Peach berry pie

Do you ever have those weeks where you feel as though you are perpetually getting in and out of your car with hardly a moment to sit down with a cup of tea? Well, it's been one of those weeks for me. Each hour stretched to seam-splitting capacity with errands and work and no end in sight until next week arrives; couple that with rainy weather that leaves me sitting in my car looking like a miserable soggy cat hoping that my constant shivering is at least burning some extra calories makes coming back to my heated house and doing absolutely nothing seem like heaven on Earth.

Thanks to some skillful organising I managed to scrounge up a large enough time-chunk in one afternoon to bake a pie and actually eat it, s l o w l y. There's nothing like warm pie to give you strength to get back out there and do what you gotta do!

ease: 4/5.
prep time: 1 hour.
cooking time: 1 hour.
total: 2hours.

taste: 3/5. Middle of the road.

This pie was nice; it satisfied a sweet craving but didn't really offer much more than that. It did however, reignite my search for a great pie.


would I make it again: No - there are more pies to try!

recipe: http://www.waitingforgateau.com/pies.html

Orange, cinnamon & yoghurt pancakes

As the Starks of Winterfell would say, 'Winter Is Coming.'

Winter's scent of moist soil and wet pavement has already begun to fill the dampened air, taking colour from our cheeks to lend it to the tip of our chilled noses. Scarves are coiled and tucked beneath upturned collars in an effort to make ourselves airtight and safeguard our warmth. Most days bring at least a drizzle of rain, making hair strands glisten with watery crystals. In spite of the bitter weather, my husband and I still venture out to move our legs and discover our surrounds. Each walk reveals something new, our most frequent one divulged a magical patch of fairy-esque toadstools, their cherry-red caps spotted snow white standing apart from the emerald grass and decaying leaves of Autumn's shedding; it was one of our best discoveries. I am sure we will continue our walks far into Winter's depth as our braving of the cold only makes coming home that much sweeter; like stepping into a cosy embrace.

Whilst Winter might be looming on my doorstep, within my dwelling I fight off frostbite with foods that remind me of sunny days and balmy breezes. For me, the bold sun-drenched colour of oranges along with their fresh citrus kick full of life and zest never fails to rouse me from a Wintry slumber.

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 6mins each.
total: 17mins.

taste: 4/5. A stroll down Summer's lane.

These pancakes were delicious. I adored the tang of the yoghurt with the bright citrusy hit of orange that made these pancakes feel Summery. I also added a dash of cinnamon for some extra spice.


would I make it again: Yes.


recipes: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/March-2011/FreshTartSteph-Recipe-Orange-Yogurt-Pancakes/

Chocolate mousse & caramel tarts

Life is full of so many magical things. One particular joy I had the pleasure of experiencing recently was the beaming smile of a friend's child. One look at his cherubic face, lit up brighter than the evening star, and I was grinning ear to ear, filled with warmth and love. I wish my smiles were as pure as those of babes. Being around children helps to remind you of the multitude of possibilities of happiness. I have seen little ones giggle with glee at the sight of a funny face, or laugh hysterically at the sound of paper being torn in two. Joy in the little things, that's the key to happiness.

One of life's small pleasures is chocolate. Even my husband marvelled recently at its ability to induce bliss from the moment it begins to melt on your tongue, 'no other food has that effect on me' he said in between mouthfuls of cocoa goodness.

"Other things are just food. But chocolate’s chocolate." - Patrick Skene Catling

I couldn't agree more.

Excuse the ganache in this shot, the ugliness is thanks to some clingwrap and refrigeration.

 

ease: 3/5.
prep time: 2hours & 30mins for the pastry to be ready.
cooking time: 4hours to chill caramel, mousse and ganache.
total: 6hours & 30mins.

taste: 3.5/5. Ooey gooey fluffy chewy with a little crunch as well.

The mousse was fluffy and luxurious whilst the ganache was rich and fudgy. I think I took the caramel a whisper too far as it edged towards a slight bitterness, and to be able to stand up against the chocolate you need that sweetness instead. The pastry was nice and crumbly and overall it was a pleasant dish, but for some reason it just didn't 'knock my socks off'. Perhaps too many layers of sweetness without a spice or some contrasting flavour? I really don't know why I didn't love this more.

would I make it again: No - too time intensive for me without a big enough payoff.

recipe: http://www.citrusandcandy.com/2010/03/chocolate-and-caramel-mousse-tart.html

Persimmon & sultana muffins

Since getting hitched I have had not one gentleman caller that was not related to me stop by; my husband is now the only one who rings my bell, so to speak. Until recently that is. You see, I have had another visitor frequent my doorstep, perhaps you know him?


