CHRISTMAS PEAR, DATE & HAZELNUT STREUSEL CAKE,

Neither a crumble nor a cake but a fabulous combo of the two ...

first posted Nov 2019

Rich, glorious Pear, Date & Hazelnut Streusel Cake
'So nice & tasty, I kept the whole cake to myself and refused to share.' Taster

This German-style cake, inspired by one of GBBO season 10's most popular bakers, Henry (the cherub in a suit) apparently often appears in German hotel breakfasts.  

It is a surprising confection with fruit, sponge and streusel topping, all cooked in one sensational layer -- utterly rich, light and delicious.

It is an indulgence, financially and in terms of cholesterol - it has too much butter for 67's liking. But served in small portions, at a breakfast buffet or as a dessert, it will be fine during the festive season.  

In the interests of good health, 67 added wholemeal flour for fibre and replaced some of the sugar with unsweetened coconut.  

Plain ahead: the recipe takes a little more time than usual to prep and cook but the steps are simple. 

Luckily pears were on offer for 65p at M&S and dates were already in the 67 cupboard, so the overall cost to the blog was not overly high.  

Whole hazelnuts, however, are a shocking price - £2.50 for 100gm.  They are worth it, though and only appear in the streusel topping.  The frugal or budget conscious can halve the amount or replace them with walnuts.

Cost: up to £5.00
Serves: 12 wedges

Ingredients:

Base layer

   200 gm/7oz  self-raising flour, sifted (plain flour: add 2.5 tsp baking powder & sift)
     50 gm/1.7oz wholemeal flour
     1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 tbsp ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp ground cardamon
    1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

   130gm/4oz cold unsalted butter, diced

   110gm/3.8oz light muscovado sugar
      20gm/0.75oz dried unsweetened coconut  
   250gm/9oz pears, peeled, cored and in scant half-inch/1 cm cubes
   110gm/3.75 dates, in small cubes (67 used Medjool) OR dried blueberries OR dried or fresh cranberries

   3 eggs    60ml/2.25oz double cream
   1 tsp vanilla

Streusel layer
    35g/1.25oz plain flour
    90g/3.25oz demerara sugar
    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    60gm/2.25oz cold unsalted butter, diced 
    min 50-100gm/1.7oz-3.5oz coarsely chopped hazelnuts 


Method:

SKINNIER SMOKED SALMON DIP, lower-cal, healthier

Smoked salmon offcuts give all the flavour at half the cost in this luxurious  lower-cal Christmas spread...

Lower-fat, Wallet-friendly Smoked Salmon Dip with Crispy Toast Crackers 

updated   02.04.20

Who doesn't loved smoked salmon?  The best -- the Foreman's, the Scottish, the artisan -- are melt-in-the-mouth beautifully flavoured and textured treats.  

But not everyone has the deep pockets for those gorgeous morsels.

Here's a compromise: a gorgeously creamy tangy Salmon Pate. It teams cottage cheese with cream cheese and -- ideal for wallet-watchers -- budget lightly smoked salmon.  

Both Iceland and Amazon sell budget smoked salmon which 67goingon50 hasn't yet tested.  Last Christmas, Iceland was selling what it called luxury smoke saltmon at £3 for 150gm while Amazon offers 100gm at £3.  Look around and bear in mind that smoked salmon for pate need not be of th top quality.

The pate requires very little effort but needs to be started the night before. 

Cost: £5.50'ish (7/23)
Feeds: a crowd

 Tools: stick or bowl blender

Ingred:
   100gm/3.5oz plain cottage cheese, strained (method below) 
   125gm/4.4oz strained plain no-or-low fat Greek yoghurt 

   100gm full-fat cream cheese
   100gm/3.5oz smoked salmon pieces: (in 2 lots: 60gm/2.11 oz plus 40gm/1.4oz)
   3 tbsp fresh or 3/4 tsp dried dill
   finely grated zest of 1 lemon
   min 1/2 tbsp -max 1 tbsp lemon juice, to taste


Bread Crackers:
1 small baguette, 2-3 assorted rolls, olive oil, pepper & salt

Method:

1. Put cottage cheese in a sieve lined with clean j-cloth over a bowl; refrigerate a few hours or overnight; discard excess liquid 
2. Process cottage cheese with stick or bowl blender until smooth
3. Add cream cheese, yoghurt, 60gms of smoked salmon, dill, lemon zest & juice; blend till smooth & well-incorporated 
4. Finely chop remaining 40gm/1.4oz smoked salmon; stir into mix
5. Cover tightly; refrigerate min 30 mins before serving 
6. Bread Crackers: Preheat oven to 180C/350F; slice baguettes/rolls into 1/4 inch/1/2cm pieces; spray both sides generously with oil; season; bake 5mins each side; cool; store up to 3 days in air tight tin
7. Serve alongside bread crackers, thin rice crackers*, celery sticks and few crisps

*Kallo, Waitrose

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

VELOUTE OF SMOKED HADDOCK, v. low-dairy Indulgence, frugal option

please to go updated: 

https://67goingon50.blogspot.com/2019/10/almost-no-dairy-cream-of-haddock-soup.html

IRRESISTABLE NUT LOAF, Vegetarian, Healthy, Low-fat, vegan option

This one is a winner - forget every disappointing nut loaf you've ever had! 

