Sweet Tooth Experiments

Unusual sweets and global treats

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Florentines

Posted on by Posted in Biscuits .

Florentines

Florentines recipe

A Florentine biscuit (or, more correctly, a Florentine) is a sweet treat attributed to being invented in France, though is generally seen as an Italian delicacy.

Florentine’s are most commonly made from nuts and glaze cherries, in which are mixed with sugar, honey and butter and completed with their signature bottom chocolate coating.

There are many many version of this biscuit, and after baking 5 different versions I have worked up what I think is the best from multiple recipes. I know this is a little controversial but has resulted in an easy-as, ever-so-tasty gluten and egg free cookie.

Ingredients:

  • 30g dried cranberries
  • 25g almonds
  • 25g walnuts
  • 50g glaze cherries
  • 30g cornflakes
  • 90g condensed milk
  • 150g dark chocolate

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170c degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Dice up the cranberries, almonds, walnuts and cherries into small pieces and place in a bowl.
  3. Add the corn flakes and condensed milk and mix until well combined.
  4. Place spoonfuls of the mix onto the baking paper and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
  5. Once the biscuits have cooled place the chocolate in a pan over a pan of simmering water on the stove.
  6. Stir the chocolate until it has melted then dip in the biscuits, bottom side to the chocolate ensuring an even layer of chocolate.
  7. Place the biscuits on a cooling rack, bottom side up until the chocolate has set.

 

Florentines recipe

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Chocolate Banana Split Sundae Pie

Posted on by Posted in Pies .

Chocolate Banana Split Sundae Pie

Chocolate Banana Split Pie recipe

I have always been a fan of chocolate banana split sundae. Vanilla ice-cream, banana, chocolate, cherries, nuts and strawberry, how could this not taste absolutely amazing?

The only thing is that ice-cream is not a great ‘comfort food’ in the colder months, so to mitigate this I decided to turn the banana split sundae into a pie.

I have kept the core flavors and added a few secondary complementing flavors into the mix to make the pies even tastier.

Chocolate Banana Split Pie recipe

Ingredients:

Pastry:

  • 180g plain flour
  • 20g cocoa powder
  • 100g butter
  • 50g sugar
  • 45ml water

Filling:

  • 180g dark chocolate
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 750ml milk
  • ¼ cup corn flour
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 2 tsn vanilla extract
  • 20g butter

Topping:

  • 150g thickened cream
  • 20g icing sugar

Extra:

  • 2 chopped bananas
  • 200g strawberries chopped
  • 200g chopped pineapple
  • 20g peanuts
  • 4 glace cherries

Chocolate Sauce:

  • 30g cream
  • 50g dark chocolate

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 220c degrees.
  2. Place all the pastry ingredients except the water into a food processor and blitz until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Add 45g of water and process until the mix resembles dough and comes away at the sides of the bowl.
  4. Knead the dough for a minute then divide into 4 balls of 60g each.
  5. With a rolling pin roll the balls to disks and place into 4 medium sized tart cases, trim edges. Place the remaining pastry aside back in the fridge.
  6. Prick the pastry with a fork a few times in the center and place the tarts in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile make the filling by placing the chocolate, sugar, milk and corn flour in a saucepan on a medium heat and whisk with a hand whisk until the mix is thick.
  8. Lightly beat the 5 egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl and add in 1 cup of the chocolate custard mix, beat.
  9. Add the yolk mix into the chocolate custard mix and beat with a hand whisk for 2 minutes while the mix boils.
  10. Take off the heat and beat in the 20g butter.
  11. Place some baking paper on the top of the custard mix to stop a skin from forming and leave for 10 minutes to cool.
  12. Take the tart cases out of the fridge and place on a baking tray covering the tarts with foil, baking for 10 minutes.
  13. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes.
  14. Once the tart cases have cooled place the chocolate custard mix in each tart base.
  15. Turn the oven down to 160c degrees.
  16. Roll the remaining pastry into 3 equal balls then roll out into a disk shape.
  17. Top the remaining disks on top of the custard and trim excess.
  18. Poke the top a few times with a fork and place in the oven for 25 minutes.
  19. Remove tarts from the oven and leave to completely cool, then place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  20. Meanwhile, with electric beats whisk the cream and icing sugar until peaks form.
  21. Place the cream into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe on top of each chilled pie evenly.
  22. Cut up the strawberries, banana and pineapple and place on top of the cream.
  23. Chop up the peanuts and sprinkle on top.
  24. To make the sauce place the chocolate and cream in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds until a sauce is formed.
  25. Allow sauce to cool slightly and drizzle on top of the pies.
  26. Place a cherry in the center and into the fridge to fully set for 1 hour.

