Sweet Tooth Experiments

Monthly Archives: January 2014

Hazelnut Cake with Spiced Syrup

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

hazelnut cake

Hazelnut Cake with Spiced Syrup

 

This cake believe it or not tastes like Baklava but without the pastry and is better!

This is actually one of my favorite cakes that incorporates beautiful spices, tasty hazelnut with a to die for syrup and melt in your mouth texture.

 

Ingredients:

  • 125g butter
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 1 ¾ cup hazelnut meal
  • ¼ cup milk

Syrup

  • 2 chamomile tea bags
  • 2/3 cup boiling water
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 + ½ tsb cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup white sugar

 

Method:

  1. Place the teabags into boiling water on a saucepan, boil then let the tea infuse for 15 minutes mins.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  3. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.
  4. Sift in the corn flour and baking powder.
  5. Add hazelnut meal and milk and stir to combine.
  6. Pour into tin and bake for 45 minutes or until skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  7. To make the syrup remove the teabags and add in the honey, cinnamon and sugar.
  8. Put the stove on medium until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil until the syrup has thickened.
  9. Once cake has cooled place on a plate and drizzle with the syrup.

 

Notes:

  • My example above is a slice, where I just made this into a rectangle slice tin instead. As this cake has minimal rising agents this was fine to do. I recommend though making it as a cake.
  • You could use chai teabags instead of chamomile for a more spicy taste.
  • I recommend whipping up some cream with icing sugar and piping on top then drizzling the syrup if you want to dress the cake up a bit.
  • This would also be lovely served with ice-cream on the side.

 

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Baklava

Posted on Posted in Traditional, Turkey .

baqklava

Baklava

Similar to the other international traditional dishes I have blogged about this one as well has many different variations, which I have explored and found my favorite.

 

Ingredients:

  • 160g blanched almonds
  • 140 shelled pistachios
  • 2 tsn ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsn ground cloves
  • 1 tsn ground nutmeg
  • 18 filo pastry sheets
  • 75g butter

Syrup

  • 1 cup water
  • 220g white sugar
  • 90g cup honey
  • 1 + ½ tsn rosewater

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and grease a 22cm square cake tin.
  2. Process the nuts and spices until finely chopped.
  3. Spread the nut mix onto a tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  4. Increase the oven temprature to 200c.
  5. Cut the pastry sheets to fit the base on the tin. Layer 3 pastry sheets brushing each layer with butter. Place this in the tin and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the nut mix.
  6. Repeat pervious step ending with 3 sheets of pastry.
  7. Using a knife, cut the baklava into quarters, then each square diagonally, then the triangles in half.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 150c and bake for another 10 minutes.
  9. Now make the syrup by stirring all the ingredients in a saucepan on medium until the sugar dissolves.
  10. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and leave without stirring for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  11. Once the Baklava is cooked pour the syrup over the pastry. Once the Baklava is cooled serve.

baklava2

 

 

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Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake


Posted on Posted in America, Cakes .

coca-cola chocolate cake

Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake

Give me a sec to explain before you get scared off this post (you will be thankful).

Ok so I didn’t hit my head and decide to bake a cake with the first 2 ingredients that popped in my head. Believe it or not there are many versions of a ‘Coca-Cola’ cake. And I promise I wouldn’t post a recipe on my site unless the recipe was super awesome.

I also thought that this was taking things a little too far and it would be a disaster waiting to happen. But I promise you that was not the case. The outcome was the most moist and intense chocolate flavoured cake I have had in a while. The cola must intensify the chocolate flavour as only 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder go into this cake and no actual chocolate. Personally I couldn’t taste the Cola, the only remnants of it being there was an ever so slight cola after taste as such (which was surprisingly quite pleasant).

If you didn’t know it wasn’t a plain chocolate mud cake you would be none the wiser. Having said this though I did get feedback from people saying they could taste a little of the cola…each to their own I suppose.

 

Ingredients:

  • 220g plain flour
  • 250g white sugar
  • 1/2 tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsn salt salt
  • 1 egg
  • 125g milk
  • 1 tsn vanilla essense
  • 125g butter
  • 2 tbsn cocoa powder
  • 190ml Coca-Cola
  • 250g icing sugar
  • 1 tbsn butter
  • 4 tbsn coco-cola
  • 1 tbsn cocoa powder

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and place in a baking tray. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. In a bowl add the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, bicarb soda and salt.
  3. In another bowl beat with electric mixer the egg, milk and vanilla.
  4. In a saucepan on low add the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola until the butter is melted.
  5. Add the butter mix to the dry bowl, stir until combined. Now add the milk mix to the bowl, beat with electric mixer until smooth.
  6. Pour into cake tin and place onto tray. Bake for 50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
  7. Let it cool for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack to cool.
  8. To make the icing melt butter in the microwave. Once melted add  coco-cola and cocoa, stir until smooth, add vanilla.
  9. Stir in the icing sugar until cominbed then beat until thick and glossy. Set aside for 15 mins to cool and thicken.
  10. Spread over cooled cake.

 

Notes:

  • I used gluten free plain all-purpose flour. I think this was a contributor to the cake being so moist and mud cake like.
  • I split the cake in half and spread half the icing in the center of the cake and the rest I pipped on top of the cake.
  • The cake is so rich that I don’t actually believe you need the icing, as an alternative I would serve this with a dollop of cream instead.
  • Only 250g of sugar is in this cake and no chocolate as the cola is quite sweet already, therefore making the cake extra sweet.
  • I used diet Coke when I made this as this is what I had in my cupboard, however if you are a fan of cherries you could use Dr. Pepper or Lemon twist Coca-Cola for example for a little hit of complementary favour fusion with the chocolate.

