Mini Cup Cakes

I am really enjoying the Food from the
"Party Line with Hearty Boys TV Show".
I trialed 3 of their dishes for Lucy’s Birthday in an earlier blog.
Very successful.

Anyhow
Here is the recipe for their Mini Cup Cakes.
These were cooked and decorated by Katie (her design)
with recipe supplied by me.
They look sensational.
These were for a little girls birthday party.

It is a slightly different method than normal, you heat the butter and milk together
and add to egg, sugar and dry ingredient mix.

The recipe makes heaps and there were only a handful left from this beautiful tray of cakes.

You need
3 eggs
½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup of milk
6 tablespoons butter

1 ¾ cups flour
2 teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 175C
Mini muffin tins
Hint make sure they are well greased for easy removal

Whip eggs and sugar till fluffy
Add vanilla
Sift and add dry ingredients just a
little at a time, you don’t want to be wearing a flour suit.

Meanwhile heat milk and butter don't boil.
Just enough to melt the butter.

Finally fill the tins ¾ full.

Into oven…this mini muffin size (pictured) should be done in 10 minutes
If your tins are slightly larger allow for that in the timing.
Quite often little kids only eat the icing on the cup cakes, but these little nibbles were gobbled down, hardly any left.

Saturday Dinner

Currently at home alone…I was invited to dinner with Katie and Chris.
The temptation was extra gripping.
She was making Lamb Shanks.
I saw a wonderful way to roast vegetables (inspired by Tim McRoberts
on Food TV he is a Canadian chef) and cooked them to accompany the wonderful shanks

First the vege

You will need for 4 people (there were left overs…good lunch the next day)

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fingers potatoes per person
2 med carrots cut into 12 sticks
2 little turnip each
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 baby onions each
2 whole cloves garlic each
2 handful sliced mushrooms
3 stalks of silverbeet sliced stalks and all
3 stalks of celery chopped

Bouquet Garni
1 stalk of celery cut in half horizontally
3 sprigs thyme
3 b ay leaves

8 black olives
Juice ½ lemon
50 gms feta crumbled
Several basil leaves...torn for garnish

If your you can cook in your roasting pan on the stove top do this in one stage
I decided to spread the cooking over 2 frying pans and then transferred to a roasting dish to finish off the dish.
First put oil into a med hot pan
Add potatoes, carrots and turnips
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook gently 10 mins
Toss around
Add onions garlic cloves, mushrooms, celery and silverbeet
Saute another 10 minutes

Meanwhile make the Bouquet Garni
Lay thyme and bay leaves on 1 piece of celery place the other piece on top and tie up with string.
Get ready to roast in 180C oven.
Put all veges and Bouquet Garni into roasting pan
Roast until fork tender about another 15 minutes
Squeeze lemon juice over
A good grind of freshly ground black pepper
Pile onto platter
Crumble over feta cheese and tear basil leaves for garnish


Now from Katie’s Kitchen
Katie is always looking for recipes without tomatoes as she has an allergy
She developed this delicious dish very simple

Katie’s Lamb Shanks
To feed four
I large lamb shank per person
3 tablespoons flour
Sea salt & freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion peeled and chopped
2 large carrots peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 bottle red wine
1 litre chicken stock
2 large sprigs rosemary

Season the flour with salt & freshly ground black pepper and dredge
each shank, shake and brown all over in hot pan in the oil
Remove and set aside.
Add chopped vege to pan and coat with oil
Saute 5-6 minutes.
Deglaze pan with red wine
Reduce down a little
Add chicken stock

Carefully return shanks to pan along with rosemary sprigs
Bury them in the liquid.
Bring back to boil
Turn heat down and simmer
2-3 hours till shanks are fork tender.

Remove from pan
Skim fat off pan juices and reduce down by half.
Taste and test the seasoning and adjust with salt & pepper if needed.

Return shanks to pan
These are now ready to serve as soon as you are ready
We served them sitting on some mashed kumara.
And yes, we did demolish that large shank.
They were great.

The Fruits of My Labour

Late Summer - Early Autumn
The best time of the year for tomatoes.
I made my pilgrimage out west to get the best outdoor tomatoes around.

First I made the famous Grandma’s Tomato Sauce. Courtesy of my friend Anne’s local pharmacist who supplies me with the formula…which makes it so special.

Unfortunately it is a secret recipe but do have a look I am very proud.

Meanwhile there still quite a few kilos of tomatoes left so I called on Mrs Elizabeth David for her wonderful Cream of Tomato and Potato Soup.

