ouch!! my finger...!!!

There is a good reason to my recent absence ... its called chopping my finger off with a knife (ok so I am exaggerating a little... its was only the top 3mm of my middle left finger). But honest to god I have never felt such pain!!!! Considering my pain tolerance is pretty close to non-existent and I've never broken anything or required stitches (apart from when I got my wisdom teeth out... does that count??). I'm even more embarrassed to admit to how this accident occurred...

Ladies and gentlemen... I was cutting cold butter!! Yes, butter would you believe?!!? The staple of almost all baking recipes... I have learnt a few lessons:
1) don't cut COLD butter using a serrated knife
2) put the butter in the microwave to soften

3) don't attempt to whip up a weekend breakfast for my husband in a rush...(perhaps I should just forget cooking him breakfast all together..)
4) did I mention never trying to cut cold butter with a serrated knife??

I will eventually get to the recipe that I was attempting to make but I'm still trying to fish for sympathy (considering I got none from my staff... the chefs all laughed at me and said 'that's nothing' then continued to tell me about the numerous time they had to place a colleagues finger in an icebox...blah blah blah). People I got 3 stitches!! And I was in a bandage!?!? My finger is never going to look the same!!! My doctor so kindly offered to refer me to a plastic surgeon... surely that is sympathy worthy?!?!?

(this picture is from the Sunday Magazine and is not made by me)

Now to the recipe, I'm not sure I am game enough to tell you... because you may lose faith in me as a 'wannabe' cook. Not only did I cut my finger cutting COLD butter (the word cold must be bolded and underlined for effect) but I was trying to make Ricotta & Honey Pancakes (to use up the left over ricotta cheese from the baked ricotta cheese cake I made the night before)!!! These are so much better than regular pancakes, they are moist with a hint of ricotta, lemon and honey.Fabulous for that special weekend breakfast or brunch... and PLEASE don't be put off by making this just because you are going to miss the tip of my finger just as much as I will!


Ricotta and Honey Hotcakes
Adapted from Sunday Magazine (recipe by Donna Hay)

3/4 cup plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
11/2 tbs caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
11/2 tbs honey
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup milk
butter, for greasing
honey, extra to serve
icing sugar, to serve
lemon wedge, to serve


Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the egg yolks, ricotta, honey, lemon rind and milk and mix to combine. Place the eggwhites in another bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold through the flour mixture. Heat a large, lightly greased, non-stick frying pan over low heat. Cook 2 tablespoonfuls of the mixture for 2 -3mins on each side or until puffed and golden. Repeat with the remaining mixutre. Drizzle with extra honey and dust with icing sugar. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 8.

baked ricotta cheesecake with marsala raisins

The best baked ricotta cheesecake in Sydney is without doubt at Pasticceria Papa in Haberfield. I know many of you will agree with me that there is nothing that beats their ricotta cake, for me it's almost worth traveling the odd 20km distance just to have a slice. But every so often you just can't afford that luxury of being stuck in traffic for over an hour, just so you can have a slice that will only cost you $4.50... (I end up paying more than double just in tolls!!). I have tried the power of persuasion and a lot of charm to get the waiter to spill the beans on this secret recipe, he just laughed and told me I was one in hundreds if not thousands that have tried. I am also too scared to try any imitation recipe out there only to be disappointed by the end result so I stick to ordering it off a dessert menu when I'm out only to be met by a 'cheap' imitations (and I use that word loosely, there aren't too many places in Sydney that charge you less than $5.00 for a slice of cake these days).

Then I came across this recipe, yes it was a baked ricotta cheesecake but there was a twist! Raisins soaked it Marsala wine- it excited me so much that I emailed myself the recipe and scribble the ingredients on paper and off I went to the shops after the restaurant had closed, at 10:30pm... call me crazy but I love to bake late at night, I enjoy going to bed when the whole house smells like a patisserie. But one word of warning... just to give you an idea how long this cake took without scaring you too much, I ended up going to bed just before 4am (that's my own fault entirely). These cakes were a hit with everyone, even those who aren't fans of raisins. The cream cheese gives the cake a smoother texture (as you'll find many ricotta only cakes are a little grainy) and the marsala wine definitely makes this cake for adults only.

So replace the marsala with OJ if making this to suit the kids and don't forget to give yourself enough time if you plan to impress your dinner guests with this cake, I highly recommend you bake it the night before.

Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

with Marsala Raisins
Adapted from taste.com

260g (1 1/2 cups) raisins
80ml (1/3 cup) marsala or port
120g sponge finger biscuits, coarsely chopped
800g fresh ricotta

500g cream cheese, at room temperature
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
icing sugar, to dust

Combine the raisins and marsala or port in a small bowl and set aside for 1 hour to macerate. Preheat oven to 160°C. Release the base from a 24cm (base measurement) spring form pan and invert. Line the base with non-stick baking paper, allowing the edges to overhang (I know this looks strange but trust me, it will make it so much easier to transfer the cake from the tin onto a plate). Secure the base back in the pan. Spread the biscuit evenly over the base.

Use an electric beater to beat the ricotta, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and well combined. Add the raisin mixture and eggs, and beat until well combined. Pour the ricotta mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Tap the pan on the bench top several times to settle the mixture to get rid of any air bubbles.

Place the pan on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the cheesecake is just set in the centre and light golden. Turn the oven off.

Leave the cheesecake in the oven, do not open the door until cooled completely (you will notice a slight crack in my cake, that is because the original recipe said to leave the oven door ajar whilst the cake is cooling- I knew better than to listen to what they said from previous cheesecakes I have made. I blame it on the fact that it was well after midnight by the time the cake was ready. So to avoid cracks in your cake don't be tempted to open the oven door). Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-5 hours or overnight to chill. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a serving platter. Dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges to serve.

chocolate and raspberry macaroon tarts

For some reason the first thing that comes to mind when I think coconut is summer... maybe I relate the smell to the days I used to spend all day by the beach sunbaking with coconut tanning oil (that is a big NO NO these days!!). Come to think of it, I'm always lathering myself with coconut body butter in summer, sometimes I sneak it on in winter in anticipation of the warmer months ahead.

So it's no wonder the amazing Sydney winter is to blame, the 20Cº plus weather, the sun shining everyday or the fact that we're already nearing the end of August which means summer is not too far around the corner, that has inspired me to bake something using coconut.

I have to say this tart is a lot of fun to make- you will find out why later! These pictures don't do them justice, perhaps that's to do more with my lack of photography skills but for me to try and describe the taste won't just do either... heck I'm not a writer but I will give it a shot: It's a beautiful combination of subtle coconut fragrance with the texture which adds another depth to the smooth dark chocolate that's not too sweet yet sweet enough to compliment the fruitiness of the raspberry (how was that??). If that hasn't convinced you take my word for it- you gotta give this recipe a go, your friends will love you for it... that is if you can stop yourself from devouring them all!

Chocolate & Raspberry Macaroon Tarts
Adapted from Donna Hay"off the shelf: cooking from the pantry"

3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups desiccated coconut
filling
1/2 cup (4 fl oz) cream125g (4 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
2 tbsp self raising flour, sifted
200g (7 oz) raspberries * you can use frozen raspberries

Preheat the oven to 140Cº (280Fº). Combine the egg whites, sugar and coconut to make the macaroon mixture (the best way to do this I think is by hand- grab a big enough bowl and get your hands dirty. The texture and the smell of the coconut will bring a smile to your face, followed by uncontrollable giggling... just means you're having fun!!) and divide between 6 x 8cm (31/4 in) well oiled tart tins with a removable bases. Press firmly over the base and sides. Bake for 25 - 30mins or until the macaroon is firm (note: just be careful that you don't burn the macaroons, a little color is ok but once they're filled they need to go back into the oven so you don't want to burn them. Time will vary too if you choose a smaller tart tin).

To make the filling, place the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until smooth. Set aside. In the meantime place the eggs, sugar in a bowl and using an electric mixer beat until light and creamy. Fold through the flour and chocolate mixture. Spoon the mixture into the macaroon shells and top with the raspberries. Bake at 160Cº (325Fº) for 25mins or until the filling is just firm (note: again this will vary so keep an eye out- the mixture will raise a little). Cool in the tin. Serves 6.

*Note: I made some extra batch in a muffin tray and I have to admit even though I didn't bother to take a photo of them, aesthetically they looked better made in a muffin tray. It gives the tart a more modern touch rather than the traditional ridged edges of a tart tin... if you know what I mean.

my barista's biscotti

My barista (yes I have my own baristas-that's right more than one, jealous???) not only does he make the best coffee in the world and I will stand by that comment, he also makes delicious biscottis to go with my coffee... I know I'm spoilt!! Nothing beats the crunchy texture of these twice baked Italian cookies. Beautiful on its own... even better dunked in your espresso. So when I was looking for a recipe I knew the guy to go to.

