Lemon Meringue Pies

 

I am absolutely in love with everything lemon at the moment. Especially lemon & lime tarts. I see them & my heart starts beating double time. Something about the sweet & tart is so appealing. Because of this, I decided it was time to bake up a storm - lemon meringue pie style!

Ingredients:

1 packet of store bought shortcrust pastry shells/cups

1 can of skim condensed milk

The juice of 3 lemons (or you can use store bought lemon juice)

5 egg whites (we saved our yolks and added them to the next day's scrambled eggs - yum!!)

1 tablespoon sugar

Method:

1. Bake pastry shells according to packet instructions (about 5 minutes in a hot oven). Leave to cool.

2. Combine condensed milk & the juice of 1 lemon in a bowl. Mix & taste. Add the lemons & mix, tasting each time, until you reach your preferred level of lemon flavour.

3. Whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until it makes firm peaks - adding the sugar as you whisk.

4. Divide mixture evenly amongst cold pastry shells. Top with egg whites (I have tried both piping the egg whites on - above- and spooning it on, spooning wins hands down every time for a light & tall meringue). Place in a 200C oven for about 3 minutes or until the meringue is lightly golden. Serve immediately or refrigerate for another day.

For the little tarts you see in the above picture, I used shortcrust pastry shells and spooned in the lemon mixture without any meringue on top - delicious :)

Sunny xx

Mini Caramel Tarts

These are a great treat to bring to a picnic, high tea or morning tea. I make these either as the mini way seen below, or with store bought shortcrust pastry cups (from the frozen section of your supermarket).

Ingredients:

1/2 can Nestle Top'n'fill
2 sheets shortcrust pastry (or pre-bought pastry shells)
Canola oil spray
Flake crumbs (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180C. Spay a mini muffin tray with canola oil spray.

2. Cut pastry sheets into 12 squares. Slightly stretch each square and place into a mini muffin hole. Use a knife to cut around any edges to make perfect little cups - or leave as is if you want a more rustic look. Repeat with remaining pastry.

3. Prick bottom of pastry rounds and place in oven. Cook until golden. Remove and set aside until completely cool. If you rush this step the caramel will melt & leak all over!

4. Place caramel into a small mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth (it may take a minute or two). Using a teaspoon, place caramel into cooled pastry shells. Serve immediately, or later that day.

Sunny xx

Baked French Toast! (aka Bread & Butter Pudding)

Growing up I hands-down hated bread and butter pudding. It was boring & bland & covered in sultanas (which I am most definitely NOT a fan of). Whenever it was on the menu, I was suddenly full after dinner and couldn't fit in another spoon full.

It wasn't until a couple years ago, when I saw the Pioneer Woman's recipe that I thought it was worth giving it a try. Her recipe (thank god) did not contain sultanas. When I tried it I was bowled over, it takes just like french toast! Here is my adapted version of the recipe -

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 to 5 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup nuts, chopped finely - pecans, walnuts or slivered almonds are my favourite
1 tsp cinnamon sugar
Maple syrup & thickened cream to serve

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 160C. Lightly grease a large pie baking dish or a 9 inch regular baking dish.

2. Beat together eggs, butter, vanilla, milk & sugar. Mix until all the sugar has dissolved.

3. Arrange your bread cubes tightly in the baking dish, keeping the crusts facing upwards around the rim. Pour the wet ingredients over the bread. Top with nuts & sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top. Bake in the oven for 55 - 70 minutes or until crust is golden on top. You'll notice the bread puffs up whilst cooking.

4. Drizzle the pudding with maple syrup, serve with thickened cream.


Sunny xx

Chocolate Drizzled Potato Chips

When I first saw Chocolate Drizzled Potato chips mentioned I thought 'ewww that sounds gross'. But then I kept thinking about it, and about 2 hours later I had convinced myself that I needed to try them. I love the salty/sweet combo you get from eating McDonald's fries whilst drinking a chocolate shake, or dipping the chips into an ice cream cone (don't judge, its awesome. I swear.) so for that reason I gave the chocolate drizzled chips a chance. And they were delicious.

Ingredients:

1 large packet of thick cut plain potato chips (salted)
30g Dark chocolate (I used Lindt)
20g Milk Chocolate (I used Cadbury)

Method:

1. Line a large baking tray with grease proof paper. Lay your chips on the paper, making sure they are evenly dispersed so that every chip gets some chocolaty goodness.

2. Place the milk & dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl (I just use a small ramekin) and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir until all lumps have disappeared.

