Marshmallow Caramel Sauce

I have renewed my love of marshmallows. Not from a stuff in the mouth or toast over a smoking fire perspective but as a cooking ingredient. 

Marshmallows have an esteemed history dating back to approximately 2000 B.C when the Egyptians used the root of the mallow plant to make candied delicacies for their gods, nobility and pharaohs. 

Found mostly in Europe and western Asia, Althaea officinalis grows as high as 180cm (6 feet) tall and sprouts light pink flowers. A member of the mallow family, it grows mainly in wet or marshy areas—and thus, "marsh" meets "mallow."

This recipe is super fast and foolproof. Great over fruit, ice cream or both, it can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator and gently reheated in the microwave whenever the craving takes you. 

Despite the ingredients, it is not sickly sweet like some caramel sauces and bears a striking resemblance to MacDonald's caramel fudge topping. Yummo!

Ingredients
125g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
100g white marshmallows (Add a few pink if short on white ones. You will never know the difference.)
2 tablespoons milk. 


Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a large, microwave safe jug.
2. Cook on HIGH  for 30 second bursts stirring in between until the marshmallows are melted. 
3. Stir or whisk well to mix.

4. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator if not eating straight away.

Frozen Raspberry Marlow

I have been trawling through old recipe books lately. It is a fascinating pastime that usually results in the conclusion that recipe books are no longer necessary. Every recipe, cooking idea, weights and measures information is available on the internet. Cookbooks clutter up the bookshelves and get dusty.

Last week I was reading a book named, "Cooking with Fruits." Oh, this will be interesting I thought, and sure enough it had weird recipes in it like Fruit Dip for Crudites, Honeydew Melon with Crab, and Veal with Pomegranates. No, none of these were for me. 



So I quickly flicked to the sweet end of the book looking for a delicious creamy dessert or fancy cake recipe. Disappointment slowly mounted until I found this clever little recipe. Well, it is more an idea that can be adapted than a recipe. 

To state the obvious, frozen desserts are brilliant. They can be made in advance then eaten in small or large quantities, by one, a few or many. 

Raspberries- Fresh or frozen are suitable. I use frozen simply because they are cheaper.

Marshmallows- Usually available in vanilla, raspberry or mixed packets. Vanilla will produce a sweeter marlow but not by much. 

Dates- The recipe states fresh but if you can't get fresh or they are too expensive then use the packaged dates from the grocery aisle. It is important to check that there are no pits in them because the food processer can't cope with them and is likely to be damaged.

Cream- The quantity does not have to be accurate. If you want the raspberry flavour to be less intense, add more cream. 

Ingredients
1.5 cups raspberries
125g marshmallows
6 fresh dates
1 cup cream, whipped.

Method
1. Put dates in food processor and dribble boiling water over and allow to soften.

2. Add raspberries and blitz until smoothish. The raspberry seeds will still be visible.

3. Heat raspberry mixture with marshmallows in a small saucepan until marshmallows melt. 

4. Refrigerate until cold.
5. Fold in whipped cream.

6. Freeze until frozen.
7. Enjoy with anything you want. 

  

Super easy Dip Quiche

It's a bit cold here in south-east Queensland this weekend. By cold I mean less than 20 degrees C. This may not seem cold to many but to me it signals hot lunch.

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So a quick trip to the supermarket and I had the makings of this incredibly easy quiche. I am a woman of few ingredients so during my searches for recipes I found a fabulous book by Kim McCosker. 4 Ingredients: One Pot, One Bowl. 

Her book has many fabulous recipes. This and her other books are available at Dymocks and other good book stores. Check the link on my blog. 

This recipe, like most that choose, has flexibility. Additions and variation can be added.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 5 eggs
• 1 tub (150g) Basil & Cashew Chunky Dip- I used Aldi brand Deli originals. Aldi sweet potato and cashew dip is also delicious.
• 100g grated cheddar cheese
• a few slices of ham/salami or 1/5 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
• add anything else you fancy- cooked, chopped vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

2. Spray a 25cm pie or quiche dish with cooking spray.

3. Cover with pastry.

4. Crack eggs into a bowl and beat well.

5. Stir in dip and 1/2 cheese.

6. Slice or chop any meats and place evenly over pastry.

7. Pour filling into dish.

8. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until set.

