Dessert: Tiramisu

Tiramisu

To be honest I don't believe Tiramisu is one of those desserts which needs to be made with carefully measured out ingredients. Its more of a add, test taste then add some more type of recipe. Mine loosely revolves around the measurements found below, however sometimes depending on the occasion is is more boozy than others.


As Carter pointed out that this after indulging in this weekends creation, perhaps driving after may not be a good idea.

Ingredients
4 Large Eggs
Approx 1 Cup Caster Sugar
2 Packets/ Pottles 200/250g Mascapone
1/4 Cup Cream2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence
2 Packets Dried Sponge Fingers
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
1/4 Cup Strong Coffee
2 Tablespoons to 1/4 Cup Brandy
1 60g Bar Dark Chocolate
2 Tablespoons Dutched Cocoa1. Separate eggs, putting the egg whites into a medium sized glass/metal bowl and the egg yolks in a large glass/metal bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy.

3. Add cream and masapone and beat until combined.

4. Clean beater thoroughly, then beat egg whites until stiff.

5. Fold in vanilla and then the egg white into cream mixture.

6. Combine, brandy and coffee in another bowl.

7. Lightly dip sponge fingers into the coffee mixture and use them to line the bottom of a large rectangular dish. Use approximately half (I use just under as the width of the top of my container is slightly larger than the bottom).

8. Chop up half the chocolate and sprinkle it over the fingers.

9. Layer half the cream mixture on top of the sponge and spread out evenly.

10. Dip the rest of the sponge fingers and place orderly on top of the cream mixture.

11. Cover the sponge fingers with the remaining cream mixture and spread out evenly.

12. Dust using a sieve with cocoa powder and grate the rest of the chocolate over.

Baking: Red Velvet Cakettes

Red Velvet Cakettes 

 Red velvet cake was popular in the 40s/50s however seemed to die out until a film called Steel Magnolias was released. After this is become increasingly more popular, a New York bakery is even very well known just for its red velvet cupcakes. I like to make cakettes (mini cakes) instead of cupcakes, as if you make a cupcake it  is difficult to add the frosting layer in the middle.

 

Below is my recipe, however as I am not a huge fan of artifical food colouring, I only add 3 Tablespoons red foodcolouring (hence why mine is not quite fire engine red). If you want some the firey red, add 4 - 5 Tablespoons red food colouring.

I have used a butterscotch and vanilla buttercream icing, however you could use crea chese, or buttercream in the middle layer and meringue icing on top.


Note: the cake is traditionally made with buttermilk, however who has that sitting in thier fridge everyday? I use normal milk (even trim if you like) and squeeze the juice of one lemon into it. This makes it curdle and will give a similar result to buttermilk.

Ingredients:
250g Butter
1 1/2 Cups Caster Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence
4 Large Eggs or 5 Small
1 1/2 Cups Flour, Sifted
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Dutched Cocoa
1 Cup Milk with Lemon Juice in it and left for half an hour
3 Tablespoons Red Food Colouring ( 4 - 5 if want fiery red)

250g Butter
2 1/4 Cup Icing Sugar
2 Teaspoons Butterscotch Liqueur
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste

1. Preheat oven to 160C

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, milk mixture and food colouring and beat until combined.

5. Spoon mixture into greased muffin trays (I use silicon bakeware). They should be approximately 3/4 - 4/5 full.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until when a cake tester is inserted it comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto wire tray and cooling until room temperature.

8. Combine all icing ingredients in a bowl and mix until white and fluffy.

9. Cut cakes in half, spread icing in the middle and press back together.

10. Pipe a little dollop of icing on top of the cakette also (I think the one in the picture as a little much icing for eating purposes but looks it pretty).

 

The lighting in which I took this photo isn't very good but they are red inside!

Baking: Herritage Azores Cake (Island Cake - Bolo da ilha)

Heritage Azores Cake (Island Cake - Bolo da ilha)

My Nannys (grandmothers) family originally came from the Azores (Portuguese island inbetween Portugal and the USA). This cake originates from there (I found it as part of an ancestry project when I was at high school) and has become a cake i make about once or twice a year. The original icing recipe was not quite right, so that has been adapted but apart from that it is quite authentic.

 Ingredients:

5 Eggs

3/4 Cup Sugar

Just under 1 Cup Flour

2 Dessertspoons Dutched Cocoa

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 150C.

2. Beat eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

3. Add honey and beat until combined.

3. Add flour, cocoa and cinnamon and mix fold into mixture.

4. Pour into a greased and floured pan and back for 35 minutes.

5. Allow to cool.

6. Cut cake in half (through the middle), and fill centre with half icing.

7. Place top of cake back on and ice top of cake aswell.

Icing
Ingredients:
250g Butter
1 Cup Icing Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
100g Chocolate, Melted

Beat all ingredients together until pale and fluffy.

We ate this for a treat after lunch one very hot day while on holiday (hence why it melted).

Baking: Marbled Chocolate Tart/Slice

Marbled Chocolate Tart/Slice

This recipe could be very easily made gluten free by either not having any pastry and cooking it as a cake or by using gluten free flour in the pastry (or using store bought gluten free pastry). This is a very rich chocolate tart/slice

Ingredients:

Filling

300 g Dark Chocolate (Energy Chocolate)
150g Butter

1 Teaspoon Instant Coffee

1/2 Cup White Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence

2 Tablespoons Almond Meal

4 Small Eggs

Vanilla Cream Swirl

250g Low Fat Cream Cheese

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Essence

2 Small Eggs

1 Recipe Sweet Almond Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Roll out pastry and line a 20 x 30 cm tin (I line mine with baking paper), and blind bake pastry for 10 minutes.

3. Melt butter and chocolate using a double boiler, and add remaining filling ingredients apart from the eggs while the mixture is cooling down.

4. Combine vanilla cream cheese swirl mixture ingredients in a bowl until smooth.

5. When the mixture is at room temperature, add eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.

6. Pour chocolate filling into the pastry case and then spoon in cream chesse mixture, using a knife to then swirl it through. 

7. Bake for 40 minutes until cooked, then allow to cool.

8. After cool cut with a clean knife the slice into squares.