Sugar et al, Author at Sugar et al

Raspberry Meringue Mille-feuille

19|09|2013

The first time I saw Mille-feuille on a cooking show on television, I was head over heels in love with them. Layers of creme patissiere (pastry cream) and fruit sandwiched between crisp layers of puff pastry. There are many adaptations that exist today and they are also known as Napoleon, Vanilla Slice, Custard Slice. Mille-feuille is french for a ‘thousand leaves’ which refers to the thousands of layers in puff pastry. If you have made puff pastry at home, you know what I mean. In fact this beautiful dessert was the reason I learnt to make my own puff pastry. Making it at home is not difficult but painstakingly time-consuming. I enjoy making things from scratch but this time around I was forced to use a store-bought one.

I had a late realisation that it was Sweet Adventures Blog Hop Time. When I found out about the theme there was no missing it. Meringue Mania! I am a self-confessed meringue maniac and my regular readers would know how much I use it..torte, cookie, crumble, decorations and so on. So this one was another opportunity to whip up some egg whites. This month’s hostess is Claire from Claire K Creations.

I wanted to do something different so instead of the pastry cream I used toasted meringue! I was pleasantly surprised how delicious it turned out. Initially I thought of making raspberry curd to go with it ,then on second thoughts settled for a raspberry compote. Some things are best left simple. This would actually make a great dessert when you are entertaining a crowd or want to make something elegant for those unexpected guests. You can easily replace the meringue with whipped cream. I have made this in the past with lemon curd, chocolate mousse, whipped cream with different fruit and berry combinations. The bottom line is that it is a very versatile yet forgiving recipe.

Raspberry Meringue Millefeuille
Makes 5

For the Pastry layers
2 sheets store-bought frozen puff pastry(75% thawed)
Icing sugar for dusting

For the Raspberry Compote
1 cup frozen raspberries (or fresh raspberries)
2 tbsp Castor Sugar

For the Swiss Meringue
2 egg whites
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional but helps to hold peaks)

Preheat the oven to 200 degree C. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper. Cut out rectangles of approx 9 cm long and 5 cm wide from the puff pastry sheets. The easiest thing to do is fold the sheet in half and then quarters and follow the lines with a pizza cutter to get 8 rectangles. (Measurements will vary depending on the size of the sheets but it does not matter as long as the size of the rectangles are same. From 2 sheets you will get 16 rectangles but you will need only 15). Dust the rectangles with icing sugar and place them on the baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 10-15 mins or till pastry is crisp and golden brown in colour. Remove from the own and keep aside.

When the puff pastry is baking, place the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. If you are using fresh raspberries, you may need to add a 2 tbsp water. Simmer for a few minutes till raspberries break down and the mixture turns into a thick sauce like consistency. Keep aside to cool.

Make the meringue: Place egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar (if using) in a large steel bowl over a pot of simmering watering. Take care to avoid the bottom of the bowl from touching the water. Whisk lightly till the sugar dissolves. At this stage, the bottom of the bowl will be warm to touch. Take it off the heat. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer slowly beat the egg whites. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer and continue beating till almost stiff peaks are reached.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe meringue dots or swirls on 10 of the cooled puff pastry rectangles. (The remaining rectangles will make the tops of the mille-feuille. Using a blow torch lightly toast the meringue.

To assemble : Place a meringue topped pastry rectangle on the centre of the plate. Drizzle generously with raspberry sauce. Place another meringue topped rectangle on top and drizzle with more raspberry sauce. Place a plain pastry rectangle on top. Drizzle with icing sugar. Repeat with the remaining rectangles.

Apple and Cinnamon Beignets with Cinnamon Sugar and Butterscotch Sauce

17|09|2013

For as long as I can remember, I have associated rains with comfort food. And comfort for me means warm, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, deep-fried, with a hint of spice…that kind of food. The category of food that best fits this kind of craving would be fritters, beignets or pakoras as they are called in India. And, that’s not all! You did know about my little sweet tooth, didn’t you..? So, I next visualise the deep-fried fritters tossed in sugar and spice and then drizzled with honey or some kind of a rich sauce and then served with ice cream on the side. Oh…why am I so obsessed with sweet things!

