Sticky Date Muffins with Butterscotch Sauce

Perfect time of the year to start remembering all those family favourites that warm the soul and bring so much joy to many people. Hope this recipe does exactly that for you!
Be warned, this recipe can be addictive…so making them muffin-sized allows you to freeze them and only defrost as required.

Muffins
400g pitted dates
juice and zest of 2-3 oranges, add water if needed to make up to 2 cups of liquid
2 teaspoons baking powder
125 butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 cups self raising flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce
250g butter
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup cream

Method
Put dates, zest and juice in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer until dates are soft. Remove from heat, cool and stir in baking powder. Beat butter, then add the sugar and cream. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Add date mix and stir until combined. Fold through flour and cinnamon. Spoon mixture into muffin tins, filling each hole no more than 2/3 full. Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Sauce: Melt butter and sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves. Pour in cream and bring to boil, simmer until smooth.
Serve warm, spooned over muffins.

Mango, Coriander & Cashew nut Salad

I LOVE this salad, it’s my new favourite!!! It is so quick and easy, only takes minutes to prepare and tastes amazing! There are only a few ingredients so it’s very portable & can be mixed together at the last minute.
It is based closely on one on Jamie Oliver’s salads.

Salad
250g bag of Bean Sprouts
1/2 a bunch of Coriander including stems, chopped finely
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
1 mango, cubed
1/2 cup toasted cashews

Dressing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon honey
squeeze of lemon juice
Mix all together and set aside to pour over salad just before serving.

In a large bowl combine all salad ingredients, except cashews, and toss together.
Pile high on serving plate, drizzle with dressing just before serving. Sprinkle over cashew nuts.

Roast Pumpkin, Ginger and Mascarpone Soup

This recipe was inspired by a beautiful mystery box of veggies courtesy of Nicole. This lovely gift lead to a perfect but chilly weekend in the kitchen, spent cooking heart-warming soups! Below is one of the three created.

Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
thumb size piece of ginger, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled, wrapped in foil with a few drops of oil
2/3 of a kent pumpkin, chopped into chunks
1 litre of veggie stock
125g mascarpone
a few sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper
extra water

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Sprinkle pumpkin with oil, salt and pepper. Place on a lined baking tray with the foil-wrapped garlic and roast until pumpkin is slightly coloured. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. When oil is hot, add onions and ginger and cook until onions are translucent. Add roasted pumpkin to saucepan. Remove garlic from foil and squeeze the roasted garlic from the skins, into the pan. Add enough stock and water to cover, and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
Use a stick blender to puree the pumpkin mix until smooth. Stir through mascarpone and thyme leaves and cook for a few more minutes. Serve hot with warm bread rolls.

 

Happy 7th Birthday Lucia…your fairies are with you!

Fairy Garden

Kaffir Lime Panna Cotta with Lime Syrup

This dessert was a BIG hit with my mother for her Mother’s Day Lunch. Again a variation to someone else’s recipe, this is a twist on a Taste.com recipe by Marion Grasby.

700ml coconut cream
420ml pouring cream
1/4 cup white sugar
8 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
3 x sheets titanium-strength gelatine leaves
Amaretti biscuits to serve

Lime syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1 lime, zested, juiced

Place the coconut cream, cream, sugar and kaffir lime leaves in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes for the lovely kaffir lime flavour to infuse.
Return pan to low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water until softened. Using your hand, squeeze out excess water. Whisk gelatine into coconut cream mixture until dissolved. Strain into a jug and discard lime leaves. Pour into panna cotta moulds. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set.

To make lime syrup, heat sugar, juice and zest in a small pan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Remove the panna cottas from the refrigerator  a few minutes before serving. Run a knife around the inside of the mould before turning out onto a serving plate. Top each panna cotta with a drizzle of the lime syrup and a few small amaretti biscuits.

Chicken Larb

This recipe is adapted from Donna Hay’s Chicken Larb and has become one of my favourite quick and delicious last minute meals.

