Sweet Tooth Experiments

Monthly Archives: March 2016

Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts

Posted on Posted in Tarts .

Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts

Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe
 
I have made many versions of chocolate mousse with interesting ingredients, from silken Tofu to Avocado (check out my Healthy Chocolate Mousse Tart and Avocado Chocolate and Orange Mousse Tart recipes) and made unusual icings from Ricotta to Yoghurt (check out my Rubarb Strawberry Yoghurt cake with Lemon Yoghurt Frosting).

Thus from this experience I do know there is always an alternative to fattening cream that can have nutrient and vitamin benefits instead.

Since I was going down the pathway of experimenting with another alternative version of mousse I decided to also use an alternative to chocolate to lower the sugar content.

Standard chocolate mousse is filled with full fat whipped cream, sugar and lots of chocolate. My aim was to use low fat ricotta instead of cream, cocoa with a little sugar and honey to mimic the chocolate effect and add a little Kahlua kick to intensify the chocolate flavor.

I also wanted to make this super easy (all you need to do it place all ingredients in a blender). This recipe is pretty much fool proof, instantly thick and super tasty.

  

Ingredients:

Pastry:

  • 200g flour
  • 100g butter
  • 40g sugar

Filling:

  • 400g ricotta
  • 2 eggs
  • 55g honey
  • 55g icing sugar
  • 40g cocoa powder
  • 3 tsn Kahlua

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200c degrees and spray a 12 x 7cm capacity cupcake tray with oil spray.
  2. Place all the pastry ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
  3. Add 25ml of water and blitz until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl.
  4. Knead dough for a minute and roll out between 2 pieces of baking paper.
  5. Use a 9cm cookie cutter to cut out 12 pastry circles and place in the center of each mold.
  6. Using a fork prick the middle of the pastry and place the shells in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile place the ricotta, egg yolk, honey, sugar, cocoa powder and Kahlua into the food processor and blitz until soft and smooth.
  8. Place the egg whites into a bowl and using electric beaters whisk until peaks form.
  9. Fold the chocolate mix into the egg whites and leave in the fridge for later.
  10. Place the pastry shells into the oven for 18 minutes or until the shells start to brown slightly.
  11. Set the shells aside to cool completely.
  12. Spoon the chocolate mix into the shells and enjoy.

 

Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe

Step 2

Balsamic and Strawberry Custard Biscuits recipe
Step 4
Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe

Step 6

Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe
Step 7
Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe
Step 8
Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe
Step 11
Cocoa Ricotta Mousse Tarts recipe

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Aish El Saraya

Posted on Posted in Lebanese, Traditional .

Aish El Saraya

Aish El Saraya recipe

My father is a big Bread and Butter Pudding fan. As his birthday was coming up I wanted to find some special and different pudding recipes to make for him.

After doing a bit of research and some baking of other countries versions of this dessert I came across Aish El Saraya.

”Aish el Saraya” is a famous Lebanese dessert that is traditionally cooked for Ramadan, holydays and fete days (etc ‘Eid ul-Fitr). This puddings title means ”the bread of royal palace” hence the baking taking place for special occassions.

The dessert is and light, eggless, bread & custard based rose pistachio treat.

Think bread and butter pudding texture with a Turkish delight flavour.

 

Ingredients:

Pudding:

  • 6 slices bread
  • 310ml milk
  • 60g sugar
  • 300ml thickened cream
  • 50g corn flour
  • 1 + ¼ tsn rosewater essence
  • 1 + ¼ tsn lemon juice
  • 50g shelled pistachios
  • ¼ tsn lemon zest

Syrup:

  • 85g sugar
  • 70g water
  • 2 + ½ tsn lemon juice
  • 2 tsn rosewater essence

Method:

  1. Toast the bread and cut off the crusts.
  2. Line a 20cm x 25cm slice tin with baking paper.
  3. Lay the bread into the base of the tray and cut to ensure a snug fit and no overlap.
  4. To make the syrup place the sugar, water and lemon juice into a saucepan and stir on a high heat until boiling.
  5. Turn the temperature to medium and stir for 5 minutes until the syrup has slightly thickened.
  6. Take off the heat, stir in the rosewater essence and leave aside for 10 minutes.
  7. Pour the syrup over the bread and evenly coat each slice.
  8. To make the custard place the milk, sugar, cream, flour and lemon juice into a saucepan on a medium heat.
  9. Whisk with a hand whisk for 5 minutes or until the custard thickens and is silky smooth.
  10. Add the rosewater essence and whisk.
  11. Pass the custard through a sieve and pour over the bread.
  12. Tap the tin on the bench 5 times to remove any air bubbles and place in the fridge overnight.
  13. Before serving finely dice the pistachios and scatter over the top on the pudding.
  14. Scatter the lemon zest over the top.
  15. Remove out of the tin and slice evenly, serve.

