Cheat's Choc Mint Pudding

Here is a recipe that Julie (one of our Facebook followers and a friend of mine) has made and said it went down well with the family. I am going to make this very soon Julie, it looks fantastic.

Ingredients

Packet of chocolate self-saucing pudding
1 peppermint crisp, roughly crushed
1/2 teaspoon cocoa added to pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon cocoa added to sauce
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee added to sauce
1 teaspoon mint drinking chocolate (optional)

Method

1. Make packet choc pudding mix according to directions, except for substituting milk for the 2 tablespoons of water for the pudding mix. If it is a bit dry looking, add a touch more milk or water so you can beat it with a wooden spoon.
2. Once you have mixed the pudding, add the cocoa, mint drinking choc (optional), instant coffee and cocoa, and the crushed peppermint crisp.
3. Sprinkle the sauce mix from the packet as per instructions, then sprinkle the other half teaspoon of cocoa and half teaspoon of coffee on the sauce mix.
4. Pour on the boiling water, as per the packet instructions.
5. I made this in a large glass bowl and put it in my biggest saucepan, put some foil over the top and steamed it with the lid on for about 45 mins. Alternatively, you can make the baked version in the oven, following the packet instructions.
6. Serve with cream or ice cream.

This turns an ordinary packet dessert into something truly delicious! It was recommended by the three chocolate loving males in my family.

Cheers
Julie

If you have a recipe you want to share, email it to me (the email address is on the right of the blog post).

Christmas Morning Crown (fruit bread rolls)

I made this for Christmas morning but it looked so good we started it Christmas Eve (see the 3 missing rolls in the photo). This would be fantastic to make if you want to have something yummy for guests for breakfast (not necessarily for Christmas).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups strong flour (I used plain)
7g dried instant yeast
125g unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg beaten
50g brown sugar
2 tbs chopped hazelnuts (I used pecans)
1 tsp mixed spice
1/3 cup chopped mixed peel
1/3 cup sultanas
1/4 cup glace cherries, chopped
(instead of the last 3 ingredients above, I added a cup of mixed dried fruit)

Method

1. Sift flour into a large bowl, add yeast and 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Rub in 40g butter to form coarse crumbs.
3. Mix in warm milk and egg to form a dough (I had to add more flour).
4. Place in a greased blow, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 hour in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Beat remaining butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined.
6. Add nuts, spice, mixed fruit and stir to combine.
7. Punch down to expel air, knead briefly then roll out on a floured surface to form a 30cm x 23cm rectangle.
8. Spread fruit mixture over dough, leaving a 2cm border on the long sides.
9. Roll up from one long side then cut into 9 equal pieces.
10. Place slices, cut-side up on the lined or greased baking tray so it forms a circle with the slices just touching.
11. Cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until slightly  risen (I placed a piece of baking paper between the roll and towel as the roll is sticky).
12. Once risen, you can cover the crown and chill overnight, then bring back to room temperature before baking.
13. Preheat over to 180 deg c. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

The original recipe from the taste website made an icing with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 3/4 cup icing sugar and drizzled over the crown before serving. I didn't think it needed more sugar so I left it out.

Also, when I make this again, I will put less butter in the fruit and nut mix as there was a lot of melted butter in the middle of the crown after it cooked. I will also add more nuts as this tasted fantastic.

Date loaf

Ingredients

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
60 g butter or marg
1 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cups SR flour
1 teasp bicarb soda
2 teasp vanilla essence

Method

1. Put chopped dates and sugar into bowl then add sliced butter
2. Pour in boiling water, stir until butter melted
3. Add flour (sifted), bicarb soda then vanilla essence
4. Bake in loaf pan for 45-50 minutes.

This is soooooo easy and really yummy. I added flaked almonds because I wanted to get rid of them out of the cupboard but next time I will add chopped pecans.

Felicity

Sticky Lemon Loaf

Do you still have lemons that you can't think of anything to do with? Kerry and I have been cooking this lemon loaf.

Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons margarine - melted
3/4 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cups SR flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Syrup
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup icing sugar

Method
1. Beat egg whites and sugar for 1 minute.
2. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, melted margarine and milk. Mix well.
3. In one go gently fold in flour and bicarb soda to mixture. DO NOT beat.
4. Pour into greased tin (21 x 10 cm).
5. Bake 30 mins or until firm to touch.

To make syrup
1. Combine juice and icing sugar.
2. When cake is cooked, prick a few holes into the top with a fork and pour syrup over cake.
3. Leave to sit for 2 minutes then remove from tin.

This cake is very moist because of the syrup so it does not store for too long.

