Coffee Cake with Pecans

1/2 - 3/4 C roughly chopped pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 t instant coffee
180g butter, softened
3/4 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 C SR flour
1 C milk
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 cup black coffee (can be instant but espresso or plunger are better)


Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm round cake pan.

Mix walnuts, brown sugar and half of the instant coffee in a bowl and set aside.

Cream butter and remaining brown sugar. Beat in eggs and remaining instant. Fold through flour and milk.
Spread half the cake mixture onto the base of the pan.

Top with the pecan mix then remaining cake mix. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Make a coffee syrup by combining 1/2 C black coffee with white sugar Mix over low heat until the sugar is dissolved then boil gently unttil the mixture thickens a bit.

When the cake is cooked and still in the pan, gently make some deep holes with a skewer in the top of the cake. Pour over syrup and allow to stand for a few minutes. Turn out and serve warm or cool.

I have had this recipe for ages but I am not sure where I got it from. In the interests of transparency, I have found a very similar one here which I include as reference.

Image" Coffee" by SuzyTheButcher

Lemonade Scones

4 C SR flour
2 small t baking powder
300 ml lemonade
300 ml cream

Preheat oven to 200C.

Sift flour and baking powder.

Add the lemonade to the cream.Add the lemonade mix to the flour. Mix with a knife until it is thick enough not to stick to your hands. Adjust the amount of flour or lemonade slighty if need be. Do not overwork the dough.

Pour onto floured board and pat out until a good 1" thick. Cut into rounds and place close together on a greased baking tray.

Bake at 200C for 15 minutes.

Recipe supplied by Pauline Browning.

Image: "Devonshire Tea ... Yum" by lynx 92003

Chocolate Kisses

85 g dark chocolate, chopped
85 g white chocolate, chopped
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 C plain flour
Icing sugar, for dusting

Melt the dark and white chocolate in separate bowls and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in flour. Divide mixture in half. Fold one half in with the dark chocolate and the other half with the white chocolate.

Mix thoroughly and knead until smooth. Wrap each batch separately and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 190 C.

Shape dough into teaspoon sized balls and arrange on greased baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack and then dust with icing sugar to serve.

Image: "To love with Chocolate" by Pix-pwet

Chocolate Sauce for Chocolate Sundae

3/4 cup thickened cream, at room temperature
200g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into squares
1 t vanilla extract
2 T butter
1/4 cup brown sugar


Melt chocolate pieces in large stainless steel mixing bowl (or top of double boiler) over saucepan of gently simmering water. Be sure water does not touch bottom of mixing bowl to prevent chocolate from burning. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk. Boil hot fudge for few minutes to reduce to consistency you desire. It should be quite thick and shiny. Cool slightly and serve over sundae.

Image: "Chocolate Sauce" by xXInvaderxGirXx

Chocolate Pots

2 C milk
225 g good quality chocolate, grated
6 egg yolks, beaten just until blended
1/4 t cinnamon
½ - 1 t vanilla

Prepare 6 small dessert glasses or individual souffle dishes.

Place the yolks in a large glass heatproof mixing bowl and beat lightly to blend.

Put chocolate, vanilla and milk in a small saucepan. Bring it just up to the boil over very low heat, stirring regularly.

Gradually whisk the mixture into the egg yolks, pouring the hot liquid in a very slow stream to prevent the eggs from scrambling and whisking constantly, until well blended.

Pour the custard into the glasses, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or until firm. You can make this the day before.

Serve with extra cream and chocolate.

Image: "Chocolate" by iladora