Sweet Tooth Experiments

Monthly Archives: August 2021

Chai Syrup

Posted on Posted in Syrup .

I know chai syrup is hardly rare/unusual/peculiar, so you ask why is this recipe on this website? It may not be a unique but it took a lot of attempts to get the ingredient ratio to perfection.

Pistachio Yoghurt Chia Slice With Rose Syrup

Ingredients:

  • 300g water
  • 150g sugar
  • Pinch saffron threads
  • 1 tsn vanilla essences
  • 2 tsn chai powder
  • 1 star anise

 

Method:

  1. Place the water, sugar, saffron, vanilla, chai powder and star anise into a medium sized saucepan.
  2. Bring the saucepan to the boil on high, whisking to ensure ingredients are well combined.
  3. Once boiled reduce the heat to a simmer.
  4. Take off the heat and remove the star anise from the syrup.
  5. Place the saucepan back on the stove on a high heat for 10 minutes or until reduced and syrupy in consistency.
  6. Ideal to drizzle over vanilla ice-cream or over a plain cake to turn the bland to sensational!

 

Step 3:

Pistachio Yoghurt Chia Slice With Rose Syrup

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Summer Ricotta Turnover

Posted on Posted in Pastries .

Summer Ricotta Turnover

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This recipe came from a desire to experiment with all my favorite flavors rolled into one sweet treat. I wanted a treat that was packed full of flavors, but not only that, flavors that all complemented each other.

The influence was summer flavors, so I started jotting down all the tastes that mean summer to me.

The first thing I thought of was Pina Colada, a reminder of my pre COVID-19 Hawaii trip (hello rim, citrus, pineapple, coconut). But these flavors were nothing usual so I then added cherries, berries and chocolate = flavor mix made from heaven. Lastly, almond to give the mix a new layer and a little mint for added freshness.

Add all these ingredients infused with fresh ricotta and wrapped in puffy pastry and you have yourself a scrumptious easy to make unique treat.

Pastry:

  • 1 large puff pastry sheet
  • 1 tbsn sugar

Filling:

  • ½ tsn almond essence
  • 1 tsn rum
  • 10g chocolate
  • 15g desiccated coconut
  • 10g dried mixed berries
  • 20g glace cherries
  • 125g ricotta
  • 2 tsn citrus zest (even amounts of lime, lemon and orange)
  • ¼ tsn ground ginger
  • 40g pineapple pieces
  • 1 tsn chopped mint leaves

Extra:

  • 1 egg
  • 30g slivered almonds
  • I tbsn icing sugar

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the puff pastry evenly and using a rolling pin roll the sugar into the pastry.
  3. Meanwhile make the filling by placing the ricotta, almond essence, rum, desiccated coconut, ginger and zest into a bowl and stir.
  4. Grate the chocolate and chop the mint then add.
  5. Dice the mixed berries, cherries and pineapple into small pieces.
  6. Stir mix until well combined.
  7. Using a 10cm cutter cut out 4 circles in the pastry.
  8. Using the eggwhite brush the pastry.
  9. Evenly place the ricotta filling in the center of the circles and fold to resemble a half circle shape,
  10. Seal by pressing a forks teeth onto the seal.
  11. Place on the prepared tray.
  12. Sprinkle the top with almonds and dust with the icing sugar.
  13. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown.
  14. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

 

Summer Ricotta Turnover recipe

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Summer Ricotta Turnover recipe

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Summer Ricotta Turnover recipe

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Summer Ricotta Turnover recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice

Posted on Posted in Slice .

Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice

Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

After making delicious but super easy and hardly challenging chocolate, orange and peppermint cookies I loved the flavour pairing so much I decided to take the flavour to a more layered and textural bake.

Therefore, as a follow up to see if I could replicate the same taste but in a more interesting bake format I decided to make a chocolate cake with orange filling and peppermint icing. Though the bake turned out well the peppermint was quite overpowering unlike the biscuits I had made previously therefore, that taste I was looking for was just not quite there.

Following this I felt if I made a slice that had one layer with all 3 flavours then championed the orange in the middle and topped it with the chocolate and peppermint that maybe the intenseness of the peppermint could work with and not overpower the orange.

Outcome success! It did take a few goes of peppermint and orange ratios to get it right but I think this recipe hits the flavour I was looking for on the head.

Ingredients:

Base:

  • 115g plain flour
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 75g butter, softened
  • 40g cocoa powder
  • ½ egg
  • 3 drops peppermint oil
  • 1/2 heaped tsn orange zest
  • 35g peppermint crisp bar, chopped

Filling:

  • 65g butter
  • 45g rice malt syrup
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 395g can condensed milk
  • 1 + 1/2 tsn orange zest

Top:

  • 80g dark choc
  • 10g butter
  • 4 drops peppermint oil

 

Method:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 20 x 20cm slice tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the flour, sugar, butter, cocoa, egg, peppermint oil and zest base ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the mix clumps together like a dough.
  3. Fold in the peppermint crisp pieces with clean hands.
  4. Spread the mix into the slice tin and using the back of a spoon flatten out evenly.
  5. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to touch.
  6. Place all the filling ingredients into a saucepan on a low heat, stirring until the mix is well combined and the sugar has dissolved.
  7. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring for 15 minutes or until the mix thickens and browns (110c degrees soft ball stage on a candy thermometer).
  8. Pour the mix on top of the base and place in the fridge for 2 hours to firm and set.
  9. Melt the chocolate, peppermint oil and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and stir until well combine and silky smooth.
  10. Pour the mix over the caramel filling and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
  11. Place the slice in the fridge for 3 hours to set. Once set slice and enjoy.

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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Orange Peppermint and Chocolate Slice recipe

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