Figs in Syrup

We cut down our fig tree because it attracted all the wildlife but there were many small figs on the branches so I picked them and with my sisters suggestion I made figs in syrup.

The recipe I found said to use almonds and pour lemon juice on the figs which I did but I don't think this is necessary so I will take these steps out of the recipe. If you want to follow full recipe just click on link at bottom of page. 

 

Figs in Syrup

Ingredients
25 figs
1 kilo sugar
25 cloves
3 cups of water

Method
Rinse figs thoroughly.

Put them in a big pan with a lot of water and boil them for about 10 minutes.

 Strain them and rinse them with cold water. Put them back into the pan and boil them again for another 10 minutes. Strain them and put them in the same pan with cold water and leave them over night.

 The next day, change the water and boil them again. They should be soft and tender in 10 minutes. 

Strain them and place them on a towel and let them stand for 24 hours so that they will not have any more water inside them. 

 

Then insert a clove in each fig. (Original recipe called for almonds but they do absolutely nothing so skip this part).

 

Put 3 cups of water in a clean pan and stir in sugar to dissolve. Bring the syrup to the boil for 10 minutes. Skim the foam if necessary. 

 

Add the figs and continue boiling for another 10 minutes. Let them stand until the next day.

 

 The next day start the boiling again until you have a thick and sweet syrup.
 

 

Sterilize jars by boiling them for 10 minutes then let stand to cool. Sterilizing will add 3-4 years storage of the figs.

 

 Place figs in syrup in jars and store or enjoy straight away.

 

Original recipe for the figs in syrup is here

Gluten Free Zucchini Lemon Cake

 

 

I found this very yummy recipe for Zucchini, Lemon & Poppyseed cake in the Woolies magazine. I don't like poppy seeds so I took those out and I changed it to be gluten free. 

 

I used a trombocchino zucchini I have growing in the backyard and got a deliciously divine cake.

 

This is a super easy, light and fluffy gluten free cake to make. You can't taste the zucchini at all this is a lovely lemon flavoured caked that is so delicious. I hope you try it.

 

Gluten Free Zucchini Lemon Cake

Ingredients
1 small lemon
2 free range eggs
1/2 cup Woolworths rice bran oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups Woolworths gluten free self-raising flour
250g zucchini (2 zucchinis), finely grated

Icing
1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp dairy free butter or margarine, softened
2 tbs dairy free milk  (I used Macadamia Milk)

 

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm  (7cm deep) round cake pan. Grease and line base and sides with baking paper.

 

2. Zest and juice the lemon. Whisk together the eggs, oil, vanilla, caster sugar, zest and lemon juice in a large bowl until smooth and combined. Stir in gluten free flour and zucchini until just combined. This will make sure the cake will come out light and fluffy. 

3. Pour mixture into cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. I found I had to bake it for 60 minutes. Cool cake then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Combine icing sugar, butter and milk in a medium bowl to form a thick spreadable icing. Spread icing over cake and serve.

You can find original recipe here