Cherry Danish

I have joined the improv_challenge yahoo group, where every month we are given two ingredients to make something with. It's run by Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, go look at her blog, it has loads of fabulous recipes, tell her I sent you!!

The month of June is Cherries and almond, this is my recipe. You can see all the other entries at the end of this post.

Cherry Danish.

   Ingredients 

• 1 x 435g tin cherries in light syrup
• 100g cherry jam
• plain flour , for dusting 
• 375g ready-rolled puff pastry 
• 1 medium egg , beaten
• 100g icing sugar , sieved

              

                                                                          Method

Heat the oven to180C fan. 

Drain the cherries, keeping 2 tbsp syrup. 

Put the cherries into a bowl and mix with the cherry jam.

Roll out the pastry to approx 25cm x 38cm. 

Cut into 6 equal squares.

With a small knife cut a 5 cm line from each corner in towards the centre on each square.

Roll the marzipan until 5cm x 13cm, then cut into 6 equal pieces. 

Put a piece of marzipan into the centre of each square and top each with about 9 cherries coated in jam.

Fold every other pastry tip into the centre, pressing them together firmly. 

Transfer to baking sheets lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Brush the exposed pastry with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. 

Leave to cool.

Mix the icing sugar with enough syrup to make a smooth icing. 

Drizzle over the pastries in a zigzag pattern. 

Leave to set.

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This is the small sitting room at the back.  We are now at the sanding stage of the windows.  This set of windows have come a long way but still needs lots of work.  www.bettermadecabinets.com

GOING BANANAS - Paal Pazha Paayasam - Ripe Banana Prridge

GOING BANANAS!

PAAL PAZHA PAAYASAM 

Our native place lies on the lap of Akhanda Kaveri in a major banana growing area in Trichy district. Invariably we found ourselves loaded with bananas, bananas and bananas, after a short visit to our village. We almost went bananas when we were left with a bonanza  even after sharing the precious yield with our neighbours and near and dear ones. 

 And then - our kitchen started incessantly raining banana dishes ! 

 INGREDIENTS 

Ripe but firm bananas - 3 

Milk - 4 cups 

Crushed jaggery - 1 1/2 cups 

Fresh coconut gratings - 1 cup 

Rice flour - 1 tbsp 

Cardamom powder - 1 pinch 

Ghee - 2 tbsps 

Cashew nuts and raisins - for garnishing 

METHOD 

1. Cut the ripe bananas with the peel intact into 1 inch rings. 

2. Steam the cut bananas for ten minutes in a pressure cooker. 

3. Grind coconut gratings and rice flour together into a smooth paste adding little water. 

4. Dissolve jaggery in one cup of warm water and filter. 

5. Boil the jaggery water till it slightly thickens and gives out a pleasant aroma. 

6. Peel the steamed banana rings, blend one table spoon of the fruit in milk and keep aside. 

7. Add the remaining banana rings to the jaggery syrup.

8. Stir in the coconut paste and cook for two or three minutes. 

9. Add the milk and fruit blend and switch off flame when the paayasam starts boiling.

10. Add cardamom powder, and raisins and cashew nuts fried in ghee. 

 Relish the flavoursome Paal Pazha Paayasam while it is warm.