Irresistable Nut Loaf with Veggie Mushroom Gravy

 Cranberry & Red Wine Sauce and Stir Fried Sprouts with Corn

Note: the loaf pictured is half the recipe; the full recipe produces a loaf twice the height

Trust 67goingon50 - this nut loaf is more than deserving of a place on the Christmas table.  The Cranberry & Red Wine Sauce - minus the tooth-aching sweetness of some processed brands - elevates it to a higher level. 

Nut loaf has a bad press and that's not surprising given that many are boring and tasteless.  This recipe, adapted from Lorna Brasher*, won't disappoint, and even meat-eaters will praise it. The flavour and texture are superb.  

The loaf has been in 67's repertoire for many years and - a sign of a good protein loaf for vegetarians or carnivores - leftovers make great sandwiches. 

Some chopping is required but really is worth it.  

Note: 67 used reconstituted dried Chinese shitake mushrooms because there were plenty in the cupboard and they add a lovely bosky flavour.  Fresh shitake mushrooms or reconstituted dried porcini mushrooms work equally well. 


Cost:  £4-5 (check current prices)
Serves: 6-8 (half the recipe serves 3-4 nicely)

Ingred:
   125 gm/4.5 oz red lentils

   40 gr/1.5 oz butter (dairy or vegan)
   35 gr/1.2 oz olive oil
   1 large carrot, grated
   1 large red onion, finely sliced
   1 garlic clove, grated (opt)
   3 celery sticks, washed, peeled, halved vertically and finely sliced
   75 gm/2.5 oz chestnut or oyster mushrooms, sliced
   75 gm/2.5 oz reconstituted Chinese shitake mushrooms - dried weight 1.5oz/40gm dried - stems removed, in small dice. Save the soaking liquid (opt)   
   250gm/9 oz mixed unsalted nuts, half coarsely chopped, half processed to a medium crumb
  
   1 tomato, roughly chopped
   40gm/1.5oz oatmeal soaked in water and drained OR  wholemeal breadcrumbs  
   4 tbsp ketchup
   1 tbsp tomato paste
   3 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives) or 6 tsp dried
   2 tbsp orange zest
   
   1.5 eggs, beaten  (or vegan binding agent)  
   
Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190c/375/gas 5
2. Generously oil 900 g loaf tin; line the base with a strip of greaseproof paper with the ends overhanging (A silicone pan can be lightly greased)
3. Rinse lentils in cold water; drain; pour boiling water over; set aside
4. Heat a large non-stick frypan over med-high heat, add butter and oil; saute onions 2-3 mins
5. Add celery, carrot, garlic, chestnut mushrooms, shitake/porcini mushrooms and nuts; cook 4-5 mins, stirring until veg are softened 
6. Stir in tomatoes, oatmeal (or breadcrumbs) ketchup and tomato paste and cook over med heat 1-2 mins
7. Take half of mix and mash well or roughly blitz with a stick blender; you're looking for an interesting texture, not puree. Blend with original mix  
8. Take off heat; add herbs, beaten egg, drained lentils, orange zest, pepper & a little salt & a few tbsp of the mushroom soaking liquid; mix well  
9. Scrape into tin;  level surface; cover with greased foil/greaseproof paper
10. Bake 1 hour; 10 mins before the end of cooking time, remove cover 
11. To remove the loaf, slide a knife between the sides of the meatloaf and the tin and lift the ends of the greaseproof paper; be gentle 
12. Serve with, Stir-fry Sprouts and Corn, Vegetarian Mushroom Gravy and Cranberry & Red Wine Sauce

Tips:

• chestnut mushrooms can be replaced with white or oyster mushrooms
• Preparing in Advance: The Blogger served this using a loaf made the previous day. (Wrap the cooled loaf well in greaseproof paper before refrigerating.)  The loaf was sliced and covered in Mushroom Vegetarian Gravy; the dish was covered with clingfilm with 1-2 perforations and microwaved on high for 3 minutes.  It was superb, as good as on the day it was made - though more fragile.  Transfer to serving plate with care.  Re-heating through steam (at least 5 minutes at a rolling boil) or in a low oven could also be used but check the internal temperature - it should be at least 140 Fahrenheit

*Lorna Brasher, Food stylist and cookbook author

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.