The Tropical Treat

Baking

Gâteau d’Hélène – the best coconut cake

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Gâteau d’Hélène - the best coconut cake

Here I present to you Gâteau d’Hélène – the best coconut cake I have ever tasted. I saw the recipe on the New York Times website and wanted to make it immediately with some of my own adaptations of course. 

It’s got a deliciously light soft frosting made from a blend of whipping cream and mascarpone, filled with desiccated coconut whilst the sponge is soaked in a mixture of dark rum and orange juice. It went down a real treat at my house : )

Gâteau d’Hélène - the best coconut cake

Firstly, a bit of back story, this recipe was originally adapted from “Simca’s Cuisine” by Simone (Simca) Beck, which published in the early 70’s. She called it “Gâteau d’Hélène: a white cake filled and iced with coconut cream and apricot”. The idea is that it would be made ahead of time and then popped in the fridge from anywhere to an hour to even a day or two so ideal for entertaining.

Apparently, the sponge is like a madeleine in taste and texture (drier on purpose) for the orange and rum to soak through and flavour.

Gâteau d’Hélène - the best coconut cake

Typically, this cake would be made up of three layers which makes a stunning celebration cake with the coconut cream, rum and orange juice as well as apricot preserve in between. Since it was just for testing out I made into two layers – just as good to be honest. Enjoy! And if you don’t fancy this tropical treat check out my lemon and passion fruit drizzle cake it will definitely hit the spot.

Serves 8
Prep 20 mins
Cook 60 mins + chilling and cooling time
Total 80 mins

Ingredients

192g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting the tin
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
170g unsalted butter, softened
200g golden caster sugar
1 orange, zest and juice 
3 large free-range eggs

For the filling and frosting 

60ml orange juice
2 tbsp dark rum
160g apricot preserve (I used Bonne Maman)
120ml whipping cream
125g mascarpone 
1 tsp vanilla extract
66g caster sugar
128g desiccated coconut

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C / gas mark 3 / 325F, grease and line a 20cm springform tin with greaseproof paper. Dust with a little flour and shake out the excess.

In a small bowl, put flour, baking powder and sea salt and mix. Leave to one side.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with the orange zest until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until well incorporated.

Tip in half the flour mixture and beat until it almost disappears into the batter. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until its incorporated. Spoon into the cake tin, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go along. Bake for 50-55 mins until golden and firm (check by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it’s ready). Cover with a little foil if it starts to brown too quickly.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin and then remove after 20 mins. Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature. Slice the cake into two and flip the top layer so the crumb is exposed.

Mix the orange juice and rum together. Lightly moisten each cake with the mixture, then spread with apricot preserve. Whip the cream and mascarpone just until it holds soft peaks and then add the vanilla. Slowly add the sugar and beat until it’s all incorporated. Spoon 1/2 the cream into a small bowl, and stir 2/3 of the desiccated coconut.

Place one cake half on a plate or platter jam side up and cover with half of the coconut cream. Repeat with the other cake half and sandwich together. Using a spatula cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle over the remaining shredded coconut.

Pop in the fridge for an hour for easier slicing or eat straight away. Enjoy!

Mango Raspberry Streusel Bars

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Mango and raspberry streusel bars

Mango raspberry streusel bars – follow this recipe for the most fruity, crumbly, zesty cinnamon streusel bars of goodness with a hint of tropical! Now these delicious mango raspberry streusel bars are simple to make. As well as this, they are great on the go wrapped up in some brown paper or ideal for a simple pudding served with some Greek yogurt or crème fraîche on the side. 

Mango and raspberry streusel bars

One of my favourite flavour combinations is mango and raspberry, so here’s another recipe to make mango and raspberry friands if you’re feeling the flavours but not the streusel.

Mango and raspberry streusel bars

The original recipe is from Waitrose, which has been slightly tweaked to include some delicious sweet mango. After all, adding some mango makes everything better but this recipe works just as well with any kind of berry you may have. Lastly, don’t forget to serve it with a nice dollop of Greek yogurt or crème fraîche.