This is delicious served hot or cold straight out of your lunchbox at school or work. 

Eggless Strawberry Ice Cream

The punnets of strawberries were cheap this week so what better way to soothe a sore throat than with ice cream. 

This recipe contains no eggs. I know that commercial ice cream has eggs but I try not to think about it when I am tucking in to my favourite bought flavour. Making ice cream is however, quite different. The thought of half cooked egg in a chilled dessert just puts me off making ice cream so I have scoured the internet and tried many variations of frozen ice cream and sorbets to find delicious recipes.

This is the simplest recipe for ice cream that you could hope to find. There is also flexibility with the recipe which is great.

Sugar- I use raw sugar because this is what is sitting on the kitchen bench. Plus it also gives a deeper flavour.

Cream and milk- Depending on your preference, all milk, a mix of both or all cream can be used to make 2 cups in total. I tend to use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream. It isn't as icy as all milk but if you want really creamy ice cream, then use all cream.

Vanilla- I like it but it doesn't matter if you haven't got any. 

Food colouring- If you like really pink ice cream. I don't use it because I think the ice cream is pink enough. 

If you don't have an ice cream maker, do not worry. The instructions for making it without are included. It is worth it!

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 x 250g punnet fresh strawberries.



Method  
1. Warm milk in the microwave until hot to touch.
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
3. Place mix in refrigerator until chilled.
4. Add milk mix, cream, vanilla and hulled strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth.
If you have an ice cream machine:
5. Pour mixture into ice cream machine and follow instructions.
6. Store in freezer.

If you don't have an ice cream machine: 
5. Place a freezer safe pan or bowl in the freezer when starting to make the ice cream so it is chilled.
6. Transfer your mixture into the cold pan and put it back in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. Around that time, check the ice cream. 
7. Once the edges start to freeze, take out the mixture and beat it using a hand mixer.
8. Return the pan to the freezer. Every 30 minutes or so, take it back out and beat the ice cream again. Repeat until it is firmly frozen, usually around four or five mixing sessions. Once it’s frozen, the mixture should be smooth and creamy.

Store your ice cream in the freezer. Enjoy!

Another fabulous portrait by John!

Gluten-free Peanut Slice

This recipe re-emerged when I gave an old recipe book to Catherine. The day after I gave it to her she presented me with an envelope of hand written recipes that had been lost within the pages of the book. I had forgotten all about this incredibly simple, gluten-free delight.

Here is the recipe for the peanut base. It can be topped with any sort of chocolate topping that you want. A thin layer of melted chocolate or a frosting would be great. I have included a link below for a simple and old fashioned icing made with cocoa. This is a good one if you want the icing to set so the slice can be cut and packed in layers in a plastic pot for travel. 

Ingredients

375g raw peanuts     
2 eggs
1 cup sugar (white or raw)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder



Method
1. Mince peanuts in food processor
2. Add baking powder and whiz to mix in
3. Beat eggs until thick and creamy
4. Mix in sugar and beat again
5. Combine egg mix and peanuts
6. Line base of brownie or slice tin (27cm x 17.5cm x 3cm) with baking paper
7.Spread mix in tin. Smooth surface

8. Bake at 180celsius for 35 minutes 

9. Take care not to overcook as it can easily become dry and hard to cut.  
10. Ice while still warm in tin
11. Once cool, tip out of tin and cut
12. Store in an airtight container. 

Click here for a Simple chocolate icing recipe.

Sweet Crusted Almonds

Almonds are a great source of protein and make a great snack but in pursuit of making them taste not just delicious but truly amazing, the addition of extras can pack on the calories.

This is another of my low, fat nut recipes. I used raw sugar; only because I didn't have brown sugar when I wanted to cook and a trip to the shop was a bit much. The raw sugar gives them a crunchy, light crust which is delicious.

INGREDIENTS
3 cups of raw whole almonds- about 750g
1/3 cup raw sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon- more or less to taste 
1/2 teaspoon ground rock or sea salt 
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 135 degrees Celsius (275F.)