500g chicken mince
3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
a thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
1/4 cup chilli jam (I use ‘Always Fresh’ Chilli Jam Relish)
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch of mint, roughly chopped
Fried shallots (optional)

In a bowl mix together mince, garlic, ginger & chill jam.
Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add the chicken mixture and cook until lightly browned. Spoon over the fish sauce & lime juice and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat & stir through mint and coriander. Top with fried shallots and serve immediately.

Lemongrass & Coconut Rice

This dish is tasty served either hot or at room temperature – a fragrant alternative to traditional fried rice. Delicious with chicken satay skewers. Adapted from an old recipe from a 2004 Country Style magazine, I thought it was time I blogged this before I lose the scrap of paper I keep it on!

1 cup of long grained rice – cooked, rinsed under cold water & drained well
1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1/2 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch of mint, roughly chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 stalks of lemongrass, finely sliced
Thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced
3 tbsps sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp kecap manis

Heat sesame oil in a large wok over high heat and add the lemongrass and ginger and cook for a few minutes to release the aromas. Mix in rice and stir well. Stir through the fish sauce and kecap manis. Cook for a further minute, and then remove from heat. Toss through the coriander, mint, green onions and coconut.

Beetroot and Caramelised Onion Relish

This relish is so tasty on homemade Hamburgers or simply served as an extra on a cheese platter.

Beetroot and Caramelised Onion Relish

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 large brown onions, peeled, halved & sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cups malt vinegar
4 large beetroots, peeled & grated
1 teaspoon salt flakes
Cracked pepper

Heat oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions soften and start to caramelise, stirring occasionally.
Add grated beetroot, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until the beetroot has softened and juice has thickened. Spoon relish into sterilised jars, seal immediately and turn jar upside-down to seal.

Kev’s 50th Birthday Grange Hermitage Cake

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Sunday Morning breakfast for visiting family…Dutch Pancakes with Lemon Syrup

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Saturday nights Moroccan Feast…Lamb & Apricot Tagine, couscous with mint, coriander, chickpea, apricots & craisins, Roasted Eggplant dip, cucumber yoghurt. Cauliflower with preserved lemon & flatbreads all…homemade

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Limoncello Tiramisu

A tangy version of an old favourite!

20 Savoiardi Biscuits (Italian sponge fingers)
250g Mascarpone Cheese
Lemon curd (recipe below)
Lemon syrup (recipe below)
350ml whipped cream
Lemon rind to garnish

Lemon Curd
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs & 2 egg yolks
80g butter
Zest & juice of 2 lemons

Whisk together eggs, yolks and sugar in a small saucepan until thick. Place saucepan on stove over low heat and add butter, zest and juice. Stir continuously until mixture starts to thicken. Strain to remove zest. Set aside to cool. Mixture can be stored in a sterilised jar for up to 2 weeks.

Lemon Syrup
½ cup water
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup Limoncello
1 cup sugar

Place all lemon syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
Increase temperature to high, without stirring allow syrup to come to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Place mascarpone in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Add ¾ of the lemon curd, 150ml whipped cream and fold to combine.

Using half the Savoiardi biscuits, dip them into the lemon syrup one at a time and arrange in a single layer in your serving dish.
Top with half of the mascarpone mixture and spread to cover biscuits.
Dip the remaining biscuits in syrup and form a second layer in dish.
Add remaining mascarpone mixture. Top with remaining whipped cream.
Drizzle the top with reserved lemon curd and grated lemon rind.

Refrigerate overnight.

Almond Croissant Pudding with Creme Anglaise

One of the highlights of each month for me is the delivery of my ‘Delicious’ magazine subscription. I save it for a quiet time when I can sit down with a glass of wine, drool over the fanastic recipes and flag the recipes I want to make later. This is a wonderful recipe from an old edition which I have made several times and is always a hit!

