The idea of this blog is to share ideas for using hand-made pots to serve good food.

Eating with friends and family is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I hope to show how the warmth and character of hand made ceramics can really enhance the pleasure of cooking, serving and eating food.

This blog will include pots from other potters as well as my own and recipes for the food which I enjoy, hoping that you will like it too.

Sunday 4 November 2012

Apple Cake





This is another image from my Pots and Food Calendar, which I collected from the printers last week.
I am really pleased with the photographs, taken by photographer, Jose Lasheras.  We also had help from Alison Clarkson, a food stylist, to compose the shots and show off the pots and food to the best advantage.

These are some new slab dishes in my grey and white range, which I have just started making again.  The muted colours are good for many kinds of food and the long slab platters lend themselves to many different uses.  For the decoration I have been using paper cut-outs in layers with white slip brushed over, using a coarse brush. If I want a strong brush texture, I sometimes use a brush made from Japanese rice straw.

The apple cake is my basic cake recipe.  The ingredients, which must be at room temperature, are all weighed, put in a large bowl and simply mixed together.  This mixture can be used to make a cake with fruit and nuts in various combinations, or chocolate cake by substituting an ounce of cocoa powder for an ounce of the flour.

Ingredients:  7 oz/200g brown sugar
                     8 oz/225g butter or soft margarine
                     9 oz/250g plain flour (white or wholemeal)
                     1 tsp baking powder
                     2-3 eggs
                     a few drops of vanilla extract
                     a pinch of salt
                    2-3 cooking apples
                    1 tsp cinnamon

Method:      Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6, 200 C
                   Weigh and mix the ingredients, except the apples and cinnamon, in a large mixing bowl.
                   Add enough milk to make a soft consistency if necessary.
                   Add one peeled and chopped apple to the mix.
                   You can also add chopped walnuts, dried prunes or apricots, if you like.
                   Spread the mixture into a lined baking tray.
                   Decorate the top with apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon mixed with a little sugar.
                   Because of the fruit, the cake can take quite a while to cook through. You just need to keep
                   an eye on it, so that the top doesn't burn.  Check it with the point of a knife until it comes
                   out clean.  Usually about 45 minutes.

It can be served warm or cold, with or without cream.  It is a useful cake as it doubles as a dessert and a tea-time treat.  Bon appetit!              



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