2. Line large baking tray with baking paper.
3. Whisk egg white, vanilla and water until thick and foamy.
4. Add cinnamon, sugar and salt.
5. Whisk until well mixed.
6. Add almonds and stir until evenly coated.  
7. Spread evenly onto baking sheet.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Stir and separate any that are stuck together.
10. Reduce oven temperature to 100 degrees Celsius (205F) and bake about 30 minutes until dry.  
11. Stir and leave on tray to cool. They will become crisp once cool.
12. Store in airtight container. 

For a bit more of a kick check out my Spicy Spanish Almonds Recipe. 

   

Spicy Spanish Almonds

These delectable almonds are another of my range of delicious nuts. For some bizarre reason they seem a bit more 'masculine' than my traditional sweet roasted macadamia nuts so I cooked a batch for brother's birthday. 

INGREDIENTS
3 cups of raw whole almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 teaspoon ground rock or sea salt 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 135 degrees Celsius (275F)

2. Line large baking tray with baking paper
3. Mix sugar, spices and salt in large bowl
4. Whisk egg white and water until thick and foamy
5. Tip almonds into egg white mix and stir to coat 
6. Tip into spice and mix to coat
7. Spread evenly onto baking sheet
8. Bake for 30 minutes
9. Stir and separate any that are stuck together
10. Reduce oven temperature to 100 degrees Celsius (205F) and bake about 30 minutes until dry.  
11. Stir and leave on tray to cool. They will become crisp once cool.
12. Store in airtight container. 

A few interesting facts about almonds

• The trees and their blossoms are truly beautiful.
• Technically, almonds are the seed of a tree.
• They are a member of the Amygdalus family and related to other fruits that contain hard pits, including cherries, plums and peaches. 
• They thrive in mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers in full sun.
• Nutritionally they are praised due to the presence of monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibre, antioxidants, vitamins like riboflavin, and trace minerals such as magnesium.

Strawberry Hazelnut Cake

When you ask somebody what they would like for dinner, you have to then be prepared to create what they have asked for. On this occasion, the request was for "something healthy." Damn, there goes my ideas of a luscious chocolate cheesecake or a cream laden pavlova.

I dragged out a "Slimmers' Book," that obviously hadn't seen the light of day for many years and began to flip. There were some quite nice looking recipes in it, but most with watery looking sauces and over proportioned with vegetables. There were, however, some tasty looking desserts that looked ideal for this horrendous, humid weather we are surviving through at the moment. 

This hazelnut strawberry cake is delicious, but I have to confess I made some small modifications, so it might not be as "slimmers" as it was originally. Not too decadent though.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup castor sugar
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour
• 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts

Strawberry filling

• 125g light cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon strawberry or raspberry jam
• 1/2 of 250g punnet strawberries

Cream cheese topping

• 125g cream cheese
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Decoration

• Remaining half punnet of strawberries
• Small amount of ground hazelnuts.

METHOD

1. Grease deep 20cm round can pan and line base with baking paper.

2. Beat eggs and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy.

3. Fold in sifted flour and hazelnuts.

4. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

5. Bake in a moderate over for 30 minutes.

6. Turn onto wire rack to cool. 

Strawberry Filling

7. Blend or process cream cheese, jam and 1/2 punnet of strawberries until smooth.

Cream cheese topping

8. Blend or process all ingredients until smooth.

Assembly

9. When cake is cold, cut in half horizontally.

10. Spread with filling and top with remaining cake.

11. Spread cream cheese filling over cake.

12. Decorate with reserved strawberries and ground hazelnuts.

13. Refrigerate for several hours.

Quick Vanilla Fudge

There are times when what you really need is something sweet and delicious. Fruit and vegetables are "great" but just don't do the job when it's Sunday evening, tomorrow is the start of another working week and you feel more tired than you did when the weekend started.

Today is one of those days so a batch of quick vanilla fudge would be absolutely perfect. 

