Muffin Jackpot

The recipe muffins I’ve collected over time (to me) either contained too much oil or fat in them or had that alkaline taste to it because of the baking soda or baking powder which my husband does not like. Therefore with this one, I feel as though I’ve hit the muffin ” jackpot”. It contains only 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil for about 12 non-overflowing American sized muffins and did not have that odd taste to it. So, it’s a winner with us and makes a great on-the-go breakfast. Well, it still has a moderate amount of sugar which could be reduced or replaced with honey which I have not personally tried. (Not that honey has no sugar or is far superior than sugar ). This recipe comes from  “Tarts”, a cafe in Western Australia and supplied by Delicious magazine.

2 1/2 cups (375gm) self-raising flour

1 cup (220gm) caster sugar

1/2 cup (90gm) white chocolate drops – I didn’t have any in the fridge so I just used my dark chocolate and broke in into bite size pieces

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sunflower oil – I used canola oil

1/2 cup (140gm) natural yoghurt – I used Jalna pot set natural yoghurt which was reduced fat

3/4 cup (185ml) milk – again, I used low fat milk

1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Line muffin trays. This makes about 12 if you’re not intending for muffin “tops” – the overflow bits. I find this can be messy sometimes for me.

2. Mix flour, sugar and chocolate in a large bowl.

3. Mix eggs, oil, yoghurt and milk in another bowl.

4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Then fold in the mixed berries.

5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin trays and bake for 25-30mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5-10mins.

Enjoy without too much guilt! The blueberries can be replaced with banana or maybe peaches ( I haven’t tried )

* Take care not to overmix because with any cakes /muffins it will become chewy in texture.

Poh’s new show

I stumbled upon Poh’s Kitchen yesterday on the ABC channel. I remember reading she was coming up with this TV show and finally it is here! She made a chiffon cake which I have never attempted but I love eating chiffon cakes, and the guest chef made almond croissants… ohhh yum yum! I love almond croissants. I thought it was good that she had explanations about the chiffon cake ( eg why they called for the non grease, non stick pan ) instead of just dumping the recipe for viewers to make. Some cooking shows I’ve watched just tell you add this and that and here comes the bbbbbeeautiful cake! When I was younger I made some cookies which turned out ROCK hard and I think from that day on I became more skeptical of recipes if they just don’t sound quite right.

Ahhh okay, once I deliver my baby ( and I pray I will have a  smooth delivery and a fantastic boy who drinks and sleeps like clockwork … okay all mothers’ can roll your eyes and say “yeah right” ) perhaps I should make time once a week to bake all these yummies. Or, alternatively pass baby on to my wonderful, compassionate, understanding husband while I bake. Or any volunteers out there? ( You get to sample the finished product for your time )

Okay let me not digress too much. For you Poh fan’s out there since Masterchef, catch her on ABC1 18:30pm Wednesdays, or ABC2 18:00pm Thursdays or on ABCiView.

Orange Chiffon Cake

Almond Croissant

Chocolate and pecan torte

Chocolate and Pecan Torte

This torte was made when a few friends came over for tea New Year’s eve.  It is moderately dense with a slathering of chocolate and cream ganache top. Chocolate lovers will have more; like me but I resisted and generously shared the artery clogging leftovers with friends. I don’t think they minded.

Torte is a cake typically made of  eggs, sugar and ground nuts instead of flour. Ganache usually refers to icing, fillings for pastries and glazes, typically made from chocolate and cream.

Torte

200gm dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely

150gm butter, chopped

5 eggs, separated

3/4 cup (165gm) caster sugar

1 1/2 cups (165gm) pecan meal – if you can’t find pecan meal, blend or process 150gm roasted pecans until finely ground

Ganache

1/2 cup (125ml) cream

200gm dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.  Line base and side of a deep 22cm round cake tin with baking paper as this is a chocolate cake – don’t want it staining the cake tin!

2. Stir chocolate and butter in small saucepan over low heat until smooth, cool 10 mins. Take care not to burn the chocolate.

3. Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy, then transfer to a larger bowl and fold in chocolate mixture and pecal meal.

