Leche Frita (Spanish Fried Custard)

My lovely friend, Maria shared the link of this yummy Spanish dessert recipe .. of course, I can't resist it!.. I love the cinnamon sugar coated taste .. Very nice indeed! 

Ingredients

500 ml (2 cups) milk

½ lemon, zest peeled into strips

6 egg yolks, plus 2 eggs, lightly beaten

260 g caster sugar, plus 150 g (⅔ cup), to dust

75 g (½ cup) cornflour

2 tbsp lemon juice

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

vegetable oil, to deep-fry

100 g (⅔ cup) plain flour

Instructions

Place milk and lemon zest in a small deep saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until just starting to simmer. Remove from heat and stand for 10 minutes to infuse. Grease and line a 15 cm x 15 cm x 6 cm heatproof container with plastic wrap.

Strain infused milk, removing zest. Whisk together egg yolks and 110 g sugar in a large bowl, then whisk in cornflour. Gradually pour over the infused milk, whisking constantly until combined.

Pour mixture into a clean saucepan. Add lemon juice, then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping the sides and base of the pan, for 4 minutes or until thickens. If it appears slightly lumpy, use a whisk to remove lumps. Keep stirring for 1 minute or until thick and smooth. Immediately transfer to the lined  container and cover with plastic wrap so it touches the surface of the custard. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 hours to set.

Turn custard out and cut into 5 slices, then cut each slice into 3 pieces. Combine remaining 150 g caster sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

Fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds).

Place lightly beaten eggs and plain flour into separate shallow bowls. 

Dip custard squares in egg to coat, draining off excess, then carefully coat in flour. Working in 3 batches, fry custard squares for 2 minutes or until light golden. 

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Roll in cinnamon sugar while hot and serve warm.

Cherry Ripe balls

It has been a talk about these Cherry Ripe balls lately throughout my FB page.. Just have to find out what the fuss is all about!... and they are so delighted! ..and super easy to make on one of those lazy days :) .. The hard part was ... Not to eat the ingredients before making it into balls! 

Ingredients

2 packets Choc Ripple Biscuits 

1 x 395 g tin condensed milk 

220g x Cherry Ripe bars, roughly chopped 

Coconut for coating

Method

Process biscuits into fine crumbs.

Mix biscuits, condensed milk, and chocolate bars together.

Roll into tablespoon-sized balls and roll in coconut.

Refrigerate.

Spicy Fried Chicken

I modified this Spicy fried chicken from the Chin Chin's chicken wings in Melbourne to suit my spicy taste bud :) .. I should really call this chook.. MFC (Manie Fried Chicken) ..  I used chicken maryland pieces instead of wings. Nice weekday lunch.. Either serve with coleslaw and hot chips or anything from steamed rice, mashed potatoes as you wish. 

1.5L stock 

4 pieces of chicken maryland or 8 drumsticks or 16 wings 

3/4 cup of hot chilli sauce

2 tbs garlic powder

1 tbs paprika powder

1 tbs curry powder

3 tbs vegetable oil

fish sauce, for dipping

Self rasing flour, for coating

vegetable oil, for frying

1/2 tbs sea salt

1/2 tbs cracked black pepper

Dipping sauce 

1 stem lemongrass (pale part only), finely chopped

1 small knob ginger, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 large red hot chilli, crushed

100g palm sugar, grated

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 kaffir lime leaf, finely chopped

fish sauce, to taste

Method:

In a bowl, mix hot chilli sauce, garlic powder, paprika powder, curry powder and 3 tbs vegetable oil.

In a large heavy-based pot, bring stock to the boil. Add chicken wings and return to the boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 5–10 minutes (the meat should be very tender). Take off the heat then remove wings from liquid and place on a tray. Allow to cool. Marlinate the chicken with the sauce mixture and cover. Put it in the fridge overnight or at least few hours.

In the meantime, make the dipping sauce by pounding the lemongrass, ginger, garlic and chillies to make a paste. Put to one side then in the same mortar and pestle start dissolving the palm sugar with a bit of lemon juice. Rub that in slowly, adding more juice as you go. When it dissolves into a paste, mix together with the pounded chilli mixture, kaffir lime leaf and a splash of fish sauce. Taste and add more fish sauce if you think it needs it.

To finish the chicken, dip in fish sauce then self rasing flour, shaking off any excess. Deep-fry in hot oil until crisp and golden (about 10 minutes).

