Apricot, Date & Guinness Slices with Guinness Cream Sauce

This is a delicious treat. I made it and it was gone in no time at all. So so good... Bonus the sauce freezes well. 

 
Apricot, Date and Guinness Slices with Guinness Cream Sauce
adapted from Catherine’s Family Kitchen by Catherine Fulvio


Makes 9 squares

for the slices:
150 g (1 cup) stoned dates
120 g (3/4 cup) dried apricots, chopped
150 ml (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) Guinness
125 ml (1/2 cup) water
75 ml (1/3 cup) whiskey
1 teaspoon baking soda
175 g (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) Demerara sugar
100 g (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3 eggs, beaten
180 g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
100 g (1 cup) chopped walnuts
for the sauce:
75 g (5 tablespoons) butter
75 ml (1/3 cup) Guinness
75 ml (1/3 cup) double cream
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a 21 cm (8 inch) square brownie tin with parchment paper.
Put the dates, apricots, Guinness, water, whiskey and baking soda in a saucepan. Place over a gentle heat until the dates soften and break down, stirring occasionally. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes. Leave to cool.

Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.
Fold the flour, walnuts and the cooled date mixture into the egg mix and transfer to the prepared tin. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack. Cut into 9 squares.

To make the sauce, place the butter, Guinness, cream and honey in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat until the honey has dissolved and the sauce has thickened. Serve warm, drizzled over the slices.

What a yummy treat....

Chilli Corn Bread

 

 

 

This recipe is another quick and easy recipe. You can substitute the chilli for cheese or even sauteed or caramelized onions. You can make a few loaves, slice and freeze.

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
150g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
150g polenta (cornmeal)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml buttermilk
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and set aside.
Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the sugar, pepper and polenta and mix well.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and quickly stir in the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter until you have achieved a smooth, thick batter.
Fold in the chilli until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Remove the loaf from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.

Caribbean Lamb and Lentil Curry

Quick and Easy dishes that are tasty, thats what I love: -

1 tblsp plain flour
1 tblsp curry powder
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
50 g butter
1kg diced lamb ( I used neck)
1 large brown onion approx 200g
2 cloves garlic crushed can add more if cloves are small.
1 red pepper / capsicum deseeded and cut into 1cm squares
1 tin / 400g chopped tomatoes

2 cups / 500ml of stock
1 1/4 cup brown lentils
1/2 cup of coconut milk



Combine flour, powders, ginger, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Melt butter in a heavy based saucepan and brown meat in batches. Set aside.

Add onion, garlic and pepper to same pan cook until onion is soft and just beginning to brown. Add curry mixture and stir well and cook for 1 minute,

Add undrained tomatoes and stock and stir well. Add lamb, lentils and coconut milk, cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for about 1 hour or until lamb and lentils are cooked.

Can serve with some rice,mango chutney, chopped banana, chopped tomato, coconut, plain yoghurt, riata or naan bread.

This is a lovely warming dish, so tasty...