For the Love of Baking, by Sarah Dall

For the Love of Baking, by Sarah Dall. Random House Struik Lifestyle. Cape Town, South Africa 2014. ISBN 9781432302566 / ISBN 978-1-4323-0256-6

Sarah Dall planned this book, For the Love of Baking, to be one that could be used throughout the course of the day and year. It starts with breakfast and ends with Christmas. There is a chapter on preserves and other home-made goodies that the regular baker would want to have in their pantry and there is even something for the kids.

Sarah Dall  

Useful tips and hints in and around the kitchen

CAKE TESTING: To test if a cake or pudding is cooked, gently press down the top with one finger; if it springs back it's cooked. Alternatively insert a metal skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked through.

SUGAR THERMOMETERS: To check if your sugar thermometer is accurate, place it in boiling water and make sure it reads 100 °C. If it's off by a few degrees just subtract or add where necessary.

WHAT IS AGAVE NECTAR? Agave nectar, a sweetener made from the Agave plant, is available from most health shops. It is a healthier option than sugar. The syrup is 30% sweeter than sugar, thus you require less agave nectar than you would sugar. If a recipe calls for agave and you would rather use sugar, just add an extra ]A to the listed quantity.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE SELF-RAISING FLOUR, DON'T STRESS: Simply add baking powder to cake flour. For every 250 ml flour add 5 ml baking powder.

BAKING POWDER: I really believe baking powder has a limited shelf life. Before you start to bake, make sure your baking powder is fresh and has not passed its expiry date. I replace my baking powder every few months.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: Everyone's oven differs. If you are not familiar with baking and don't know your oven well, I would recommend that you get an oven thermometer and check that your oven temperature Is correct before you start baking.

TO MAKE BUTTERMILK: Add 50 ml lemon juice to 450 ml full-cream milk; this makes 500 ml buttermilk.

For the Love of Baking: Sarah Dall's recipe for Vanilla and passion fruit Sponge

This recipe has always worked for me, it's flop-proof and deliciously moist. You can layer it with any filling you desire. My number 2 teatime treat. Serves 8

CAKE BATTER: 250 g butter, 250 g castor sugar, 4 extra large eggs, 1 vanilla pod, split and deseeded, 250 g cake flour, 7 ml baking powder, a pinch of salt, 180 ml milk.

ICING: 80 ml whipping cream, 80 ml passion fruit curd (see page 10), castor sugar, for dusting.

PREPARATION: Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease a 22 cm bundt cake pan.

TO MAKE THE SPONGE CAKE: Cream together the butter and sugar until thick, pale and fluffy. Slowly add one egg at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the vanilla seeds and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients. Alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the milk. The batter should be of a stiff dropping consistency. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out the top evenly with a rubber spatula. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 °C and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden on top and a metal skewer inserted comes out clean.

ASSEMBLING AND ICING: Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Whisk the cream to the stiff peak stage and set aside. Once completely cooled, dollop the whipped cream onto the cake and top with passion fruit curd. Dust with castor sugar.

TIP: Serve with a little extra passion fruit curd (see page 10) on the side.

This is an excerpt from the book: For the Love of Baking, by Sarah Dall.

Title: For the Love of Baking
Author: Sarah Dall
Publisher: Random House Struik
Imprint: Lifestyle
Cape Town, South Africa 2014
ISBN 9781432302566 / ISBN 978-1-4323-0256-6
Hardcover, 21 x 25 cm, 176 pages, throughout colour photographs