Olive Oil Christmas Cake
I’ve been playing around with the recipe for an Olive Oil Christmas Cake the past few years and I think I might have finally cracked it with this one. With no sugar and no flour, this cake is chock full of fruit and nuts and goes perfectly with a cup of tea. Go to recipe >>
Lemon Olive Oil Polenta Cake
This intense, lemony cake works equally well plain as afternoon tea or as a dessert alongside some berries and a dollop of cream or yoghurt. Go to recipe >>
Hazelnut Truffles
These truffles are inspired by my friend Heather, who suggested hazelnut paste would be good in truffles and told me her Mum always rolled her truffles in chopped hazelnuts. Here’s what we came up with at Dunford Grove. Go to recipe >>
Bid’s Bird Bread
My friend gave me this wonderful recipe to try. Serve the crackers up as a healthy snack alongside a bowl of Guacamole or on a cheeseboard. It’s the easiest thing and so delicious, even on their own as a chip substitute – great for gluten free folk too. Go to recipe >>
Hazelnut Panforte
Panforte, or Sienna Cake as it is often known, is a handy thing to have in the fridge over the Christmas season. Sliced into thin slivers and served with an after dinner coffee, it’s a delicious finish to a meal or a delightful addition to a petit fours plate. Go to recipe >>
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Helen from Moorpark & Mulberry shared this recipe with me recently. The flavour of our new season Extra Virgin Olive Oil is strong enough to come through the dark chocolate intensity of this moist cake. Go to recipe >>
Spicy Peanut, Chicken and Asparagus Pasta
The launch of our new Chilli Infused Oil last year reminded me of this dish which our family has enjoyed over the years. It is especially useful in asparagus season as we have a large asparagus bed, but broccoli works just as well. Go to recipe >>
Grilled Asparagus Salad with Parmesan
This grilled asparagus salad is delicious on its own, as a side to some grilled or roasted meat and super with a salmon steak. We quite like it on chargrilled, sliced Ciabatta with a poached egg on top and drizzled with a little extra olive oil. Go to recipe >>
Date and Ginger Olive Oil Scones
What better thing to do on a wet and chilly Sunday morning than whip up a batch of these delicious Date and Ginger Olive Oil Scones, and then spend the rest of the day eating them by the fire with a book and a cuppa? Go to recipe >>
Raspberry and Nectarine Focaccia
This delicious focaccia makes for a fabulous breakfast or brunch bread. Ring the changes with whatever fruit is in season. Blackberry and apple, apricot and almond, banana and blueberry, cherry and chocolate, or pear and grape. Go to recipe >>
Prawn, Mozzarella and Lemon Pizza
Try this pizza as a delicious alternative to more traditional tomato-based pizzas. Wonderfully fresh tasting with the zing of citrus and peppery flavour from the rocket leaves, this is the perfect way to please the seafood lovers in your house. Go to recipe >>
Olive Oil, Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownie
A handy bake to have in the freezer for unexpected guests. I use these brownies as a sweet treat with a cup of coffee. They also work well as an easy dessert served alongside a scoop of ice-cream drizzled with Dunford Grove’s Hazelnut Oil. Go to recipe >>
Leek and Potato Soup with Spinach and Hazelnut Salsa
What better way to spend a snowy morning than keeping warm in the kitchen. This Claire Aldous recipe for Leek and Potato Soup with a Spinach and Hazelnut Salsa is delicious and is very much a case of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Go to recipe >>
Bean, Corn and Chicken main course salad
Barbequed corn on the cob makes a super addition to this bean salad and the coriander, lime and avocado give it a Mexican flavour. You could accompany them with some warmed soft tortillas and sour cream. Go to recipe >>
ABOUT US
Hi! We’re Jess and Chad. In April 2025, we became the proud new caretakers of Dunford Grove. Our vision is simple: to continue crafting the highest-quality, spray-free olives and hazelnuts while caring for the land that makes it all possible.
Tucked beside the sparkling shores of Lake Dunstan, our grove is home to over 1,000 Tuscan olive trees—Leccino, Frantoio, and Pendolino. Central Otago’s dramatic climate, with its hot dry summers and crisp winters, might be tough on us, but it’s perfect for growing healthy, disease-free trees and producing extra virgin olive oil with a truly unique character. Alongside the olives, 400 hazelnut trees add richness and variety to the harvest.
Whether you’ve been with Dunford Grove for years or are just discovering us for the first time—thanks for being here. We can’t wait to share a taste of this place with you.
Contact Us For Purchases
We welcome your enquiries, comments or questions.
Email:
orders@dunfordgrove.com
Phone:
Chad: 027 352 2081
Jess: 021 088 50740
Our Physical Address:
126 Smiths Way RD3
Cromwell 9383
Central Otago New Zealand