3. Dip the ends of a fork into the chocolate, then drizzle over potato chips. Remember, start with a little & build up. Leave chips to set (mine took about 20 minutes for the chocolate to harden). Serve!

I found that a little went a long way with the chocolate, but taste as you go & adjust to your preference. These look gorgeous plated up in little bowls for each person or in paper ice cream cups.

Sunny xx

Peanut Butter & Honey Cups

I made these as part of the boxes of baked goods I gave my grandparents, parents & in-laws for Christmas. They are a great treat to make for your loved ones! Here is the basic recipe...

Ingredients:

1 block of chocolate
Peanut butter
Honey – you can use regular or creamed
Mini cupcake patty cases

Method:
 
1. Melt the block of chocolate in the microwave – cook for 1 minute then stir. Cook for another 30 seconds & stir until fully melted.

2. Place the mini patty cases in a mini cupcake tin – this helps the chocolates keep their shape. Place 1 teaspoon melted chocolate in each case.

3. Place a half teaspoon of peanut butter and a half teaspoon of honey on top of the chocolates.

4. Cover with another teaspoon or so of chocolate. Decorate & refrigerate.

Other ways to spice it up:

- Use caramel top‘n’fill instead of the peanut butter & honey to make soft caramel centres.

- Use flavoured chocolate such as nut varieties (we love Cadbury macadamia) or liquor chocolate.

- Replace the peanut butter and honey with nutella for a super chocolaty hit!

- Decorate using coloured white chocolate, by placing a nut on top or with sprinkles!

Sunny xx

Egg Salad Sandwiches

I made these egg sandwiches for my family picnic last week and they were a massive hit. I made loads of them & they were devoured by the hungry people almost instantly. I made mine plain, but I usually add lettuce, alfalfa sprouts or some thinly sliced (and well seasoned) cucumber.

Please excuse my very blue picture - I took a quick picture whilst we were sitting under a tree because I didnt have time to take one before I left my house!

Ingredients:
6 eggs
2 tablespoons good quality mayo
2 tablespoons butter
4 drops lemon juice
1 heaped teaspoon chopped chives (adjust to your tastes)
Salt & Pepper
Fresh bread – I use white, but use whatever you prefer

Method:

1. Hard boil eggs. I like to put my eggs into cold water & put on high heat for about 7 minutes – this makes the whites hard & the centres still a little soft.

2. Remove eggs from pot and place into ice water for a minute or two until cool enough to handle.

3. Remove the shells and place eggs into a large bowl. Add butter.

4. Using a fork, mash the eggs until you have your desired consistency. I like mine smooth but with some texture to it. Add mayo, chives, lemon juice and some salt & pepper. Mix well and taste. Adjust seasonings and chives if needed.

5. Serve as a sandwich filling on fresh bread with lettuce, alfalfa sprouts or cucumber (or all of the above!).

Make these for your next picnic, luncheon or for a snack! Sunny xx

How to Cook Quinoa

Picture Source

Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah, which to me just seems silly, why not just pronounce it phonetically?!) is a seed that looks like a grain. It comes from South America & is one of those ‘super foods’ everyone is harping on about. It is packet with protein and has a chewy, fluffy texture like a large, rough cous cous and a kind of nutty flavour. I used the white quinoa which is milder than the red & black varieties.

I was quite intrigued by the texture & flavour of the quinoa – whilst I won’t be using it to replace couscous, I will probably continue to use it as a substitute for pasta when making bolognaise etc.

Here is a quick run-down of how to prepare it:

1. Thoroughly rinse quinoa. I rinse mine in a sieve as the grains are quite small.

2. Soak 1 cup (200g approximately) quinoa in a saucepan with 1 ½ cups water (375ml) for 15 minutes.

3. Place the pan on high heat & bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low & cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

My broccoli, bacon & quinoa fritters are a great way to use your new favourite super food!

Sunny xx

Nigella's Breakfast Berry Cheesecakelets

This was a Nigella recipe that I saw on the food network. I LOVE cheesecake so we were really keen to try these out. Dale scoffed these down. They are a pancake that tastes like a piece of cheesecake. The texture is a little unusual, with the cottage cheese being slightly stringy, but it’s definitely yummy.

