Winter "Comfort" Dessert and Roses

June is here and it is the official start of winter for us. It's been quite chilly, so I've been more than inspired to bake, I make the old favourites for the kids' sake, but if you don't know me already, I love trying new things. That's why I buy food magazines. In this month's (June 2008) Delicious magazine, I found this super delicious winter "comfort" dessert which is sooooo easy to make. So I thought I'd share it with you. It's called "Apple and Berry Tray Bake", it's not new, but it's somehow better , maybe due to the ingredients used and the order and the way things are added that the end result is so scrumptious. No matter what it is, you'll have to try it to know what I mean . Apple and Berry Tray Bake
Ingredients:
300ml thickened cream, plus extra to serve
175g unsalted butter, chopped
3 eggs
2 cups (300g) plain flour
1 cup (220g) caster sugar (I used 3/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced, tossed with 2 tbsp lemon juice
150g frozen mixed berries, thawed
Icing sugar, to dust
Blackberry or strawberry jam, to serve (optional)(1) Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly grease a 32x22cm baking dish. Bring cream and butter to just below boiling point in a pan over medium heat. Cool slightly.

(2) Using electric beaters, beat eggs with sugar until thick and pale. Slowly beat in cream mixture. Sift in flour, then fold to combine with metal spoon. Stir in vanilla, apples and berries, then pour into pan.

(3) Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Serve with icing sugar, jam and whipped cream. (Refer to Note)

Note: I like it served hot with a dollop of cream. I find it better without jam, icing sugar is alright for making it look appealing, but I forgot to use that anyway. For leftovers, you can heat it up again in the microwave (to speed up heating) then in the oven to crisp up the edges, I wouldn't like eating it straight out of the fridge, it's most delicious warm or hot with cream.I've been playing with my beautiful harvest of roses, no doubt it's one of my favourite pastimes. This time I had them all in single colours, feeling a bit clique-ish today?!

Floribunda Seduction
Seduction with English Rose Tamora in the background Floribunda Perfumed Perfection
All together now...........David Austin's Rose Heritage Roses adorn my kitchen bench and I can smell them while I prepare food and cook. They make very nice companions. I wish I could stick a strip here and label "Rub and Smell" for you ladies to smell my roses!

Seduction in full bloom(pink and white), Tamora (apricot) and Anne Boelyn (pink)
The miniature teaset is a gift from hubby some years ago.
Fragrance in the passage-way