Tuesdays with Dorie: White Chocolate Brownies

This week's pick was Dorie's White Chocolate Brownies, as chosen by delightful Marthe of Culinary Delights. Now certain people have been waiting for these brownies to be chosen forever, so I hope everyone else enjoyed them as much as I did!

You'll notice my brownies are naked. I just wasn't up for meringue this week and I was sure that it would make them too sweet for me anyway. As it was, I could have easily devoured my half batch in one sitting!

I used frozen raspberries here (the fresh ones are ridiculously expensive even in season) and had no problems. Knowing they tended to underbake, I cooked mine for 30 minutes (I used and 8 x 8 pan) and they were perfect.

Thanks for a fabulous pick, Marthe! The white chocolate, raspberries and orange flavours were a match made in baking heaven. I will definitely be making these again!

French Onion Soup

This is fairly time consuming as the onions do have to be cooked till they are gorgeously caramelly and sticky. But once that's done, the rest of the soup is remarkably easy to put together and uses minimal ingredients. I tend to use the healthier olive oil instead of butter, but if you prefer, you can use butter to caramelise the onions.

This recipe is from Raymond Blanc, but I have adapted it to suit us. I still use the wine (even with a little one, as the alcohol is boiled away), but you can substitute a medium sherry instead which adds more sweetness to the finished soup. We eat this with French bread and grilled cheese and its a lovely, satisfying lunch!!

4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Around 1/2 kilo of Spanish onions, sliced
2 tbsp plain flour
100 ml dry white wine (boil to get rid of the alcohol)
Around 900 ml vegetable stock
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt (adjust, as the stock can be salty)
Pepper
Slices of French Bread
Cheese

Put the olive oil and butter into a heavy pot, heat for a few minutes and toss in the onions. Cook, stirring ocasionally for about 30 - 45 minutes, don't rush this part, as the onions do need to be caramel and sticky and sweet. The colour is up to you, I like it fairly light, but if you want a dark colour keep cooking. Take care not to burn the onions. Add the sugar and flour and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the white wine and the stock, and bubble for another 10 minutes or so. Season with the salt and pepper. Grill the cheese on the French bread. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the toasted bread and cheese.

Enjoy!

Daring Bakers May - Croquembouche!

I have been in love with the croquembouche as long as I can remember! And really, what's not to love? Choux pastry filled with smooth vanilla cream and smothered in crunchy, sweet caramel.

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

This month's challenge brings me full circle, as my very first Daring Bakers' challenge was chocolate eclairs. It was my first time making choux pastry and I definitely had a few dramas. This time around I'm happy to say they were worked perfectly.

I made just 10 cream puffs and half the caramel glaze. I was keen to try the spun sugar effect but I had just 20 minutes of Oscar-free time so after assembling my 'tower' I just poured the remainder over the top.

The result?

Amazing. Just as good as anything I've tasted elsewhere for surprisingly little work. When I have more time and a special occasion to bake for I will definitely be making a full size croquembouche with spun sugar. But for now, this hit the spot and I can cross it off my to-make list.

Thanks for a fabulous challenge Cat!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Banana Coconut Icecream Pie

This week Spike of Spike.Bakes chose Dorie's Banana Coconut Icecream Pie and I have to admit, I really wasn't sure about this one! Even after reading the recipe I had no idea whether this was something I would enjoy or not. Still, I ploughed on but couldn't resist making a few changes.

My version has a plain shortbread crust (no coconut) and 2 layers of filling instead of one. I didn't want to mess up the creamy perfection of the chocolate ice-cream so I made a separate banana layer using some of my stash of frozen bananas whizzed up with a teaspoon of vanilla essence and some heavy cream. I then sprinkled some toasted shredded coconut on top.

The taste test ...

Not bad! Probably not something I would make again but banana and chocolate are always a great combination. I'm glad I didn't use any rum in the filling or coconut in the base. The flavours here were just right for us.

Thanks for an interesting pick, Spike! You can find the original recipe at Spike.Bakes under today's date.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding

This week Elizabeth of Cake or Death? chose Dorie's Apple-Apple Bread Pudding and it was the perfect pick given the freezing cold weather we've been having (well freezing for Brisbane anyway). Is there anything more comforting on a cold night than bread pudding?

We've had a lot of rich food recently so I tried to cut the calories a bit with this one, without sacrificing taste of course.

