Easy Pastry

 Now I will admit I avoid making pastry at all costs, but if I can't buy Careme pastry then I am forced to make my own so I know what ingredients go in and no nasties.

I found this recipe on the internet thanks Rosemary Molloy, I think it is similar to Maggie Beer's sour cream puff pastry and benefit was I had all the ingredients on hand.  It did not make a lot of pastry but sufficient for me to top my chicken pie with.

Ingredients

I cup plain flour

1 Pinch salt

1 Teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup cold salted butter diced

1/4 cup full fat greek yoghurt

Method

In the bowl of a food processor, whisk together flour and sugar and salt

then add butter and pulse.

Mix until you have coarse crumbs add greek yoghurt and pulse again.

Press together and tip onto a lightly floured baord

Gently knead or press together to form a disc.

Wrap in plastic wrap or greaseproof paper and pop in the fridge.

When ready to use, remove from fridge and let it warm up a little (not too much)

Using a rolling pin roll out to desired thickness.

Top pie and cook in oven until golden and cooked through.

Deleciously easy

Mamma Marmalade

Hawaiian Bread

 If you are looking to pimp up your banana bread, this is delicious.  Great for a snack with tea or coffee or ideal in school lunch boxes. Luckily, I had some fresh pineapple on hand but works well with drained tinned pineapple. No sourdough discard, don't worry, just substitute with another egg and another banana. This recipe comes from Pantrymama my inspiration for using my sourdough discard.

Ingredients

200g overripe bananas (I keep mine in the freezer, look disgusting but work a treat)  approx 2 medium

1 egg

5g vanilla extract

80g butter (melted salted or unsalted)

100g sourdough starter or discard

100g brown sugar

50g white sugar

200g Plain flour

12g baking powder

2g salt

Half teaspoon cinnamon

40g unsweetened coconut flakes

70g roughly chopped macadamia nuts

100g pineapple pieces

Topping

20g roughly chopped macadamia nuts

20g unsweetened coconut flakes

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius

Grease a loaf pan with butter

In a bowl, mash bananas with a fork 

Beat egg and vanilla and add to banana

Add melted butter and sourdough discard, whisk until combined

Add brown and white sugar, whisk

In a seperate bowl, mix plain flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, macadamia nuts and coconut flakes, mix all ingredients until well combined

Now add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, along with pineapple pieces, stir until just combined

Pour batter into tin and top with extra coconut and nuts

Bake for around 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean

Cool completely before slicing

Freezers well as an entire cake

Delish

Mamma Marmalade

Green tropical pear jam

 It's summertime in Northern New South Wales and we have tropical pear trees dripping with fruit.  I might have been a little early harvesting but, I was on a mission to beat my competitors (possums, birds, fruit bats just to name a few). Hence, I needed to convert these rock hard, tough skin pears into something edible.

The jam may have turned out a little thick and sticky so will rename jam to be pear compote, a cheeseboard accompaniment.

I have a dear friend "Fay" who keeps me supplied with clean small jars (labels expertly removed), ready to have them refilled and delivered with something delicious inside.

Ingredients

About 6 or more green tropical pears, peeled and diced

400d white sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method

Macerate

Place diced pears, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl

Cover and rest 4 hours or overnight in fridge

Next morning, tip everything into deep jam pan, bring to a boil, gently stirring until sugar dissolves

Increase heat and boil for 30 to 45 minutes stirring often

Check to see if set

Stir in spices and vanilla

Remove from heat

Ladle into sterilised jars

Seal whilst hot

Enjoy

Mamma Marmalade

Sharing memories and chocolate cake

Our world at the moment could benefit from more kindness. Mamma Marmalade kindly gifted me a hamper of goodies including her Beloved Mother's Chocolate cake recipe This recipe is very special to her family because it was a regular favourite when her Grandchildren visited.  I was touched to receive this gift and made it with my own Grandchildren in loving memory of a very special and generous woman I I hope you enjoy making and enjoying - recipes shared are so very special .....  Love.

Super Easy Chocolate cake 

1  1/3 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon Bicarbonate Soda

1 cup Cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup buttermilk   OR

OR 1/3 cup milk, 2/3 cup greek yoghurt 

2 eggs beaten

125 gram butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

My add ins ... handful sultanas or chocbits

Method

Preheat oven 180 C   or  170C fanforced

Prepare 6cm deep, 20cm cake tin

Sift flour, bicarb and cocoa powder into large mixing bowl

Stir in sugar

Combine the buttermilk,  eggs and cooled butter then add to the dry ingredients 

Bake 40 to 45 minutes and allow to cool

ALSO

makes 12 mini muffins  , bake 11 minutes 

AND   13 muffins,   bake 19 -20  minutes 

OPTIONAL 

When cake has cooled…  CHOCOLATE  ICING

1  1/3 cups sifted icing sugar

1  1/2  tablespoons cocoa powder

Mixed with 20 gram softened butter 

Decorate with 125 gram blueberries