Almond Croissant Pudding
4 almond croissants (preferably day-old), torn into large chunks
4 eggs
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
300ml milk
300ml pure (thin) cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
2 tbs brandy
Chocolate sauce (see below), to serve
Toasted flaked almonds and raspberries or seasonal fruit, to decorate
Icing sugar, to dust

Creme anglaise
4 egg yolks
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup (250ml) pure (thin) cream
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate sauce (makes about 2 cups)
200ml pure (thin) cream
50ml milk
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (25g) good-quality cocoa powder

Method
Grease the base and sides of a 1-litre terrine or loaf pan and line with baking paper. Pack the croissants into the terrine or pan, then set aside.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until just combined. Place the milk, cream and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over low heat and bring to just below boiling point, then gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add the orange zest and brandy and whisk well to combine, then pour the mixture over the croissants in the pan and stand at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the custard to soak in – this will make for a lighter pudding.

Meanwhile, for the anglaise, lightly beat yolks in a bowl. Place milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Pour hot milk mixture over egg, whisking constantly, then return to the pan over very low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 5-6 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Pour into a jug, cover surface closely with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming, then chill until needed.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Bake the pudding for 45 minutes until just set and golden on top (cover with foil if it’s browning too quickly). Remove the pudding from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then turn out and slice. Place on a serving platter and drizzle with chocolate sauce and creme anglaise, then scatter with almonds and raspberries and serve dusted with icing sugar.

To make chocolate sauce: Place the cream and milk in a pan over medium heat. Bring to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Whisk the in cocoa, then strain into a jug and set aside to cool.

Pumpkin Roasted with Chilli & Honey served with Mint, Fetta & Walnuts

Todays lunch…very simple but the flavours are delicious! Mint is nicely cooling with the warmth of the chilli.

1/2 butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded & cut into wedges
Chilli flakes
1 tablespoon of honey
salt
olive oil
Mint leaves
Persian fetta with dill and garlic
Roasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
Toss the pumpkin in a bowl with oil, honey, salt & chilli flakes. Roast until cooked and golden in colour. Cool slightly.
Arrange pumpkin on plate, cover with mint leaves, Persian fetta & walnuts.
Also nice dressed with honey & seeded mustard dressing.

Caramelised Onion, Goats Cheese & Thyme Tart

Cold and wet day…perfect for cooking! Maggie, this is the most amazing pastry and so easy to work with…thanks for sharing!

One quanity of Maggie Beer’s Sour Cream Pastry
6 large onions, caramelised (cooked slowly in olive oil with salt & pepper for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until soft & browned)
3 large eggs
1 cup thickened cream
130gm Goats Cheese
Pepper
Thyme sprigs

Make pastry and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and knead lightly. Roll out on a floured surface until large enough to fit a tart dish.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease a tart dish and line with rolled out pastry. Remember pastry will shrink during baking. Dock pastry and refrigerate for another 20 minutes. Remove from fridge and blind bake pastry for 15 minutes. Remove beads and bake for a further 8 minutes, before removing from oven and setting aside to cool. Spread caramelised onion over the base of the tart.

Whisk together eggs, cream & pepper. Pour egg mixture into pastry shell. Top with crumbled goats cheese and sprigs of thyme.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Chive & Fontina Risotto Cakes

This is an Ina Garten recipe and so, so easy and very delicious !

salt

• 1 cup uncooked arborio rice
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 1/2 cups cups grated italian Fontina cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• olive oil

Bring a large  pot of water to a boil and add ½ tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, Fontina, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat

Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard (2 1/4 –inch) ice cream scoop or a large spoon.

Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Place 4-6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat.

Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned.

Place on a sheet pan lined with baking paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes.

Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried.

Serve warm with a fresh green salad.

Zucchini, Coriander and grated Haloumi Fritters

This is a tasty recipe from one of the girls at work, which I have slightly personalised.

4 zucchinis, grated and juice removed by squeezing in a clean tea towel

180g haloumi, grated

Handful of coriander, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups chickpea flour

salt & pepper

oil for frying

Lemon juice or sweet chiili sauce for serving

Heat a frypan to medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add onions and cook until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine grated zucchini, coriander, haloumi, onion & garlic mix, eggs and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Sift in flour and mix lightly.