Rather than caramalise the apples I simply stewed them with water and cinnamon. The gala apples are so sweet at the moment they really don't need any added sugar.

We can't get apple butter here so I used a 100% apricot spread instead.

I also used low fat milk and reduced the amount of cream.

As for the bread, I found something called Scone Toast at the supermarket which seemed ideal. I always leave the crusts on.

The result? A creamy, delicious bread pudding that we all loved! Definitely didn't miss the extra butter, sugar or cream. With a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top this is the quintessential winter dessert.

Thanks for a great pick Elizabeth! You can find the recipe on her blog under today's date.

Introduce Baby Food

How To Introduce Baby Food To Your Baby

As your little one reaches the age of five or six months, it's time to start thinking about introducing semi-solid foods into his or her diet. Before then, mother's milk is the best food for a baby. Breast milk is easy to digest and provides a rich supply of vitamins and disease-fighting antibodies for the baby. It also fosters a close bonding experience between the baby and his or her mother.

While most mothers have enough milk to satiate their little one's hunger, the decision to breastfeed is a deeply personal one. Breastfeeding may not be preferable to all women. For mothers who can't breastfeed or who decide not to, baby formula is a healthy alternative.

Babies should be fed with semi-solids only after the rooting or sucking instinct leaves them. This happens by the fifth or sixth month. At first feeding time will be messy, and probably frustrating, as your baby gets used to the unfamiliar taste and texture of baby food. Some babies will cry because they cannot get food fast enough, while others will spit out the alien texture of semi-solid food. Lots of patience is needed until your baby develops a taste and appetite for the new kinds of food you are introducing into his or her diet.

It's a good idea to keep the use of store-bought jarred or tinned foods to the minimum. Many of them have additives, extra starch and high levels of sugar. If you decide to make your own baby food, hygiene should be your first concern, followed by nutrition.

- Rinse all equipment with hot water.

- Boil utensils such as spoons, knives and mashers.
- Do not store cooked food in the refrigerator for prolonged periods.
- Discard any leftover baby food, as bacteria forms quickly in unfinished meals.
- Make sure that you introduce new items slowly and in small doses.
- Start with baby cereal; then introduce vegetables and fruits; and then start introducing meats.

When you start introducing semi-solid foods to your baby, he or she should be reasonably hungry by mealtime, but not overly hungry. The first semi solid food all my children started with was iron-fortified infant rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula. After that I started introducing vegetables; then fruits; then meats.

At the beginning, babies should have finely pureed foods, as they get a little older and have both upper and lower teeth for chewing, introduce foods that are a little chunkier. As your baby grows, introduce a wider variety of food. If he rejects something, replace it with something else. You can introduce the rejected item after a few weeks or a month.

Although the baby food you make yourself at home is best, not all parents have the time to make homemade baby food. There are some good commercial choices on the market today. Baby food manufacturers understand parents want wholesome baby food for their parents. There are several all natural and organic baby food choices now available to parents – foods that are a safe and healthy alternative to homemade.

Introduce Baby Food

How To Introduce Baby Food To Your Baby

As your little one reaches the age of five or six months, it's time to start thinking about introducing semi-solid foods into his or her diet. Before then, mother's milk is the best food for a baby. Breast milk is easy to digest and provides a rich supply of vitamins and disease-fighting antibodies for the baby. It also fosters a close bonding experience between the baby and his or her mother.

While most mothers have enough milk to satiate their little one's hunger, the decision to breastfeed is a deeply personal one. Breastfeeding may not be preferable to all women. For mothers who can't breastfeed or who decide not to, baby formula is a healthy alternative.

Babies should be fed with semi-solids only after the rooting or sucking instinct leaves them. This happens by the fifth or sixth month. At first feeding time will be messy, and probably frustrating, as your baby gets used to the unfamiliar taste and texture of baby food. Some babies will cry because they cannot get food fast enough, while others will spit out the alien texture of semi-solid food. Lots of patience is needed until your baby develops a taste and appetite for the new kinds of food you are introducing into his or her diet.

It's a good idea to keep the use of store-bought jarred or tinned foods to the minimum. Many of them have additives, extra starch and high levels of sugar. If you decide to make your own baby food, hygiene should be your first concern, followed by nutrition.

- Rinse all equipment with hot water.