Very simple and so beautiful.
You can taste the butter potato and tomato quite separately.

So

The white part of 2 leeks finely sliced
15 gms of butter
250 gms of tomatoes chopped
300 gms of potatoes peeled and diced
Sea salt
Sugar 2 cubes
Ground white pepper
1 litre water

Garnish
100 mls cream
Parsley or Chervil finely chopped

Just melt the butter and add leeks before it bubbles
The idea is soften without browning the butter or the leeks
Add the tomatoes, let them cook till they start to give out their juice
Add the potatoes
Salt, sugar and white pepper
Cover with the water and bring to the boil
Simmer about 25 minutes till potatoes tender.

Put through a food mill
Return the puree to the rinsed out pot and add cream
(She advises that in warm weather you scald the cream
It may curdle with the acid of the tomatoes.

Test seasoning and add more salt if necessary .

Serve with a sprinkling of parsley or chervil and a grind of freshly ground black pepper

I also garnished with some grated parmesan cheese.
This is a French Dish and it was OK but…not brilliant

Lucy's Birthday

It was Lucy’s Birthday



and the family came around for a Birthday Dinner
With Drinks we had Catherine’s fabulous egg sandwiches (we forgot to take a picture)
They were wolfed down





And we also had
Warm Goats Cheese with Sherried Figs and Onions

300 gms soft goats cheese.
2 onions sliced finely
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 sprigs rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 dried figs sliced
50 mls water
¼ cup sherry

First place figs in saucepan add water and sherry
Bring to simmer turn heat off and leave to steep.
This will plump up the figs

Meanwhile sauté onions and garlic in extra virgin olive oil with rosemary
Season with salt & pepper
Till soft and translucent
Mix in figs
You may not need all of the liquid your choice.

Break up goats cheese into gratin dish
Pour over onions and figs
Into 170C oven for 20minutes

Serve with slices of fresh baguette or maybe even croutons.

I took this picture before the cheese was completely covered with the fig onion mix so that the method is shown

Butterflied leg of lamb

Get your butcher to butterfly a lamb leg
Make marinade

1small can crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons soy sauce,
2 tablespoons dark rum,
1 tablespoon honey,
2 cloves garlic crushed,
2 tablespoons French mustard.

Marinate lamb about hour minimum
Place onto roasting tray
Into a 210C preheated oven
Cook 10 minutes
Reduce oven to 200C
Cook for 20 minutes per kilo
For medium lamb (my favourite)
Test with a skewer if blood runs
Remove from oven
Cover with foil and
Sit for at least 20 minutes

It’s important to baste with marinade every 10 minutes adding a bit of water if marinade is starting to burn.



Salsa
Feeds 4 people

1 punnet Cherry tomatoes halved,
Slice 1 red onion,
Finely dice 2-3-slices of fresh peeled pineapple.
2 fresh corns cobs or 1 cup frozen corn
Roughly dice Avocado
Finely chop 1 red chili,
Zest of lime and
8-10 mint leaves chopped

Dressing
Dress with
3 parts extra virgin olive oil
1 part lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper and good pinch sea salt.

Pop corn cobs into microwave for 2 mins per cob
Remove and slice kernels off cob and place in a large bowl
Add all other ingredients.

Dress and leave for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve this with
Basil Smashed Potatoes and Peas



1 med potatoes per peson
1 cup frozen peas
Big handful of Basil leaves
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
Sea Salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Cook potatoes in the last 5 minutes add the peas


In a big bowl –
Rip the basil leaves
Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic
Add pinch sea salt
Pour hot potatoes and peas on top and
Proceed to smash each potato with a fork...
(when I did this for 6 people got a little bored with the fork and roughly smashed them with the potato masher,)
This will release the oils from the herby seasoning
Pour a generous amount extra virgin olive and serve.

A great combination

We also had Balsamic Chicken


Balsamic and Tomato Chicken Breasts.
This is a great dish for a crowd . Everybody loves balsamic vinegar
You can even prepare the previous day.
Just sauté the breast
Make the sauce
Store them separately in the fridge and bring to room temperature
Then combine and cook just before serving.
Don’t overcook the chicken in the sauté process as it will bee cooked through whilst in the oven. This will keep the sometimes easy to dry up chicken moist.

