Chocolate Macarons - Wicked Wednesday

School Holidays have arrived in Melbourne so time to start baking.  Today we made some delightful Chocolate Macarons, these are very sweet but very yummy.

Enjoy  Julie

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Chocolate Macarons

Recipe: (makes 12 +)

• 300g icing sugar
• 200g Almond Meal
• 2 tablespoons Cocoa
• 5 egg whites (room Temp)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tatar
• 75g Caster Sugar
• 175 g Dark Chocolate
• 3/4 cup Cream

ethod

1. Preheat oven to 150 c or 130 c fan forced.
2. Line two trays with baking paper
3. Blend the icing sugar, cocoa and almond meal until very fine, you may require a few batches
4. Mix egg whites and cream of tatar until soft peaks form, slowly add the caster sugar and mix until disolved.
5. Fold in the icing sugar mixture in three batches.
6. Place mixture in a piping bag and pipe 3 cm circles on the baking paper, leaving 3 cm between each Macaron.
7. Stand the tray at room temperature for 30 minutes
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm to touch, remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray
9. While baking, melt the dark chocolate and cream in a saucepan or microwave until melted and blended, allow to stand at room temperature until you reach a spreadable consistency.
10. Spread the chocolate on a macaroon and make a macaroon sandwich.
11. Enjoy

White Chocolate Chip Muffins

I have a funny story this week, we set out to make blueberry muffins until we arrived at the fruit shop and realised that we required $20.00 worth of Blueberries (we miss summer).  So after a quick rethink we arrived at White Chocolate Muffins made with a whole block of Nestle Milky Bar.  White Chocolate Muffins - yum.

Easy to make and great for after school, lunch box snacks or just a special treat to get you through to the weekend.  Best eaten slightly warm.

Enjoy

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White Chocolate Muffins

Recipe: (makes 12)

• 120g Block Nestle Milky Bar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 220g plain flour
• 125g caster sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180c and grease a muffin pan or use muffin cases.
2. Shift the flour and baking powder and mix in the sugar.  Make a well in the centre.
3. Mix the milk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla in a separate bowl.
4. Chop the Milky Bar Block into small pieces.
5. Gradually add the liquid to the dry ingredients until well combined.
6. Mix through the White Chocolate.
7. Divide between the 12 muffin cases
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Cool muffins on a wire tray
10. Enjoy

Affogato - Wicked Wednesday

For a simple, yet elegantly presented dessert it is hard to go past a classic Italian Affogato.  This simple dish can be prepared in less than 5 minutes, is absoluetly Devine.  It could be a nice way to end a dinner party - or just a warming midweek treat.

Enjoy

Affogato

Recipe:

Ingredients per person:  

• 1 / 2 good scoops  Good Quality Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 shot espresso Coffee (I add a teaspoon of sugar to the coffee)
• 1 shot Frangelico liqueur 

Method

1. Place the ice-cream in a glass or bowl.
2. Slowly pour the espresso and Frangelico over the Ice-cream
3. Enjoy

Chilli Hot Chocolate - Wicked Wednesday

As winter descends and the days become shorter and colder we all look to ways of staying warm and enjoying the indoors.  I find a great lazy Sunday afternoon doesn't get much better than a Chilli Hot Chocolate, a good book and an open fire.  The combination works really well at alleviating the winter gloom.  On the other Hand, my children have not embraced the flavour of Chilli Hot Chocolate, so I find I'm also making a pot of regular Hot Chocolate, with Strawberries on the side.

So, when you next have a lazy afternoon at home, try a pot of Chilli Hot Chocolate.

Enjoy.

Chilli Hot Chocolate and regular Hot Chocolate

Recipe:

Chilli Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:  

• 100 g good Dark Chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
• 3 cups Milk
• 1 tablespoon Caster Sugar (or to taste)
• Chili Powder

Method

1. Heat Milk in a saucepan.
2. When warm, break the chocolate into the milk and stir until melted.
3. Bring to almost a simmer and add a pinch of Chilli.  Taste and add more Chilli if required.
4. If required, slowly add sugar until you reach the desired taste.
5. Enjoy

Note:  For milk chocolate substitute the Dark Chocolate for Milk Chocolate and omit the Chill

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding - Wicked Wednesday

Normally I reserve a Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding for a cold winter night but decided this week will be an exception.  I just love it when you break into these puddings and you have a lava like eruption of Chocolate sauce ooze over the plate.  I like Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding with a good Vanilla ice-cream and Raspberries.  But it also works wonderfully with thick whipped cream.

Enjoy

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Recipe:

Ingredients:  

• 60 g butter
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 3/4 cup packed cup brown sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• Ice cream, raspberries and dusted cocoa to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180c.
2. Grease a 6 cup capacity baking dish.
3. Melt the butter with the milk in a small saucepan.
4. Add the vanilla, caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa.
5. Mix well and pour into the baking dish.
6. Combine the brown sugar and remaining 1 tablespoon of the cocoa in a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water.
7. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, and pour carefully over the back of a spoon over the batter.
8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is firm.
9. Dust with cocoa and serve with fresh raspberries and ice.cream
10. enjoy.