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 1

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 2

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 3

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 6

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 9

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 10

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 11

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 13

Aish El Saraya recipe

Step 14

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Traditional Panforte

Posted on Posted in Italy .

Traditional Panforte

Panforte recipe
 

A traditional Italian dessert that goes back to the 13th century. The name itself means strong bread thanks to the layer of spices, in particular pepper.

There are so many variations to this traditional sweet treat, therefore I decided to experiment by baking 3 types; one with coffee, one with chocolate and one plain. The chocolate Panforte was by far the tastiest.

There are also variations in the nuts, fruit and spices in this dessert. I opted for the ingredients that I loved and deemed would work well together.

I actually didn’t think much of this dessert when I first made it, but after having a piece the next day after the flavours had time to develop I couldn’t put the slice down.

 

Ingredients:

  • 100g hazelnuts
  • 100g almonds
  • 150g candied citrus zest (or glace zest)
  • 60g dried figs
  • 60g glace cherries
  • ¼ tsn black pepper
  • ¼ tsn ground cloves
  • ½ tsn ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsn ground ginger
  • 100g flour
  • ¼ tsn salt
  • 2 tbsn cocoa powder
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 135g sugar
  • 180ml honey

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the hazelnuts and almonds in a pre-heated oven on a baking tray for 6 minutes or until just raosted. Remove the almonds.
  3. Allow the hazelnuts to roast for 5 more minutes then place the hazelnuts in a dishtowel.
  4. Rub the hazelnuts in the towel to remove the skin.
  5. Coarsely chop up the nuts.
  6. Chop up the dried figs and glace cherries.
  7. Turn the oven down to 150c degrees.
  8. Stir the nuts, zest, figs, cherries, spices, flour, salt and cocoa powder until well combine.
  9. Place the dark chocolate in a bowl and on a low level heat the chocolate for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir then continue in 20 sec intervals until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.
  10. Combine the chocolate to the nut mix.
  11. Bring sugar and honey to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then boil without stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 120c degrees.
  12. Immediately pour honey over the fruit mixture and quickly stir until combined (mixture will be very thick and sticky).
  13. Spoon mixture into the tin and spread evenly with back of a wet spoon.
  14. Dampen your hands and press mixture firmly and evenly to compact as much as possible.
  15. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until edges start to rise slightly and the top is bubbling.
  16. Cool panforte completely in the cake tin on a cooling rack.
  17. Once cooled remove from the tin, remove the baking paper, dust with icing sugar and cut into slices.

 

Panforte recipe

Step 8

Panforte recipe

Step 11

Panforte recipe

Step 12

Panforte recipe

Step 17

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice

Posted on Posted in Slice .

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice recipe

This slice was originally planned to be a summer fudge, that incorporated zesty lime, lemon, pineapple and kiwi that would be off-set slightly by the mellow flavored cantaloupe.

My experiment failed (way too much liquid to solid ratio), however it produced a really unique flavour hit that I had to take advantage of.

Therefore after a scan of my cupboard and a brainstorm of what I could turn this soft fudge into I decided to create a slice.

Add a solid base and some stabilizing elements in the mix and boom a really uniquely flavored, well set and textured slice in a flash.

I do realize Summer concluded 7 days ago, but some Summer fruits are still delicious and juicy sweet.

Ingredients:

Base:

  • 160g sweet plain biscuits (I have used Nice)
  • 40g butter

Filling:

  • 180ml condensed milk
  • 150g sugar
  • 120g butter
  • 1 tbsn lemon
  • 1 tbsn lime
  • 220g white chocolate
  • 50g kiwi fruit
  • 60g pineapple
  • 100g cantaloupe
  • 140g flour

Method:

  1. Place the 125g of biscuits in the food processor and blitz until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the melted butter to the biscuit mix and stir to combine.
  3. Line a 20cm x 20cm slice tin with baking paper.
  4. Pour the biscuit mix into the tin and flatten with the back of a spoon until the mix is compressed and firm, place in the fridge to set.
  5. 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.
  6. Add the zest and turn the heat to medium, stirring until the mix comes away from the side of the pan.
  7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the white chocolate until melted and silky smooth.
  8. Place the kiwi, pineapple and cantaloupe in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
  9. Pass the puree through a sieve and stir into the chocolate mix to combine.
  10. Add the flour and stir until well combine.
  11. Spoon mix into the tin on top of the biscuit base.
  12. Place the slice in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the top of the slice is golden brown and the middle is hard on touch.
  13. Set aside to cool in the tin.
  14. Once cooled place in the fridge overnight to set completely then cut and serve.

Note:

  • You will need 1 kiwi fruit, a small can of pineapple pieces and a cantaloupe for this recipe.

 

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice recipe

Step 4

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice recipe

Step 12

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice recipe

Step 14

Tropical Summer Fudge Slice recipe
 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print