A helping hand:

coca cola chocolate cake ingredients

The ingredients.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

Step 1. Lining the cake tin.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

The 3 mixes.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

Icing ingredients.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

Step 9. The icing cooled.

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Healthy Chocolate Mousse Tart

Posted on Posted in Tarts .

healthy chocolate mousse tart

Healthy Chocolate Mousse Tart

Yep, you read that correctly. No cream, sugar or butter naughtiness. The only ingredient in this that makes it a chocolate mousse technically is the chocolate!

Introducing the high protein, low GI, (depending on the yoghurt brand you use) healthy (low fat) chocolate mouse.

Now this recipe is for a mousse, however the last time I made this I placed the mousse into a sweet short crust tart shell and not one person realised that it wasn’t a full fat chocolate naughty tart.

Such a simple recipe you will never go back to a cream based mousse again!

 

Ingredients:

  • 200g dark chocolate
  • 350g soft silken tofu, drained
  • 2 tsn vanilla essence
  • 1/8 tsn almond essence
  • ½ cup fat free plain yoghurt

 

Method:

  1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on medium in the microwave for 1 minute or until the chocolate starts to melt slightly. With a metal spoon stir until chocolate is smooth and melted.
  2. Place the tofu and essence in a food processor and blend until smooth.
  3. Add chocolate and process until combined and smooth.
  4. Pour mix into a bowl with yoghurt and fold to combine.
  5. Pour mix into a read made short crust pastry shell (see notes) and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

 

Notes:

  • As mentioned I bough a sweet crust already made pastry shell for this. All I did was follow the directions on the pack and once cooled placed the mousse into the shell and then refrigerated.
  • You can also decorate with a cup of mixed berries to serve or with some shaved chocolate curls.
  • For more information on how to make the pastry shell please see my spiced pumpkin pie recipe for details on 3 how to make the pastry from scratch.

 

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healthy chocolate mousse tarts

healthy chocolate mousse tarts

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Profiteroles

Posted on Posted in France, Traditional .

 

Profiteroles

Profiteroles

 

I promise you Choux pastry is not hard at all! My custard filling recipe is much lower in fat and can be done in the microwave in seconds!

This is definitely an impressive traditional French sweet treat that I have made a little healthier. Traditionally these are filled with whipped cream, ice-cream or pastry cream.

These are the little gems that create the famous (thanks Masterchef) Croquembouche.

 

Ingredients:

Pastry

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 2 tbs white sugar
  • ¼ tsn salt
  • 4 eggs

Custard

  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 6 tbsn custard powder
  • 6 tbsn white sugar

Chocolate top

  • 200g dark chocolate
  • 50g butter

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
  2. Bring the water and butter to the boil in a saucepan on the stove to a medium heat. Once at a boil add the flour, sugar and salt stirring with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until the mix comes away from the side of the pan.
  3. Take off the heat, wait 5 minutes and beat the eggs in one at a time. The mix will now resemble dough.
  4. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
  5. Using a piping bag with a large tip pipe 16 puffs in the size of golf balls leaving 5 cm apart on the 2 trays.
  6. Place the 2 trays in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
  7. Decrease the oven temperature down to 190c and bake for a further 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and all puffed up.
  8. Turn off the oven. With a knife cut a slit I the top of each puff and leave them in the oven to dry out for 10 minutes. Following place on a cooling rack to cool.
  9. To prepare the custard place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Whisk well.
  10. Microwave for 2 minutes on high, then whisk. Cook for a further 30 seconds and whisk. Repeat until the custard is super thick and glossy. Leave to cool. The custard should be thick enough to easily hold its shape.
  11. With another piping bag and a medium star tip fill with the cooled custard.
  12. Pipe the custard into each puff.
  13. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl until bubbling. Add in the chocolate, microwave for 30 seconds. Stir with a metal spoon until thick and glossy.
  14. Dip the puff into the chocolate topping and set aside to harden up prior to serving.

Notes:

  • This is quite impressive but does take a while to work through each of the processes.

 

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Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

Posted on Posted in Icing .

coconut ceamcheese icing

Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

  • 170g butter at room temp
  • 170h cream cheese
  •  1 cup icing sugar
  • 2 tsn lemon juice (or 1 tsn vanilla essence depending on the cakes key ingredient).
  • 1/8 cup desiccated coconut

 

Method:

  • Using an electric mixer beat the butter until creamy and pale.
  • Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
  • Add the remainder of the ingredients and beat.

 

Notes:

  • This is my favorite icing ever!

 

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Guilt-Free Chocolate Icing

Posted on Posted in Icing .

guilt-free chocolate icing

Guilt Free Chocolate Icing

No sugar, no butter, no cream icing? No way!

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • ¼ cup cocoa

 

Method:

  • Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.

 

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Glace Icing

Posted on Posted in Icing .

glace icing

Glace Icing

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 2 tsn butter, melted
  • 3 tbsn hot water

 

Method:

  • Place the water and butter into a bowl. Add the icing sugar and beat with electric beaters until smooth.

 

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White Icing

Posted on Posted in Icing .

white chocolate ganache

White Icing

 

Ingredients:

  • 200g butter
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 200g white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

 

Method:

  • Beat butter and sugar for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  • Slowly add in chocolate to the mix, beating until smooth.

 

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Peanut Butter Icing

Posted on Posted in Icing .

Peanut Butter Icing

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 80g butter
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 80ml thickened cream

 

Method:

  • Beat the sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla for 5-10 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  • Add the cream and beat for a further 1 minute.

 

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