Lemon Slice - Wicked Wednesday

While this is a very short working week with both Easter Monday and Anzac day holidays,  I couldn't let a Wednesday slip by without a Wicked Wednesday post.   This week I've made my favourite slice, which is the humble Lemon Slice.  Lemon Slice is a wonderful afternoon tea and is perfect with a good coffee. Equally Lemon Slice can be made for a high tea or just a treat for school.

This slice is best removed from the fridge 30 mins prior to slicing.

Enjoy 

Lemon Slice

Recipe:

Ingredients:  

Slice

• 2 Packets Marie Biscuits
• 1 tin Condensed Milk
• 250 g Butter 
• 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Icing

• 2 1/2 cups Icing Sugar
• 3 tablespoons softened Butter
• Grated Rind of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Method

Slice

1. Crush the biscuits in a food processor.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Mix together the crushed biscuits, Condensed Milk, Melted Butter and Lemon Juice.
4. Press into a slice tin and place in the fridge to cool and set.

Icing

1. Shift the icing sugar.
2. Mix together the icing sugar, softened butter, lemon juice and rind.
3. When smooth, ice the slice and return to the fridge for the icing to set.
4. Enjoy.

Chocolate Easter bunnies - Wicked Wednesday

With Easter only a few days away I decided to try my hand at creating Bunny Lollypops using chocolate moulds.  This is a first for me and I can report it was a straight forward process.

For the chocolate, we melted Cadbury milk and dream chocolate (not cooking chocolate) and poured into a mould after first giving the mould a light spray of Bakels Sprink.  Bakels Sprink was a wonder spray I discovered a few months ago which is a baking release agent that works great with anything you have to get out of a mould in one piece.

I used Some cute bunny moulds from Roberts Confectionery.  Added a ribbon bow and that was all - a very straight forward process.

Enjoy

Chocolate Bunny Lollypops

Rum Balls - Wicked Wednesday

Ever since I was a young child, Rum Balls were a key component of special events like Birthdays, Christmas and special Afternoon Tea's.  I can clearly remember lot's of arguments with my sisters over the last remaining drops of Condensed Milk sitting at the bottom of the tin:  Yum!.

Keeping with tradition I now make Rum Balls on a regular basis as they are so easy and so yummy.  The only puzzling element is why I have always called them Rum Balls, when they are in fact made with Sherry and not Rum!.

Enjoy your Wicked Wednesday Chocolate (and Sherry) fix.

Rum Balls

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes over 20

• 1 Packet Marie Biscuits
• 1 tin Condensed Milk
• 50 g Butter 
• 2 tablespoons Cocoa
• 1 tablespoon sherry
• Coconut to toss.  aproximately 1 cup

Method

1. Crush the biscuits in a food processor.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Mix together the crushed biscuits, Condensed Milk, Melted Butter, Cocoa and Sherry.
4. Roll mixture into balls and then roll in the coconut.
5. Enjoy.

Kerstkransjes - Wicked Wednesday

Today my children's school celebrated Harmony day.  Harmony day is a highlight of the school year and is a day to recognise and celebrate cultural diversity.  

A key part of this day is a special class lunch where the children each bring a dish that best represents their culture.  For our children they drew from my husbands family line (Dutch) and we've made some delightful cookies.  They are actually Christmas Wreath Cookies or Kerstkransjes.   We've made these a few times now, they are easy to make and loved by the children and teachers.

So this week is not so wicked, but a good harmony day option if you have a Dutch heritage.

Enjoy.

Kerstkransjes - Dutch Christmas Wreath Cookies

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes over 30

• 160 g Butter (softened)
• 2/3 cups Sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour (shifted)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Glace Cherries
• Almond Slivers
• 1/4 cup milk

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 180 c.
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add the lemon zest and egg.
4. Slowly add the flour and baking powder.
5. Mix until well combined and lightly knead.
6. Wrap in cling wrap and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.
7. Roll out segments approx. 5 ml thick.
8. Cut out cookies using a wreath shaped cookie cutter.
9. Decorate with a glace cherry (I cut the cherries in half first) and Almond slivers
10. Brush with the milk.
11. Bake on a tray lined with baking paper for 10 - 15 minutes.
12. Enjoy.

Chocolate CupCakes - Wicked Wednesday

Another week has passed and another wicked treat has been served.  This week we've made really easy and very tasty Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Butter Cream icing.

These are light in texture for a Chocolate Cupcake but they have a bit flavour punch.  The best part of this recipe is it's simplicity, while it does have a few ingredients, it has very few steps.

These cupcakes would be equally good for an afternoon treat, children's party or formal Afternoon tea.  My batch has been well enjoyed by all.

Enjoy

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream icing

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes 24

Cupcakes

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 3/4 Cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Bicarb soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream icing

• 125g butter, softened
• 2/3 cup Cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar (Sifted)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Cupcakes

1. Pre heat oven to 180 c.
2. Prepare 2 x 12 muffin pans with cupcake papers. 
3. Place everything except the boiling water in a bowl and mix well.
4. Add the boiling water and stir through (The mixture should be more liquid than a standard cake batter).
5. Divide the mixture equally between the muffin pans. 
6. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1. Beat the butter until pale.
2. Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
3. Add the icing sugar and milk and mix well.
4. stir in the vanilla essence.
5. Pipe onto cupcakes with a large pipping nozzle..
6. enjoy.