Almond Rhubarb Cake, Pear Almond Tart and A Beach Visit

The warm day has gone, we are facing real Autumn, cold and wet, really are not my kind of favourite, and I was at home by my self with some big words in my head told me my to do list for today, which is none of them domestic words, except one big loud, baking.   

I've never been in baking frenzy lately, until today. As Monday is my only day off, no piles of laundry, house in sparkly clean, assignment can wait ☺. I've got two ingredients lately that I wanted to whip up, right here in my own kitchen, rhubarb and Packham's pear. The recipe will be in the last section of this post.


Meanwhile, I've just remembered I had some pictures I took while my darling friend and her daughter visited from Sydney in the middle of April 2011, and we took them to St Kilda Pier and Brighton Beach. St Kilda Pier is only 5 kilometers from Melbourne. Its history dates back to 1853 when the St Kilda Pier and Jetty Company constructed a wooden jetty to assist the early settlers in unloading timber, building materials and firewood to St Kilda. As in Parks Victorian stated. 

In the end of the Pier there is a kiosk which quite historic, built in 1904, originally known as Parer's Pavilion and later renamed Kirby's Kiosk but locally known as St Kilda Kiosk.The original construction was devastated by fire on 11 September 2003 and continued on public service with much safe construction. I definitely will come back again for a cup of latte and poppy seed muffin as well a lovely sunrise.

Enjoying the beautiful site of Melbourne offered us a good mood, but suddenly we realized parking meter was ticking too, we went back to where we parked the car. And kept going South to Brighton Beach. This Brighton Suburb surrounded with luxury beach houses with luxury prices. While its beach surrounded with its famous row of vivid plumage of  beach huts or bathing boxes.

Back to baking. Those two cakes I baked today were done using food processor, hilariously easy. 


Pear and Almond Tart was adopted from Donna Hay Issue 39,Winter. To be honest I am in a completely utterly mad about Donna Hay Magazine {Ah well two adverbs, used to express this feeling }. I collect back-dated edition as well as don't want miss the new issue.  I love her vintage props as well as her easy recipe. Simple but true. 

Oopps, someone apparently pushed my double cream in deepest part of fridge, and it got frozen, meanwhile we devoured with custard. That's OK ...   

 

Pear and Almond Tart

90 gr butter, softened
½ cup (90 gr) brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup(120gr) almond meal
¼ cup (40 gr) plain flour
¼ teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
2 Packham's pear, peeled, cored and quartered
½ cup (90gr) brown sugar extra (I skipped this)
raw sugar, for sprinkling
double cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of food processor and process until just combined. Add the egg, almond meal, flour, baking powder and lemon rind and process until just combined. Spoon the mixture into lightly greased 9.5 cm x 33 cm loose -bottom fluted tart tin. Place the pears and extra  brown sugar in the bowl and toss to coat. Press the pears into the tart mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked when tested with skewer. Sprinkle with raw sugar and allow to cool in the tin. Serve in double cream. Serves 6.


For Almond and Rhubarb Cake found recipe in here, with really great reviews. I used olive oil instead  of vegetable oil, its super moist, the right amount of sweetness, absolutely delicious the only drama was... need more generous amount of rhubarbs. Will do for next.

Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

• 330 g packed brown sugar
• 160 ml vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 310 g all-purpose flour
• 6 g salt
• 5 g baking soda
• 235 ml milk
• 185 g rhubarb, chopped
• 45 g (½ cup) sliced almonds (I used almond meal)
• 65 g white sugar
• 15 g butter, melted
• 25 g (¼ cup) sliced almonds (I used almond meal)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla together until smooth. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in rhubarb and 1/2 cup almonds. Pour into prepared pans.
3. In a small bowl, combine white sugar and butter or margarine. Stir in 1/4 cup almonds. Sprinkle topping over batter.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done.