rhubarb, strawberry & mandarin loaf

And the loaves just keep coming... In fact I frequently dream of a bakery specialising entirely in loaves, warm steamy ones pulled from the oven packed with fresh seasonal goodness. I always awake from my dream just short of giving this luscious loaf shop a name. Must be my subconscious trying to pull my head in! And yet that image of neat row upon row warm loaf tins lingers on in my mind, all fragrant and singing of Spring. 

I often bake this delightful rhubarb & strawberry loaf, especially when strawberries are only $3 for 3 x 250gram punnets today! At these prices the temptation to make strawberry loaf and a big batch of fresh jam is all too great and entirely satisfying.

This recipe is adapted from The Tincat Cafe in Adelaide, as featured in Delicious Magazine some years back. I hope you'll enjoy this one MFK friends.  And if you've got a moment, please share with us your own favourite Springtime treat in the comments below.

Ingredients  - 100 grams unsalted butter, softened ❤ 1 cup (220 grams) caster sugar ❤ 3 eggs ❤ ⅔ cup (190 grams) greek style yoghurt ❤ 1 ⅔ cups (250 grams) plain flour ❤ 2 teaspoons baking powder ❤ pinch of cinnamon ❤ 8 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced thinly ❤ 3 stems fresh rhubarb, diced ❤ finely grated zest of 2 mandarins (or 1 orange) ❤ 2 tablespoons raw sugar, sprinkled on top

❤ mint, mandarin pieces or extra strawberries to garnish (optional) ❤ cinnamon yoghurt (optional, to serve) 1 cup greek yoghurt with cinnamon added and stirred through

Method - Preheat oven to moderately slow 160°C (325°F). Grease and line a large loaf tin with baking paper.

Click to read more ...

zucchini & cranberry nut loaf

Sweet yet Savoury.  Don't you love it when a dish fuses the two together in perfect harmony. Whether it be dinner time, a pretty tiered High Tea selection or just a simple warm loaf like this one. Savoury breads with a dose of sweetness are entirely satisfying and perfect for lunch - especially complimented with soft cheeses (brie or camembert) and a little pot of homemade relish , tamarillo or capisicum jam on the side. Some might say savoury breads have well and truly taken over from classic quiches at lunchtime. But I’d like to think there’s still plenty of room for them both. And I look forward to sharing my traditional Quiche Lorraine recipe with you soon.

This recipe is a hybrid of inspiration from an old “Delicious Magazine” recipe and from Margaret Fulton’s Zucchini quick bread, found in her fabulous new book simply titled “Baking”.

I’ve added my own obsessions, more cranberries and seeds and a touch of 'pink and green should always be seen'. Bright green zucchini, pinkish red cranberries, smooth green pepitas. Continuing the theme, pink petals and greenery on fine bone English china. Cheap op shop finds that always add colour and enjoyment.  As does a cup of Tea Tonic’s  beautiful Berry Green Tea. Picture perfect luncheon complete.

Click to read more ...

the No.9 - toasted brioche ice-cream sandwich w homemade caramel sauce

All plans for my next recipe post hit the back burner literally, when I laid eyes on No.9.  No 9. that is in the new Gourmet Traveller HOT 100 list.  But in this case it's COLD.  We’re told Sydney’s hip cafes are the place to enjoy the re-birth of an old favourite, ice-cream toasted sandwiches. It’s the Monaco bar gone gourmet. And it's heavenly.  

As a delicious day of play in Sydney is not on my radar anytime soon (sob, poor me), I thought "let's make it at home, pronto!" I used top quality vanilla ice-cream and my quick homemade caramel sauce and... voila.  Of course you can buy a loaf of freshly baked brioche to super express this recipe if you’d like. I’ve made mine cause good brioche is hard to find around here. Plus I adore baking bread and wanted plenty leftover for Mum’s classic Bread and Butter Pudding to share with you next time. It’s only the most popular cool weather dessert for the past 100 years or so. 

Click to read more ...

retro sultana cake

Just noticed I’ve already clocked up 35,000 words in my blog document. How quickly they add up. On Day 1 a few months back, I saved my word doc as ‘Blog Ramblings’. Thank you so much for reading and following my ramblings and recipes. I’m as chuffed as a ‘nearly 5yr old’ getting her 1st prep certificate for student of the week (well done pumpkin!)

But it’s early days yet, at school and My Farm Kitchen.  With only 56 recipes baked and one full season past, I’m getting excited about sharing my fondest winter recipes with you. MFK friends in the Northern Hem, please don’t despair.  Our mild Queensland Winter is much like your Spring that’s finally sprung. There’ll be plenty of goodies to bake for all seasons.

This cooler weather is perfect for old fashioned heart warming loaves. I’ve tested many sultana (and date) loaf recipes over the years. No doubt you’ve tried lots too. This one's from my Mum’s oldest recipe collection and it's particularly fab.  Not sure of its origin but it's certainly a creation from the 50/60’s. I’ve renamed it retro but it belongs in the boiled fruit cake category.  And currently fights for top billing with that other quick Low Fat Healthy Loaf shared a few months back.

