Recent Recipes
Week 26 - The Cookbook Challenge: Pistachio, White Chocolate and Honey French Macaroons
Comments (15) | Thursday, May 13, 2010
Theme: Green
Cookbook Used: Afternoon Tea
Cookbook Used: Afternoon Tea
Author: Australian Women's Weekly
I thought I was stumped for green week. I had two soups as possible ideas but then remembered things like green curry, green tea and then of course; pisatchios. I am still working my way through my massive bag of pistachios I got from Costco. Looking at the expiry date on it, I better use more pistachios before July!
Pistachio, White Chocolate and Honey French Macaroons
The Australian Women's Weekly
Get your hands on:
1/3 cup (45g) unsalted, roasted, shelled pistachios
3 egg whites
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
green food colouring
1 1/4 cups (200g) icing sugar
3/4 cup (90g) ground almonds
Honey white chocolate ganache
1/4 cup (60ml) (single) cream
155g (5 ounces) white eating chocolate, chopped coarsley
2 teaspoons honey
1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Grease oven trays; line with baking paper. (I would do this after you have finished making the macaroons as they have to set for 30 minutes before you put them in the oven)
2. Process nuts until finely ground.
3. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar and few drops colouring, beat until sugar dissolves; transfer mixture to large bowl. Fold in 1/4 cup of the ground pistachios, sifted icing sugar and ground almonds in two batches.
4. Spoon mixture into piping bag fitting with 1cm (1/2 inch) plain tube. Pipe 4cm (1 1/2 inch) rounds about 2.5cm (1 inch) apart onto trays. Tap trays on bench so macaroons spread slightly. Sprinkle macaroons with remaining ground pistachios; stand 30 minutes.
5. Bake macaroons about 20 minutes, cool on trays.
6. Make the honeyed white chocolate ganache: bring cream to the boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat; pour over chocolate and honey in small bowl; stir until smooth. Stand at room temperature until spreadable.
7. Sandwich macaroons with ganache.
Makes 16.
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Week 25 - The Cookbook Challenge: Blender Chocolate Mousse
Comments (15) | Saturday, May 8, 2010
Theme: Silky
Cookbook Used: Faking It
Author: Valli Little
Right folks, the move out of home is getting closer, cookbooks are being packed and I'm only doing simple recipes for a while until I'm settled. I even got my KitchenAid this week and it's still snug in the box. I did crack open the lid to make sure it was in there and the correct colour! Can't wait to start using it.
I was going to do a different chocolate mousse recipe from another of Valli Little's books, but that involved an oven and a lot more steps. That will be done another day, when I have time to faff around in the kitchen.
Thursday turned out to be a day when the universe was against me, and to top it all off; I came home to find that my chocolate mousse had split. And to confirm my fears of the mousse not going to set, due to the lack of setting agent or whipping the eggwhites and cream; it was in fact runny when you put your spoon into it. It wasn't a complete disaster though, we all mixed through the whipped cream on top and I then renamed it 'chocolate soup'. It had a lovely flavour to it, and it was like eating melted ice-cream.
If you are going to do this recipe, I suggest whipping the cream, and beating your eggwhites until stiff peaks form, instead of following step 4 of the recipe.
Blender Chocolate Mousse
Valli Little
Get your hands on:
1 cup (100g) finely chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons brandy
3 eggwhites
3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream
Serve it with:
Whipped cream
Dark chocolate shavings
1.Place the finely chopped chocolate in a blender.
2. Place the sugar, coffee, brandy and 3/4 cup (180ml) water in a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and coffee.
3. With the blender motor running, carefully pour in the hot liquid through the feed tube, blending until the chocolate has melted.
4. Add the eggwhites and cream and pulse the blender several times to just combine.
5. Pour the mousse into 4 serving glasses and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Sever topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Serves 4.
If you are going to do this recipe, I suggest whipping the cream, and beating your eggwhites until stiff peaks form, instead of following step 4 of the recipe.
Blender Chocolate Mousse
Valli Little
Get your hands on:
1 cup (100g) finely chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons brandy
3 eggwhites
3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream
Serve it with:
Whipped cream
Dark chocolate shavings
1.Place the finely chopped chocolate in a blender.
2. Place the sugar, coffee, brandy and 3/4 cup (180ml) water in a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and coffee.
3. With the blender motor running, carefully pour in the hot liquid through the feed tube, blending until the chocolate has melted.
4. Add the eggwhites and cream and pulse the blender several times to just combine.
5. Pour the mousse into 4 serving glasses and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Sever topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Serves 4.
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Week 24 - The Cookbook Challenge - Chicken with Chilli Chocolate
Comments (16) | Sunday, May 2, 2010
Theme: Chocolate
Cookbook Used: Faking It
Author: Valli Little
I could smell the chocolate as it cooked on the stove. I could also taste the chocolate in the first few bites. It was a delicious dish that I would definitely make again. The corn chips add a different texture to the dish, and also add a nice saltiness that is required. Although, I would definitely serve it with more avocado next time, and maybe a margarita.
Chicken with Chilli Chocolate
Valli Little
Valli Little
Get your hands on:
1 tablespoon olive oil
20g unsalted butter
4 chicken breast fillets
100g pancetta, cut into strips
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
150ml dry red wine
400ml chicken stock
400g can chopped tomatoes
50g chilli chocolate, borken into small pieces
300g can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
Serve it with:
Steamed rice
Sliced red chilli
Coriander leaves (optional)
Corn chips
Avocado wedges
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a casserole pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden, then remove and set aside. Add the pancetta, celery and onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until vegetables soften. Add the garlic and win and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the stock, tomato and chocolate, then return chicken to the pan. Cover and transfer to the oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove chicken from the pan, cover loosely with foil and set aside in a warm place. Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat, add the beans and simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened. Slice the chicken and serve on steamed rice, with the sauce, chilli, and coriander if desired. Serve with corn chips and avocado.
Serves 4.
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