Buttermilk Chocolate Layer Cake
INGREDIENTS
125g dark cooking chocolate 250g unsalted butter
2 cups per flour 4 eggs
1 ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder 1 cup buttermilk
1 cup of caster sugar
Chocolate butter icing
3 tblsp hot water 2 cups icing sugar
¼ cup cocoa 300 ml bottle of cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract extra icing sugar
100g unsalted butter 8 walnut halves or 8 strawberries
Break up the chocolate and melt in the top of a double saucepan or in the microwave.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Put the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla extract into a food processor and process until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the cold chocolate mixture and process to mix.
Sprinkle the flour mixture on top of the creamed mixture with the buttermilk and pulse to mix. Do not over process!
Pour the mixture evenly into 2 well greased floured and lined 23cm cake tins.
Bake at 180° for 35 to 45 minutes until the cake is cooked.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack to cool.
Split each cake in half horizontally. Layer with quarter of the chocolate butter icing and a third of the whipped cream, finishing with a layer of chocolate butter icing and decorate with walnuts or strawberries.
Chocolate butter icing
Mix the hot water, cocoa and vanilla extract together and set aside until very cool. Beat together the cocoa mixture, butter and sifted icing sugar.
Whip cream until thick and sweeten if wished.
Used with permission from Allyson Gofton - The Great New Zealand Baking Book.
Equagold Pacific Muesli
INGREDIENTS
5 cups of rolled oats
1 cup shreaded coconut
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup liquid honey
1 cup skim milk powder
1 cup soy flour
1 cup vanilla grapeseed oil (or any cooking oil with the seeds scraped from 2 vanilla pods or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
½ cup each of whole almonds & hazelnuts.
Selection of chopped dried pineapple
& papaya, sultanas, yoghurt covered raisins,
dried banana chips.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 150°
Place all of the dry ingredients except the nuts and fruit into a roasting dish
Mix in the oil and honey and stir well
Cook in the oven for ten minutes, stirring well after 5 minutes.
Stir in the nuts and cook for a further 20 to 25 minutes remembering to stir every 5 minutes to prevent burning on the top.
Remove from the oven and when cool mix in the dried fruit.
Store in airtight containers.
Bettie’s Apple Cake
INGREDIENTS
3 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 large eggs lightly beaten
250ml vegetable oil
¼ cup orange juice
2 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2-3 apples peeled & thinly sliced
1 tsp cinnamon & a ¼ cup sugar mixed together
METHOD
Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add eggs, oil, orange juice and vanilla extract and mix together. (This batter will be quite thick). Pour half the mixture into a greased 23cm round baking tin. Cover with half the apples and half the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Repeat with batter. Finally arrange remaining apples over the batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 180° for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours or until a skewer comes clean when tested. (This cake does take a long time to cook)
Delicious served warm by itself or when cool, cut into wedges and serve with cream.
Used with permission from Annabelle White - Best Recipes
Vanilla, Orange and Cardamom Dressing
300ml Fresh Orange Juice
4 Cardamom pods
1 garlic clove (split)
½ Vanilla Pod (roasted at 1800 for four minutes)
250ml of extra virgin olive oil
Pass the orange juice through a fine sieve into a pan, add the 4 Cardamom pods and the garlic. Reduce this until thick and syrupy – add the Vanilla and the olive oil while still warm. Leave this to infuse for 24 hours.
Serve with fresh grilled fish or salmon
This recipe supplied by Glen Sando - Executive Chef, Millennium Manuels, Taupo
Port Wine and Spice Macerated Figs
5kgs Figs
2 L Red Wine
2L Port
1 Kg Sugar
3 Cinnamon Quills
5 Cloves
1 Vanilla Pod
Zest of 6 Lemons
Bring all the ingredients to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the figs and reduce the liquid by half or until syrupy. Now add the figs back and let cool. Serve with cheese and crackers or with cold meats.