In a large frypan heat some oil over medium heat. Spoon in large dollops of mixture to create rough circles. Cook in several batches and be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until lightly browned on each side. Remove from pan and drain on absorbent paper. Serve warm, or at room temperature with a squeeze of lemon juice or sweet chilli sauce.

Homemade Granola

I made this for last Sundy’s brunch with the family on the deck. It’s beautiful spooned over yoghurt and fresh fruit.

4 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut flakes
250g ‘Lucky’ Smart Snax nut mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
170g Ocean Spray Craisins

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together except the craisins. Spread mixture onto lined baking trays and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. Stir in craisins.
Store in an airtight jar until needed.

Dill Buns with Smoked Salmon and Pickled Cucumber

I made this as part of brunch on our deck to welcome my new baby grand niece, Maddie! The buns are so light…the dill and caraway seeds add beautiful flavour. Recipe from ‘Good Taste‘ magazine Oct 2011 edition.

2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
25g butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs, lightly whisked
2 cups bread flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil spray
2 tsp caraway seeds
200g smoked salmon
Maille Dijonnaise, to serve
Fresh dill sprigs, to serve

Pickled cucumbers
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 lebanese cucumbers, peeled lengthways into ribbons

Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes or until frothy. Add butter, cottage cheese and half the egg. Stir until combined.
Combine flour, dill, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture. Use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Spray bowl with oil to grease. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 even portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
Spray a 22cm springform pan with oil. Line the base of the tin with baking paper. Arrange the rolls in prepared tin. Cover  with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Brush the rolls with remaining egg. Sprinkle with the caraway seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the tin for 10 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the prickled cucumbers, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Add the cucumber and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes to infuse. Drain.
Cut the bread rolls in half and spread with Dijonnaise, top with the salmon, pickled cucumber and a fresh dill sprig.

Almond, Lemon and Ricotta Cake

This is deliciously light.  The recipe is an old recipe from Ryde Caterer’s College.

300g almond meal
80g plain flour
Finely grated zest of 7 lemons
Juice of 4 lemons
280g unsalted butter, softened
300g caster sugar
7 organic eggs, separated
400g fresh ricotta
300g mixed berries

Method

Preheat oven to 150°C. Butter a 26cm round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.  Combine almonds with the flour and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar until pale and light (approximately 15 mins).  Add the eggs yolks, one at a time, mixing between each addition. Then add the almond mixture. Put the ricotta in a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork, then add the lemon juice.  In another bowl beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Fold the egg white mix into the almond mixture and finally stir in the ricotta.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in oven for 35-40mins, until set. Test by inserting a skewer, which should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack, but turn out while still warm. Once cooled completely dust with icing sugar, top with berries and serve with thickened cream.

Sarah’s Baby Shower Cake

This is a cake I made for my eldest niece’s baby shower. It is the Red Velvet cupcake recipe but I used hot pink food colouring instead of pillar box red.

Chocolate Mud Cake

Beautiful, rich and dense, this is a very impressive cake. The berries help to cut through the richness. This is one of my Dad’s favourites!
2 1/2 cups caster sugar
250g dark chocolate, chopped
250g unsalted butter, chopped
3/4 cup freshly brewed espresso coffee
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup hazelnut meal
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs, lightly whisked
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped cream and berries to serve

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Grease and line a 22cm loose bottomed cake tin.
Place sugar, butter, coffee and chocolate in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
Sift flour and cocoa into a bowl. Add hazelnut meal and stir to combine. Mix together the sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Gradually stir the sour cream mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture in batches, alternating with flour mixture, until just combined.
Pour mixture into prepared tin. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre. If necessary while baking, cover loosely with foil if to prevent over-browning. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin for 15 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool completely.
To serve cover the top of the cake with whipped cream and decorate with fresh berries.