He smells of childhood safety and sugary spice. His footsteps leave prints of flour dust and tasty crumbs. He is warm and rotund and welcome any time of the day. Have you guessed his name yet? Perhaps this old rhyme will help...

 Do you know the Muffin Man?
The Muffin Man, the Muffin Man
Do you know the Muffin Man
Who lives in Drury Lane?

The Muffin Man has been a weekly guest at my home latey, I blame the biting damp and leaden sky for my need of comfort from this portable baked good.  Nibbled like a mouse, torn asunder or split evenly and spread with butter you can eat them any way you feel like. They get you from breakfast to lunch without any effort and leave your tummy satisfied and your mind soothed. How can you not love a muffin?

ease: 4.5/5
prep time: 15mins.
cooking time: 25mins.
total: 40mins.

taste: 4/5. Moist, substantial and somewhat addictive.

Straight off the bat, these aren't the prettiest muffins at the fair nor do they taste particuarly fanatstic upon the first bite. But something strange happens mid chew and you find yourself wanting to try some more, and then more and before you know it one muffin has dissappeared and your fingers are already reaching for its twin.

The persimmon in this is more of a moisture factor than flavour factor; it's a little too subtle when baked into a muffin but it does add a soft sweetness and absolutlely luscious crumb. The sultanas bring the jammy sweetness to the party and with hint of warm spices (I would add more next time), it is a rather addictive, mellow muffin.

This made 9 muffins.


would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: http://catesworldkitchen.com/2010/12/persimmon-muffins/

Porridge with poached apricots, honey & creme fraiche

"in omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro" 

Translation: Everywhere I have searched for peace and nowhere found it, except in a corner with a book

The pleasure of a good book is immeasurable to me. Getting lost within its pages whilst losing all concept of time is truly transporting and blissful. Most of my leisure time is spent exploring worlds within paper pages and black ink. Sometimes, however, I prefer something more visually tantalising such as a film or my favourite type of television program, a cooking show.

I had the serendipity of stumbling unto an episode of The Delicious Miss Dahl and became compeltely besotted with her adorable charm and quirky cooking. I particularly adored when she would read a quote from a book whilst sampling the products of her labour. I immediately asked my husband to obtain the other episodes and was crestfallen to learn that it had been prematurely cancelled and only a handful of episodes were made. This sadness was brief however, when I learned she had also penned a cookbook. A hasty trip to the library and I was back home, book in hand and a smile upon my face.

Needless to say her cookbook was a wonderful read, and I do mean read, as she not only spoke of her life but each seasonal recipe contained a snippet of her thoughts or humorous suggestions, such as "If its a rowdy sort of breakfast, you could also add some rum." Her words, and the gorgeous photography, were truly a delight.

Porridge with poached apricots & creme fraiche
adapted from Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl
serves 2

1 cup oats
2 cups milk
1/2cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
handful of apricots
1 cinnamon stick
3tbs creme fraiche
2tbs honey

Combine oats, water and milk over low-medium heat and cook for 10mins or until oats are soft.
Meanwhile, simmer apricots in orange juice with cinnamon stick in a small saucepan for 5mins or until plump.
Pour porridge into two bowls, top with apricots, a dollop of creme fraiche and a drizzle of honey.

ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 5mins.
cooking time: 10mins.
total: 15mins.

taste: 3.5/5. Too luxurious for me, but not for my other half.

Whilst I found the luscious creme fraiche and sweet, syrupy apricots too heavy to eat first thing in the morning, R thoroughly enjoyed it. Flavour-wise, the creamy oats pair wonderfully with the slightly tart but sweetly rounded plump apricots, hint of spicy cinnamon and rich, tangy creme fraiche.

would I make it again: No - it was all a bit too heavy for me, but for those who like to indulge, dig in.

Pumpkin pecan crunch muffins

 Today is Greedy Gourmand's 3rd Blogiversary.

