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For the June edition of the Random Recipes challenge, Dom has asked us to choose a recipe from the last book that was gifted to us.

The last book that was gifted to me was a promotional copy of The Free Range Cook by Annabel Langbein.

Up until this point I hadn't heard of Annabel Langbein or her TV Series - The Free Range Cook, but I was very pleased to receive the book, especially once I had a chance to have a good browse through it.

Mmmmmmmmm, what a lot of lovely recipes!

Annabel believes in cooking good simple food for her friends and family using locally sourced products and those foraged from her gardens and farm, taking advantage of seasonal produce at it's freshest and best.

The TV series is set in and around her cabin on the shores of Lake Wanaka in the Southern Alps of New Zealand and there are lots of truly beautiful scenic photos as well as mouth-watering shots of food in the book.

I only wish I had a chance to watch the series.

For Dom's challenge I randomly open the book near the back (on purpose, is that random?) in hope of hitting a dessert and my dastardly scheming paid off.

Blueberry Crumble Cake! Result!!!! Wow, you should see the photo in the cookbook. I immediately started to drool just looking at it.

As I am reviewing the book, I can post the recipe. As usual I have figured out the cup measures and added them.










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Blueberry Crumble Cake
It's a cake, it has blueberries and it's a crumble. What more can you ask for? This cake is from a review copy of The Free Range Cook by Annabel Langbein. I have added cup measurements.
Ingredients
  • 140g / 2⁄3 cup butter, softened
  • 250g / 1¼ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 175ml / ¾ cup plain yoghurt
  • 250g / 2 cups plain flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 225g fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 375ml / 1½ cups crumble topping
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease the sides of a 25cm spring-form or loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper

2. Beat the butter and sugar together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Beat in the yoghurt, then add the sifted flour, baking powder and baking soda and stir gently until just combined. (The mixture will be a very thick consistency.) Spread into the prepared tin, sprinkle with the blueberries and then sprinkle the crumble topping over the top.

3. Bake for about 50-60 minutes until the cake is golden and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Stand for 15 minutes before turning out of the tin, then allow to cool before cutting. Store in an airtight container.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time:
Yield: 1 cake




Notes
:

* I only had a 20cm cake tin, so I only used ¾ of the cake batter. I was worried it would come up over the sides, but actually, I think it may have been ok. With the rest of the batter I made five glorious, crumble-topped muffins and I have to say this recipe makes wonderful muffins too.

* I wasn't paying attention and made the whole crumble mix and I really didn't need much of it. I would urge you to do the same as I had plenty left over for a couple of fruit crumbles. I just popped the rest in the fridge and made them another day, although you could freeze the rest of your crumble mix.





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Almond Crumble Mixture
This crumble mix is fabulous on a blueberry crumble cake, but is also great sprinkled on top of muffins before they are baked and as a topping for a traditional fruit crumble.

This crumble mix is from a review copy of The Free Range Cook by Annabel Langbein. I have added cup measurements.
Ingredients
  • 250g / 2 cups plain flour
  • 375g / 1 ¾ cups brown sugar, tightly packed
  • 200g / 2 1⁄3 cups rolled oats
  • 100g aalmonds, chooped or flaked
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 250g 2 sticks butter, melted
Instructions
Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Add the melted butter with a wooden spoon until evenly combined.
Details
Total time: Yield: several servings




After we had enjoyed a piece, I decided to take the rest of the cake into work as I knew I had crumbles to make too, so I decided to share the joy. It recieved rave reviews and was nearly all gone after morning break. Quite a few people hoped to try a piece in the afternoon, but they were doomed to disappointment. Cooper took a muffin in his packed lunch when he went to his childminder and Graham took the rest to his work. They all loved them.


I am also submitting this recipe to this month's Breakfast Club. This month's topic is berries and I know cake isn't a traditional breakfast, but this on is full of lovely berries and oats, so I think I can get away with it. I would happily grab a slice of this before work. So, let's just say this is a very occasional breakfast.

And........ I am submitting it to Simple and in Season as local blueberries are beginning to appear in the shops, must be that great weather we had in April.

Disclosure Statement: I received this book free from the publisher to review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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