Tomatoey lentil sauce with quinoa and feta

Enjoyed this yummy lunch after doing a bit of shopping - bought a couple of things that I've been wanting for ages so am quite happy!


Ingredients - one large serving
1/4 C quinoa
200g crushed canned tomatoes (or could use fresh tomatoes)
1/2 C canned lentils (or chickpeas, other beans)
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp garlic (from jar)
1/4 tsp onion powder (or fresh - maybe 1/4 of an onion and soften in olive oil before adding in the tomato mixture)
1 tsp dried basil (use fresh if you have it!)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
salt and pepper
1 large button mushroom, sliced
1/2 C chopped cauliflower, steamed in the microwave for 3 minutes
(whatever other veggies you like... broccoli, spinach, pumpkin)
feta, crumbled 

1. Combine quinoa with about 3/4C of water in a small saucepan, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, place tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic in a hand-mixer or blender and pulse until desired consistency. Place this mixture into a medium saucepan and add onion powder, basil, chilli, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat then reduce to low. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Once the mixture has simmered for 10 minutes add lentils and steamed cauliflower. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

4. Serve sauce on top of quinoa and crumble feta on top. Enjoy!

Christmas day trifles - with a vegan, gluten and dairy-free option too!

So Christmas day involved lazy time at home all day. Then it started storming. Then we had dinner = turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread, cranberry jelly, veggies, gravy, stuffing, champagne! Then I watched Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary concert on tv while eating my trifle glass. Mmm. Only things I'd change - less nuts, more strawberries. It really comes down to personal preference though - tailor these to your own taste!

 

Chocolate butterscotch trifles 

Ingredients

1. Martha Stewart's one-bowl chocolate cupcakes (see here) - I used about 1.5 cupcakes per 250ml trifle cup

2. Butterscotch pudding (see below)

3. Whipped cream (see below)

4. Chopped macadamia nuts - about 1/8 cup per trifle  

5. Chopped strawberries (or any other fruit) - about 2 medium sized strawberries per trifle

6. Butterscotch schnapps (or rum, whisky etc) for drizzling on cake (optional)

Butterscotch pudding (this was much more than I needed for 3 trifles. Next time I would make 1/2 of this amount)

adapted from Joy the Baker's recipe which was adapted from David Lebovitz

Ingredients

4 tbsp (56.8g) unsalted butter

1 C (226g) dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cornstarch

2 C whole milk

1/2 C (116g) heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butterscotch schnapps (I used this) or whisky, rum etc (optional)

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan (preferably one with a rounded bottom to prevent pudding overcooking and sticking at the edges - this happened to me because I didn't have this saucepan!). 

2. Add brown sugar to the melted butter and whisk together to ensure that all of the brown sugar is moistened by the  butter.  The mixture will be grainy.  That’s ok.  Remove the pan from the flame.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, salt and 1/4 cup of milk.  Make sure there are no cornstarch lumps in the mixture.  Whisk in the eggs.

4. Return the sugar and butter mixture to a medium-low flame.  Pour in the milk (1 + 3/4 cups), cream and cornstarch mixture.  Whisk almost constantly as the mixture heats.  The mixture will thicken just as it starts to simmer.  Allow to simmer, whisking constantly, until the pudding is the thickness of warm hot fudge sauce. (I was quite unsure of how long this step was supposed to take - I was simmering and whisking for over 5 minutes but I only just looked up David Lebovitz's version of instructions and it mentions to simmer for only 1 minute! This may be the reason why mine wasn't as smooth as expected).

5. Pass the pudding through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl.  Stir in the vanilla extract and alcohol of choice (if using). Cover the pudding with plastic wrap, directly on top of the pudding, and allow to cool and thicken in the refrigerator for at least an hour (this took longer for me! probably more like 3-4 hours but I just left it overnight).

Whipped cream (I used this amount in 3 trifles. I think next time I would multiply this by an extra 1/3)

adapted from Joy the Baker's recipe using tips from Joy of Baking

Ingredients

1 1/2 C heavy cream

3 tbsp powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tsp butterscotch schnapps, whisky, rum (optional - I didn't add this)

1. For best results chill beaters and bowl in fridge for 1 hour or in freezer for 15 minutes (I skipped this as there was no room in the fridge or freezer due to too much xmas food!)

