Cinnamon & Cracked Black Pepper Parfait

I know what your thinking cracked pepper in parfait....yuk!
Hear me out!


I have finally finished all my Christmas shopping which is a massive relief. I had good intensions of not buying anything for myself but that didn't quite work to plan!
Most of my purchases were over the internet, where it is so easy to get carried away specially when it is just a click of the finger.

Let me just say how addictive is Etsy! I love this site. I got totally carried away with all the amazing milk glass, cushion covers and blue and white porcelain.....which is for my Mum.....really!


Living in Brisbane you are almost guarantied a steamy hot Christmas day. So there is nothing better than having a cold desert. The cinnamon and cracked pepper in this parfait really compliment each other. It sounds so wrong but tastes so right. 

Cinnamon & Cracked Black Pepper Parfait

3 egg yolks 

3/4 cups of icing sugar

1 1/2 cups of cream lightly whipped{soft peaks}

2 egg whites

6 teaspoons of caster sugar

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper

Whisk egg yolks & icing sugar in a large bowl over a bain-marie until thick and creamy sabayon has been achieved

Fold through the lightly whipped cream

Whisk the egg whitest a soft foam and while still mixing slowly

add sugar until all is dissolved

Fold egg whites through the mixture of egg yolk and cream and finally add the cinnamon and cracked black pepper

Pour mixture into a a log-shaped mould or deep tray cover and freeze for 6 hours, or overnight

Cut into slices and serve immediately with biscotti and a berry compote. 

Happy Friday! 

Salad of Char Grilled Zhoug Paste Marinated Prawns with Citrus Salad

I must confess I am not the biggest fan of exercise.....I hate the feeling of being sweaty and puffed, but I know what you are thinking it is good for you right? Well I do love my Pilates, my teacher is great and I get to catch up with my girlfriend Leia for coffee after....and no we don't have cake! 


Today I am really sore, Nat our teacher gave us lots and lots and did I say lots of ab work.....I am so going to feel it tomorrow.


So to keep up the good work I have done this morning, I have decided to make a prawn salad,  not an ordinary prawn salad but a asian version. This is one of the few things I made at my recent trip to James St Cooking School, which was amazing by the way! 


This version is light and zesty with a kick of chilli. 

Salad Ingredients

1kg of green prawn cutlets

8 red shallots, finely sliced

3 tablespoons of ginger, julienne

Half a cup of coriander leaves

250g baby spinach leaves for the base

1 vine ripened tomato cut into eight's.

Dressing

3 tablespoons of palm sugar, grated

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons of citrus juice{lemon, lime}

1 red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped.

Create Zhoug paste using recipe below

Marinate the prawns for half an hour in Zhoug paste

Char grill the prawns on high for 3 minutes

Set aside to cool

To make the dressing, dissolve palm sugar in fish sauce and combine with remaining ingredients

Combine all salad ingredients including the marinated cooked prawns in a bowl, toss with dressing & serve on baby spinach base on a serving platter.

Zhoug Paste

3 Red chillies

1 bunch of chopped coriander leaves

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

If using whole spices, first dry fry until fragrant 

Grind all spinces to a powder in a Mortar & Pestle

Using the Mortar & Pestle to pound the chilli and garlic. Then add the parsley, coriander, salt, pepper, cumin and cardamon. blend until combined.

You can also place the paste into a clean jar and cover with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Paste will keep in the fridge for several months. You can use the base for dips, marinate for lamb, fish or squid or as a relish for cold meats.

Red Velvet Cake

My goodness it is only a month till Christmas....I think I say that every year. It is so true the older you get the years just fly by, it only felt like yesterday we were taking the tree down. Yes being ozzie we don't have real trees........ plastic unfortunately.


Everyone loves Christmas, right? Good food, family time and holidays yay! This year we are doing secret santa, not really secret because Mum and I choose who was giving to who, kind of defeats the purpose of secret doesn't it! I haven't even started present shopping yet....oh except I have got my husband a cooking class in town.....hint hint!! 


I have never made a Red Velvet Cake before but my mum was having a few friends over for dinner, and I have wanted to try this recipe for a while now so I offered to make it for her.


This could be your show stopper for Christmas..... come on it looks and tastes amazing!

