This quick and versatile sauce is more like a savoury compote. Excellent condiment for using figs, especially when you have had enough of sweet fig-based desserts. Serve as a sauce with roast lamb, baked fish, on pizza bases or like a relish. It’s just as good made with a full-bodied red wine or Port style wine.
Prep 10 mins Cook 25 mins
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
500g brown onions, sliced thinly
1 cup fresh figs or 1 cup dried figs
1/4 cup wine (Liebichwein red wine or Tawny Port)
1 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 tbsp Liebichwein Muscat Vinegar (balsamic vinegar can be substituted)
1 tbsp chopped rosemary or thyme (fresh or dried)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
Prepare sliced onions and cut figs into quarters if using fresh figs.
Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Add onions and sprinkle some salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 20 minutes.
Stir in figs, wine, stock, vinegar and herbs. Increase heat to high and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Add salt and pepper taste.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Alternatively, freeze in small portions until ready to use.
Traditional German Streuselkuchen is a family favourite! This cake has a sweet yeast dough base and is topped with fresh or preserved fruit and a crunchy sweet crumble. It brings back so many good memories of Barossa afternoon teas and family gatherings. In summer we use mulberries, plums or apricots while in autumn we use pears, apples or grapes.
Prep 2 hours Bake 20 mins Makes one large cake 45 x 30cm
Yeast:
2 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk warmed
1 teaspoon plain flour
Cake:
700g (1 lb) plain flour
Pinch salt
70g (2 oz) butter
85g (3 oz) sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup sultanas or currants
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Milk for glazing
3 cups of thinly sliced fresh fruit or whole berries (optional)
Streusel Topping:
2 cups plain flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
Sprinkle ground cinnamon
Directions
Place yeast in a small bowl, add sugar and warm milk, plain flour, mix cover and stand in a warm place until the mixture turns frothy (takes around 15 minutes).
Start making cake dough by sifting flour into a bowl, add pinch of salt. Rub butter and sugar into flour (flavourings may be added here).
Add beaten egg to yeast mixture. Mix in the flour a cup at a time. Once the dough is too thick to mix, use hands to mix it and knead gently for a minute to a soft dough.
Spread dough approx. 2cm thick onto a large oven tray. Brush cake top with milk to help streusel stick.
Place seasonal sliced fruit or whole berries on top.
To make streusel, rub sugar and softened butter into flour and cinnamon. Press with your fingers to make crumb consistency.
Sprinkle streusel over the whole cake. Cover and keep in a warm place. Let the cake rise for an hour or until double in thickness.
Bake at 200C for 15-20 minutes or until edges of cake are golden brown.
A perfect, refreshing dessert with a light creaminess and the characteristic flavours of Muscat grapes. A softer, creamier version of ice cream.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Freezing Time: 4-6 hours
Ingredients
1 cup pre-soaked raisins or sultanas in Muscat
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 ? cups pouring cream
? cup toasted nuts (optional)
Method
Have a jar of Muscat-soaked dried fruit handy in the pantry or prepare one a day beforehand. Alternatively, use ? jar of Liebich Drunken Fruit.
Place the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Remove from heat and use an electric beater to whisk for about 8 minutes or until cool. Set aside.
Whip the cream separately until soft peaks form. Fold the cream and egg mixture together and pour into a metal cake tin.
Swirl the fruit mixture and nuts (if using) into the egg mixture.
Cover with foil and freeze for 4-6 hours until firm.
A quick and easy dessert to?showcase Liebich Drunken Fruit or any seasonal fruit such as apricots or peaches in summer.
Degree of difficulty: easy
Preparation time: 60?minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the pastry
140g butter
100g caster sugar
250g plain flour
25g ground almonds
1 egg, beaten
For the filling
1 jar Liebich Drunken Fruits (or dried apricots pre-soaked in Semillon at least 24 hours)
175mL (1 small glass) Liebich Fortified Semillon (or any sweet fortified wine)
100g caster sugar, plus 4 tablespoons extra for toffee topping
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
300mL cream
4 eggs
Method
For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, mix in flour and almonds then stir in the egg until the pastry just comes together. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes. While the pastry is chilling, drain 1 jar Liebich Drunken Fruits.
In a saucepan bring the vanilla and cream to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave the cream to infuse.
Heat oven to 220?C/fan 200?C/gas 7. Roll the pastry to fit a 23cm fluted tart tin and leave it to chill in the freezer for 10 mins. Line the tart case with foil or greaseproof paper and fill the tart with blind baking beans. Bake the tart for 20 minutes until the edges become biscuity, then remove the beans and foil or greaseproof paper and cook for a few more minutes until the base starts to brown. Remove the tart from the oven and lower the heat to 160?C/fan 140?C/gas 3.
While the tart case is cooking, whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Strain the vanilla cream over the eggs and whisk again, then mix the drained liquid from the fruit jar in with the vanilla cream and the eggs to make custard. Pull the fruit apart and press them sticky side down into the tart case. Pour the custard over the apricots and bake for about 20-30 minutes until the filling is just set. Remove the tart from the oven and leave to cool.
Just before serving, scatter the remaining sugar over the tart and blast with a blowtorch to caramelise it, leave it to harden for a minute and cut into slices and serve.
As there are so many lovely flavours in the tart already it needs no accompaniment except a glass of Liebich fortified of course!
