Happy Easter to all of you. Have a wonderful break and lots of yummy food!
Showing posts with label Food Photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Photography. Show all posts
28.3.13
24.3.13
Kale and pear quiches
Today was a whooping nice day, it felt like 30˚C and it also happened to be a Sunday - yippee!
That's definitely beach weather we thought and started early, or at least tried, to get to the beach. We weren't alone and by the time we got there, it was already quite busy. Never mind, with coffee and ice- cream in hand we walked through the sand and found a nice spot.
The thing with the Australian sun is though, I can never bear her for long. So, after two hours we packed our stuff and strolled through Surry Hills, were they had a music festival of some sort. Bands played at different shops, cafes and along Crown Street to entertain the passers by.
On Crown Street is also a very nice grocery store/deli where I bought some nice ingredients for our dinner. Kale, pears, smoked bacon and sour cream shortcrust pastry from Careme. If you haven't come across these guys from the Barossa, you must. Of course, to make shortcrust pastry yourself is not difficult but if you short for time or can't be bothered, then try Careme.
The combination of kale and pear works really well, and the bacon and Gruyere give a lot of
yummy savoury flavour. The sour cream in the pastry makes it so flaky, it's more like puff pastry.
Delish!
Kale and pear mini quiches
Makes six
1 pack (375g) sour cream shortcrust pastry, Careme
4 smoked bacon rashers, rind removed
150 g kale, stems removed
100g
Gruyere cheese, grated
3 eggs
125 ml thickened cream
125 ml milk
1 large pear
Preheat oven to 200˚C. Roll pastry out on a
lightly floured surface, then cut into six squares so that they are large
enough to line the tin base and sides. Cut away any excess pastry from the
edges. Prick bases with a fork a few times. Chill for 15 minutes.
Put tarts on a baking tray. Line the tarts
with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked lentils. Blind bake
in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove paper and weights and bake for a
further 5 minutes or until pastry is golden. Remove and set aside.
For the filling chopped bacon and cook in a
frying pan over low heat until bacon is brown and crisp. Add chopped kale and ½
cup of water and cook over medium heat until kale is soft and water has
completely evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Once cooled sprinkle bacon and kale over the
six bases, followed by the grated Gruyere cheese.
Whisk together eggs, cream and milk, then
carefully pour the egg mixture over the bacon.
Finely slice the pear with a mandolin and
place a few slices on top of each filling.
Return quiches to the hot oven for 20-25
minutes or until golden and set.
Serve with a green salad.
18.3.13
Sago (tapioca) pudding with ginger-caramel and coconut ice-cream
At a restaurant I once had sago pudding inspired by the Malayan sago gula melaka. Whenever my grandmother would make Rote Gruetze, a berry dessert from North Germany, she would use sago to thicken the sauce. In this dessert sago itself becomes the main ingredient which I really like. After cooking the sago you need to rinse it under cold running water to remove the starch which makes it very sticky, but let me assure you, the beaten egg white makes all light and fluffy again. The sago has no sugar in it as the sweetness completely comes from the syrup and ice-cream. The coconut milk adds a refreshing note to it and prevents it from becoming too sweet.
My mother-in-law once gave me little Buddha moulds which I think are fun to make the sago pudding in. I made this dessert for German friends visiting Sydney as it is nothing you would necessarily come across in Europe and it's also great to prepare ahead.
Sago pudding with ginger-caramel sauce
300g sago
1 egg white
200g palm sugar, chopped
½ cup water
4 tbsp white sugar
2 cm piece ginger, peeled, sliced
1small can coconut milk
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and when boiling, add sago. Stir frequently as the water returns to the boil, to avoid them sticking. The sago will float to the surface and be transparent when cooked. Strain and rinse with cold water a couple of times to remove the starch.
In a clean bowl beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Add sago, stir to combine and pour into four jelly moulds. Cover with cling film and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Stir palm sugar and water over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Stir in white sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Add ginger and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until syrup has thickened slightly. Strain through a fine sieve into a pouring jug and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
Carefully turn sago puddings out onto plates and serve topped with a little of the coconut milk and syrup, accompanied by the coconut ice-cream and toasted coconut.
Quick coconut ice-ceam
For this you need an ice-cream maker.
(makes approx 4 cups)
1 cup coconut cream
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
Place coconut cream and both milks into a large jug and refrigerate until cold (at least an hour).
Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn until finished. Put in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to two week.
