Sweet Tooth Experiments – Discover my baking experiments of unusual flavours and combinations, as well as traditional international sweet treats.

Hello and welcome to Sweet Tooth Experiments

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Ella Posted in Uncategorized .

Photographer: Margaret Paola Minero

Welcome to my blog centred around baking with delicious and interesting flavour combos as well as textures to uncover unusual bakegood gems. In addition, this blog discovers traditional sweet treats, opening up taste buds to different cultures and flavours from all over the world.

Coconut Lime and Peanut Bites

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Ella Posted in Truffles .

Coconut Lime and Peanut Bites

Coconut, lime and peanuts…when you say this combo to most people they envisage adding some soya sauce and chilli and ‘boom’ you have a homemade satay sauce!

So we know these flavors work together, who says that they need to only work together in a savoury sense. All 3 of these key ingredients are used in sweet dishes just as much as savoury.

I contemplated what format this sweet treat would work best in, a cake, slice, biscuits, flan, ice-cream, you name it. In the end I decided to play with a few options and ended up happiest with coconut lime and peanut balls.

These little treats are really moreish with a lovely lime tang, while the coconut adds a tropical undertone and the peanut butter brings it all together.

Ingredients:

240g plain sweet biscuits
45g desiccated coconut
220g condensed milk
4 tsn lime zest
60g peanut butter
1 tsn coconut essence
40g peanuts

Method:

Place the biscuits, coconut, milk, zest, peanut butter and essence in a food processor and blitz until a dough is formed.
Roll the dough into 25g balls.
Place the peanuts into the food processor until fine like breadcrumbs.
Roll the balls into the peanuts then place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

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Orange and Blueberry Polenta Cupcakes with Lemon Icing

Posted on May 18, 2019 by Ella Posted in Cupcakes .

Orange and Blueberry Polenta Cupcakes with Lemon Icing

For a variation from the usual cupcake I have incorporating polenta into the mix, while still including self raising flour to allow the cupcakes to rise.

The mix of blueberries, orange and lemon pairing with a hint of almond works a real treat, while the texture of the polenta makes the cupcakes very satisfying.

A welcomed tasty alternative to the usual vanilla or chocolate cupcake that’s for sure!

Ingredients:

Cake:

110g instant polenta
200g self raising four
150g sugar
½ tsn baking powder
140g butter, softened
½ tsn almond essence
½ lemon zest
1 orange
1 egg
260g blueberries

Icing:

300g thickened cream
1 tsn lemon zest
1 tbsn icing sugar

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 160c degrees and place large cupcake patties in a cupcake tray.
Place the polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, zest of a whole orange and zest of half the lemon in a bowl and rub to combine with hands until a dough is formed.
In a separate bowl place the egg, almond essence and 2 tbsn of orange juice. With a hand whisk combine the wet ingredients then pour into the dry ingredients.
Beat with the hand whisk to combine.
Place 45g of batter into each cupcake case.
Push 10 blueberries into the batter of each cupcake.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes of until a skewer in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the tin and leave aside to cool.
To make the icing whisk with electric beaters the butter for 5 minutes until creamy.
Add in the cream, icing sugar and lemon zest and beat until peaks form.
Using a star nozzle and piping-bag pipe each cupcake with icing.
Decorate with extra orange zest and a blueberry on the top.

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Rice Flour White Chocolate and Coffee Brownies

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Ella Posted in Brownies .

Rice Flour, White Chocolate and Coffee Brownies

This recipe is the most simple and quick recipe you will come across. This took me a whole of 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to decorate.

I recommend you read the notes to this recipe before planning to bake as it does have a defined ‘textural’ consistency.

This recipe made it to my blog due to the interesting texture, simplicity, gluten-free bake and cost efficiency. Also, it is quite the tasty flavor (hmm coffee).

Introducing the unique Rice flour, white chocolate and coffee brownies.

Ingredients:

90g white chocolate
70g butter
190g brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
½ tsn vanilla essence
½ tsn almond essence
160g-rice flour
1 tbsn instant espresso coffee granules
150ml thickened cream

Method:

Line a 30cm x 15cm baking tray with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees.
Place the butter and sugar in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium for 1 minute or until the chocolate is half melted. Stir with a metal spoon until smooth and glossy.
With a hand whisk beat in the instant coffee until dissolved then beat in the remaining ingredients.
Pour the mix into the tin and place in the oven for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Tap the tin on a table lightly to get rid of air bubbles before placing in the oven (otherwise the brownie will get bubble like domes on the base).
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes for place on a cooling rack and cut.
Whip up the thickened cream with electric beaters until peaks form and pipe on the top of each brownie then sprinkled with a little coffee granules on top to decorate.

