Sunday 31 July 2016

Homemade Recycled Paper

This is a great way to reuse the magazines, newspapers and junk mail lying around your house!


Homemade Recycled Paper

This is an easy way with stuff you have at home - 'proper' equipment for paper making includes a wire mesh with frame to get a thinner, regular shaped piece of paper.

The paper has a cardboard consistency (it will be too brittle if it is too thin), however you can make it as thick as you want for crafts or other projects you can think of!

You can use this sooo many ways! Here are a few examples:

  • Gift tags
  • Food labels for a table setting
  • Arts and craft 
  • Table setting place cards
  • Christmas ornaments
The texture is quite rustic and rough so to write/draw on it use paint, fabric paint, coloured textas, or permanent marker works well (pencils/pens may be harder to draw on). You can also be crafty and stick things on with glue!!

HOMEMADE RECYCLED PAPER


Ingredients:

160 grams paper
500 grams water

Note: add more water if you want a 'finer' consistency  or if your blades are resisting. The above measurements are for a more 'rustic' consistency, however more water = more drying time and you will need to squeeze out additional excess water before putting in moulds/tray + patting dry with a paper towel.

Method (Thermomix):

1. Cut up paper into smaller pieces and remove any staples.
2. Add paper and water into bowl. 
3. Mix 10 seconds/Speed 5. Scrape down. Repeat 3 times or until desired consistency.
4. Place into moulds and press down, or lined baking tray and roll flat with a rolling pin.
5. Pat down with paper towels to absorb excess water.
6. Either leave to dry in the sun/in front of the heater for a few days, or bake in oven at 70 degrees for 2 - 3 hours or until hard and dry.
7. Leave to cool before cutting/drawing/painting etc.

Method (Blender):

1. Cut up paper into smaller pieces and remove any staples.
2. Add paper and water into bowl (depending on the size of the blender you may need to do it in batches). 
3. Blend until desired consistency. 
4. Place into moulds and press down, or lined baking tray and roll flat with a rolling pin.
5. Pat down with paper towels to absorb excess water.
6. Either leave to dry in the sun/in front of the heater for a few days, or bake in oven at 70 degrees for 2 - 3 hours or until hard and dry.
7. Leave to cool before cutting/drawing/painting etc.


160 grams paper = 1 x Coles Magazine (Sorry Curtis!!)


Cut up paper into smaller pieces and remove any staples.


Add paper and water into bowl. 


Mix 10 seconds/Speed 5. Scrape down. Repeat 3 times or until desired consistency.


Place into moulds and press down, or lined baking tray and roll flat with a rolling pin.




Pat down with paper towels to absorb excess water.




Either leave to dry in the sun/in front of the heater for a few days, or bake in oven at 70 degrees for 2 - 3 hours or until hard and dry.


Leave to cool before cutting/drawing/painting etc.
  



Table name place cards 


Gift Tags


Arts and Craft





Food Labels for a Table Setting


Saturday 30 July 2016

Milo Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

This is a hybrid of the 20 Second Milo Brownies with a cheesecake. So easy and so darn delicious! This takes a total 30 'Thermomix' seconds to whip up.


Milo Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

I reduced the sugar from the 'original' 20 Second Milo Brownies as there is sugar in the cheesecake mixture too.

MILO CHEESECAKE SWIRL BROWNIES

Ingredients:

Brownie (20 Second Milo Brownies)

170 grams plain flour
170 grams oil (any - vegetable, rice bran, grapeseed, coconut etc)
200 grams sugar
3 eggs
20 grams cocoa powder
60 grams Milo
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste/extract

Cheesecake 

250 grams cream cheese (room temp, cubed)
30 grams sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste/extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
2. Add all brownie ingredients in bowl. Mix - 20 second/Speed 5.
3. Pour and spread 3/4 of the brownie mixture into a baking pan and set aside 1/4 of the mixture. 
4. (Don't clean bowl). Add all cheesecake ingredients in bowl. Mix 10 seconds/Speed 5.
5. Pour and spread cheesecake mixture on top of brownie mixture.
6. Dollop set aside 1/4 brownie mixture on top of the cheesecake mixture, and swirl around with a toothpick or wooden skewer.
7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes (or until skewer comes out with just the cheesecake mixture - brownie should be cooked through).
8. Cool before cutting into squares.


Add all brownie ingredients in bowl. Mix - 20 second/Speed 5.


Pour and spread 3/4 of the brownie mixture into a baking pan and set aside 1/4 of the mixture. 


(Don't clean bowl). Add all cheesecake ingredients in bowl.


 Mix 10 seconds/Speed 5.


Pour and spread cheesecake mixture on top of brownie mixture.



Dollop set aside 1/4 brownie mixture on top of the cheesecake mixture...


 ...and swirl around with a toothpick or wooden skewer.


Bake for 25 - 30 minutes (or until skewer comes out with just the cheesecake mixture - brownie should be cooked through).



Cool before cutting into squares.





Tuesday 26 July 2016

Chocolate Soil

This is a fantastic way to give your desserts a WOW factor!!! It gives another element to your dessert with a crunch texture! This edible soil pairs really well with any of my Milo Recipes!!


Chocolate Soil

This is inspired by Heston Blumenthals Chocolate Soil - his recipe requires a sugar mixture to be heated to 130 degrees (which a Thermomix doesn't get up to) so this is a quick and easy way to get the same chocolate soil effect! 

This tastes like dark chocolate as it has a bitterness from the cocoa which is great to accompany sweets. The sugar granules give a really realistic texture in soil, like the sand particles in the dark rich soil.

The texture varies from a sandy granulated texture to small and medium sized 'dirt' clumps. This has a long shelf life, you can make it beforehand and keep a stash in the fridge, ready to go! This is also a great gift, especially around Christmas and you can package it up in a nice plastic gift bag or bottle.

Note: you can melt the butter in the Thermomix however I find it quicker and easier to melt in the microwave! 😊

CHOCOLATE SOIL

Ingredients:

80 grams butter
220 grams sugar
120 grams cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method (Thermomix):

1. Weigh out butter. Melt in microwave - 30 seconds/high.
2. Add sugar, cocoa and salt in bowl. Set on 1 minute/Speed 2 and pour butter on the lid so it trickles slowly into the bowl.
3. Serve immediately or store in airtight container in the fridge.

Method (Non Thermomix):

1. Weigh out butter. Melt in microwave - 30 seconds/high.
2. Add sugar, cocoa and salt in bowl. Stir with a whisk until combined, and slowly pour and stir through the melted butter until combined.
3. Serve immediately or store in airtight container in the fridge.


Weigh out butter. Melt in microwave - 30 seconds/high.


Add sugar, cocoa and salt in bowl. 


Set on 1 minute/Speed 2 and pour butter on the lid so it trickles slowly into the bowl.


Serve immediately or store in airtight container in the fridge.





Milo Fudge Cake served with Chocolate Soil



Milo Mousse topped with Chocolate Soil