Mascarpone & mango pavlova with mango in vanilla syrup

My steps were short and heavy as my arms bowed under the weight of bags straining to hold their profusion of Christmas-presents-to-be.  I exhaled sharply as I lifted my legs over the front step, exhausted from many hours of shopping and the stinging neck pains that resulted.

At that moment, while I was fumbling for keys, two white butterflies unhurriedly danced between my legs, as if I were a calm tree, and not some crazed woman with holiday frustration. I forgot my search for the keys, my arms no longer complained of exertion and I exhaled with a smile, not a burden. Their dance around my ankles may have only lasted a few seconds, but in those seconds I was refreshed and I could hear my heart laughing. Somehow that one moment erased all of the irritation I had collected during my Christmas shopping.

With my butterfly-induced good mood I decided to make something as equally refreshing and wonderful.

Mascarpone & mango pavlova with mango in vanilla syrup

4 egg whites
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
Mascarpone & mango filling
125g mascarpone
1/3cup thick cream
200ml mango puree (about 1 1/2 mangoes)
1/4tsp vanilla extract
Mango in vanilla syrup
75 (1/3cup) caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cinnamon stick
2 mangoes peeled, stone removed and thinly sliced

Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhite until firm peaks form, then gradually add caster sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well until sugar is dissolved before adding more, and beat until thick and glossy. Divide mixture among two base and side-lined 22cm springform pans and bake at 140C for 1 hour until firm and dry to the touch. Turn oven off and cool pavlovas with door ajar. For mascarpone and mango filling, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until firm peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced and of a syrupy consistency. Place mango slices in a bowl, pour warm syrup over, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Place the less perfect meringue on a serving plate, spoon filling over, then top with remaining meringue. Serve slices of pavlova with mango in vanilla syrup.

ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 10mins to get the pavlova into the oven (make the rest while it cooks for an hour and cools).
cooking time: 5mins to put it all together.
total: 1 hour and 40mins (includes cooling in the oven).

taste: 4.5/5. Beautiful, fragrant vanilla with sweet cinnamon hits your tastebuds first followed by creamy, mango puree that dissolves to reveal chewy, sweet pavlova before your mouth is refreshed by the juicy mango slices. The pavlova allows both incarnations of the mango to shine brightly and please your palate whilst providing a delicious base.

Despite cooking it for 10mins less than recommended, it had already browned too much and was therefore chewier - it also refused to yield to my knife as a donkey does to being pulled, causing the filling to come oozing out and the layers to flatten. Despite this, the flavours made up for the firmer texture and difficulty in serving it. Just keep an eye on it and if it starts to brown turn the oven off.

would I make it again: Yes - it has the potential to be a great dessert to serve to guests.

Lamb sausage roll

These were not on my list to be blogged, as it was a dinner, and dinner's tend to be late in the evening, when the light is poor and my energy spent.

However, halfway through his first roll, my husband insisted that I at least take some sort of rudimentary snap shot so that I could post it and other's could enjoy this recipe as much as he was. I, of course, obliged. So here they are, captured modestly, but eaten with fanfare.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 10mins (I used store bought puff pastry and harissa paste).
cooking time: 35mins.
total: 45mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Needless to say, hubby adored these, packed with flavour and easily edible without cutlery. Best of all, he didn't even feel the need to reach for the tomato sauce.
I halved the recipe to make three large sausage rolls.

would I make it again: Of course.

recipe: Great Australian Sausage Roll

Halfway cookies

The wind softly moved through the house like the soft hushing shake of a maraca. The rhythmic noise began to lull me into a calm trance as I sat in my sarong, beneath the cool licks of the air conditioner.

There is a new play in town, a one man show, with the Sun as it's star. It will be playing all week, from 6am til the moon closes it down at 9pm each night. Even while the Sun rests up for tomorrow's show, everyone will be talking about it all night long as they kick off the sheets in their sweat coated sleep.

During the day as I pick individual cherries from a box of cerise jewels I am asked my opinion on this show, 'Man, that sun is strong ain't it?' or 'How about that heat?'. It seems the Sun, who has played its role harsh and fierce, doesn't have many fans. Most are looking forward to the plays end on Sunday night, when we have been told to expect another crowd dividing show, The Thunderstorm Time, this is a cast ensemble with lightening as the lead and thunder as the supporting role - the ominous clouds provide the scenery with some fleeing birds singing the chorus. I don't mind the play, as long as I can watch mostly from my air conditioned home, with front row viewing only occasionally.