Notes:

The title of this brownie does state rice flour, however I have made this a few times and suggest that if you are not a real fan of texture (rice flour is much more granular than other flours) then substitute it with normal plain flour or gluten free plain flour to stay gluten-free.

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Spiced Caramel Apple Pie Cake

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Ella Posted in Cakes .

Spiced Caramel Apple Pie Cake


After eating an apple pie recently I got the idea of turning the filling into a cake, but instead of putting the filling into the batter of the cake I wanted to use it as the filling between cake layers. For the cake batter I wanted to ensure that the apple was evident, but not the only key feature in the cake. Additionally, I wanted to cake to feature flavors that complement the apple, thus incorporating brown sugar, caramel essence, ginger and of course apples best friend…cinnamon. Think carrot cake or banana cake texture and flavors, but without the carrot and banana.To keep the apple pie mix intact and in the middle of the cake layers I opted for a cream cheese frosting for the layers and outside of the cake, again featuring the caramel flavor. The outcome is a delectable spiced apple cake that is rich in apple pie inspired flavor layers as well as caramel cheesecake-ish frosted layers.

Ingredients:

Cake:

170g brown sugar
2 eggs
100ml vegetable oil
50ml butter, melted
420g apples, peeled and grated (240g grated apple)
220ml self-rising flour
1 tsn of bi- carbonate soda
1 tsn ground cinnamon
1 tsn ground ginger
60g almond meal
1 lemon (zest of whole lemon)

Apple Filling:

55g brown sugar
½ tsn ground cinnamon
30g butter
180ml water
260g apples, peeled and diced (175g diced apple)

Syrup:

30ml brandy
30ml lemon juice
80g brown sugar

Icing:

80g butter
100g white chocolate
250g cream cheese
120g vanilla flavored yoghurt
1 tsn salted caramel essence
30g icing sugar

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 175c degrees and line 3 x 25cm cake tins with baking paper.
Using your kitchen aid (electric beaters) beat the sugar and eggs for 5 minutes or until fluffy and pale.
Add the melted butter and oil to the bowl, pouring while the beaters run.
Stop the mixer and remove the bowl.
Add the apple and sift in the flour, spices, salt, soda and almond meal.
Carefully fold the ingredients together until just combine.
Pour the mix evenly into the 3 tins and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Leave the cakes on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make the filling place the butter, sugar, cinnamon and water into a saucepan and heat on high until boiling.
Add the apples and cook on high for 10 minutes until the syrup thickens and the apple is soft but still holds it’s shape.
Place the mix into a bowl and leave aside to cool.
Place the syrup ingredients into a new bowl and heat in the microwave until boiling, stir until silky smooth in texture.
Using a pastry brush, brush the syrup onto the top of the 3 cakes.
Next make the icing by melting the butter in a medium sized bowl in the microwave until bubbling. Add the white chocolate piece and stir until smooth.
Add the cream cheese, yoghurt and essence into the butter mix and using electric beaters whisk until smooth and silky. Place in the fridge to set.
To put the cake together place one cake layer on a plate syrup side up, top with ¼ icing, then ½ of the apple filling over the top of the icing.
Top with the second cake layer syrup side up, top with ¼ icing, then the remaining apple filling over the top of the icing.
Top with 3^rd cake layer syrup side down and ice the top and the sides of the cake with the remaining icing.
To decorate I have topped with dried apple slices and caramel sauce.


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Rum Raisin and Chocolate Delight Cake

Posted on April 27, 2019 by Ella Posted in Cakes .

Rum Raisin and Chocolate Delight Cake


This cake is not ground breaking with distinctively bizarre textures or flavor combos. However, it has been purposely created to bring to live Cadbury’s Old Jamaican Rum N’ Raisin chocolate block into cake form. To hero the chocolate I have used Cadbury’s Old Gold dark chocolate, for the Rum a popular Jamaican brand and for the raisins I ensured lots and lots of rum was absorbed in them for little flavor bombs.

