STEAMOVENCOOKING with Tenina

Haven’t done a steam oven recipe for a while and this was unbelievable! There are fresh early strawberries around at the moment, so they are a perfect pair…with the obligatory dollop of fresh whipped cream, naturally! This was better the next day, stone cold, rather than steamy warm, but either way it is truly decadent and well worth using a bain marie to get the same result, if you don’t possess a steam oven!

NEED:
200 grams each butter and dark chocolate melts
150 grams ground almond meal (or blanched almonds and whiz them up yourself in…you guessed it, the Thermomix!)
200 grams SR flour
4 eggs
dash of vanilla essence
Large pie dish

DO:
Put butter and chocolate into Thermomix bowl and process on speed 9 for 15 seconds or until chopped.
Set timer for 5 minutes, temperature for 37 and then melt chocolate on the stirring function.
(OR; Melt butter and chocolate together in MW on high for 2 minutes, stir until all melted and then transfer to Thermomix bowl.)
Insert butterfly attachment and then add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
Add flour and almond meal, then vanilla and continue beating on speed 4 until blended and aerated.
Spread into pie plate.
Process in steam oven for 1&1/2 hours or until set in centre.
Alternatively use individual moulds. Steaming should take a lot less time if you do this.
Remove and cool.

SERVE:
With fresh sliced strawberries, whipped cream and a dusting of either cocoa or icing sugar.

USED:
 

I had a great dessert at lunch the other day and decided to try and replicate it, and if I say so myself…mine is better. (No-one else would say it, so I had to!) I had intended on a rhubarb clafoutis after reading a great recipe for Cherry Clafouti on Foodbuzz, but this idea took over after the lunch! I have had a lot of good feedback about Rhubarb Mousse, so I know rhubarb is on your radars…Love the tangy-ness, the tart-ness, the color, and paired with Raspberry, YUMM-O!

It is a rhubarb, crumble with a cheesecake-y centre…so unsure of exactly what I was making I began with flavor and color in mind, added raspberries for both…and voila! You can see the results and give the recipe a go. Please tell me what results you get….BUT ONLY IF THEY’RE GOOD! Hahahahaha.

NEED:
Base: 1 pkg gingernut biscuits
125 grams butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 cup quick oats
Filling: 1 kilo chopped fresh rhubarb stalks
350 grams frozen raspberries thawed (Fresh are impossible to get where I live, but use them if you can!)
5 tablespoons raw sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
500 grams creamed ricotta cheese
5 large eggs
150 grams sour cream (not light)
2 teaspoons vanilla

DO:
Steam rhubarb with raw sugar in steam oven for 25 minutes.
Cool completely.
Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celcius.
Spray 10 inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
Make base by processing all ingredients except oats in Thermomix Speed 8 until blended.
Turn blade in reverse and add oats, using stirring function until oats are mixed through.
Push 3/4 of base mix into prepared pan with the back of a spoon, making sure mix is packed down firmly.
Reserve remaining base mix for topping and set aside in seperate bowl.
Bake the base in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until fragrant.
Without cleaning Thermomix bowl, blend all filling ingredients except fruit until smooth and creamy.
Mix raspberries with steamed rhubarb gently so as not to break the fruit up too much.
Pour cheesecake mix onto base.
Gently put fruit on top of cheese filling and try to distribute evenly throughout cake.
Place crumble (base) mix on top.
Bake in oven for around 75 minutes or until middle is set when you shake it.
Chill completely.

SERVE:
Slice and serve with fresh cream (I used King Island Cream…THE best in Australia!) Of course the addition of cream totally kills the low-fat properties of the ricotta….but you could argue that it halves the fat content that you would have if the recipe called for cream cheese…AND a dollop of cream to serve!  Female logic…you can’t beat it.

This was the challenge; The Foodie Joust Challenge no less! Write a recipe using ginger, apricots and butter. Well my little cooks hat went on and started working over time! There was Butter Puff Pastry, Apricot Danish with a Ginger glaze. Apricot Brown Butter Ice Cream with Ginger toffee pieces throughout. How about Butter Apricot Chicken with Pickled Ginger garnish, or a Lime, Coconut Ginger cake with an Apricot Butter on the side? Oh the agony of choosing just one…but here it is and for all you Thermomix and Steam Oven lovers, here’s looking at you kids! Oh and if you’re a food blogger yourself, why not go and vote for me on; Left Over Queen Forum. or even enter yourself…it’s been fun!

