Home made ice cream - with a hint of coffee

I popped an Ice Cream maker on my wishlist this Mother's Day and it was granted.

I feel it may have been motivated by the desire to be eager recipients of the delicious desserts that may come from the machine.  Now I know exactly what goes into the ice cream, the family is eating. Only organic eggs, milk and sugar.  Treat yourself !

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk (I try to use non homogenised)
2 cups thickened cream
1 cup caster sugar
Pinch of salt
1 whole vanilla bean, halved and seeds scrapped
5 large organic egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

In a medium heavy based saucepan over a medium to low heat, whisk together the milk, cream, and half the sugar, salt and the scrapped vanilla bean (including the pod). Bring the mixture just to a boil.

While the milk is heating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl.  Using a hand mixer on low speed , beat until mixture is pale and thick.

Once the milt/cream mixture has nearly come to the boil, whisk about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the yolk/sugar mixture.  Add another 1/3 of the mixture, then return the combined mixture to the saucepan.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon.

The mixture must not boil or the yolks will overcook - the process should only take a few minutes.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer (discard the vanilla pod) and bring to room temperature.  Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight.

Follow instructions from ice cream machine.  Then place churned ice cream in a container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Flavourings are the fun experiment, we have tried a hint of coffee by adding 2 teaspoons of granulated coffee mixed with 1 tablespoon of hot water to combine. Also chocolate flavoured by melting good quality chocolate with hot milk. Let your creative inspirations guide you.

Very Nice

Mamma Marmalade

Chocolate Cloud Cake - Flourless - Nigella's Easter Egg Nest Cake

Nigella's Chocolate Cake is rich and pudding indulgent. Plus there is No flour.  You might have seen photos of it decorated with mini Easter Eggs to make her Easter Egg Nest Cake.  However you serve it, it is delicious - with one slice more than enough for a special afternoon tea or dessert.
Enjoy!   Colleen

Chocolate Cloud Cake by Feed Your Inner Cook

Chocolate Cloud Cake by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation
Cooking
Serves          12  (very rich)

Ingredients
250 gram Dark Chocolate.  Good quality
125 gram unsalted Butter - chopped small
6 eggs  -  2 whole and 4 separated
175 gram castor sugar  NB this is used as 75 gram and then 100 gram
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract  
OR (not vanilla and liqueur)
2 Tablespoons Cointeau (or Chocolate liqueur or Coffee Liqueur)  Optional
if using Cointeau - Grated zest of 1 orange (optional)

Cream Topping
600 ml thickened cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
OR 
1 Teaspoon Cointeau (or Chocolate liqueur or Coffee Liqueur)  Optional
1/2 teaspoon Cocoa powder for sprinkling - Optional   or decorate as you fancy
or Mini Easter Eggs   or Christmas sweets if you like

Method
Preheat oven to  170 -180 Celsius (depends on your oven)
Line base of a 22 cm springform tin with baking paper.  Grease sides and base well.

In bowl -Melt chocolate gently (microwave at low power 30 sec then 10 sec if needed)
Add the butter and allow to melt into chocolate

In mixer bowl - beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75 gram (VIP) sugar.
Gently add the chocolate mixture, Vanilla OR optional Liqueur and optional zest.

In separate bowl - whisk 4 egg whites until foamy then slowly add (VIP) 100 gram sugar

In the chocolate bowl - add a  couple of spoonfuls of the egg white mix, gently stir through then add half egg whites, fold through then the remainder.  Fold but avoid losing the beaten in airiness.
Pour gently into prepared tin.  Bake 30 -40 minutes until cake is risen, cracked a bit and centre no longer too wobbly.  

Cream
Whip cream but not totally.  Add the vanilla OR liqueur and continue whipping until firm but not stiff.  Chill until ready to use.

Cool cake in tin.  Will sink in middle as it cools.
Remove cake carefully from tin and place on cake stand or plate gently
Fill middle of cake with the cream and decorate as desired.
                                                 Enjoy!   Colleen

Freezing - Food Preparation - be your own superhero squirrel

Sometimes we have a crazy week -  not firing on all cylinders - work, family and the rollercoaster of life sometimes seems overwhelming.

So, this is a thank you to "Previous Me".   The person who cooked extra curry bases, soups, casserole bases,  cakes, biscuits, marinades and rice.  Thank You Ms Squirrel. Those extra steps have made life just a bit smoother and easier. Hope they help you too.

So,  I share these tips with you -

Cook extra rice
pop portion sizes in freezer boxes or freezer bags.  Do not flatten or squash - leave it loose - will defrost superfast.  Not as great as freshly cooked rice but excellent for fried rice or under a curry.