Ingredients:

Cake:

180g butter
300g caster sugar
2 tsn vanilla essence
3 eggs
170g self-raising flour
65g plain flour
85g cocoa powder
1/2 tsn bicarbonate of soda
2 tsn instant espresso coffee granules
80ml water
85ml milk

Rum syrup:

110g raisins
140g Jamaican rum
80g sugar

Mousse:

200g dark chocolate
40ml reserved syrup
2/3 cup thickened cream
1 tsn gelatin
65g icing sugar

Ganache:

100g dark chocolate
100ml thickened cream

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm round cake tin with baking paper.
Using electric beaters beat the butter, sugar and essence for 5 mins or until it is light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs one at a time and ensure you beat thoroughly between each addition.
Sift in the flours, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, mix.
Add the coffee granules to the water, then add the milk, stir.
Add the flour mix and coffee mix into the butter mix and fold until combine.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once cooked leave the cake in the tin for 5 mins, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool.
Meanwhile make the rum and raisin mix by placing the raisins, rum and sugar into a saucepan and stirring over a simmering heat for 5 minutes.
Drain raisins (reserving the syrup for later) and chop up the raisins.
Make the mousse by placing 1/3rd cup cream on a bowl and microwaving for 1 minute or until simmering, remove from the microwave and add the chocolate. Allow to sit for 1 minute then stir until smooth.
Add 40g of the reserved rum syrup to the chocolate mix, stir then set aside to cool.
Add the gelatin to the water and stir until well combined with no lumps.
Beat with electric beaters the remaining cream, gelatin mix and sugar until soft peaks form.
Add the chocolate mix to the cream mix and beat until combine and peaks form, place in the fridge until required.
Make the ganache by placing the cream on a bowl and microwaving for 1 minute or until simmering, remove from the microwave and add the chocolate. Allow to sit for 1 minute, stir until silky smooth.
To assemble the cake cut the cake into 3 layers horizontally.
Brush the remaining rum syrup over the top of the 3 layers.
Line the original baking tin with 3 layers of plastic wrap and place the first cake layer in the tin, rum side up.
Sprinkle half the raisins over the cake layer and top with half of the mousse, followed by the second cake layer rum syrup side up.
Repeat raisin and mousse layers again and top with the last cake layer rum syrup side down.
Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the cake and leave in the fridge for 3 hours to completely set.
Remove the cake from the tin by pulling up the plastic wrap and placing the cake only a plate.
Pour over the chocolate ganache and enjoy.

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Ovaltine Icing

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Ella Posted in Icing .

Ovaltine Icing

Quite a while ago I did some experimenting with Ovaltine where I ended up coming up with some amazing tasting biscuits. As it has been some time since I revisited this childhood flavour I decided to get back and do some some experimenting.

A slice, cake and an icing recipe later, the simple and delicious icing won out.

To me this icing holds such great unique properties that is also a little left of center (you expect chocolate flavor but are pleasantly surprised with a twist you just can’t place your finger on…that being the malt).

So if you want to turn a plain cake into something with personality and character this icing will create something special.

Ingredients:

90g butter
1/2 tsn vanilla essence
1/2 cup Ovaltine
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbsn milk

Method:

Beat the butter and essence in a bowl with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Beat in the Ovaltine, icing sugar and milk until well combine.

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Raspberry Layered Apple Yoghurt Cake

Posted on April 13, 2019 by Ella Posted in Cakes .

Raspberry Layered Apple Yoghurt Cake

Ok so the flavor pairings for this cake is not ground breaking. Raspberry, apple and vanilla has no real ‘wow interesting twist factor’. How this cake made it to my website….? Due to it being absolutely delectably delicious, as well as the unusual way the cake is constructed. The main feature of this cake is not the flavor pairings but the layers of batter and apple that structure the cake. Every bite has an ever-so-tasty yoghurt based cake with the twist of sliced apple layered texture. This cake is a must with a cup of tea, in fact I dare you to find another cake that satisfies your cake craving more when paired with a cup of tea at 3pm!

Ingredients:

Cake:

125g butter
180g sugar + 1 tbsn extra
1 tsn vanilla essence
4 eggs
90g raspberry yoghurt
170g self-raising flour
2 large apples (260g apple)
180g raspberries

Topping:

100g raspberries
40ml condensed milk
20ml thickened cream

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper.
Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and using electric beaters whisk the mix for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla essence and whisk until combine.
Add the eggs, one at a time beating, in between each addition.
Add the yoghurt and beat until combine.
Add the flour and beat on low until just combine.
Peel the apples with a fruit peeler.
Using a hand slicer mandolin cut the apple into thin slices.
Add the raspberries to the mix and carefully stir through.
Add half the cake batter into the tin and flatten the top with a spoon.
Add half the apple slices in a fan pattern.
Add the remaining batter and flatten the top with the back of the spoon.
Add the remaining apple slices in a fan pattern.
Sprinkle the extra 1tbsn sugar over the apple slices. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Place the cake onto a cake rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile to make the raspberry sauce, place the raspberries into a saucepan with the condensed milk.
On a high heat stir until the raspberries have disintegrated.
Pour the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Pour the sauce over the cake.
Pour the thickened cream over the cake and enjoy!