Apples and bananas are fruits that I generally have at home. So when the craving struck, I was instantly chopping, mixing, frying, humming to myself…while the rain flooded my balcony and my mind with memories. I chose to make a choux batter as I love the way they turn out..puffed up, airy, crunchy little beignets. They tend to be lighter than a normal fritter. If it helps to make you feel a bit less guilty about eating this, you do give your arm a little workout when you whisk vigorously while blending the ingredients together.

I also made 4 eclairs out of the batter before mixing in the apples. They were puffing up in the oven while I was frying the beignets. I ate several before I was convinced to remove a few for photographs. It was comforting indeed watching the rain with a plate of these addictive little pastry puffs and thinking about flavour pairings for the eclairs. What did I tell you! I am so very…TOTALLY obsessed with desserts!

Apple and Cinnamon Beignets with Cinnamon Sugar and Butterscotch Sauce (adapted with variation from Taste.com)
Yields 18 small Beignets

1 granny smith or any tart-sweet apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
vegetable oil for frying

For the choux batter
60g butter, chopped
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup plain flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Cinnamon sugar
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Butterscotch Sauce: Use this recipe.

Make the cinnamon sugar: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Make choux pastry: Combine butter and 2/3 cup cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter has melted and mixture just starts to boil. Reduce heat to low. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture comes away from side of pan and forms a ball. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in eggs until well combined and dough is glossy. Stir in apple and cinnamon.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Drop 1 level tablespoon mixture into pan. Repeat, making 6 fritters. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beignets to cinnamon sugar. Toss to coat. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve drizzled with butterscotch sauce and with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Smoked Salmon Scotch Eggs with Orange Radicchio Salad

11|09|2013

If you love entertaining and look for recipes that are simple yet impressive, I’ve got just that for you today. Scotch eggs are great as a starter or a snack or even a side dish. Typically, a Scotch egg is a hard boiled egg encased in sausage meat mixture, crumbed and deep fried. Of course there are many variations that exist mainly in the type of casing that is used. Any kind of mince would work and the type of seasoning largely determines the flavours.

Tweaking the classic ingredients, I used Smoked Salmon to coat the egg and that gave the dish a delicate appeal. It barely took any time to get this ready but the reactions of the people at the table were worth noting. I served it with a orange radicchio salad to have some sweet, bitter tangy flavours on the plate. You can serve it with with any salad of your choice or a simple lemon aioli (lemon infused mayonnaise). I enjoyed plating up this dish as the colours look lovely together. However, I just managed a few photographs with guests waiting at the table.

I have been very busy lately. And I apologise for being a bit late in visiting my blogger friends. Most of the times I click through the links but unable to complete reading the full post and make a mental note to go back. And then the backlog just builds up. Along with the number of incomplete drafts in my folders. At times I wish there were more hours to a day. No..not really…then I might have not made it to the bed at all and slept off at my desk.
The good news is that its Spring at last and it’s showing. Everywhere.! I love Spring and what it does to the world!

Smoked Salmon Scotch Eggs with Orange Radicchio Salad

Smoked Salmon Scotch Eggs

4 hard boiled eggs
100 g smoked salmon, roughly chopped
2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion roughly chopped
1 tsp mixed dried herbs (or freshly chopped)
1/2 cup plain flour for dredging
1 large egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used ordinary breadcrumbs as I ran out of Panko. If available, I prefer using Panko breadcrumbs)
salt and pepper for seasoning
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Place the smoked salmon, garlic, onion and mixed herbs into a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and mix with the mashed potatoes. Season with salt and black pepper, mixing well to combine.
Divide the mixture into four, mould one portion around a boiled egg and roll it into a circle. Repeat with the remaining mixture and boiled eggs. Dredge the salmon-wrapped eggs in flour, then dip quickly into the beaten egg to coat. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a plate and roll the wrapped eggs in the breadcrumbs. Repeat the process, dipping each wrapped egg again into the beaten egg and breadcrumbs until thoroughly coated.
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pan or wok. Carefully place the eggs into the hot oil, a few at a time, and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp on the outside. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Orange Radicchio Salad

2 Navel Oranges peeled and segmented
A few leaves of radicchio, coarsely torn
A handful rocket leaves
2-3 thinly sliced smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place the first 4 ingrdients together in a large bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients together to make the dressing. Pour onto the bowl just before serving. Toss to combine.