INGREDIENTS
400g white chocolate
250g butter, chopped
3 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup cream
vanilla essence to taste

Topping of choice such as:
   hundreds and thousands
   grated dark chocolate 

METHOD

1. Place chopped chocolate, butter, sugar and cream into a heavy bottom saucepan.

2. Stir over gentle heat until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth.

3. Simmer for 1 minute.

4. Beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes.

5. Add vanilla.

6. Pour into foil lined tin. Suitable sizes are 20cm square or 28cm x 18cm.

7. If decorating with hundreds and thousands, sprinkle over and refrigerate until firm. 

    If decorating with grated chocolate (I used dark chocolate for this batch) wait until fudge cools to warm then sprinkle over.

8. Refrigerate until firm.

9. Cut and store in airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Makes about 36 pieces. 

 

Coffee Cream Pots

This started out as a low-fat dessert recipe but I couldn't resist the temptation to add a bit of cream. It is made with low-fat ricotta cheese which I have always thought had bit of a sandy texture but this dessert is still worth the minimal effort required to make it. 

In keeping with the healthy, low-fat theme, I have teamed it with some beautiful fresh fruit. Mangoes and stone fruit have been divine this year and they are hard to resist. 

This cream would also be delicious with a biscuit such as biscotti or even a brandy snap. 

INGREDIENTS
500g low-fat ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 teaspoon warm water
3 teaspoons Kahlua or similar liqueur
1/4 cup castor sugar
pinch cinnamon
1/2 cream thickened cream, lightly whipped (optional.)
   
note: If you don't have Kahlua or don't want to use liquor, use 2 teaspoons of instant coffee instead of one. 

METHOD
1. Using an electric mixer, combine all ingredients except cream.
2. Whip until very smooth.
3. Fold in cream.
4. Place in 6 small individual dishes and refrigerate for at least one hour.
5. Serve with fruit, biscuits or maybe chocolate sticks. 

This antique china is Shelley "Daffodil Time" trio demitasse cup, saucer and plate. 

  

A great dessert for a 
hot summer evening.  

Peanut and Pepper Chicken

This is a favourite recipe that Mum used to cook.
It is a type of satay chicken but Mum always called it peanut chicken and I haven't changed it's name. The dish doesn't have lots of creamy satay sauce like some so I suppose it is appropriate. 
Originally it was a microwave recipe but Mum changed it and cooked in on the stove top. I like it both ways. 
Here is the recipe for the stove top version.
It makes a quick and healthy meal for mid-week or a family get together on the weekend. 

INGREDIENTS
500g skinless chicken fillets- breast or thigh
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion sliced
1 clove of garlic crushed.
1 medium red capsicum sliced
1 medium green capsicum sliced
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lime juice.
Rice to accompany. 

METHOD
1. Cut chicken into slices or cubes.
2. Place chicken in plastic bag with flour and shake to coat chicken.
3. Heat oil and butter in heavy based pan or wok until butter melted and combined and pan is hot. 
4. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute.   
5. Increase heat and add chicken. 
6. Stir fry until chicken is browned. 
7. Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes until cooked but still crisp.
8. Mix together peanut paste, spices, soy sauce, honey and lime juice.
9. Add to the pan and mix through.
10. Continue stirring over medium heat until chicken is cooked.  
11. Serve with rice. 


Serves 4.

Vanilla Lattice Squares

This is one of those old fashioned favourites that I forget about for ages and then remember when I need to make a dessert or afternoon treat in a hurry and don't require baking. We became reacquainted when I was going through Mum's old exercise books filled with handwritten recipes. 

Arnott's Lattice Biscuits are sweet and flaky with a sugar coating on one side.  

Ingredients
125g butter- softened slightly
125g castor sugar
125g cream cheese- softened
1 heaped teaspoon gelatine
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 1/2 packets of lattice biscuits. 

Method
1. Line a 25x30 cm (10 x 15 inches) tray with biscuits, coating side down. I line the tray with cling film first so the slice is easier to remove and there is less washing up.


2. Cream butter in sugar with electric mixer.
3. Add cream cheese and vanilla essence and beat.
4. Dissolve gelatine in 1/4 cup hot water. If granules remain, zap it in the microwave on high, 10 seconds at a time until all is dissolved.
5. Gradually pour gelatine into mix while mixer is running.
6. Mix until well combined.
7. Pour over biscuits.
8. Gently cover with remaining biscuits, coating side up.
9. Place in refrigerator and allow to set.  
10. Cut into squares and store in an airtight
container in the refrigerator.