Grille Vanilla and Peach Goats Cheese Salad
Serves 4
2 Whole canned peaches, well drained
I spring onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 mild green chilli, deseeded and diced
2 Tbsp of Vanilla Grapeseed Oil
Seeds from half a vanilla pod
½ tsp salt
1 loaf of brioche
250g goat’s cheese
Handful of rocket leaves
Dressing
¼ Cup of Vanilla Grapeseed Oil
1 Tbsp papaya vinegar (or use balsamic)
1. Finely dice or chop the peaches and toss with the spring onion, chilli, vanilla grapeseed oil, vanilla seeds and salt. Set aside.
2. Slice the brioche (allowing 2 pieces per serve) and brush with vanilla grapeseed oil. Pan fry of grill until golden. Cut the goats cheese into slices; quickly pan fry in the vanilla grapeseed oil over high heat until just brown and warmed through.
3. Arrange a few rocket leaves on top of the brioche. Add the grilled goats cheese and peach salsa. Serve drizzled with vanilla grapeseed oil and a little papaya or balsamic vinegar
Used with permission from Allyson Gofton - this recipe published in Next Magazine March 2005
Vanilla Semi - freddo (semi-soft Italian ice cream)
3 large eggs - separated
100 grams castor sugar
300mls cream
1 Vanilla Pod
2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
Spilt the Vanilla Pod and scrape out the seeds. In a medium bowl whisk egg yokes and 50 grams of the sugar and the vanilla seeds until thick and light cream in colour.
In another bowl, whisk the cream and vanilla extract until the cream is thick with soft peaks.
Fold the egg mixture and cream together using a metal spoon until combined.
In a third bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and then add the remaining sugar gradually while continuing to beat until thick and glossy.
Now fold the egg and cream mixture into the beaten egg whites and place into a suitable container and put in freezer for at least four hours before serving. Delicious!
Vanilla, White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookies
50 grams butter
50 grams of Chefade shortening
½ cup of castor sugar
½ cup of brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup of plain flour
½ teaspoon of baking soda
1 good cup of white chocolate bits
3 quarters of lightly roasted and chopped Macadamia nuts
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Cream the butter, shortening and sugars
Add the egg and Vanilla Extract
Add the sifted flour and baking soda
Fold in the chocolate bits and macadamia nuts
Place tablespoonfuls on greased oven tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Leave on the tray for 10 minutes before placing on cake rack to cool.
Vanilla Truffles
100 grams white chocolate
30 grams butter
2 tablespoons fresh cream
1 Tahitian vanilla pod
1 tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon of Amarula or Brandy
200 grams of white chocolate melts for dipping
Spilt the Vanilla Pod & scrape out the seeds. Place the seeds, the empty pod, white chocolate, butter and cream into a bowl and heat slowly over a pot of simmering water. Don't over heat! Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pod and blend in the Extract and Amarula or Brandy. Place the mixture in the fridge until firm enough to form small balls.
Make into small balls and place on baking paper on a dish and refrigerate until firm.
Melt the Chocolate Melts over a double boiler and dip the truffle balls placing them onto fresh baking paper to set.
White Chocolate Brownies
275 grams white chocolate
250 grams unsalted butter
1 cup of caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tblsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups pure flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup chopped pistachio nuts or pecans
Icing
50 grams white chocolate
½ cup icing sugar
1 tblsp butter
Milk
1 tblsp cocoa for dusting
Chop the white chocolate roughly and place in the top of a double saucepan with the butter. Heat over boiling water until just melted. This can be done in a microwave, allowing about 2 minutes on high power. Be careful not to overcook the chocolate as it will burn easily.
Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Sift the flour and salt together, and stir into the chocolate mixture alternately with the egg mixture. Fold in the pistachio nuts or pecans.
Turn into a greased, floured and lined 25cm square cake tin.
Bake at 160°C for 45 - 50 minutes, until the top is lightly golden but the centre is still a little soft.
Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 3 - 4 hours. Remove from the tin, ice and dust with cocoa. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.
