Milk and honey for perfect baking - recipes

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MILK AND HONEY FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Serves 4

375ml milk

2 eggs

6-8 slices of white bread

60g butter

125ml honey

125ml hot water

5ml ground cinnamon

5ml vanilla extract

Combine the milk and eggs and beat well. Dip the slices of bread into the mixture.

Melt some of the butter in a frying pan and fry the bread slices two at a time in the heated butter. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Keep adding butter to the pan as you fry the bread.

Cut the fried bread into quarters and lay them in an ovenproof baking dish. Combine the honey, water, cinnamon and vanilla and mix well. Pour over the bread and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.

Remove and serve warm.

LAVENDER MILK AND HONEY CAKE

Makes 1 cake

250ml cake flour

80ml cornflour

125ml castor sugar

10ml baking powder

60ml chopped fresh lavender leaves

4 eggs, separated

60ml sunflower oil

100ml milk

60ml extra castor sugar

Filling

500ml fresh cream, whipped

50-60ml runny honey

25ml chopped lavender leaves

lavender flowers to decorate

Sift the flour, cornflour, castor sugar and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the lavender.

Make a well in the centre of the flour, add yolks, oil and milk and mix to form a smooth batter. Beat the egg whites until stiff then beat in the extra castor sugar. Fold into the batter.

Spoon mixture into a base lined but not greased 23cm-deep cake pan. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and invert the cake pan on to a cooling rack. Leave the cake to cool in the pan. When cold, remove the cake from the pan and split the cake in half.

Mix cream, honey and lavender leaves for filling.

Place half between the layers and top with the rest. Decorate with flowers.

MILK AND HONEY CAKE WITH GLAZED APPLES

Makes 1 cake

430ml flour

5ml baking powder

3ml bicarbonate of soda

5ml ground cinnamon

2 eggs

125ml white sugar

60ml brown sugar

125ml honey

125ml oil

grated rind of 1 lemon

Glazed apples

1-2 apples

60g butter

45ml honey

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.

Beat eggs and sugars until thick and foamy.

Combine the honey, oil and lemon rind and add to the eggs. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix.

Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 20cm spring-form cake tin and bake at 160°C for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.

Top the cooled cake with the glazed apple slices.

GLAZED APPLES: Thinly slice the apples using a mandolin. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the apples gently until they are soft. Add the honey and cook until they become nicely glazed.

Remove and put them on top of the cake. Serve with whipped cream.

MILK AND HONEY RICE PUDDING

Serves 6 to 8

250ml risotto rice

1 litre of milk

a pinch of salt

1 vanilla pod, split

60g butter

80ml honey

125ml cream

Put the rice, milk, salt and vanilla pod into a large saucepan and heat to just below boiling.

Simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is soft and the mixture has reduced and become thick. Remove the vanilla pod and add the butter, honey and cream. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

Serve drizzled with extra honey if desired.

MILK AND HONEY BREAD ROLLS

Makes 16 bread rolls

750ml white bread flour

10ml salt

10g sachet of instant yeast

about 200ml milk

80ml honey

80g butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

egg glaze

sesame seeds

extra honey

Put the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl and mix to combine.

Warm the milk and honey and combine with the butter and egg. Add to the flour using enough to form a dough that is soft but not sticky. Knead well until smooth and elastic.

Put the dough into an oiled plastic bag and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size. Remove the dough from the bag and knead for a minute.

Divide the dough into 16 portions. Roll each portion into a sausage and then tie it into a loose knot. Place them on to a greased baking tray and cover with the oiled plastic bag and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

Brush the rolls with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little extra honey.

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