Sticky apple, walnut and maple monkey bread (yeast)

October 30, 2023 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

Topped with chopped walnuts, this delicious dessert is sure to go down a treat!  Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 3¼ cups (485g) plain flour
  • ⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
  • 1 sachet (7g/2 tsp) dried yeast
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 100g butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk, warmed
  • 1 cup (220g) brown sugar
  • 100g butter, extra, melted
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup (55g) walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 Granny Smith apple: peeled, cored, finely chopped

Maple caramel sauce

  • ½ cup (125ml) brown sugar
  • ½ cup (125ml) maple syrup
  • 100g butter, chopped

  • Method

    1. Step 1

      Combine the flour, caster sugar, yeast & salt in a large bowl. Add butter, use fingertips to rub into the flour mixture until resembling breadcrumbs. Whisk egg & milk in a jug. Add to flour mixture & stir to combine. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knead 10 mins or until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover. Set aside for 1 hour to rise.

    2. Step 2

      Place ¾ cup (165g) of the brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the extra butter & cinnamon.

    3. Step 3

      Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 25cm (top measurement) ring or bundt pan. Sprinkle with half the walnuts.

    4. Step 4

      Punch down the dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface &d knead until smooth. Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll out 1 dough portion to a 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Spread one-third of the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with one-quarter of the apple. Starting from 1 long edge, roll up dough to enclose filling. Cut crossways into 12 portions.

    5. Step 5

      Repeat with remaining dough, remaining cinnamon mixture & two-thirds of remaining apple. Arrange 12 of the portions, cut-side down, over prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the remaining walnuts & sugar and the remaining apple. Top with half the remaining portions, cut-side out, and the remaining walnuts and sugar. Finish with remaining 12 portions, cut-side down. Set aside for 15 mins to rise.

    6. Step 6

      Bake for 40-45 mins or until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside in the pan for 5 mins to cool before turning on a serving plate.

    7. Step 7

      Meanwhile, make the maple caramel sauce: combining sugar, maple syrup, butter & cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or til sauce boils and thickens.

    8. Step 8

      Pour half the hot maple caramel sauce over the hot monkey bread. Serve warm or at room temperature with remaining maple caramel sauce.

Roasted Vegetable Strudel with Basil and Herbs

October 6, 2023 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments

Easy – A light Mediterranean Feast  in a very fragrant, crispy summer strudel
with “honeyed” roasted vegetable layers and a loud crunch on every bite.   4-6 servings

2-3 medium eggplant – relatively thinly sliced
3-4 medium zucchini – ditto
3 bell peppers: yellow, red and orange – cut into 4
15-20 basil leaves: big, flat
6 thin phyllo sheets (or more)
80 ml olive oil (or for richness, butter)
2 Tabs oregano or thyme – dried
1-2 tsp dried mint
4T grated parmesan cheese (opt) or spread 2-3T nutritional yeast among the vege layers
1cl garlic, finely chopped (opt)
half tsp salt, freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (not FF) and line with parchment paper.
Brush vegies with oil, season then bake half of them for 20 mins. – transfer to plate
then bake other half.
Stack roasted peppers together and cover with cling wrap. Wait 5 mins to sweat, then
remove skins.
Lower the oven temp to 190 degrees C (not FF) and line the now-cooled tray with clean parchment.

Take 3 sheets Phyllo, drizzle with olive oil (cover remaining with towel or cling).
Down the centre put eggplants, sprinkle with herbs and parmesan.
Top with a layer of zucchini, use a pinch of garlic and cover with basil leaves.
Fold one side of the phyllo over the vegies, add another eggplant layer, herbs & parmesan then roll up.

Take 3 new Phyllo sheets, moisten with olive oil and place the ready roll in the centre.
Cover roll with peppers (and parmesan) then basil then more vegies (and parmesan).

Turn the sides of the Phyllo inwards, brush edges with olive oil and fold them into an elongated roll. With a sharp knife, score 6-7 small vertical openings on the surface (without cutting through).
Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with water.

Bake in preheated oven 190 degrees C (not FF) for 30 mins. Phyllo roll should be golden and crunchy. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 mins before cutting.

Serve hot or at room temperature, cutting along your incisions using a sharp or serrated knife.
Garnish with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves or a light roast pepper sauce.

NOTE:  leftovers? Refrigerate then reheat in oven at 100-140 degrees C until well warmed
and re-crisp.

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