Sweet Tooth Experiments

Monthly Archives: December 2014

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Quinoa….I have attempted to bake with this ancient grain about 10 times. This Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake was going to be the last attempt, where I only made the cake as I had some Quinoa left over from a Quinoa baking fail earlier that day.

I don’t understand how one thing can be that difficult to bake with…Semolina, couscous, polenta, almond meal – all are a breeze to bake with and add great texture and flavour. Quinoa…not so easy to bake with! The taste is quite distinct and hard to pair up, while the actual texture of the other ingredients also makes a big difference.

I have tired orange and ginger, pineapple carrot & banana, chocolate & peach even berries mango lime & mint to name a few and they were all flops!

As the fresh fruit was definitely not going to work I opted for dried fruit and knew I had to have a lot of flavour to offset the strong Quinoa taste. This directed me to dried fruit and heaps of it. As it’s Christmas time (Christmas Eve) of course a Christmas Cake was the first thing that popped into my mind.

I have also used gluten free flour to make this 100% free from gluten.

 

Ingredients:

  • 100g quinoa
  • 150g currents
  • 150g sultanas
  • 300g dries pitted dates
  • 100g mixed dried berries
  • 100g cranberries
  • 100g dried pineapple
  • 100g butter
  • 3 tbsn sherry
  • 2 oranges
  • ½ tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 155g gluten free flour
  • 1 tsn ground ginger
  • 1 tsn mixed spice
  • 1 tsn ground cinnamon

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160c and line a 23cm baking tin with baking paper.
  2. Place quinoa in a pan on the stove with 210g water.
  3. Turn on high until the water boils then reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the water is all fully absorbed.
  4. Move the quinoa off the heat to fully cool.
  5. Cut the dried fruit into small pieces.
  6. Place 2 tbsn water, the currents, sultanas, dates, berries, cranberries, pineapple, butter, sherry, juice and zest of the 2 oranges in a saucepan.
  7. Bring gently to the boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
  8. Turn off the heat, add in the bi carb and stir every 5 minutes until the mix is cool.
  9. Beat the eggs and place in the bowl with the cooled quinoa and fruit mix. Mix until combine.
  10. Sift in the flour and spices and stir until well combine.
  11. Place in the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
  12. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

Notes:

  • The cake will be a moist when placing a skewer in as the dried fruit has absorbed the liquid and plumped them up.
  • If you want to make this alcohol free you can forgo the sherry and add in an additional 3 tbsn on orange juice.
  • If you don’t have sherry you can use brandy or port wine.
  • This cake is best served with custard or ice-cream.

 

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

Ingredients

Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

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Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

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Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

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Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

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Quinoa Berry Christmas Cake recipe

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Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake

Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

Ever noticed how chocolate mousse cakes completely melt and fall apart when out of the fridge for longer than 10 minutes?  How annoying! And you try to cut the cake and it either sticks to the knife or turns into a mousse mess? Well I have come up with a spicy chocolate mousse recipe that won’t melt or collapse when you cut it and will keep its shape once sliced.

Additionally to this, the recipe is ever so tasty and has a pleasant hit of complementary spices.

This one definitely exceeded expectations and is a must keep recipe.

Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 4 eggwhites
  • 165g sugar
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 150g almond meal
  • 35g plain flour
  • 1 tsn lemon zest

Mousse:

  • 400ml-thickened cream
  • 220g dark chocolate
  • 4 + 1/2 tsn gelatine
  • 1 + ¼ tsn cinnamon
  • 1 + ½ tsn ground fennel
  • 1 + ¼ tsn ground cloves
  • 1 + ¼ tsn cardamom
  • ¼ tsn chili powder
  • Pinch salt and pepper

Extra:

  • 200ml-thickened cream
  • 1 tbsn cocoa powder
  • 2 tsn icing sugar

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c and line 2 x 23cm spring form baking tins with baking paper.
  2. Using electric beaters beat the eggwhites until soft peaks form.
  3. Gradually add in the sugar until stiff glossy peaks form (about 5 mins).
  4. Carefully fold in the vanilla, almond meal, flour and zest until well combine.
  5. Divide the mix between the 2 tins and using a spoon spread out the mix and smooth out the tops.
  6. Bake for 18 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden and soft to touch.
  7. Leave the cakes in the tins until completely cool, and then remove from tins.
  8. Place the cinnamon, fennel, cloves, cardamom, chili, salt & pepper in a saucepan and stir on high for a minute or until you can smell the spices in the air.
  9. Place 1 cup of the cream in a second saucepan and heat on medium until the cream just starts to boil, remove off heat.
  10. Whisk the 4 + 1/2 tsn gelatine into the boiling hot cream until smooth and well combined.
  11. Add the chocolate into the cream mix and allow it to sit for a minute then whisk the cream mix until the chocolate is silky smooth.
  12. Add the spices to the chocolate and whisk to combine. Place aside to cool.
  13. Using electric beaters beat 150g of thickened cream until peaks form.
  14. Fold the cream into the chocolate mix until well combined.
  15. Place one cake on plastic wrap then places the cake with wrap in the cake tin used to cook the cake.
  16. Now spread in the chocolate mix and top with the 2nd cake.
  17. Fold the plastic wrap on top of the cake and place in the fridge for 3 hours to set.
  18. Once set remove from the wrap and carefully place on a plate.
  19. Whip the remaining 200ml cream until peaks form and spread over the sides of the cake.
  20. Dust the icing sugar on the top of the cake.
  21. Hold the plate on a slight angle and dust the cocoa around the sides of the cake, serve.

