There is such amazing fresh fruit available in Spain, so what better than a few recipes to reflect this? Cherries are just coming into season here and Strawberries just coming to the end, but you can still get them in good condition. Of course Apples and Lemon continue all year along with Bananas! Fruit helps control cholesterol, normalize blood pressure, helps to reduce inflammation in conditions such as arthritis and helps your skin feel younger. However, once the fruit is picked or harvested their antioxidant power starts to dwindle, so the fresher the fruit, the better. Below are a few fruit recipes, but there are so many I might repeat this again in a few months so watch this space.
Buen Apetito
Lemon Drop Scones
- 115g whole meal flour
- 1 tsp baking of powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 25g fructose
- 1 egg
- 2 lemons
- 6 tbsp skimmed milk
- 15g butter
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the butter, fructose and beaten egg. Grate the rind from the lemons and squeeze the juice into the mixture. Add some milk a bit at a time to the mixture until it makes a thick batter. Finally add the rind to the mixture. Cook on a griddle or grease a tray and heat in the oven until really hot and then drop the mixture in spoonfuls and cook oven 220ºC immediately. Drop scones are best eaten hot, but can also be eaten with butter cold.
Summer Fruit Tartlets
- 125g plain flour
- 50g icing sugar
- 60g butter
- 1 egg
- Filling
- 75g milk chocolate
- 400g mixed summer red fruits (cherries, raspberries and redcurrants make a good display)
- 2 tbsp raspberry jam
- 1 small banana
Sift the flour and sugar in a bowl. Dice the butter and rub in with your fingertips. Add the egg and mix in the dough. Cover with cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Divide the pastry into four equal pieces and roll out flat, curve up the edges and put triple thickness foil around the outside. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool.
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl. Brush the chocolate inside the pastry cases and top with summer fruit. Warm the jam and sieve until smooth then brush over the fruit. Slice the banana and push some slices into the centre of each tartlet and serve.
Banana and Strawberry Honey Crisp
- 75g oats
- 25g caster sugar
- 25g butter
- I lemon
- 1 tbsp orange blossom honey
- 225g strawberries hulled and halved
- 4 medium bananas peeled and thickly sliced
- 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
Sprinkle oats over a baking sheet and scatter with sugar. Dot with butter and then drizzle over the honey. Place in oven 190ºC for around 10 minutes or until toasted. Remove and allow to cool. Place the strawberries and bananas in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Top with Greek yogurt and finish with a scattering of crumbled honey crisp oats.
Apple and Raisin Parcels
- 450g apples
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp rum
- 50g sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla essence
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 50g raisins
- 1 pkt of puff pastry
Peel, core and chop the apples and toss in the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Place 2 tbsp of cold water, the rum, sugar, vanilla essence and spices into a pan. Stir in apples and cook gently for 5 minutes. Stir in raisins and allow cooling. Roll out pastry and cut into squares. Place a spoonful of the apple mixture in the centre of the square and bring the corners up to the middle and pinch together. Cook in oven 200º for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cherry Pie
- 450g fresh cherries
- 2 eggs
- 225ml evaporated milk
- 225g caster sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 50g raisins
Pastry Case (short crust pastry is best but any of your choice)
Stone the cherries. Place between 2 deep plates over a pan of boiling water. Steam for 15-20 minutes until soft and allow cooling. Separate the eggs and whisk the egg whites until forming peaks. In another bowl lightly whip the egg yolks with the cherries, evaporated milk, sugar and spices until smooth. Stir in raisins and fold in egg whites until smooth. Spoon the mixture in a pastry case and bake for 50 minutes in oven 190º Gas 5.