For 8 people
1 small breast per person
Vege oil to sauté
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
25 gms butter
2 large onions sliced
6 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 punnets cherry tomatoes halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups light red wine probably a pinot noir

Chopped parsley to garnish

Season then sear chicken breasts on both in oil till golden brown
Don’t over cook
Set aside in serving dish

Add butter to pan and throw in onions and garlic
Season
Cook till soft
Add tomatoes stir well to coat with onion mix.
Add balsamic and red wine and reduce by half
Just a gentle simmer.

When you get to this stage you can store in fridge as suggested above,.
But if you continue straight away
Pour sauce over chicken

Into 175C oven 15 minutes
This should ensure the chicken is cooked right through and moist

If you have prepared ahead I suggest you increase the cooking time to 25 minutes.

Serve with rosemary cous cous.

Rosemary cous cous
The suggestion is to use the Israeli cous cous for this dish but normal cous cous will do.
Whatever cous cous you use just follow cooking instructions on the packet
But do try the Israeli it is sensational

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large sprigs rosemary leaves removed
3 cups cous cous
6 cps chicken stock
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Large knob of butter

Heat oil in saucepan
Add rosemary leaves to sizzle
The add cous cous and coat well

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add boiling stock and follow with manufacturer’s instruction.
Simmer about 20 minute still cous cous absorbs all the stock

Of course there was too much cous cous and salsa so we stored them together in the fridge.
Wow what a taste treat the next day
Here is a quick pic of the leftovers



The crowd were enjoying it

Helen made a wonderful Rum and Raisin Cheesecake
And Jacqui came to the Party complete with a Baked Cheesecake covered in Blueberries.

Both cakes were so rich and fabulous.

Here from Helen's Kitchen
Rum and Raisin Cheesecake
This is a grandiose dessert to be savoured and enjoyed. It’s ideal for a party as it can be made a couple of days ahead and stored in the fridge – in fact it’s even better that way as it allows the flavours to mingle and meld. It certainly carries an AO rating, with a wallop of rum that makes your breath run hot for just a minute. Don’t worry though – you’d need to eat the whole cake to blow any drink driving test. If you are a rum and raisin fan you’ll adore this combination. If you aren’t, well you are about to be converted.

Base
250g wholemeal digestive biscuits
1tsp cocoa
¼ cup golden syrup
80g unsalted butter

Filling:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons rum
1 ½ cups raisins, roughly chopped
5 ½ tsp gelatine
½ cup cold water
450g cream cheese
1 ¼ cups icing sugar
3 cups chilled cream

Crush biscuits to a fine crumb and combine with cocoa.

Melt golden syrup and butter together. Add to crumbs and mix well. Press firmly into the base of a 26m springform cake tin lined with baking paper. Chill

Filling: Pour rum over raisins and leave to soak overnight (or heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on high). Strain rum into a pot. Mix gelatine and cold water until duly absorbed.

Add gelatine to rum and stir over gentle heat until dissolved. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat and cool but don’t chill or it will set.

Beat cream cheese using an electric beater until soft and free of lumps. Sift in icing sugar and beat until smooth. Stir in raisins. Add cooled gelatine mixture and beat well.

Whip cream to very soft peaks and fold into cream cheese mixture until evenly combined (do not beat).

Pour cheesecake mixture over chilled base. Tap tin gently on a hard surface to release air bubbles. Chill 3-4 hours until set.

Cheesecake will keep 4-5 days in the fridge, sealed with plastic wrap to prevent the absorption of any fridge odours. When ready to serve, run a hot knife around the inside of the tin to free the cheesecake before lifting off the sides of the tin to free the cheesecake before lifting off the sides of the tin.
Prep Time: 35-40 Minutes
Makes: 12-14 servings

HELEN’S NOTE
I didn’t have a cake tin big enough (just used a 22cm tin) so just filled ramekins with the remaining filling mixture. It’s Very rich and although it says it serves 12-14 people these are very generous serves. Really delicious and ‘grownup’ and quite boozy.

Cheese and Walnut Spread

It has been a while since I posted we have been summer traveling.
All those stories and recipes are on my http:/travelinrarotonga.blogspot.com
I also noted that my very first blog was posted on Tuesday 28th February last year...1 whole year of blogging.
But let's get onto food.

This so incredibly simple and exceptionally tasty the brandy gives and added extra.
We had it in Turkish pide bread with celery and lettuce on Sunday
And made rye bread little triangles to watch the Oscars






250 gms cream cheese
70 gms soft blue cheese
50 gms walnut chopped finely
50 mls brandy
Chives chopped

Mix together cheeses and add brandy. Add nuts and chives.

As easy as that.