- Boil utensils such as spoons, knives and mashers.
- Do not store cooked food in the refrigerator for prolonged periods.
- Discard any leftover baby food, as bacteria forms quickly in unfinished meals.
- Make sure that you introduce new items slowly and in small doses.
- Start with baby cereal; then introduce vegetables and fruits; and then start introducing meats.

When you start introducing semi-solid foods to your baby, he or she should be reasonably hungry by mealtime, but not overly hungry. The first semi solid food all my children started with was iron-fortified infant rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula. After that I started introducing vegetables; then fruits; then meats.

At the beginning, babies should have finely pureed foods, as they get a little older and have both upper and lower teeth for chewing, introduce foods that are a little chunkier. As your baby grows, introduce a wider variety of food. If he rejects something, replace it with something else. You can introduce the rejected item after a few weeks or a month.

Although the baby food you make yourself at home is best, not all parents have the time to make homemade baby food. There are some good commercial choices on the market today. Baby food manufacturers understand parents want wholesome baby food for their parents. There are several all natural and organic baby food choices now available to parents – foods that are a safe and healthy alternative to homemade.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Quick Berry Tart

What's quicker than a Quick Classic Berry Tart? These even quicker Itty-Bitty-Puff-Berry-Tartlets! As much as I love Dorie's sweet tart dough I wasn't in the mood for making pastry this week, especially since I only wanted to make minis.

Why? We're still working our way through the fabulous Banoffee Tart my lovely hubby made for dinner on Mothers' Day, along with this delicious rack of lamb with roast veges.

So for this week's TWD I chose the cheat's option and grabbed a sheet of puff pastry from the freezer and cut out little circles. The pastry cream takes only minutes to make and I topped each one with 3 perfect blueberries (frozen ones because they are always in season).

I will definitely make the original Classic Berry Tart sometime as I adore fruit tarts. My apologies to Cristine of Cooking with Cristine for not making the exact recipe which you can find on her blog. But I hope you enjoy my version!

English Baked Beans (Heinz Style)

I've called these English baked beans, as the Canadian version is very different. I really really wanted baked beans on toast, but the first time I tried the Canadian version, I was just like... no, I need the Heinz Beanz. They are fairly difficult to get here, so I decided to try and make my own, as a bit of a challenge.

So I looked all over for a recipe, but to no avail as there didn't seem to be any around with the taste I was looking for. I tried Heston's version (all of it, followed faithfully) but did not like the finished version, and it didn't taste anything liked the tinned version [I know, I know, it tasted awesome, actually, but just not what I wanted :-)] So I took some elements from him and cobbled together my own, which to my surprise, did actually taste like a version of the famous Heinz ones. Of course it doesn't taste identical (so don't sue me, Heinz), and its up to you to make it taste like you want it to by varying the different seasonings, but as a first attempt, this wasn't a bad one at all !

I used tinned tomatoes in this version, but will try it with fresh tomatoes too, as I think it could really change the taste and colour of the finished beans. The measurements are fairly approximate, as I threw in things rather than measured them out. So you do need to use your discretion and not take this recipe word for word. When mixing the beans with the sauce, you have to sort of make sure that the beans are just covered with the sauce, as there may be a bit too much sauce for the beans. You don't want them too saucy. Any left overs freeze very well, just take out, defrost and reheat to serve again.

Here's the recipe:

4 tins whole tomatoes (about 1200 ml) or around 15 large , ripe tomatoes, blanched and peeled (don’t bother seeding them)

2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

Big handful of mixed herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage)

2 big cloves garlic, microplaned

1 large onion, diced

4 tbsp Worcester sauce

2 tsp Tabasco sauce

About 50 ml or a bit more of molasses or use black treacle

About 25g sugar, brown or white

About 3 tsps salt or to taste

2 cloves

About 750g or a bit more of white beans (haricot or navy)

Soak the beans in cold water overnight. The next day wash and drain them out, then cover with cold water and cook them for about 1 and half hour on a medium heat till they are tender, but not fully cooked. Drain and keep aside.

In a big, heavy pot heat the oil and toss the onion in it. Sauté for about 5 minutes on a medium heat and then toss in the chopped herbs and the garlic. Stir and cook for another 5 – 10 minutes until the onions are cooked. Then put in the tomatoes, breaking them up a bit, and add the sauces, molasses, cloves, sugar and salt. Stir and cook for about 20 minutes. Let cool.