 

Coconut Cream Pie recipe
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Chocolate Banana Split Pie recipe
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Banana and Peanut Loaf

Posted on by Posted in Bread .

Banana and Peanut Loaf

Banana and Peanut Loaf recipe

For a while now I have been meaning to create a healthier alternative to banana bread, that is scrumptious while being an acceptable high protein and high vitamin rich breakfast to fuel my morning.

After a taste test of flavour combos and brief-fitting ingredients I concluded that the flavours of peanut and banana were perfect.

As these ingredients are full of healthy protein building nuts and potassium richness fruit I decided to produce a recipe that was as healthy as possible while still attaining a delicious flavour and fluffy texture.

I also wanted it to be as easy as possible to bake that could be whipped up in 5 minutes.

The outcome = Fluffy fruit and nut bread with no added fat (oil/butter) that I think tastes much better than traditional banana bread (which is full of fat and large sugar quantities).

I’m actually impressed with myself, as soon as I served this I was asked for the recipe. Easy one step low fat fruit based loaf that is just divine sliced, warmed and if you desire topped with a flick off low fat margarine.

 

Ingredients:

  • 160g brown sugar
  • 200g vanilla yoghurt (low fat)
  • 220g Banana (3 large bananas)
  • 2 eggs
  • 130g low fat peanut-butter
  • 160g self raising flour

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 170c degrees and line a 14cmx24cm loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the sugar, banana, yoghurt, eggs, peanut butter and flour in a food processor and blitz until all the ingredients are well combine and pureed.
  3. Pour the mix into the cake tin.
  4. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the loaf is just set on touch.
  5. Allow the loaf to cool in the tin, then cut and serve.

 

Notes:

  • You will need 3 large or 4 medium sized bananas for this recipe.
  • I blitzed up 15g of peanuts to decorate the top of the loaf and sprinkled before baking.

 

Banana and Peanut Loaf recipe

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Banana and Peanut Loaf recipe

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Banana and Peanut Loaf recipe

Blitz peanuts to decorate

 

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Apple Raspberry Cider Caramel Candy Cake

Posted on by Posted in Cakes .

Apple Raspberry Cider Caramel Candy Cake

Apple Raspberry Cider Caramel Candy Cake

 

After recently enjoying a thirst quenching cider while out at the pub one Friday sunny lunch it got me thinking of baking a cake with cider as the key ingredient.

This particular cider was a raspberry flavor but I wanted to trial a few flavor combos, focusing on traditional cider flavors as well as the raspberry one I was enjoying.

The experimenting in the kitchen included raspberry cider, pear cider and apple cider, in which I played around with grated apples, grated pears and raspberries as complementary ingredients to the alcohol.

After around 7 different cake variations I ended up completely satisfied with the long-shot winner of apple cider, raspberries, apples and caramel chew candy. The candy being a bit of a last minute addition to this recipe, in which was added to gave the extra unusual twist I was looking for, unsurprisingly working hand-in-hand with the apple it also worked with the raspberry.

A delicious almost pudding like cake, one bite and you will be going back for a second piece…or if you are like me a third!

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 135g butter, softened
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 small apples, peeled and cored (135g apple)
  • 90g caramel chew candy
  • 80ml apple cider
  • 225g self raising flour
  • 1+ 1/2 tsn baking powder
  • 90g raspberries

Icing:

  • 200ml apple or raspberry cider
  • 100g caramel chew candy
  • 90g butter, softened

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170c degrees and line a 30cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Whisk the butter and sugar with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
  4. Grate the apple and add to the egg mix.
  5. Dice the caramel chews into small pieces, add to the egg mix and stir until combine.
  6. Pour the cider into the egg mix.
  7. Sieve the flour and baking soda into the egg mix and whisk on low with electric beaters for 30 seconds or until just combine.
  8. Add the raspberries and fold through the mix until just evenly combine.
  9. Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  10. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack until cold.
  11. Meanwhile make the icing by placing the 200ml of cider into a saucepan on a medium heat until reduced down to 80ml.
  12. Add the 100g of caramel chews and whisk with a hand whisk off the heat until smooth and glossy.
  13. Once the caramel mix has cool to room temperature whisk 100g of the caramel mix with the 90g butter with electric beaters until light and fluffy.
  14. Cut the cake in half horizontally, spread the caramel icing onto the top of the bottom cake layer, top with the second layer.
  15. Place the remaining caramel back on the saucepan until just lukewarm and pour over the top of the cake.
  16. Serve and enjoy!