With the Sun playing loudly every day, I decided to watch from the shade of my kitchen, as I baked something sweet to nibble on during intermission. I should note that I waited two days to photograph these as I was too busy eating them. The photos don't do them justice as the ones shot were cold from the fridge, turning their fudgy, moistness dry and firm. But believe me, these are anything but dry and firm.


ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 18mins to oven stage.
cooking time: 20mins (I cooked them for 25 which was a touch too long).
total: 38mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Straight from the oven your nostrils are showered with the milk drinking sweetness that only a cookie can bring. The base is chewy but soft, with a lovely doughy centre, a hybrid between cookie and cake. The next layer is indulgent and all semi-melted chocolate, soft and tongue coating. Lastly, there's the sweet, caramel meringue topping that covers the slice like a low flying cloud, occasionally allowing a brief glimpse of coffee coloured chocolate peaks or even cakie (cookie/cake) valleys.
It is sweet without being overwhelmingly so. Even after two days they are still good. Although take them out of the fridge a good 30mins before you want to eat them as the cold turns them hard and dry (like you see in the pictures). Note: you may need to add extra liquid to the cookie base, and perhaps a lighter hand with the chocolate.

would I make them again: Yes.

recipe: Halfway cookies

Baked pears with spiced mascarpone

Whilst most of my desserts are selected due to their desirability, aesthetics or occasion, sometimes they are chosen in an endeavor to use up left over ingredients that I do not wish to waste.

When I am choosing a dessert for this reason I look for one that would require me to purchase few additional ingredients, after all, the purpose of its selection is to save money by not wasting ingredients I already have, not to spend accruing more.

Pears are wonderful creatures; they are the perfect size for a quick snack, they pare incredibly well with certain meats and add a refreshing element to salads. What I love most about pears is that they can be an elegant, easy dessert with just a little baking or poaching. One of my most memorable desserts was a Poire belle Hélène - a gorgeous poached pear, vanilla ice cream and the most decadent of decadent chocolate sauces. Simple yet divine.

Less is always more with stand-alone pear desserts, just a simple syrup and maybe something dairy on the side. This recipe was not only easy and cheap regarding additional ingredients, but it looked like it would deliver on flavour and after all, flavour is everything.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 1hour (includes 15mins resting).
total: 1 hour & 5mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Delicious, warm and satisfying.
The pears are firm but yield willingly to the curve of your spoon.
The first taste you get is the lush, buttery vanilla syrup, slightly sweetened by the caramel brown sugar.
The mascarpone is cool and creamy on your tongue, imparting heady spices, soft sweetness and bitter orange before the gorgeous juicy pear comes through once again.
The pear is the star and although it gives way momentarily to the syrup and mascarpone, it shines through the end leaving you palate refreshed and ready for another bite.

I made the following modifications:

• I used 2 pears
• I quartered the pear syrup
• I used 1tsp vanilla seed paste instead of a vanilla bean since I quartered the recipe
• I quartered the mascarpone
• I used 1tsp mixed spice
• I used 1/2tsp orange zest
• I used 1tbs icing sugar

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: Baked pears with spiced mascarpone - from Super Food Ideas - July 2008, Page 82

Strawberry & vanilla cream sandwich

I do not like to play favourites; being one half of two siblings, I found it often left the unpicked feeling unwanted and unliked, as as the shy recluse, I tended to be the latter.

Saying that, I do have a favourite berry, which is difficult, as berries in general are all beautiful beings, some tart, some sweet, some plump and soft, and some firm and juicy. They, along with cherries, are the 'pin-up's of the fruit world with their vivacious colours and edibility. I love them all and would gladly take any offered (even those undesirable when eaten raw I will find a use for cooked). I would love to be original and say that the burgundy mulberry is my favourite but I'm going to side with the masses and pick the strawberry (both figuratively and literally) as my favourite berry.