Serves 10-12
Prep 30 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 70 mins

Ingredients

270g plain flour
60g wholemeal plain flour
170g caster sugar
50g light brown soft sugar
200g unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
100g raspberries
100g mango, finely chopped
1 tbsp cornflour
1 large unwaxed lemon, zest
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Greek yogurt or crème fraîche to serve (optional)

Method

First preheat the oven to 200C / gas mark 6 / 400F. Line a rectangular baking tin (roughly 24 cm x 18 cm) with baking paper. 

In a large bowl, mix plain and wholemeal flours, 120g caster sugar, the light brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon and a large pinch of salt. Stir until it resembles wet sand and holds together in a large ball. Transfer 1/2 the mixture to the lined cake tin, spread out and press it down firmly to form an even flat layer. Cover and chill.

Take the remaining streusel mixture and break into pebble-sized pieces in the bowl. Add the raspberries and chopped mango, remaining 50g caster sugar, the cornflour, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Carefully mix together. Remove the cake tin from the fridge and tip the fruity crumble topping over the streusel base. Spread evenly and carefully smooth into place, sprinkle over demerara sugar.

Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown and the raspberries have shrunk in size. Leave in the tin to cool completely, then cut into bars. It’s ready to serve up with some Greek yogurt or crème fraîche on the side.

Lemon and passion fruit drizzle cake

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Lemon and passion fruit drizzle cake

An easy passion fruit cake recipe – great for when you want a classic lemon drizzle with a tropical twist.

Passion fruit and lemon curd has got to be one of my favourite flavour combinations at the moment. Fruity, fresh and zesty – what’s not to like? A couple of weeks ago I made a lovely tart from BBC Good Food using the same ingredients and I’ll definitely be making both deserts again.

This particular recipe, however, is from Bonne Maman and there are lots of other lovely recipes you can make using their jams or sauces.

Lemon and passion fruit drizzle cake

Make this passion fruit cake recipe for the most light, soft and fluffy cake. So the trick is the drizzle goes inside the cake too, when the cake comes out of the oven make fine holes with a cocktail stick and spoon over. If you’re looking for another passion fruit recipe try this creamy delicious panna cotta.

Serves 8
Prep 15 mins
Cook 90 mins
Total 105 mins

Ingredients

3 passion fruits
6 tbsp Bonne Maman Lemon Curd
30g ground almonds
150g unsalted butter, softened
185g golden caster sugar
2 medium eggs
225g plain flour
150ml sour cream
1 lemon, finely grated zest
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
Icing sugar, to dust

Method

First, make the lemon and passion fruit drizzle. Halve the passion fruit and sieve the pulp into a small bowl, reserving the seeds. Stir 2 tbsp of the lemon curd into the juice and set aside. Stir the remaining lemon curd into the ground almonds and set aside. Wash about 2 tsp of the passionfruit seeds and leave to dry.

Heat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas mark 4. Grease and flour a 1 litre bundt mould, a 900g loaf tine or a 20cm, deep, round cake tin.

Beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy then add the eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of the flour. Beat well until smooth.

Beat in the sour cream and lemon zest. Finally fold in the remaining flour and baking powder.

Spoon half the cake mixture into the prepared mould or tin then dot the lemon curd and almond mixture evenly over the top. Finish with the remaining cake mixture.Bake for 45 mins then cover the top loosely with foil and continue to bake for a further 30-40mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cake to cool for 10mins then turn out onto a wire rack placed over a plate. Make fine holes in the sponge using a cocktail stick and spoon the lemon and passionfruit drizzle over the cake whilst warm. Leave to cool.

Sprinkle with passion fruit seeds, pistachio nuts and dust lightly with icing sugar to serve.

Oven baked chicken wings with burnt lime butter

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Oven baked chicken wings with burnt lime butter

The best oven baked chicken wings. First things first – these sweet, sticky salty chicken wings are the ultimate comfort food.

To make the seasoning is fairly simple – sprinkle over dried rosemary, sea salt and black pepper (I like to use this Cornish Sea Salt blend for the latter) and then coat with cornflour.

Oven baked chicken wings with burnt lime butter

Place the chicken wings onto a very hot baking tray and then an equally hot oven to get lovely crispy – all without frying.

If you dislike deep frying then this recipe for oven baked chicken wings is perfect for you.

Oven baked chicken wings with burnt lime butter

Now the burnt lime butter sauce is flavoursome, fresh and zesty. Immediately after the wings come out of the oven brush over the sauce (don’t skip this step!) and then use any extra for dipping.