 

Apple Raspberry Cider Caramel Candy Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

Posted on by Posted in Biscuits .

Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

 

I’ve made chickpea chocolate cake in the past, chocolate coconut slice, almond and chocolate cake, coconut and almond cupcakes….however I have never mixed these 4 flavors together. As they all taste like a dream with chocolate I thought there could be a combo potential.

So I decided to do some experimenting with these 4 flavors with biscuit variations. I looked at using butter vs. coconut oil, coconut flour vs. almond meal vs. rice flour, cocoa powder vs. chocolate, nil-chocolate biscuit dough, double chocolate biscuit varieties and the list goes on….

Suffice to say I made a few different batches that were slightly altered from the last.

This recipe I’m posting is the hands down winner. All flavors come out spectacularly. Even with the ‘gluten free’ component and legume inclusion they don’t taste ‘cardboard’ as some healthier versions of baking sometimes do.

So simple to make, literally throwing ingredients into a food processor and bake for 15 minutes and boom delicious biscuits at once!

Ingredients:

  • 230g chickpeas (1 x 400g can, drained)
  • 100g almond meal
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 40g coconut oil
  • 1 tsn almond extract
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsn baking powder
  • 1/8th tsn salt
  • 40g desiccated coconut
  • 80g roasted almonds
  • 80g 70% dark chocolate, 80g extra

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Place the drained chickpeas, sugar, oil, extract and egg into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
  3. Dice the 80g chocolate and 80g almonds into small pieces.
  4. Place the almond meal, baking powder, salt, coconut, diced chocolate and diced almonds into a bowl and stir until well combine.
  5. Add the chickpea mix to the dry mix and stir until well combine.
  6. Roll the dough mix into 20g sized balls and flatten well with the back of a fork onto the trays. Note they will not rise so you will want to flatten well.
  7. Place the trays into the oven for 15 minutes to cook.
  8. Allow the biscuits to set on the trays then move to a cooling rack until cooled.
  9. Meanwhile place the remaining extra 80g chocolate into a shallow microwave proof bowl and heat in the microwave on medium, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
  10. Using a butter knife or spatula spread the melted smooth chocolate onto the bottom of the biscuit in a thin even layer.
  11. Place biscuits chocolate side up onto the cooling tray until chocolate has set.
  12. Enjoy!

 

Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Chickpea Chocolate Coconut and Almond Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

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St Clements Fudge

Posted on by Posted in Fudge .

St Clements Fudge

German Spice Biscuit recipe

Oranges and Lemon’s say the bell’s of St. Clemens….This sweet treat may be named after a nursery rhyme but the favours are a heavenly match.

A twist on the usual dark chocolate fudge, this white chocolate, lemon and orange fudge is a super easy refreshing change to the stock-standard.

Ingredients:

  • 300g condensed milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 130g butter
  • 2 tsn lemon zest
  • 2 tsn orange zest
  • 200g white chocolate, 200g extra

 

Method:

  1. Line a slice tin with baking paper.
  2. Zest the fruit.
  3. Place the condensed milk, sugar and butter in a saucepan on low heat and stir until the mix is glossy and the sugar has dissolved.
  4. Add the zest and turn the heat to medium, stirring until the mix comes away from the side of the pan cleanly.
  5. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the white chocolate until melted and silky smooth.
  6. Spoon mix into the tin and leave aside to cool.
  7. Once cooled place the tin in the fridge for 1 hour to firm.
  8. Using a spoon scoop the mix into 15g sized balls, rolling in between your hands for the circle shape.
  9. Place the balls onto a plate and into the freezer for 20 minutes.
  10. Place water in a small saucepan on high on the stove until boiling, turn heat to low.
  11. Place remaining chocolate into a heatproof bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the boiling water.
  12. Use a wooden spoon to stir the chocolate until it’s melted and then remove it from the heat.
  13. Take the balls out of the freezer and dip each ball into the melted chocolate using a fork to lower and place them onto a lined tray.
  14. Next place the tray back in the freezer for 30 mins or until the chocolate has set.
  15. Enjoy!

