White Christmas with Candied Clementines

Fresh Pesto

With about 3 weeks to go till ‘you know what’, now would be a good time to start planning a few gifts for special people that come from your very own kitchen. I personally love to both give and receive homemade treats particularly if they resemble something straight out of the David Jones food hall! I have a few ideas already posted on here, so bookmark this page as it will guide you to a few of those.

Have you checked out the price of Pesto’s lately? When freshly made from a delicatessen or specialty store, they not only come in ugly plastic containers, you might as well open your wallet and allow them to help themselves! SO try this recipe for Pesto and purchase some pretty jars from your favorite home-wares store, tie with ribbon, and perhaps include a pkg of gourmet dried pasta. Voila, beautiful homemade gift!

Another idea is a fragrant box of crackers…try these on for size. Wrap in a tube, add a wedge of favorite cheese and a jar chutney (no recipe on here yet!)…gift two sorted!

I think my almost absolute fave at Christmas is Panforte and if I say so myself, this is an excellent recipe! Slice into thin wedges, dredge generously with icing sugar, wrap in cellophane, lots of ribbon…several gifts, if you manage to resist eating them yourself!

Most people anticipate some cookies/biscuits at some point throughout the season, and these are extraordinarily good and kind of more adult than not! You can find gusseted cellophane bags quite easily at this time of year, which are perfect for gift wrapping them. A little ribbon, a tag, perhaps even a copy of the recipe attached and again, easy gifting!

Today’s new offerings are so cute! Very DJ and oh so easy!

NEED:

zest 1 lime

370g pkt white chocolate melts

45g organic extra virgin coconut oil

6-7 whole glace clementines OR 170g glace orange slices

30g coconut chips (available at Asian stores)

50g puffed rice

50g craisins

DO:

Place zest and choc melts into Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.

Add coconut oil and melt together for 6 minutes at 37oC on speed 1-2.

Meanwhile, dice the glace clementines/oranges.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix for 20-30 seconds on Reverse + speed soft.

Spread into lined 15cm baking tin and refrigerate. When completely set, turn out onto chopping board and slice into thin slices. OR to gift wrap as in picture, slice to fit acetate box of choice and tie with ribbon.

Recipe Two; (‘two in one post’ I hear you cry! It is Christmas after all, and I do love all my commenters…take note those of you who silently lurk!) is for Passionfruit Curd, an excellent gift for all occasions, so pretty when in a clear jar, decorated with ribbon and perhaps given with a fresh loaf of Brioche! Oh Heaven!

NEED:

Zest 1 lemon

Juice 2 lemons

200g unsalted butter

220g caster sugar

1whole egg and 3 egg yolks

pinch salt

1 tin passionfruit pulp or fresh pulp from 2 passionfruit

DO:
Place all ingredients except passionfruit pulp into Thermomix bowl and cook for 10 minutes at 80oC on speed 4.

Check consistency to see if you are happy with its spreadability! Add a few minutes at the same temperature if necessary.

Add passionfruit pulp and stir through for 5-7 seconds on reverse + speed 3 until combined. Decant into pretty glass jars or use drinking glasses then cover with cellophane or fabric. Keep refrigerated until gifted. These should keep for around 2 weeks in the fridge. It makes a stunning filling for mini tarts. Use a sweet shortcrust pastry recipe and line mini tartlet pans with pastry. Dollop some passionfruit curd into each case and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes until golden and fragrant.

So Merry Christmas all…I am off to Bali soon and with Christmas a few days after I get back, I am not sure I will make it back on here before. Be safe, cook up a storm and for Pete’s sake (whoever Pete is?) leave a comment to make my blogging day! (‘blogging’ in that sentence can be substituted with any word of your choice!)

Shortbread on my beautiful Artisan plate from Queenstown!

Parmesan Macadamia Shortbread

Yes, always been thought of as nutty, but now to remove all doubt, these gorgeous little Parmesan, Macadamia shortbread’s, with fresh rosemary thrown in for good measure. SO EASY, it barely needs a recipe, just a Thermomix and a couple of minutes…yes really dah-links!

