December 2017 – Sweet Tooth Experiments

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake

Posted on December 30, 2017 Posted in Cakes .

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake

Figs are absolutely delectable when baked and then caramelised, especially when they are swimming in glossy thick caramel sauce, much like pineapple.

So if figs are most luscious utilising the same baking method as pineapple then it makes sense to look at baking techniques that pineapple shines and adapting for figs accordingly.

Thus the upside-down element to this recipe.

Next to work out was what flavours work best with figs and caramel. After a bit of research, taste testing and trial/error I found that using golden syrup in the caramel made the figs absolutely succulent – like addictively delicious.

The addition of the Port enhances the fig flavour and works as a complimentary flavour pairing.

This recipe absolutely exceeded my expectations to the point that they cake was half eaten by me in one sitting (in which a cake needs to be pretty special to do)!






Ingredients:

6 dried figs

Golden Caramel Syrup:

60g brown sugar
70g butter
1 tsn vanilla essence
70ml cream
100ml golden syrup
30ml Port wine

Cake Batter:

150g butter
150g brown sugar
1 tsn vanilla essence
2 eggs
130g self raising flour
60ml buttermilk
20ml Port wine

Vanilla Cream:

200ml cream
30g icing sugar
1 tsn vanilla essence

Method:

Soak the figs in boiling water and leave to absorb overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper, ensuring no gaps on the bottom and sides of the tin.
Cut the figs in half horizontally (figs in upright position), then half again small ways (vertically). You should have 24 semi-circle fig pieces.
Add all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and stir on a medium heat until boiling and thickens slightly.
Place the syrup aside to cool slightly.
Pour the syrup into the prepared cake tin and top with the figs ensuring they cover the base completely and evenly (as they are softened from being soaked you can easily squash them to all fit).
Following make the cake by whisking the butter and sugar with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until fluffy and pale.
Add the vanilla and the eggs, one egg at a time beating in between each addition until well combine.
Sieve the flour into the batter mix, pour in the buttermilk and pour in the Port.
Beat the mix on low until only just combine (do not over beat).
Spoon the mix carefully over the figs and caramel completely covering. Following flatten the cake surface with the back of a spoon.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes of until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Place the cake onto a cooling rack until completely cold, still in the cake tin.
Meanwhile, place the vanilla cream ingredients into a bowl and beat with electric beaters until firm peaks form.
To prepare the cake, invert the cold cake onto a serving plate.
Spoon the vanilla cream on top of the cake and enjoy.


Step 5 Step 6


Step 8


Step 11


Step 12


Step 15

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

Coconut Peanut and Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

Posted on December 22, 2017 Posted in Cakes .

Coconut Peanut and Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake



Thought cheesecake is always a devilish high bad fat treat? Think again, this recipe I have created only has healthy fats from nuts and coconut. Yes, a healthy high protein cheesecake can exist and most importantly, it tastes delicious (what’s the point otherwise)!The tofu provides a high protein low carb and low fat stable base, while low fat ricotta cheese significantly cuts the fat that a normal cream cheese cheesecake has. And as apparently raw is healthy and hot right now I wanted to make sure this cake was on theme and trend with people’s desires. Using the nuts and dried fruit makes this cake completely gluten free, while the peanut puree icing is fulfilling and satisfying. To be honest if I added veggies this cake would be a meal in itself with plenty of healthy fats, protein, calcium, even fruit!

Ingredients:

Icing:

125g peanuts
100ml coconut cream
60ml honey

Base:

2 tsn coconut oil
¼ tsn salt
90g desiccated coconut
20g dried dates
15g cocoa powder
30ml honey

Filling:

250g firm tofu
220g ricotta cheese
220g brown sugar
70g cocoa powder
2 egg whites
1 tsn vanilla essence
5 tsn coconut oil
100g peanut butter
1 tsn coffee graduals
½ tsn ground cinnamon

Method:

