Clementine Almond Bundt #BundtBakers

Naturally gluten-free, this clementine almond Bundt is melt-in-your-mouth tender with a wonderful crumb that tastes buttery and rich, with the sweet and sharp flavors of tangy marmalade.

The first time I made this cake was probably 14 years ago, seduced by Nigella Lawson’s description, not of the cake itself, but how fabulous the house smells in the two hours it takes to cook the clementines, and then later, as the cake bakes. And, oh, my goodness, is she right! But even if she were not, the cake is delicious too.

I don’t think I’d ever heard of gluten-free baking so that aspect of the recipe didn’t even occur to me. I have no doubt, in fact, that I probably buttered and floured the pan with my normal all-purpose flour, essentially negating the gluten-free-ness. Not that it mattered back then. Now I know a few people who are unable to eat gluten or wheat, or just feel better when they don’t.

This month my Bundt Bakers are all sharing gluten-free recipes so this recipe is perfect, naturally gluten free.

Clementine Almond Bundt

Nigella Lawson calls this the easiest cake she knows and I have to agree. Aside from the hands-off two hours the clementines need to cook and the quick removal of the seeds, the pureeing and mixing is done in your food processor. Baking the clementine almond batter in a Bundt pan shortens the baking time.

Ingredients
3-4 clementines (about 13 1/4 oz or 375g total weight)
6 eggs
1 cup or 200g sugar
2 1/3 cups or 250g ground almonds
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method
Cover the clementines with cool water in a small pot and bring them to the boil. Lower the fire until the water is at a very low rolling boil and cook for two hours. Check the water level occasionally and add more as needed during the cooking.

Drain the pot and set the clementines aside to cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut them open and remove any seeds. Puree them in a food processor, peels and all, until smooth.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 10-cup Bundt pan by buttering and flouring it with a gluten free flour mix. Set aside.

Add in the eggs, almond flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the food process and blitz for a minute or so until completely combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

Check the color of the cake as it bakes and cover it with foil if it starts browning before it is cooked through.

Remove the Bundt cake from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Check out all of the gluten free cakes we've baked for you today!

• Buckwheat Bundt Cake with Red Fruits Jam from Pat y Co. Candy Bar
• Clementine Almond Bundt from Food Lust People Love
• Coconut Rum Gluten-Free Bundt from Sweet Sensations
• Gluten-Free Sweet Cornbread Bund Caket from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Flourless Carrot Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Gluten Free Chocolate Bundt Cake from I Love Bundt Cakes
• Gluten Free Holiday Rum Cake from The Queen of Scones
• Gluten-Free Almond-Raspberry Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Gluten-Free Carrot Bundt Cake from Merce's Cake

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

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Moo Shu Pancakes #BreadBakers

Moo shu pancakes, aka Chinese pancakes or Peking doilies, are traditionally served rolled up with a filling of crispy Peking duck, cucumbers and spring onions. They are easy to make, with only two ingredients.

This month my Bread Bakers are celebrating pancakes of all sorts at the instigation of our host, Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm. Today is Mardi Gras – or Fat Tuesday – also known in many places around the world as Pancake Day.

In the United Kingdom, this refers to what we Americans know as crepes, a thin pancake made with batter. And, of course, most of my readers will be familiar with fluffy American pancakes, served with butter and maple syrup. But Wendy encouraged us to scour the world for pancake recipes so I chose to make moo shu pancakes, a favorite in Chinese cuisine.

When we lived in Kuala Lumpur many years ago, I used to make these to wrap store-bought roasted duck or char sui pork. They are so much better than the pancakes you can buy in the store. But if you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed a couple of hanging ducks in my feed in the last few months. We finally made Peking ducks ourselves, first as a trial run and then as the main course of our Christmas dinner. I even made my own chili plum sauce. It is so much better than the sickly sweet stuff you can buy in a store.

I’ll put a few photos in the instructions to help you with the method of making moo shu pancakes, but I highly encourage you to check out Ken Hom’s how-to video on YouTube as well. He is a master.

And if you are already a Ken Hom fan, you might want to try my version of his spicy Sichuan noodles. For even more pancakes, including my crunchy spring onion version, check out this post and make sure to scroll down to see what my Bread Bakers are sharing today.