Take out the mixture and puree well in a blender till it turns to a smooth sauce. Return to the pan, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Add the beans to the sauce mixture and cook on a low heat for at least 45 minutes to an hour or more, until the beans are cooked through and very soft. The beans taste better the next day when they have had a chance to absorb the flavours better, but they're not bad on the day either :-)

Alternatively, mix the sauce and beans in a heavy pan, cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake in a low oven (around 125 degrees C) for about 2 to 3 hour or until the beans are soft. If making the over version, keep checking to see that the beans haven't dried out. It may be a good idea to reserve some sauce to add to them if they are drying out.

Serve with a full English brekkie or on toast.

Enjoy!

Tuna Vegetable Casserole

Remember that lovely sunny weather I mentioned in my last couple posts? Guess what! It's changed... again!! Its been - 8 and heavy, heavy snow. In May!

Aditi enjoyed it and she made a snowman and had fun making snow angels... but not moi. I detest cold wet snow, even if its pretty :-)

So as a direct result of the weather, I decided against the salad and opted for a one pot comforting tuna casserole instead. Its hard getting fish into Aditi, as she just does not like it. So I need to disguise it and this casserole works very well, as its creamy and has pasta and vegetables and crispy stuff in it, which masks the sometimes overpowering taste of tinned tuna. Fresh tuna would be great for this dish, but the whole point is that its quick and easy to make, ergo, tinned fish.

Its a really easy, one pot meal, and you can vary it according to what you have in the fridge or pantry. The original recipe asks for penne or rigatoni, but I've found it works well with fusilli, macaroni or even egg noodles. Same with the vegetables. I have used olives, tomatoes and marinated artichokes for a more mediterranean feel and always use the veggies that need using up. So feel free to play around with the recipe and come up with the one that suits you best. I had left over peppers and carrots from the famer's market that needed to be used up, which is what I did in this recipe.

I use my Le Creuset to make this dish, but you can cook the dish in a different pot and assemble in a baking dish if you like. I also use cheddar, but again, any melty cheese will work. The cornflakes add a crisp top, but this will work with a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated cheese as well.

Here's the recipe to serve 4 (or one and and a second greedy pig!):

2 tins tuna in water (if you're using fresh, poach in a little veg or fish stock till cooked through, and then flake; but the point of this recipe is 'easy!')
2 tbsp or so of olive oil
About 250 ml frozen peas
1 or 2 carrots, diced
1 red or yellow pepper, diced
2 cans mushroom soup, or around 350 - 400 ml (use low fat, for, well, a low fat meal!)
Salt and pepper to taste
About 150 g cheddar or swiss cheese, grated (you can use less, if you wish) [reserve some for topping]
About 2 cups cooked al-dente pasta
1/4 cup plain crumbled cornflakes
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

In a pan, over a medium heat, heat the olive oil and toss in the diced peppers and carrot. Saute for about 3 or 4 minutes, then put in the peas. Stir for another minute. Then pour in the mushroom soup, and season with pepper to taste. Heat the mixture, stirring ocasionally until the soup thickens. Then take it off the heat, and add the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted completely. Taste and add salt if you think it needs it. Then stir in the tuna and pasta, and mix well.

If you are using a LeC, cover with the lid and pop into the oven at 200 C for 25 minutes. Otherwise, pour into a baking dish, cover and do the same. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the reserved grated cheese, cornflakes and breadcrumbs. Season with a little pepper.

Take the casserole out of the oven, and sprinkle the topping over it. Return to the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown and crisp.

Enjoy!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

This week Becky of Project Domestication chose a recipe I have long been drooling over ... Burnt Sugar Ice Cream! This is pretty much caramel ice cream on steroids.

I had no real problems making this apart from letting my custard cook a little long. See I was at the crucial 'stir until it thickens' stage when I realised I hadn't converted the 180 degrees F into celsius and so had no idea what temperature I was waiting for. By the time I yelled for husband to google it my custard had reached 92.5 degrees C, a smidgen too hot, but at least there can be no complaints about raw eggs!

My only other issue was trying to take a photo without someone sticking his little fingers into it!

I topped mine with crumbled anzac biscuits for an extra sugar hit and some texture.

Thanks for a great pick Becky! You can find the recipe on Becky's blog or for much better photos than mine, check out the TWD blogroll.

In other news today is our 2nd wedding anniversary! While we're not doing anything special today (other than eating burnt sugar ice cream of course) we had a lovely night away on Sunday while Oscar stayed home with his nanna. It was our first baby-free night! Did miss the little monkey though :-)