If I had to list some reasons here would be a few examples:

• whilst their peak season in Australia is from September to January, they are grown all year round.
• they taste wonderful in all their unadorned rawness, as well as baked or pureed or sliced into sweets.
• they are fairly easy to grow in a pot on my back porch
• I haven't met one person yet who doesn't like them

One thing I do not do is buy frozen strawberries; absolutely horrible things. Whilst other berries freeze with flair, strawberries lose what makes them wonderful. Sinking my baby teeth into a luscious, fragrant strawberry gave me great joy, the same joy is experienced when taking a bite with my giant orthodontic-corrected adult teeth - years have not changed a strawberries taste.

I'm sure strawberries would bring joy to any hour they are eaten, but strawberries at breakfast are truly tantalising.

Like a mille-feuille with a leather jacket and a Harley - the thick, buttery brioche forms the foundation for this tower of carmine and magnolia. The squished berry remnants trickle onto the vanilla flecked, lush cream whilst the icing sugar lovingly powders the three tiers in readiness for it's drooling recipient. A fruit sandwich is sweetness in a conventional package.


Strawberry Sandwich
Makes 6

3 brioche rolls (80g each), cut into 1/2cm thick slices
1/2 cup thick cream
1 1/2 tbs icing sugar, plus extra to serve
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
350gm strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced

Toast brioche slices. Combine cream, 1/2tsp icing sugar and vanilla past in a bowl and whisk until thick.Place strawberries in a bowl, add remaining icing sugar and crush using a fork.
To serve, place 1/3 of brioche on a bench, spread with half the cream and top with half the strawberries. Repeat layering, finishing with a piece of brioche. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 10mins.
total: 10mins.

recipe: 4/5. The buttery brioche, sweetened with powdered sugar dissolves to a hint of vanilla cream before your mouth is filled with the juices of tartly sweet bruised strawberries. Quite light depsite it's other decadent ingredients.
Make sure you do not slice larger than 1cm as you may have trouble opening your mouth wide enough. The only downside; missed strawberry stains on your cheek whilst out in public.

would I make it again: No - it was lovely, but not lusting after another one (and brioche loaves are a little hard to find in my area).

Tropical smoothie

My husband, dog and I are smoothie lovers.

We have at least one smoothie per week, more in Summer as the heat rises and our desire for something cold and refreshing (but also filling) increases. Most often I throw in whatever I have on hand, which often includes frozen bananas as a base. They add thickness, smoothness and coldness which are three things I need in a smoothie. I've tried a few recipes, some have been great, some not so great. The ones I make randomly tend to be best. Whilst a banana and cinnamon smoothie is our classic go-to, I felt like something more 'tropical' today.

Tropical Smoothie
serves 2 generously

1 small, chopped frozen banana
1/4 fresh pineapple, chopped
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped
1tbs honey
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup Greek yoghurt (or any plain)
1 scoop (2tbs) Vanilla protein powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 5mins (chopping involved).
cooking time: 1min (to blend).
total: 6mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Pineapple, with its juicy, clean sourness comes out first followed by citrusy orange juice, tart, seedy kiwifruit and finally creamy, tangy yoghurt. The smooth, creamy coconut milk comes in next before a hint of sweet vanilla and honey round it all off. Refreshing, interesting and bursting with Summer time tastes.

would I make it again: Yes.

Grilled vegetable burger

Short post today as I have too many other things to cook!

Grilled vegetable burger
adapted from Donna Hay Magazine
change amounts to suit serving size

eggplant slices (I bought some pre-grilled from a deli)
tomatoes (I used semi dried tomatoes)
haloumi
onion, sliced
olive oil
baby spinach
burger buns
1tbs harissa paste
4tbs mayonnaise

Heat oil in pan and cook sliced onion over medium heat until caramelised put semi dried tomatoes and eggplant sliced in pan to warm up. Set aside. Brush haloumi with olive oil and fry in pan until golden, should only take a few minutes.
Meanwhile, brush split burger buns with oil and place under griller until browned on top.
Mix harissa paste and mayonnaise together until combined, spread over burger buns. Top one bun with baby spinach, grilled eggplant, semi dried tomatoes, haloumi and caramelised onions then top with other half of bun. Serve with extra baby spinach drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 20mins to do onions and assemble burger (if you grill your eggplant and roast your tomatoes it may take longer).
total: 20mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Super tasty, Ryan even loved it despite the lack of meat. Great flavours.

would I make it again: Yes.