Coffee and Walnut Layer Cake

I don’t make coffee cake often and I forget how much I love it! This is a Nigella recipe, which looked so fantastic I just had to make it.

Sponge
50g walnut pieces
225g caster sugar
225g unsalted butter, softened
200g plain flour
4 tsp instant espresso powder
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bi-carb of soda
4 eggs
1-2 x  tblsp milk

Buttercream Frosting
350g icing sugar
175g unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 tsp espresso powder, dissolved in 1 x tbsp boiling water
25g walnut halves, to decorate

Sponge
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line 2 x 20cm sandwich pans. Place walnut pieces and sugar in a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder. Add the butter, flour, espresso powder, baking powder, bicarb and eggs and process to a smooth batter. Add milk, pouring it down the funnel with the motor still running, or just pulsing, to loosen the cake mixture: it should be a soft, dropping consistency. Add more milk if necessary. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the sponge has risen and feels springy to touch. Cool cakes in their tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning out.
When the sponges are cool, you can make the buttercream.

Buttercream Frosting
Pulse icing sugar in the food processor until lump-free, then add the butter and process to make a smooth icing. Dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water and add it while still hot to the processor, pulsing to blend into a buttercream. Place one sponge upside down on the serving plate. Spread with about half the icing: then place the second sponge, right side up and cover with remaining icing. Gently press the walnut halves into the top of the icing around the edge of the circle about 1 cm apart.

Warm Potato Salad with Eggs and Dill

8 Kipfler potatoes, washed and chopped
3 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbsp good olive oil
a good pinch of salt
2 tbsp chopped dill
5 boiled eggs, cut into wedges
2 tbsp chopped chives
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place potato in a large baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until potatoes are golden brown, cooked through but still firm. Mix together mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, oil and salt in a small bowl then add  dill to complete the dressing. While potatoes are still warm pour over dressing and add egg, mix gently to combine. Top with a few more sprigs of dill, chives and cracked pepper.

Roast Chicken with Orange & Honey

1 large grain fed chicken
4 tbsp fresh orange juice, reserve remainder of orange
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp brandy
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
a pinch of salt

To make the marinade, mix together orange juice, honey, brandy, oregano, thyme and salt. Stuff the chicken with the remainder of the orange. Place chicken in a large snap seal bag and pour over the marinade. Place in fridge and marinate for 12 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Remove chicken from bag and place in baking tray and roast for 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown and cooked through. Place chicken on serving plate and drizzle with cooking juices.

Roasted Winter Veggie Soup

Despite today being the third day of Spring…I made this soup with left over veggies.

5 red capsicums, halved and seeded
8 tomatoes, halved
700g pumpkin, skinned and cut into large cubes
1 carrot, sliced into large chunks
1 large brown onion, chopped finely
1 head of garlic
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Wrap garlic head in foil and place in oven. Place veggies on lined baking trays, sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper and roast for 30-40 minute or until veggies soften. Remove garlic and veggies from oven. Peel skin off capsicum and discard.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onions and stir until softened. Add roasted veggies to saucepan. Pour over enough boiling water to cover veggies. Squeeze in roasted garlic. Add spices to saucepan and stir through. Remove from heat and puree with stick blender until smooth. Serve topped with torn basil leaves and persian fetta.

Portuguese Tarts

This is a variation of Bill Granger‘s amazing Portuguese Custard Tart recipe….I added a bit more lemon and added sugar to the top and caramelized it…Delicious!

3 egg yolks
2 tbsp cornflour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
2 large pieces lemon rind
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
In a small saucepan whisk together egg yolks, cornflour and sugar, until well combined. Add milk, cream and lemon rind and stir well. Place mixture on the stove and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add vanilla bean, stirring to combine. Cover with cling wrap and set aside to cool.
Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on top of the other. Roll the pastry together into a long cigar shape. Cut into 12 small discs. Place a disc, one at a time between two sheets of baking paper. Using a rolling pin roll the disc into a flat circle (about 10cm diameter). Lift off baking paper and place  the round into a greased cup cake/muffin tin. Continue until tray is filled.
Remove lemon rind from custard mix, then spoon mix into prepared pastry cups and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before lifting them from tray and placing on a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, sprinkle the top of tarts with caster sugar. Use a blow touch to caramelize the top of each tart (or place under hot grill until sugar caramelizes).