And I also made these delicious sausage rolls. Using little breakfast sausages which are a perfect fit for the pastry triangles. They were so so good. Dipped into a little ketchup! Hard to have only one.



Here's how you make them
Very simple
Take a sheet of puff pastry.
Cut in half vertically
Then cut each rectangle into a triangle
Clip the bottom edges as per the picture


Lay the little sausage
Dob with mustard
Brush with egg wash
Roll up
Into a hot oven, they took about 20-25 minutes

Party Party Party

It is 1 hour 35 minutes after Boxing Day and the aftermath of a party is a little sad sometimes but I really love it…I am usually alone playing my favourite music as loud as the neighbours will allow.
One of the saddest things is my typing... Of course you won’t see this because I will spell check...
Any way let’s not digress...


Tonight we entertained some of our oldest and dearest friends…we have known each another!!! For over 30 years some over 40 years…
Isn’t that great
We had a lovely night…I was very pleased with the food some of which is already on the log but here is the menu….Oops my iPod has stopped I shall have to go and change the genre

I’m back










Right here we go
Spinach Artichoke and bacon dip
Spicy rosemary cashew nuts
Lovely oil and dukka
Hummus (Bought) drizzled with Colonna lemon infused oil and freshly ground black pepper
Polenta fries with aioli


The Ultimate Chin Dripping Burgers (rump steak freshly minced from the butcher )
I was lucky enough to have our Chef friend Brent to man the BBQ so they were just right.

Potatoes (new baby) smashed with Catherine’s mint jelly and olive oil (little sea salt)
Pesto pea salad

Salmon stuffed with Salsa verde and roasted on a bed on tomatoes and capers



Jeannie’s (pictured arms akimbo) Famous Pavlova



The Infamous Pineapple sprinkled with mint sugar and decorated with Chocolate Mint leaves
I’m sorry I know its been mentioned several times on the blog…but it is divine and it is summer and everyone loves it

The little Lemon Curd Tarts
Cherries

Coffee and Turkish delight

A group of Happy Campers I Think!!!

Now the recipes

Bob Blumer The Surreal Gourmet gave me this idea for Polenta Fries
I have adapted his recipe by adding some of the Rosemary Polenta ingredients.

Handful dried shitake mushrooms
50 gms butter
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic peeled & crushed
1 tsp chili flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground black freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup polenta
3 cups boiling water

Vege oil for frying
Aioli for serving

Re-hydrate the mushrooms in boiling water should take about 30 mins
Drain and reserve the water
Finely chop the mushrooms

Meanwhile put the butter and oil into a pot and heat till foamy
Add thyme, garlic, chili flakes
Season with salt & freshly ground black pepper
Add the mushroom liquor and bring to the boil
Sprinkle the polenta over the top and whisk till it starts to thicken
Change to a wooden spoon and back on a low heat
Cook 2-3 minutes stirring all the time.

Beat parmesan cheese
Add mushrooms and test seasoning

Pour into a 30cm x 20cm swiss roll tin and leave to set covered in the fridge.
You can make this ahead

When you are ready tip out form the tin and cut into large French fry sticks

Fry in vege oil
Drain

Serve with an aioli you start from scratch but the easy option is to
Crush 4-5 cloves garlic and add to a cup of the best mayonnaise.


Small hint you can fry earlier in the day
Drain and then a quick zap in a very hot oven 5-8 minutes
And Away you go




Here's a magnificent Salmon Dish
Gino de Campo did a variation of this on Saturday Kitchen on Food TV but that’s another blog!!!
Chef Neil cooked this for us on Xmas Day
We were both inspired by Rick Stein with this particular recipe
On a buffet 1.5 Kg Salmon feeds 18 people

So
1.5 Kg side of salmon
Oil
Chili flakes
Thyme

6 large tomatoes
Sea salt freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic chopped
Capers 3-4 tablespoons
Thyme leaves
A little water

Salsa Verde
Into the food processor with a handful of each
Parsley
Mint
Basil
4 cloves garlic
Capers 2 tablespoons
4-5 anchovies
Whiz

Remove pin bones from the salmon
Cut in half
Season one half with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cover with Salsa verde
Place other half on top

Meanwhile line a roasting pan with the tomatoes
Sprinkle sea salt, thyme, balsamic, olive oil, garlic and capers

Sit the salmon on top
Brush with oil and sprinkle chili flakes on top and around the tomatoes as and added extra.

Into a 210C oven 25 minutes
Remove a skewer should have no resistance.
Then it’s done
Let it get to room temperature for serving
Doesn’t it look great?


