Torta della casa for afternoon tea...

 

 

 

 

Torta della casa (homemade cake)

A classic Italian dessert that is lovely for afternoon tea or the finale of a long lunch.  This version of the cake was made with Granita biscuits as the base but can also be made using a shortcrust pastry.

The base

• 140g melted butter
• 500g Granita biscuits

Melt the butter.  Process the biscuits and place in a bowl with the butter and stir to combine.

Line a tin with removable base with greased baking paper and press into the tin with the back of a wooden spoon.

Note: the above quantity makes about one 20cm tart case and 5 small tins so adjust accordingly.

Custard filling

• 4 cups full cream milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla paste
• 1 cup sugar (for the egg mix)
• 1 cup sugar in the milk
• 12 egg yolks
• 6 level tablespoons cornflour
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 250g cream cheese or mascarpone
• the rind of a lemon
• pine nuts for the topping (see photo) 

Note:  This recipe can be halved as this made a huge amount of custard. 

Raspberry coulis

• 2 cups raspberries
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Cointreau or other white spirit

Heat oven to 160 degrees fan forced.

TIP  soak pine nuts in water to prevent burning.  Just before you're ready to bake the cake drain the pine nuts and place on a paper towel and pat dry.
 
Beat eggs and one cup of the sugar until pale.  Add the cornflour and plain flour to the egg mixture and mix to combine.

Heat the milk and vanilla until hot but not boiling.  Pour about half a cup of the milk into the egg mix and then pour that mix back into the milk mixture.  Stir the custard with a whisk and slowly heat until it thickens.

When the custard has thickened, strain it into a heat proof bowl and cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin from forming.  Place in the fridge.

When the custard has cooled place it in a food processor along with the cream cheese and the rind of a lemon.

Place an icing bag (from the Kitchen Shop in Lincoln) into a jug and spoon in the custard mixture. 
Remove the icing bag and carefully cut an opening at the base and then pipe the mixture into the tart case or cases.

Scatter the dried pine nuts on top of the cake and cook for about 15 minutes.  As soon as you see the cake rising turn the oven off and let it cool slowly - about 10 minutes and this should prevent it from 'sinking'.

Put the cake in the fridge for the final 'set'.

While the cake is setting, place the raspberries, sugar, water and spirit into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes syrupy.  Strain if you like or blend the mixture.

Serve the raspberry coulis with the cake.

Thank you to Nada for sharing this recipe.

Buon appetito!




June 2016 -Gina's place with Nada at the helm

Cold roll calling.....

 

Asian style cold rolls

• 2 chicken breast fillets, cooked 
• rice vermicelli
• 1 continental cucumber
• cabbage, finely sliced
• carrots, sliced into julienne 
• red and green chillies, sliced
• fresh coriander leaves
• Vietnamese mint
• mint
• Vietnamese rice paper spring roll wrappers

Peanut sauce

• 4 red shallots
• ginger (a large thumb sized piece)
• coriander roots
• 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 270ml can coconut cream
• sweet chilli sauce
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of 2 limes

(adjust the quantities above to suit)

Cook the rice vermicelli as per packet instructions and quantity to however many rolls your are making.

Slice the chicken breast into long pieces to fit into the rolls. 

Finely slice the cabbage.  Grate or slice the carrots. Remove the seeds from the chillies and slice into long thin pieces.

Remove the leaves from the coriander and mints.

To make the peanut sauce, chop the shallots and ginger very finely (minced really) and then saute in a frying pan in olive oil until soft and fragrant.  Add some chilli sauce (to taste) and then the peanut butter and the coconut cream and stir continuously to combine while the mixture simmers.

Add a tablespoon of soy sauce and chopped coriander roots and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.  If the sauce separates either add more lime juice or rice wine vinegar.  Place the mixture in a heatproof dish to cool.

Place the rice paper wrappers, one at a time, in a large dish of lukewarm water to soften.  Once they are ready place them on a dinner plate ready to assemble starting with a line of peanut sauce and then small amounts of the herbs, chicken, carrot, cucumber, cabbage and noodles.  Bring the bottom of the wrapper up over the filling, fold in the sides and roll up as tightly as you can without the rice paper splitting.  Place on a serving plate seam side down.  Voila!

Tip from Marion:  It is easier and really tasty to have the peanut sauce spread inside the rolls than people dipping continuously into a bowl.   The peanut sauce also keeps well in the fridge.  Also a great way to have a meal with everyone making their own rolls.

A fabulous summer afternoon under Gina's gorgeous grapevine and thank you Marion.

 January 2016 - Gina's place with Marion at the helm.