harvest | mango

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Mangoes can be picked under-ripe as they will continue to ripen at room temperature. Once ripe, the skin will have a yellow to reddish blush, will feel slightly soft when touched and the perfume will become more intense. When ripe, mangoes should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

What to do with glut

• Freeze

Cut mango cheeks from the stone and scoop flesh from skin. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Use in smoothies, margaritas or cakes.

• Preserve

Mango ice cream

6 frozen mango halves
1/3 cup vanilla yoghurt
1 tbsp honey

Combine frozen mango, yoghurt and honey in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Scoop into cones to serve if using immediately or pour into an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | mango

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Mango cheesecakes

150g butternut snap cookies
60g butter, melted
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup caster sugar
90g white chocolate, melted, cooled
½ cup cream, whipped
1 mango, halved, flesh thinly sliced

1 .Place biscuits in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs. Add butter and pulse to combine. Place 2 tbsp of crumbs into 6 large serving bowls or glasses. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Fold through chocolate and cream.
3. Divide between serving glasses. Top with mango slices. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 6

Tip
Prepare up to 4 hrs ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve.

try this …….
Frozen mango margarita
Place 4 frozen mango halves in a blender. Add ¾ cup margarita mix, ¼ cup tequila and 1 cup of ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | strawberries

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Strawberry & almond slice

150g butter, at room temperature
¾ cup caster sugar
3 eggs
2 cups almond meal
¾ cup plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
300g strawberries, hulled
1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan. Grease and line 20cm x 30cm slice pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold through almond meal, flour and baking powder, until just combined.
3. Fill prepared pan. Arrange strawberries over batter, pressing down lightly. Sift over icing sugar. Bake for 40-45 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan.
4. Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

Serves 12

try this ….
Strawberry & smoked salmon salad
Combine 150g baby rocket, 100g sliced smoked salmon, 100g torn brie cheese and 1 small sliced red onion in a large bowl. Hull and slice 250g strawberries. Add to salad. Whisk together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp raspberry vinegar and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Season well. Add to salad and toss to combine.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | quince

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Quince cake

1 quantity of poached quince (see recipe in preserving)
1¾ cup plain flour, sifted
¾ cup caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
thick cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 190°C or 170°C. Grease and line a 23cm, spring form cake pan.
2. Place flour, sugar, baking powder and lemon rind in a bowl. Add combined milk, oil, egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Arrange drained quince quarters in cake batter. Bake for another 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
3. Brush cake with quince syrup and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Serve in wedges with thick cream and drizzled with extra syrup if you like.

Serves 8–10

tip ….
Prepare quince up to 3 days ahead of using. Refrigerate in syrup until ready to use.

try this ….

Spiced quince with mascarpone
Add 1 cinnamon quill, 3 star anise and lemon peel to the poaching liquid. Cook according to recipe in preserve. Serve quince in syrup with a dollop of mascarpone and almond biscotti.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | plums

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Plum & almond tart

½ cup plain flour
½ cup polenta
¼ cup caster sugar
75g butter, chopped
2 tbsp iced water
thick cream, to serve
almond filling
75g butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg
¾ cup almond meal
1 tbsp plain flour
6 plums, halved, stone removed

1. Place flour, polenta, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add water and pulse, until dough forms a ball around blade. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and bring dough together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30mins.
2. Preheat oven to 190C or 170C fan. Lightly grease a 12 x 35cm loose based, fluted, loose based flan pan. Press dough evenly over base and sides of pan. Chill for 5 mins.
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add egg and beat well. Stir through almond meal and flour until combined. Spread over tart shell. Top with plum halves.
4. Bake for 35-40 mins, until crisp and golden. Serve warm with thick cream.

Serves 10

tip ….
To reduce time use 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry to line flan pan. Blind bake for 15 mins then continue with step 3.

try this ….
Plum & chocolate pizza
Preheat oven to 200c or 180C fan. Sprinkle 2 tbsp demerara sugar over 1 store-bought pizza base. Top with 4 halved and stoned plums. Scatter over 2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate and bake for 15-20 mins, until base is crisp and golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve in wedges with ice cream.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | cherries

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Cherry slice

1 egg
½ cup caster sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup plain flour
¼ cup self-raising flour
melted chocolate, to drizzle (optional)
cherry topping
75g butter, chopped
½ cup plain flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups pitted cherries

1. Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Grease and line a 18cm x 27cm slice pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat egg and sugar together until thick and pale. Add oil and beat until well combined. Fold in combined, sifted flours. Spoon into prepared pan and pat out with your hands to cover base evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden.
3. Meanwhile, make topping. Place butter, flour and sugar in a bowl and using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add coconut and toss to combine.
4. Scatter cherries and then coconut mixture over base and bake for 20 mins, until golden. Cool in pan.
5. Drizzle over melted chocolate. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Makes 15 squares

tip ….
Use white, milk or dark chocolate to drizzle over the slice, or simply omit if you prefer.

try this ….
Cherry ricotta tart
1 sheet frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
200g fresh ricotta
1/3 cup cream
¼ cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200g pitted cherries

1. Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Lightly grease a 20cm pie plate.
2. Line plate with pastry, trimming edges. Line tart shell with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake for another 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat ricotta, cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla together until smooth. Pour into tart shell and bake for 30 minutes, until just set. Refrigerate until cold.
4. Pile cherries over tart just before serving and dust with icing sugar.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | coffee

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:
Once coffee has been picked the bean must be peeled, dried and roasted. Roasting develops the typical coffee flavour and aroma that we are so used to. Once roasted, store the beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Once ground, the storage time is greatly reduced as the coffee goes stale rapidly and loses flavour.

What to do with glut

• Roast:

Preheat oven to 240C. Spread coffee beans in a thin layer on a baking tray. Roast for approximately 10-12 mins. The bean will become deeper in colour, swell and open. The colour and flavour will depend upon the length of time roasted and will need some experimentation for you to achieve the desired result. Remove from tray and spread out to cool as quickly as possible, as the residual heat in the bean will continue the cooking process.

Choc coated roasted coffee beans

Chop 50g dark or milk chocolate. Place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until chocolate has melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Using tweezers dip one coffee bean at a time in chocolate to coat. Place on baking paper to cool and set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS