Sweet Tooth Experiments

Monthly Archives: August 2018

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

If you follow my blog and the recipes I post ever week you will be well aware that a large amount of my recipes feature grains. Millet, quinoa, couscous, oates, wheat, corn, amaranth and rice too name a few! However I recently came across Bulgur, in which I have very limited knowledge and experience with. Not until I did some research did I realise this grain is most known for being the core ingredient in tabouli.

As soon as I experience a new grain that I’m not familiar with I cannot help myself but to start experimenting.

So unsurprisingly as soon as I brought a packet bulgur I got busy cooking the grain to understand its taste, texture and optimal cooking method. I additionally experimented with using cooked bulgur & uncooked in the batter as well as varying nuts, citric fruits, seeds, essence and powders (protein and teas).

From here I went full steam ahead coming up with recipe ideas, landing on 4 key variations.

My favourite recipe featured the flavour pairing of lemon, almond and weirdly green tea. Not only do these flavours work wonderfully together they compliment the nuttiness of the bulgur grain.

To add a variation to the cakes texture I added a smooth and creamy frosting, which very much enhances the cake, bringing it from nice and tasty to delicious and satisfying.

If your interested in making an usual cake with a range of textures that taste delicious then this cake cannot be bypassed.

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

 

Ingredients:

Batter:

  • 200g bulgur, cooked
  • 50g butter, softened
  • 80g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsn almond essence
  • ½ tsn vanilla essence
  • 1 + ½ tsn lemon zest
  • ¼ tsn salt
  • 25g matcha powder
  • 3 green teabags
  • 50g almond meal
  • 25ml milk
  • 45 self-raising flour
  • 2 tbsn lemon juice

Frosting:

  • 130g icing sugar
  • 10g matcha powder
  • 200g cream cheese
  • 90g butter, softened
  • ¼ tsn lemon zest

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 175c degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Whisk butter and sugar together with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until creamy and pale.
  3. Add the egg, essences, matcha powder, zest and salt to the butter mix, beat until well combine and silky.
  4. Place 3 green tea bags into a bowl along with the milk, stir and heat in the microwave until boiling. Place aside until cooled.
  5. Add the bulgur, almond meal, tea milk, flour and juice to the butter mix, whisk on low speed until combine.
  6. Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack until cooled.
  8. Meanwhile make the frosting by placing all the frosting ingredients into a bowl and beat with electric beaters until fluffy and smooth.
  9. Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally.
  10. Place one cake layer on a plate, top with half the frosting.
  11. Place the 2ndcake layer on the frosting and top with the remaining frosting.
  12. Decorate with green tea leaves and diced almonds if you wish.
  13. Cut into slices and enjoy.

 

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

Step 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

Step 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

Step 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

Step 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

Step 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgur Lemon Almond and Green Tea Cake recipe

 

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

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

What do you do when you are tasked to make the most delectable bread and butter pudding?

I don’t know about you but I took this as a challenge to do some experimenting with scrumptious, over-the-top but still delightfully tasty flavour pairings (any excuse to experiment and I’m there with bells on)!

After ideating on a few flavour ideas I landed on 3 varying flavour profiles all as rich as each other, being; a rocky-road influence combo, black forest inspired and a Jaffa guided taste.

I must say all combo’s were tasty, I’d happily eat any of them for dessert, however, the rocky-road influenced combo (Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding) was the stand out winner….A far cry from the traditional cinnamon and sultana recipe!

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 400ml milk
  • 140ml cream
  • 20g sugar
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 9 slices stale white bread (I used sourdough)
  • 45g butter
  • 30g dark (70%) chocolate chips
  • 230g caramel top n’ fill
  • 80g peanuts, finely chopped
  • 40g mini marshmallows

Extra:

  • Vanilla ice-cream to serve

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and spray a 20cm x 20cm square cake tin with oil spray.
  2. Place 3 pieces of plastic wrap into the tin allowing for overlap, with pieces crossed each over to ensure full tin coverage.
  3. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and essence in a bowl until combine.
  4. Spread the butter on both sides of all 9 bread slices.
  5. Decrust (if you wish I did but this is optional) the bread and trim 3 pieces to fit a layer snug in the base of the tin.
  6. Top with 10g of chocolate chips, 30g peanuts and 150g caramel.
  7. Use the back of a spoon to spread out the mix if it’s not evenly distributed.
  8. Trim a further 3 pieces of buttered bread to fit another layer snug on top of the caramel mix.
  9. Top with 10g of chocolate chips, 30g peanuts and 30g marshmallows.
  10. Trim the last 3 pieces of buttered bread to fit the last (3rd) layer snug on top of the marshmallow mix.
  11. Pour the milk mix evenly over the pudding and allow to sit and absorb for 1 hour.
  12. Place the pudding into the oven for 35 minutes or until all liquid has fully been absorbed and the top is golden and crispy.
  13. Allow the pudding to cool slightly until just warm.
  14. Cut the pudding into 6 even pieces, 1horizontal cut through the middle and 2 vertical cuts.
  15. Pull the plastic wrap to remove the pudding from the tin, being careful not to loose the puddings shape.
  16. Use a spatula to spoon the pudding slices into bowls.
  17. Top each piece evenly with remaining 10g chocolate chips, 80g caramel, 20g peanuts and 10g marshmallow’s.
  18. Serve with a generous scoop of vanilla ice-cream and enjoy.

NOTE: If the pudding starts to drop/slide in shape after step 13 place back in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes.

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 4

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding recipe

Step 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow Peanut Caramel and Chocolate Bread Pudding

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

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Posted on Posted in Ice-cream & Sorbet .

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

I’ve dabbled with using frozen fruits, yoghurts and varying cheeses as base alternatives to the usually high fat and sometimes not even dairy ice-cream in the past.

So I decided to combine my favourite dessert, Tiramisu, with my 3 go to ice-cream alternative products.

After a bit of trial and error I landed on banana for the fruit (unsurprisingly), natural yoghurt (not Greek, this won’t work with the flavour mix) and cottage cheese (Ricotta was a close second).

The outcome – this recipe is a must for all Tiramisu lovers that want to indulge but want low fat. In fact, apart from a little chocolate and sugar this recipe is natural, satisfying and super healthy.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Bananas, frozen (300g flesh)
  • 3 + ½ tsn coffee granules
  • 20ml water
  • 60g low fat cottage cheese
  • 140g natural low fat yoghurt
  • 85ml Masala
  • 60g icing sugar
  • generous pinch of salt
  • 70g white chocolate
  • 30g dark (70%) chocolate, finely chopped

 

Method:

  1. Place the bananas in the microwave until just slightly softened.
  2. Peel the banana’s and place in a bowl.
  3. Boil the water and add the coffee granules, stir. Set aside to cool.
  4. Add the banana, coffee, cheese, yoghurt, Masala, sugar and salt into a food processor and blitz until combine.
  5. Melt the while chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave in 30 second bursts until just melted.
  6. Pour the while chocolate into the mix and blitz again until well combine.
  7. Add the dark chocolate and stir until combine.
  8. Pour the mix into a bowl and place in the freezer for 4 hours to set completely.
  9. When ready to serve take the ice-cream out of the freezer, scoop and enjoy.

 

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Step 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Step 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Step 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiramisu Cottage Cheese and Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Step 9

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

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Glazed Grapefruit Brownie Slice

Posted on Posted in Slice .

Glazed Grapefruit Brownie Slice

Glazed Grapefruit Sponge Slice recipe

This recipe delivers on a zingy tasty delight that is a mix between a slice and brownie.

I wanted to make something really simple, quick, flavoursome and all about Grapefruit.

Grapefruit is an ingredient that I have dabbled with but never come up with a recipe that solely features the fruit while not being too tangy or sour.

I have posted a Grapefruit Pistachio Rose and Ginger Syrup Cake in the past, however this cake had Grapefruit as a flavour in a mix pairings, not featuring the fruit itself as front and centre.

 

Ingredients:

  • 120g butter
  • 160g sugar
  • 100g flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tsn grapefruit zest
  • 3 tbsn grapefruit juice

Glaze:

  • 70ml grapefruit juice
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 4 tsn grapefruit zest

 

Method:

  1. Preheat an oven to 175c degrees and line a 15cm x 15cm square cake tin with baking paper allowing for paper overlap.
  2. Using electric beaters whisk the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.
  3. Pour the flour into the butter mix and stir until just combine.
  4. In a separate bowl with a hand whisk beat the egg, zest and juice until combine.
  5. Pour the wet egg mix into the butter mix and beat with electric beaters for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
  6. Spoon the mix into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
  7. Place the tin in the oven for 25-30 minutes until just cooked and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Don’t over bake.
  8. Leave the slice in the cake tin for 5 minutes.
  9. Place the slice onto a cooling rack until cold.
  10. To make the glaze place all 3 ingredients in a bowl and beat until well combined.
  11. Place the slice back in the tin with the baking paper, spread/pour the glaze evenly over the top of the slice and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the glaze hardens.
  12. Remove from the fridge, pull the slice out of the tin via the overhanging baking paper, cut and enjoy.

 

Notes:

  • You will need a whole grapefruit for this recipe.

 

Glazed Grapefruit Sponge Slice recipe

Ingredients

Glazed Grapefruit Sponge Slice recipe

Step 5

Glazed Grapefruit Sponge Slice recipe

Step 8

Milo Mud Panna Cotta Slice recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 11

 

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

Email, RSS Follow
Print