Orange and Coconut Crumble

I picked up a couple of bags of nice looking naval oranges at the shops the other day, and after eating as many as we wanted to eat fresh, I decided to make something delicious and yet unusual with them. I had in mind to make a crumble . . . and why not?



We use all sorts of fruits to make tasty crumbles with . . . apples, pears, rhubarb, plums, blueberries, gooseberries and so on . . . why not oranges? Juicy and sweet, I thought they'd make a fabulous crumble . . .



Especially with a buttery crispy topping shot full of flaked coconut. Oranges and coconut . . . ambrosia!



I was going to add some macadamia nuts to the topping as well . . . but alas, I had none in the cupboard. Do try it if you want though. I'd add about 1/2 cup chopped nuts. It would be a fabulous addition I think!



Each mouthful of this was sweetly orangy, buttery crispy and moreishly scrummy! I dare to say it's quite healthy as well as there is not a lot of fat in it really.



Oranges . . . chock full of Vitamin C and fibre . . . and not just for juicing or eating out of hand anymore! I do hope you'll try this. ☺



*Orange and Coconut Crumble*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

Deliciously different. You are going to love this!

For the fruit filling:
6 large navel oranges
2 ounces orange juice (1/4 cup)
1 1/2 TBS of quick cooking tapioca (or an equal amount of corn flour)
1 TBS Grand Marnier (Orange flavoured Liqueur)
Butter

For the topping:
3 ounces of plain flour (2/3 cup)
2.5 ounces sugar (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
2 ounces chilled butter, cut into bits (1/4 cup)
2 ounces flaked sweetened coconut (2/3 cup)

Single cream to serve

Peel and section the oranges over a large bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the juices. (Don't throw away the peels. I'll show you what to do with them tomorrow!) Stir in the tapioca and Grand Marnier. Let stand for about half an hour before proceeding, giving it a stir every now and then.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Lightly butter an 11 by 7 inch dish. Pour in the orange mixture. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt for the topping together in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the coconut and then sprinkle evenly over top of the fruit.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm, spooned out into bowls along with some cream for pouring.

Vanilla Risotto with Oven Roasted Pears

 

Risotto doesn't always have to be a savory dish.  It can just as easily be a sweet and delious type of  pudding.  Something like this Vanilla Risotto here today.  People can be a little put off and afraid of making risotto . . .fearing that it is a bit too complicate or time consuming, but it really isn't.



It does require constant attention however, but so long as you stay with it and do what the recipe says, you will always be rewarded at the end with something quite silky and delicious, with just a tiny bit of bite.



This risotto is not overly sweet . . . the only sweetening being a bit of honey . . . it's nicely flavoured with vanilla . . . and just a hint of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom.  Warm sweet spices that go so well with both vanilla and pears . . .

 

Oh yes . . . the pears.  Oven roasted until just tender and then peeled . . . the oven roasting bringing out their natural sweetness.   Tender and sweet, sitting in an ocean of that delicious vanilla risotto.  Impressive.  Simple.  Delicious.  What more could a person ask for?

*Vanilla Risotto with Oven Roasted Pears*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

A deliciously simple vanilla risotto, sweetened with honey and served with oven roasted fresh pears. 

1 tsp Vanilla paste

(Alternately use 1/2 a vanilla pod)

500 ml of full fat milk (a generous 2 cups)

100ml single cream (scant 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 TBS unsalted butter 

175g of arborio rice (scant 3/4 cup)

2 TBS Orange Liqueur (Grands Marnier or Cointreau)

4 TBS liquid honey

pinch ground cardamon

pinch ground cinnamon

4 firm medium sized pears 

(You may need a bit of additonal milk)

a drizzle of warm honey and a dusting of cinnamon to finish 

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Place the pears into a baking dish and roast until they are tender without being mushy.  This will take about 20 minutes. 

While the pears are roasting put the vanilla into a saucepan along with the milk and the cream.   Heat just to the boil.  Take off the heat immediately.   Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Once it begins to foam add the rice.   Cook, stirring to toast the rice for several minutes.  Add the Orange Liqueur.  Let the rice absorb it.  Begin to add the heated milk/cream mixture, a small ladle full at a time, allowing the rice to absorb most of the milk before adding another ladle full until most of the milk is absorbed and the rice is slightly al dente with a creamy sauce. (You may need additional milk)  This will take about 25 minutes.    Add the honey into it towards the end of the cooking time, along with a pinch each of cardamon and cinnamon.  Taste and adjust as necessary, adding additional honey if need be.


Peel your pears and place one into each of four dessert dishes.  Spoon the  risotto around the pears.  Drizzle with some warm honey and dust with a bit of cinnamon.  Serve immediately.

Lemon Curd Self Saucing Pudding

 

I do so like to spoil the missionaries whenever we have them over for tea.   Usually I try to give them a little taste of home (if they are from North America).  I don't normally do roast dinners, because I figure they get enough of them each week, as most people who have the missionaries in for tea will try to give them a pretty decent meal.  With me they get that, but with a North American twist.



I usually try to make them a delicious pudding as well.  I also try not to serve them the same thing twice.  I wouldn't want them to think I am a one hit wonder!  Yes, they do get spoiled in our house, but how can I not, when what they do is such a wonderful thing!



Yesterday when we had one set of the Elders over I made these delicious Lemon Curd Self Saucing Puddings.  I love lemon anything, and I always assume everyone else does too.  And if Lemon Curd is involved, I love it even more!  (I have a really super recipe here. )



The Toddster he is not so fond of lemon or chocolate puddings.  (I know!!  He just ain't human!)  But he suffers through them.  That is his gift to the missionaries!