Click to read more ...

jilli’s 30-year savoury herb bread 1976

Updated on April 17, 2012 by Susie

Recipe sharing is my main reasons for writing this baking blog and why I’m enjoying it so much. Thank you for reading and cooking along with me. I’m certain many of you share the same view in the great Recipe Swap Meet of life. A zealous need to type up special recipes, laminate them, carefully file them in recipe holders and then pass on to other foodie friends and family as requested.  

My friend Jilli often shares amazing recipes with me. She creates and presents just baked loaves, cakes and sweet batches of muffins with great flair, whether it be at home with friends or at her Deck Cafe. Jilli’s been making this grain loaf for over 30 years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I also hope you have the good fortune of mentors in your life. People who really inspire you in your chosen field.  Someone you can turn to who's always as warm and reliable as a freshly baked loaf on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Click to read more ...

low fat healthy loaf

Here’s another quick and tasty loaf I cook every week.  It has no sugar, eggs or butter (just treacle and skim condensed milk!) and is based on wholemeal plain flour.  A healthier choice over coconut banana bread - that's for sure. I love it thick sliced & toasted, then spread with honey or a little butter. This recipe is modified from an old Nestle one. I often substitute the dried fruits or nuts to include whatever is on hand in the pantry. For example, you can substitute the sultanas for raisins & currants and the dried apricots for dried fig, apple or pear. It’s terrific with cranberries added in too. Just keep the total amount to 2 x ⅔ cups dried fruits + 1 x ½ cup nuts. This recipe can easily be doubled for two loaves and keeps well for 4 to 5 days in a sealed container.

Click to read more ...

coconut banana bread

This is one of my most well loved and requested recipes amongst family and friends. It's simply scrumptious. Banana Bread got so darn boring and bland a few years back. Don't you agree?

Coconut Bread was heading down the same tasteless, often dry path in many cafes and bakeries. Mass produced sweet bread overload! Argh!! And then at last this darling loaf came on the scene and we fell in love with simple, freshly baked sweet breads again.  My friends and family might tell you they still aren’t over it yet. A great result - considering I’ve been making it pretty much non-stop since 2009.  Perhaps they’re all just too polite to say 'you can stop now Susie'!  

Coconut Banana Bread with Passion

Ingredients

2 Eggs large free range ❤ 400ml can good quality Coconut Milk ❤  2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract ❤  2 cups (300 grams) Self Raising Flour (triple sifted) ❤ 1½ cups (135 grams) Shredded Coconut ❤ 1½ cups (330 grams)  Caster Sugar ❤ 4 small bananas sliced thinly ❤ seeds & pulp of 1 large passionfruit (optional)

Method + Tips

Preheat oven to slow 150°C (300°F). Grease and line your largest loaf pan (e.g 10cm x 30cm) or muffin pans with baking paper.

Halve the ripe bananas down the centre and chop finely to achieve nice even slices.

This big banana pile was for a batch x 4 times - to make four large loaves.  You can easily double or triple this recipe.  If making 4 loaves at a time for a fete or party, use two separate large bowls and do 2 lots of double mixture.  The mixture becomes difficult to combine easily if any more than that. As with all loaves you don’t want to over mix it or it will toughen up.

Very quick and simple. Whisk eggs, vanilla and coconut milk until well combined in a stainless steel bowl. Toss to combine sifted flour, sugar and shredded coconut in a large mixing bowl with clean hands. Add whisked egg mixture to dry ingredients and fold through till just combined.  Add chopped banana (and passionfruit pulp optional) combining all together with a large wooden spoon.  Bake large loaf for 1 hour 30 mins in slow oven or until cooked in centre when skewer pulls out clean.  

This loaf freezes really well.  Also keeps for up to 4days in a sealed container or in the fridge.  My family loves it thick toasted for breakfast and smeared with greek style yoghurt - a dash of cinnamon added.

This recipe makes 1 large cafe size loaf or a dozen Texas jumbos muffins. If you have a regular muffin size tin you’ll get approximately 16 muffins or 10-12 muffins plus a small loaf. Cook the regular muffins for 30 minutes, small loaf for 55-60 minutes. 

Tale

Despite getting most of my blogging and baking done through the week, this recipe is one that I often bake on Saturday mornings and really wanted to post up over a weekend.  It’s a fantastic loaf that is perfect to share with family or friends dropping in for a cuppa.

The original recipe version came from my favourite magazine 'Delicious' several years ago. Delicious Magazine run Best Cafe and Best Produce Awards each year, as voted by Delicious Aussie readers.  APTE, acronym for A Place to Eat and A Perfectly Textured Espresso (clever!) is located in suburban Alphington, Melbourne VIC. They won best cafe two years running. This CBB recipe was featured with their story. And I could tell it would reach new heights in the banana bread stakes, even before putting it in the oven. 

For friends and followers in the UK and USA, we’d love to know what you’re baking there for friends and family this weekend.  It's still warm and humid here, the North Queensland bananas are back to .99cents a kilo again (poor growers) and gorgeous big passionfruit $2 a bag.  Lots of end of Summer fun still to be had in the kitchen, on the farm and at the beach. When it stops raining! 

 Summer Sunday Craft Markets, Queens Park Toowoomba QLD - handmade with love heaven.