Serve with toasted shredded coconut.
My mother-in-law once gave me little Buddha moulds which I think are fun to make the sago pudding in. I made this dessert for German friends visiting Sydney as it is nothing you would necessarily come across in Europe and it's also great to prepare ahead.
Sago pudding with ginger-caramel sauce
300g sago
1 egg white
200g palm sugar, chopped
½ cup water
4 tbsp white sugar
2 cm piece ginger, peeled, sliced
1small can coconut milk
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and when boiling, add sago. Stir frequently as the water returns to the boil, to avoid them sticking. The sago will float to the surface and be transparent when cooked. Strain and rinse with cold water a couple of times to remove the starch.
In a clean bowl beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Add sago, stir to combine and pour into four jelly moulds. Cover with cling film and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Stir palm sugar and water over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Stir in white sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Add ginger and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until syrup has thickened slightly. Strain through a fine sieve into a pouring jug and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
Carefully turn sago puddings out onto plates and serve topped with a little of the coconut milk and syrup, accompanied by the coconut ice-cream and toasted coconut.
Quick coconut ice-ceam
For this you need an ice-cream maker.
(makes approx 4 cups)
1 cup coconut cream
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
Place coconut cream and both milks into a large jug and refrigerate until cold (at least an hour).
Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn until finished. Put in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to two week.
Serve with toasted shredded coconut.
10.3.13
Apricot chicken recipe
Recently I made apricot chicken for Sunday dinner and it proved to be quite popular.
It's such an easy recipe, nothing fancy but yummy. However, it has nothing to do with the old-fashioned recipe that uses French onion soup powder and canned apricots. I first used fresh apricots which work as well but dried ones are more my taste and available all year round.
I love the sweetness through the dried apricots and the crunch through roasted almonds.
Ras el Hanout, a Moroccan spice blend adds a nice warmth to it, perfect for autumn weather (that inspiration I took from Janelle Bloom's cookbook). Ras el hanout translates as "head of the shop" and implies the blend uses only the best spices the seller has to offer. Depending on where its purchased the blend of spices will vary though.
Mine is from Herbie's in Sydney and it lists Paprika, Cumin, Ginger, Coriander Seed, Cassia, Turmeric, Fennel Seed, Allspice, Cardamom Green, Dill Seed, Galangal, Nutmeg, Orris root, Bay Leaves, Caraway Seed, Cayenne, Cloves, Mace, Black Pepper, Brown Cardamom, Whole Kashmiri Saffron Stigma. What an extensive list and it smells truly amazing.
Apricot chicken recipe
1 kg chicken boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend such as Ras el Hanout
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apricot nectar
40g dried apricots, halved
2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Heat oil in a large casserole dish and fry the chicken on each side until golden. Remove from casserole and set aside. Saute onion and garlic on medium-low heat until softened. Add spice mix and fry until fragrant. Add stock, apricot nectar, apricots and chicken thighs and bring to the boil. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove chicken thighs and boil sauce until slightly reduced. Add chicken and season.
Serve sprinkled with almonds and parsley.
Serve with brown rice or couscous.
It's such an easy recipe, nothing fancy but yummy. However, it has nothing to do with the old-fashioned recipe that uses French onion soup powder and canned apricots. I first used fresh apricots which work as well but dried ones are more my taste and available all year round.
I love the sweetness through the dried apricots and the crunch through roasted almonds.
Ras el Hanout, a Moroccan spice blend adds a nice warmth to it, perfect for autumn weather (that inspiration I took from Janelle Bloom's cookbook). Ras el hanout translates as "head of the shop" and implies the blend uses only the best spices the seller has to offer. Depending on where its purchased the blend of spices will vary though.
Mine is from Herbie's in Sydney and it lists Paprika, Cumin, Ginger, Coriander Seed, Cassia, Turmeric, Fennel Seed, Allspice, Cardamom Green, Dill Seed, Galangal, Nutmeg, Orris root, Bay Leaves, Caraway Seed, Cayenne, Cloves, Mace, Black Pepper, Brown Cardamom, Whole Kashmiri Saffron Stigma. What an extensive list and it smells truly amazing.
Apricot chicken recipe
1 kg chicken boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend such as Ras el Hanout
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apricot nectar
40g dried apricots, halved
2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Heat oil in a large casserole dish and fry the chicken on each side until golden. Remove from casserole and set aside. Saute onion and garlic on medium-low heat until softened. Add spice mix and fry until fragrant. Add stock, apricot nectar, apricots and chicken thighs and bring to the boil. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove chicken thighs and boil sauce until slightly reduced. Add chicken and season.