Lindt Choc Orange Cheesecake

This is a beautifully rich & delicious recipe from the Lindt webpage. They recommended to bake it at 120 degrees but I had to increase the temperature. Maybe they weren’t using a domestic oven so I have adjusted the temperature below.

Base
250g plain shortbread biscuits, finely crushed
160g butter, melted

Cheesecake
200g Lindt Excellence Orange Intense
575g cream cheese
50g sour cream
100g orange juice
140g caster sugar
175g eggs (about 3-4 depending on size)

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Lightly grease a round 26cm springform tin.

For the base: Place biscuit in a food processor and blend until they are finely ground. Mix in enough melted butter to bind the mixture, then press evenly over the base of the tin and smooth with the back of a spoon. Set aside.

For the cheesecake: Place the cream cheese into a bowl and beat with electic beaters until smooth. Add sour cream and sugar and continue mixing until smooth.
Add orange juice to a saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Break up chocolate and mix into the orange juice , stirring until melted.
Mix chocolate into the cheese mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Transfer the cheesecake mixture into the prepared tin and place into a deep baking dish. Pour about 2cm deep hot water into the base of the dish. This will aid the cooking process and prevent the cake from drying out.
Bake cheesecake for approximately 45 minutes. It’s ready when it is set on the sides but slightly soft in the centre. Cook the cake in the springform tin. Dust with dutch cocoa powder before serving.

Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Mascarpone & Chocolate

This cake looks really impressive but because you use a cake mix it is much easier than you think. I used a gluten free cake mix, which then made this recipe gluten free! I found this recipe in Giada‘s Kitchen – New Italian Favourites cookbook. Thanks Giada!

Cake
1 box chocolate cake mix plus additional ingredients needed to make up cake.

Crunch
1 cup hazelnuts, roasted & peeled
2/3 cup caster sugar

Filling
250g mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp caster sugar
grated rind of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line 2 20 cm cake tins.
Prepare cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the centre of the cakes spring back. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
To make the crunch, place the toasted nuts close together on a lined baking tray. Combine sugar and 1/3 cup of water in a small saucepan. Over medium heat stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium heat until the sugar is lightly browned (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat and let the bubbles subside, then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking tray in the refrigerator and let the nut crunch cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the nut crunch has hardened and cooled, place it on a cutting board and cut into small pieces, saving a few larger ones for decoration. Set aside.
To make the filling, put mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, beat with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Fold the chopped nuts into the whipped cream.
To make the topping, place the chocolate chips, sugar and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.
To assemble the cake, put one cake layer on the serving plate or cake stand. Top with 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture. Place the second cake layer on top of the first and frost the entire cake with remaining filling. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the ground chocolate topping and add some shards of nut crunch as decoration. Serve.

Rich Almond Cake

I saw this recipe on an ipad in an Apple store in Melbourne. I bought my ipad because of the app it comes from. The presentation was so beautiful that I wanted to cook every single recipe! The recipe for this cake suggested an oven setting of 150 degrees but I found this too low, and think 170 degrees is much better. I think it would be delicious served with whipped cream flavoured with Limoncello or whipped cream mixed with lemon or lime zest.

250g ricotta cheese
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp almond essence
175g golden caster sugar
250g almond meal
grated rind of 1 lime
toasted flaked almonds, to decorate
icing sugar, sifted for dusting

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin. Beat together ricotta, egg yolks, almond essence and sugar. Stir in almond meal and lime rind. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they form soft peaks. Fold the whites lightly into the ricotta mixture using a metal spoon. Spread mixture into the tin and bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until firm and lightly browned. Cool cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and sprinkle with flaked almonds. When cool dust with icing sugar and serve.