 

Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

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Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

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Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

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Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

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Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

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Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

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Spiced Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe

 

 

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Cherry Trifle Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Cherry Trifle Cake

Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

I must say I am quite fond of a really good trifle. Something about layers of varying but complementary flavours and a range of textures (jelly – cake – custard – fruit) is certainly appealing. It does have to be a good mix of flavours and ingredients though as a trifle can easily be bland and boring.

The down side to trifles though are that they are hard to serve and plate up in an attractive or tempting manner without looking like a blob of random mess. This got me thinking that if a trifle was structured like a cake instead of a deconstruction it would be much easier to eat and much more appealing to the eye (we all eat with our eyes don’t we..?).

I could still quite easily keep the layers and textures as per a usual trifle, just modernise it.

As cherries are one of my favourite fruits I decided to use this fruit as my flavour base and create a twist on the old fashioned sweet treat.

Outcome, AMAZING! Fluffy cake, silky custard, alcohol infusion and jelly craziness all wrapped up in cream…yummm.

Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 75g corn flour
  • 2 tbsn-custard powder
  • 1 tsn cream of tartar
  • ½ tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 85g cherry jelly crystals (you will need 3 dark cherry Aeroplane jelly boxes)
  • 70ml sweet sherry

Custard:

  • 35g corn flour
  • 30g custard powder
  • 55g sugar
  • 435ml-thickened cream
  • 180ml milk
  • 2 tbsn kirsch
  • 20g butter
  • 1 egg yolk

Extra:

  • 455g thickened cream
  • 200g fresh cherries

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c and line 2 x 22cm baking tin with baking paper.
  2. Beat the eggs and sugar with electric beaters for 5 minutes.
  3. In a separate bowl sift the flour, custard, cream of tartar and soda 3 times.
  4. Fold the flour mix into the egg mix until combined.
  5. Pour mix into one of the tins and flatten the top with a spoon.
  6. Bake the cake for 25 minutes and then turn the cake onto a cooling rack to cool.
  7. Now make the jelly by placing 1 cup of boiling water in a bowl, whisk in the jelly crystals until fully dissolved then whisk in 2/3rd cup of cold water.
  8. Rinse the 2 x 25cm spring form cake tins with water and divide the jelly into both tins.
  9. Place tins in the fridge until almost set.
  10. Cut the cake into 3 even layers and brush the tops with the sherry.
  11. Place 2 cake layers on top of the jelly and push down slightly.
  12. Place the tins back in the fridge for a further hour and place the 3rd layer aside for later.
  13. Make the custard by adding the corn flour, custard powder, sugar, 310ml cream and milk in a saucepan on a medium heat.
  14. Whisk continuously until the mix becomes thick and boils.
  15. Take off the heat and whisk in the kirsch, yolk and butter.
  16. Cover the custard with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool.
  17. Beat the remaining 125ml of cream in a bowl with electric beaters until peaks form.
  18. Now whisk the cream into the custard mix until just combine.
  19.  Remove the cakes from the tin by releasing the spring form.
  20. Place one cake on plastic wrap jelly side up then places the cake with wrap back into the cake tin used to cook the cake.
  21. Add half of the custard, then the 2nd cake jelly side up then cover with the reminding custard.
  22. Lastly add the 3rd cake layer on top of the custard – cut side down.
  23. Enclose with the wrap and place in the fridge for 3 hours to fully set.
  24. Once set remove the wrap and tin and place onto a plate.
  25. Whip the extra remaining 455g thickened cream until peaks form. Spread over the cake.
  26. Top the cake with cherries to decorate, enjoy.

 

Notes:

  • If you don’t have kirsch or sherry you can substitute with port.
  • If you are using the suggested jelly you need to buy 3 boxes, as each box has 2 packets and you need to use a total of 6 packs that are 9g each.
  • If you don’t use spring form tins you can use a knife to loosen the jelly on the sides or place the tins in hot water for 1 second then turn upside down.
  • If you do not wish to use alcohol you can use cherry juice instead of the sherry and kirsch.

 

Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

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Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

 

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Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

 

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Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

 

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Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

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Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

Cherry Trifle Cake recipe

 

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Green Tea Melting Moments

Posted on Posted in Biscuits .