NEED:
125 grams unsalted butter
2 inch peeled piece of fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
225 grams caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
4 large eggs
110 grams SR flour
200 grams almond meal
3 apricot halves from a can per serving (or fresh if you are lucky enough to be in summer right now!)
Unflavored oil (Grapeseed)
Extra caster sugar for grilling
Plus more caster sugar for toffee bark (see below)
6 large ramekins or 14 small

DO:
In Thermomix bowl chop butter and peeled ginger together for 3 seconds on Speed 9.
Insert butterfly attachment.
Add sugar, ground ginger, nutmeg and vanilla bean paste and whip on Speed 3-4 for around 5 minutes.
The mixture should look almost white.
Meanwhile grease and flour ramekins.
Prepare water bath if you do not have a steam oven.
Add eggs one at a time.
You may have to add some flour at this point to prevent curdling.
Add remaining flour and almond meal and whip briefly until the mix comes together.
It should be a soft batter, (not runny).
Spoon mix evenly into ramekins and process in Steam Oven for 45 minutes.
OR using water bath method, place ramekins in large pan filled to the halfway point with water and steam in 100 degree Celcius oven (around 212 F) for 45 minutes.
Heat griddle pan with a dash of Grapeseed oil and some sprinkled caster sugar.
Grill canned or fresh apricot halves, round side down until browned and caramelized.
Set aside for serving.
OPTIONAL: Toffee bark.
This is really just a bit of cosmetic thing, though a nice crunch with dessert is a plus.
Spray a flat oven tray (with a rim) with oil.
Thinkly spread around 1/2 cup caster sugar so it is even and place under a hot grill for around 5 minutes.
This is quite tricky as one minute you have sugar granules and the next, the oven is up in smoke…so don’t move away! Check and when sugar is runny and golden, remove and cook tray, allowing the toffee to set.
When completely cold, break into uneven pieces and use for decoration.
SERVE: Un mold from ramekin, dredge with icing sugar, arrange apricots and use the little bit of drizzle you’ll have as a syrup over the pudding and apricots. It goes without saying you need dollops of freshly whipped cream…and I must say, diet or no diet, this was delish!

I have to admit that this recipe, whilst clever and easy, is not mine and full credit and a big thank you must go to my cousin the chef, Crispy Raykels of Rotarua in New Zealand. What is mine is the BBQ twist and the Rum Caramel Sauce. If you like crispy pastry, (pun intended Crispy) and you like sweet banana, gooey caramel, a few nuts and a lot of easy, then this definitely rates a mention on your BBQ this summer! Make ahead by a day and keep in fridge until ready to cook. Unfortuneately the photos are average as I was in ‘point and shoot’ mode due to the fact I was mid class at the time. Food Stylist required!!! But you get the idea yes?

NEED:
2 sheets of thawed filo pastry per serving
melted butter for brushing pastry (approx 300 grams for 8 servings)
1/2 banana per serving
1 mini or 1/2 normal sized mars bar
SAUCE:
125 grams unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
dash of rum
1 disposable foil BBQ tray

DO:
Brush melted butter on and between first 2 sheets of filo.
Keep other filo damp by covering with a moistened clean tea towel.
Cut a peeled banana in half and make a ‘hot dog’ (see above pic) with the mars bar and banana posing as bread bun and hot dog!
Wrap in filo and brush with more butter as needed.
Place in foil tray.
Repeat until all servings have been made.
Place tray on top basket of turned off Cross Fire BBQ.
Close lid and leave until browned and ‘crispy’!
SAUCE:
On Induction 4 in heavy based pan, heat butter and sugar until sugar has dissolved and it starts to resemble a sauce.
Turn heat up to 6, add cream.
Bring to boil on 10.
Add rum to taste.
Serve immediately over Crispy Bananas and add whipped cream or ice-cream to taste.

Had you going there for a second didn’t I??? No I haven’t moved to France (just yet!) but rather than post just an ordinary every day Lemon Meringue Pie recipe, I needed a bit of pizzazz, and what yells pizzazz more than the French Language?
Of course I would only ever use my Sour Cream Pastry recipe, which really deserves a post of it’s own, it is so versatile. And now with the Thermomix in my arsenal, there is no looking back. I kid you not, I made the pastry in less than 2 minutes, start to finish! “Incredible!!”