Almond Biscotti
Kindly donated by my barista

1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup whole raw almonds
3 eggs
3 tsp honey/golden syrup
1 tsp mixed spice (I didn't have any in my cupboard so I replaced it with cinnamon)
40g melted butter



Preheat oven to 170Cº. Sift the flours into bowl, add everything else and mix.

Shape into two logs, roughly 10 x 20cm on baking tray (you can make them any size you want). Be sure to wet your hands when you make the logs - it's quite a dry/sticky mixture and otherwise becomes annoying to handle.

Bake for 30-35mins (I found that my logs *see image above* were a little too big, as I wanted mine to be bite size so I cut them in half after they were baked). Let it cool completely and reduce oven to 150Cº. Once the log has cooled slice them as thin as you like. If they are still warm the log are going to be too soft and crumbly and will fall apart when you try to cut it.

Put cut biscotti back onto tray and cook another 15mins or until crisp.


*Suggestions: you can do a chocolate and pistachio version, just swap the almonds for pistachios and the 1 cup plain flour for 3/4 cup plain flour + 1/4 cup good cocoa (and remove the mixed spice).

irish stew

The winter meal I made last night has inspired me to do a classic winter heart warmer, the Irish stew. I read somewhere that traditionally an Irish stew should only have 'white vegetables' in them but here is a twist on the classic recipe I use, it'll use up the basic vegetable in your pantry/fridge and is relatively easy to whip up on a cold winters night and you're guaranteed everyone will enjoy them.

Irish Stew
Inspired by many I have eaten over the years...

2 tbsp olive oil
8 lamb neck chops, trimmed
4 rasher of bacon, cut into strips (*optional)
1 tsp plain flour
600g potato, peeled and cut into thick slices
3 small to medium carrots
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 small leek, cut into thick slices
150g savoy cabbage
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish (a heavy based saucepan is fine) over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook for a few minutes each side until brown, then remove from the dish. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove leaving the drippings in the dish.

Sprinkle the flour into the dish and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and layer half the potato, carrot, onion, leek, cabbage and bacon in the bottom of the dish. Arrange the chops in a single layer over the bacon and cover with layers of the remaining vegetables and bacon.

Pour the stock then bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 11/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and the sauce is slightly reduced. Season well with salt, pepper and sprinkle of parsley.

classic shortbread

Sometimes I crave the buttery taste of shortbread... the crumbly texture (apparently due to the high fat content...) and THAT taste. Don't worry, it's not a common craving but every so often I find myself down the biscuit aisle of the grocery store starring at a red packet of Walkers Shortbread. Sometimes I walk away and sometimes I don't. The thing about loving to bake I find is that you have to have a strong will power and know the meaning of moderation!! Otherwise I would need to spend at least 3 hours in the gym everyday... (though I noticed Walkers now do a range of Weight Watchers products).

Anyway back to the shortbread- I have actually never made one before but had a recipe for a classic shortbread. Could there be a better challenge on a miserable rainy afternoon? I promise I will only have one...maybe 2?? I promise~

Classic Shortbread

21/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup rice flour
250 g butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
caster sugar, for sprinkling

Sift the flour, caster sugar and rice flour into a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture clings together in heavy lumps. Gather the dough into a ball and then knead it on a lightly floured surface until smooth.

Press the dough into a shallow, 28 x 18 cm tin, try to smooth the dough as much as possible then prick well with a fork (or you can shape them anyway you like, use a cookie cutter etc).

Chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour and preheat the oven to 160°C. Bake for 25–30mins (note: if using a cookie cutter you will probably only need to bake for 15 to 20mins max) or until cooked through but make sure they are not browned.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool and firm up for 5 mins. Cut them into fingers while still in the tin. Sprinkle generously with caster sugar.

moroccan meatballs with chickpeas

Please someone explain what happened to the weather today? We've had the most amazing winter: sunny days, blue sky, temperature over 20Cº... then today there was grey sky and it was raining. It's like winter decided to show its face after a month of hibernation, it was one of those typical winter's day where you struggle to get out of bed and all you want to do is snuggle under your doona all day reading a good book... or perhaps the perfect weather for some winter food!! I haven't really had the chance this winter to make a hearty meal... think soup, stews, anything that warms you from the inside.

So I spent the day at work flicking through the Good Living section of Sydney Morning Herald over a soy latte and came across this recipe and thought what a perfect day to give it a go. I tweaked it a little because I just can't help myself but the end result was a true hearty winter meal in a bowl.