Serve sprinkled with almonds and parsley.
Serve with brown rice or couscous.
28.2.13
Vegan Banana Cake
I am not sure why I thought of making a vegan banana cake as so far I have been making a very traditional one and it always turned out nicely. But then there is so much talk about the so-
called superfoods which I liked to try in a cake. There are some superfoods I would not touch, no matter how healthy they might be but chia seeds have become one of our favourite seeds in our family. They are so versatile and don't really taste like much but sprinkled on a smoothie it adds a nice crunch to it. Don't let them sit too long though or they become soggy and starting to gel. Funny seed that is.
The chia and almond spread is from the health food section at Coles which seems to be widely available. I bought the spread because it somehow attracted me without knowing what I am going to do with it in the first place.
It actually works well instead of peanut butter but also adds nice flavour to the cake.
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a good pinch of mixed spice
called superfoods which I liked to try in a cake. There are some superfoods I would not touch, no matter how healthy they might be but chia seeds have become one of our favourite seeds in our family. They are so versatile and don't really taste like much but sprinkled on a smoothie it adds a nice crunch to it. Don't let them sit too long though or they become soggy and starting to gel. Funny seed that is.
The chia and almond spread is from the health food section at Coles which seems to be widely available. I bought the spread because it somehow attracted me without knowing what I am going to do with it in the first place.
It actually works well instead of peanut butter but also adds nice flavour to the cake.
Vegan banana bread
30g linseed (finely ground, I used a coffee grinder)
150ml canola oil
200g plain flour
50g wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamona good pinch of mixed spice
200 g brown sugar
2 ripe bananas
2 tablespoons chia and almond spread
Preheat oven to 180C. Stir together linseed and oil and let sit.
Combine both flours, baking powder, spices and sugar in a large bowl. In another
bowl mash bananas and mix with chia and almond spread and linseed-oil mixture.
Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.
Fill into a Gugelhupf or loaf tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the
centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out
onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.
15.12.12
Happy Holidays
While Christmas bells are chiming, oh, may there come to you
A dear little fairy, who's always good and true;
The little happy fairy, who drives away dull care,
And makes all things upon the earth seem ever bright and fair.
She'll whisper to good Santa to bring what you most wish;
So if you have been longing for a fine pudding dish,
She will not, as in by-gone years, forget and bring to you
Something that you do not want, though beautiful and new.
By Winifred Sackville Stoner Jr.
And a German poem I grew up with:
Markt und Straßen stehn verlassen,
Still erleuchtet jedes Haus,
Sinnend geh' ich durch die Gassen,
Alles sieht so festlich aus.
An den Fenstern haben Frauen
Buntes Spielzeug fromm geschmückt,
Tausend Kindlein stehn und schauen,
Sind so wunderstill beglückt.
Und ich wandre aus den Mauern
Bis hinaus in's freie Feld,
Hehres Glänzen, heil'ges Schauern!
Wie so weit und still die Welt!
Sterne hoch die Kreise schlingen,
Aus des Schneees Einsamkeit
Steigt 's wie wunderbares Singen -
O du gnadenreiche Zeit!
By Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff
A dear little fairy, who's always good and true;
The little happy fairy, who drives away dull care,
And makes all things upon the earth seem ever bright and fair.
She'll whisper to good Santa to bring what you most wish;
So if you have been longing for a fine pudding dish,
She will not, as in by-gone years, forget and bring to you
Something that you do not want, though beautiful and new.
By Winifred Sackville Stoner Jr.
And a German poem I grew up with:
Markt und Straßen stehn verlassen,
Still erleuchtet jedes Haus,
Sinnend geh' ich durch die Gassen,
Alles sieht so festlich aus.
An den Fenstern haben Frauen
Buntes Spielzeug fromm geschmückt,
Tausend Kindlein stehn und schauen,
Sind so wunderstill beglückt.
Und ich wandre aus den Mauern
Bis hinaus in's freie Feld,
Hehres Glänzen, heil'ges Schauern!
Wie so weit und still die Welt!
Sterne hoch die Kreise schlingen,
Aus des Schneees Einsamkeit
Steigt 's wie wunderbares Singen -
O du gnadenreiche Zeit!
By Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff
See the our Christmas ebook at ISSUU.
27.11.12
German Lebkuchen cookies - November Daring Bakers Challenge
Holiday season is the time for sharing and Peta of Peta Eats is sharing a dozen cookies, some classics and some of her own, from all over the world with us.
Oh, Peta gave us so many choices but I knew I had to make the German Lebkuchen (gingerbread) cookies. Lebkuchen is the ultimate Christmas memory to me and this recipe is beautiful soft and moist yet firm enough to cut out any shape you like. Perfect for Christmas baking with family and friends.
In Germany it's a beloved tradition to have friends over for some cookie baking (Plaetzchen) to devour them on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve. Also important is the table decoration consisting of a wreath with four candles marking the four Advent Sundays. On the first Sunday you'll light only one candle and then the second on the second Advent and so fourth.
It's such a nice welcoming of Christmas that I miss very much here in Sydney. I still have candles on the table but since it's summer it doesn't quite feel the same to me.
Anyway, baking is still fun even in summer and these gingerbread cookies are very scrumptious.
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Ingredients:
85ml honey
115g dark brown sugar
30g butter
225g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, beaten
50g ground almonds
Icing
25g icing sugar sifted
2 tsp water
Method
In a large pan place the honey, sugar and butter. Put on a low heat until the butter and sugar have melted. Remove from the heat. Sift together the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda. Beat the egg in a small dish. Add one half of the flour mixture and half of the egg to the pan and mix well. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg. Finally add in the ground almonds and mix till thoroughly combined. The dough now needs to be chilled, it is very sticky and will seem along way away from being a biscuit dough but don’t worry.
Place it in a plastic bag, an easy way of doing this is to fold a bag over the inside of a large jug and tip the dough in.
Chill overnight in the fridge, in fact you can leave this dough to develop it’s flavours in the fridge for up to three days.
Roll dough out between two sheets of greaseproof paper to approx 5mm thick. Preheat the oven to 160c Fan/180c/Gas Mark 4. Cut out shapes and lay them on a lined baking tray.
Bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for five minutes on the tray to firm up a little before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
Mix up a runny icing glaze combining your sifted icing sugar with the water. Line up the lebkuchen on a wire rack. Using a pastry brush glaze the tops of the biscuits by brushing on a thin layer of icing. Apply a second coat and leave to dry. The biscuits will keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container – that’s if you can resist eating them.
Oh, Peta gave us so many choices but I knew I had to make the German Lebkuchen (gingerbread) cookies. Lebkuchen is the ultimate Christmas memory to me and this recipe is beautiful soft and moist yet firm enough to cut out any shape you like. Perfect for Christmas baking with family and friends.
In Germany it's a beloved tradition to have friends over for some cookie baking (Plaetzchen) to devour them on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve. Also important is the table decoration consisting of a wreath with four candles marking the four Advent Sundays. On the first Sunday you'll light only one candle and then the second on the second Advent and so fourth.
It's such a nice welcoming of Christmas that I miss very much here in Sydney. I still have candles on the table but since it's summer it doesn't quite feel the same to me.
Anyway, baking is still fun even in summer and these gingerbread cookies are very scrumptious.
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Ingredients:
85ml honey
115g dark brown sugar
30g butter
225g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, beaten
50g ground almonds
Icing
25g icing sugar sifted
2 tsp water
Method
In a large pan place the honey, sugar and butter. Put on a low heat until the butter and sugar have melted. Remove from the heat. Sift together the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda. Beat the egg in a small dish. Add one half of the flour mixture and half of the egg to the pan and mix well. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg. Finally add in the ground almonds and mix till thoroughly combined. The dough now needs to be chilled, it is very sticky and will seem along way away from being a biscuit dough but don’t worry.
Place it in a plastic bag, an easy way of doing this is to fold a bag over the inside of a large jug and tip the dough in.
Chill overnight in the fridge, in fact you can leave this dough to develop it’s flavours in the fridge for up to three days.
Roll dough out between two sheets of greaseproof paper to approx 5mm thick. Preheat the oven to 160c Fan/180c/Gas Mark 4. Cut out shapes and lay them on a lined baking tray.
Bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for five minutes on the tray to firm up a little before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
Mix up a runny icing glaze combining your sifted icing sugar with the water. Line up the lebkuchen on a wire rack. Using a pastry brush glaze the tops of the biscuits by brushing on a thin layer of icing. Apply a second coat and leave to dry. The biscuits will keep for up to three weeks in an airtight container – that’s if you can resist eating them.