Moo Shu Pancakes

Easy to make and even easier to eat, moo shu pancakes are great with all sorts of fillings.

Ingredients for 16-18 pancakes
2 cups or 250g  all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling 
3/4 - 1 cup or 180-240ml very hot water     
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil   

Method
Measure your flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in 3/4 cup or 180ml of the hot water and stir the flour into the water until it is completely incorporated. If it is too dry, add a little more water.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 8 minutes, sprinkling with a little more flour as necessary. When you have a nice stretchy ball, put it back in the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean, damp cloth. Leave the dough to rest for about half an hour, or pop it in the refrigerator till you are ready to cook the pancakes.

After the resting time, roll the dough out into a long tube, about 1 inch or 2.5cm in diameter. Cut it with a sharp knife into about 16-18 equal pieces. You need an even number. Roll the pieces into balls and set aside.

Sprinkle your working surface with a little flour and put your sesame oil in a small bowl. Press one ball down to flatten it slightly. Dip another ball into the sesame oil and place it on top of the first ball.  Press down again to flatten the top ball.

Use a floured rolling pin to roll the two balls into circles about 6 in or 15cm wide. Repeat the process until you have rolled all of the twin sets of balls into circles.

Heat a dry griddle pan or non-stick skillet over a medium heat and cook the moo shu pancakes one or two at a time, depending on the size of your pan. This takes just a few minutes on each side and a few brown spots are desirable.

As each pancake is done, remove it from the pan and allow to rest briefly, until it’s cool enough to handle. Carefully peel the two pancakes apart and put them in a warm place, covered with a slightly damp cloth. This will keep them from drying out as you cook the rest.

These can be served with Peking duck, char sui pork, pan-fried duck breasts or frankly, anywhere you’d also use a flour tortilla. I even ate a couple with golden syrup. Any leftovers, should you be so lucky, can be wrapped tightly in cling film and frozen.

Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this month. Make sure you check out all the other lovely pancakes my Bread Bakers are sharing today!

• Aebleskivers by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Apam Balik by I Camp in My Kitchen
• Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby Pancake by Spill the Spices
• Brazilian Tapioca Pancakes by Herbivore Cucina
• Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes by Ambrosia
• Eggless Chocolate Chip Pancake by Seduce Your Tastebuds
• German Pancake with Easy Fruit Compote by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gluten Free Aebleskiver by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Hoppers by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Hotteok by Sara's Tasty Buds
• Instant Multigrain Dosa by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Japanese Pancakes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Kuih Dadar - Bujang Dalam Selimut - Asian Stuffed Pandan Pancakes by The Schizo Chef
• Moo Shu Pancakes by Food Lust People Love
• Soft and Spongy Poha Dosas by Sneha's Recipe
• Swedish Pancakes by Hostess At Heart
• Syrniki by The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
• Vegan Red Velvet Pancakes by Cook’s Hideout

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Greens and Pea Manicotti

Use your favorite greens to make Greens and Pea Manicotti, a lovely savory vegetarian main course of crepes filled with peas, goat cheese, ricotta and, of course, greens, covered in a fragrant tomato sauce.

When my elder daughter came home from university the first summer after her freshman year, she surprised me with the news that she had become a vegetarian. But I guess I really wasn't that surprised since I knew that her new best friends were mostly vegetarian and that sort of thing rubs off on a person.

When her little sister followed in her footsteps, not just to the same school, but into vegetarianism, no surprise at all there. Frankly, I think it's a great thing - I'm not ready to go there yet, but I fully supported their choice. Neither of them is completely vegetarian these days, but we do eat more meatless meals because I discovered during those years that there are many delightful recipes without it.

Several years ago, while I was researching recipes on the internet, I came across what sounded like a rich, satisfying vegetarian dish and I couldn't wait to give it a try. I had to make a few changes because of what I had available but it was very tasty and I've made it again since.

It would be perfect for a Meatless Monday dinner or a Lenten meal for those who fast from meat, whether all month or just on Fridays. If you are looking for more meatless casserole recipes, make sure to scroll down and check out the link list from my Sunday Supper friends.