2. Whip together cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and alcohol of choice (if using).  Whip until soft peaks form (cream should droop slightly from ends of beaters when lifted). 

ASSEMBLY

1. Alternate layers of pudding, crumbled cupcakes, nuts, whipped cream and strawberries. Top with extra nuts and grated chocolate (curls would have been nicer).

Snickerdoodle trifle with caramelised banana and strawberries

Ingredients

1. These vegan snickerdoodle cupcakes (see recipe below)

2. Soy Life vanilla yoghurt

3. Chopped strawberries (about 2 medium sized per trifle)

4. Chopped macadamias (about 1/8 cup per trifle)

5. Caramelised banana (see below)

Vegan snickerdoodle cupcakes

adapted from Frosted Bakery recipe

makes 1 dozen (I halved the recipe but only used 1.5 per trifle)
Ingredients
1 C soy milk 
1 tsp apple cider vinegar 
1/3 C + 2 tsp vegetable oil 
1 1/4 C plain flour (I used gluten-free) 
2 tbsp cornstarch 
3/4 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp salt 
3/4 C (168g) sugar 
2 tsp vanilla extract  
2 tbsp cinnamon 
2 tbsp brown sugar

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) . Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

2. Mix together soy milk and vinegar and set aside for 1-5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and white sugar.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar and 2 t of the vegetable oil.

5. Add the remaining oil and vanilla extract to the soured soy milk. Stir together and add to the dry ingredients. Mix together to form a smooth batter.

6. Pour into the lined cupcake pans. Spoon a heaping 1/2 t full of the cinnamon mixture into each cupcake and swirl with a toothpick (next time I would fill the pan about 1/4 full, add 1/4 tsp cinnamon and swirl then repeat this - just so the cinnamon is more evenly distributed).

7. Bake for 19-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took 20). Let cool for 5 minutes in pan then transfer to a cooling rack.

Vegan caramelised banana
adapted from Joy the Baker's recipe
I halved this recipe, using 1 medium banana - this would have been enough for 2 trifles
Ingredients

2 to 3 ripe but firm bananas, sliced about 1/3″ thick, at an angle

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I used Nuttelex)

scant 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons whisky (optional - I didn't use this)

1. Melt butter in a small sauce pan.  

2. Add banana slices in a single layer and top with brown sugar.  

3. Allow bananas to brown on one side.  Flip bananas, cook down the sugar, and allow bananas to brown on the other side.  This took me about 4 to 5 minutes (a bit longer for me - I used a low-medium flame. Next time I'd use a medium-high flame).  

4. Remove pan from the flame and drizzle in about 2 teaspoons of whisky (if using).  The pan will sizzle a bit.  Use this sizzling time to remove the bananas and sugar from the pan and place on a plate to cool slightly before using. 

ASSEMBLY 

Layer yoghurt, crumbled snickerdoodle cupcakes, banana, strawberries and nuts. Top with nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

I made the cupcakes and pudding the night beforehand and assembled the trifles around midday and ate them after dinner. YUM. Love that trifles are so versatile.

So I'm sad to say that I probably won't bake again for the rest of the year! Working this week and then back to uni on the 3rd of Jan. Will no doubt do/attempt some baking in the dodgy college kitchens - blah!

Salads feat. tempeh and salmon

Cooked the tempeh and portobello mushrooms in a pan sprayed with olive oil for about 5 mins over medium heat, turning pieces every minute or so. Then added some soy sauce and garlic and cooked a little longer. Popped them on top of a baby spinach, chickpea and cherry tomato salad. Nice.

Mixed smoked salmon with wholegrain mustard and a squeeze of lemon, beetroot, carrot, iceberg lettuce topped with balsamic vinegar dressing + a dollop of refried beans. Random, I know.

Started prep for xmas dessert tomorrow. Exciting :)

Double chocolate candycane cupcakes with peppermint patty surprises

Hello!!! I was so excited to make these cupcakes. I tried a new chocolate cupcake recipe - Martha's one-bowl choc cupcakes and added chocolate chips. OMG so rich and fudgy and amazing. This will be my go-to choc cupcake recipe (will try others but will use this when I can't risk failure!). Then finally used my Lorann peppermint oil that I bought ages ago. This stuff is strong!! Literally only need a few drops. Made some mint patties which was quite fun. The texture is almost grainy but I like it. Nice and minty. Didn't make enough chocolate to dip them in - started dipping and realised I would run out. Then tried painting the chocolate on with a pastry brush but that was a bit fiddly. Just ended up spreading it on with a knife. Then made some two toned peppermint buttercream :) Love the this icing effect. Will have to try three colours one day. These creations are gifts for my work friends :)