Harissa chicken & sweet potato with baby spinach & tzatziki

Short and sweet today as I am absolutely exhausted from moving all weekend. Good news is that my husband only has a few boxes left to sort on Monday, but other than that everything is ready for running the store come Monday.


Harissa chicken & sweet potato with baby spinach & tzatziki
adapted from Donna Hay No Time To Cook
serves 2

4 chicken thighs, de-boned
1 sweet potato, sliced to around 3mm thick
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
3tbs harissa paste
3tbs olive oil
2 tsp sea salt

Combine chicken thighs with 1tbs harissa paste, 1tbs olive oil and 1tsp salt.
Combine sweet potato with 2tbs harissa, 2tbs olive oil and 1tsp salt
Heat grill and grill chicken 15mins or until cooked through and sweet potato around 4mins per side or until semi-soft.
Scatter spinach leaves unto plate and top with chicken and sweet potato, serve with a dollop of tzatziki.

ease: 5/5. prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 15mins.
total: 20mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Great flavour for a super easy and quick meal. The slightly wilted spinach leaves give way to sweet but spicy sweet potato and succulent chicken, the heat is then soothed by the tangy, creamy tzatiki. The simple, clean flavours go together beautifully in this healthy dinner.

would I make it again: Yes.

Chicken with shallots, prunes, & Armagnac

This week is the final week that my husband will be working from home.

Monday sees him off during the hours of 10am-6pm Monday through Friday with a couple of hours on Saturdays. I'm excited for the possibilities the new change will afford us, but I am also a little sad as we won't be together. Perhaps it is because we have only been together for 5 years, and that we are still young, but I have a little separation anxiety (or maybe a lot) when it comes to being without loved ones, especially my husband.

Time will no doubt get me accustomed to the change, but in the meanwhile I am trying to savour every minute I can with him and as a result I am spoiling him rotten (and overfeeding him) with meals and snacks. I can't help that I show love by cooking, but I think his belly may not appreciate the inevitable expansion from this week long feasting.

My husband seems to have a taste for French chicken recipes, so I thought I'd give another one a try as it's always nicer when a new meal is liked, rather than disliked, and as I've tried to tell him, I can never tell which ones will transfer well from recipe to reality as it's all in the eating. Tonight's dish is that little bit special due to some Armagnac, not something I'd use often.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 20mins.
cooking time: 20mins.
total: 40mins.

taste: 5/5. Hubby absolutely loved this - 'I would pay $50 for this'. I ummed and ahed over whether to use a regular Brandy or go out and purchase the Armagnac, after looking at some comparisons on the internet I decided that I would get the Armagnac (and find some other recipes to put it to good use since we aren't drinkers). I am glad I bought it, I'm not sure how big a part it played in the overall enjoyment of the dish, but I wouldn't make this dish again without it. The chicken was succulent, Ryan particularly liked the shallots, and the prunes added a nice gritty texture. He could taste the alcohol and felt it brought everything together.

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: Chicken with Shallots, Prunes, and Armagnac

Sofia's halva

Tastes from our childhood become such an integral part of who we are.

Foods that we loved as children, especially if made by someone we love, fill us with a deep memory-based happiness in our adult lives upon eating them again. As much as I can love a dish I have made now, it will never compete against delicacies like my grandmother's lentil soup (Faki), my mother's chicken parmigiana (when I used to eat meat, I could have eaten this every day) or store-bought Pfeffernüsse gingerbread biscuits given to me each time I visited my Nanna and Great Nanna.

If I had to pick just one childhood treat, it would have to be my Yia yia's (Sofia) semolina Halva. She would put them into these little lego-coloured bumpy moulds and I could not stop at just one - ever. The most I had in one sitting was four, and for a 6 year old matchstick thin little girl, that was enough to make my stomach stretch to an unheard of size. My favourite place to eat them was in the homemade swing of a large, tiger striped blanket tied to two large tree boughs - my secret spot with my delicious treasure, absolute bliss.

However, one child's heaven-sent treat may most likely not be as appreciated by others who do not have the childhood memories attached. Whilst I love Halva, Ryan doesn't care for it, just as I don't care for his concoction of pasta with chicken stock and Kraft cheese singles. But there are those times when a person can enjoy someone else's childhood feast (just like I did with Ryan's grandmother's Ftira). So I can only suggest to give it a try, you might like it almost as much as I do.