4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture, in two batches. Pour this mixture into the cake tin and bake for about 55mins. Stand the cake for 15mins then turn top-side up unto baking paper on rack to cool.

5. Make ganache, leave to cool slightly then pour over cake. Refrigerate cake for 30mins before serving.

Ganache : Bring cream to a boil in small saucepan, add chocolate and remove from heat and stir until smooth.

Summer Berry Tart

Summer Berry Tart

This was for my Christmas 2009 dessert “party”. I pre-trialled the shortcrust pastry a few days prior as I had never made it before. It pastry turned out too thin the first attempt after I rolled it out. Why? Silly me – I did not read that the recipe called for a 20cm and not 22 1/2 cm diameter fluted tart tin so there was not enough pastry dough. Well, usually when you make a mistake you learn lots!

So, the 2nd attempt I made more shortcrust pastry and added more sugar to the custard as I felt it needed the extra custard sweetness.

This recipe uses a 22 1/2 cm diameter loose-based, fluted tart tin.It will also fit a 23cm one.

Shortcrust pastry:

2 cups (250gm) plain flour

150gm chilled, chopped unsalted butter ( I just used the usual blocked butter which was slightly salted )

2 1/2 Tablespoons icing sugar

2-4 Tablespoons chilled water

This makes about 500gm pastry.

Sift the flour in a large bowl and add chilled chopped butter. Using fingertips, rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in icing sugar. Make a well in the middle and add about 2-4 tablespoons chilled water and using a cutting action mix with a flat-bladed knife. The mixture should come together in beads of dough. To test if you need more water, pinch a little dough between the fingers and if it doesn’t hold together add a little more water.

Gently gather the dough together and lift out onto a sheet of baking paper/floured surface. Press, don’t knead the dough together to form a ball. I found this quite tough as I was working with quite a huge amount of dough with my hands. Once in a ball press into a flat disc, wrap in cling wrap and chill for about 20 mins.

Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper/lightly floured surface. Roll from centre outwards, rotating the dough rather than backwards and forwards. If you used baking paper to roll out the pastry, remove the top sheet, carefully invert the pastry over the tin ( make sure you centre the pastry over the tin as there is no turning back once it hits the tin! ) and peel away the paper. If you used a floured surface, roll the pastry back on the rolling pin so it hangs there and ease it into tin. ( I used baking paper to roll mine.

When pastry is over the tin, use a small ball of excess dough to help ease and press the pastry shell into the side of tin. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the tin to cut off excess pastry. It is bound to shrink a little. Refrigerate for about 15mins in the tin.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Blind bake the pastry – means baking the pastry without filling, but with some weight on it to prevent rising.

Line the shell with crumpled baking paper. Pour in baking beads/dried beans/uncooked rice (these can be stored and used again). Bake for 15-20mins then lift out the filled paper. Return pastry to oven and bake to dry or until golden brown.

Cool the pastry completely before filling with custard ( needs to be cooled too or else pastry will turn soggy )

Filling:

5 egg yolks

3 1/2 Tbls caster sugar

3 Tbls cornflour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

enough strawberries, blueberries, raspberries to fill ( probably about a big handful of each ). I only used a punnet (250gm) of strawberries and a small handful of blueberries. I suppose you could use frozen berries if they are not in season too.

1-2 tablespoons baby apple gel ( I did not use as I did not bother to buy ) – would likely make the tart look better and put the fruits in its place better.

1. Place egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk till pale. Heat milk in a small saucepan until almost boiling, then remove from heat and add gradually into whisked mixture, beating constantly. Strain back into pan and stir constantly under low heat until mixture boils and thickens.  Remove from heat and add vanilla essence. Set aside to cool.

2. Spread the filling into the pastry shell and arrange with the berries.

3. For baby apple gel – if you wish to try. Heat the apple gel in a heatproof bowl in a saucepan of simmering water, or in the microwave until it liquefies. Brush over fruit with pastry brush. Allow to set before cutting.

If you do try the baby apple gel, let me know if it adds much of a difference.

Enjoy!