 

St Clements Fudge recipe

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St Clements Fudge recipe

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Coffee Melting Moments

Posted on by Posted in Biscuits .

Coffee Melting Moments

Coffee Melting Moments recipe

Ok, so this recipe is not that ‘out there’. But it’s just too good for me to not include on my blog and coffee flavored melting moments, well they are not the usual flavor. Generally, or traditionally I should say Melting Moments are shortbread type biscuits that are butter or vanilla in flavor with a buttercream filling. Soo… I figured it ticks some boxes (not all) in terms of being uncommon. BUT, what I can guarantee is this recipe ticks all the boxes when it comes to texture, taste and decadency. To be honest I have gone off coffee on recent months but one taste of this biscuit and there is no way I won’t be finishing it, as well as another one for the road!

An easy and super delicious recipe with the beautiful melt in your mouth texture.

Ingredients:

Biscuit:

  • 150g butter
  • 2 tsn instant coffee granules
  • 64g custard powder
  • 60g icing sugar
  • 160g flour
  • 1 tsn baking powder

Filling:

  • 2 tsn instant coffee granules
  • 80g butter
  • 180g icing sugar

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Place the butter and coffee granules in a bowl and using electric beaters whisk until the butter is light and fluffy.
  3. Add the sugar and custard powder and whisk until combine.
  4. Add the flour and baking powder and using a spatula stir until the mix until well combined.
  5. Roll the dough mix into balls of 20g each and place on the tray.
  6. Press each ball with the back of a fork to slightly flatten and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
  7. Place biscuits on a cooling rack until cold.
  8. Meanwhile make the icing by placing the ingredients into a bowl and whisk using electric beaters whisk until well combined.
  9. Spoon the icing onto half the biscuits on the bottom flat side and sandwich with the remaining biscuits.
  10. Dust with a little cocoa powder and enjoy.

 

Coffee Melting Moments recipe
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Ricotta Ice-Cream with Burnt Salted Caramel

Posted on by Posted in Ice-cream & Sorbet .

Ricotta Ice-Cream with Burnt Salted Caramel

Ricotta Ice-Cream with Burnt Salted Caramel recipe

This recipe was actually created from taking 2 of my former recipes (my Cheese Ice-Cream Cake and my Churros Chocolate Caramel Cake) and to an extent combining them together.

From these former recipes, my ricotta ice-cream is absolutely amazing and my caramel sauce the perfect consistency, taste and texture.

This ice-cream can be enjoyed with pudding or cake etc, or as the star of its own show.

Moreish, quick, super easy and impressive this treat will impress!

 

Ingredients:

Ice-cream:

  • 450g ricotta cheese
  • 300ml sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 tsn vanilla extract
  • 450ml thickened cream
  • 60ml liquor (optional, I used butterscotch schnapps)

Caramel:

  • 100g white sugar
  • 15ml water
  • 90ml cream
  • 35g brown sugar
  • 1/8 tsn ground salt

 

Method:

  1. In a food processor blitz the cheese, condensed milk and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
  2. Whisk the cheese mix and cream with electric beaters in a bowl until peaks form.
  3. Stir the 60ml of liquor into the cheese mix until well combined.
  4. Spoon the cheese mix into a tin and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm.
  5. Meanwhile make the caramel by placing the white sugar and water into a saucepan on a high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
  6. Now leave the mix without stirring until the sugar syrup is a golden brown colour, take off the heat.
  7. Add the brown sugar, salt and cream to the sugar syrup mix and stir with a metal spoon until the caramel is smooth and glossy, leave aside to cool completely.
  8. Once the caramel is cooled fold through the ice-cream and place the ice-cream back into the freezer to completely set.
  9. Scoop and enjoy!

 

 

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Spiced Sweet Potato Bourbon and Caramel Cake recipe

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Quinoa Honey and Peanut Butter Biscuits

Posted on by Posted in Biscuits .

Quinoa Honey and Peanut Butter Biscuits

Quinoa Honey and Peanut Butter Cookies

In an attempt to eat gluten free, I brought a packet of quinoa flakes to use as a rolled oat substitute for my porridge. As much as the substitute seemed consistent with rolled oats I didn’t fall in love with the texture.

