Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake
It’s Jewish New Year, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, at sundown today and have thought of preparing this inspiring breakfast treat
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 225g caster sugar
- 3 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 150ml sunflower oil
- 225ml cold water
- 300g golden syrup
Grease a large loaf tin and line with a long strip of baking paper along the base so the paper overhangs at both ends. Heat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/.
Sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the caster sugar and stir well.
Crack in the eggs, add the sunflower oil, water and golden syrup, then beat well using a hand whisk – it will help break up any pockets of flour that get trapped. The cake batter will be very runny.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour 35 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Cool completely, then slice and serve.
Hot Chicken Meatballs
Did I mention I am on a diet ? I am on a diet!
Being a foodie and being on a diet is quite an oxymoron, but alas!
In order to balance this duality of my current life I have to come up with recipes that are tasty while low in calories; here it goes.
- 300 gr boneless chicken breast
- 3 Tbsp sliced jalapeños
- 2 free range eggs
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic/parsley powder
- 2 slices stale wholemeal bread
- ½ tsp salt
Slice the chicken breast so that it can go through a food grinder ( I am using my kitchen-aid).
Once half the meat has gone through the food grinder, add the stale bread, the jalapeños and the eggs, let it go through; add now the remaining meat so through the blades.
Turn on the oven at 200’C (392’F). Line an oven tray with foil and parchment.
Using an ice-cream scooper, prepare meatballs. Place each meatball on the oven tray, leaving about 2cm from each meatball.
Place the oven tray in the hot oven and bake for 35 minutes.
Transfer to a warm plate and serve piping hot.
(Not so) Fried Chicken
This diet plan is a pain!
But as per revised Matthew 4:4 “man shall not live by vegetables only”, I came up with this recipe that gives one the idea (and taste) of fried chicken but not its calories.
- 3 free range eggs
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup mix hot sauces (I am using a blend of sauces as per picture)
- 1 Tbsp dijon
- 3 cups cornflakes
- ½ cup self raising flour
- 1 tsp black pepper
In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add the hot sauce blend and the dijon. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper.
Skin the drumsticks. Cut the chicken lengthways to allow the marinate to imbue the meat.
Dip the chicken in the egg-wash, let marinate for at least half hour.
Transfer the chicken to the flour mix and coat well.
In the meantime heat the crisp plate in the microwave (as recommended by the manufacturer),
Dip the chicken in the egg-wash again
and coat in the cornflakes, transfer the coated drumsticks to the crisp plate and cook at full blast for 15 minutes.
Continue to microwave the drumsticks for intervals of 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 73’C (165′ F).
Transfer to a warm serving plate and serve with a side dish of green salad.
Serves 3 or 2 hungry guests