Icing
Melt the white chocolate and butter together. Stir in sifted icing sugar and sufficient milk to make smooth thick icing.
Cooks Tip:
If you really want a wonderful rich chocolate buy 'coverture chocolate'
This recipe supplied with thanks to Allyson Gofton,
"The great New Zealand Baking Book"
Vanilla Panna Cotta
Elegance on a plate - and delicious with poached stone fruits.
Serves 6
3 cups cream
1 cup milk
the seeds from 4 vanilla pods or one tblsp Pure Vanilla Extract
¾ cup sugar
4 sheets gelatine
Slowly bring the cream, milk, vanilla and sugar to the boil. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for approximately 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine leaves, stir into the cream. When dissolved, strain the mixture into a large jug. Allow mixture to cool completely. Pour into moulds. (120 ml moulds are ideal)Cover moulds with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Serve with poached or roasted stone fruit.
Note If sheets of gelatine are not available you can use 4 tsp of gelatine. To release the panna cotta from the mould, just dip the mould in warm water for a few seconds. Then with the back of a knife, carefully loosen the top of the panna cotta and turn out.
This recipe supplied with thanks to Annabelle White
"New Zealand Fine Food Series Best Recipes"
Vanilla & Mango Streusel Cake
Topping
75 g butter
½ cup of Pure Vanilla Organic Raw Sugar
½ cup of flour
¼ cup of shredded coconut
½ tsp of Cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the base of a 20cm round loose bottomed cake tin.
Prepare the topping first by melting the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat & stir in dry ingredients. Allow to cool.
Cake
¾ Cup of chopped dried Mango (If you haven't got mangos, use apricots).
¾ cup of boiling water
½ tsp of baking soda
Add the chopped mango to the boiling water and stir in the baking soda. Allow to cool.
125g of softened butter
½ cup of organic raw vanilla sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp of Pure Vanilla Extract
1½ cup of self-raising flour
2 tbsp custard powder
½ cup of desiccated coconut
1 cup of white chocolate bits
Cream the butter and the vanilla raw sugar until light & creamy
Add eggs & Pure Vanilla Extract & beat well until light. Add the flour, custard powder, coconut, cooled fruit mixture & chocolate bits. Without over mixing, stir until combined.
Pour into prepared cake tin and then sprinkle over the topping evenly.
Bake in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.When cooked leave in the tin for 15 minutes and then remove and place on a cake rack.
Serve cold sprinkled with icing sugar, or as a dessert with sweetened Mascarpone Cream and drizzle with this delicious Vanilla Syrup:
250ml water
125g Caster Sugar
The seeds of 2 Vanilla Pods or 125g Raw Vanilla Sugar
Place the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil slowly while stirring constantly to dissolve the vanilla sugar. Simmer gently for approximately ten minutes or until it has reduced to form a thickened vanilla syrup.
This syrup is great on deserts and ice cream.
Salmon and Vanilla Seafood Stock
This stock in excellent as a base for creamy seafood or chicken pasta sauce and it's a great stock for a seafood bisque.
1 Salmon head and carcass (remove the gills)
½ dozen Mussels
2 tbsp Equagold Pure Vanilla Grapessed Oil
I Onion
1 clove Garlic
2 Carrots
2 stalks of Celery
1 Fennel bulb
1 to 2 Bay Leaves
1 Vanilla Pod
2 sprigs of Lemon Thyme
¾ cup of white wine
2 litres of water
Seasoning
Optional 1 tbsp of Tomato paste
Heat the Vanilla Grapeseed Oil in a large pot (4 litre). Gently Caramalise the mussels, Salmon Carcass and vegetables for 10 minutes.
Add the white wine, water, herbs and vanilla pod. Simmer for 20 minutes
Strain the stock and season with salt and pepper
Vanilla, Fig & Pistachio Wafers
Wonderful when served with Coffee & Tea or serve it with ice cream dessert.