When barbecue season hits they will be absolutely perfect, I’m thinking you could serve this up with my watermelon salad and some crispy corn ribs.

Serves 4
Prep 10 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 50 mins

Ingredients

1kg chicken wings, cut into two and wing tips removed
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 tbsp cornflour
1-2 tbsp sunflower oil, for brushing

For the sauce

3 limes, halved
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp demerara sugar 
1 tbsp clear honey 
2 garlic cloves, crushed
20g unsalted butter

Method

First, preheat the oven to 230C / gas mark 8 / 450F. Put a large baking tray in the oven to heat up. Put the chicken wings in a bowl and season with the dried rosemary, salt and pepper, then coat in the cornflour.

Carefully line the hot baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the chicken wings on the top; brush with sunflower oil. 

Reduce the heat to 220C / gas mark 7 and cook for 40 minutes ensuring to turn the chicken halfway through and until the skin is golden and crispy (the meat is cooked through when the juices run clear). 

Meanwhile, scorch the lime halves by placing them on a hot griddle pan, cut-side down, for 2-3 minutes. Take off the heat and juice two halves.

When the chicken wings are almost cooked, put the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, honey and crushed garlic in a saucepan with 100 ml. Bring to the boil and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened slightly (5-6 minutes). 

Add the lime juice then take off the heat and stir in the butter. Brush the soy and lime butter all over the crispy chicken wings and serve with the remaining scorched lime halves on the side. Enjoy!

Pecan cinnamon sweet potato muffins

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If you love the orange stuff as much as me then you’ll definitely be interested in making these healthy breakfast muffins using sweet potatoes.

The original recipe which I’ve slightly adapted comes from The Sweet Potato Cookbook by Heather Thomas which I highly recommend you buy.

I still can’t get my head around baking with sweet potato and yet it works beautifully well! This recipe, most importantly creates soft and light muffins delicately spiced with ground cinnamon and ginger.

Sweet potatoes create a lighter and healthier breakfast muffin that’s better for you just by using a tropical root vegetable…

As well as this, these healthy breakfast muffins are made using wholemeal spelt flour, an ancient nutritious grain packed with vitamins and minerals.

In a nutshell, they are perfect first thing with some Greek yogurt, sliced bananas, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Give them a go!

And if sweet potatoes really aren’t your thing why not try these sweetcorn fritters as a healthy alternative. Enjoy!

Makes 12
Prep 15 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 50 mins

Ingredients

250g sweet potatoes, mashed
200g soft brown sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
120ml sunflower oil
85g buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g wholemeal spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 
1/4 tsp ground ginger
85g pecans, chopped and a few left whole to top the muffins

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C / gas mark 5 / 375F and fill a 12-muffin tin with paper cases.

Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and cook in the microwave for a few minutes until the flesh is soft and tender. Scoop out the potato and mash until smooth, set aside to cool in a bowl.

In a medium sized bowl,beat sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the sweet potato mash.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, salt and ground spices. Gently fold into the sweet potato mixture, then stir in the nuts.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake in the oven for 20 mins until golden and firm (check by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it’s ready). 

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container and eat within a couple of days.

Crab, tomato and cayenne palmiers

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An easy little canapé – crab, tomato and cayenne palmiers. Slightly tweaked from a recipe I found on Delicious here.

Palmier is French for ‘palm’, the leaf of this tropical tree is where these delightful pastries take their name from. Interestingly, they seem to have some sort of sweet or savoury variation across the world whether that’s glazed with honey in Puerto Rico or in Spain topped with coconut.

I have opted for a savoury version here with a little cayenne…

And it’s super easy to make, just mix some crabmeat, plum cherry tomatoes, cayenne pepper, mustard and grated cheddar and season with a little salt and pepper.  

Spread the mixture onto a puff pastry sheet, slice thinly, roll like a scroll and pop into the oven. Et voila

Serves 6
Prep 15 mins + 30 mins of chilling time
Cook 25 mins
Total 40 mins

Ingredients

100g plum cherry tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
100g white crabmeat 
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp mustard powder
50g mild cheddar cheese, grated
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
320g ready rolled all butter puff pastry
1 medium free range egg, beaten

Method

In a medium sized bowl mix cherry tomatoes, crabmeat, cayenne, mustard and cheddar. Squeeze over lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Spread the mixture evenly over the puff pastry sheet leaving 1cm around the edges. Roll the pastry up to the middle, place the widest side of the pastry in front of you and roll to the middle then flip it round and repeat (it should look like a long scroll). 