I shall be celebrating quietly this day; there will be no candles to be extinguished nor cakes to be sliced, instead I will be sitting on my back porch, steaming cup of tea warming one hand with another leisurely picking at a muffin filled with Autumn's essence. Here's to your 3rd birthday, little blog.

ease: 4/5.
prep time: 20mins (does not include steaming pumpkin).
cooking time: 25mins.
total: 45mins.


taste: 4/5. Incredibly moist marvellous morsels.

The smell emanating from the oven whilst they baked and bronzed was enough to make you swoon and fall into a sugary-spice induced daze. The muffins themselves had a lovely, crunchy topping that gave way to a burnt umber base flecked with cinnamon and that was as moist as moist can be. They were so soft that I had to be extra delicate when popping them out of the pan. Even hubby declared them a winner.

I reduced the batter sugar amount by 1/4cup which I thought gave them that perfect amount of sweetness without being overly sweet.
I also reduced the nutmeg to 1/2tsp as I find nutmeg can be a little overwhelming, and there were enough other spices to keep it flavoursome.
I used steamed pumpkin in place of canned puree.
This made 12muffins for me.

would I make it again: Yes.


recipe: http://www.onceuponachef.com/2010/10/pumpkin-pecan-crunch-muffins.html

Moist chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting

Happy Easter to all!

xx

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 10mins.
cooking time: 30mins plus 30mins cooling and icing.
total: 1hour & 10mins.


taste: 4/5. Fluffy chocolate heaven.

Whilst normally I am a sucker for all cakes dense and moist like chocolate fudge, sometimes you want something with a lighter crumb sandwiched between layers of feather-light cocoa icing. This cake delivered in spades. Soft, moist, and decadently fluffy this was devoured by many after an Easter banquet.

I used this chocolate buttercream recipe and it was fabulous.


would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: http://www.foodess.com/2011/03/moist-chocolate-cake/

Vanilla custard with ginger granita & Granny Smith apple

My beloved and I have resorted to behaving like lizards; the moment even the smallest trickle of sunshine appears behind woollen clouds we are racing outdoors to bake ourselves with its heat. Winter is fast approaching and Sunshine has become somewhat of a rare commodity.

Each week we scour weather forecasts, hoping to glance upon a sunny prediction so that we may plan to capture as much of those golden rays as possible. One week in March we finally came up trumps with sunshine predicted to fall on a Sunday. Before our fingerprints had even made a mark on the newspaper we were planning itineraries and filling our tanks.

We eventually decided on a road-trip down Victoria's famous winding Great Ocean Road, where we made pit-stops along seaside towns for replenishment, visited cascading waterfalls set within a lush canopy of trees and moss covered rocks before stopping to watch the waves crash upon the sand and explore microcosms of tiny rock pools on our way home. We utilised every drop of daylight and had a magical day.

Before setting off on our sun-soaked adventure, I had prepared a sweet snack that would await us on our return knowing we would be in need of a pick-me-up after a day spent in nature.

Vanilla custard with ginger granita and Granny Smith apple
from September 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller
Serves 6

2-3 Granny Smith apples

Ginger granita
125 gm caster sugar
80 gm (16cm piece) ginger, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice

Baked vanilla cream
675 ml pouring cream
½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
105 gm caster sugar
6 egg yolks

For ginger granita, combine sugar, ginger and 600ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar, then increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, cover and stand to infuse (20 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on ginger to remove as much liquid as possible (discard ginger), then add lemon juice, pour into a shallow tray, transfer to freezer and stir occasionally with a fork until frozen and ice crystals form (3-6 hours). Makes about 600ml.

Meanwhile, for baked vanilla cream, preheat oven to 160C. Combine cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until hot (5 minutes). Remove from heat, cover and stand to infuse (1 hour). Whisk sugar and yolks in a bowl until pale and creamy (3-4 minutes). Reheat cream over medium heat until hot, then gradually pour onto yolk mixture, gently stirring to combine. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing to remove as many seeds as possible from the vanilla bean (discard vanilla bean). Stand for 5 minutes, then skim foam from surface. Divide evenly among six 250ml ovenproof glasses. Place glasses on a folded tea towel placed in a deep roasting pan, ensuring they are sitting level. Fill pan with enough hot water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of glasses and cover with foil. Pierce a few holes in foil with a skewer to release steam, then bake until set, but with a slight wobble (30-35 minutes). Remove from oven, remove foil and stand in water until cool (30-40 minutes). Remove from water, dry glasses and refrigerate until chilled and firm (2 hours).

