Chocolate Fig Honey Cake Food

CHOCOLATE AND OLIVE OIL FIG CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the cakes: Brush a 6-cup muffin pan with olive oil and dust with flour. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1/4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let cool slightly. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in another bowl.
• Combine the sugar, egg and egg yolk, vanilla and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake 10 minutes, then top each cake with a fig half and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, 8 to 10 more minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack, 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and let cool completely on the rack.
• Make the glaze: Put the chocolate, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth.
• Top the cakes with the glaze, a drizzle of honey and more pepper. Quarter the remaining 6 fig halves and arrange on top.

FIG & HONEY CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin first with a double layer of brown paper, then with a double layer of baking parchment. In a large bowl, mix the fruit, almonds, peel, figs and cherries. Turn well and add the flour, spices and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar thoroughly, then add the vanilla extract, honey and treacle. Still beating, incorporate the eggs, then stir in the fruit and flour mixture. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk and stir in thoroughly. Add the brandy by the spoonful, until you have a soft dropping consistency.
• Turn the batter into the cake tin and make a dip in the middle using the back of a spoon. Bake for 3½ hrs, then insert a skewer - if it comes out clean, it's ready. If there is any cake mix on the skewer, give it 10 mins more and test again. When it's done, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in its tin. The next day, remove from the tin, wrap in fresh greaseproof paper, then put it into an airtight tin or wrap tightly in foil. The usual thing is to keep the cake for at least a month before icing it, and to unwrap and sprinkle it occasionally with more brandy.

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease a baking pan holding 8 cups.
• Melt chocolate in double boiler, set aside.
• Sieve flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon, set aside.
• In large bowl, beat eggs, apple sauce and honey.
• Add brown sugar and melted chocolate.
• Alternately mix in the dry ingredients and the orange juice.
• Stir in chocolate chips (optional).
• Pour the batter in the prepared pan.
• Bake (on lower rack) for 40 minutes.
• When done, an inserted skewer should come out clean.
• Let cool for 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan.

CHOCOLATE FIG HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the honey just to a boil; remove from the heat.
• Stir in the tea and grated lemon rind; set pan aside and let cool slightly.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, allspice and salt; stir in the figs.
• Set the bowl aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs until pale and frothy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in the oil and vanilla.
• Beat in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until slightly thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Alternately fold in the flour and honey mixtures, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of honey, to make a thin batter.
• Pour the batter into a greased 10" Bundt pan.
• Bake in the centre of a 325 degree F oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until the cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.
• With a knife, loosen the edges of the cake; turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.
• For the drizzle, melt the chocolate over hot (not boiling) water.
• Dip the tines of a fork into the chocolate; drizzle over the cake.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND FIG CAKE

Steps:

• Place figs in a small bowl with liqueur. Allow to soak for 3 - 4 hours or alternatively microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition.
• Blend in syrup.
• Sift together flours and cinnamon. Fold into creamed mixture, alternating with milk.
• Lightly mix in figs, almond meal and chocolate.
• Pour mixture into greased 20cm bundt cake mould or ring tin.
• Bake in moderate oven 180 degrees C for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in tin for 5 minutes.
• Dust with icing sugar when cool.

HONEY AND FIG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, honey and apple sauce.
• Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices.
• Stir in flour mix to egg mix.
• Fold in figs and nuts (if using).
• Pour batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Let cool completely before slicing.