NEED:
65g aged Parmesan cheese cubed
few rosemary leaves
65g salted and roasted macadamias
45g butter
70g plain flour
freshly ground black pepper

DO:
Preheat oven to 200oC.
Place Parmesan with rosemary into Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10. Set aside.
Place macadamias into Thermomix bowl and mill for 7 seconds on speed 7-8.
Place remaining ingredients into bowl (including Parmesan mix) and blend together for around 7-8 seconds on speed 7.
Tip out onto floured board, knead together gently with hands, roll out and cut into rounds. Garnish with 1 rosemary leaf in the center of each biscuit.
Place on lined baking tray and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden around the edges. Allow to cool before serving with dips, olives, cheeses or fruit.

Like I said, a little nutty, sweet from the nuts, but pungent from the cheese, and like a good woman, the more aged the better on that front! Go ahead, go nuts yourself, but please enjoy.

And this is why this post took so long!

Fudge

You probably can’t believe this is actually getting up here. Neither can I frankly! Between 186 mini cheesecakes, (go ahead and count ‘em if you like!) and my habit of scribbling notes whilst cooking away, yes, I threw this little gem out with the dish water somewhere! So sadly I had to do it all again, to the horror of the waistline…still all in a good cause!
Traditional fudge to me involves hours of stirring over the hot stove, but all with the possibility of the soft ball test going horribly wrong, and me getting to eat the failed results! This is my mothers recipe that has been handed down to, well…me and it wasn’t until I lived in the States that I realized there was another name for it; Penuche or if you are from Scotland, Scottish Tablet, which actually has a grainier texture and frankly is inferior (unless you are Scottish and reading this!)
The Thermomix makes this so easy, a little time consuming nonetheless, but not in the way you may think, no slaving over a hot stove. You simply need to be around whilst cooking this in order to reset the timing. It comes out beautiful and creamy and there are no aching arms in sight from beating the syrup after cooking. So fire up the Thermomix and get ready to get fudged, again and again and no doubt again!

NEED:
1 tin condensed milk (350g)
550g sugar
150g unsalted butter
120g golden syrup
90g warm water
generous splash vanilla essence

DO:
Place all ingredients except vanilla into TM bowl and cook for 10 minutes at 70oC on speed 2.5 until sugar is dissolved with MC off.
Cook a further 40 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2.5 with MC on. Beat for 1 minute at speed 7.
Do the soft ball test at this stage just to see what is happening.
Cook a further hour at Varoma temperature on speed 2.5, with MC off. You must be careful, if the mixture is bubbling up and spitting too much, leave the MC in.  Test again. If holding soft ball, beat for 2 minutes by bringing speed up slowly to around speed 8. Add vanilla through hole in lid.

Pour into large buttered tin and allow to cool for hours and hours and hours. Don’t be tempted to refrigerate to speed it up, just let it cool on the bench! The core temperature of the fudge will definitely take hours so don’t say I didn’t warn you! Now just for all those who have commented below, this is the rewrite, retested version and definitely works. H0wever, DO NOT substitute any low fat, margarine, products…Fudge is meant to be decadent and this version really works. Let me know!
Cut and enjoy, (and then make another batch for everyone else!)

Date rolls with homemade butter

Well folks, I’m trying to get back on deck, and I haven’t even been on holidays yet. Between a Vegetarian cookbook, a Back to School cook booklet, the work recipe blog, and 3 kids leaving the country for a while, an up-coming wedding across the world and a demo for Chefs in Las Vegas to organize…oh and throw Christmas in the mix and that is my life! I’m not complaining…I’m in my element, but recipes from my own kitchen have almost come to a halt!
So knowing I am away for the month of February and knowing that once again Steam Oven Cooking will run out of steam, I have dragged this one from the vault to keep the pages turning!
Served with homemade butter (and you can see I like a bit of bread with my butter) they are so yummy that diet or no, New Year’s resolution or no, you will be wolfing down the whole batch if you are not careful.
Serve with any dinner, because the sweetness is not overpowering, just a great foil for roasted meats, or BBQ-ed meats, or salad, or fish or you get the idea!
So make a date with these and enjoy!

