IN THE PINK FOR BREAKFAST
July is the Breast Cancer Foundation’s biggest fundraising campaign, Pink Ribbon Breakfast month. Money raised by the amazing New Zealanders who contribute helps fund breast cancer education and innovative projects by some of the country’s top researchers, and supports patients and their families as they navigate through their breast cancer journey.
Last year 120,000 New Zealanders went along to a Pink Ribbon Breakfast event at someone’s home, workplace, or at a cafe or restaurant, and helped raise an incredible $1.9 million.
This year, Covid-19 has forced the campaign to postpone from May to July but that hasn’t stopped the likes of Great
Kiwi Bake Off judge Dean Brettschneider, food writer Delaney Mes and chef and founder of Wild Fennel Co Dan Pearson from contributing their favourite recipes for the cause.
Peaches & cream sponge cake
Served 6-8 My favourite cream sponge layer cake; delicious lightly sweetened vanilla cream with tender peaches, topped again with more cream, peaches and fresh raspberries. It should be enjoyed on its own: just you and the cream cake. Take a second slice, you know you want to!
BASIC SPONGE CAKE
5 eggs, warmed
150g castor sugar
160g standard plain flour
5g baking powder
A few drops of vanilla extract — optional
50g melted butter
1 can of peaches — drained in a sieve 3 Tbsp of raspberry jam
500ml whipping cream
60g sugar
2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped Handful of fresh raspberries, optional 1 Preheat the oven to 190C.
2 To prepare the sponge cake: In an electric mixer using the whisk attachment, whisk together the warmed eggs and sugar to the ribbon stage (this is when the mixture is thick and when trailed on itself it will hold its own weight for about 10 seconds before sinking into the mixture). 3 Sieve the flour and carefully fold through the foam mixture. Once the flour is ¾ incorporated into the egg and sugar foam, add the melted butter and continue to fold through gently. Avoid over-mixing at this stage otherwise you will lose all the precious air bubbles you have created.
4 Immediately place the mixture into a 20cm round greased and floured cake tin. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the sponge is set, approximately 25-30 minutes. Cool the sponge completely before using. 5 To prepare the Chantilly cream: Place cream, sugar and vanilla seeds in a mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep chilled until you need to use. (You may need to re-whip the cream a little to achieve the required consistency.)
6 To decorate the cake: Drain the peaches through a sieve. Using a large chef’s knife on a chopping board, cut half of the peaches into a small dice. Place in a small bowl. Cut the remaining peach halves into thin slices and place to one side.
7 Using a serrated bread knife, cut the sponge into three equal layers.
8 Spread 1½ tablespoons of raspberry jam on the first layer of sponge using a small palette knife then, using a clean palette knife, spread a layer (150g) of whipped cream on top of that; add half of the chopped pieces of peaches. Place the middle layer of sponge on top of this and press down lightly. Spread the remaining jam on the next layer and top with another layer (150g) of whipped cream and the remaining chopped peaches. Top with the final layer of the sponge, press lightly again. 9 Finally, spread the remaining whipped cream on the top layer of sponge leaving a ring 1.5cm from the edge. Arrange the thin slices of peaches in a circle around the outer edge of the cream. Place a handful of raspberries (if using) in the centre of the peach ring. Lightly dust with icing sugar.
Sweet paprika and dill poached eggs and avocado on toast
Serves 2 2 slices good quality sourdough 2 fresh eggs
1 avocado
Sprinkle of Wild Fennel Co salmon seasoning (sweet paprika and dill) Sprinkle of chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 clove garlic
Olive oil
White wine vinegar 1 Bring a full saucepan of water and a splash of vinegar to an almostrolling boil — make sure the heat is low enough that there are just small bubbles rising. Stir a gentle whirlpool in the water, and crack two eggs into the middle. If whirlpool is too fast, it will split the eggs, so make sure it's only a gentle spin. When the egg whites are set (usually after around 3½ minutes or so), lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
2 While eggs are cooking, pop sourdough into the toaster. Once toasted, rub the slices with fresh raw garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Halve the avocado and gently crush half over each piece of toast with a fork. Place drained poached eggs on top, and sprinkle with the Wild Fennel Co seasoning and chopped herbs. Enjoy!
Plum cake
Serves 4-6 I have been making a version of this cake for years, tweaking it as I go. The addition of ground almonds adds a lovely texture. It’s perfect when you feel like cake for breakfast! 1 x 850g tin black doris plums 125g butter
200g white sugar
2 eggs
130g plain flour (I use spelt flour, which is lovely and light)
1½ tsp baking powder
70g ground almonds
220g natural or Greek yoghurt 1 Preheat oven to 190C and grease and line a 22cm cake tin. (Note: this can be made in two sandwich tins and layered with the cream cheese icing recipe below. Just keep an eye on cooking time.)
2 Drain the tin of plums into a sieve and set aside. (Note: you can use the juice for meringues, to colour icing or to freeze for fancy ice cubes.) 3 Cream together the butter and sugar very well, until pale and fluffy — about 10-15 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4 Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture. Gently fold together until incorporated (I use my cake mixer on very low speed here).
5 Add the yoghurt and ground almonds, and mix to combine (again, I use my cake mixer on low, but a spoon works fine).
6 Scrape the cake mixture into the prepared tin — it will be thick. Remove the stones from the plums and gently press plum halves (they break in half easily) into the top of the cake, until the top of the cake (or cakes if you're making two) is covered (there will probably be plums left over).
7 Bake for 50-55 minutes until golden. Turn the oven off, but leave the cake in the oven until cool. Alternatively, just leave to cool in the tin before turning out on to a cake rack. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: ● When ready to serve, dust the cake with a little icing sugar, and serve with yoghurt. It's also good gently warmed and served with softly whipped cream. ● It's also really good with a thin layer of cream cheese icing made by beating together 1 tsp good quality vanilla extract, juice of a lime or half a lemon, and about half a cup of icing sugar.