dessert Archives - Page 23 of 57

Ginger Cake With Salted Caramel Poached Pears

18|08|2016

I spotted the first cherry blossoms today and the weather felt warmer than usual. It’s coming! Spring is coming. I felt like doing a happy dance. Meanwhile it occurred to me that I have this huge list of winter recipes to share and winter will be gone in a wink. This winter I tested out recipes to my heart’s content. It is such a delight when the outcome is delicious. My messy kitchen seems so worth it! I have a soft spot for ginger cakes. In fact my very first post was a ginger cupcake recipe that I make over and over again. It’s nice to have tried and tested recipes at hand but I also like to experiment with varieties of the same cakes or desserts in pursuit of perfection.

I can remember at least 10 times being asked for substitutes for treacle and molasses that are so classic to ginger and gingerbread cakes. Honestly, they are hard to substitute as the sticky, deep, rich flavour is what brings out the spicy taste of ginger. However, if you must make a great ginger cake without the syrups, this is it. It has a strong taste of ginger whilst being moist and light. I find that powdered ginger is quite subtle whereas freshly grated ginger is too overpowering. Bits of raw ginger in the mouth is not the most pleasant thing to taste. Crystallised ginger or glace ginger is the solution for me. It is intense, sweet and kind of gets lost in the batter. To compensate for the absence of molasses, I’ve topped the cake with salted caramel poached pears. It is a match made in heaven is all I can say. Crunchy chocolate coated honeycomb completes the balance.

With or without the poached pears, the cake is must make when all you do is throw a handful of ingredients together. It’s a three line recipe only which is what I love.

Ginger Cake
Makes a 6 inch round cake that serves 6-8 people.

11/2 cup (225 g) self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup (200 g), firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons powdered ginger
1/4 cup glace/crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
150 g butter, melted, cooled
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
Poached pears, to serve
Salted Caramel Sauce, to serve
Crushed Chocolate Coated Honeycomb, to serve

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C for fan-forced ovens). Grease and line the base a round 6 inch (base measurement) cake pan with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the flour, brown sugar, powdered ginger, glace ginger and powdered cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk in butter, egg and milk. Pour into pan.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool before turning onto a serving plate. Serve with salted caramel poached pears (recipe below) and honeycomb.

Salted Caramel Poached Pears

4-5 cups of water
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 firm, ripe pears, peeled and bottoms sliced off to make them stand
1 tbsp lemon juice

For the caramel sauce

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
a pinch of sea salt

To poach the pears: In a large pot, combine the water and sugar over medium-high heat. Add the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Submerge pears in the simmering liquid, adding more water, if necessary, to just cover the pears. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a circle just large enough to cover the pot. Ease the paper down into the pot until it is touching the surface of the liquid. Simmer the pears until a knife inserted directly into a pear meets little resistance, about 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and cool the pears completely in the poaching liquid.

To make the sauce: In a saucepan, over high heat, combine the brown sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the sauce is reduced, thicker and takes on a dark golden brown color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully stir in cream, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add salt.

To assemble/serve : Just before serving top the cooled cake with the pears and drizzle generously with salted caramel sauce. Add the crushed chocolate coated honeycomb (if using).

Ginger And White Chocolate Profilova (Profiteroles +Pavlova) With CSR Sugar

15|08|2016

I have barely, ever seen it snow in winter in Sydney! However, a gentle dusting of sugar on baked goods reminds me of snow in winter. This is how I live my Alaskan fantasies in my own kitchen. With increased baking in the colder months, I ensure my pantry is armed with my favourite sugars (like caster sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar, jam setting sugar) and syrups (golden syrup, treacle) for me to be able to experiment with new and creative recipes for you. I love a good baking challenge and thanks to CSR Sugar for getting me excited once again this year. I was provided with the ingredients and asked to create a unique hybrid dessert. I wanted to create something different, one of a kind, something that would be a bit Aussie and represent our gorgeously, vibrant winters. Therefore I present to you my Profiterole-Pavlova hybrid, the Profilova. What do you think?

This should come as no surprise to my regular readers that the only brand of sugar I use in my kitchen is CSR Sugar. I have started my baking adventures with them years ago, stuck with them and cannot recommend them enough to others. A good quality sugar can create a world of difference in your baked goods and make for successful recipes every time.

The Profilova is a layered Pavlova with 3 layers of crunchy ginger infused meringue. Sandwiched between the layers are delicious, soft profiteroles oozing with a ginger spiked whipped cream that are dipped in coloured white chocolate ganache for the ultimate flavour and texture explosion in your mouth. The amazing part of the Profilova is that all the elements can be made ahead and assembled a couple of hours before serving it to your guests. It makes for an impressive wedding table centrepiece or a celebration dessert or even a cosy Sunday treat to tuck into when the whole family is together,. Winter is all about comfort food, warm spices and indulgent sweet treats and the Profilova is all of that and more.

