Cold Comforts

In these cooler months we’re enjoying an abundance of nuts and winter herbs, and using homegrown pumpkins that have been given time to cure so they’e more flavourful. There’s also the fruit we’re loving: lots of citrus, kiwifruit and our sweet ruby-red guava (pictured above).

I’ve begun to prune our fruit trees, as well as plant new ones, and I’m starting to condition the soil ready for spring planting. This year, I’m committed to beating the slugs and snails to my strawberries, and will be transplanting them to vertical pockets on the fences to get maxiumum sun. Wish me luck!

This issue’s warming recipes have some of my favourite flavours — toasty nuts, burnt butter, caramel and roasted pumpkin.”‍

For recipe inspiration, follow @madebyhollys and see more Seasonal Kitchen columns

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Butternut Gnocchi with Silverbeet, Sage & Burnt Butter

Serves 6

If you’ve not made gnocchi before, give this a go, it’s really quite simple.
It has a rich buttery sauce but it’s nicely balanced by the lemon.

90g salted butter
6 sage leaves
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
4 large silverbeet leaves, stalks removed, roughly chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon‍

Gnocchi

1 medium butternut pumpkin (about 2½ cups), peeled, deseeded, cut into 2cm cubes
‍‍1 large agria potato, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs olive oil
1 egg
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
40g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray.

For the gnocchi, toss the butternut, potato and garlic with oil, spread over the tray and roast for
about 20 minutes until easily pressed with a fork. Once cool, mash until smooth and add 1 tsp salt and remaining gnocchi ingredients, mixing gently until well combined and dough holds together.
If dough is sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Turn dough onto a floured board and roll into 2cm-thick long rolls. Cut 1.5cm pieces and refrigerate on a tray to firm up for about 30 minutes. Boil a large pot of water and add a good pinch of salt. Poach gnocchi until it floats to the surface, then remove and place on a clean tea towel.

For the sauce, add the butter to a large pan and cook over medium heat until it just starts to brown. Toss in sage and cook until it starts to crisp — take care, as it will pop and spatter, and it crisps almost immediately, don’t the leaves start to brown. Pour butter and sage into a bowl, then return pan to heat, add gnocchi and turn gently until they start to brown. Sprinkle over the chilli (if using), and add silverbeet, lemon juice and zest. Once silverbeet is wilted, add butter and sage, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

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Macadamia & White Chocolate Cookies

Makes 12 large cookies

If you’re a salted caramel lover like me, try sprinkling the cookies with
flakey sea salt just as they come out of the oven.‍

125g salted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 egg
1½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g white chocolate, chopped into large chunks
½ cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (substitute another nut, if preferred)
½ lemon or orange, zested
Flakey sea salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake and line a large baking tray.

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale, then add the vanilla and egg and mix well.
Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, then add chocolate, macadamias and zest.

Divide the cookie mixture into 12 balls and slightly press to flatten on the tray. Bake for around
15 minutes or until golden brown, then cool on tray.

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Spiced Apple Cakes

Serves 12

This versatile cake mixture can be used to bake 1 large cake, a loaf, or mini cakes using
muffin tins or mini-cake moulds (like the mini-loaf tins pictured).

250g salted butter, softened
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbs vanilla paste*
½ cup almond meal (or hazelnut, if available)
2 cups plain flour
1 tbs baking powder
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups grated Granny Smith apple, skin on
½ cup raisins or roughly chopped pitted prunes (optional)‍

Salted caramel drizzle‍ (if serving warm)

50g salted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup thin cream
½ tsp vanilla paste*

Brown sugar frosting (if serving cool)

½ cup brown sugar
125g salted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla paste*
1 cup icing sugar
1–2 tbs milk (if required)

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Grease and line your tin(s).

For the cake, use a stand mixer or hand beater to beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla, then fold in the remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared tin and bake. If using a 20cm-diameter cake tin or loaf pan, it will take about
1 hour to bake; muffins or bar-sized cakes (pictured) will take about 25 minutes. It’s ready when
the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

If serving warm, serve with caramel drizzle and a scoop of Greek yoghurt or vanilla ice cream.
If serving cool, ice with brown sugar frosting and decorate with fresh edible flowers. (See recipes
for both, below.)

For caramel drizzle, heat butter and sugar in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes then whisk through the cream, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt. Drizzle over cake as desired. If cooled, the sauce can be stored in the fridge for two weeks.

For the brown sugar frosting, whisk sugar and butter together until pale and creamy. I recommend using a stand mixer with a scraper attachment and letting the mixture beat for around 15 minutes. Seems long but yields the best result. Add the vanilla and icing sugar, turning to slow speed at first and, if required, add milk to achieve a smooth consistency that holds its form.

Spread or pipe over the cake and garnish with toasted nuts, coconut or edible flowers. This frosting freezes well for months — just bring to room temperature and whip to use.

*Substitute vanilla paste with an equal amount of vanilla extract.

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Words, recipes & styling by Holly McVicar @madebyhollys
Photography by ilk

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