NEED:
100g organic wheat
190g dried dates
50g powdered milk
2 tsp yeast granules
55g butter
2 egg yolks
420g bakers flour
210g warm water

DO:
Place wheat into Thermomix bowl and mill for 30 seconds on speed 9.
Add all remaining ingredients and mix for 30 seconds on speed 7.
With dial set to closed lid position, knead for 2 minutes on Interval setting.
Turn out on to silicone mat, cover and allow to double in size before making rolls and proving again for around 30 minutes in warm place.
Bake in 200oC oven for around 10-15 minutes until golden and fragrant.
I think I brushed them with milk, or an egg wash would make them all shiny and pretty!
If you wanted a beautiful crust, try steaming them in the steam oven (or Varoma) for 10 minutes and then put into a hot oven for a few minutes until browned and crisp.

SERVE:
With lashings of homemade unsalted butter…or honey butter…or butter and lemon butter…mmmnnn, think I’ll make these again today!

Well a New Year is upon us, so are a few extra kilos and the remains of Christmas folly…dozens of candy canes hanging on the tree. So in a fit of candy thrift (something that doesn’t happen to me very often, nothing lasts that long!) and with the temperature hovering around 35oC (Yes dear Northern Readers, we are talking 95oF) ice cream seemed a great option. With little time remaining in my morning, this is what we got…and not bad if I say so myself, in fact, ‘mint’ actually!

NEED:
120+grams candy canes (mint ones and note to self; fully unwrapped!)
600 grams whipping cream
330 grams cultured buttermilk
270 grams full cream milk
4 eggs
170 grams caster sugar
35 grams cornflour
1 tsp each peppermint and vanilla essence

DO:
Place candy canes into Thermomix bowl and chop for ONE second on speed 6. (We want pieces, not dust)
Set aside.
Insert Butterfly attachment and whip cream for 20-40 seconds until starting to stiffen. Soft peaks. Set aside in same bowl as candy canes and fold through. Place in freezer.
Make custard with all remaining ingredients for 8 minutes at 80oC on speed 4.
Cool in water bath until room temperature is reached.
Blend through whipped cream mixture for 20 seconds on speed 5 and freeze for several hours.

An additional candy cane as a garnish would have been perfect, but alas, we used them all in the ice-cream, which as I write has been completely eaten…{sigh}

Basler who? Basler Brunsli is Chocolate Almond…in this case cookies (which happen to be two of my fave ingredients and of course, biscuits, OR cookies to the Americans, are always welcome). All Aussies will know that Jaffa is a Chocolate Orange combo, so I could call these Jaffa Brunsli and be perfectly cross globally correct! Australia meets Sweden at Christmas time! Well, anyway, here they are, delicious, appropriate for gifting, fragrant, Christmassy and I think almost the last in my Twelve Recipes of Christmas series, which still tragically lacks a real meal! But hey…there’s still over a week to go! It’s never over until the fat lady sings, and I ain’t singing!

NEED:
4 egg whites
pinch cream of tartar
450g almonds
zest and 2 tspns juice from orange
50g Dutch processed cocoa
200g sugar
pinch salt
50g plain flour
150g dark chocolate
cornflour for rolling

DO:
Place egg whites and cream of tartar into clean, dry Thermomix bowl and with Butterfly in place whip for 3 minutes at 50oC on speed 3.
Set aside in separate bowl. Remove Butterfly.
Place almonds and orange zest into Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.
Add cocoa, sugar salt and flour and mill for a further 10 seconds on speed 9.
Add egg whites to flour mix and process for 30 seconds on Interval Setting. Set aside in same bowl as before.
Place chocolate into Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 8.
Melt for 2 minutes at 37oC on speed 2.
Add almond, egg mix and again mix for 10-15 seconds on Interval speed. You may need to use the spatula to assist as the mix becomes quite sticky and dense.
Add the 2 teaspoons orange juice through hole in lid.
Scrape onto Silpat (silicone mat) and leave in the fridge for 1/2-1 hour.
Roll out between 2 sheets of corn floured baking paper as thin as you can (around .5 cm) and cut into rounds with your MC or round scone cutter. (You can use shapes, but ’round’ is the new ‘heart’ and they look so classy when stacked and wrapped).
Place onto baking trays and cook for 6 minutes at 200oC.
They should be crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle, though the thinner the dough, the less chew factor!
Cool and store in airtight container…though frankly the likelihood of these lasting past two days in my house is remote! Delish and my whole house smells divine!

