August 16, 2008
The most amazing rolls you have ever tasted can be sourced right here, right now. Thanks to my friend Megan (who also cooks at Kleenmaid) I have the secret recipe, which of course is now no secret…and even if you have never tried making bread before, this is a great way to begin a journey with yeast, as it is hard to go wrong. You can use the dough for sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls or my personal fave, Sticky Toffee Pecan Rolls (recipe to follow in a later post!) I had family over the other night and we ate the entire batch as dinner rolls, without a crumb in sight…and they were loudly proclaimed THE best rolls ever tasted…Thanks Megan!
NEED:
Step 1
¼ cup warm water
4 teaspoons Yeast granules
Step 2
4 cups warm water
¾ cup powdered milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
7 cups plain flour
Step 3
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Baking soda
1 tsp salt
DO:
Step 1
Combine warm water and yeast in a small bowl, place somewhere warm and wait for the yeast to activate.
Step 2
While the yeast is activating, combine all ingredients from step 2 in a large mixing bowl. Mix together until smooth. Add yeast mixture to the large bowl and I cup of plain flour. Beat together until stretchy.
Leave to rise until the mixture is double in size.
Step 3
Poke down the dough then add ingredients from step 3. Combine until a soft dough is formed (you may need to add more flour). Once the dough is ready turn onto a floured bench and kneed the dough, the dough is now ready to use.
Store unused dough in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. (Wrap tightly in plastic to prevent it taking over your fridge.)
When baking rolls – shape rolls, buns, as desired leave on baking trays to rise then bake in 180 – 200 degrees oven for about 15 – 20 min.
August 13, 2008
I went on a mission to find pork ribs at my local butcher wholesaler. (There is a great one near me!) They were twice the price as the beef ribs, so guess what? This recipe is for beef ribs, and I must say, that although I only got one, they were well worth the effort. In fact tonight I repeated the marinade with pork fillets and it was even more delicious…no bones to contend with, but I didn’t bake them first, straight on the Crossfire. Timing is everything, so don’t rush these. The longer you can marinade the better.
NEED:
4 kilos beef ribs
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime
1 large oven bag
Fresh mint to taste
DO:
Place all ribs into oven bag.
In small bowl, mix all remaining ingredients.
Pour into bag, tie and lay flat in fridge, turning occasionally for up to 48 hours.
(I did mine for 30 hours and they were melt in the mouth fantastic!)
Bake in oven bag for a few hours on low heat. (Around 140 degrees Celcius)
Alternatively you could steam them in the Steam Oven for around 1 & 1/2 hours in the bag of marinade as well.
When ready to serve, grill on heated Crossfire for about 5 minutes with lid down.
Sprinkle with chopped mint and serve immediately, but not before tasting one yourself!
August 9, 2008
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.
June 12, 2008
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:
May 28, 2008
Got any day old Croissant laying around? Me neither, they never last that long…but should on some rare occasion, a croissant or two escapes the hungry hoardes, try this for a decadent morning tea idea.
NEED:
Day old croissant…(This quantity makes 6)
110 grams ground almond meal
250 grams unsalted butter
drizzle almond essence
1/4 cup icing sugar
flaked almonds to finish
SYRUP made from 1 cup water and 1/2 cup caster sugar brought together until sugar is dissolved on Induction 6. Can add a dash of rum at this point. Cool. (Really cool…as in hip!)
DO:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
Cut croissant in half and lay in baking dish.
Pulse butter, almonds, icing sugar, essence and egg together in food processor.
When blended spoon onto croissant half and top with other half.
Pour syrup over and allow to soak in.
Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake until golden. (Around 20 minutes)
Serve whilst warm.
USED:
May 8, 2008
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!
April 30, 2008
Absolutely nothing is better for morning tea on a coolish morning (after so much heat) than some nice savoury scones with a pizza filling. (All you Americans read ‘biscuits’ for scones!) My cream cheese scone dough is of course, supreme and so there you have the perfect pairing…so what are you waiting for, get your cooks Apron on and heat up the oven and you’ll be smacking your lips in no time!