Sofia's (Yia yia's) Semolina Halva
serves 8 -12

Syrup
2 cups sugar
4 cups water

Halva
1 cup oil
2 cups coarse semolina (I used fine, and it still worked out)
1/2 cup sultanas
1tsp cardamom
cinnamon to sprinkle on top
crushed walnuts to sprinkle on top ( or fold through if you prefer)

Place sugar and water in a saucepan and over medium heat stir until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

In a larger saucepan heat oil. Drop one piece of lemon peel into oil to test temperature and then discard lemon peel. Pour semolina into oil and stir until semolina is lightly browned (NOTE: I have been told by my aunt that the semolina should be browned further, more towards brown sugar in colour).
Add sugar syrup gradually - BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL as syrup with cause the semolina to sputter. Continue until all the syrup has been mixed into the semolina and turn off the heat. Stir through cardamom and sultanas and pour semolina into a mould/s of your choice. Let them set for at least 5 mins and then turn out onto a plate whilst the semolina is still warm.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and walnuts. Enjoy.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 1min to get ingredients.
cooking time: 14mins - make semolina whilst making sugar syrup.
total: 15mins.

taste: 5/5 (I am biased on this one). What can I say? Aromatic cinnamon and cardamom give way to a vanilla-esque semolina with plump, tartly sweet sultanas and then crunchy walnuts. Each bite reminds me of childhood joy and my grandmother.

would I make it again: Yes.

Sauteed bananas with cardamom praline sauce

Bananas in pyjamas are coming down the stairs
Bananas in pyjamas are coming down in pairs
Bananas in pyjamas are chasing teddy bears
Cos on Tuesdays they all like to catch them unawares

Can you call a banana sexy? Put the phallic symbolism aside, as a fruit, would you call it sexy? Cherries, figs and peaches would probably be the best contenders for this race if it were based on them being unadorned, in only their original skins.

However, draped in luscious praline with velvet vanilla ice cream and intoxicating exotic cardamom, I think these bananas are tres sexy indeed. These bananas are not in their pyjamas, they are in silk negligees, yummy edible negligees.

I must admit that I was intrigued into giving this recipe a second look due to its simplicity rather than the sum of its parts. Yet when I saw what lovely, reliably delicious ingredients accompanied said bananas, I already had my finger ready to bookmark.

What I love most about Epicurious (apart from being able to read recipes from Bon Appetit and Gourmet which would otherwise cost me $16AUD each to buy way down under in Australia) is that all those who cook the recipe, can write their opinions on everything from how it tastes to what their experiences were with the method. I know everyone's tastebuds are unique, and what pleases some may in all likelihood not please all, but on the whole, when a dish comes only with praises, you can decently expect that your efforts will be rewarded with tasty food. Apart from being able to easily keep in touch with loved ones, finding a multitude of recipes that would have otherwise never entered my kitchen is what I love about the Internet.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 1min.
cooking time: 5mins.
total: 6mins.

taste: 4.5/5. YUM. The sauce is divine - smooth, unctuous and lusciously sweet with the slightest perfumed cardamom and a tang of lime. It envelopes the crispy, soft caramelised bananas and velvety ice cream beautifully. I made the following changes:

• 1tbs butter to fry two bananas
• 1/2tsp cardamom (I could have even used a touch more)
• I halved the bananas but kept the sauce the same has I can always want more sauce (as you can see from the drowning bananas in the picture).

would I make it again: Yes - quick and tasty for minimal effort.

recipe: Sauteed bananas with cardamom praline sauce

Honeycomb butterscotch & tapioca pudding

Sleepless nights or frequent wakings have been a nightly occurrence for me since the age of 14.

Last night was a little more interrupted than usual. It started off with my husband coming to bed at 2am, with the subtly of an elephant. Then around 3am came the first siren, one of 4, which included a very loud and hurried fire engine. Then as usual at 7am the construction of the house behind us began and from there I don't think I fell asleep once, my husband on the other hand slept straight through to 10:30am. Lucky bastard.

To stave off the inevitable irritability caused by sleep deprivation, I decided I wanted to make something gooey, sweet and warm for lunch that I could eat in my corner of our couch.

As a child I would mix up and muddle a lot of things, butterscotch being one of them. My palate was unrefined to say the least, and I often mistook butterscotch for caramel. As I got older I realised the difference and more often chose to make butterscotch as it has a much higher success rate for me than caramel does (white sugar has a vendetta against me, that I am sure of).

I've had a bag of tapioca seeds in my pantry forever, so I thought this recipe would be a good starting point to using it up. Expect some more tapioca entries to come.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 15mins to fridge stage.
cooking time: 10mins to cool and whip cream.
total: 25mins.

taste: 4.5/5. I made a mistake in that I did not soak my non-instant tapioca overnight so they remained tiny and crunchy, the boys however did not mind and wolfed them down the same.
The pudding is a smooth, sweet caramel-y butterscotch which is softened by the cloud-like sweetened cream and the crunchy chocolate honeycomb bar scattered across the top. I used a Crunchie as the crushed candy bar. It would have been even better with the chewy, gelatinous engorged tapioca pearls. Hubby found it a little sweet towards the end once the cream and chocolate had run out.

would I make it again: Yes - fairly quick, simple treat for dessert.

recipe: http://www.mytartelette.com/2008/01/toffee-butterscotch-tapioca-pudding.html

Kefta with garlic yoghurt sauce

Many meals and snacks are served up in my kitchen daily, only a tiny few manage to make it to my blog.

Whilst I enjoy cooking, most of the time I can't be bothered dragging out my tripod and setting up a picture. Lately most of the photographs were taken last minute without fuss and without any prettying up. Just like today's post, which exceeded expectations and therefore warranted a mention on my blog.

This was a quick, easy meal for a Monday night. My husband loved it so much that I thought I'd share it with you.

I slightly modified this recipe from Gourmet Traveller.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 20mins. Make sauce whilst kefta are in the fridge - the lamb balls took around 8mins to make and roll so I left them in the fridge for about 12mins.
cooking time: 8mins
total: 28mins - less if you refrigerate them for under 12mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Hubby really loved these and wolfed them down in less than 5mins. He loved the sultanas the most but felt everything went well and was tasty.

The original recipe called for 1/2 a grated onion which I did not have, but I would add that next time.

Lamb Kefta with garlic sauce
serves 2 (makes 15 sans grated onion)

500g lamb mince
1tso minced garlic
1 tbs ras el hanout
1/4cup parsley leaves
1 egg
1/2 tsp dried chilli
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbs sultanas
25gm pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper
oil to cook

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
1 tbs Tahini
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper

Combine 500g lamb with garlic, ras el hanout, parsley, dried chilli, egg, breadcrumbs, sultana, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Using your hands, wet hands and roll mixture into 3cm balls and refrigerate before cooking.
Heat oil in a large fry pan and cook meatballs, turning once, for 8mins or until cooked.

For sauce mix yoghurt with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and then season with salt and pepper.

Serve kefta with yoghurt to the side.

French toast with cinnamon pears

We have timidly begun a new tradition in my home.

For the past three weeks, each Thursday, my father and brother make the 2min drive to my home to have breakfast with my husband and myself (and our dog Yoshi). Although they struggle to make it here by 10am (which I personally don't consider to be that early, but I guess I didn't inherit my family's 'vampire' gene), they eventually come rolling in, still sleepy eyed, to feast on treats with us.

The past two Thursdays I have made pancakes, but today I thought I'd deviate a little and make french toast instead, with some fruit thrown in for good measure (and nutrients).

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 15mins to make 8 slices of french toast and poached pears.
total: 20mins

taste: 4.5/5. As I guessed, everyone loved these. Anything that involves sugar, maple syrup and fruit tends to be a hit. The toast was spongy, soft and crunchy whilst the pears were softly firm with just a hint of cinnamon, the syrup they were cooked in went beautifully with the dish. I made the following modifications:

• I used sour dough white bread
• I used around 1/4cup maple syrup

I wish I had added some star anise or cloves to spice it up a little as I felt the cinnamon was too subtle for me, I prefer my pears a little spicier.

would I make it again: Yes, with some extra spicing up and an extra pear.

recipe: French toast with spiced pears

Buttermilk cinnamon pancakes with maple vanilla apples

My family are pancake lovers, and we have no qualms about sharing our love for pancakes with everyone who comes to eat with us.

As we have eaten pancakes for as long as I can remember, the only tricky thing is finding ways to spice them up so that we will never get bored of eating them (I always ordered the Alice in Wonderland from the Pancake Parlour for around 16 years before I tried something else, so I guess it would take a lot for me to get bored of pancakes).