Cut apples into 1cm dice, divide among custards, top with granita and serve immediately.

ease: 3.5/5.
prep time: 1hour & 20mins to get granita into the freezer and custard ready for the oven.
cooking time: 50mins for custard to cook and 2.5hours to set in fridge.
total: 4.5hours.

taste: 4.5/5. Independently, not as a whole.

I felt like blowing a trumpet and sounding the horns when I dug my spoon into the custard's creamy depths. Never have I been able to make a great custard, after so many years of failures I resigned myself to the fact that custard and I would never EVER be friends even though I loved it so; until today. This custard was perfect - velvet soft with delicate vanilla, classic comfort in a cup. I adored the custard on its own, and will be forever using this recipe seeing as though it was my first success.

The granita was cool and sweet with a spicy ginger kick but ultimately refreshing - so snowflake-esque as well in its delicacy. Despite the fact that I left it alone in the freezer without any fork grating, it dissolved instantly on the tongue like snow melting in Spring.
Unfrotunately when paired with the custard it completely took over and buried the gentle custard beneath its punch and the tartness of the apples. When all three combined the custard merely became the 'adhesive' for the granita and apple, such a waste.

recipe: http://gourmettraveller.com.au/vanilla-custard-with-ginger-granita-and-granny-smith-apple.htm

would I make it again: A resounding YES to the custard, but NO to the dish as a whole.

Pavlova roulade with lychee, banana & passionfruit cream

It seems I gloated too soon...


No sooner had the words 'we haven't been ill for almost three years' left my lips when quite suddenly my husband, and then I, fell ill. Him with a mild cold, and myself with Sinusitis; an old foe of mine. This time around we chose to battle our sicknesses naturally rather than with Western medicine. And as it turned out, instead of taking two weeks on antibiotics like before, I was able to best my old nemesis in less than a week armed with only good nutrition and plenty of rest (mainly composed of reading and napping). During this time I painfully abstained from sugar and dairy in an effort to help my body heal as quickly as possible.

Now that the spring in my step has returned and my cheeks have a healthy blush, I decided I could once again foray into the realm of sugar and dairy. And with some egg-whites calling out to be re-born I thought there couldn't be anything better than a lovely pavlova with fruit from Summer's end.

ease: 4/5.
prep time: 35mins (includes baking and cooling)
chilling time: 1hour.
total: 1 hour & 35mins.

taste: 4/5. Old Pav rolls with the tropics.

Marshmallow-y pavlova with its soft sweetness was perfectly paired with the tang of the voluptuous passionfruit cream alongside the tropical lychee and creamy banana. Yum.

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/23922/pavlova+roulade+with+lychee+banana+and+passionfruit+cream

Blueberry pudding cake

A last minute invitation to a home cooked meal is both a blessing and a slight inconvenience; as I cannot turn up empty handed, and in my case, it is almost always a home-made dessert that I bring.

This particular evening's invite left me with scarcely an hour to prepare something sweet using only what I had on hand. Luckily I always keep a stash of frozen berries for cases like these, along with pantry staples such as flour, sugar and eggs which I never allow to dwindle too low. With these ingredients I was able to turn to an old, almost forgotten favourite, one that I haven't yet shared with you.

I first made this blueberry pudding cake on a frost-bitten August evening some four odd years ago, before I began this blog. I hadn't made it since as my recipe record keeping wasn't yet cultivated, but somehow, upon glancing at the frozen cobalt jewels a memory was sparked. One where my husband and I sat huddled over a baking dish, spoons greedily digging into soft and syrupy pudding, warming our bellies with its deliciousness. I hesitated, wondering whether I could trust a four-year-old-food-memory formed when my cooking skills were just barely beginning to bud, but time was slipping quickly so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

I needn't have worried :).

ease: 5/5.
prep time: 15mins.
cooking time: 20mins.
total: 35mins.

taste: 4/5. The comfort of a pudding with the freshness of berries.

This really is a simple, fluffy yet satisfying, softly sweet pudding dotted with sapphire gems and smothered in the most delicious, sticky indigo syrup. They may not look like much but boy are they wonderfully moorish.

I always add a little more blueberries (once I substituted strawberries) to get more of that lip-smackingly-good syrup. I even once forgot to add any sugar to the batter and it STILL tasted good. Thanks pudding :).

would I make it again: Yes.

recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Blueberry-Pudding-Cake-232324