So, after opting back to oats I had a half full packet of quinoa flakes that I didn’t want to waste.

The solution? Get experimenting. I figured if the flakes were mostly used as an oat substitute I could bake with them just like I do with other cereal ingredients.

Knowing this ingredient pairs well with common breakfast flavors I played around with a few flavour combos before I landed on honey and peanut butter.

These 2 ingredients go so well together and using the quinoa flakes as a base biscuit ingredient went just as well as oat bran, flour or oats do.

To keep with the gluten free theme, I used rice flour instead of the usual wheat flour for gluten free friendly biscuit-y goodness.

I had low expectations for this treat and to be honest was blown away by how tasty it is.

 

Ingredients:

  • 55g brown sugar
  • 80g butter
  • 110g honey
  • 90g peanut butter
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 200g rice flour
  • 1 tsn baking power
  • ¼ tsn salt
  • 110g quinoa flakes

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Place the sugar, butter, honey, peanut butter and vanilla into a saucepan on a medium heat.
  3. Stir until the mix is well combined, silky and bubbling on the sides of the pan. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Sieve the flour, powder and salt into a bowl and add the quinoa flakes, stir.
  5. Pour the butter mix over the dry mix and stir until well combined.
  6. Put the bowl of the biscuit mix into the fridge for 30 minutes to cool and slightly harden.
  7. Next roll the cooled dough into balls 30g in size and place onto the trays.
  8. Using a fork push the balls in the center to flatten.
  9. Place the trays in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown in colour – leave the biscuits on the tray to completely cool.
  10. Enjoy!

 

Golden Syrup Pecan and Caramel Mini Cheese Cakes recipe

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Grape Jelly Melting Moments recipe

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Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts

Posted on by Posted in Tarts .

Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts

Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts recipe

The taste of this tart is Christmas in a nutshell, but you do need to be a lover of figs that’s for sure!

After playing around with the size, flavours and quantities of a mince-pie alternative tart (I love mince pies apart from the filling aka the main part of a mince pie lol), I ended up happy with little bite sized tarts (almost canapé style).

If you like mince pies but prefer figs over sultanas this is the perfect mince pie replacement Christmas treat for you.

You never know, you may convert yourself to a new Christmas fav, others too!

 

Ingredients:

Pastry:

  • 100g flour
  • 50g butter
  • 25g sugar

Filling:

  • 20g honey
  • ½ tsn ground lavender
  • 225g dried figs
  • ¼ tsn apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsn orange zest

Decoration:

  • Honey
  • Lavender flowers
  • Orange zest

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200c degrees.
  2. Place the pastry ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Add 25ml of water and process until the mix resembles dough and comes away from the sides of the bowl. If this does not occur and the mix looks too dry add an extra 5ml of water and process again.
  4. Place the dough on a floured bench and knead the dough for a minute. Following divide the dough into 12 balls of 15g each.
  5. With a rolling pin roll the balls into disks and place them into 12 mini (1 + ½ tbsn capacity) tart cases. OR as an alternative grease a small cupcake tin and place the disks in the bottom and sides of the tin cupcake holes (a 24 capacity – 33x22cm sized tin are quite common to have or find).
  6. Prick the pastry with a fork a few times and place the tarts in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile make the filling by placing the lavender into a mortar and pestle and grind until the lavender is too a powder consistency.
  8. Place the figs, 320ml of water, honey, lavender, vinegar and orange zest in a pan on a medium heat.
  9. Boil the mix for 15 minutes; stirring every few minutes until the figs are plumb and the water is to a syrupy sticky consistency.
  10. Place the mix into the food processor and blitz until the figs are at a paste consistency.
  11. Place baking paper in the center of each tart case followed with some rice or baking weights to weight down the rise of the pastry base while cooking.
  12. Place the tart shells in the oven for 10 minutes.
  13. Remove the baking paper and weights and bake in the oven for a further 8 minutes or until the tart shells are slightly golden brown.
  14. Place the fig mix into the tart shells and bake for a further 5 minutes.
  15. Remove the tarts from the oven and once cooled if you wish add a few lavender flowers and a little orange zest for decoration.

 

Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts recipe

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Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts recipe

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Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts recipe

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Fig Lavender and Honey Mini-Tarts recipe

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