As you know I loved the chai buttermilk pancakes I made a while ago, but I felt like something fruity and less spicy, so I played Dr Frankenstein and merged this recipe with this recipe and ended up with the pancake hybrid you see before you. I wasn't even going to post this as it was a last minute idea, but after everyone starting cooing over them I took a quick snap of my plate.

Buttermilk cinnamon pancakes with maple vanilla apples

2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled (omitted, didn't need it)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

for the apples:
2 granny smith apples sliced
2tbs butter
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1tsp vanilla seed paste

Whisk together buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla until combined. Mix together all the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combine. Set aside and let it rest for 5-10mins.

For apples, melt butter in a non-stick pan, add sliced apples and cook 3mins per side. Add cinnamon, vanilla paste and maple syrup and simmer for 5mins. Remove apples and reserve syrup.

Heat a nonstick pan and melt a little butter. Add 1/4cup amounts of pancake mixture, place 1 apple slice in the centre of the pancakes. Cook 1-2mins per side until the pancake is bubbling and then flip and cook for a further 1-2mins. Serve pancakes with leftover maple apples, the apple syrup from the pan and a dollop of cream.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 20mins.
cooking time: 16mins to make around 12 pancakes.
total: 36mins.

taste: 5/5. Everyone really loved these, my brother even ate them without the extra apples, syrup and cream and still loved them. The apples really are the star of this dish along with the syrup.

would I make it again: Yes.

Triple chocolate praline tart

Do you ever have those days where you say, to hell with it, I'm going all out?

Well today I was feeling decadent, and decided that for dinner with my family I would make rich, creamy, over-the-top foods, sure to satisfy your taste buds and no doubt expand your waistline. My kind of food :). To follow a Cauliflower Pecorino soup (highly recommended) I thought what better than a TRIPLE chocolate tart - you can never have too much of a good thing.

I apologise for the photos but as you can imagine, everyone dived into this and I had to take photos of the remnants that managed to survive the next day. As a whole tart it really is gorgeous looking, the chocolate ganache topping is super shiny (obviously without the cling wrap marks in the photos). To make it a little snazzier you could probably put a little gold leaf in the center.


ease: 3.5/5. Takes a long time.
prep time: 2 hours & 35mins - to the blind baking stage.
cooking time: 5 hours - they recommend 1 hour for the final chilling stage but after 2 hours it still wasn't set, I would probably recommend 3 hours.
total: 7 hours & 35mins.

taste: 5/5. Oh My God - this tart is freakin' divine! Everyone loved it, as they would. It is a chocolate lovers dream. The bitter chocolate crust is like a cookie in texture, it gives way to crunchy, hazelnut toffee milk chocolate center which melts on your tongue upon impact, and then the bittersweet ganache topping comes in and brings it all together. It is the sort of tart you keep making trips to the fridge for. Well worth the HUGE amount of chilling time.
I made the following modifications:

• I used Lindt milk chocolate
• I did not bother to roast and skin the hazelnuts
• I used a raw cocoa (could not find Dutch process)
• A side note: my crust was a little dry and crumbly, but I kept it as written.

would I make it again: Do you need to ask?

recipe: Triple chocolate praline tart

Chai spiced buttermilk pancakes

I always feel a little disoriented on Mondays.

Having had my weekday routine bucked by my do-nothing weekend, it is always difficult getting back into the swing of things on a Monday. However many 'to-do' lists I may write, they never get completed on a Monday.

Today I thought I would forget the lists and just try to do as much as I could or wanted to do. So far that has included some dishes, a catch up with my Mum, one load of laundry, some light vacuuming and a few meals; quite decent for a Monday actually.

Since I was taking it slow this morning I had plenty of time to make whatever I felt like; and today that was fragrantly spiced, plump pancakes.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 7mins.
cooking time: 20mins to make 12 pancakes.
total: 27mins.

taste: 4.5/5. These were sublime! The pancakes are quite thick and moist and absolutely packed with spices. I found the flavour of the tea was the strongest followed by the other spices. I had this with maple syrup and it was the perfect accompaniment as it further enhanced the spices. On their own they are only very subtly sweet. I made the following modifications:

• I used a vanilla chai tea
• I doubled the spices
• I added an extra 2 tbs of milk
• I used 1tsp vanilla essence

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: Chai spiced buttermilk pancakes

Semolina porridge with orange rhubarb compote

I awoke this morning to the ill tempered wind, banging at my window like a toddler in the throws of a surly tantrum, trying to get my attention.