Place the peanuts into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak nuts for 5 hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175c degrees and line a 25cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
Toast the coconut by placing in a fry pan on the cooktop on high heat.
Using a spoon move the coconut around to ensure even toasting of the coconut until golden brown in colour. Place aside to cool.
Place the cooled coconut and remaining base ingredients onto a food processor and blitz until well combine and the mix resembles fine breadcrumb texture.
Pour the base mix into the prepared cake tin and using the bottom and sides of a cup flatten the base and sides of the mix in the tin. Place the tin in the fridge to harden.
To make the filling place all the filling ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth and silky in texture.
Pour the filling mix into the cake tin over the base.
Place the cake in the oven to bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out almost clean (if inserted in the sides it should come out clean).
Move the cake to a cooling rack until cold to touch.
Meanwhile make the icing by draining the peanuts and placing into a food processor along with the coconut cream and honey.
Blitz the icing mix for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides every minute.
To assemble the cake, remove the cooled cake from the tin and place on a serving plate.
Spread the icing over the top of the cake and place the cake in the fridge for 2 hours to full set.

Note: I have decorated with extra chopped peanuts, extra toasted desiccated coconut and grated chocolate.

Step 1

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 7

Step 8

Step 12

Step 13

Step 14

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

Moscato Lemon and Strawberry Ice-Cream

Posted on December 12, 2017 Posted in Ice-cream & Sorbet .

Moscato Lemon and Strawberry Ice-cream







After the recent success of my Moscato and Lemon Marshmallows recipe I decided to extend on the flavour pairing and too that also change up the dessert style. Knowing that Moscato and Lemon already go well together I opted for an additional flavour that holds the same fruity aroma and taste as Moscato, but also compliments both the wine and citrus ingredients.
After trialling the combo of a few different berries I felt the strawberry was too delicious not to incorporate.
I have used jam in this recipe as the jam ensured I didn’t thin out the ice-cream like Strawberry puree did (it also makes the recipe that little bit easier to make as steps are omitted). I’m not the biggest fan of traditional ‘cream and egg yolk’ based ice-cream, however this recipe was too good for me not to demolish.

Ingredients:

300ml Moscato
90g sugar
5 egg yolks
400ml thickened cream
60g strawberry jam
1 tsn lemon zest

Method:

Pour the Moscato into a saucepan and heat on medium/high for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced down to a third (100ml).
Take the saucepan off the heat and slowly pour the cream into the Moscato, whisking with a hand whisk as you pour until combined.
Place the sugar and egg yolks into a bowl and using electric beaters whisk for a minimum of 5 minutes.
Add the strawberry jam and lemon zest to the egg mix, whisk until combined.
Slowly pour the cream mix into the egg yolk mix while the beaters are whisking.
Once the cream mix is well combine place the mix back into the saucepan on medium/high heat for 5 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon thickly.
Pass the mix through a sieve into a bowl and allow to cool.
Once mix is cold place in the freezer for 2 hours.
After 2 hours spoon the mix into a food processor and blitz for 2 minutes. Place mix back in the freezer.
After an hour spoon the mix into the food processor again and blitz for 2 minutes. Place mix back in the freezer.
After an hour scoop the ice-cream into a bowl and enjoy!


Step 2


Step 3


Step 5


Step 6


Step 7


Step 8

Step 11

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

Chocolate Honeycomb Spiced Christmas Pudding

Posted on December 9, 2017 Posted in Pudding .

Chocolate Honeycomb Spiced Christmas Pudding

Christmas cake is not for everyone, in fact it tends to be an acquired taste for most, much like mince pies.

So to cater to all that are not in favor of the traditional taste I decided to come up with a pudding that would appease all. Think chocolate cake mixed with a traditional Christmas cake mixed with some extra crunch surprise. The dates takes the edge off the mixed fruit intense depth in flavor while the spices, nuts and honeycomb work well with the chocolate profile.