8.11.12
Pulled pork
Saturday was a day for comfort food, it drizzled all day and was somewhat cold compared to the nice warm days we already had.
My folks were out camping and I had a nice day of catching up with friends ahead of me. But oh, this weather, I needed something to cheer me up.
Being busy catching up I didn't have too much time fussing about in the kitchen but knew a friend would come over for dinner so I pulled out my slow cooker, bought a beautiful piece of free-range pork neck and let it simmer for six hours. It was the best pulled pork I've ever made so far. Juicy and tender, easy too shred and the sauce was divine!
I can't remember when I heard first of pulled pork but it's such an easy dish and so delicious. Very versatile too, mixed it through some green leaves and vegetables and have it as a warm salad, on rye bread with beetroot relish as an open sandwich, or as I did on the third day, make it into quesadillas. Yum!
My folks were out camping and I had a nice day of catching up with friends ahead of me. But oh, this weather, I needed something to cheer me up.
Being busy catching up I didn't have too much time fussing about in the kitchen but knew a friend would come over for dinner so I pulled out my slow cooker, bought a beautiful piece of free-range pork neck and let it simmer for six hours. It was the best pulled pork I've ever made so far. Juicy and tender, easy too shred and the sauce was divine!
I can't remember when I heard first of pulled pork but it's such an easy dish and so delicious. Very versatile too, mixed it through some green leaves and vegetables and have it as a warm salad, on rye bread with beetroot relish as an open sandwich, or as I did on the third day, make it into quesadillas. Yum!
 | |||
| Pulled pork sandwich with beetroot relish |
Recipe for pulled pork:
Ingredients:
1.5- 2kg pork shoulder
(neck) roast
1 cup barbecue sauce (I used Stubb's)
½ cup cider white
balsamic vinegar
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dijon
mustard
2 teaspoons cayenne
pepper
2 garlic cloves,
crushed
Method:
1. Place the pork roast
into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, vinegar and chicken broth.
Stir in the brown sugar, mustard, cayenne pepper and garlic.
2. Cover and cook on
High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.
3. Remove the roast from
the slow cooker, shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to
the slow cooker and stir the meat into the juices.
For the beetroot relish:
Ingredients:
For the beetroot relish:
Ingredients:
2kg (about 5) fresh
beetroot
2 Granny Smith apples,
peeled, cored, finely chopped
2 cups balsamic
vinegar
1/3 cup fresh orange
juice
21/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground
cloves
2 large fresh rosemary
sprigs
salt
Method:
1. Trim and peel beetroot.
Grate beetroot in a food processor using the grater disc (you can use a normal
grater but with this amount of beetroot, you’ll be swearing).
2. Place beetroot, apple, vinegar, orange juice, sugar and cloves in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the rosemary. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 1 hour or until the mixture thickens slightly. Season with salt.
2. Place beetroot, apple, vinegar, orange juice, sugar and cloves in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the rosemary. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 1 hour or until the mixture thickens slightly. Season with salt.
3. Remove the rosemary
and discard. Spoon the hot relish into sterilised jars. Seal and invert for 2
minutes. Keeps 2 months in the fridge.
4.11.12
Blueberry friands with white chocolate
Ingredients:
makes 22
1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 cup ground almonds
100g white chocolate melts, melted
160g butter, melted, cooled
5 egg whites, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 punnet (125g) blueberries
Icing sugar, to serve
Method:
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
Sift flour and icing sugar into a big bowl. Add ground
almonds, melted chocolate, butter, egg whites and vanilla. Stir until just
combined. Divide mixture evenly into friand patty cases, filling the case to
2/3. Sprinkle top with blueberries and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a
skewer inserted in centre of a friand comes out clean. Dust with icing sugar.
Serve.
28.8.12
August Daring Bakers Challenge - Choux Pastry
Kat of The Bobwhites was our August 2012 Daring Baker hostess who
inspired us to have fun in creating pate a choux shapes, filled with
crème patisserie or Chantilly cream. We were encouraged
to create swans or any shape we wanted and to go crazy with filling flavors allowing our creativity
to go wild!
Mmmhh, choux pastry! Is there anything more French than that? Somehow I couldn't get myself
to do swans even though I liked the idea (maybe for my daughter's next birthday party - however
might be too fancy) as I always had to think of eclairs. I love eclairs and they look so elegant.
