The Tropical Treat

caramel

Ottolenghi’s easy sweet apple dumplings

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Ottolenghi’s fried apple dumplings with coconut caramel are an absolute treat. I discovered the recipe in his weekly Guardian column and thought I would give it a go.

It calls for tinned apples which I’ve never used to to cook before but will definitely be getting creative with from now on.

I like the tropical spin on Ottolenghi’s dumplings. They are like little crispy coconut laced apple pies. The apple is cooked and infused with dark brown sugar, rum, vanilla, lime leaf and a little flaked sea salt and then fried in coconut oil – so good! You can see how I make them here on my Instagram highlights.

If you want a change from vegetable or chicken gyoza then this is a great way to go. Don’t forget to make that gorgeous coconut caramel to dip those dumplings in. 

Makes 20
Prep 10 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 45 mins

Ingredients

1x 385g tin sliced apples, drained (reserve the liquid) and roughly chopped into 1cm pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 fresh or dry makrut lime leaf, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
45g dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsp dark rum 
Flaked salt
20 gyoza wrappers (defrosted, if frozen)
150ml coconut oil

Method

Put the apples and their reserved juices in a small saute pan with the cinnamon, lime leaf, vanilla, sugar, rum and half a teaspoon of flaked salt, then set it over a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, put the coconut milk, sugar, lime leaf and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat, and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until you have a smooth, dark brown caramel the consistency of single cream.

Keeping the gyoza wrappers under a damp cloth and working with them one at a time, moisten the edge of a gyoza wrapper with a little water and put a tablespoon of the cooled filling in the middle. Fold into a half-moon and firmly press the edges together. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filing.

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then fry the dumplings for a minute or two on each side, spooning the hot oil over them to ensure they colour evenly. When the dumplings are crisp and golden brown all over, drain on a plate lined with kitchen towel. Serve hot, sprinkled with flaked salt and with the warmed caramel alongside.

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.

Rum caramel pineapple upside-down cake with vanilla cream

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A classic pineapple upside down cake infused with rum caramel and served with a light vanilla clotted cream. Sweet, sticky and aromatic, this cake brings together lovely flavours – it’s very tropical this one. Use a golden spiced Caribbean rum (I used Red Leg rum) for an authentic island taste.

Pineapple, spiced rum, caramel and vanilla what else can you ask for? Not only is this cake super easy to make, it evokes those sunny, hot places we can’t travel to now lockdown is on.  If you want a pineapple fix, without the cake, this roasted pineapple recipe with similar ingredients is equally as delicious and vegan too.

This cake is really good. I got a bit excited and pulled the cake tin away too quickly and parts of the cake stuck to the sides and crumbled away, don’t do this haha : ) Serve warm with vanilla cream on the side and an extra drizzle of rum caramel. Enjoy!

Serves 6
Prep 20 mins
Cook 60 mins
Total 80 mins

Ingredients

For the rum caramel

2-3 tbsp water
300ml double cream 
175g caster sugar
15g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp of sea salt 
60ml spiced rum

For the vanilla cream

227g tub of clotted cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp icing sugar

For the pineapple upside-down cake

500g pineapple, cut into 2cm thick strips
150g unsalted butter, softened and a little extra for greasing
150g golden caster sugar 
2 eggs
150g self-raising flour, sifted
Pinch of salt

Method

Make the rum caramel first. Bring the double cream to the boil in a small saucepan. 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 should start to deepen in colour fairly quickly (keep a very close eye so it doesn’t burn, you may need to turn down the heat).

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

In a small bowl, miix together the clotted cream, vanilla, orange juice and icing sugar until smooth. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas mark 4 / 350F. Butter and line with greaseproof paper, the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin. Arrange the strips of pineapple on the bottom of the tin and pour over half the caramel (keep the rest to serve). 

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add one egg at a time using a a spatula to scrape down the sides after each one. Fold the flour in until it’s all incorporated into the mixture.

Carefully spoon the cake mixture over the pineapple and caramel, smoothing with a spatula towards the edge of the tin as you go along.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until golden and firm (cover with foil if it starts to brown too quickly). Check it’s ready by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it’s ready.

Leave inside the tin for 15 minutes to cool. Place a serving plate, larger than the cake tin over the top and carefully flip over. Peel away all the greaseproof paper and serve warm with any leftover caramel and vanilla cream.