Monthly Archives: May 2013

May8

Almond and Amaretto Cookies

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Almond and Amaretto Cookies

Almond and Amaretto Cookies

These are great little biscuits for serving with coffee after a meal. Spiced up by the twang of Amaretto liquor, a traditional Italian digestive, they make for a nice after dinner treat.

Ingredients

  • 230 gm butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of Amaretto liquor
  • 3 cups sifted flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • blanced almonds

Method:

  1. Cream the butter and sugar until pale
  2. Add the eggs and then the Amaretto and mix well
  3. Stir in the remaining, combined dry ingredients
  4. Roll into balls and place on an oven tray, press down with a fork
  5. Place a few blanched almonds on the top of each biscuit and gently press in.
  6. Bake at 180°C for 10 to 15 minutes
  7. When cooked place on a wire rack to cool
May8

Chocolate Macarons

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Chocolate Macaroons

Chocolate Macaroons

I have to admit… I am not usually a fan of “French patisserie,” not at all because I don’t like it, but rather because it generally involves a lot of precision, patience and “delicate-ness” – three things of which I don’t really do well, but to be a well rounded cook, I thought I couldn’t neglect this French traditional treat (based of course on a traditional french recipe)

Ingredients

  • 100gm of Almonds meal
  • 150gm of Icing sugar
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder
  • 50 gm of caster sugar
  • 50 gm of chocolate
  • 50ml of cream

Method

  1.  Mix together the icing sugar and almond meal
  2. Beat egg whites until soft  peaks forms and mix, add the sugar in three times, then add the cocoa powder
  3. Gradually add the eggs to the almond and icing sugar powder mix and mix with a spatular until smooth
  4. Next place small, equal spoonfuls of the mix onto a macaron tray (or else baking paper, but make sure they are all equal and placed at equal distances apart)
  5. Leave them for 30 mins before placing in the oven (see what I mean about patience! But this step is very important)
  6. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C
  7. After the 30 min have passed, bake for 20 min and let cool before taking off the try
  8. Bon appétit!
May8

Banana Split “Revisité”

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Banana Split "Revisité"

Banana Split “Revisité”

One night I needed to prepare a dessert… and fast… faced with a few (well) ripe banana, some chocolate and a couple of marshmallows, I decided to take the typical “banana split” to the next level with this wee gem.

Ingredients serves 2

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 teaspoon of butter (non-salted)
  • 4 marshmallows (pink and white to make it look pretty)
  • Half a block of milk chocolate
  • Neapolitan Ice-cream
  • Wafer biscuits

Method

  1. Peel and slice the bananas length ways
  2. Heat the butter in a pan and place in banana slices
  3. Meanwhile, cut the marshmallows in two and brown with a blow torch (or an open fire if you are lucky enough to have one… and it is Winter)
  4. Bring a pot of water the a gentle boil and place a bowl over the top (bain marie) with the chocolate in it (ensure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) to melt
  5. By this time you banana should be golden, flip and ensure the other sides is golden too
  6. Plate up by placing the golden banana slices on the bottom, place the wafer and a scoop of each flavour of ice-cream
  7. Decorate with the toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate

There you have it, a gourmet take on a traditional dessert in less than 10 mins!

May8

Kiwi Pavlova

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Kiwi Pavlova

Kiwi Pavlova

A typical “kiwi” dessert, claimed by many Australian’s to be their own, but we all know the truth… ok ok kidding, but really it is a New Zealand invention. Simple to make, but oven better made the night before to ensure a nice crunchy exterior and marshmallow centre a good pav is sure to please for any pudding occasion!

Ingredients

  • 3 large  egg whites
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 Tbs cornflour, sifted
  • 1 dessertspoon vinegar
  • 330ml of fresh cream
  • 1 teaspoon of icing sugar
  • A few drops of vanilla essence
  • Strawberries
  • Kiwifruit
  • Peaches (tinned is fine)

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 18°C and line a baking tray with baking paper
  2. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then slowly add the sugar, initially 1 Tbsp at a time
  3. Sprinkle the cornflour and vinegar over the top of the mixture and then slowly fold it in – don’t beat it
  4. Spatula the meringue on the tray then make any shape you want
  5. Place the tray in the oven then immediately drop the temperature to 130C.
  6. Bake for one hour then turn the oven off and leave the pavlova to cool in the oven
  7. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla
  8. Slice fruit and decorate your Pav

 

May8

Chocolate and Strawberry Surprise Cake

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Chocolate and Strawberry Surprise Cake

Chocolate and Strawberry Surprise Cake

Based on a basic chocolate cake recipe, this strawberry surprise cake includes a decadent layer of whipped strawberry liquor cream,  together with fresh strawberries and chocolate graffiti… a fresh cake that goes down well in Summer

Cake Ingredients

  • 50 g butter
  • 1 tablespoon golden syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa
  • 1 cup  plain baking flour
  • 1 teaspoon  baking powder
  • few drops vanilla essence
  • 1 teaspoon  baking soda
  • 3/4 cup milk

Strawberry Cream Ingredients

  • 330ml of fresh cream
  • 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam (preferably home made chunky jam)
  • 2 tablespoons of strawberry liquor
  • A few drops of vanilla essence
  • 1 teaspoon of icing sugar

Other Ingredients

  • Half a block of milk chocolate, melted on a bain marie
  • 1 punnet of fresh strawberries

Method for the Cake

  1. Melt butter and syrup in a small saucepan (or place together in the microwave)
  2. Put melted ingredients into a bowl, add egg and sugar and beat well
  3. Sift cocoa, flour and baking powder together
  4. Fold sifted ingredients and vanilla into egg mixture
  5. Dissolve baking soda in milk
  6. Fold into egg mixture
  7. Pour mixture into two greased and lined 20 cm sponge sandwich tins
  8. Bake at 190°C for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched
  9. Leave in tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack

Method for the Cream and Chocolate Graffiti

  1. Whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla
  2. Once whipped, mix in the strawberry jam and liquor with a fork
  3. Drizzle the melted chocolate on baking paper to form a graffiti and place in the fridge

Montage

  1. Place the strawberry cream in the middle of the cake 
  2. Slice the second cake layer into 4 wedges, like a pizza
  3. Place the wedges on an angle into the strawberry cream
  4. Place the fresh strawberries on the top, together with chocolate graffiti et voila!