Moroccan Meatballs and Chickpeas
Adapted from Good Living, Sydney Morning Herald (Aug 11 09)

Meatballs
300g lean mince lamb
250g lean mince beef
1 small onion, grated or chopped in food processor
1 small garlic clove
2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 egg
Chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced finely
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800g diced canned tomato
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup water
400g canned chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp grated ginger
salt & pepper

Heat oven to 200Cº. Add the minced meats in a bowl, to it add the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, egg and salt and knead it with your hands until well mixed (I tend to wear a latex glove when I'm kneading or rolling the meat). Roll the meat into a golf ball sized balls and brown in a frying pan. Once the meatballs have browned place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15mins.

To make the sauce, heat oil in a heavy based pot and cook the onions for a few minutes until they soften. Add garlic, tomato and their juices, tomato paste, water and bring to the boil. Add chickpeas, parsley, coriander, cumin, paprika, ginger, salt and cracked pepper, stirring regularly let it simmer for 15 - 20mins. Add meatballs and simmer for further 20mins until the sauce thickens.

*suggestions: you can serve with some toasted crusty bread or some plain couscous.

pumpkin and coconut noodle soup

I love laksa... I have always said that I will attempt to make one at home. Except... I love following my nose into an authentic Malaysian restaurant and ordering a laska. I've convinced myself that making it at home takes away from the 'specialness' of it... eating laska is one of those special moments I shared with my mom when I used to work in the city- it was our special mother/daughter thing. We'd both order our laska, be handed a plastic bib to protect our clothes and wait in anticipation as the beautiful bowl of creamy, orangey broth full of veggies were placed in front of us... followed by that aroma of coconut and chilli that would just make our mouth water.

When I found this recipe I got really excited because although it used 60g of laksa paste and coconut milk, it wasn't laksa. Which meant that I wasn't really cheating on the pact that I made...or so I tried to convince myself.

Pumpkin & Coconut Noodle Soup
Adapted from Australian BBC GoodFood (April 09 pg 61)

4 cups (1L) salt reduced chicken stock
500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
60g laksa paste
100g rice vermicelli noodles
400ml coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
11/2 cups (120g) beansprouts, trimmed
small or torn basil leaves, to garnish (I swapped this to coriander, somehow I thought it would go better with this dish)

Bring stock to the boil in a large saucepan. In the mean time soak the noodles in some cold water for about 10mins. When the stock comes to the boil add pumpkin and laksa paste, cover and simmer for 4 mins. Add the noodle, coconut mil and fish sauce. Cook for couple of minutes.

Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top with beansprouts, garnish with coriander and serve. There are different variety of laska paste available, some spicier than others. I found that the particular brand I used wasn't hot enough for my liking, so I added some chilli paste or you could use fresh chilli too.

easy peasy chocolate tartlet

I have a confession... whenever I find a recipe I always try to figure out if there is a way I can 'cheat' through the process- not always but I like to have a list of quick basics; nibbles, entree, main, dessert, that look like they have taken a lot of time and effort but in actual fact it's a breeze. You never know when it'll come handy, unexpected house guests or when you've forgotten you were supposed to bake that cake/pie/tart whatever it may be.

Often I can be found sitting in front of the laptop googling "easy recipe for [enter word]". It's a hobby of mine, I browse for hours and when something catches my attention I print it out and pencil in a time to make it.

And this time I had the perfect occasion!! I caught up with my friend and former colleague "B" and her new baby and our mutual friend "T" who was also there with her daughter. I hadn't seen these girls in a little over a year, since I left my 'corporate' job. A lot has changed since... mainly marriages and babies!! I had offered to bring the sweets for our afternoon tea but knowing that I didn't have hours to spend in the kitchen, I needed something quick and easy to make. Not only did I want something easy to make but I was looking for something indulgent to share with the new mom. I decided chocolate tartlets would be perfect and happened to come across this recipe that said "ready in 30mins" which to be honest was a stretch...and there was only 1 step of instruction (!?!?!)

The end result was not so bad- I found that the ready make frozen pastry is definitely not up to scratch and though I have used it in the past, for some reason I found this particular one to be a little salty... which you think would be gross in a chocolate tart but in actual fact the saltiness and the sweetness kinda went well together.

