Recipe Talk

Quick Demerara Icing

Ingredients-
1 1/2 c. Demerara sugar
1/3 c. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 egg whites, unbeaten


Preparation-
Combine demerara, cream of tartar, water and egg whites in top of double boiler. Stir mixture until well mixed. Put over hot water and beat with beater or electric mixer until frosting holds peaks (about 7 minutes). Add vanilla when finished and mix well. Ice cake or cookies as indicated.




Quick Demerara Icing

Ingredients-
1 1/2 c. Demerara sugar
1/3 c. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 egg whites, unbeaten


Preparation-
Combine demerara, cream of tartar, water and egg whites in top of double boiler. Stir mixture until well mixed. Put over hot water and beat with beater or electric mixer until frosting holds peaks (about 7 minutes). Add vanilla when finished and mix well. Ice cake or cookies as indicated.




Corn Soya Bars

Ingredients-
1 cup (250 ml) Demerara sugar
1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cornflakes, crushed
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) rolled oats
1/2 cup (125 ml) sesame seeds
1/4 cup (60 ml) soya flour
1 tablespoon (15 ml) cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) allspice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) nutmeg
1 cup (250 ml) of raisins
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped dried figs
1 cup (250ml) shredded coconut
1 cup (250 ml) chopped nuts


Preparation-
Preheat oven to 350?F (180?C). Grease a 9" x 13" pan. In a large bowl, beat together Demerara sugar, vegetable oil, whole egg, egg white, and vanilla extract.
Add corn flakes, rolled oats, sesame seeds, soya flour, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in raisins, figs (or chocolate chips), coconut and chopped nuts.
Spread mixture evenly over pan and press down lightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crisp around the edges.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.




Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients-
2 cup Baker?s Special Sugar
2 cup Demerara sugar
2 cup butter
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cup flour
5 cup oatmeal, blended until powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder (a pinch more for softer cookies)
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 (8 oz.) chocolate bar, grated
3 cup nuts


Preparation-
Cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, salt, and baking powder. Mix all ingredients. Add chocolate chips, chocolate bar, and nuts. Place golf ball size cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 12 minutes.




Approximately 112 cookies.

Brownies

Ingredients-
1-1/4 cups Dhampure sulphurless sugar
3/4 cups pecans
1/2 cups Demerara sugar
1/2 cups flour
4 egg whites
1/3 cups water
1/4 cups butter
1/4 cups cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda


Preparation-
1. Mix all ingredients, except egg whites, pecans, and flour, for 5 minutes at low speed.
2. Add egg whites. Mix 2 minutes until smooth.
3. Add pecans and flour. Mix 3-4 minutes at low speed.
4. Pour into paper-lined 9" x 13" x 2" greased pan.
5. Bake at 350? F for 35-40 minutes.




Corn Soya Bars

Ingredients-
1 cup (250 ml) Demerara sugar
1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cornflakes, crushed
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) rolled oats
1/2 cup (125 ml) sesame seeds
1/4 cup (60 ml) soya flour
1 tablespoon (15 ml) cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) allspice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) nutmeg
1 cup (250 ml) of raisins
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped dried figs
1 cup (250ml) shredded coconut
1 cup (250 ml) chopped nuts


Preparation-
Preheat oven to 350?F (180?C). Grease a 9" x 13" pan. In a large bowl, beat together Demerara sugar, vegetable oil, whole egg, egg white, and vanilla extract.
Add corn flakes, rolled oats, sesame seeds, soya flour, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in raisins, figs (or chocolate chips), coconut and chopped nuts.
Spread mixture evenly over pan and press down lightly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crisp around the edges.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.




Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients-
12 cups (3 litres) water
1 1/4 teaspoons (6 ml) salt
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch slices
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Demerara
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) freshly ground
black pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) pecan pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) Golden Syrup
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Castor sugar (used as topping)
1 cup (250 ml) miniature marshmallows (optional)


Preparation-
Preheat the oven to 450?F (230?C). Bring the water, seasoned with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the salt, to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes. Boil for 7 to 8 minutes, or until fork tender.
Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the butter, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt, the cinnamon, nutmeg, demerara, pepper, pecans and syrup and mash.
Pour into a casserole. Sprinkle the top with the Plantation Raw sugar and the marshmallows. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the marshmallows melt and turn light brown. Serve hot.