Arrange on a serving plate, sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Serve with dipping sauce in a dipping bowl.You’ll have some dipping sauce left over, which will keep for about a week in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Angelique's best carrot cake in Australia

This cake won the Australia best carrot cake, by Angellique Lazarus from Sydney "This cake really fitted the bill,'' said Allan Campion. ''It is something you might throw into a bowl in the home kitchen with a quick stir and put it in the oven. It is homely, honest and easily done.''

Judges: 

Allan Campion, chef, author and tour guide; 

Matt Dawson, chef at Captain Baxter; 

Suzanne Farrell, of Fringe Food Festival; 

Phillippa Grogan, of Phillippa's Bakery, Melbourne; 

Neil Hargreaves, of group n.b.; 

Michael James, of Tivoli Bakery, Melbourne; 

Leon Mugavin, owner of Leaf Store, Elwood.

Ingredients

CAKE

375g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp bicarb soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

2 tsp salt

345g castor sugar

375ml vegetable oil

4 eggs

3 medium carrots, grated

220g tin crushed pineapple, drained

200g pecans, chopped

GLAZE

2 tbsp vegetable oil

110g brown sugar

2 tbsp milk

40g pecans, chopped

ICING

250g cream cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes

125g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes

500g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Methods

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan). Grease a 23cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and oil, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix well then add the carrots, crushed pineapple and pecans. Mix to form a smooth batter and pour into the cake tin.

3. Bake for 30 minutes then quickly prepare the glaze by placing all the ingredients for it in a small saucepan and heating over medium heat, stirring, until all the ingredients are combined.

4. Pull the cake out on the oven rack and carefully pour the glaze over the cake.

5. Bake for the rest of the baking time, roughly 40 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin on a wire rack. The glaze will have melted onto the tin, so take a butter knife or metal spatula and run it carefully around the inside of the tin. Upend and allow to cool on the wire rack.

6. Prepare the frosting by whipping the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence together in a bowl. Put the cake, bottom side down, on a serving plate and cover the top of the cake with frosting. Allow to set for several hours before serving.

Rich Chocolate cake

Chocoholic heaven... Rich Chocolate cake :) very simple and easy to make this very rich and moist chocolate cake.. 

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1 cup plain flour

1 cup  sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup boiling water

Chocolate Frosting

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup cocoa

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon espresso powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare 10 x 20 cm cake tin or 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.

For the cake:

Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.

Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

Frost cake with Chocolate Frosting.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.

Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.

Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.

Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.

If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Buttery Shortbread

When the shortbread was baking in the oven half way, there was a hail storm here! .. Thank goodness that we didn't lose the power or I would be eating half cooked batter for tea! .. should I call it hail storm shortbread ? :D

Ingredients

1 cup (250 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup (30 g) icing sugar

¼ cup (60 g) granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups (235 g) plain flour

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 150°C

Have ready an ungreased 9-inch (23-cm) square baking pan or similar.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the icing sugar and the ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb. 

Beat in the vanilla.

Sift the flour and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.

Using floured fingertips, press the dough evenly into the pan. Sprinkle evenly with the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Bake the shortbread until the edges are golden, about 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a thin, sharp knife to cut the shortbread into strips 3 x 1 inch. Use a toothpick or the tines of a fork to decorate the shortbread with a pattern of dots. Let the strips cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely.

Great with a cuppa.

Thin Crust Pizza

Pizza is one of my favourite Italian dish.. I never made one myself.. But after failed ordering one from local pizza shop to deliver today.. I made one! .. Yummmmmmm .. wonder if I ever order pizza delivery again! :D

Ingredients (for a small pizza for one)

Dough 

2 teaspoons yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup hot water (not boiling)

1 cup plain flour plus extra kneading 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce (Or you can use ready made pizza sauce)

4 tbs  tomato paste 

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp basil (dry or fresh)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Toppings 

6-8 thin slices ham 

1/2 medium thinly slized tomato

1 sliced mushroomm

1-2 tbs finely sliced Spanish onion

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

 

Dough

Dissolve yeast and sugar in hot water.

Let sit for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile mix flour and salt.

Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well with a heavy spoon.

Turn onto floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.

Spread into a 9 inch circle. If you have a pizza stone, roll it out directly there otherwise;

Roll it out on a lightly floured counter top, transfer to a greased pizza pan, stretching to the edges of the pan.

Preheat oven 220 degrees C.the crust for 4 minutes. Take from the oven.

Spread tomato paste, garlic, basil, salt and pepper, ham, mushroom, onions, and thinly sliced tomatoes. Return to oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, more depending on the thickness of crust due to size of pan you used.

Next, carefully add the cheese for bake for another 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly golden. The secret to a really tasty pizza is to cook it in stages.

