There's something charmingly nostalgic and whimsical surrounding popcorn. It's that airy delight that is awfully difficult to resist and restrain yourself when in confronted with its presence. Loved by all kinds of kids and those at heart; never discriminating and always comforting. And all from humble kernels of corn. Petite and adamantine in form and when submitted to extreme torridity, completely transforms into fluffy perfection.
Wondrously doubling in volume; in every sense of the word.
Popcorn has always been perpetually within reach, easily on hand for Netflix binges or sporadic moments of indulgence; be it alone or with company. And until recently I felt that I was quite informed when it came to all things popcorn. That was until a quick search on Pinterest awakened my mind to a marvellous novel world of flavour sensations and combinations.
Who actually knew that popcorn could be flavoured in profuse medleys?
You know, aside from the usual butter, salt or sugared varieties that is. From chilli versions to ranch flavours to dappled with chocolate and caramel versions. Pages upon pages of delicious combinations, the possibilities are endless. So while debating over chocolate or caramel choices I decided to simply combine them both. And with that an image of molten caramel sprinkled with lashings of dark chocolate immediately fills the mind and overpowers the senses.
A delectable temptress, if ever there was.
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INGREDIENTS:
Popcorn, popped and unseasoned.
Dark chocolate
Salted caramel sauce (I used up some leftovers but almost always use this recipe from Live Well Bake Often)
Lay and seperate popcorn on a large baking tray lined with baking paper and pour salted caramel over the top. Use a spoon to thoroughly coat each popcorn piece. (You can either set aside to absorb further or quickly proceed to the next step for a more "molten" and "oozy" finish.)
Melt the chocolate and drizzle atop the popcorn then leave aside to set.
Salted caramel sauce (I used up some leftovers but almost always use this recipe from Live Well Bake Often)
Lay and seperate popcorn on a large baking tray lined with baking paper and pour salted caramel over the top. Use a spoon to thoroughly coat each popcorn piece. (You can either set aside to absorb further or quickly proceed to the next step for a more "molten" and "oozy" finish.)
Melt the chocolate and drizzle atop the popcorn then leave aside to set.
Et voila
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It was at Mr Black Juicery (review to come soon) whom revived such fervent lust. Their chia pudding was teeming with coconut dreams and lavished with lashings of fresh and pureed tropical fruit. It was incredibly delectable; especially after sweating it out at a hot yoga class. So much so that I felt compelled to recreate, to my best ability, this chia pudding.
Now in the past I have not had much luck with chia puddings. I'd somehow manage to create either a sloppy, inedible mess or something more along the gelatin side; resembling a panna cotta more than actual breakfast. Up until this point I'd always adapted an approach of improvisation, hence the dramatic unsuccessfulness. And because of this I decided it was high time I pursued and located a recipe which was guaranteed to be a success, considering my cravings demanded so.
And I simply had zero patience or tolerance for failure.
Christmas is almost here guys and how this managers to creep up on us year after year is beyond me. And if you're anything like myself, then I'm guessing you're also in a mad rush, attempting to tie up loose ends. Like wrapping Christmas presents or in dire need of another supermarket run (how could I have forgotten the ham?).
I've also found myself rather stuck on ideas for Christmas treats to place around the dessert table this year. It feels like I bake the same things every year like these Rudolph caramel tarts or those beloved chocolate rum balls (but who am I kidding, rum balls are a MUST). So I've been trying to get a little creative this time round. And luckily for me I had the brilliant idea of making my very own chocolates.
To be honest the idea sprung forth after I found this ice cube tray from Typo stashed away in a cupboard. And since laying eyes on it I've been overly eager to put it to good use. I originally purchased this months ago for use during the summer months, wanting to create some cool looking ice cubes and maybe even filling them with fresh berries or cucumber to infuse water. Obviously I haven't got around to doing that just yet but I will; I think.
When it comes to chocolate, who actually doesn't like it? I've had a lustful affair with it since I was very little and after learning about chocolate moulds when I was twelve I've been eager to create my own. Seemingly not from scratch, but the cheats way. By melting actual chocolate and expertly pouring it into moulds.
Easy enough right?