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

150g softened butter

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of buttermilk 

3 tablespoons of red food colouring

1 teaspoon of white vinegar

1 teaspoon of baking soda

White Chocolate Butter Icing

Block of white chocolate
100g butter, softened
2 cups of icing sugar
1/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 175 degrees
Grease and line 2x 19cm round cake tins
Sift flour, baking soda and cocoa powder and add salt
In a separate bowl beat the butter and sugar together until a pale yellow colour
Add the eggs one at a time then the vanilla extract, red food colouring and white vinegar 
On a slow speed add in the flour mixture then the buttermilk until combined
Pour mixture into the two cake pans and place in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked.


Once the cakes have cooled make the icing.


Melt the white chocolate over a double steamer and put to the side to cool
With a hand mixer beat the butter and sugar until pale 
Add in icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract and beat together 
Stir in the white chocolate
Place in the fridge for 20 minutes
Then you are ready to ice the cake, start by icing the middle then the top and the sides.


Decorate with red sugar.


Tip: Freeze the cake before icing it so the red crumbs don't mix into the icing! 

Mango Tart

I'm so hot. I need ice-cream with caramel sauce. I want mango!
Ok maybe I could do with putting the air-con on and putting my feet in a bowl of ice!
Well I do have mangoes that is a plus. Is there anything better than summer fruit especially fresh mango…sweet and refreshing, gorgeous!
At least I am doing something that is a little healthy ummm….. mango?
Anyway you will forget about your wast after trying this desert. There is something about the texture of mango and custard that complements each other and the lightness of this Mango Tart is a perfect summer desert! 

Mango Tart

1 quantity of sweet shortcrust pastry

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup of caster sugar

3 tablespoons cornflour

25g butter

1/2 cup of cream, lightly whipped

3 mangoes, peeled and sliced

On a floured surface roll out pastry to 3mm thick. Lightly press the pastry into a 23cm tart tin and freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
Remove from the freezer and line with baking paper. Fill with baking weights and bake for 10min. Remove the weights and bake for further 10 minutes.
Place the milk in a small saucepan over a medium heat and heat until it reaches boiling point add vanilla and remove from the heat.
Place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat until thick.Add the cornflour and hot milk and stir until smooth.
Place the mixture into a clean saucepan over a medium heat and stir constantly for about 15min, or until thickened. Using a whisk to stir is great to prevent lumps.
Bring the custard to the boil, turn the heat down and cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the butter, stir till combined.
If your custard is lumpy strain the mixture into a bowl. Refrigerate until cold. Fold through cream.
Remove tart from tin and place on a serving plate. Pour in custard and arrange mango slices decoratively on top.
Make sure you place the mango slices starting from the middle and work outwards.


It is late spring and mango season has started! 

Herb & Butter Potato's

 We just got back from a road trip to Lennox Head, we visited my sister in-law's new home. It is only two streets away from one of NSW's most amazing surf beaches. I also had a photography lesson to learn how to use my new camera,  as I have had it for a month and had no clue on what I was doing.
Can you remember those family road trips? Usually painfully long and boring. Yelling to the front ARE WE THERE YET!! My brother always had a knack of pushing my buttons!! You know how you have a favourite spot either in the car or on the couch, well my brother would always sit in my seat…yes my seat! No wonder my Mum would half the time ignored  us, it probably drove her insane.  
This trip was more peaceful, we had Angus and Julia stone playing and the surfboards on the roof. We had the most amazing day and a fab BBQ lunch, all local produce from the Bangalow farmers markets. I had to share with you the recipe for these gorgeous buttery potato's…Yum Yum Yum!!!

Herb & Butter Potato's

10 kipfler potato's 

25g butter

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons of lemon rind

squeeze of a lemon

salt and pepper to season

Peel the potato's and boil till just soft,place to the side to cool

Put the butter and oil in a fry pain over a medium heat

Meanwhile cut the cooled potato's in half and place into the hot butter mixture

Toss potato's around with lemon rind and salt and pepper till golden

Sprinkle parsley all over and serve.

Thanks Em xx 

Blueberry Sponge Cake

I have decided to ignore all the Christmas decorations in the stores, they have been out for over a month and it is way to soon! Maybe I should start baking for Christmas day? ...... no that is a ridiculous thought. I do love Christmas but before I start cooking all those delicious little goodies, I must show you a few more of my favourite spring recipes.


I have been inspired by all the gorgeous Jacaranda trees that are out in bloom this spring. Their amazing colour, a magnificent shade of light purple which is so vibrant you can see them from miles away. 

Hense the Blueberry Sponge Cake, this is a real favourite in our family. Trust me take a break and enjoy a warm piece of cake and a coffee....you deserve it!!