I once had to develop recipes with coffee and remembered a coffee glaze I used for a cake. This time I spread it on the eclairs and also put some coffee flavour through the whipped cream. Okay, here I actually used a short cut, instead of making a custard cream I only whipped some cream
but it's just as nice, I promise!
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to create swans or any shape we wanted and to go crazy with filling flavors allowing our creativity
to go wild!
Mmmhh, choux pastry! Is there anything more French than that? Somehow I couldn't get myself
to do swans even though I liked the idea (maybe for my daughter's next birthday party - however
might be too fancy) as I always had to think of eclairs. I love eclairs and they look so elegant.
I once had to develop recipes with coffee and remembered a coffee glaze I used for a cake. This time I spread it on the eclairs and also put some coffee flavour through the whipped cream. Okay, here I actually used a short cut, instead of making a custard cream I only whipped some cream
but it's just as nice, I promise!
-->
Pate a choux
Ingredients:
½ cup (120 ml) (115 gm) (4 oz) butter
1 cup (240 ml) water
¼ teaspoon (1½ gm) salt
1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) (115 gm) (4 oz) butter
1 cup (240 ml) water
¼ teaspoon (1½ gm) salt
1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
Method:
Line at least two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper, or grease pans well.
Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F/190°C/gas mark 5 .
In a small saucepot, combine butter, water, and salt. Heat over until butter melts, then remove from stove.
Add flour all at once and beat, beat, beat the mixture until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot.
Add one egg, and beat until well combined. Add remaining eggs individually, beating vigorously after each addition. Resulting mixture should be somewhat glossy, very smooth, and somewhat thick.
Line at least two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper, or grease pans well.
Preheat oven to moderately hot 375°F/190°C/gas mark 5 .
In a small saucepot, combine butter, water, and salt. Heat over until butter melts, then remove from stove.
Add flour all at once and beat, beat, beat the mixture until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot.
Add one egg, and beat until well combined. Add remaining eggs individually, beating vigorously after each addition. Resulting mixture should be somewhat glossy, very smooth, and somewhat thick.
Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm-wide plain
nozzle. Pipe mixture into 11cm logs onto prepared trays, allowing room for
spreading. Lightly sprinkle the trays with water. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce
oven temperature to 160°C. Bake for a further 30 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Turn oven off and leave eclairs in oven, with the door slightly ajar, to dry
out. Remove the pastries
to a cooling rack, and let cool completely. Cut eclairs in
half horizontally. Spread top of eclair with coffee glaze and fill with coffee
cream. Assemble and decorate with melted chocolate and sugar flowers.
Coffee cream
1 cup thickened cream
2 tbs pure icing sugar
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp boiling water
1 tbs Baileys Coffee Irish Cream liqueur
2 tbs pure icing sugar
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp boiling water
1 tbs Baileys Coffee Irish Cream liqueur
Beat the cream and icing sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form. Stir the
coffee granules and boiling water in a bowl until the coffee dissolves. Fold
the coffee mixture and Baileys into the cream mixture until combined.
Coffee glaze
1 cup icing sugar
5 teaspoons strong brewed coffee
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
Combine everything in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Spread over the eclairs. Let set.
5 teaspoons strong brewed coffee
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
Combine everything in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Spread over the eclairs. Let set.
27.6.12
Daring Bakers Challenge June
Mandy of What The Fruitcake?!
came to our rescue last minute to present us with the Battenberg Cake
challenge! She highlighted Mary Berry’s techniques and recipes to allow
us to create this unique little cake with ease.
When I saw this cake first I wasn't really sure what to make of it. It looks a tad too old school for my taste but then curiosity got the better of me, and I am glad I made it. I used marzipan to wrap around and it's delicious.
The Battenberg cake is based on German-style of cake making and traditionally includes marzipan (love marzipan)
and apricot jam. The cake was first made to celebrate the wedding of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter,
Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine and was named after her husband, Prince Louis of Battenberg.
The cake itself is like a pound cake with extra almond in it and that gives it its beautiful nutty flavour.
I blended almonds in their skin as that brings out more flavour but also means the cake will not
be as light as with blanched almonds.
Instead of pink/red food colouring I used 50g mashed raspberries to enhance flavour and texture.
The batter was quite dry and therefore I added a bit more milk which worked fine.