No pictures but a couple of "how to do"
Spicy rosemary Cashew Nuts
To roast the nuts once again thank you Barefoot Contessa

200 gms cashews nuts Into 170° oven for about 10 minutes till crisp
2-3 sprigs rosemary leaves off and finely chopped
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbs melted butter

Mix all the flavouring together then toss the hot nuts in, they will absorb all those wonderful flavours. Leave aside to cool.
Spinach, Artichoke and Bacon Dip

Almost a meal in itself

You need a Packet frozen spinach
2 shallots finely chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices streaky bacon chopped, fried and drained on paper towels
1 jar artichokes finely chopped
Zest 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream

Blanch, cool and squeeze all water from spinach
Chop and set aside.
In olive oil gently sauté shallots and garlic

Now place everything into a bowl mix let sit at least a couple of hours
You can leave it overnight
Dip in your favourite carbs or use batons of carrots or celery.

The Ultimate Chin Dripping Burgers
Inspired by Tyler Florence

You need to get your butcher to mince the beef for you
nice and fresh on the day you want to use it.
I used rump steak don’t forget fat and all please.
None of the ready prepared stuff

You need
115 gms rump mince per person
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 onion per person sliced
Olive oil
S & P

2 slices tomato per person
Olive oil
S & P
Fresh thyme leaves or chives chopped

1 slice streaky bacon per person
Rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper

Thin slice of Swiss cheese per person

1 hamburger bun per person

Mayonnaise
Horseradish

Season and mix the mince meat really well with your hands
Roll into a 115 gm balls and then slap it back and forth between your hands
Flattening it
This really amalgamates the beef and stops the burger from falling apart.
Round up the shape...about 8 cms in diameter...Perfect little burgers.
You can do this earlier and keep in fridge between waxed paper.

Mix 3 tablespoons horseradish with 1 cup mayonnaise
Chill
Add your onions to olive oil in pan
Slowly (about 20-30 minutes) caramelise them

Slice thick slices of tomato, drizzle and sprinkle with oil S & P & herbs

Put the slices of bacon on a tray sprinkle over the rosemary and freshly ground black pepper. Into a hot oven till crispy.

Cook the burgers on a greased medium to hot grill about 5 minutes
Turn place cheese slice on top and cook another 5 minutes
It should be just pink and really juicy.

Now start to build

Bun
Mayo
Tomato
Burger/cheese
Onions
Bacon
Touch more mayo
And ketchup if you must!!!

This is guaranteed to be one your best burgers yet
You will need paper towels to wipe your chin.

The Ultimate BBQ Chicken

Tyler Florence has a programme called The Ultimate and this is the recipe for his “Ultimate BBQ Chicken”
And I can tell you it is “finger lickin” good
and healthy enough to enter into Joanna of Joanna's Food event Heart of the Matter

Have a look at her sites.


There are a couple of important steps

1 You must soak the chicken in brine at least
2 hours in the fridge

2. On the grill 5 minutes each side and then into a 200C oven


3. The BBQ sauce which must be brushed on and cooked for the last 10 minutes of cooking

It was the most moist BBQ Chicken I have ever eaten I am planning to do this at the staff Xmas party on Friday.
I have made the BBQ sauce already.

How easy is this?

Sauté in a hot pan;
3 rashers bacon
1 finely chopped onion in
2 tablespoons olive oil

Add
2 cups tomato ketchup
2-3 sprigs of thyme leaves only
Splash of red wine vinegar
1 dessertspoon golden syrup (treacle if you have it)
1 dessertspoon mustard powder
1 dessertspoon ground cumin
1 dessertspoon paprika

Simmer 20 minutes
Blend with a stick blender
This will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Now the chicken
I used thighs on the bone my favourite
1 per person

Make a brine of
1 handful of salt
1 handful sugar
Few sprigs of thyme
Enough water to cover your chicken

Soak on the fridge for at least 2 hours can be longer
Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat your oven to 200C

Heat your grill pan till smoking it must be hot.
Put skin side down
Leave for at least 3 minutes then lift gently and turn 90 degrees
After another 2 minutes turn and cook 5 minutes on the other side.

Pop onto the oven another 10 minutes
Remove brush with BBQ sauce generously
Pop back in oven for another 10 minutes.
This should be enough time to cook your nice fat thigh.

Wow fantastic.

Now of course I live with someone who hates chicken with the same passion
that I have for loving it.