Blueberry Sponge Cake
3 eggs 
225g caster sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
150g butter,softened
100ml milk
210g plain flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 pinch of salt
120g frozen or fresh blueberries


Preheat the oven to 175 degrees
Beat together the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla extract till white and fluffy
Melt in butter and stir in milk. Mix into egg mixture
Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Carefully fold into egg mixture
Stir through blueberries
Pour mixture into a buttered ring pan make sure to line with flour
Bake in the middle of the oven for 40-45min or until cooked
Leave to cool and turn onto a wire rack.


Ella xx

Almond & Coconut Loaf

Wow what a day! I have been to the city, where everyone is on a mission. The city is great but I must admit I do love the peaceful innocence of suburbia. I enjoy the space and community that it has to offer..... I sound really old, don't I? 
I have my Grandparents popping over for afternoon tea. Some of you might not know but I am a hairdresser, and it has become a ritual that as well as indulging in tea and a piece of cake, I do my Granny's hair once a week. This week it is a moist almond and coconut cake, this is such an easy recipe and great to freeze and use when needed.

Almond & Coconut Loaf

150g butter, softened

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

155g plain flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

3/4 cup of milk

1/3 cup of almond meal

1 cup of coconut

Handfull of flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 175 degrees

Beat together the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy

Add the eggs one at a time

Mix all the dry ingredients and fold into the mixture

Pour mixture into a lined loaf tin and sprinkle with flaked almonds

Place into the centre of the oven for 45 minutes or until cooked.

Try slicing and toasting it in a frying pan, and serve with a spoonful of ice-cream!

Chocolate Cake

When I got up this morning all that was on my mind was what cake I was going to make for my special Birthday.  I am 30 I cant believe it, but I guess I cant be 21 forever. I was wondering to myself where have the years gone? I started to look in the mirror to see if over night I suddenly have more wrinkles or grey hairs! No, but I defiantly feel different, like maybe there is an unwritten rule that you have to wear knee length skirts or use that eye cream my mum has begged me for years to use. I have to pull myself together and get over it. So on with my cooking mission, lets do something real fattening...... chocolate cake it is.

Chocolate Cake

3 eggs

225g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

60g butter

100ml sour cream

210g plain flour

40g almond meal

2 teaspoons baking powder

4 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder 

100g good quality dark chocolate

Chocolate Icing

60g butter, softened

300g icing sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar

25g good quality cocoa powder

100g cream cheese

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees

Beat together the eggs,  sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy

Melt the butter, add the sour cream and blend into the egg mixture

Mix together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder carefully fold into the mixture

Melt the chocolate and add to the mixture

Pour into a lined round springform pan

Bake in the centre of the oven for about 45min or until cooked

leave to cool

Make the frosting by mixing together butter, icing sugar, vanilla sugar, cocoa powder and cream cheese

Spread the frosting all over the cake and decorate with choclate curls and sugar flowers.

Happy 30th to me!

Roasted Almond Shortbread

Just had the most amazing trip to Sydney with my mum, we definitely shopped till we dropped. I loved the quant coffee shops around the Rocks and the superb shopping in Paddington. 
On our last day we went for a stroll around Darling Harbour, and stopped at the Lindt Cafe. Since 1845, Lindt has been producing the worlds finest chocolates. We could not resist buying some of their hand made chocolates,  which we knew would not last the trip home, and they didn't!   

These almond shortbread have been filled with this gorgeous chocolate, they just melt in your mouth.

Roasted Almond Shortbread

100g butter,unsalted

55g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

70g almond meal

140g plain flour

150g Lindt chocolate

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees

Combine butter, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and mix until pale

Add egg yolk and mix in well

In a separate bowl combine almond meal and flour

On a low speed mix in almond mixture into the butter mix until just combined

Place shortbread dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 10min

Use 100g of the chocolate and cut each square in half and put aside

On a floured surface roll out shortbread to 3mm thick

Cut into rectangles 4cm wide 7cm long

Place one piece of chocolate onto rectangle and wrap with the shortbread. Make sure the chocolate is visible on both sides

Place shortbread on a lined tray and brush with the egg wash and back until golden brown(20min)

Allow to fully cool

To decorate, gently melt the rest of the chocolate and drizzle over the shortbread

Allow to set and will keep in a sealed container for one week.

This mixture can also be used to make plain almond shortbread, just use 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball, place onto the baking tray, use a folk to press down to slightly flatten. 