To plate: Place a scotch egg in the centre of the plate. Arrange the salad around the scotch egg horizontally. Drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with cracked pepper.

Gluten Free Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Torte

3|09|2013

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Some of you on the other side of the hemisphere had a long one. I wish ours was as long but nevertheless it was a fantastic one. We celebrated Father’s day here in Australia on Sunday. Since my little ones are getting better at keeping secrets we had quite a few surprises planned for Daddy this time. And I was relieved that none of them were given away, innocently.. like the previous years. Between a fancy home cooked breakfast and dinner we planned lunch outside so I wouldn’t end up spending the entire day in the kitchen. But the highlight of the day was this Gluten Free Torte.

My husband is not too much into desserts but a chocolate indulgence here and there doesn’t hurt. So I was not surprised when he chose this Torte out of the options I gave him. Well, if you ask me ANYBODY would. A flourless, butterless cake with bits and chunks of bittersweet chocolate and pecans with the perfect moist gooey texture. It takes a lot on your part to resist the temptation of eating spoonfuls of batter before it goes into the oven and even worse when the Torte is cooling down. I can say with absolute certainty that this is the best thing I have ever baked in my life. My family loved it.

The Torte is actually quite light despite the chocolate overload in it. Needless to say, a good quality chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa butter ( I used Lindt 70% Cocoa) makes all the difference in this recipe. This is such a beautiful dessert whether you are serving it for a dinner party or for a special celebration. Taste aside, what I love the most about this Torte is the way it looks. So rustic…with specs of dark chocolate held together be a delicious meringue. And this is why you don’t need any fancy decoration to go with it even for a birthday party. Whipped cream contrasts the bittersweet flavour perfectly so a dollop of it or simply some swirls on the Torte is enough. Dust a little cocoa powder and there you have it.

Chocolate indulgence..the guilt free way (that’s what the best ‘Daddy’ in the world likes to call it)!

Linking up with the September Chocolate Party.
Bring your favorite chocolate dessert to Roxana’s home baking #chocolateparty and win amazing prizes from OXO, Calphalon, Keurig, Imperial Sugar, Honey Ridge Farms and Land O Lakes® Butter

Gluten Free Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Torte (adapted with variation from Fine Cooking)
Serves 8-10

100 g (about 1 cup) pecans/walnuts, or any nut of your choice (I used pecans and walnuts. As I was running short of the exact amount of pecans, I added some walnuts)
125 g (about 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp ) sugar
250 g good quality bittersweet chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 medium orange (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt
7 egg whites (from large eggs), about 1 cup
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 180 degree C. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 8-inch springform pan.

Pulse the pecans/walnuts with 1 Tbsp of the sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape the nuts into another bowl. Use a paper towel to wipe excess oil from the sides of the processor bowl, add the chocolate with 1 Tbsp. sugar, and pulse until it forms crumbs ranging in size from coarse meal to 1/4-inch bits. Add the chocolate to the nuts, along with the orange zest, if using, and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a large clean, dry bowl at medium speed until the egg whites are creamy white and soft peaks are formed when the beaters are lifted. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating at medium-high speed until the egg whites are glossy and stiff but not dry.

Pour half of the chocolate mixture over the egg whites and fold in with a large rubber spatula until nearly incorporated. Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture, folding just until evenly incorporated.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the Torte is puffed and golden brown on top and springs back when gently pressed with your fingers; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out moist and possibly stained with melted chocolate, but not coated with raw batter. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Slide a thin knife or a small metal spatula around the sides of the Torte to release it from the pan. Remove the pan sides and transfer the cake to a serving platter.

Serve slices with a dollop or swirl of whipped cream.