One-bowl double chocolate cupcakes

adapted from Whisk Kid's Double Chocolate cupcakes recipe which was adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe

I halved the recipe to make 9 cupcakes (although should make 12 according to original recipe - maybe my cupcakes are just massive as I used cardboard cases)

Ingredients

33 g unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 C (94 g) plain flour

3/4 C (149 g) caster sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

Just over 1/4 tsp baking powder

Just over 1/4 tsp salt
1 egg

88.5 ml/g warm water

88.5 ml buttermilk

1.5 Tbls safflower oil (I used canola)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 C chocolate chips (I used mini semi-sweet)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175 C). Line a muffin tin with liners (or baking tray with cardboard liners) and set aside.

2. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. 

 

3. Add egg, warm water, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and chocolate chips and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is well mixed.

4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into their centres comes out clean. Rotate pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

 

Candycane swirl buttercream icing
adapted from life tastes like food recipe which was adapted from My Baking Addiction
Makes enough to ice about 12 cupcakes (tall icing like mine - more could be iced if using less per cupcake, obviously)

Ingredients
113.5g unsalted butter, room temperature 
2 C (280g) confectioner’s/icing sugar 
1 tbsp milk (I used soy milk as it was all we had) 
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (or a tiny drop if using Lorann peppermint oil) 
Food coloring (optional)

Method
1.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on high-speed until light and fluffy.  About 4-5 minutes.


2.  Slowly add confectioner’s sugar in stages.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Continue mixing until well combined.

3. Add milk in 1/2 tbsp increments.

3.  Add peppermint extract.  Beat well to combine, sample buttercream.  If you want more mint flavor, add the next 1/4 tsp/drop, continue until flavor has been met.

4. For swirl icing - scoop half of the icing into another bowl. Add colouring slowly, beating between additions until desired colour is achieved.

5. Place each colour icing in separate piping bags then place both into a single piping bag fitted with a tip. Ensure the tips of each icing bag are sitting within the tip.

Mint patties
adapted from Cookie Talk recipe which was adapted from What Megan's Making
Makes about 2 dozen small patties (I cut the original recipe to 1/3)


Ingredients

146g icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tbsp light corn syrup 
1/2 tbsp water, plus more for spritzing if needed 
1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract (couple of drops if using Lorann peppermint oil) 
1/3 tbsp shortening (I used unsalted butter), room temperature 
Icing sugar, for kneading and rolling (I just rolled it between sheets of baking paper so didn't need this) 
123g 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used milk chocolate chips) - I'd recommend using more if dipping rather than spreading, maybe 250g 
1 TB cocoa butter, plus more if needed (I used 1/3 tbsp unsalted butter plus a dash of canola oil to thin it out)


1. Mix together the sugar, corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, and shortening in a mixer (or hand mix with wooden spoon). It will take a while to come together and will still only be crumbly. If it is very dry where you are, spritz lightly with a little extra water (I added about 1/2 tbsp water). Once you start seeing large pieces come together, it is ready. You should be able to form a ball and hold its shape.

2. Move mixture to workspace and knead lightly until smooth. You may need to spritz lightly with water. Wrap in plastic and freeze for 15 minutes.

3. Roll dough until 1/8″ (or larger if you like thick patties). Dust with confectioners sugar as needed but try not to go overboard - it will make your dough dry (alternatively use baking paper). Return to freezer if dough becomes difficult to work with.

 4. Cut into circles. I used a shot glass. You can use whatever you have. Place patties on a sheet pan (non stick - I used one lined with baking paper. Re-roll scraps and cut again. Freeze patties for several hours or overnight.

5. When ready for dipping, prepare a double boiler by placing a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling!) water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water!

6. Option 1 Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in oil until desired consistency is achieved.
Option 2 Melt about 3/4ths of your chocolate over double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and add remaining chocolate. Stir until smooth. Return to heat and add your cocoa butter. Add more if chocolate is too thick.
Turn heat off but keep chocolate over the water to keep warm.