NEED:
125 grams Cream cheese
75 grams Parmesan grated with Microplane
2 cups SR flour
pinch salt
soda water to mix
FILLING:
cherry tomatoes
1 small jar pizza sauce
1 small jar pesto (or make your own)
finely chopped garlic
1/2 diced onion
fresh basil leaves
Extra grated Parmesan
DO:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
Make dough by putting Cream cheese, flour and soda water into Thermomix bowl and using the ‘knead’ button for about 1-2 minutes to bring the dough to a workable consistency.
Using extra flour, and a Rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle.
Spread dough with pizza paste, and then pesto to taste,
Sprinkle with onion, garlic and basil.
Roll dough over on itself.
Cut into rounds, turn scroll side up and put into buttered ceramic dish.
Push a cherry tomato or two into the middle of each scone.
Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until golden.
USED:
April 26, 2008
As promised, the Chicken Pad Thai recipe! And FYI I have been taking lots of photos of other stuff that is on it’s way…maybe I should call this blog “Get Stuffed”! Any thoughts?
NEED:
1/2 chicken breast per person
4 tablespoons commerical Pad Thai paste (available most Asian supermarkets)
5 cloves garlic peeled and chopped finely
1 brown onion chopped
2 cups bean sprouts
handful rice noodles per person
1 egg per person, beaten lightly
1 cup salted peanuts, re-roasted until fragrant
LOTS of fresh lime juice (Do not be tempted to use the ready made product…NOT THE SAME)
Fish sauce to taste (I use around 1/4 cup for about 6 servings)
Chilli paste or 1 red chilli chopped finely including seeds
handful coriander chopped (cilantro)
Lime wedges
DO:
Heat a little oil in Demeyere Multifunctional Pan with Lid 
Roast peanuts and set aside.
Fry off garlic, onions, pad thai paste, chicken, and toss until browned.
Meanwhile soak noodles as package directs.
Beat eggs and stir through mix.
Toss in noodles, bean sprouts and any other vegies of choice.
Add a little stock in necessary and lime juice.
Stir through chopped coriander, garnish with roasted peanuts and serve with lime wedges immediately.
USED:
April 23, 2008
OK, you ready???
BASIC RECIPE
NEED:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 & 1/2 cups Plain flour (unless specified otherwise)
Spray oil
Demeyere Fry Pan
DO:
Whisk eggs, milk and sour cream together until frothy.
Add flour bit at a time and keep beating until smooth.
If you need either more liquid or more flour, add at this point.
Consistency should be like a runny custard.
Spray pan and heat until smoking.
Using 1/4 cup measure, (see the cute ones I found today?) Reversible Measuring Cups Set, 
pour batter into pan and swirl around until spread evenly.
Cook until it releases itself from the pan. (This is where a good pan is important!)
Flip and cook very quickly on other side. SERVE!
ONE: Holy Crepes! (Sweet)
Add 1 tablespoon icing sugar and 1 extra tablespoon of sour cream to mixture. Eliminate spray oil and use a generous amount of butter to cook in.
Serve with choice of whipped cream or vanilla yoghurt, maple syrup, honey, chocolate syrup, (homemade of course) lemon butter (also homemade) jam, or preserves.
TWO: Capricious Citrus.
Well lemon actually…just as I remember as a kid…but tweaked!
Add 1 tablespoon icing sugar, the zest (Stainless Steel Zester Grater
) of a lemon/lime/orange or zest of all 3, and 1 extra tablespoon of sour cream to mixture. Eliminate spray oil and use a generous amount of butter to cook in.
Cook pancakes and serve with zested castor sugar and the juices of any capricious citrus! Enjoy!
THREE: Chicken Caesar.
Of course you knew savoury was on the list right?
Cook pancakes as directed.
Serve with cooked bacon, diced hard boiled egg, diced tomato, shredded chicken, parmesan, all drizzled with caesar salad dressing.
FOUR: Toad in the Hole!
Add 2 more eggs to batter mix. Add 1/2 cup extra SR flour. Let mix stand for up to 3 hours, minimum of 1 hour. Beat again.
Pierce and place one sausage per person into a Large Roasting Pan 
Put into hot oven, cooking until the fat has come out of the sausages and they are almost done. Now for those of you who are not Anglophiles, this may seem a little gross, but it is important. There must be at least 1/2 cup of fat in the bottom of the pan before you can cook the batter successfully! So if you need to ADD MORE…olive oil is my choice.