So I bought a nice fat Ling steak.
Ling is a deep sea fish...big fat steaks perfect for the BBQ or roasting
Lightly oiled and seasoned
Popped onto the grill
3 minutes 1 side
1 minute the other
Brush with BBQ sauce and into the oven for another 5 minutes
Remove from oven…rest of course

And another;
Wow fantastic this was so moist and delicious.



How about a Beetroot and New Potato Hash

December is the time for Jersey Benne potatoes the Queen of new potatoes.
Of course steamed or boiled tossed in butter or olive oil seasoned well with
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Divine.

But this is an extra treat

1 red onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 x small to medium beets
Equal amount of Jersey Bennes

Garnish
Chopped parsley


Roast beets…cool, peel and chop
Steam or boil potatoes and dice
Hot pan add oil and onions
Cook 2 minutes

Add potatoes sit for a couple of minutes to get colour
Toss another couple of minutes
Throw in beetroot…another 2 minutes to coat well with all and heat through.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish with chopped parsley

Serve with your favourite protein and your favourite green.
Was pretty good with the BBQ Chook and Fish

Lemon Tarts and Coconut Cake

Lana was the host for the Monthly Family Lunch.
The second Sunday of Summer another lovely day.
She served a wonderful retro meal
Gazpacho - Shrimp Cocktail - Quiche


Helen made a wonderful Coconut Cake for dessert.
While in Rarotonga one of the restaurants served a Coconut Cake as a dessert.
She was very impressed and has adapted a recipe from Nigella Lawson
adding her own coconut frosting.




It was delicious. Look pretty good to doesn't it.?

This is how you make it
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g castor sugar
12 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
200g self-raising flour
25g cornflour
½ teaspoon baking powder
50g desiccated coconut, soaked in 150ml boiling water

Prepare 2 x 21cm sandwich tins, buttered and lined
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Make the cake by putting all the ingredients in the food processor and blitzing until you have a soft batter.

Pour into the prepared tins and cook for about 25 minutes or until ready; not so springy on top as a plain sponge, but still coming away from the edges; a cake tester, inserted should come out cleanish.

Sandwich together with a little of the cream cheese frosting and then ice the top too.

Malibu Cream Cheese Icing (Helen’s Adaptation)
25g soft butter
180g cream cheese
375g icing
25g desiccated coconut, toasted
4 tablespoons Malibu liqueur

3 tablespoons desiccated coconut, toasted (extra)

Beat the butter until it’s really soft and creamy. Add the cream cheese, beat until smooth. Add the icing sugar, coconut and Malibu and beat until smooth.

Use some of the icing to sandwich the cake together and the remaining icing for the top of the cake … sprinkle the top with the extra toasted desiccated coconut.
Beautiful served with Honey Greek Yoghurt

Now onto the divine Lemon Curd.
Paula Deen from Food TV inspired me to make these lovely mini
tarts which you fill with the following
Lemon Curd

1 cup sugar
Zest and juice of 3 lemons
4 whole eggs
115 gms butter melted

Place sugar, lemon juice & zest and eggs into food processor and whiz
Slowly pour in melted butter and continue to pulse till well blended

Put into double boiler and cook till it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Paula said 3 minutes but I thought more like 6-7
Pour into container and cool in fridge.
This will keep for over a week in the fridge.
Now you need little shells to put it in.

Heat your oven to 170C (fan bake)
and make the following
This pastry is dead easy.

1 cup flour
85 gms cream cheese
115 gms cold butter chopped up

Everything into the food processor
Pulse till it forms a ball
Push together
Wrap in plastic wrap chill about an hour
This makes about 24 mini tarts.

Rip into small pieces and roll into little balls
Put balls in mini muffin tins and press down with a shot glass
dusted with flour to stop it sticking
Using your finger press the side up to cover the little tins


Bake at 170 fan bake oven for 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack like so and cool



I filled 6 tarts for the children with Ganache for their dessert and put the remainder of the shells in a airtight container.


Chocolate Ganache
Simply put equal amounts of cold chocolate broken up with just boiling cream.
Let sit for a couple of minutes and whisk to combine.
Cool
Simple and rich as!!!



Look at those little Chocolate Mint Leaves.
(Courtesy of Paula Deen)
This is gorgeous and very easy
Simply melt some good chocolate in a double boiler
Dip the fresh mint leaves in the chocolate using tweezers
Place on waxed paper and place in fridge to harden
You now have you own after dinner mints


This morning I filled the rest of the little shells with the curd
Took them into work...A huge hit with the staff