Gently push the scrolls together, turn over and cover in cling film. Put in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Bring the pastry log out of the freezer and brush all over with the beaten egg. 

Slice thinly with a sharp thin knife dusted with flour (roughly 0.5cm per slice) and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Glaze and brush each palmier again with the beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 or until golden brown, it’s best served warm : )

Apple, ginger and honey cake

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A ginger infused apple and honey cake – its sweet, a little sticky with a dash of spice. It’s proper Autumnal! Make this seasonal cake when you have friends over for dinner, it looks good on the table.

I think it’s the prettiest cake I’ve made to date, just look at that beautiful honey glaze!

It’s perfect with a scoop of ice cream or custard or cream on a windy Autumn day. Enjoy!

Serves 8
Prep 25 mins
Cook 80 mins
Total 105 mins

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter, softened
75g golden caster sugar
175g clear honey
3 free-range eggs
250g self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 Braeburn apple, peeled and cut into 1 cm chunks
2 tsp of stem ginger chopped

For the topping

1 Braeburn apple, cored and thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp honey and stem ginger syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C / gas mark 3 /320F and line a 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the honey and eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and then stir in the chopped apple and stem ginger.

Spoon into the cake tin and arrange the apple slices beginning in the centre. Bake for 60-70 mins until golden and firm (check by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it’s ready). Cover with a little foil if it starts to brown too quickly.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin and then remove. Warm the ginger syrup and honey in a small pan and brush over the cake. Serve with ice cream. Enjoy!

Sweet potato and black bean empanadas

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Sweet potato and black bean empanadas topped with a fresh avocado salsa. So good! I tweaked a recipe I found here on Delicious. It’s perfect for a Mexican inspired brunch over the weekend with other small dishes on my blog like sweetcorn fritters, fish and plantain tacos.

Empanadas are eaten all over Latin America, baked or fried, they are a popular type of pastry filled with meat or vegetables. If you aren’t feeling this veggie option there are a lots of meaty alternatives like this beef & chorizo  over on BBC Good Food.

Tropical treats aren’t just fruits or cakes. It can be comfort food with ingredients from hot and lush climates that just make you happy!

These empanadas can be made pretty quickly and the prep/chilling time is really what’s time consuming. Serve with avocado salsa and a sprinkle of feta and coriander leaves and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze any leftover filling or use for tacos and wraps.

Serves 4
Prep 30 mins + chilling time
Cook 60 mins
Total 90 mins

Ingredients


For the sweet potato and black bean filling

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1 cm chunks
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin black beans, rinsed and drained and roughly mashed
1 tsp chipotle chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tbsp tomato puree 
1 organic vegetable stock cube
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the pastry

75g butter, cubed
375g plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
240ml semi-skimmed milk, warmed gently
1 free-range large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp milk

For the avocado salsa

1 ripe avocado, cut into 1 cm chunks
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
Handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered 
1/2 the juice of a lime
Handful coriander leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Make the sweet potato first. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and toss the sweet potato in 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 mins or until the sweet potato slices easily with a knife. Leave aside to cool.

Heat 2 tbsp oil over a medium heat and add the onion, garlic and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the chilli powder and cumin followed by tomato puree, black beans, stock cube and a little hot water stirring and mashing over a low heat until you have a chunky consistency. 

Mix in the sweet potato well and leave to one side to cool down.

In a medium sized bowl put butter, flour, paprika, salt. Rub together with your hands until it resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add the warm milk and work the mixture with a dinner knife until all comes together in clumps. 

Pat the mixture together to form a dough and knead gently on a lightly floured surface. Shape into a disc, wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 mins.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface (to the thickness of roughly a pound coin) and make circles using a small bowl as a guide.

Put 1- 1/2 tbsp of filling into the centre of each circle. Brush the pastry edge with water to help seal and use the back of a fork to close each pastry.