Apple Strudel

The kitchen undoubtably is my favourite place in the house. It is not only a sanctuary but a place of true comfort and satisfaction. Someone who will agree is my good friend Cara. She is a true wiz in the kitchen, very organised and a pleasure to cook with.

We have decided to make feta and eggplant meatballs followed by apple strudel. These are two very easy recipes which taste amazing without too much hard work.

The combination of apple, cinnamon and almond meal makes a lovely filling and fruity dessert....a wholesome treat. This must be served with lashings of cream.

Apple Strudel

6 large granny smith apples,peeled and sliced thinly

6 fresh dates, seeded and chopped

165g caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

150g almond meal 

8 sheets of filo pastry

100g butter,melted

40g flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Place apple,dates,sugar,vanilla,cinnamon and almond meal in a large bowl toss to combine and set aside

Layer the filo sheets, brushing between each layer with melted butter

Put the apple mixture along the pastry lengthways, fold each end and roll to inclose

Brush the pastry with remaining melted butter and sprinkle flaked almonds on top

Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Part 1- Ella & Cara's cooking day!

Blueberry and White Chocolate New York Cheesecakes

I love catching up with friends specially when good food is involved. A gorgeous couple Vanessa and Corey had invited us for dinner. I had offered to make a desert for the occasion, I scanned my cookbooks looking for some inspiration and found the recipe for these individual blueberry and white chocolate New York cheesecakes. 
Cheesecake originated from Eastern Europe and has been adapted by many countries one of those being USA- New York. I adore the denseness of New York cheesecake and with its contrast of the fruit with the creamy white chocolate. They make a fantastic end to a dinner party.

Blueberry and White Chocolate New York Cheesecakes

Makes 24 individual or 1 large cake

Crust

300g digestive biscuits

150g butter, melted

Filling

750g cream cheese

90g caster sugar

50g cornflour

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

3 eggs

100ml whipping cream

200g white chocolate

80g fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Put biscuits and butter in food processor till combined

Place cup cake liners in cup cake tray

Press 1 tablespoon of mixture into each liner 

Bake in oven for 10 minutes

Beat together cream cheese,sugar, cornflour and vanilla sugar

Beat in eggs one at a time and fold in cream

Melt white chocolate then stir into cheesecake mixture

Pour filling over each crust and sprinkle blueberries on top

Bake for 40 minutes. To prevent cheesecake from browning, cover with foil when they become golden brown 

Turn the oven off and leave cheesecakes to continue cooking for 30 minutes

Perfect!

Swedish Chocolate Brownies

I am very excited, my good friend Leia is expecting her second child in the first week of September which is going to be a girl! With not long to go she is looking amazing but understandable feeling tiered. So I thought I would cheer her up by baking her some delicious home made chocolate brownies.
This recipe is Swedish and has a slight twist on the traditional chocolate brownie recipe. It is moist but has a lighter texture, more like a cake slice. It has a smooth rich flavour with  gooey chunks of chocolate scattered throughout.

Swedish Chocolate Brownies 

5 organic eggs

350g caster sugar

275g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 pinch of salt

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

200ml water

250g butter, melted

200g dark chocolate 

100g desiccated coconut

Icing

200ml whipping cream

1 tablespoons coffee granules

200g dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Beat together the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy

Mix together the dry ingredients and then blend in egg mixture

Add water and melted butter and stir to combine

Line a 40x35cm cake tin with baking paper,pour mixture into tin

Sprinkle coarsely chopped chocolate over the top

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out slightly sticky

Bring the whipping cream to the boil, stir in coffee granules

Turn the heat off, chop the chocolate add the cream and stir until melted

Spread icing over the cake, sprinkle desiccated coconut on top and leave to set

Cut into squares

Yum!

Mixed Berry Tart

I made this wonderful mixed berry tart for my Granddad's Birthday, as a surprise. My Granddad loves French food, he always tells the storey of when he meet Granny and took her to a fancy French restaurant for their first date...how cute.


This recipe is from a old French cooking book my Mum had in the back of her cupboard, which was one of her Grandma's. It has a lovely mix of cream fraiche, curd cheese and almond paste. You can choose any type of fruit for this recipe, pears work really well too.


This tart is super tasty and practical because you can make it complete with pastry and filling and freeze uncooked, so when you have friends turn up unexpectedly it is easy to pull out of the freezer and cook. 