7. Using a fork, dip the peppermint patty quickly into the chocolate, covering completely and then shaking excess off. Use a knife to scrape patty off of fork back onto the sheet pan. Repeat until all patties are complete OR alternatively just spread chocolate on top and sides using knife or pastry brush, let dry/set for about 15 minutes then flip and coat the bottom.


8. Leave at room temperature uncovered until completely set. Once set, you can cover them, but they may get spots so you are best just leaving at room temperature (I just chucked them in the fridge in an airtight container - I prefer them cold and I haven't noticed any spots yet).

Assembly of cupcakes!
1. Spread a little icing on top of cupcakes to glue on a peppermint patty.

2. Ice around and over the peppermint patty.

3. Stud icing with decorations! Eg choc chips, glitter, sprinkles, silver edible balls etc.

Next up - Christmas day desserts.

Stuffed portobello (chickpea, tomato, feta, basil) + vegemite macaroni

Lunch today was a baked mushroom and some pasta. The mushroom turned out well but got quite juicy - next time I'll stab a couple of holes through the mushroom for drainage. It was delicious, quick and easy. Will be trying out different stuffings in the near future.

Cherry tomato, chickpea, feta and basil stuffed baked portobello
1 portobello mushroom, wiped clean
1/4 C canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2-3 cherry tomatoes, diced
2 leaves of basil, torn
feta, crumbled on top as desired
olive oil, for drizzling/spraying

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line oven tray with baking paper.

2. Remove stalk and gills of the mushroom

3. Combine chickpeas, tomatoes and basil in a bowl. Spoon into the mushroom. Top with crumbled feta.

4. Place on prepared tray and drizzle or spray a little olive oil over the mushroom.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Optional - after baking, turn grill on high and grill mushroom for a minute or so for extra browning (watch closely).

I also had some of Not Quite Nigella's vegemite spaghetti. Yum, I loved this! Next time I'd add more vegemite - just 'cause I'm a big fan.

Vegemite Macaroni
adapted from Not Quite Nigella
serves 1

1/4C dry macaroni
1 tsp butter or margerine
1 tsp vegemite (I'd try 2 tsp next time)
~ 1/8 C reserved pasta water

1. Cook pasta according to packet directions - mine took 10 minutes.

2. Retrieve pasta water then drain the rest of the macaroni water.

3. Return pot to medium heat and wait until and remaining water evaporates. Add butter and, once melted, vegemite and pasta water. Stir until vegemite dissolves.

4. Add cooked pasta and stir. Keep over heat to evaporate more water if too liquidy.

5. Serve with salt and parmesan cheese as desired.

A not-so-healthy breakfast of vanilla yoghurt, spices (ginger, allspice, cinnamon), mango, grapes, blueberries, gingerbread, freckles and a wagon wheel.

Looking forward to some baking on Thursday!

Mushroom + Caramelised Onion Barley Risotto and a Wild Rice Salad

This. was. delicious. Relatively time consuming but worth it. The caramelised onion is the perfect accompaniment to this balsamic barley risotto - don't leave it out! I stirred through some roast pumpkin at the end. LOVE creamy risotto.

Mushroom and caramelised onion barley risotto

adapted from this Oh She Glows recipe which was adapted from The Kitchn

Serves 2 (as main course), or 4 side servings

Ingredients:
2 yellow onions
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
~300g button mushrooms, washed/peeled and sliced (next time I would try a different kind of mushroom for variety)
1 large sprig fresh rosemary (I just used a few shakes of dried rosemary)
1 C uncooked pearl barley
1 tbspn balsamic vinegar
3.5 C stock/broth (I used chicken)
1 tsp salt + more for onions
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish
 Directions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and let them cook for 5-10 minutes.

3. Add the rosemary sprig and seasonings to the skillet. Stir well. Cook for a couple minutes.

4. Now add in the barley, balsamic vinegar, and a ladle of stock (~1/3 C). Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and stir every few minutes, reducing the heat when necessary to prevent it sticking to the bottom. Add ladles of stock as it is absorbed. This process may take about 45 minutes but taste the barley periodically after 30 minutes to ensure desired firmness is achieved.

5. Meanwhile, make the caramelized onions. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium pot. Cut onions in half, and then slice them into thin half moons. Add them to the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 mins. Watch closely. Increase heat to medium and cook for a further 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions turn a dark brown colour.

6. When the risotto has finished cooking remove rosemary sprig and stir in roast pumpkin/steamed broccoli/parmesan cheese/butter as desired. Distribute into bowl and top each bowl with a spoonful of caramelized onions and freshly ground pepper.

