Peaches, Cookies & Cream Cake

 Peaches, Cookies & Cream Cake

Peaches, Cookies & Cream Cake
https://youtu.be/sNGeGWGXOWE

Nothing better than incorporating fresh Ontario peaches into your desserts!

This is a moist cake with a heavier texture that lends itself wonderfully to the inclusion of cookies and fresh fruit.

It’s dairy free as there is no butter or milk in this recipe, however it does contain eggs.

Begin by sifting together:

1-3/4 cup all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Set aside

Measure out 1 cup vegetable oil (I used a combination of canola and olive oil)

Add 1 tsp of almond extract to your olive oil and set aside

Prepare the fruit and cookies that you will add to your batter:

You will need 3 peaches peeled and cut into chunks and 1 cup amaretti cookies, (they contain egg whites but no milk or butter) broken into pieces

Now for the batter: 

In an electric mixer, beat 4 eggs along with 3/4 cups sugar until it thickens and becomes pale in colour, about 3 minutes.

To your batter add the flour and oil mixtures, a bit at a time and alternating between the two, starting and finishing with the flour.

Stir in the peaches and amaretti cookies.

Pour batter into an oiled and floured 8 inch spring form pan.

Cook in a preheated 350 oven for 45 to 50 minutes until cake moves away from sides and lightly browned.

This cake is nice and thick using an 8 inch pan, however, I have made it before in a 9 inch pan, cooking it 10 minutes less in oven. Still looks very nice.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Do not remove from pan until fully cooled.

This is where you can be creative and decorate as you wish. I added sliced peaches to the top,  whipping cream and an extra cookie for good luck😋

You can substitute the whipping cream for dairy free whipped coconut cream, just as delicious!

Focaccia -Two Ways

 

Focaccia 

Focaccia- Two Ways
https://youtu.be/UJcj1GlWOHE

You don’t need to make your own dough for this recipe, but I prefer my own to store bought pizza dough. 

Focaccia is thick and crunchy and I use my pizza dough recipe to make it. You can find my pizza dough recipe by following the link below. This recipe makes two 12 x 17sheet pans focaccias.

How to Make the Best Pizza Dough
https://youtu.be/mC3SmzgyfO0

Whether you make your own or buy it they both need to rise a second time in the baking pan. That’s what makes it thick. It takes about 30 minutes for this second rising.

Dimple it with your fingers and it’s ready to top with your ingredients. 

For the tomato one, I need two garden tomatoes to fill a 12 x 17 sheet pan. I begin by covering the dough with mozzarella cheese, vegan or regular. Top cheese with sliced tomatoes. Top tomatoes with more cheese. Drizzle with your best olive oil. I use extra virgin olive oil. And top with salt and pepper if you like.

Bake in 425 oven for 25 minutes or until bottom crust is nicely golden.

When tomato pizza is out of oven,  top it with a chiffonade of fresh basil. Refer to my video to learn how to chiffonade. (Cutting your fresh basil into strips).

For the Rosemary focaccia, dimple the dough with your fingers and evenly drizzle olive oil over the top of dough. Top with chopped Rosemary, as much as you like. I love Rosemary, so I put lots. Salt liberally and put into oven, same as above.

Focaccia is versatile. You can make sandwiches with it. Stuff with prosciutto or capicollo and you have a delicious lunch😋.

Italian Flat String Bean Salad

 

Italian Flat String Bean Salad

https://youtu.be/eGqtDYFIs04

My family has been growing these non GMO beans for years.They beans grow very long and flat.

They are used in a variety of dishes,  but freshly picked and eaten in a simple salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar is my favourite way of eating them.

I picked about 2 handfuls of beans, washed them,cut off the stems and cut them into bite size pieces. I gave them a quick boil, for about 4 to 5 minutes until fork tender. I then drain and rinse them in cold water to cool them down although this salad can be eaten warm. Do not salt your water when you cook your beans as it will take away from the vivid green colour.

To the cooked green beans add one chopped green onion, 2-  3 Tbsps chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp chopped mint. The mint adds a really nice flavour but you can leave it out if you are not a fan.

The dressing is very simple: 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp Wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt.

Stir well and it’s ready to enjoy. So fresh and healthy. Great as a side dish or it can be your lunch!!

Italian Olive Oil Cake

Italian Olive Oil Cake (Dairy Free)

Italian Olive Oil Cake
https://youtu.be/23ClsOkqzo4

This cake is so quick and easy, that you can whip it up in no time using simple ingredients that can be found in your pantry. You would think that a cake made with olive oil is heavy and soaked with oil but this cake is surprisingly light, delicate and delicious. It’s so versatile that you can choose whatever fruit is in season and serve it alongside it. 

This cake is dairy free as you can substitute the milk for any nut milk such as almond, cashew or even soy.

However, it does have 4 eggs so anyone with an egg allergy should not have this cake. You will need:

1 3/4 unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Begin by sifting together all the dry ingredients listed above and set aside.

1 cup olive oil

3 tbsps milk ( cashew, almond, soy or regular milk)

Whisk oil and milk together and set aside.

4 whole eggs

3/4 cups granulated sugar

Zest of one lemon

With an electric mixer, whisk together eggs and sugar for 3 minutes until it thickens and becomes lighter in colour.

With mixer on low, gradually add some flour to egg mixture. Mix a little then add some of the oil mixture. Alternate the two until finished, ending with flour. Mix in the zest of one lemon.

Pour into  9 inch spring form pan prepared with olive oil and then sprinkled with flour.

Put into a preheated 350 F oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and it has pulled away from the sides. Let cool in pan on a cooling rack.

So easy and delicious. Don’t forget to sprinkle with icing sugar. You will totally impress your friends!!