Cheesecakelets:
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup plain flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 2 tablespoons vanilla essence)
3 eggs
2 tablespoons caster sugar

1. Separate 3 eggs. Add caster sugar, vanilla and cottage cheese and mix well. Add the flour & mix until combined.
2. Whisk the egg whites until foamy and no longer completely transparent. Fold both batters together.
3. Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Cook cheesecakelets as you would a pancake. When flipping, use a trusted spatula & flip with confidence! Serve immediately with strawberries and (my favourite) maple syrup.

Serve with one of these yummy condiments:

Balsamic Strawberries (this is my favourite):

1 punnet fresh strawberries (approximately 7 regular sized strawberries)
1 tablespoon balsamic
1 teaspoon caster sugar

Remove green leafy section of strawberries & cut in half. Place in a bowl with balsamic & sugar. Mix well and leave to macerate for at least 10 minutes.

Maple Blueberry Syrup (this is Dale’s favourite):

1 cup blueberries (I used frozen but you could use fresh if you have any!)
½ cup Maple Syrup

Place blueberries and maple syrup in a saucepan. Bring to the boil for 2-3 minutes & then pour into a jug & serve.

Sunny xx

Cake Pops!

Cake pops are all over the internet & are quickly becoming the new cupcake! They are tiny morsels of cake covered in chocolate & popped on a lollipop stick. My journey to cake pop mountain began last week when I made a batch of brownies that were less than perfect (far too cakey!). I also had some left over vegan chocolate cake and with no other way to use up the cake ruins (I HATE wasting good food) I decided it was time to make cake pops.

They are super easy & they were delicious! I took the 50 pops I made to work as an Easter treat for my team & they were gobbled down!

Ingredients:

1 cooked & cooled cake (I used my unsuccessful brownie batch - but you can use any box mix or cake mix you like)

2 cups icing

600gm Melted chocolate mixed with 1 teaspoon canola oil

Lollipop sticks - I bought 100 on eBay for $3

Method:

1. Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add icing & mix until combined.

2. Roll into balls and refrigerate for 2 hours (or freeze for 1/2 - 1 hour)

3. Dip lollipop sticks into melted chocolate & stick into balls.

4. Dip balls into melted chocolate mixture and set on a plate. I find its best to only do a few at a time otherwise they get too warm & will fall off the lollipop stick.

5. Decorate & serve! I decorated mine with coloured sugar, sprinkles, coloured melted chocolate etc.

You can let your imagination run wild with the decorating & flavour combo's!! I think the next combo's I'll try are red velvet with cream cheese frosting, vanilla cake with very vanilla frosting & chocolate with peppermint flavouring... so many flavour possibilities it makes your head spin!

I also have plans to make these as dessert finger food for my sisters 18th birthday party.

Enjoy your pops! Sunny xx

Vegan Chocolate Cake & Icing!

I was recently in a position where I had to make a cake for someone who is lactose intolerant & another who is vegan. It goes without saying, I was pretty stumped on what to make. All the vegan cakes I have tried before were quite shocking with a flavour that resembled cardboard! So I started googling & found these recipes on Best Recipes. The reviews were decent so I thought I'd give it a shot - I figured if it was truly terrible I could simply blame the recipe!

Needless to say, I was quite surprised when people started complimenting me on my baking prowess (figuring at first they were simply being kind) but once I took a bite it all became terribly clear - IT WAS DELICIOUS! One of the best chocolate cakes I have ever had - for those in Australia, a good example would be that it tastes very similar to the Sara Lee chocolate sheet cakes.

The below recipes are adapted versions of those that I found on Best Recipes.

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups self raising flour
2/3 cups cocoa
2 cups caster sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup coffee (I used espresso from our coffee machine, but you could use strong instant coffee)
2/3 cups canola oil (you can use vegetable oil)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 180C (375F).
2. Sift flour, cocoa, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add all remaining ingredients & combine well.
4. Pour mixture into a greased cake tin - this cake pops out of the tin so easily once its cooked!
5. Bake until cooked through - I believe mine took about 40 minutes.

Icing Ingredients:

1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa, level
2 teaspoons nutelex (nutelex is a non-dairy spread made from canola oil. If your not a vegan or lactose intolerant you could use soft regular butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon boiling water

1. Sift icing sugar and cocoa.
2. Add nutelex (or soft butter) and vanilla. Pour in boiling water and beat well until combined.
3. Spread over cooled cake and refrigerate until needed (I made mine late at night whilst the cake was still warm & it ended up dipping all over the edges!).

You could also make this recipe into cupcakes, just divide the mixture into patty cases & cook for about 15 minutes. Either way, its super delicious so give it a try!

Sunny xx