The clouds hung low, their gloomy sullenness carved into their bulging gunmetal faces; obviously in cahoots with the petulant wind. Together they stomped and wailed, whipping nature's debris into miniature whirlwinds and dousing the house with lashings of wet, unpleasant showers.

Even my adventurous dog, accustomed to the occasional drenching, did not want to venture outside during this episode. With very little light sneaking through the clouds domination over the sky, we all felt a little dormant and dull, huddled in our couch corners like hermits in their shell.

My favourite antidote to awaken us from our wintry slumber is a bowl of something warm, sweet and mushy. I didn't feel like oats today so I thought a more refined substitute was in order. Semolina and I go way back, and to this day, it has never failed to cheer me up.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 3mins.
cooking time: 12mins.
total: 15mins.

taste: 4.5/5. The comforting warmth of porridge with a much more luxuriously smooth texture. I absolutely loved this (my porridge hating hubby on the other hand only rated it a 3). The texture was soft and a little toothsome, with hints of orange zest and sweet honey. I made the following modifications:

• I only used 1/4c honey as I didn't want it too sweet
• I added 1/2tsp vanilla bean paste
• I used 1/2 an orange zested

To add more flavour to the vanilla, honeyed semolina with hints of orange bitterness, I topped it with this orange rhubarb compote. I felt the tart and tangy rhubarb went beautifully with the mellow, sweet semolina.

would I make it again: Yes - hubby will just have to suck it up. I would also add some cinnamon and cloves next time to give it some warmth for winter as well as a whole vanilla bean.

recipe: semolina porridge with candied cumquats

Blueberry and coconut friands

Seeing smiles upon everyone's faces after wolfing down something you made is a wonderful feeling.

Whilst most of the recipes I try are liked, some don't go down so well. The last and first friand I made was such a success I thought I'd give another recipe a try, this time with blueberries rather than mango.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 8mins.
cooking time: 15mins.
total: 23mins.

taste: 4.5/5. Everyone loved these - some found them a touch dry, but I think that was just due to the texture of the coconut (or maybe because I overcooked them for a minute), as I found them to have a gorgeous crispy, chewy exterior with a moist, fluffy interior dotted with tart but sweet bursts of blueberries. I used 7-8 frozen blueberries rather than 4-5 - probably could have used a touch more. It made seven 1/2cup friands.

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: Blueberry and coconut friands from Notebook: - January 2007, Page 141

Baklava muffins

Masterchef Australia began this week - and I must say it has been a long time since I looked forward to sitting down and watching a locally produced show on our free-to-air channels. Apart from the name it doesn't really share much of the structure of the UK version I am a fan of. Despite it's slightly more theatrical nature I am delighted to have a food show that showcases Australian produce and chefs.

There really is nothing quite like watching an hour of drool worthy food to get you out of hibernation and into an apron. Even my kitchen-shy husband felt inspired to cook, although that inspiration didn't manifest physically...


Expecting friends for an afternoon spent catching up, I wanted something sweet to eat with a pot of tea and good conversation. Oddly enough, although I have grown up with Greek food there just aren't many Greek sweets that I love. As I often find honey too sweet, I tend pass on desserts like baklava. My husband on the other hand absolutely loves it. I have avoided making it as I like to be able to devour everything I take the time to create. However, when I stumbled upon this recipe I immediately wanted to try it out and perhaps find a baklava inspired dish we will both love.


ease: 5/5.
prep time: 15mins.
cooking time: 15mins.
total: 30mins.

taste: 4.5/5. It is no surprise that hubby really loved these. I on the other hand, found the texture a little odd - very spongy, not muffin-like at all. The sweetness comes from the honey which helps to bring out the subtle cinnamon and walnuts - without the honey these would be lackluster. I also added 1/4tsp nutmeg to the muffin batter. Overall these are nice with only a little sweetness, although they are a little hard to eat as they stick to the papers.

would I make it again: Yes - might play around with the filling, and perhaps add a little more sugar to the batter.

recipe: Baklava Muffins