Marinades
When making a marinade for a recipe - make a second batch - save in a freezer safe container or bag.  Just be sure to LABEL it  - or it will look like a bag of gloop - labels are essential - and I add quick note of which recipe I usually use it for.   The marinade will defrost very quickly and add easy flavour when you are short of time - preparation pre-done!

Curry Bases / Casserole Bases
I like to make a large batch of rich tomato sauce (easy to add to lots of pasta dishes) and my   Thai Pumpkin and Lime Curry which I can leave as it is or add chicken or prawns. It just needs a quick squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving - encore - delicious 

Soups
Vegetable and stock based soups freeze so well - and are not limited to eating as soup - some can be the base for a casserole or used as a pasta sauce.

Cakes and Biscuits
I freeze mini loaf tin sized banana breads Banana Walnut Loaf etc  and also rolls of raw biscuit mixture (eg choc chip etc) - always something on standby!

Check use by dates as recommended by your freezer manufacturer.

Items will defrost faster if you have prepared them in smaller containers or lightly flattened.
And, again I will remind you to LABEL - write a few words on a bit of paper - double bag with a breadtag and reuse the second bag again and again.  

Hope this encourages you to be a Freezer SuperHero Squirrel - Cheers!   Colleen

Lime and Ginger Marmalade

As my bio suggests, I am the most happiest with a pot of  jam bubbling on the stove. Autumn in the Northern Rivers of  New South Wales, Australia, sees the citrus trees weighed down with an abundance of glorious citrus of all types.  I detest waste, so after you have given most of your friends limes the rest can be used for jam.  I am always on the lookout for an easy marmalade recipe and this one from ABC radio is ideal as it does not involve a lot of effort chopping the fruit.

Note to self though increase the quantity of ginger to give more impact.

Ingredients

16 organic limes
6 cups of water
6 cups of sugar
2 Tablespoons (or more) of grated fresh ginger.

Method

Slice the limes in half lengthways, then slice each half thinly, discarding the seeds. Place in a bowl, cover with the 6 cups of water and leave to stand overnight.

Next day, pour into a deep saucepan and simmer for about an hour or until soft. Add the sugar and stir over high heat until dissolved.

Then bring to the boil and boil rapidly, uncovered and without stirring for approximately 20 minutes or until a teaspoon of jam mixture jells on a cold saucer.

Remove from heat, add ginger and stand for 10 minutes (this helps the peel distribute evenly) before pouring into hot sterilised jars and sealing.

Happiness is

Mamma Marmalade

Apple Tea Cake - Retro Homebaking

There is something retro and comforting about bringing a warm home-cooked cake from the oven to share with family and friends over a cup of tea and a catch-up.  Inspired by a vintage Australian Women's Weekly recipe, this apple cake is one I have been making for decades - so easy - serve either warm or room temperature with cream and a cuppa.  It is best eaten the day it is made or leftovers warmed for dessert with custard and stewed apples.   Enjoy!   Colleen

Apple Tea Cake by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    15 minutes
Cooking          50 min - 1 hour

Ingredients
2 good sized apples - Green Granny Smith preferable but firm Red Varieties would be ok
185 gram butter - cubed
Lemon rind from 1 lemon
2/3 cup Castor Sugar
3 eggs 
1 cup Self-Raising Flour - sift the flours together with spices
1/2 cup Plain Flour
pinch Ground Cardamom
pinch Ground Cinnamon
1/3 cup Milk
3 tablespoons apricot jam (no rind) - warm up before use
Ground cinnamon for final sprinkle

Method
Zest the lemon
Peel, quarter and core apples.  Slice the quarters lengthways about 3/4 through the fruit to make the slice pattern.  Sqeeze a little lemon juice over to prevent discolouration. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 170 Celcius
Prepare a 22cm springform tin with baking paper on base and grease sides well.
Using an Electric mixer - cream butter, rind and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time beating until well combined.
By hand, lightly stir in the sifted flours and spices then the milk until just combined.
Spread into tin.
Arrange apple quarters into batter - rounded sides up and tops showing.
Bake moderate oven approx 50 to 60 minutes until skewer comes out clean.
Remove from oven and spread most of the warmed apricot jam over cake.
I sort of dab with a silicone pastry brush gently all over - too heavy brushing will pull the crumb top.  
Allow to cool in pan.
Remove pan and repeat jam topping.  Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Serve just warm, or room temperature with cream.
Leftovers  can be warmed for dessert with custard and stewed apples.

This cake is best eat the day it is made.   
   
                                            Enjoy!   Colleen