NOTE: I froze this and to be honest really wasn't the same when defrosted and reheated. I'd stick to eating this fresh.

 

 Wild rice salad

wild rice

roast pumpkin

steamed broccoli

canned corn

dressing = whisk together 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice + 1 tbsp tahini + ~1tsp minced garlic + water to thin as desired

Chocolate Royals and Wagon Wheels

I love chocolate royals!!! Wagon wheels too. I've had this spicy icecream mallow recipe bookmarked for the longest time. They turned out really quite well.. my main concern was the marshmallow as I've never made it before. It worked but I think I left it sitting for too long before using it. I whipped it for quite a long time as it didn't seem firm enough then left it in a bowl while baking the cookies - so maybe an hour. It had become quite firm by the time I was ready to use it. It still piped though luckily, just not smoothly. So lesson learnt = bake cookies THEN make the marshmallow.

Mallows (Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies/royal/wagon wheels)

Recipe adapted from spicy icecream which was adapted from Gale Gand, from Food Network website
Makes roughly 45-60 cookies - lots!

Cookies
3C all purpose flour

½ C white sugar
½ tsp salt

¾ tsp baking powder

3/8 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
12 tbsp (170g) unsalted butter
3 eggs, whisked together

Marshmallows
¼ C water
¼ C light corn syrup
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp powdered gelatin
2 tbsp cold water
2 egg whites, room temperature
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped



+ jam for wagon wheels (I used seedless raspberry)


Chocolate Glaze
340g dark chocolate, finely chopped
55g vegetable oil



Cookies
1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients (I used a food processor).

2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy (I pulsed the food processor).

3. Add the eggs and mix until combine (I pulsed the food processor).

4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

5. When ready to bake, line a baking tray with parchment paper and
 preheat the oven to 190°C.

6. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 3-5cm cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
 Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.



Marshmallow
1. To make the marshmallow, combine the water, corn syrup and sugar, and bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 112°C (235°F) on a candy thermometer.


2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.

3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.


4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
 Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
 Transfer to a pastry bag.

Assembly
1. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. For wagon wheels pipe a flat layer of marshmallow on one cookies and smear jam on another then sandwich the two together.

2. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.

3. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat (non-stick surface to place cookies on once coated in chocolate glaze)


Chocolate glaze
1. To make the chocolate glaze, melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.

2. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
 Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl (I put the glaze into a glass to achieve a 'deep dunk').

3. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm.

Oh and I believe it's National Cupcake day in the US? Happy cupcake day!!!! If I get bored later I might make some - who needs a better reason, right?

Gingerbread love

Had a successful gingerbread house making date with my friend the other week. Lots of fun!!! Definitely had to make a day out of it... shop for ingredients, make dough, chill dough, lunch, purchase more ingredients, bake, assemble, decorate. Took us from midday till about 11pm! It was worth the effort as they both turned out fantastically.

We used the Gourmet Traveller mag recipe. Last year I think I used this 101 cookbooks recipe but was keen to try something new and less spicy for my family's sake (I love spicy!). This recipe made enough for two smallish houses (forgot the dimensions sorry) plus about 2 dozen small cut-out cookies.

Gingerbread
adapted from the Gourmet Traveller
 
700g (4 2/3 C) plain flour
190g light brown sugar
190g dark muscovado sugar (we used dark brown sugar)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves (we left this out)
220g cold butter, cubed
180g golden syrup
2 eggs

1. Process the flour, sugars, baking powder and spices in a food processor to combine well (we just sifted the flour and mixed everything by hand).

2. Add the butter and process to combine (we rubbed the butter in by hand). Add the golden syrup and eggs and process until mixture comes together (3-4 mins) (we mixed it with a wooden spoon).

3. Turn onto a work surface, knead until mixture comes together, divide dough into two discs and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate to rest for at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

5. Roll out gingerbread on a floured surface until 3mm thick. Using templates as guides (we drew them on baking paper and used a mini pizza roller cutter), cut out 2 roof pieces (10.5cm x 27cm recommended by gourmet traveller), 2 side walls (14x24cm) and 2 end walls (13cm wide, 14 cm high with 6cm-high pitch for the roof). Cut out a door, windows, gingerbread men/trees etc as desired.

