Apricot Yogurt Cake With Orange Honey Syrup Food

APRICOT YOGURT CAKE WITH ORANGE HONEY SYRUP

Steps:

• Let the yogurt drain in a fine sieve set over a bowl, covered and chilled, overnight and measure out 1 cup of the drained yogurt, reserving the remaining yogurt for another use.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. and butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan. Into another bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and a pinch of salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the 1 cup drained yogurt, beating until the mixture is just combined. Add the flour mixture, beat the batter until it is just combined, and stir in the apricots and the walnuts.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering to it. Put the cake in the pan on a rack set over foil, pour the orange honey syrup over it, and let the cake absorb the syrup. The cake may be made 2 days in advance and kept in the pan covered with plastic wrap and foil and chilled. Remove the side of the pan and garnish the cake with the mint sprigs.

ORANGE YOGURT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Butter and flour a 9x13 cake pan.
• Combine the dry ingredients (the first five listed).
• Beat together the eggs and sugar until foamy. Add the butter, grated orange peel, and vanilla.
• Add yogurt, juice, and dry ingredients to the egg mixture gradually.
• Bake for 45 minutes, until the cake is firm and golden.
• Combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and bring quickly to a boil.
• Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool, and remove the cinnamon stick and orange peel.
• Poke holes into the top of the cake and pour the syrup over it while the cake is still warm. It's going to seem like an awful lot of syrup, but keep pouring!
• I think this cake tastes best when it's completely cooled, so try to wait a while before eating.

YOGURT CAKE WITH FRESH ORANGE SYRUP

Steps:

• Using a potato peeler or shap knife, remove six 1-inch wide by 3-inch long strips from the orange peel and set aside. Be careful not to cut too deeply and remove any white part from the skin as it will add a bitter flavor. Cut the oranges in half. Use a fruit juicer to squeeze the oranges. Strain the juice through a small hand strainer to catch any seeds. Measure 1 1/2 cups juice and pour into a medium sized bowl. Repeat this step with the lemons, measuring 1/2 cup, and combine with the orange juice. Add three of the peeled orange strips to the juice and set aside. Lay the other three orange strips on top of each other and cut them into long thin strips. Then cut, or mince, the strips into tiny pieces and put in a small bowl and set aside.
• Syrup: Put the confectioners' sugar, orange peel, and the citrus juices in a 2-3 quart saucepan and place over low heat. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and combine all the ingredients. Heat the mixture slowly and bring to a gentle boil. This will take 6-8 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and let it cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes while you prepare the cake.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Butter a 12x18-inch ovenproof baking pan and set aside. Combine the flour, Cream Of Wheat, baking powder, and baking soda together into a medium bowl. Sift the combined ingredients into a separate bowl. Melt butter slowly over low heat, being careful it doesn't burn. In a large bowl, beat the eggs on high with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, or until light and foamy. Add granulated sugar and the minced orange pieces and contine to beat for another 1-2 minutes, or until eggs and sugar are smooth, golden, and creamy. Turn the beater to low and add about 1 cup of the flour mixture and blend well. Add a little of the melted butter and blend well. Add another cup of the flour mixture and then a little more of the butter. Continue until all the butter and flour are combined into a smooth batter. Turn off the mixer and remove the beaters. Using a rubber spatula, scape off any batter from the beaters into the bowl. Add the yogurt to the bowl. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold, or gently combine, the ingredients in the batter.
• Pour the batter into the buttered baking pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake the cake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown and firm when pressed lightly in its center. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack.
• Make several holes in the surface of the cake with a butter knife or a wooden chopstick. Remove the strips of orange peels from the syrup and discard. Now pour the syrup evenly over the top of the cake. Let the cake stand at least 2 hours to absorb the syrup. When you are ready to serve the cake, place the confectioners' sugar in a hand strainer and gently tap the side to sprinkle the sugar over the top. Cut into small squares and serve.

WALNUT-APRICOT CAKE IN HONEY SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring apricots and orange juice to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat, cover, and let soften 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer apricots to processor and chop coarsely. Reserve juice in saucepan.
• Combine honey, 1/2 cup water, and orange peel in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until syrup coats spoon, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove orange peel and reserve. Add lemon juice and reserved orange juice to syrup. Cool.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with 1 tablespoon butter. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, sugar, and salt in large bowl until pale and thick. Stir in farina, walnuts, 5 tablespoons melted butter, and apricots.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions; transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake until cake is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Immediately pour all of syrup over cake in pan. Cover pan loosely with foil; let cake stand until cool. Turn out cake and syrup onto platter. Garnish with reserved orange peel.

YOGURT CHEESECAKE WITH HONEY-ROASTED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Butter the base of a 23cm springform tin and line with a circle of baking parchment. Blitz the biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor, then tip into a bowl and mix with the butter. Pack the mixture into the base of the tin and chill for 10 mins.
• Whip the double cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, soft cheese, honey and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the cream and spoon over the base. Smooth over the top with a spatula and cover. Chill for at least 4 hrs or overnight.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the apricots with the 50g honey, the orange zest and vanilla on a baking tray. Roast on the middle shelf for 20-25 mins until the apricots are tender but still hold their shape. Toss everything halfway through, adding 1 tbsp water if the honey starts to catch. Leave to cool, discarding the orange and vanilla pod.
• Use a knife to release the sides of the cheesecake and remove from the tin. Spoon over the apricots along with the roasting juices. Drizzle extra honey over the top, allowing it to run down the sides.

CITRUS, ALMOND & YOGURT CAKE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Put the 200g caster sugar, flour and ground almonds in a large bowl and mix well. Whisk the eggs and 75g yogurt into the cooled melted butter, then pour this into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Zest the lemon and orange over the bowl. Stir with a spatula until there are no streaks of flour, then scrape into the tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 mins.
• Cut a few slices each from the zested lemon and orange, then squeeze the juice from what's left of each into a saucepan (you'll need about 6 tbsp total). Add the 2 tbsp caster sugar and the fruit slices to the pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-10 mins, or until the juice has reduced to a thin syrup and the fruit slices have softened. Leave to cool. Remove the fruit slices to a sheet of baking parchment and leave to dry.
• Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake - it should come out dry, with no wet cake mix clinging to it. If it's not ready, bake for 5-10 mins more and check again. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then spoon over the citrus syrup. Leave to cool for 10 mins more, then remove from the tin. To freeze, first leave to cool completely, then wrap the cake well. Will keep frozen for up to three months.
• Mix the 2 tbsp yogurt with the icing sugar to make a thick icing. Spoon this onto the centre of the cake and use the back of a spoon to ease it to the edge (it should drip over the side). Scatter over the flaked almonds and decorate with the fruit slices. Serve warm, or leave to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to five days.