Work to Do!

One of the girls final assessments for the Whole and Natural Foods Chef Training Program, was a Group Dinner. Divided into 2 groups, each presented (planned, developed, sourced and produced) a dinner for 45 people. Let me say, these women are amazing. Not at all girls, just simply amazing women, each and every one of them. It was a hard task, long days, lots of work (just what it’s like in the real world) but an amazing opportunity to get a feel for what’s involved. The food – well, can I tell you, it was beautiful. Truly. I’m not just saying it. Guests were invited from the students family and friends, from my mailing list, and some of the many that have helped make this program work (in that, I have been blessed). The students all worked so hard, but produced such a wonderful end result. I was so proud – of them, each and every one of them.

Since then, I have been slowly trying to get body, brain and soul together, as one, again – it’s taking it’s time, but getting there. I’m heading off tomorrow for 10 days in our beautiful South – West, which at this time of the year (or any time really) is just gorgeous. This afternoon, I plan to make a simple butter- cake to take – so for those of you bemoaning my lack of recipes on the blog, get ready. It’s a good example of adapting a classic recipe.

All in all, though an enormous amount of work, it has been a deeply rewarding experience – I have met 10 amazing women, all who will go out and in their own way, do amazing things. That I have been a part of their journey, is humbling, and deeply enriching.

Group 1 Menu

Leanne and Angie get the Rustic Ratatouille Tarts ready

Group 2 Table

Group 1 Long Table with guests arriving

Jeanie – where would we have been without my best friend coming over to help?

This is the kind of cake I am making – simple butter, but I’m doing a passionfruit icing. This is Sue’s (incredibly delicious) version, with lime – you can see Sue below finishing it off.

This is my version of a classic butter cake – using a white spelt, a less refined sugar, and lessof it. It’s a very good cake, and will give you a moist yet sturdy crumb, which will last well.This is the kind of cake you would have traditionally find in a tin, ready for lunches or afternoon teas. You could easily flavour the cake with finely grated orange or lemon zest.

This batter makes 1 x 22xm tin. Cut in half, this is a good depth for a child’s cake.

Also makes 9 – 12 cupcakes

Kitchen Notes:

·     You will need to asses your white spelt for this recipe. If you have a lovely white spelt with very little bran or germ it will be fine. But if it looks more like a light wholemeal, I would recommend sieving 1¼ cups first, using a fine sieve. This will catch most of the germ and bran, which you can discard. Measure your quantity from this sifted flour.

·     It is very important that the butter is soft – the consistency should be similar to that of a face cream. The main technique used to raise the cake in this recipe, is by beating air into the butter and sugar, and for this you need a soft butter – not melted, but soft.

·     I use an unrefined ‘golden’ castor sugar for this cake (In Australia, I use the Billingtons Golden Icing Sugar)  but you could also use the slightly larger unrefined ‘ golden’ raw sugar.

2 cups white spelt flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

250gm unsalted butter – softened and at room temperature

170 gm unrefined, golden castor or raw sugar

4 eggs – at room temperature

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

¼ – ½ cup whole, non – homogenised full cream milk

Pre heat oven to 170c.

Grease and line the base of a 22m cake tin.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a small bowl and set aside.

Place the butter and sugar in a medium size mixing bowl, and using electric beater, beat until pale, thick and creamy.

Add the eggs, beating well after each addition. If you find the mix begins to ‘split’ and look curdled, it is because the mix has become too cold to incorporate the eggs. A good trick is to place the mixing bowl in a little warm water for a few minutes – this will soften the butter again and allow it to take up the eggs. Add the vanilla extract and beat well.

Add the flour and ¼ cup milk, and gently beat into the mix – if using electric beaters, start them off very slowly to avoid the flour going everywhere. Beat until smooth and the flour and milk are well incorporated. Only add the extra milk if the mix is very, very heavy (this will generally be because of the presence of bran and germ from the flour).

Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 60 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack 

Quick and Simple Butter Icing: Makes 2 cups

This is a classic butter icing – quick to make, and always delivers great end results. 

Again, the butter must be very, very soft, with the texture of face cream – this will enable you to get a light end result.

Kitchen Notes:

·     I like add a little lemon juice to this to balance out the sweetness – you can omit this if desired.

·     Because this icing is a butter base, it is very flexible. You can incorporate flavours as desired into this – raspberry puree, lemon, lime or orange zest, rose water  and passionfruit are all delicious.

·     You can replace the dairy milk with coconut milk if desired

125 gm unsalted butter, softened

3 cups unrefined, golden icing sugar

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

colour as desired

Place the butter, icing sugar and milk in a medium mixing bowl. Using electric beaters, begin to mix, starting on a low speed, increasing the speed as it comes together. Beat until very smooth, thick and creamy – approx 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and beat through.

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