Without too much ado about nothing, Stollen originates from Germany, and apparently has been around for at least 500 years. Buttery, almond laden, fruity, sweet and yeast risen, my dear mother used to make it each Christmas, and I confess I was never keen on it, but with a tweak or two, this is stunning and perhaps in an age of super indulgence,  more tuned for adult palates. So (and I’m channeling Great Aunt Helga Holder here;)

You vill make da Kristmash sturlen! UND you vill like it UND den you vill haf a Frohe Weihnachten

Dough
NEED:
zest 1 lemon and 1 orange
150 grams butter
100 grams sugar
1 egg yolk
20 grams granulated yeast
300 grams milk
500-520 grams bakers flour
150 grams dried fruit of choice (sultanas, raisins, currants)
70 grams slivered almonds
pinch salt

Paste
NEED:
140 grams icing sugar (made in Thermomix)
140 grams blanched almonds
50 grams cornflour
1 egg white

DO:
Place zest into Thermomix bowl and grate for 10 seconds on speed 8.
Add butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk and yeast to bowl and bring together for 5 seconds on speed 6. Heat for 2 minutes at 50oC on speed 3.
Add flour and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6.
Add remaining ingredients and knead for 2 minutes on Interval Setting.
Wrap and allow to rise until doubled.
Meanwhile make the paste by placing blanched almonds and cornflour into clean Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 8.
Add sugar and egg white and mix until forming a thick paste…approximately 8-10 seconds on speed 8.
When dough has risen sufficiently divide in half and push half into base of ring tin. Spread almond paste on top and then top with remaining dough. Cover and allow to rise again.
Cook in pre-heated 160oC oven for 40 minutes until crusty on top, (should still be moist.)
Cool for 10 minutes in pan and then remove.
When cool, ice with lemon glaze (icing sugar mixed with lemon juice for 3 minutes at 60oC on speed 3).
In this case more like a paste as opposed to a glaze…traditionally Stollen is dredged with heaps of icing sugar whilst warm…then…Decorate with red and green glace cherries if desired. Slice and serve with fresh butter which of course is completely over the top, but then, it is Christmas.

Anyway, in an effort to raise my flagging Christmas spirit I have cooked up a bunch of mini Panfortes, the cake from Siena which of course is a destination on my dream list. Some lucky friends will end up with these wrapped in mountains of cellophane and ribbon, all Chrismassy and fragrant, very Donna Hay, and very delish! Mr. Music…Cue Silent Night please!

NEED:
1 whole nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole vanilla bean
95 grams dark chocolate in chunks
75 grams unsalted butter
50 grams caster sugar
100 grams raw honey
1 tsp each ground ginger, cardamom
1/2 tsp almond essence
1 tsp orange essence
55 grams corn flour/starch
40 grams cocoa
20-30 grams chopped additional dark chocolate or chips
200 grams nuts of choice (I used macadamias and pistachios…forgot the almond slivers and pecans dammit!)
300-400 grams chopped glace and dried fruits (I used glace cherries red and green, glace apricots and pineapple, dried cherries, and craisins.)

DO:
Place nutmeg, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean into TM bowl and mill together for 10 seconds on speed 8. Set aside.
Place chocolate, butter and sugar into TM bowl and chop for 5-6 seconds on speed 8. Add honey to bowl and cook for 4 minutes at 60oC on speed 1.
Add all spices, flour, cocoa, additional choc and essences. Stir for 20 seconds on speed 3-4 until combined.
Pour over fruit and nuts in large bowl and blend through with a large spoon until fully combined.
Spoon into buttered pans (approx five mini loaf size) and cook for 45 minutes at 160oC.
Leave to cool in oven.
Dredge with icing sugar twice, leaving a few hours between. Wrap and give away OR slice into thin slices and eat! (No, not all of them, just one!)

Well it was inevitable…sooner or later I was going to try combining as much chocolate into one decadent dessert as humanly possible, and I believe this is the motherlode! Just check that your heart is still beating after a slice of this one. A chocolate shortcrust pastry (which frankly I could have eaten without proceeding any further), then a chocolate frangipane filling spiked with chocolate crust morsels, all smothered in ganache…and more ganache and more and more…stop it! Anyhoo, needless to say, we licked the plate clean and it is on a definite schedule for future appearances on our table.