Cheese and Bacon bread

I started to enjoy making bread traditionally way lately.. I made the dough last night and put it in the fridge until mid morning.. This bread isn't quick one but it worths the wait.. I had it for lunch with pea and ham soup.. It's so nice!.. Chewy texture inside and crispy outside.. I like it :) 

Ingredients

5 slices thick cut bacon, diced

125g shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (shred yourself, not packaged)

1 tbs granulated yeast

1 1/2 cup lukewarm water (body temperature is perfect and will not damage yeast)

2 1/4 cups bread flour plus more for dusting

3/4 tbs kosher salt

1 tbs butter

1 tbs corn flour 

Methods

Cook bacon over medium heat until brown and crunchy. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.

Add yeast to your dough mixing bowl. Pour in warm water and give the yeast a little stir with a wooden spoon. 

Add flour and salt. Start mixing with a wooden spoon, use your hands as necessary to fully wet the flour and salt. 

Add the cheese and bacon into the dough until fully combined. 

Cover dough with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for at least 3 hours. 

After 3 hours place dough in the refrigerator overnight. This helps make the dough less sticky and easier to work with.)

When ready to bake, place a metal baking pan (not glass) on the bottom rack of the oven. Fill it with water. (This helps steam the bread, giving it the nice crust.)

Preheat oven to 220C, the water will heat up during the preheat. 

Meanwhile, butter the bottom of a baking tray and sprinkle corn flour over the butter to prevent the bread from sticking.

Sprinkle the dough with flour and flour your hands as well. 

Divide the dough into two even loaves, shaping each into a ball. Place on the baking tray, several inches apart. Sprinkle generously with flour. (You can also bake one at a time, saving the dough in the refrigerator for another day.) 

Let rest on the baking tray for 30 minutes.

Just before putting it in the oven, score the top of dough with a sharp knife ( x or any pattern you may like) cutting it right into the dough.

Bake for 30 -45 minutes or until it fully cooked and brown outside. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes before slicing...serve warm with your favourite soup or just eat it as is.. I had it with pea and ham soup and it was delicious!

Coconut and Macadamia brownies

Warning : do not lick raw batter off the wooden spoon or the bowl because it was yummmm :D 

Ingredients

150g butter, chopped

1 cup (firmly packed) soft brown sugar

150g  dark chocolate, chopped

3 eggs

100g plain flour

80g cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

100g macadamia nuts, chopped 

1/2cup shredded coconut 

 

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease an 18 x 28cm cake tin with the melted butter or margarine and line the base of the pan with non-stick baking paper.

Place butter, brown sugar and chocolate in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until well combined

Remove from heat and beat in the eggs using a wooden spoon.

Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder into the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in macadamia nuts & coconut.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until firm and until a few crumbs cling to a skewer when it's inserted into the centre.

Antipasto pullapart loaf

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups plain flour

2 tsp dried yeast

2 tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to sprinkle

1 tsp caster sugar

2/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil, plus extra

2 cups finely shredded English spinach

150g feta, crumbled

90g olives, thinly sliced

90g sundries tomato, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely shredded basil

Methods

Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add the combined water and oil and stir. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.

Grease a 10 x 20cm loaf pan or 9" cake tin if you want round shape. Gently punch down dough. Knead for 2 minutes or until dough returns to its original size. Divide into eight even portions. Roll 1 portion into into a 10 x 20cm rectangle, about 5mm-thick. 

Combine feta, basil, us dried tomatoes, olive, and spinach in a bowl.

Top one-eight of the filling on each dough and roll to enclose filling. Cut in half widthways. Place side by side and cut-side down in the pan. 

Continue with remaining ingredients. Cover and place in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen to the top of the pan.

 

Lightly brush dough with extra oil. Sprinkle with extra sea salt flakes. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Serve warm.

Coconut and Fruits Palmiers

Ingredients

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

60g dried fruits 

60g desiccated coconut

60g cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice

60mL/ 1/4 cup water

1 egg (approximately 60g), lightly beaten

3 tablespoons marmalade, to glaze

Method

1.Combine the coconut, sugar, spice and water in a small bowl and stand for 25 minutes. 

 

2. Preheat oven at 200C. Line baking paper on baking tray.

Spread half of dried fruits over each sheet. Use rolling pin, roll the fruits onto pastry.

Spread half the mixture over each sheet of pastry.

Then loosely roll in from both sides, until joined in the centre. Brush with beaten egg. 

 

3.Cut each roll into 1.5cm slices and place onto baking trays. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Warm marmalade in a small saucepan or in the microwave; brush over palmiers and leave to cool.