6. Transfer pieces to trays lined with baking paper and bake in batches until darkened around the edges (8-10 minutes for smaller pieces and 10-12 mins for larger pieces). Cool for 5 mins then transfer to a wire rack.

NEXT prepare royal icing
4 eggwhites
880g pure icing sugar, sieved

1. Lightly whip eggwhites in a large bowl. Gradually add sugar and beat until mixture is smooth and holds a soft peak (ours was quite stiff but this was ideal as it was strong and set fast).

2. Dye icing as desired then spoon into piping bags.

NEXT putting it all together
1. Prepare a base for your house for transport. I just used an oven tray - upside down and covered in foil.

2. Pipe icing along the base and side section of each side of the house and start building! Use cans of food etc to stabilise pieces while they set. Be generous with the icing, especially on the inside of the house, for strength. Attaching the roof tends to be most tricky but we found that as our icing set so quickly we just had to hold it in place for a minute or two before it remained in place unsupported. Otherwise try to find a support of the right height to prop up the overhanging edge of the roof.

3. Decorate!!!!! Stick on lollies, chocolates etc and sift icing over the top for a snow-like effect. Icicles can be made by piping slowly and pulling downwards carefully, gradually squeezing less icing. This can take time to perfect.

4. Admire then eat/destroy :)

 

Our gingerbread village

 

I did end up making the 101 cookbooks recipe again this year - gave most to a friend as a gift. Excuse the terrible photo!

I also made some of 101 cookbooks' black sticky gingerbread but turned them into muffins. LOVE these! Moist, dense with a rich molasses flavour. I didn't add the fresh ginger root (and didn't add any extra ground ginger) as I didn't have any/was a bit scared - maybe next time (because there will be a next time). Kept them in the fridge and had them warmed up with my yoghurt and cereal in the morning. After a zap in the microwave the crust gets extra gooey and a soft of crispy/chewy/amazing texture. Ok enough raving.

 

Hope everyone is having a lovely festive season :)

Vegan peanut butter filled chocolate cookies/pillows

Work (work #2) decided to have an Christmas bbq this past weekend and we all agreed to bring a plate or two of goodies. A few of the guests were vegan so we all made an effort to cater to everyone which was fantastic. It was quite a feast!! The usual sausages, burgers (both meat and vegan black-bean based patties), selection of salads, vegan sushi (tofu + veggie filling), crackers, dips, cheeses, vegan quiche (yum). A brilliant gingerbread house was brought and eagerly (sadly) destroyed by the party. I decided to bring some vegan friendly plates - a fruit platter (cherries, green grapes, strawberries, kiwi, watermelon) and some of Post Punk Kitchen's peanut butter chocolate pillows.

Peanut Butter filled Chocolate cookies
Ingredients
makes 2 dozen cookies
Chocolate dough:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used vanilla almond)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 + 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder
2 tbsp black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Peanut filling:
3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter - crunchy or smooth (my natural PB wasn't salted so added about 1/4 tsp salt but would add more next time maybe 1/2tsp)
2/3 cup confectioner's icing sugar
2-3 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used 2 tbsp vanilla almond milk)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1. In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, black cocoa if using, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.

2. In another mixing bowl beat together peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is too dry (as different natural peanut butters have different moisture content), stir in remaining tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

3. Preheat oven to 157°C (fan-forced). Line baking trays with baking paper.

3. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls.

4. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc in the palm of your hand and place a peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll the chocolate ball into an smooth ball between your palm (make sure you don't use too much chocolate dough - you only need just enough to cover the peanut ball otherwise it spreads too much... also note the dough is quite sticky and oily but definitely workable!).

5. Place dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container. If desired warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.

These were really delish, relatively easy to make and a big hit at the party with both vegans and non-vegans alike. The cookie part is very soft and brownie-like (yum!) and the peanut butter filling was great although I would have liked if it were saltier. I actually added vegan (sweet williams brand) chocolate chips into the peanut butter balls for crunch. I'd love to try these again but with different filling (eg like a coconut bounty-like centre).

Hazelnut Brown Butter Cake

Another birthday bake! Dad requested chocolate and hazelnuts so I settled on Smitten Kitchen's Hazelnut Brown Butter cake. This cake has so many rave reviews so I had to try it. 