So now tell me dear readers, what is your favourite winter baking fantasy? Do you try to be adventurous in the kitchen and combine two recipes into one, like a cake pop (cake +lollipop) or maybe a brookie (brownie +cookie)?

Disclaimer : This post is brought to you by CSR Sugar and Baking Nation. All opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

Ginger and White Chocolate Profilova
Makes a 3 layered Pavlova stack with 24 profiteroles between the stacks that have been filled with ginger infused cream and dipped in tinted white chocolate ganache.

Layered Pavlova
11/2 cups CSR caster sugar
11/2 teaspoons cornflour
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
5 large egg whites (or 6 regular egg whites)

Profiteroles
60 g butter, chopped
3/4 cup (185 ml) water
3/4 cup (115 g) plain flour
3 eggs

Ginger Infused Cream
11/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoon CSR caster sugar
¾ tsp powdered ginger

Coloured White Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup heavy/thickened cream
1 cup white chocolate melts
a few drops of purple food colour
a few drops of blue food colour

Method
Make the layered Pavlova : It is best to make the pavlova layers the previous night and leave them in the oven all night to dry out.
Preheat oven to 120 degrees C (100 degrees C for fan-forced ovens) Draw 3 circles (7 inch, 6 inch and 4 inch) on a sheet of baking paper, turn the sheet over and place them on baking trays.
Combine sugar, cornflour and powdered ginger in a bowl.

Using electric beaters, whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar mixture, 1 tablespoonful at a time, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks. Divide among the circles on trays and spread over evenly. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, then leave to cool in switched-off oven for overnight (or at least for an hour if you are in a hurry). Leave the door ajar by sticking a wooden spoon in between. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Make the Profiteroles : Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 degrees C for fan-forced). Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

Heat the butter and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and the mixture comes to the boil. Remove from heat. Sift in the flour. Use a wooden spoon to beat for 1-2 minutes or until mixture comes away from side of pan. Transfer mixture to a heatproof bowl. Set aside, stirring occasionally, to cool slightly.

Using an electric mixer, beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is thick and glossy.

Pipe the mixture or place tablespoonful of mixture on the prepared baking tray 3 cm apart from each other. Use wet hands to pat down any peaks of dough. Sprinkle trays with water to create steam. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Turn off the oven. Use a knife to pierce the base of each puff. Place the puffs in oven for 20 minutes to dry out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store at room temperature until needed.

Make the ginger infused cream : In a bowl (which has been chilled in the freezer for 10 minutes) with an electric mixer, beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, add the sugar and the ground ginger, and beat the mixture until it holds stiff peaks. Refrigerate until needed.

Make the purple and blue White Chocolate Ganache : In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the cream until it is just about to boil (do not boil). Remove from heat and add the white chocolate melts. Allow the cream and chocolate to sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Then, whisk until all the chocolate is completely melted and you have a smooth and uniform mixture. Divide this into two bowls. To the first bowl add the purple food colouring and to the second one, add the blue food colouring until you reach the desired shade.

Assembly: Make a hole in the centre of each profiterole. Fill up a piping bag with the ginger infused cream and pipe a little cream inside the hollow of each profiterole. Dip the tops of the profiteroles in coloured white chocolate ganache. Decorate with sugar flowers or sprinkles if desired. Keep aside to set.

Place the largest Pavlova layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread 2 tablespoons of the ginger infused cream. Place profiteroles all over the base of the Pavlova. Place the second layer. Repeat with cream and more profiteroles. Place the last layer. Repeat. Sprinkle with gold dust and decorate with edible flowers.

Kirsten Tibballs’ Milk Chocolate Mousse Cups

10|08|2016

Jars of milk chocolate mousse, roasted hazelnuts, layers of caramel and dollop cream. Recipe by Kirsten Tibballs.

A few weeks ago, I had the incredible pleasure of meeting one of my favourite food heroes, Kirsten Tibballs at the Bulla Chef’s table. The event was hosted and organised by Bulla Dairy foods, a major Australian dairy company to celebrate their award winning chef ambassadors Guillaume Brahimi, George Calombaris and Kirsten Tibballs. I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting them alongside other food industry personalities and dining with them. The menu was created by the chefs inspired by their favourite Bulla cream. The entire setup was gorgeous, the menu, exquisite but the highlight of the day for me was to discover that my seat was right next to Kirsten Tibballs. Oh my God (insert face with open mouth emoji)! I got to chat with her about different aspects of the pastry world and she was just wonderful!