It actually is. Especially if your mould is a silicon one. Those babies just pop out effortlessly. So if you're feeling a little stuck on ideas too then why not try this little treat? These are not only perfect for the dessert table but would also make for some nice little homemade gifts for your loved ones too.
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INGREDIENTS:
Silicon mould
100g white chocolate
1 tbs dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1 tbs salted macadamia nuts, halved
1 tbs rice puffs/bubbles
(depending on your mould, add more of each if needed)
Melt chocolate in a microwave, making sure to stir at every 30 second interval.
Once melted, pour chocolate about half way up moulds, then add one or two cranberries. Using the tip of a spoon or a knife gently push the cranberries into the chocolate.
Repeat for macadamia nuts and rice puffs.
Once done, fill the rest of the mould with remaining chocolate then set aside to cool and harden.
Et Voila.
-Sxx
Hands up if you know what a 'semifreddo' is?
If you're not familiar with this term it's simply a light semi-frozen dessert; like a frozen mousse. It's one of my favorite types of dessert and also one of the easiest to make yourself. It also goes a long way and is super impressive to serve up. For those of us living in the Southern Hemisphere, this would make for an ideal Christmas lunch/dinner treat. Better than the traditional Pavlova. Ok I might have crossed a line with that one but you could do what our family does and have both!
And our Northern friends could also enjoy this too. Winter be damned.
As much as I loathe and complain of the perils of an Australian summer; oh hello ridiculously scorching sun and unsightly tan lines, like yesterdays patchy right arm sunburn from driving around all day. Remarkably I can still find some good. For example the abundance of tempting and enticing fruit. Like mangoes or berries, peaches too. Then of course there's cherries.
Those bad boys pictured above are curtesy of the overgrown cherry tree in my parents front yard.
Every year at the start of December that tree turns from a leafy green mass to being lush with plump red baubles of fruit. It's impressive really, they always come away with crates laden with cherries. Mind you, those crates never last long with my father. This year I managed to grab a heap to add to this chocolate semifreddo. And the results were positive. I'm not a fan of "cherry ripe" bars or anything with artificial or candied cherries period. I prefer it in it's natural state. And this recipe manages to catch and retain it's authenticity whilst also bringing chocolate to the party.
INGREDIENTS:
200g dark chocolate
3 eggs, separated and at room temperature
300ml thickened cream
400g fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half
1 tsp vanilla extract
Grease and line a cm x cm loaf pan with baking paper.
Melt dark chocolate in the microwave, making sure to stir at 60 second increments.
Allow to cool slightly before adding in egg yolks. Stir until just combined.
Beat cream until whipped then combine to chocolate mixture.
Add the vanilla extract and cherries and mix well.
In a seperate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form then fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour into loaf pan and flatten the surface. Cover and freeze for a minimum of six hours or leave overnight.
To serve, dust with cocoa powder and top with more fresh cherries.
Et voila.
I love blood oranges. I always gravitate towards anything that incorporates this fruit; specifically drinks and cocktails. That and pink grapefruit. That said I can't say that I'd ever actually consumed a blood orange in its initial fresh form. Mostly because I'd never really encountered it in stores; not to my knowledge at least. That was until a few weeks back when I found myself traipsing through another supermarket. There they were hiding discreetly amongst the other oranges. Just nestled between casually, bundled en masse in a red netted bag.
So what did I do?
As if I'd encountered the holy grail itself, I rushed forward and grabbed two bags then dashed to the exit. Pushing past weaving trolleys and meandering children, knocking down any senior citizen that stood between me and the self-service check outs (I must point out that the later is seemingly a gross exaggeration. You don't think I'm that appalling of a person do you?). I was caught in a wicked fog of blissful greed wanting to go straight home, needing to bite into that juicy, crimson flesh and savour it.
Only when I got home it suddenly dawned on me that I just purchased twenty blood oranges. That is an excessive amount for one individual. Thoughts then turned to slight panic and trepidation over my apparent lustful avarice. What the hell was I going to do with twenty blood oranges?
This was fairly easy to put together, I struggled slightly over the curd as I do with anything that requires the use of a pot and/or stove. And as mentioned in the recipe I also decided to add some food colouring to the curd to allow that vibrant hue to remain whilst baking. And I'm glad I did because I wasn't even happy with the end results, I wanted them much more darker than the muted colour that came out of the oven. So I suppose on the next batch I'll have to saturate the curd further.