Chocolate Frangipane Tart

NEED:
Pastry
120 grams unsalted butter cubed
80 grams caster sugar
1 large egg yolk
200 grams plain flour
50 grams dutch processed cocoa flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
iced water as needed

Frangipane Filling
120 grams blanched almonds
100 grams dark chocolate
120 grams unsalted butter cubed
100 grams caster sugar
dash almond essence
2 large eggs

Ganache
100 grams dark chocolate
80 grams cream

DO:
Pastry
Place the butter and sugar into Thermomix bowl and cream for 1 minute on speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary.
Add egg yolk and a scoop of the flour and beat for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Add remaining ingredients and with lid in closed position, process on Interval setting until ball forms. Add water through hole in lid to help bring mix together.
Push into flan tin (with removable base) and place in freezer.
Trim edges and reserve excess.

Frangipane Filling
Place chocolate and nuts into Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 8. Set aside.
Place butter, sugar almond essence into Thermomix and cream for 1 minute on speed 5, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary.
Add egg yolks and blend for a few seconds on speed 8.
Add chocolate and almond mix and incorporate on speed 5-6 until you have a pourable mixture.
Pour into frozen flan shell. Dollop extra dough throughout the top of the filling.
Bake on 170oC for around 45 minutes or until tart is set in the center. Cool.

Ganache
Place chocolate into clean TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 8.
Add cream and heat at 37oC for 2 minutes or until melted on speed 1.
Spread over cold flan.

Serve with fresh berries and coulis…(and cream and chocolate curls if you really seek a diabetic coma!)

OK so weekly went to fortnightly all of a sudden…but I had a flop! Yes a disaster, an ice-cream that was good for you…I won’t go into detail, but needless to say there were leftovers and I had planned to put it up here, but leftovers in my house only mean one thing! NOT GOOD ENOUGH for my eating public! This week we are on track however with more than one posting, so hold on to your mouse, and get ready to hit the copy and print button!

In honor of my beautiful strawberries which are so pleasing to the eye as well as tasty, and along with the fact that I was given some juicy ripe limes at work (thanks to you Susan!) I thought a pairing of the two would be magnificent…so here is another dessert I know, but what can I say…dessert…it’s a little word, often misspelled and often mis-cooked, but it is music to my ears.

May I present; Lime and Strawberry Tart.

Crust

NEED:
160 grams plain flour
70 grams blanched almonds toasted in hot oven
80 grams icing sugar, (made in TM if you have one)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
160 grams cold unsalted butter cubed
a little cold water

DO:

Place all ingredients except butter and water into Thermomix bowl and turn speed to 6 for about 5 seconds until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add butter and continue to process on speed 7-8 until pastry comes together. Add cold water if necessary.
Press into greased tart dish (with a push up center) and smooth up the sides. The mix should be quite soft.
Freeze for 30 minutes or until solid. Blind bake in pre-heated 175oC oven for 20-30 minutes until crust is quite cooked and golden. Set aside to cool.

Filling:

NEED:
zest of 1 lime
150 grams white chocolate
juice 4 limes or 3 small lemons
2 sachets unflavored gelatin (100 grams) or equivalent in agar agar
120 gram whipping cream
additional 300 grams whipping cream
2 tablespoons caster sugar
100 grams sour cream or Greek yogurt
Strawberries for topping
100 grams strawberry jam, homemade

Place zest and chocolate into Thermomix bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 9.
Add first amount of cream and heat for 2 minutes at 60oC on speed1.
Meanwhile place gelatin on top of juice in separate bowl and stir. Allow to soften.
Add gelatin mix to Thermomix bowl and blend for 5 seconds on speed 8. Pour into separate bowl and allow to cool completely.
In clean dry bowl, use Butterfly attachment to whip second amount of cream with sugar and yogurt.
Add lime mixture into Thermomix  bowl and gently incorporate on speed 4-5 with the help of the spatula if necessary.
Pour into cooked tart shell and set for several hours.
Garnish with sliced strawberries and drizzle with heated strawberry jam (or Strawberry Dessert Syrup.)

Enjoy!