These are baked individually in their own little pots and are so easy to make.  You just line the bottom of each pot with some delicious good quality lemon curd, homemade if you have it, and then spoon a quick and easy batter on top.

  

This is followed by a quick and simple not lemon syrup which gets poured over top.  Baked in the oven you end up with a delicious fluffy cake type of pudding with a lemon puddle bottom.   I like to punch holes into it while it's still warm and pour in some nice double cream.



Don't judge me!  It's dessert!  We don't have dessert unless we have company.  It's a treat!  So there!  

  

*Lemon Curd Self Saucing Pudding*
Serves 6 

Printable Recipe  

A lovely lemon pudding that sauces itself.  

210g of self raising flour (1 1/2 cups)

145g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)

50g butter melted (3 1/2 TBS)

1 TBS finely grated lemon zest

80ml lemon juice (1/3 cup)

175ml of milk (3/4 cup)

165g of lemon curd (3/4 cup)

double cream to serve  

For the sauce:

120ml of boiling water (1/2 cup)

50g caster sugar (1/4 cup)

2 TBS lemon juice  

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  You will need six 225ml/1 cup sized ramekins, lightly buttered.  

Beat the flour, sugar, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk together until smooth.  Divide the lemon curd between the ramekins and spread out in the bottom of them.  Divide the batter between them and smooth over top of the lemon curd.   Mix together the boiling water, sugar and lemon juice for the sauce and then pour an equal amount over the top of each ramekin. 


Bake in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, just until set.   Serve warm with some cream for pouring.

Marmalade Pudding with a Grand Marnier Custard

   

  

There is something just so wonderfully warm  and comforting about a steamed pudding (dessert).  They are so homey, just like a warm hug from a much beloved Gran.

I don't know what it is about them . . . stodgy, yes . . . filling, yes . . . simple, yes . . . there is nothing complicated or fancy about them, but somehow they always come across really well.  They are a bit like the country cousin at a city ball . . . you can't help but really warm to them and want to spend time with them, even though there are much fancier puds to be had.    

Somehow I ended up with an outrageous amount of marmalade in my larder.  The Toddster LOVES marmalade on his toast.  I like it too, but not as much as he does.  If I see it on offer I will pick up a jar.  I have yet to make my own, but perhaps this winter I will give it a go.  We'll see.  

Sooooo  . . . anyways, I have ended up with something like 4 jars of it and so I thought I would use some of it up today to make the Toddster one of his favourite puddings . . . Marmalade Pudding.  

It's very old school dinnerish really, but he has very fond memories of his old school dinners, and I confess to having a certain fondness to the pudding side of things myself.  

Served warm, cut into wedges, and embellished with lashings of a deliciously rich custard flavoured lightly with Grand Marnier, it went down a real treat for both of us.  I cut the recipe in half and made a smaller portion as I don't have a 3 pint pudding basin and it turned out beautifully.  

It's nice to know that you can cut things down and they will still work fine.  But if you are game, do make the larger one as  this freezes beautifully, cut into individual portions and wrapped for the freezer.  That way you can always have a tasty pudding at the ready.  

   

*Marmalade Pudding with a Grand Marnier Custard*

Serves 6

Printable Recipe  

A deliciously light and moist steamed pudding filled with the tart flavour of Marmalade and served up with a sweet Grand Marnier Custard.  This pudding freezes well, either whole or in individual portions.  Do not freeze the custard. This should be made fresh each time.

150g soft brown bread crumbs (2 1/2 cups)

25g self raising whole wheat flour (1/4 cup)

120g soft light brown sugar (2/3 cup)

120g butter (8 1/2 TBS)

8 TBS marmalade

3 large free range eggs

1 rounded TBS of bicarbonate of soda

1 TBS cold water

For the Custard:

275ml of full fat milk (1 1/4 cup)

275ml double cream (1 1/4 cup)

six egg yolks (you can freeze the whites to use for meringues at a

later date)

100g caster sugar (generous half cup)

2 TBS Grand Marnier

Butter a three pint pudding basin.  Place the bread crumbs, flour and soft light brown sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Melt the butter over gentle heat along with the marmalade.  Pour the butter mixture over the dry mixture and blend thoroughly.  Whisk the eggs until they are frothy and then whisk them into the crumb mixture.  Stir together the bicarbonate of soda and the cold water.  Whisk this into the pudding mix.  It will increase in volume, but don't be alarmed.  Pour this mixture into the prepared basin.   Cover it with  two pieces of grease proof paper which you have pleated in the middle and buttered.  Tie securely around the rim of the basin.

Place the basin in the top of a double boiler over quickly simmering water.  Cover the pot and allow to steam for about 2 hours.  Check periodically to see if the water needs topping up so that the pot doesn't go dry.  When it is done a toothpick inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Make the custard during the last half hour of the pudding steaming.  Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar in a saucepan with a heavy bottom, until pale, slightly thick and creamy.  Warm the milk and the cream together in another saucepan, just until bubbles appear around the edges.   Slowly whisk this mixture into the beaten eggs and sugar.  Bring to the boil very slowly over medium low heat, whisking constantly.  It is done when it just begins to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  Do not over cook or it will curdle.  Remove from the heat immediately and whisk in the Grand Marnier.  Keep warm. 

Run a knife around the edge of the pudding basin and invert over a plate to remove.   Cut the warm  pudding into wedges to serve along with the warm custard.  Delicious! 

Alternately you can flavour the custard with some vanilla extract of paste, 1 tsp should do the trick.