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Festive Popcorn Honey Bark

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Ella Posted in Slice .

Festive Popcorn Honey Bark

This recipe was inspired by playing around with left over ingredients that I had in the cupboard from previous bakes that I wanted to turn into something. I hate wasting food and tend to buy quite a lot of ingredients in which I only use ¼ of for a recipe.

Therefore I decided to make my own version of ‘chocolate bark’, but instead of using chocolate as the base I would use caramel and instead of the usual nuts, seeds and dried fruits that go into ‘bark’, I opted for what I had in the cupboard.

I made 5 different varieties where this recipe I am posting was the star from the afternoon of experimenting.

Marshmallow, popcorn, coconut and white chocolate came close but it was the coconut, cranberry, orange, almond, popcorn and white chocolate recipe that was the tastiest.

Ingredients:

Popcorn mix:

40g popcorn, pre-popped and lightly salted
50g flaked coconut
50g cranberries, diced
1 tsn orange zest
40g roasted almonds, finely diced

Caramel:

40g butter
120g honey
160g sugar
1 tsn bi carbonate soda

Extra:

50g white chocolate

Method:

Line a 25cmx25cm slice tin with baking paper.
In a bowl place the popcorn, coconut, cranberries and zest, stir to combine.
In a saucepan place the butter, honey and sugar on a medium heat, stir until combine.
Turn heat to high until golden and thickened. You will know the caramel is done when you stir a spoon in the mix and place it in a cup of cold water, if the caramel is hard it’s ready.
Take off the heat and add ½ tsn of the bicarbonate soda to the mix and stir.
Add the almonds and stir.
Pour the caramel mix into the prepared tin, ensuring even distribution.
Working quickly sprinkle the popcorn mix over the caramel as evenly as possible and flatten with palms and fingertips to ensure the mix is in the caramel.
Place slice in the fridge to set for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile place the white chocolate over a double boiler and melt the chocolate.
Drizzle the melted white chocolate on the bark and place back in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the white chocolate is set.
Cut the bark into slices and enjoy.

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Clinker Cheesecake

Posted on March 23, 2019 by Ella Posted in Cakes .

Clinker Cheesecake

It’s been a while since I baked with lollies (see my Red Skin Candy Cake and Musk Candy Cake recipes).

To reignite this baking lollie twist I decided to start looking at chocolate lollies and incorporating these in my recipes.
One of the chocolate types I thought would be interesting and not commonly consumed was Pascall’s Clinkers.

Chocolate covered candy with a surprise of either pineapple, lime or strawberry in the middle…yum!

I have opted for a cheesecake in this instance as chunks of diced Clinkers in a traditional baked cake would leave holes and make the cake unstable when the chocolate and candy melted in the cooking process.

Ingredients:

150g chocolate biscuits
70g butter
500g cream cheese
30g sugar
2 tsn gelatine
60ml water
200g milk chocolate
350g clinkers
240g thickened cream

Method:

Line a 23cm spring form baking tin with baking paper.
Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Melt the butter, add to the biscuits and pulse until well combine.
Press biscuit mix into the base of the tin then place in the fridge to firm.
Using electric beaters whisk the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Melt the chocolate and beat into the cheese mix until smooth.
Boil the water and mix the gelatine, using a fork to combine until the mix has no lumps and is silky.
Add the gelatine mix to the cheese mix and beat until well combine.
Clean the beaters and whisk the cream until peaks form.
Cut 250g of clinkers into medium sized pieces each so you have nice chunks and fold with the cream into the cheese mix.
Spoon over the chocolate base and leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set.
Once set remove from the tin.
Place 100g of clinkers in the food processor and blitz until the mix resembles breadcrumb consistency.
Roll the cake onto its side once set to coat sides of cake with the clinker mix, then sprinkle the remaining on top.

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Florentines

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Ella Posted in Biscuits .

Florentines

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:

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

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