Ingredients:

125g dried mixed fruit
225g dried dates, diced
60ml brandy
160ml orange juice
225g butter
140g brown sugar
3 eggs
40g cocoa powder
140g plain flour
1 tsn ground cinnamon
¼ tsn ground nutmeg
½ tsn ground ginger
110g pecans, chopped
30g breadcrumbs
200g honeycomb, diced

Ganache:

30ml cream
50g dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160c and line a pudding tin with baking paper.
Place the mixed fruit and diced dates in a bowl with the brandy and orange and leave for 1 hour to absorb.
Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and using electric beaters whisk for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar mix, beating in between each addition.
Sieve the flour, cocoa powder and spices into the sugar mix.
Add the fruit mix, breadcrumbs and nuts and beat until mix is combine.
Lastly, add 150g of the honeycomb and stir until combine.
Pour the mix into the prepared tin, flatten with a spoon and place the lid on the tin.
Bake the pudding in the oven for 90 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center just comes out clean.
Place the pudding on a cooling tray until cooled completely.
Meanwhile, add the chocolate and cream into a bowl and heat in the microwave on a low power of 1 minute or until just starting to melt.
Stir the ganache until silky smooth.
Turn the cooled pudding upside down onto a plate and pour the ganache over the top, scatter with remaining diced honeycomb.
To serve cut the pudding into slices and accompany with ice-cream or double cream.

Step 2

Step 3


Step 4


Step 7

Step 8

Step 13

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

Moscato and Lemon Marshmallows

Posted on December 2, 2017 Posted in Marshmallows .

Moscato and Lemon Marshmallows

After realising that I have baked a bit with marshmallow (for homemade fondant, as a pie filling ingredient and as decoration) I have never actually made marshmallow from scratch.

I am always up for, and love to experiment with new techniques and sweet treat variations, therefore, homemade marshmallow to me is an exciting way to spend an afternoon.

Traditional vanilla or raspberry marshmallows that you find I the supermarket to me are quite boring so I started to do some research on some interesting and new to me flavor combos.

After playing around with some variations there were 2 combos that I just couldn’t decide on as being my favorite. Thus, I decided to make both flavors but with 2 varying methods (one using egg whites and one without).

Though both were successful the recipe that incorporated egg whites was much more fluffier and massively exceeded my expectations.

Below is the delicious Lemon and Moscato flavor pairing with the fluffier recipe .

Ingredients:

200ml Moscato
½ tsn vanilla essence
4 tsn gelatin
220g sugar
180ml glucose
1 + ¼ tsn lemon zest
3 egg whites
½ tsn salt
10g corn flour
50g icing sugar

Method:

Line a 20cm x 10cm slice tin with baking paper.
Pour 120ml Moscato and the vanilla essence into a saucepan and heat on a low/medium heat until the mix is simmering.
Add the gelatin to the saucepan and whisk with a hand whisk until the gelatin is dissolved, set aside.
In another saucepan add the remaining 80ml Moscato, the sugar, glucose and lemon zest and stir on a high heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Place a candy thermometer into the saucepan and allow to cook until 128c degrees is hit.
Meanwhile place the egg whites and salt into a bowl and whisk with electric beaters until soft peaks form.
Pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites in a slow steady stream while whisking on high with the electric beaters until all the syrup is combine.
Next add the gelatin mix slowly, whisking with the electric beaters until the mix is cooled (this will take quite a few minutes).
Pour the mix into the prepared tin and place in the fridge for 4 hours+ (overnight if possible).
Remove the marshmallow out of the tin and place onto a cutting board, pull the baking paper away from the sides of the marshmallow.
Next spray a knife with oil spray to stop the marshmallow sticking and cut the marshmallow into squares.
Place a piece of baking paper onto the bench, sieve the icing sugar and corn flour into a bowl then sieve over the piece of baking paper to cover.
Place the marshmallow pieces onto the icing sugar mix and roll each piece until they are all completely covered on all sides.
Eat and enjoy!

Step 3

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 14

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

Sweet Tooth Experiments

Monthly Archives: December 2017

Upside-Down Golden Caramelised Fig and Port Cake

Coconut Peanut and Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

Moscato Lemon and Strawberry Ice-Cream

Chocolate Honeycomb Spiced Christmas Pudding

Moscato and Lemon Marshmallows

Pages

Archives

Categories

WordPress

Subscribe