NEED:
1 batch Sour Cream Pastry
Filling;
zest and juice of 3 lemons
3 large egg yolks (reserve whites)
3 tablespoons corn flour (you can make your own with the Thermomix)
50 grams butter
50 grams caster sugar
Meringue;
3 large egg whites
175 grams caster sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
dash vanilla essence

DO:
Put all ingredients for filling into Thermomix bowl.
Cook on 90 degrees C for 9 minutes on speed 4.
Half way through cooking time, add 3/4 cup cold water through the lid.
Cook further if not coating the back of a spoon.
The taste should be quite tart as opposed to sweet.
Spread into warm cooked pie crust.
Meanwhile in clean bowl beat egg whites with cream of tartar until starting to thicken.
Add sugar slowly and keep beating until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla.
Dollop meringue mix onto pie, carefully covering all the filling mix.
(This will prevent ‘weeping’ of the meringue…and you know I hate to make a meringue cry!)
Bake for a further 7 minutes on 160 degrees C.
Serve warm or cold in massive slices with more whipped cream if you dare!
NOTE: I do not use the Thermomix for whipping the egg whites, which you can do, but I find a better result as far as meringue goes by using a hand held beater.
USED:

OK, I know ice cream has very little to do with Steam Oven Cooking…well nothing in fact, but MERCY it was good! I have been a bit obsessed with the old Thermomix, whipping up entire meals for thousands in seconds, and because of unseasonal sunny weather, the ice-cream idea just beckoned…and well, I am a star, what can I say? Get a load of this, but remember, NOT INSTANT…unless you get a flask of Liquid Nitrogen, you’ll be waiting overnight for this taste sensation.

NEED:
3 whole eggs
500 grams whipping cream
250 grams milk
200 grams dark chocolate (I used Cadbury Old Gold)
200 grams caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
pinch salt

DO:
Place chocolate in Thermomix bowl and chop on Speed 8 for 10 seconds. Set aside.
Break eggs into bowl and using butterfly whisk, beat until lemon in color. (Speed 4)
Add caster sugar, a little at a time until all blended. Remove butterfly.
Add all remaining ingredients, including chopped chocolate.
Cook for 5 minutes at 80 degrees on speed 5.
Pour into large metal loaf tin.
Place in freezer for approx 2 hours or until frozen around the edges.
Put into Thermomix bowl and beat for 30 seconds on Speed 9.
Return to loaf pan and return to freezer overnight.
You can beat it again if you would like it to be a lighter mixture…but I personally like a ‘heavy’ icecream.

SERVE: Scoop into bowls or waffle cones and work at not eating it all in one sitting! This amount should serve 6-8 generously.

I now am going to add toasted almonds, macadamias or whatever, replace the dark chocolate with white, add cherries, or peanut butter ganache, replace half the cream with a bought custard…oh the mind boggles! Clearly I need to get more acquainted with the gym, that I have been so lax with of late!

USED:

 

Well we all know it’s coming…the dreaded burnt toast with a scraping of butter, some aging fruit salad with bits of skin still on, a cold, slightly undercooked egg, swimming in bacon grease, and possibly a lukewarm coffee or milo! Yes, Mother’s Day breakfast in bed. Sit up and ENJOY!

OR: Get the kids and or husband onto this blog and cooking some easy but YUMMY breakfast for Sunday, they’ll enjoy it too!

Firstly, check out some Overnight French Toast. And if the worst comes to the worst, you could actually organise this yourself…and all they have to do is stick it in the oven, OR, if you are really clever and have a “Start Later, Stop Later” function on your oven (all Kleenmaid ovens but one have this function) you can set it yourself and then the kids just have to serve it! EASY.

If you are not much of a sweet tooth, try Gratin Egg Cups with some toast (unburnt if possible!) and hot coffee, YUM!

Of course, a breakfast blog would not be complete without some reference to Pancakes and I think I have it well covered here!