Mixed Berry Tart

1 sheet of shortcrust pastry

110g almond paste

3 eggs

200ml curd cheese

100ml creme fraiche

90g caster sugar

160g mixed berries

sprinkle of slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 175 degrees

Line a free form tart tin then place pastry in tin

Grate the almond paste into a bowl and mix in all other ingredients

Pour into the tart tin then spread berries onto mixture 

Sprinkle the slivered almonds

Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until golden and mixture has set or freeze uncooked and bake on another occasion

Bon appétit! 

Chalk Labels

On one of my trips to Noosa I came across this gorgeous shop called Lamington which had a great collection of vintage items and lots of handmade treasures. I came across this pack of chalk labels which will be perfect for homemade jam and chutney.
They are handmade by www.isobelscanlon.com the uses are endless with these chalkboard labels - pot plants, books, baked gifts....
The best thing is they are reusable no sticky labels to peel off.

Lavender Biscuits

What an amazing winter's day 24 degrees bright blue skies, how lucky we are. My mum is on holidays so we decided to take a walk around her estate. We came across this beautiful bush of lavender the colours of the flowers were an amazing deep purple. Tegwen a girl I worked with gave me a recipe years ago for Lavender Biscuits so I thought what a great opportunity to try it out. The lady that lived in the house was lovely she was only to happy for me to pick some flowers from her lavender bush.
I came home and got started the recipe it is quick and easy a great one to whip up for a afternoon tea.

Lavender Biscuites 

100g butter,softened

90g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

150g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon fresh lavender

Preheat oven to 150 degrees

Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy

Mix the dry ingredients with the lavender flowers and stir into butter cream to make a crumbly dough

Shape into small balls and put them on a lined baking tray

Bake for 20-25min.

Sit down and enjoy with a nice cup of tea!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Last week I went to Noosa with my good friend Cara, and at the moment she is addicted to Apple Cinnamon Muffins so we went to little bakery and bought the most amazing muffin it was lovely and moist topped with butter icing. We loved it so much that we were back there the next day and bought two more for our drive back home.


So since then I was inspired to try and make a muffin just as good. When I make muffins I always mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Then using a wooden spoon fold the ingredients together no more than 20 times. It doesn't matter if there are lumps in the mixture they will still turn out fluffy and amazingly moist.


I love this recipe you can use the basic muffin mixture and put in what every you like. 

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Basic recipe

100g butter

200ml milk

Zest of half a lemon

2 eggs

150g caster sugar

1 Tsp vanilla extract

240g plain flour

2 Tsp baking powder

Extra's

1 Tbsp cinnamon

200g tinned pie apple diced

Icing

200g icing sugar

3 Tbsp softened butter

Splash or two of milk

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees

Melt the butter and add milk and lemon zest

Beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy

Stir the butter and egg mixture together

Mix together the flour and baking powder and fold into the wet ingredients

Gently fold in cinnamon and apple

Put papers in muffin tin and pour in mixture

Bake for approximately  20-25min

Once cooled mix together icing sugar, butter and milk

Using a a knife ice the muffins and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Retro Apron

I love taking the time to look at all the amazing home made items on Etsy it is probably one of my favourite websites - there is so much to look at.
This is a vintage floral pattern 1950's inspired apron which as you can see is so cute. I imagine someone like Betty Crocker wearing it.
If you love it as much as I do look on Rosie Ann Shop!

Berry Yogurt Crumble Cake

 

So it is berry season again and what a lovely time of year, the air is refreshingly cooler.

We have a great fruit barn were you can buy all local fruit and veggies, so I bought some gorgeous strawberries and raspberries. My cousin Mandy just arrived from the UK and my mum was holding a family BBQ, it was a perfect time to try my new recipe.

My brother cooked the BBQ it was really good, so much food. Later we all enjoyed a cup of tea and a piece of cake - with a dollop of cream of course. We all sat outside enjoying the afternoon sun, everybody loved the cake! Defiantly one to put with my favorites.

Berry Yogurt Crumble Cake

1 1/2 cups of self raising flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup almond meal

100g melted butter

2 eggs at room temp

1 cup thick vanilla yogurt

1 cup of berries

Crumble

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup plain flour

60g butter

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.

Line a springform round cake tin.

Meanwhile make crumble by combining the sugar and flour with your fingertips rub the flour mixture and butter into a crumble set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and almond meal. Make a well whisk melted butter, eggs and yogurt pour into well and stir until all ingredients are combined. Gentle fold the berries into the mixture.

Pour mixture into lined tin and sprinkle crumble evenly on top.

Bake for 55-60 min or until cooked.

Finish by dusting with icing sugar and fresh berries.

Hope you enjoy!