Greens and Pea Manicotti

My greens and pea manicotti is adapted from this recipe here. I love her writing. She's funny and she has great recipes so go check her out. Here's my favorite post!

Ingredients
For the filling:
3 oz or 85g goat cheese
4 1/2 oz or 125g fresh ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
5 oz or 140g raw greens of your choice (spinach, kale, silver beets, etc.)
6 oz or 180g frozen peas, thawed
1 large clove garlic
1 whole egg
Zest of one lemon
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 oz or 225g freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup or 60ml whipping cream
Sea salt
Black pepper

For assembly:
1 1/2 cups or 240ml tomato sauce – store bought will work if you have a favorite or make this sauce, from my eggplant parmigiana recipe. It freezes very nicely so the extra will come in handy for future meals.
10 6-inch or 12cm crêpes (recipe here)
1 oz or 55g freshly grated Parmesan

Method
Clean your greens thoroughly and remove any thick stems. Rinse them at least three times.

These are silver beet greens but I've also made this with kale.

Yes, I know the package might say pre-washed. It’s lying to you. Just like when I told my mother I had vacuumed but I really just ran the vacuum cleaner around to make the lines on the shag carpet without turning it on. (Fact: The vacuum cleaner is much easier to move when it’s not sucking.)

Steam the greens for several minutes with the lid on.

Remove and cool by immersing in some cool water. Spin them dry in a salad spinner or a dry tea towel. If they still feel too wet, give them a squeeze with your two hands.

Using a fork, break your goat cheese and ricotta up into small crumbles. Chop your clove of garlic.

Add the greens, peas and garlic to your food processor and pulse. If you hear a clank, clank, clank at this point, realize that your peas are still frozen.

Pour the whole mess into a microwaveable bowl and thaw properly this time. Jeez. Okay, try again. You are looking for a rough mixture that still has lumps and bumps.

Now add the lemon zest and Parmesan to your other cheeses.

In a bowl big enough for thorough stirring, add the cheese mixture to the greens and pea mixture. Sprinkle on your salt and pepper. Give it a good stir. Taste it and add more salt, if necessary.

Now add the egg and stir again.

Add the cream and stir again. Your filling is ready and just needs to hang out for a while in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to develop.

Time to get on with the tomato sauce and the crêpes. By the time you have those two done, the filling should be ready to use. Follow these two recipes here and here. Make double the crêpe recipe and you can easily half the tomato sauce. Or make the full batch and freeze some. Go ahead, get on with them. We’ll wait here.

Just twiddling while we wait.

Okay, so, when you are ready to fill your crêpes and bake, preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Spray a little Pam in your baking dish or drizzle in a little olive oil and rub it around. Cover the bottom of your pan with about a 1/2 cup or 120ml of your tomato sauce.

Put about a 1/4 cup or 60ml of filling on the top crêpe and spread it along the middle. Fold one side over and then the other side.

Lay it in the pan, ends side down. Continue filling the crêpes until all the filling is gone. Extra crêpes can be wrapped in cling film and frozen.

Top the manicotti with another cup or 240ml of tomato sauce and then a good sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the sauce and cheese are bubbling. Serve with a side green salad or vegetable of our choice.

Enjoy!

Meatless Meals for Lent

• Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding by Wholistic Woman
• Baked Eggplant Parmesan Casserole by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Baked Mushroom Fettuccine by Delaware Girl Eats
• Cheesy Mushroom Marsala Pasta Casserole by Hot Eats and Cool Reads
• Greens and Pea Manicotti by Food Lust People Love
• Leek and Swiss Chard Gratin by Caroline’s Cooking
• Mushroom Breakfast Casserole by Brunch-n-Bites
• Raisin Bread Cheddar Strata by Pies and Plots
• Ricotta Pasta Frittata by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Roasted Vegetable Lasagna by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Tex Mex Vegetarian Bake Freestyle Recipe by Positively Stacey
• Spaghetti Squash Parmesan Casserole by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Spinach Ravioli Bake by Our Good Life
• Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegetarian Baked Pasta with Spinach and Gruyère by Cooking Chat
• Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe with Chickpea Curry by Sunday Supper Movement
• Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie by Simple and Savory
• Veggie & Quinoa Baked Stuffed Peppers by Hardly A Goddess

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