If you are running out the door and Breakfast in bed is not your thing…you can pre-mix this lot and just bake in the morning. Friands the trendy muffin of the ‘Norties’ (Yes that’s the 2000’s) are so delicious that you will not be able to stop at one. Of course, berries are a healthy choice, but try adding choc chips, macadamias, replacing the almond meal with polenta, the sugar with grated parmesan, and then add sun dried tomatoes, olives etc etc. for a savoury twist.

If you are throwing caution to the winds and getting off the diet yo-yo, (at least for ONE day) try something more decadent from my Seven Deadly Recipes file…but I suspect that you may have to be making these yourself…or for your mum, if you really need an excuse!

Have a great Mother’s Day, and may your toast be buttered right to the edges!

NEED:
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup water

3 pkgs  low fat cream cheese
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
4 large eggs

14 small ramekins or 6-8 large

DO:
Make toffee for bottom of ramekins by heating honey, butter  and sugar together on Induction 4 until sugar is dissolved,
butter melts and mix is blended.
Increase heat to 6 and whisk with balloon whisk until mix goes a deep caramel color.
Set the timer for 5 minutes continuing to whisk.
Remove from heat and add water. (Mix will bubble and spit)
Whisk to blend.
Divide topping between ramekins. Set aside.

Prepare filling by blending cheese and sugar in food processor until creamy.
Add sour cream, lemon and vanmilla; Process until smooth.
Add eggs blending between additions.
Divide mix between ramekins.
Process in steam oven for 20 minutes.
Chill until completely cold.

SERVE:
Run a knife around the edge and upturn onto a plate.
Garnish with fresh or thawed berries and whipped cream.

USED:
Le Creuset 7-3/4 oz. Ramekins, Set of 2, Cherry

Sorry to do this to all those of you looking forward to putting on a swimsuit in the next few months, but you won’t be able to just have one piece: thus ‘Gluttony’.

NEED:
1 pkg Butternut snap biscuits
75 grams butter
4 x 250 grams cream cheese
5 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
300 grams Toblerone chocolate (3 bars)
FOR PRALINE GARNISH:
1/2 cup chocolate melts
1 cup caster sugar
vegetable spray
Large springform pan

DO:
Make crust by mixing biscuits and butter in food processor.
Press into spring form pan and bake on 165 degrees fan forced for
10 minutes. Cool
Beat cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time,
then vanilla and cream and continue to whip until light and blended.
Pour into pan.
Melt Toblerone on Induction 1 until pourable.
With a spoon, dollop even amounts on the top of the cheesecake,
swirl through the cheesecake with a skewer for marbled effect.
Process in steam oven for 70 minutes or until set in centre.
Chill for several hours or overnight.
TO MAKE PRALINE:
Spray a sheet of baking paper with vegetable spray.
Evenly spread the sugar and place in 160 degree on fan grill function.
for around 8-10 minutes.
Watch this closely as a 30 seconds can be the difference between praline
and a smoking burnt mess!!
Leave toffee to cool and set hard. Meanwhile melt choc melts on
Induction 1. When toffee is set, drizzle chocolate over it. Set in fridge.

SERVE:
Slice into wedges with a wet knife. Break praline into large pieces, and serve
with whipped cream and stick praline in large end of wedge.
Garnish with fresh strawberries.

USED:
Large springform pan

For those of you who don’t like Christmas Pudding, this is definitely the way to go…the Kleenmaid steam oven gives you a perfect result without any stodgy-ness!

NEED:
1 jar fruit mince
2 cups mixed dried fruit of choice.
(craisins, raisins, apricots, pineapple, figs)
1 cup mixed nuts of choice (anything but not peanuts)
zest and juice of 2 oranges, 2 lemons
1 pkg dark chocolate chips (or block dark chocolate broken into chunks)
¾ cup brandy
1 cup flour
75 grams unsalted butter
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup treacle
1 teaspoon each:
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom
3 eggs
Individual ramekins for steaming

DO:
Combine all fruit, nuts, chocolate, zest with juice and ½ of the brandy.
Cover and leave overnight, stirring occasionally.
In another bowl, combine flour and spices.
In large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add treacle and beat through. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Stir in flour mixture to make a thick batter.
Add brandied fruit and nuts and mix well.
Spoon into ramekins and process in steam oven for up to an hour.
To serve remove pudding from dish,
douse with dash of brandy and ignite with cooks torch.
Serve with cream, custard or Brandy Hard sauce.