Chocolate Tart
Adapted from BBC GoodFood

200g plain chocolate, melted (I just used some eating dark chocolate off the shelf)
50g plain flour
500g shortcrust pastry pack (line 4 x 10cm tart tins)
4 eggs
cocoa for dusting
75g butter, melted
100g caster sugar

Heat the oven to 180Cº. Bake the pastry blind for 12 minutes (I popped the line tart tin in the freezer for 5mins to chill before blind baking). Mix the melted chocolate with the eggs, melted butter, sugar and flour. Pour into the pastry cases (try not to fill more that 3/4 of the case or it will over flow-yes it happened to me). Bake for 6 - 8 mins until set. Dust with cocoa powder (icing sugar optional)

chocolate! chocolate! chocolate!!!!!

Can I scream that any louder??? How appropriate that my official 'official' post is on chocolate. I LOOOOOOOOOOVE chocolate, anything chocolate, particularly dark chocolate.

Another thing or should I say person I love is Donna Hay, her recipes are easy and delicious!! I subscribe to her magazine and have a number of her cook books and when I'm lost for inspiration I head straight to them... she always delivers the goods. Not even my husband seems to understand how much I LOVE Donna Hay, not in a stalker-ish way... (it's just that secretly I want to BE HER!!)

So when I was asked to organize a cake for our Tai Chi instructor (yes... I do Tai Chi and I'm not ashamed to admit it!!) and knew that she lovedddd chocolate almost as much as me I knew the perfect cake! Everyone assumed I'd just go out and buy one... please as if I'd give up the chance to bake one of my favorite cakes. Here is Donna Hay's easy chocolate cake from her "off the shelf: cooking from the pantry" cook book.


Easy Chocolate Cake

250g (8 oz) butter
11/3 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups plain (all purpose) flour, shifted
11/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup (8 fl oz) sour cream
250g (8 oz) dark chocolate, melted
chocolate glaze
150g (5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup (21/2 fl oz) cream

Preheat the oven to 160Cº (325Fº). Grease a 22cm (9 in) round cake tin. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa over the butter mixture, add the sour cream and chocolate and mix until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until just set (note: I have found that for some reason I need to bake my cake for 1hr 20mins or sometimes 1hr40mins. The center of my cake is still wobbly after an hour and I have that when I take out the cake when it's 'just set' as the recipe states that the center collapses.) Cool in the tin.

To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow glaze to stand for 5 minutes before spreading over the top of the cake. Serves 8 - 10.

*suggestion: as you can see in my photo I have dusted icing sugar around the edge of the cake and placed couple of raspberries in the centre. I just find that it takes the cake to the next level and give is a more 'wow' factor.

Finally I have material for the blog... with photos!!

... or so I thought

The excitement of my first ever blog was followed by a purchase of a Canon 450D to take the amazing photos of my work. The guy at the camera shop said that there was enough battery to play around and take some photos. Well I should have asked for a definition of 'some'... because after about 10 shots the LOW BATTERY sign was up, soon followed by shut down. CRAP!!

One more thing, who knew taking photos of food was so hard?!?! The angle, the lighting... zoom or not to zoom. I might have to convince the hubby to be my photographer.
Anyway my first official, yet not so official entry is:

Leek and Mushroom Risotto

1 tbspn butter
2 tbspn extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sized leek (sliced thinly)
1 - 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
6 large button mushrooms approx. (sliced)
2 cup Arborio rice
4 cups (1L) of chicken stock

Start by melting the butter with the olive oil in a heavy based pan. In a different pot add the stock (I usually use a store bought stock, saves a lot of time and makes the recipe even easier) on medium until it's hot but not quite boiling.

Once the pan is hot enough add the leek and garlic, cook until soft. Add the Arborio rice and cook with the leek and garlic until the rice becomes translucent. Then add the hot stock about 1 cup at a time. Then it's time for a little elbow grease~! Keep stirring until all of the stock has been absorbed. Reap the process until you have only one cup of stock left. Add the mushrooms and stir. Then add the remainder of the stock and keep stirring until the rice is al dente.

*optional: you can add a little butter once the risotto is cooked to give it a more creamy texture and flavor

**variation: you can make this risotto with a selection of wild mushroom (like enoki, brown etc) I find that if you add about a third of the mushroom whilst the rice is cooking (follow the recipe) and in a separate pan stir-fry the remaining 2/3 of the mushroom in a little oil (or butter) and a clove of crushed garlic, the mushrooms tend to hold their shape better and dont lose their delicate flavor. Once the risotto is cook you can serve the stir-fried mushrooms and garlic on top with the juices from the pan.