Green Tea Melting Moments

Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

For a long time now I have attempted to bake with green tea. I have made multiple cakes, shortbread, cupcakes, even a slice and nothing has turned out to satisfactory results or expectations.

I have a feeling this latest attempt is green tea attempt #6 and I am pleased to say  I have finally come up with the goods!

Now usually when baking with green tea I would use Matcha (green tea powder), however this ingredient can be very difficult to come by (definitely for me) and I was not about to travel all the way to the city to buy it! Therefore I decided to use green tea leaves. In the past when I have used loose green tea the results have not been great so instead of adding the tea to the recipe I decided to infuse the liquid ingredients with the tea to bring out the flavour (the same way hot water does with a cup of tea).

This may seem weird but it definitely works and actually has a better green tea flavour than using Matcha (green tea powder).

Therefore finally…after a few years of attempting… introducing  my Green Tea Melting Moments!

Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

Ingredients:

Biscuit:

  • 300g butter
  • 37g loose green tea (or 15 green tea bags if you don’t have loose)
  • ½ cup custard powder
  • 1/3 cup icing sugar
  • 1 + ¼ plain flour
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 1 cup + 1 tbsn icing sugar

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Place the 300g butter in a saucepan on the stove on medium until bubbling.
  3. Turn to low, add the green tea leaves (if using bags cut and pour in the butter) and let the ingredients simmer for 10 minutes to allow the butter to infuse the flavor.
  4. Once simmered pour through a sieve into a bowl and place in the fridge to harden again.
  5. Place 180g of the butter into a bowl once the butter is set again and using electric beaters beat on high for 2 minutes.
  6. Add the custard powder and icing sugar beating for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  7. Add the flour and baking powder and beat until combine.
  8. Spoon the mix into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe onto the baking paper in 4 cm rounds.
  9. Bake in the oven for 16 minutes or until golden.
  10. Allow the biscuits to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then you may transfer onto a cooling rack.
  11. For the filling beat with electric beaters the remaining butter (this should be 100g) and icing sugar on high for 5 minutes until fluffy and light.
  12. Using a spoon place 1 tsn of filling on a cooled biscuit and sandwich with another biscuit on top.

 

Notes:

  • You will notice I have listed 300g of butter but the recipe only calls for 280g. This is due to the tea soaking up some of the butter when infusing, therefore resulting in some butter lost. If you still need more butter just top up with standard butter to hit the required amount.
  • If you would prefer to use Matcha powder instead of the loose green tea what you will need to do is:
    • Omit steps 2, 3 and 4 of this recipe.
    • Use 200g butter for the biscuit (increase of 20g).
    • Add 3 tbsn of Matcha when you add in the flour and baking powder.
    • Add 1 tbsn of Matcha to the filling mix and omit the extra 1 tbsn of icing sugar for the filling.
    • Beat the Matcha with the butter and icing sugar all at the same time.

 

Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

Ingredients

Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

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Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

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Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

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Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

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Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

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Green Tea Melting Moments recipe

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Fairy Cake Fudge

Posted on Posted in Fudge .

Fairy Cake Fudge

 Fairy Cake Fudge recipe

If you follow my blog weekly you will note a few things; I bake with unusual ingredients, I’m a big fan of  Italian desserts, I love to bring back childhood flavours and I ‘mix and match’ tastes and textures. Therefore this next recipe will come as no surprise as it follows my baking style to a T.

After my lavender and blueberry fudge I realized this is the only fudge recipe I have ever made up so I decided to play around and think up another fudge recipe to post.

When I was young my ultimate favourite food was fairy bread, surprise surprise – have I ever said I have a sweet tooth :).

Sprinkles with butter on white sweet bread…its pretty much a dessert to be honest. So I decided I would give fairy bread a makeover and turn it into a fudge. With a vanilla ‘bread’ tasting base, butter and sprinkles…this resulted in my Fairy Cake Fudge.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups (1 box vanilla cake mix)
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ¾  cup sprinkles

 

Method:

  1. Line a 20cm x 20cm cake tin with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 175c.
  2. Mix the cake mix, icing sugar, milk, butter and condensed milk in a microwave safe bowl.
  3. Place the bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes.
  4. Remove and mix in with ½ cup of the sprinkles.
  5. Pure into the prepared tin and then scatter the remaining ¼ cup sprinkles over the top of the fudge.
  6. Place in the oven for 5 minutes or until the fudge shows a slight rises on the sides.
  7. Place on the bench to cool, then in the fridge overnight.
  8. Cut into 3.5cm square pieces and enjoy.

 

Notes:

  • The oven step is not critical but will harden the top sprinkles into the fudge and produce a hard top to the fudge.
  • 3 cups of cake mix is the average amount in most cake mix boxes. If your mix has less you can subtitle with more icing sugar.

 

Fairy Cake Fudge recipe

Ingredients

Fairy Cake Fudge recipe

Step 3

Fairy Cake Fudge recipe

Step 6

Fairy Cake Fudge recipe

Step 8

 

 

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