4 egg whites
A pinch of cream of Tartar
¾ cup of caster sugar
1 Vanilla pod split & seeds scraped or use 1 tsp of Equagold Pure Vanilla Extract
½ cup flour + 1 tbsp
1 cup of shelled Pistachio nuts
Approximately 1 cup of chopped dried Figs
Beat the egg whites and cream of Tartar until stiff.
Gradually add the caster sugar.
Add the seeds from the Vanilla pod or the Extract if you are using that.
Fold in the flour followed by the nuts and figs.
Pour the mixture into non-stick mini loaf tins which have been greased.
Bake at 160°C for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the tins and cool on a cake rack.
Slice into thin slices and place on cake racks and bake a second time at 140°C for 20 to 30 minutes until a light golden colour and dried out.
Turn off the oven and cool in the oven with the door slightly open to dry completely.
Vanilla Mayonnaise
3 egg yolks
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp dijon mustard
30ml Verjuice (or white vinegar)
½ cup Equagold Pure Vanilla Grapeseed Oil
¼ cup Olive oil or use all Grapeseed Oil
Place egg yolks, salt, mustard & verjuice in a food processor & process on high speed till thick and creamy. Slowly pour in oils while the motor is running and the mixture will thicken.
Adjust to taste with seasoning.
Vanilla and Saffron Mayonnaise
Generous Pinch of Equagold Pure Saffron
1 ½ tbsp hot water
Prepare the Vanilla Mayonnaise as above.
Pour the hot water over the Saffron thread in a small cup and allow to infuse for 15 to 20 minutes. Blend the infusion into the Vanilla Mayonnaise.
This is wonderful over fish, Salmon or chicken salads.
Vanilla Sugar and Grapeseed Oil Rub
Make a paste using 4 tbsp of Equagold Pure Organic Vanilla Raw Sugar & 3 tbsp of Equagold Pure Vanilla Grapeseed Oil and rub over Salmon. Leave to marinade for 30 minutes then either smoke, or simply roast in the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes or until almost cooked. Leave to rest for 5 minutes and serve.
American Fudge Brownie to die for!
200g butter melted
2 cup of castor sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp of Equagold Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup of Equagold Premium Dutch Cocoa
¾ cup of plain flour
¾ cup of pecans or walnuts
½ cup of chocolate morsels - optional
Method:
- Add the sugar and egg to the melted butter & mix until thick
- Add the Vanilla Direct
- Mix in the Cocoa and stir until combined
- Fold in the flour and lastly the nuts and chocolate morsels if you have them.
- Spread into a greased and lined square baking tin and bake at 160° for 45 minutes,
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool while still in the tin
- Sprinkle with icing sugar before cutting into small triangles or squares
Yummy Rice Pudding
Submitted by Deborah Honan
1/3 Cup of Aborio rice
¾ Cups of whole milk
2 to 3 tbsp Equagold Raw Vanilla Sugar
1 tbsp Manuka Honey or Golden Syrup if preferred
½ Cup of finely chopped Dates
Use a 6 cup capacity oven proof dish and stir while combining the ingredients. Bake for 2 hours at 150°. Remove from the oven twice during the cooking to stir.
Vanilla Muffins with Apricot and Almond Centres
Submitted by Deborah Honan
Muffin Mix
1¾ Cups plain flour
1½ tsp Baking Powder
¼ Cup of Raw Vanilla Sugar
¼ tsp Baking Soda
½ Salt
½ Yogurt
½ Cup Milk
1 Egg
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl
In another bowl mix Yogurt, Milk and Egg
Gently fold the two mixes together
Apricot and Almond Centre
40grams of finely chopped dried apricot
½ Cup Water
2 tbsp Ground Almonds
2 tbsp Vanilla Sugar
2 tbsp of biscuit crumbs
Boil apricots in water 3-4 min or until water disappears. Allow to cool, then mix with remaining ingredients.
Half fill each muffin pan with the Muffin mix
Make depression in middle with a damp teaspoon and spoon in the apricot and almond mixture
Spread the remaining muffin mix over top of each muffin
Bake at 200° C for 12 to 15 minutes
