Recipes: Trex

APRICOT, APPLE & WALNUT LOAF (pictured above)

Serves: 12
Baking time: 70 minutes

INGREDIENTS
350g Self-raising flour
¼ tsp Salt
50g Trex
150g Light soft brown sugar
75g Ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
50g Walnuts,chopped
2 Large eggs
240ml Milk
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 Eating apple
1 tbsp Demerara sugar

METHOD
Step 1
Position an oven shelf in the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking paper.
Step 2
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then rub in the Trex with your fingertips. Stir in the sugar, apricots and walnuts.
Step 3
In a jug, beat together the eggs and milk. Put the lemon juice into a bowl. Reserve a quarter of the apple, then peel, core and chop the rest and toss it in the lemon juice. Add the apple to the dry ingredients with the egg mixture and stir until combined.
Step 4
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Core and thinly slice the reserved apple, toss it in lemon juice, then arrange the slices over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over them.
Step 5
Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes until risen and golden. To test that the cake is cooked, insert a fine skewer — if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. Cool on a wire rack.

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LEMON & ALMOND POLENTA CAKE

Bake time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
A little Trex, for greasing
125g Trex, at room temperature
150g Caster sugar
4 Large eggs
½ tsp Almond essence
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
200g Ground almonds
200g Instant polenta
Pinch salt
2 tsp Baking powder(gluten free)

TO DECORATE
100g Icing sugar
1 tsp Finely grated lemon zest
2-3 tbsp Lemon juice
Lemon jelly slices, to decorate

METHOD
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 23cm (9in)
Step 2
Put the Trex, sugar, eggs, almond essence, lemon zest and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the ground almonds, polenta, salt and baking powder. Use a wooden spoon to beat together until smooth and creamy, about one to two minutes.
Step 3
Transfer to the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4
To decorate, mix the icing sugar with the lemon zest and lemon juice to make a thin icing. Drizzle over the cake and decorate with lemon jelly slices. Leave until set, then serve.

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BANANA MALTESER MUFFINS

Serves: 8
Bake time: 25 minutes


INGREDIENTS
200g Plain flour
2 tsp Baking powder
50g Trex
100g Caster sugar
1 Large egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Large banana, mashed
100ml Milk
50g Maltesers,roughly chopped
TOPPING
100g Butter, at room temperature
100g Light muscovado sugar
100g Icing sugar
Dried banana chips and Maltesers, to decorate

METHOD
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/Gas Mark 6. Place eight paper muffin cases into a muffin tray, or line with squares of greaseproof paper.
Step 2
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, then rub in the Trex with your fingertips. Stir in the sugar.
Step 3
In a jug, beat together the egg, vanilla extract, banana and milk. Add to the dry ingredients with the chopped Maltesers and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Step 4
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 5
For the topping, beat together the butter, muscovado sugar and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Swirl an equal amount on top of each muffin, then decorate with banana chips and Maltesers.

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