Turn the oven up to top temperature. Let the pan get as hot as you can whilst you add 1/2 cup ICE COLD water to the batter mix. As quickly as possible, add batter to hot pan. It will spit! Put straight back into the oven and cook until it puffs up and is a light brown color. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with gravy and steamed or roasted veggies.
FIVE: Yorkshire puds.
Whilst we’re on the whole English thing…same as above, no sausages and use a Muffin Pan
. Pour at least 2 teaspoons of oil per muffin hole and heat in hot oven until fat is smoking. (I know, I know, over 240 degrees and we’re all going to die of cancer…just don’t do it too often!) As with FOUR, add the ice cold water just as you are about to cook the batter. These will puff up and hit the top of your oven if you have it right! My father is a Yorkshireman and he has grudgingly admitted that I have inherited the Yorkshire Pudding gene! These can be served as tradition requires with roast beef and all the trimmings, or you can serve them with jam or syrup and fresh vanilla icecream for a lovely hot dessert!
SIX: Piklets!
Eliminate the sour cream, add more flour and make it all SR flour. Add 1 teaspoon bicarb soda as well as 1/4 cup melted butter to the mix. Cook on a hot griddle and serve hot or cold with toppings of choice! These are a great after school snack and so easy to do…you really don’t even need an electric mixer…but add liquid to dry ingredients if not using a mixer and not the other way around!
A big griddle plate is a great idea and as usual my fave is the Demeyere one which also has a glass dome available with it and makes a great serving tray when not being used for cooking!
Demeyere Round Maxigrill
SEVEN: Banana pancakes.
Ahhh, these bring back such fond memories trips to Bali, that when I am needing a ray of sunshine, this is what I cook for breakfast.
Add a generous teaspoon of vanilla essence to the batter. When cooking each pancake, quickly slice 1/2 a small banana onto the sticky uncooked side of the batter as it is in the pan. As you flip, (Large Flexible Turner
) the bananas should stay in place and caramelize a little in the pan. Even if they do not look perfect, believe me the taste will keep you coming back for more. Just serve with a little more butter, maple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar if you are going for presentation!
EIGHT: Savoury Again.
Of course any variations on a theme are great, but try using pancakes instead of canneloni shells. Cook all the batter and keep pancakes on a plate with a damp tea towel covering them. Make a rich tomato sauce. Use all your faves for Italian sauce, mushrooms, garlic, onions, basil etc.. Fill each pancake with a ricotta and spinach mix, rolling and placing seam side down in a Large Roasting Pan . Smother with tomato sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan. Cook in hot oven for around 25 minutes. Serve with crusty bread, and fresh salad. Easier than canneloni and more filling!
NINE: Mexican Capers!
Eliminate 1/2 cup of the flour and replace it with 1/2 cup of yellow polenta meal. Cook each pancake only on one side and keep on plate with damp tea towel over the top.
Make filling of choice…I suggest cooked shredded chicken, sour cream, sliced spring onions, jar of sliced black olives and a jar Mexican Salsa. Stuff and roll each pancake, placing seam side down in Large Roasting Pan . Top with diced tomatoes and as much cheese as you can take! Cook very quickly in a hot oven and once again, serve with a salad and lashings of guacamole! Arriba, arriba!
And last but not least TEN: Crepes.
What would a Top Ten list be without a Crepe recipe? The difference between crepes and pancakes is more than the weight of the batter, but more to do with the method I think. SO: reduce flour to 1 cup and sift (Stainless Steel Flour Sifter
) it first. Seperate eggs and whisk yolks until lemon in color. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Mix flour, yolks and milk together. (Be careful not to over mix!) Fold in egg whites. Let mix stand for up to 3 hours. Just before you are ready to cook add 1/4 cup ICE COLD water to batter. Make sure the pan is HOT. Use butter to cook the crepes. Try and handle them as little as possible. Serve immediately with fresh berries, berry coulis and lemon cream. (Whipped cream through which you have folded home made lemon butter.) Dredge with sifted icing sugar.
So there you have the first in my series of Top Ten! Hopefully there will be more than one in the near future, and I think the next one needs to be “Top Ten Drizzles, Toppings, and Garnishes.” Stay tuned!
April 17, 2008
until browned.