Palmiers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. They are delicious served with coffee after dinner.

 

White Christmas

I'm dreaming of a "White Christmas" or two or three or more!..  ...no, not only in the dream.. We can have white Christmas in Oz :) .. Easy to make and very nice with cuppa...

Ingredients

500g white chocolate melts

1 1/2 cups rice bubbles

100g red glace cherries, halved

60g flaked almond

160g sultanas

90g desiccated coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Line a 30cm x 20cm baking pan with baking paper. 

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don't let bowl touch water). 

Fold in the remaining ingredients. 

Pour mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down with a large metal spoon. 

Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

Turn slice onto a chopping board. Using a knife that has been dipped in hot water, cut into squares.

Savoury muffins

Get a little bored with sweet stuff? .. Baking some savoury muffins for a change .. Easy, quick and delicious!! Don't think there will be any leftover for freeze!.

Savoury muffins

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup self-raising flour

100g butter, melted, cooled

1 cup grated cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

100g feta cheese, crumbled

100g sliced ham, diced

50g semi-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

2 tablespoons spring onions chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a 12-hole.

Sift flour into a large bowl. Make a well in centre. Pour butter, egg and milk into a jug. Stir to combine. Pour into well. Stir until almost combined. Fold through feta, ham, grated cheese, tomatoes and spring onions.

Spoon mixture into muffin holes. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside in pan for 1 minute. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Place muffins in an airtight container. Serve with butter.

Drunken Heineken chicken

It's Melbourne cup day!.. Not that I do anything much, not even putting the bet on!.. Bur good excuse to have nice lunch :).. This drunken chicken is so nice and moist! One of the best roasted chicken I've cooked!

Ingredients

1 large whole chicken (approx. 1.5kg)

1 can of Heineken lager or any lager

For the rub:

2 heaped teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 heaped teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon mild chilli powder

2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

sea salt

ground black pepper

olive oil

Method

Preheat oven or barbie to 200°C. 

Take your chicken out of the fridge while you make your rub. 

mix all the herbs and spices with 3-4 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl until you get a nice paste. Drizzle this rub all over the chicken, inside and out, using your hands.

Crack your beer open, have a couple of good swigs so your can is just about half full, then lower your chicken's cavity on to the top of the can so it looks as though the chicken is sitting on the can. A bit undignified, I know, but trust me – it's going to be yummy!

Carefully sit the chicken on the bars of your barbecue or in a tray on the very bottom of your oven. Cook for around 1 hour 30 minutes or until it's golden and delicious and the meat pulls away from the bone and the juices run clear. If this isn't the case (all barbecues and ovens are slightly different) just cook for a bit longer. 

Once done, remove the can and loosely cover your chicken with foil and a tea towel while you get some grilled veg, salad and warm breads together – but trust me, it tastes so good you won't need much else.

Banana and Fruits bread

I got up early this morning doing some computer work and needed an energy booster brekky.. Had few ripen bananas .. too ripe to eat them raw.. The Banana and fruits bread was on the brekky menu then, it was so easy and quick to make. I kept on working while it baked in the oven.. Smell of loaf cooking is to die for!..

Ingredients

110g butter

110g sugar 

2 eggs

3 or 4 bananas (could leave one for end so less mashed)

225g Self Rasiing Flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon cinammon

150g dried fruit

Method

Preheat oven at 180 C

Cream together the butter and sugar.

Add the beaten eggs.

Mash 2 or 3 of the bananas and chop up one banana, add to the butter and egg mixture and stir to mix.

Sift and fold in the flour, bicarb, cinnamon and dried fruits.

Bake in a greased and lined 900g or 2lbs loaf tin for an hour at 180 C

Fruit scones

I had some leftover dried fruits from the other day.. so making this fruit scones for morning / afternoon tea.. 

Ingredients:

50g butter

2 cups plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

30g caster sugar

100g dried fruits

150 ml milk

1 egg beaten with a little milk

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 200C

Generously grease a baking sheet with butter then sprinkle with flour.

Sieve the flour into a roomy baking bowl, add the cubed butter, the baking powder and salt. Quickly rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar and the dried fruits, mix well.

Make a well in the center and using a dinner knife, stir in enough milk to make a soft, pliable dough.If the dough is too sticky sprinkle with a little flour.

Turn the mixture on to a floured board and knead very lightly until just smooth then lightly form into small round dough.

Place on the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture. 

Bake near the top of the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.

Cool on a wire rack before eating.

Serve with butter, or lashings of jam and cream. Delicious.