Thursday 30 June 2016

Jelly Cake

This is sooo preetttyy!!! A fun, healthier and delicious alternative to a 'normal' cake! This is perfect if you want a nut free, dairy free, egg free and gluten free cake!!!


Jelly Cake

You can use different flavour combinations. With this batch I used an 825 gram can of Peaches with coconut water for the jelly flavour. I like using coconut water or a light coloured juice so you can see through to the fruit, however any juice will look amazing and beautifully glossy!

Flavoured jelly packets usually state not to use pineapple, kiwifruit or paw paw or the jelly will not set. So try fruits like peaches, pears, apricots and lychees if using canned fruit, and you can also use a combination of fresh fruit too.

This is firm, but with a little bit of jelly wobble so it can be cut and hold a shape when upturned from the mould. If you want something that sets firmer to use small silicon moulds, try the Fruit Juice Jelly Lollies recipe. If you like wobbly jelly like Aeroplane jelly to scoop out from a cup, try the Fruit Jelly Cup recipe.

You can use more or less honey (or other sweetener) depending on your taste - it will depend on the flavour combination of canned fruit with juice or syrup, using fresh fruit, and the type of juice (or coconut water) you use. I find that more honey is required (approx. 100 grams) when using canned fruit with JUICE, and less is required (approx. 50 grams) when using canned fruit with SYRUP. But before you pour it in the mould, have a taste to check if it is sweet enough, and you can always add a little bit more.

This works best with any silicon mould as you do not need to line or spray it. Cooking spray will ruin the crisp and sharp clear jelly and may leak into the jelly creating small bubbles or opaqueness.

This heart silicon mould is from Ikea (I'm a sucker for silicon moulds, so I couldn't resist getting this!)

JELLY CAKE

Ingredients:

Canned fruit in juice/syrup (Separate the fruit and juice) or fresh fruit
1000 grams juice (including drained juice from the canned fruit)
50 to 100 grams honey**
40 grams edible gelatine

Method (Thermomix):

1. Strain the juice/syrup away from the canned fruit into a separate jug.
2. Place the fruit into mould.
3. Add the drained juice + additional juice of choice (1000 grams juice in total), honey and gelatine into bowl. Mix - 4 minutes/50 degrees/Speed 2.
4. Pour jelly mixture into mould and place in fridge for a few hours to set.

Method (Stovetop):

1. Strain the juice away from the canned fruit into a separate jug.
2. Place the fruit into mould.
3. Add the drained juice + additional juice of choice (1000 grams juice in total), honey and gelatine into a medium pot, heat on low to medium heat, stirring constantly until you can see gelatine granules have melted in.
4. Pour jelly mixture into mould and place in fridge for a few hours to set.


**the amount of honey can be altered depending on your taste/type of juice/canned fruit. As a guide, if using canned fruit with SYRUP - use 50 grams honey; if using canned fruit with JUICE - use 100 grams honey. You can also use any other sweetener i.e. rice malt syrup, maple syrup etc.


Strain the juice/syrup away from the canned fruit into a separate jug.


Place the fruit into mould.


Add the drained juice + additional juice of choice (1000 grams total), honey and gelatine into bowl. 


 Mix - 4 minutes/50 degrees/Speed 2.



Pour jelly mixture into mould 



Use a spatula to move the fruit around a bit, and place in fridge for a few hours to set.


Once set,


Peel the edge of the jelly from the sides of the mould.


Place your serving plate over the silicon mould


Then upturn it onto the serving plate





Cut slowly with a really sharp knife!




Wednesday 29 June 2016

Choc Chip Milo Icecream

My Milo Mousse has become so popular, I thought I would do an icecream version!!


Choc Chip Milo Icecream

I have made A LOT of icecream with a Thermomix and have a few Tovolo icecream tubs, which fit most batches of ice cream (recipes) in it perfectly. It also doesn't take up too much room in the freezer!

I usually blitz choc chips in the Thermomix, however I have become very weary of the offensive noise from blitzing chocolate on the boys' eardrums (and mine!), so I roughly hand chop the choc chips if the boys are near the kitchen.

This is delicious to eat on it's own, would make an awesome icecream sandwich with Milo Cookies, top a 20 Second Milo Brownie, and also top a Frothy Hot Milo!

CHOC CHIP MILO ICECREAM
(Recipe adapted and modified from Recipe Community)

Ingredients:

120 grams dark chocolate chips
1 x bottle thickened cream (600 grams)
4 tablespoons Milo
1 tablespoons cocoa
1 x can sweetened condensed milk (395 grams)

Method:

1. Add chocolate chips to bowl. Blitz 5 seconds/Speed 7 (or roughly hand chop the choc chips). Set aside.
2. Attach butterfly to blades.
3. Add cream, Milo and cocoa to bowl. Mix 30 seconds/Speed 2 whilst pouring the condensed milk through the MC hole.
4. Mix a further 1 minute/Speed 3.5.
5. Add set aside choc chips. Mix 45 seconds/Speed 3.5 or until mixture is thick and smooth.
6. Pour into an airtight container and place in the freezer overnight to set (at least 12 hours).

Note: When ready to serve, take ice cream out of the freezer for at least 10 minutes to soften so it is easier to scoop out.


Add chocolate chips to bowl. Blitz 5 seconds/Speed 7 (or roughly hand chop chocolate chips - I do this when the boys are nearby as I don't want to wreck their ears!!). Set aside.


Attach butterfly to blades. Add cream, Milo and cocoa to bowl. 


Mix 30 seconds/Speed 2 whilst pouring the condensed milk through the MC hole.


Mix a further 1 minute/Speed 3.5.


