An easy, but great tasting recipe.(Easy Pike-lets)

Easy Pike-lets

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tbs caster sugar
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

• Equipment

  • 1 bowl
  • 1 whisk

  • Method

    • STEP 1Combine flour and sugar in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in egg and milk to make a thick, smooth batter.
    • STEP 2Drop dessertspoons of mixture into a greased heavy-base pan. Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the pikelet. Turn and brown other side.

    Notes

    For a healthy option serve with yoghurt and a little stewed or pureed fruit. My personal favourite is maple syrup or jam and cream.

    These also freeze very well.

This cake is dairy and egg free.

Lemon Cake with Coconut Frosting

This cake is dairy and egg free. It is an adaption of a vegan chocolate cake that I have been using regularly since becoming dairy free for our baby. I wanted something nice (but not chocolate) for my birthday and this definitely was it.

Ingredients

• 445 g plain flour
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2/3 cup rice bran oil
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon rind

Lemon Drizzle

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Coconut Frosting

• 270 mls coconut cream
• 2 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 cup margarine

• Method

  • STEP 1In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
  • STEP 2Add liquid ingredients and mix until smooth.
  • STEP 3Line a cake tin with baking paper and pour cake batter into tin
  • STEP 4Bake at 180C for ½-¾ hours or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
  • STEP 5Leave in cake tin and use a toothpick to poke holes all over the top.
  • STEP 6Spoon over lemon drizzle to taste.
  • STEP 7Leave to cool in tin.
  • STEP 8Spread with coconut frosting.
  • STEP 9Lemon Drizzle: Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat.
  • STEP 10Coconut Frosting: In a large saucepan bring coconut cream to the boil and reduce liquid down until syrupy. Refrigerate to cool.
  • STEP 11In a mixer, whip the margarine until fluffy, add ½ cup of cold reduced coconut cream and beat until combined.
  • STEP 12Add icing sugar one cup at a time. Only add enough to achieve desired consistency for frosting.

  Notes

  The lemon drizzle isn't necessary but I really wanted a strong lemon flavour to this cake. I have made this again since submitting the recipe and discovered that it is even better if you make the following changes: 1. Substitute 1 of a cup of flour for coconut. 2. Cook the mix in two cake tins - the cake cooks a lot faster and the texture is better. Use dairy-free margarine.

Your favourite Diane sauce, made easy.

One Pan Steak Diane

Ingredients

• 750 g steak (beef)
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tsp brandy
• 300 mls cream

• Method

  • STEP 1Heat pan well, add a dash of olive oil and seal steak on both sides.
  • STEP 2Add garlic to hottest part of pan and fry for 1 minute.
  • STEP 3Reduce heat to low and add remaining ingredients. Stir to mix.
  • STEP 4Cover and allow to simmer until steak is cooked to preference, turning steak once or twice more.
  • STEP 5Serve steak and spoon sauce over steak.

  Notes

  Easier then messing about with separate pans for sauce and steak. You get fantastic depth of flavour - a bit like pan gravy. Steak ends up nice and tender too.

  Turning the steak when simmering lets the juices mix with the sauce.