Kirsten Tibballs, as you might already know is popularly referred to as the ‘queen of chocolate’. She is one of Australia’s most celebrated and internationally respected pastry chefs and chocolatiers. She was in fact, recognized as the best in the world for her handmade chocolates at the World Pastry championships in Las Vegas. That was just another addition to the innumerable accolades she has won around the world. Have a look at her renowned pastry school Savour, and you will know what I mean. Well, lucky me and now, lucky you that she has generously shared her decadent, outright delicious yet simple to make Milk Chocolate Mousse Cups recipe exclusively for Sugar et al. readers. I had requested for a simple yet decadent chocolate recipe to share with you guys and I was thrilled with this one.

Chocolate Mousse is loved around the world but many find it tricky to make at home as it involves separating egg, making custard or use of gelatine. This recipe has no eggs or gelatine in it. It is as simple as whipping and mixing. The taste is to-die-for! Seriously, so little effort and such an impressive dessert! What can go wrong with chocolate, cream, caramel and hazelnuts? Make it and you can thank Kirsten later:-)

Sugar et al would like to thank Bulla Dairy Foods and Mkt Communications for the invite and excellent hospitality, La Tessa Photography for the images at the event and Kirsten Tibballs for her fabulous recipe. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

Kirsten Tibballs’ Milk Chocolate Mousse Cups

Makes 6-7 mousse cups

Caramel

Ingredients:
120 ml Bulla Thickened Cream
200 g brown sugar
70 g unsalted Butter
Pinch of salt

Method
1. Boil the cream and sugar for approximately 5 minutes, stirring regularly
2. Then add in the butter and salt

Roasted Hazelnuts

Ingredients:
60 g Hazelnuts

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C
2. Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown
3. Remove the skins if necessary and roughly chop them

Milk Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
100 ml water
100 g caster sugar
2 tbsp of honey
300 g milk chocolate
200 ml Bulla Thickened Cream

Method:
1. Boil the water, caster sugar and honey together then pour over the roughly chopped milk chocolate and whisk to combine
2. Cool the ganache slightly until it is no longer warm when you touch the bowl.
3. Place the Bulla Thickened Cream into a bowl and semi-whip it until it has some body but still collapses.
4. Fold the semi-whipped cream through the chocolate base with a spoon until combined.

Assembly

Ingredients:
2 tubs of Bulla Dollop Cream

Method:

1. Pipe chocolate mousse into the base of the cups about one third of the way.
2. Cover with a spoon of dollop cream, sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts and drizzle with caramel.
3. Repeat the process until the jar is full
4. Finish with Dollop cream, chopped hazelnuts and drizzled caramel.

Tim Tam Pineapple Chocolate Cupcakes

3|08|2016

Wikipedia describes Tim Tams as chocolate biscuits ‘composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate’. I’ll describe it as sheer delight! (if you don’t already know ) It is actually dessert by itself. Because there are batch after bath of sweet things coming out of my kitchen almost everyday, I normally do not buy a lot of cookies, cupcakes and such from outside. The only ones I would pickup are the Oreos and the Tim Tams. I love how easy they both are to crush and just add as toppings to various things i.e if not eaten away directly. In this recipe I’ve inserted one third a piece of Pineapple flavored Tim Tam biscuit into the chocolate cupcake batter and another third, crushed and on top of the frosting.

Now let me tell you what this will taste like. It tastes like a triple chocolate fudgy cupcake with a burst of pineapple flavour in the centre and crunchy chocolate-y bits melting out of the frosting. The pineapple filling is such a great addition without having to make any of your own flavored buttercream or a fruit curd (like we do with lemon cupcakes). By the way, this is not a sponsored post! There is barely a thing not to like about these cupcakes and since they are pretty easy too I wanted to share my little delicious experiment with you like I always do. It’s a no-brainer but a must make for Chocolate lovers.

Tim Tam Pineapple Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 16 cupcakes

1/2 cup (50 gms) dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
11/3 cups (175 gms) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (113 gms) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 gms) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 packet (165g) Pineapple Timtams

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

120 gms unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (150 gms) unsalted butter, room temperature
11/3 cups (160 gms) icing sugar sifted
11/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (170 degrees C for fan-forced ovens). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling water and cocoa powder. let cool to room temperature. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips.
Then in the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter, insert 1/3 of a piece of Tim Tam cookie in the middle and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will come out dry). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or pipe lovely swirls. Crush a few Tim Tam cookies between your fingers (or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin) and decorate on top of frosting.
These cupcakes are best the day they are made but can be stored for a few days.

To make the chocolate fudge frosting : Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 min). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy(about 2 min). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2-3 min).