Add set aside choc chips. 


Mix 45 seconds/Speed 3.5 or until mixture is thick and smooth.


Pour into an airtight container and place in the freezer overnight to set (at least 12 hours).


When ready to serve, take ice cream out of the freezer for at least 10 minutes to soften so it is easier to scoop out.



Monday 27 June 2016

Frothy Hot Milo

It's no secret that I LOVE MILO! I love a good hot Milo especially in winter! I lived on this when I was pregnant too!! I usually make my hot Milo by mixing a few teaspoons of Milo with some boiling water, then topping up with milk, then microwaving it to get it piping hot. But of course, the Thermomix makes this much easier (without Milo debris spilling all over the kitchen bench whilst trying to mix it into the mug) and adds a beautiful frothiness! By adding water, I find it makes this hot drink really deliciously light - I find it too heavy with 100% milk, however if you prefer it super creamy, then just replace the water with milk.


Frothy Hot Milo

FROTHY HOT MILO

Serves 2

Ingredients:

300 grams milk
200 grams water
80 grams Milo

Method:

1. Add all ingredients into bowl.
2. Heat 5 minutes/80 degrees/Speed 5.
3. Pour in mugs and serve with extra sprinkled Milo on top (it becomes really nice and chewy).


Add all ingredients into bowl.


Heat 5 minutes/80 degrees/Speed 5.


Pour in mugs and serve with extra sprinkled Milo on top (it becomes really nice and chewy).

Sunday 26 June 2016

Parkin Cake

Each year, my family gets together around my late grandfather's birthday to remember him. He was an English man from Heywood, Lancashire, and his favourite cake was Parkin Cake, so this year I decided to make this in memory of him! This is a traditional gingerbread cake from Northern England made with oats, treacle and ginger. 


Parkin Cake

The longer you keep this, the nicer it is as the freshly baked cake is quite dry and crumbly, however becomes softer and stickier the longer you keep it.

PARKIN CAKE (GINGERBREAD CAKE)

(Adapted from BBC Good Food)

Ingredients:


200 grams butter

200 grams golden syrup
85 grams treacle
85 grams brown sugar
100 grams oats
250 grams self raising flour
60 grams milk
1 egg
10 grams ground ginger

Method:


1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

2. Add butter, golden syrup, treacle, and brown sugar to bowl. Heat - 2 minutes/60 degrees/Speed 3.
3. Add oats, flour, milk, egg and ginger. Mix 10 seconds/Speed 5.
4. Pour into cake tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out crumb free.
5. Leave to cool.
6. Once cool, double wrap in baking paper and foil to keep.

This is best served at least 3 days after baking, and keeps up to 2 weeks. 


Add butter, golden syrup, treacle, and brown sugar to bowl.




 Heat - 2 minutes/60 degrees/Speed 3.


Add oats, flour, milk, egg and ginger.


Mix 10 seconds/Speed 5.


Pour into cake tin...


 ...and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out crumb free.
Leave to cool.


Once cool, double wrap in baking paper and foil to keep.


This is best served at least 3 days after baking, and keeps up to 2 weeks. 





Parkin Cake


Wednesday 22 June 2016

Baked Rice Custard

This is my husband's all time favourite snack/dessert/'breakfast' that he grew up with. This is a melt-in-your mouth custard with the rice and sultanas sinking to the bottom of the dish as a bottom layer, with the custard sitting on top. I prefer it served hot, however my husband loves it chilled straight out of the fridge (he refuses to eat it hot!)


Baked Rice Custard

You will need a large roasting pan, and a smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish to fit in.

You are essentially steaming this custard with the Bain Marie style cooking. I did look into steaming it in the Varoma, however the Varoma steaming tray is way too small for this mixture (I tried fitting different heatproof dishes in there but they would be too narrow and deep for this mixture and it is nice to have that thin layer of rice and custard with each spoonful).

BAKED RICE CUSTARD
(Adapted from Traditional-Style Baked Rice Custard by Taste.com.au)

Ingredients:

80 grams rice (medium/long grain)
750 grams milk
70 grams sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
50 grams sultanas

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a large roasting pan, place a folded tea towel at the bottom, then place a smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish on top. Fill the large roasting pan with enough water to reach halfway up the smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish.
2. Add 1 litre of water to the bowl, and rice inside the steaming basket. Cook - 20 minutes/Varoma/Speed 4. 
3. Once rice is cooked, set aside and empty water from bowl.
4. Add milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and nutmeg to bowl. Mix - 5 seconds/Speed 5.
5. Add sultanas and set aside cooked rice. Mix 5 seconds/Speed 2/Reverse.
6. Pour mixture into roasting pan/heatproof dish and sprinkle with nutmeg.
7. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the tip of a small knife inserted into the custard comes out clean. Remove smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish to cool before serving.

Can be served hot or cold (refrigerated).


Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 
In a large roasting pan, place a folded tea towel at the bottom...


...then place a smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish on top. Fill the large roasting pan with enough water to reach halfway up the smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish.



Add 1 litre of water to the bowl, and rice inside the steaming basket. Cook - 20 minutes/Varoma/Speed 4. 


Once rice is cooked, set aside rice and empty water from bowl.


Add milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and nutmeg to bowl. 


Mix - 5 seconds/Speed 5.


Add sultanas and set aside cooked rice. 
Mix 5 seconds/Speed 2/Reverse.


Pour mixture into roasting pan/heatproof dish and sprinkle with nutmeg.


Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the tip of a small knife inserted into the custard comes out clean. Remove smaller roasting pan/heatproof dish to cool before serving.