Since I had still vanilla buttercream left from the Bratz cake I made a day earlier I cheated and used this.
It was just enough and I was happy not to waste any leftovers.
I would also recommend to beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. I think that will give
a much better texture.
Such a cute little cake which is more like a petit fours than a cake really.
When I saw this cake first I wasn't really sure what to make of it. It looks a tad too old school for my taste but then curiosity got the better of me, and I am glad I made it. I used marzipan to wrap around and it's delicious.
The Battenberg cake is based on German-style of cake making and traditionally includes marzipan (love marzipan)
and apricot jam. The cake was first made to celebrate the wedding of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter,
Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine and was named after her husband, Prince Louis of Battenberg.
The cake itself is like a pound cake with extra almond in it and that gives it its beautiful nutty flavour.
I blended almonds in their skin as that brings out more flavour but also means the cake will not
be as light as with blanched almonds.
Instead of pink/red food colouring I used 50g mashed raspberries to enhance flavour and texture.
The batter was quite dry and therefore I added a bit more milk which worked fine.
Since I had still vanilla buttercream left from the Bratz cake I made a day earlier I cheated and used this.
It was just enough and I was happy not to waste any leftovers.
I would also recommend to beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. I think that will give
a much better texture.
Such a cute little cake which is more like a petit fours than a cake really.
Traditional Battenberg:
Servings:
+- 8
Ingredients
¾ cup (1½ sticks) 175gm / 6 oz Unsalted Butter, softened; cut in cubes
¾ cup / 175gm / 6 oz Caster Sugar
1¼ cups / 175gm / 6 oz Self-Raising Flour
3 Large Eggs, room temp
½ cup / 65gm/ 2 1/3 oz Ground Almonds (Can be substituted with ground rice) I used 75g of ground almonds
3/4 tsp / 3½ gm Baking Powder
½ tsp / 2½ ml Vanilla Extract
I also added 6 tablespoons milk
1/4 tsp (1¼ ml) Almond Extract - didn't use
Red Food Colouring, paste, liquid or gel - I used 50g mashed raspberries instead
¾ cup (1½ sticks) 175gm / 6 oz Unsalted Butter, softened; cut in cubes
¾ cup / 175gm / 6 oz Caster Sugar
1¼ cups / 175gm / 6 oz Self-Raising Flour
3 Large Eggs, room temp
½ cup / 65gm/ 2 1/3 oz Ground Almonds (Can be substituted with ground rice) I used 75g of ground almonds
3/4 tsp / 3½ gm Baking Powder
½ tsp / 2½ ml Vanilla Extract
I also added 6 tablespoons milk
1/4 tsp (1¼ ml) Almond Extract - didn't use
Red Food Colouring, paste, liquid or gel - I used 50g mashed raspberries instead
To
Finish
1/3 cup (80 ml) 100gm /3 ½ oz Apricot Jam - I used leftover vanilla buttercream
1 cup / 225gm / 8 oz Marzipan, natural or yellow
1/3 cup (80 ml) 100gm /3 ½ oz Apricot Jam - I used leftover vanilla buttercream
1 cup / 225gm / 8 oz Marzipan, natural or yellow
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/160°C Fan Assisted/Gas Mark 4
2. Grease an 8”/20cm square baking tin with butter
3. Line the tin with parchment paper, creating a divide in the middle with the parchment (or foil)
- Tip: See photos or watch video above for detailed instructions
4. OR Prepare Battenberg tin by brushing the tin with melted butter and flouring
5. Whisk together the dry ingredients then combine with the wet ingredients in a large bowl and beat together just until the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth
6. Spoon half the mixture into the one side of the prepared baking tin
7. Add a few drops of red food liquid/gel/paste to the remaining batter, stir until the colour is thoroughly distributed, add more colour if needed
8. Spoon the pink batter into the other half of the prepared baking tin
9. Smooth the surface of the batter with a spatula, making sure batter is in each corner
10. Bake for 25-30mins until the cake is well risen, springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean (it should shrink away from the sides of the pan)
11. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out to cool thoroughly on a wire rack
12. Once completely cool, trim the edges of the cake with a long serrated knife
13. Cut each coloured sponge in half lengthways so that you are left with four long strips of sponge
14. Neaten the strips and trim as necessary so that your checkered pattern is as neat and even as possible
15. Gently heat the apricot jam and pass through a small sieve
16. Brush warmed jam onto the strips of cake to stick the cake together in a checkered pattern (one yellow next to one pink. On top of that, one pink next to one yellow)
- Tip: See photos for detailed instructions
17. Dust a large flat surface with icing sugar then roll the marzipan in an oblong shape that is wide enough to cover the length of the cake and long enough to completely wrap the cake
18. Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam
19. Place the cake on the marzipan, jam side down
- Tip: Either in the middle or to the one side of the marzipan
20. Brush the remaining three sides with jam
21. Press the marzipan around the cake, making sure the join is either neatly in the one corner, or will be underneath the cake once turned over
- Tip: If you put the sponge to the one side of the marzipan, I found it easiest to "roll" the sponge over and over onto the marzipan instead of lifting the marzipan up onto the sponge
22. Carefully flip the cake over so that the seam is under the cake and score the top of the cake with a knife, you can also crimp the top corners with your fingers to decorate
23. Neaten the ends of the cake and remove excess marzipan by trimming off a small bit of cake on both ends to reveal the pattern.
1. Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/160°C Fan Assisted/Gas Mark 4
2. Grease an 8”/20cm square baking tin with butter
3. Line the tin with parchment paper, creating a divide in the middle with the parchment (or foil)
- Tip: See photos or watch video above for detailed instructions
4. OR Prepare Battenberg tin by brushing the tin with melted butter and flouring
5. Whisk together the dry ingredients then combine with the wet ingredients in a large bowl and beat together just until the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth
6. Spoon half the mixture into the one side of the prepared baking tin
7. Add a few drops of red food liquid/gel/paste to the remaining batter, stir until the colour is thoroughly distributed, add more colour if needed
8. Spoon the pink batter into the other half of the prepared baking tin
9. Smooth the surface of the batter with a spatula, making sure batter is in each corner
10. Bake for 25-30mins until the cake is well risen, springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean (it should shrink away from the sides of the pan)
11. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out to cool thoroughly on a wire rack
12. Once completely cool, trim the edges of the cake with a long serrated knife
13. Cut each coloured sponge in half lengthways so that you are left with four long strips of sponge
14. Neaten the strips and trim as necessary so that your checkered pattern is as neat and even as possible
15. Gently heat the apricot jam and pass through a small sieve
16. Brush warmed jam onto the strips of cake to stick the cake together in a checkered pattern (one yellow next to one pink. On top of that, one pink next to one yellow)
- Tip: See photos for detailed instructions
17. Dust a large flat surface with icing sugar then roll the marzipan in an oblong shape that is wide enough to cover the length of the cake and long enough to completely wrap the cake
18. Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam
19. Place the cake on the marzipan, jam side down
- Tip: Either in the middle or to the one side of the marzipan
20. Brush the remaining three sides with jam
21. Press the marzipan around the cake, making sure the join is either neatly in the one corner, or will be underneath the cake once turned over
- Tip: If you put the sponge to the one side of the marzipan, I found it easiest to "roll" the sponge over and over onto the marzipan instead of lifting the marzipan up onto the sponge
22. Carefully flip the cake over so that the seam is under the cake and score the top of the cake with a knife, you can also crimp the top corners with your fingers to decorate
23. Neaten the ends of the cake and remove excess marzipan by trimming off a small bit of cake on both ends to reveal the pattern.
17.4.12
Food styling job for Weight Watchers
In the current Weight Watchers Issue is a food styling job I did a while ago.
Photos by Chris Chen, food prep by Tracy Rutherford and recipes by Kirrily la Rosa.
More photos here at my Behance portfolio.
Photos by Chris Chen, food prep by Tracy Rutherford and recipes by Kirrily la Rosa.
More photos here at my Behance portfolio.
3.11.11
Food photography workshop
Last week I attended a food photography evening called "Food Glorious Food" organised by the ACMP and held at gastronomy in Alexandria. The food photographers Penelope Beveridge and Lisa Saad showcased her style of working and setting light. Chef Miccal Cummins added tips about food styling and everyone got a delightful dinner and drinks. It's always interesting to see how different photographers approach their work and it's great that Penelope, Lisa and Miccal were happy to share their knowledge. This evening was very worthwhile and I can really recommend to check out the ACMP website for future events.
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| Photographer Penelope Beveridge. |
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| Penolope Beveridge, Lisa Saad and Miccal Cummins. |
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| Set up for food photography. |
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| Good food photography makes hungry! Everyone is getting food. |
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