Hazelnut Brown Butter cake
Ingredients
142g (about one heaping cup) hazelnuts, blanched or oven-roasted, skins removed
227g unsalted butter (plus 1 tablespoon melted extra for greasing the pan)
1/2 vanilla bean
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting the cake
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 extra-large egg whites (I used 6 by mistake but it turned out fine)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Ganache
113g semisweet chocolate chips or finely-chopped chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules

 

Method
1. Preheat oven to 150C (fan-forced)

2. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and toast 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re golden brown and smell nutty. Let them cool.

3. Cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 10-inch round cake pan. Brush the pan with a little melted butter and line the bottom with the paper.

4. Place the rest of the butter in a medium saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center, and using a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter. To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter. Add the vanilla pod to the pan, and cook the butter until the butter browns and smells nutty (about 6 to 8 minutes). It helps to frequently scrape the solids off the bottom of the pan in the last couple minutes to ensure even browning. Set aside to cool. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.

5. Grind the hazelnuts with the confectioners’ sugar in a food processor until they’re finely ground. Add the flour and pulse to combine. Transfer to a large bowl.

6. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the granulated sugar and mix on high speed 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture forms very stiff peaks. When you turn the whisk upside down, the peaks should hold. Transfer the whites to a large mixing bowl.

7. Alternate folding the dry ingredients and the brown butter into the egg whites, a third of a time. Remember to scrap the bottom of the brown butter pan with a rubber spatula to get all the little brown bits.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour (mine was done after 35min). Cool on a rack 30 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, and invert the cake onto a plate. Peel off the paper, and turn the cake back over onto a serving platter. Sprinkle it with powdered sugar or cover with ganache (below).

Ganache method
Melt the chocolate, heavy cream, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake. Top with crushed hazelnuts, chocolate curls etc as desired and serve with cream, icecream.. but it's perfect on it's own too!

This was a fantastic cake. Dense texture and wonderful hazelnut flavour. The top was slightly crispy which I loved. Make this!!!

Breakfast obsessions and lunch bowls

I have a bit of a backlog of pics due to exam craziness. It's all over now though so relief now for a whole year till final exams. Here's some breakfasts I've been having. Boring really as it's usually the same yoghurt or oats + fruit. Delicious though!!

 Yoghurt with raw oats, fruit and cinnamon

 Oats cooked in almond milk with banana mixed in topped with fruit and a crumbled honey graham + cinnamon.

 Essential study fuel.

And here's some lunches:

 Spinach salad with beetroot, mushroom, pumpkin, seeded mustard, chilli sauce, garlic powder.

Spinach salad with smoked salmon slathered with seeded mustard and balsamic vinegar + pumpkin + tomato + olives. Nice ingredients individually but this mix didn't really work :P

 Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, chickpeas, pumpkin, feta and smokey bbq sauce, chilli flakes.

Curry oats! Weird idea but was quite tasty!! 1/4 cup multigrain oats cooked in water + 1/4tsp curry powder + 1/8tsp tumeric. Added steamed cauliflower, mushrooms, a crumbled vita wheat cracker and some hot salsa + chilli flakes.

Some recipes coming up!

Pumpkin Pie

 I've been wanting to bake, or even just eat/try some pumpkin pie for such a long time! So it probably isn't the best idea to bake something when you don't know what it's supposed to taste like.. but due to the lack of pumpkin pie popularity where I live, I didn't have an option really. So I chose 101 cookbooks Spice-Kissed Pumpkin Pie. The ingredients list won me over, but in hindsight I should probably have made a more traditional pie to start with. It uses coconut milk instead of the more traditional condensed or evaporated milk or heavy cream. True, you can't really taste the coconut (which wouldn't have been a bad thing necessarily), but this pie really isn't very sweet as a result. This may be ideal for some, but I think I would have preferred a sweeter pie. Also, I used a honey graham crust. For some reason I wasn't a huge fan of this! It was quite crumbly and didn't seem to go well with the pie. I would make a more traditional crust for my next pumpkin pie. I made the hazelnut paste layer which was quite a nice addition (although didn't turn out as dark as I expected?). Nonetheless, I enjoyed the flavours and texture and will definitely be making more pumpkin pie in the future.

 

I enjoyed this out of the fridge with ice cream in this picture. I later tried it frozen (I have this weird thing for frozen baked goods haha) and I liked it more than the cold pie. I THEN tried it warmed up in the microwave - this was my favourite way to eat it :)