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.