SUGAR FREE CARROT AND BANANA CAKE ( Sekersiz havuc ve muz keki )

 Using the carrots and banana in this recipe, make the texture beautifully moist, at the same time adding natural sweetness.

FOR THE CAKE

• 170 g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 200 g carrots, peeled and grated
• 100 g sultanas
• 50 g walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped roughly
• 1 large banana, mashed
• Juice of 1 whole orange
• 120 ml sunflower or olive oil
• 2 eggs beaten

First sift the flour with baking powder and mixed spice. Add the grated carrots, mashed banana, sultanas, walnuts and mix. Add the beaten eggs, oil and orange juice and mix it until well blended. Spoon this mixture into a greased and lined 20 cm cake tin.

Bake at pre-heated oven 180C, 160Fan, 350F for 60 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out cleanly. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and let it cool. Rewove the lining paper.

TOPPING

• 2 bananas
• 165 g soft cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon 

Mash one of the bananas and beat in the soft cheese. Spread this mixture on top of the cake. Slice the other banana and toss in the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Arrange the banana slices round the edge of the cake just before serving.

COOK'S NOTE

I have adopted this cake to microwave and it was good but it is best cooked in conventional oven. I cooked this cake in microwave on full power for 7 minutes and further 2 minutes at 650 Watt.

APPLE PIE WITH PISTACHIOS

This is my family's favorite apple pie and it is always pleasure to make it and  as I know that it is enjoyed with loved ones.

YOU NEED

• 325 g plain flour
• 50 g pistachio nuts
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 150 g butter
• 2 egg yolks
• cold water to bind

FOR THE FILLING

• 1 kg of apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 75 g caster sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 egg white
• caster sugar for sprinkling

METHOD

Place the pistachio nuts and flour into a food processor  whizz until the nuts are ground. Add the butter and the icing sugar to blend it until the butter and flour have combined evenly. Add the egg yolks and water and whiz until the mixture is just forming a ball. Knead lightly and wrap to chill for about 10-15 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven for 200C, 180 F, and put the baking sheet to heat up. 

Toss the apple slices in cornflour, sugar and mixed spice. 

Roll half of the pastry on a lightly floured work surface, large enough to cover 23 cm round pie plate.

Pile the apple mixture into the pastry case, brush the rim with cold water. Reserve some pastry for decorating and roll the rest of the pastry into a circle large enough to cover the pie. Pinch the pastry edges together to seal. Brush the top of the pie with some egg white.

Roll the reserved pastry and cut out leaves to decorate the top of the pie. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve warm with home made custard, clotted cream or brandy sauce. AFIYET  OLSUN...