Place the empanadas on greaseproof paper and brush with the milk and egg mixture. Bake for 20 – 25 until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Cut the avocado into small chunks and mix with onion, cherry tomatoes, squeeze over fresh lime juice and season with salt and pepper. 

Serve the empanadas with a little salsa and coriander leaves on top. Enjoy!

Flourless chocolate cakes with caramel, banana and coconut

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A decadent flourless chocolate cake with a little tropical twist – sweet bananas, golden caramel and nutty coconut flakes on top of a rich but light chocolate cake.

Inspired by a flourless chocolate cake I had from Gail’s Bakery during lockdown, I decided to make my own. It’s very light and doesn’t leave that bitter, intense chocolatey taste that some chocolate cakes do. Of course, if you like that add some more cocoa and use only dark chocolate.

You could make this recipe as a single cake, just remember to add a an extra ten minutes of baking time. These cakes are perfect if you are hosting a little get together or even as a weekend treat. 

Serves 12
Prep 20 mins
Cook 25 mins
Total 45 mins

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
100g dark chocolate, broken into chunks
100g milk chocolate, broken into chunks
1 tbsp instant coffee
6 medium eggs, separated into yolks and whites
150g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder and a little extra for dusting
170ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 small ripe bananas, sliced diagonally 
A handful of toasted coconut flakes

For the caramel 

100g caster sugar
2-3 tbsp water
75ml double cream
25ml unsalted butter
A pinch of sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4 / fan oven 160C and grease a 12 hole mini loaf pan and dust with cocoa powder. 

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt with the butter and coffee in a bowl over simmering water. Leave to one side once completely melted.

Prepare two large bowls. In one bowl, whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy. In the second bowl, mix egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.

Stir the melted chocolate into the egg yolks and sugar. Add the cocoa powder, mix well. Carefully fold in half of the egg whites and then add the rest, keeping as much air as possible in the mixture.

Spoon into the mini loaf tin holes and bake for 25 mins until the top is shiny and cracked.

For the caramel, put the caster sugar in a large frying pan over a medium heat with water. Swirl the pan round to ensure the water covers all the dry bits of sugar (do not stir the sugar). The sugar should start to deepen in colour fairly quickly (keep a very close eye so it doesn’t burn).

Once it’s a light amber colour take it off the heat and stir in the  butter until it’s melted, followed by the double cream and salt. Once the caramel is smooth and glossy leave it aside to cool.

Leave the cakes to cool down for ten minutes in the tin (the cakes will sink a little). Whisk the double cream and vanilla paste. Spoon or pipe on top of each cake, followed by sliced bananas, a drizzle of caramel and coconut flakes.

Raspberry and mango friands

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Friands are the middle ground between a fairy cake and muffin. They are popular in Australia and New Zealand but originate from France. These cakes are super light and can come with a variety of flavours and toppings. Here is my tropical twist on them made with raspberry and mango sprinkled with coconut flakes. Ideal for a mid morning snack with a cup of tea or a just sweet treat when you need a pick me up.

A lovely cake. Crisp and chewy on the outside but light and soft on the inside. I tweaked this recipe from BBC Good Food and it turned out really well. If you want plain friands and larger quantity give this recipe from Waitrose a go.

These are sweet little cakes to make over the weekend, for yourself or even as a gift in a nice box. Remember to butter your tin generously otherwise these beauties won’t come out. Enjoy!

Serves 6
Prep 15 mins
Cook 30 mins
Total 45 mins

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
100g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
25g plain flour
85g ground almonds
3 medium egg whites
35g mango, chopped
40g rasperries
1-2 tbsp coconut flakes

Method

  1. First grease a friand or muffin tin with a generous amount of butter. Melt the butter and leave  aside to cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200C / gas mark 6 / 180C (fan). In a large bowl sift icing sugar and flour. Add the ground almonds and mix together.
  3. Whisk the egg whites until foamy and light in a separate bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients along with the mango (pat the mango with some kitchen towel). Stir in the melted butter slowly and mix together well.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the friand tin holes and top each one with a couple of raspberries, then sprinkle over coconut flakes.
  5. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until golden and firm (check by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it’s ready). If they start to brown too quickly cover them with some foil.
  6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Use a sharp knife loosen the friands from the tin. Dust with a little icing sugar once cooled. Store in an airtight container and eat within a couple of days.