Makes 6 servings.

Barbeque Chicken with Demerara marinade

Ingredients-
Marinade
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh orange juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) Demerara sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) frozen lemon juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated orange peel
2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) ground pepper

Chicken
4 chicken breast halves with ribs
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced


Preparation-
Stir together marinade ingredients in large bowl until well mixed. Add the chicken and onion; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Warm barbeque at medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Pour marinade into small saucepan and bring to boil; remove from heat. Grill chicken, basting frequently with marinade and turning occasionally, about 18 minutes. Chicken should be cooked thoroughly ? no pink juices flowing. Transfer to plates; serve with marinade.




Makes 4 servings.

Coffee Sodas

Ingredients-
1 pint coffee ice cream
2 tablespoons finely ground coffee
1/2 cup light rum
4 to 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
Instant coffee powder
6 tsp demerara sugar


Preparation-
Spoon coffee ice cream into blender container. Add rum and coffee that has been finely ground to a powdery texture. Blend on high speed until creamy smooth. Pour into tall glasses, adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream to each glass. Sprinkle lightly with demerara sugar. Serve with long-handled spoons and soda straws.




Makes 5 servings.

Plums
Farm-fresh food to make with your kids. This plum tart recipe uses marzipan. Three-year-olds can do this with an adultBeverley Glock
Beverley Glock presents farm-fresh food to make with your kids. Three-year-olds can do this with an adult

This plum tart recipe uses marzipan, which isn?t to everyone?s taste. It adds some sweetness while complementing the tanginess of the plums.

(Preparation time: 15min; makes six tarts)

250g ready-made or homemade puff pastry
100g Golden Marzipan
8-10 Ripe plums, halved, stoned and cut into 2 thick slices each half
3-4tbsp
Demerara sugar
A little plain flour for rolling out the pastry

Preheat oven to 220C/gas 8. Roll out the pastry until it is about 5mm thick and cut into 6 squares. Prick the middle of the pastry with a fork to prevent it puffing up in the oven. Using a potato peeler, thinly slice the marzipan and place these in the middle of the pastry, leaving 1cm around the outside free of marzipan. Arrange the plums on top and sprinkle the whole thing with demerara sugar. Place on a greased baking tray and bake for 12-15min until golden brown. Leave to cool.

Demerara Sugar Baskets
(Makes approximately 10 baskets)

I never tire of these delicate lacy tuiles, curved biscuits named after the French word for tiles.

Made with the golden grains of Whitworths demerara, melted together with butter and crushed almonds.

They have a very light, crisp and crunchy texture unlike many sugar baskets that I have tried before which always seem so tough and brittle as you bite into them.

Do try them as irresistible containers for ice cream, sorbet, berries with sweetened whipped vanilla cream and of course, Drunken Prune Ice cream.

Tip below

Equipment & Ingredients

? 1 baking sheet covered with non-stick baking paper

? 115g - 4oz Whitworths demerara sugar

? 85g - 3oz unsalted butter

? 55g - 2oz flaked almonds, finely chopped

? Whitworths icing sugar, sifted to finish

Method

Preheat the oven to 180?C - 350?F = gas mark 4. Slowly melt the sugar and butter together in a small saucepan, stirring continuously, for 2 - 3 minutes. The mixture must not boil.

Add the almonds and stir. Remove the pan from the heat and place two portions (allowing approximately 1 dssp of mixture per portion) in 2-inch rounds (set well apart) on the non-stick baking paper and bake for 4 minutes.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and leave to cool for 1? - 2 minutes until you can lift them with a palette knife, or peel them gently away from the paper.

Quickly drape the warm biscuits over a rolling pin, as they will harden in a matter of seconds. Cook the other biscuits in the same way.

They stay crisp for up to 8 hours at normal room temperature, but left any longer you will need to store them in an air-tight container, large enough to hold the biscuits in one layer.

Tip

For best results do not let the mixture boil.

Tip

Sift a fine dusting of Whitworths icing sugar to the edges of the baskets just before serving, to emphasise their delicate lacy texture and sweet flavour.

Tip

Add a delicious toffee-flavoured crunch. Ripple lightly crushed pieces of the crisp biscuit through vanilla ice cream by adding them in the last few minutes of churning, or add them to a quality shop-bought ice cream, which can be lightly softened at room temperature before adding the crunch, then refrozen.