This recipe was from Simply too good to be true number 3. This is a great series of cookbooks that are still yummy if you are watching your weight. This recipe says there is 1.8g total fat and 0.4g saturated fat per serve (also, 553 kilojoules, Cals132).
Felicity

Caramel and date self-saucing puddings

Ingredients:

60g butter
1/2 cup milk (125ml)
1 1/4 cups dark muscovado sugar (I used normal brown sugar)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
1 cup self-raising flour
1 3/4 cups boiling water

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Combine the butter, milk, 3/4 (155g) of sugar and dates in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until butter melts. Remove from heat.
3. Add the flour and stir to combine.
4. Spoon mixture evenly among six 3/4 cup capacity ovenproof dishes.
5. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over puddings.
6. Pour the boiling water evenly among each pudding.
7. Place puddings on an oven tray and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until just cooked through.
8. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
9. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

This tastes amazing and I put it in 5 ramekins which was enough but not too much to have for desert. Mum made it and put it in a big oven proof dish and it worked really well too.

I found this recipe in the Notebook magazine from a few years ago.

Mid week meals

So when you get home at 6.30 after a long day at work, what do you cook for dinner?

Cheese and bean patties

I am still in the cooking spirit! Woo hoo!
Mum read the title of this recipe out to me and I thought "ho hummmm" but after reading the ingredients decided to give it a go.
Although I changed the recipe, they tasted yummmmm. My changes are included below.

Ingredients

1/3 cup burghul* (I used 1/3 cup cous cous cooked - see below)
400g can cannellini beans
1 small onion
2 tablespoons plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander (did not have so used Italian Herbs)
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 small lemon, juiced (I put 2 teaspoons of the fake lemon juice)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
oil for cooking

Method

1. Cook cous cous by putting 1/3 cup cous cous with 1/3 cup boiling water. Mix and leave for 5 minutes.
2. Roughly chop the onion and place in food processor. Buzz a few times to chop up.
3. Wash the cannellini beans and place into food processor with flour, baking powder, cumin, coriander (Italian herbs), grated cheese and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
4. Process until well combined.
5. Put cooked cous cous into processor and combine further.
6. Transfer mixture into a bowl, stir through parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Shape mixture into patties, 1 tablespoon at a time. Put onto plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. (This was not in original recipe but I added because they started to fall apart when cooking)
   Make a egg wash (1 egg beaten with a little water). Dip the patties into the egg then into plain flour.
9. Cook mover a medium heat for about 3 minutes each side. They kept sticking so I kept them moving in the pan.

*If using burghul then in step 1. Place burghul into a sieve. Rinse under cold water. Allow to drain. Set aside for 10 minutes.

I will be making them again. We served it with salad but the magazine I got the recipe out of (Foodideas Nov 2003) served it with tabouli.
Felicity

Olive, Herb & Garlic Focaccia

Welcome back to the blog. It has been a while since I have uploaded recipes and life got on top of me and it fell to the way-side. Since watching the movie Jule &Julia I have been inspired to cook again. Yesterday afternoon I decided to try this focaccia recipe. It was plain and I added the extra bits which I feel made it better.

If you cook it, I would love to know what you added to the top (or inside). Please reply to this thread or on Facebook.

If you have made anything interesting over Christmas - New Year break I would love to know and upload onto the blog. Remember, this blog is about sharing 'tested and true' recipes. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Olive, Herb & Garlic Focaccia



4 cups bakers flour (or plain flour)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 sachet (7-8g)s instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 - 1 1/4 cups (250 - 300 ml) lukewarm water (-40 deg C)

1 teaspoon mixed herbs (I put a lot more than 1 teaspoon, also put mixed pepper)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic



Method

1. Mix yeast and water in a small bowl until yeast has dissolved. Put aside for 10 minutes until foaming.
2. Mix together flour, salt, mixed herbs and garlic into a large bowl.
3. Pour in the yeast mixture and the olive oil*. Gradually mix with a wooden spoon.
4. Lightly flour the work surface and knead the dough until soft and elastic (approx. 5 minutes).
5. Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover and stand in a warm position until dough has doubled in size (approx. 1 hour).
6. Punch out the air. Pull out to make rectangle shape and place on a lined baking tray
   (you can roll with a rolling pin but that makes more washing up).
7. Dimple the surface with your fingers. Rub olive oil over the top of the surface. 
8. Cut olives in half and push into the dough. Break up fresh parsley and push into the dough (optional).
9. Sprinkle dried herbs and sea salt over the surface, patting on so they stick (also a variation is chili flakes).
10. Place in the oven at the lowest temperature and allow to rise again (approx 15-20 minutes).
11. Turn the oven up to 200 deg C and cook for 15-20 minutes (slightly brown on the top).



*Notes: I forgot to put the oil into the mixture which is why I put it on top. By putting it on top it used less oil but was not dry. It also helped it turn brown and keep the herbs on the top.

Most of this recipe came from the back of the Defiance White Baker's Flour packet although I used plain flour (bought the bakers flour, brought it home, opened it and it was full of bugs- thanks Defiance!).