-Sxx
Just when you thought chocolate chip cookies couldn't get any better, bam, in comes peanut butter being all smooth and irresistible.
When I found this recipe over at the Ambitious Kitchen, I knew I needed to rekindle this relationship once again, thinking this would be a perfect way to achieve that desired balance. Plus they're sans flour and butter. Not that I have anything against those two; but I know some people do. These little morsels smell like peanut butter and leave you with a delightfully slight and subtle aftertaste too. There is still a risk of overindulgence because, cookies. But the upside is you can't technically spoil that love for PB as you would consuming straight out of the jar (don't quote me on that). So it kind of cancels the other out (again, don't quote me). If you share a similar relationship to PB as I do.
I didn't feel the need to recreate or modify this recipe in the slightest. Say for the chocolate chips which I replaced with standard chocolate. If you were wondering why I hardly ever add chocolate chips to anything it is because I personally I don't like using them. I once read somewhere that the reason why they retain their shape when baking is because there is a wax coating covering their surface which prevents excess melting. For me the thought of consuming some unnatural, heat resistant wax coating doesn't sound appealing to me at all. Seriously I consume enough junk as it is, so I try to avoid and substitute them as much as possible. Plus it is a million times more satisfying to bite into a gooey cookie and be left battling a mouthful of oozing chocolate then small semi-soft pieces.
Just saying.
-Sxx
To be honest, peanut butter and I have a volatile relationship. We've been like this since day one. And it's not him, it's me. You see, I have an unhealthy relationship when it comes to PB. Gluttonous at the best of times, to the point were one brings themselves to the point of nausea. Then the mere sight of him displeases. I have zero self control which quickly turns our lust into disgust. I know I need to find balance and avoid over indulging in it's salty, nutty goodness. But how? Is there a peanut butter anonymous group out there?
Even a shrink?
Hypnotist?
I didn't feel the need to recreate or modify this recipe in the slightest. Say for the chocolate chips which I replaced with standard chocolate. If you were wondering why I hardly ever add chocolate chips to anything it is because I personally I don't like using them. I once read somewhere that the reason why they retain their shape when baking is because there is a wax coating covering their surface which prevents excess melting. For me the thought of consuming some unnatural, heat resistant wax coating doesn't sound appealing to me at all. Seriously I consume enough junk as it is, so I try to avoid and substitute them as much as possible. Plus it is a million times more satisfying to bite into a gooey cookie and be left battling a mouthful of oozing chocolate then small semi-soft pieces.
-Sxx
I'm still having difficulty with breakfast in the morning, especially since the last few weeks have been increasingly hectic, making moments for sit downs in front of food virtually impossible. Those muffins have been great, though a little on the messy side for someone as disaster prone as myself. Honestly, you can't take me anywhere. So what does one do? Well, one needs to get creative and in doing so attempts to reinvent the granola bar (with some much needed help along the way).
There are many types of food that I'd love to master in my lifetime, dishes like lasagne (don't laugh) or pastry in general. Granola bars or muesli bars as we call them in Australia, have only recently made it onto that ever expanding list. I blame it on their new found A lister status. Thing is, I expected this to be fairly idiot proof. You mix a bunch of seeds or nuts and dried fruit together, then add a paste like substance to bind it and that was it. No that is not it; at least not for me. Because that attempt saw my bars turn into a crumbling hot mess of healthiness. There were sesame seeds here, chia seeds over there and pepitas somehow ending up on the couch. That delightful little concoction did not turn into yummy, chewy bars that held their shape as they should have. But all was not lost for I used that fragile wreck for topping yoghurt instead.
Sonia 1, Kitchen Gods 0.
And I did not let that epic disaster deter me. I turned to other seasoned bakers for some advice like the Half Baked Harvest whose blueberry, yoghurt master piece had been sitting idle in my Pinterest folder for eons. And thus came up with this; a medley of healthy bits and bobs I had stored away in the pantry. I also wanted chocolate in there somewhere, because chocolate and decided to toast the top away for a little crunch and colour. So this time round friends, this time these little buggers worked out marvellously. Let's just say breakfast is slowly becoming something I can digest now.
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INGREDIENTS:
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup puffed quinoa
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup pepitas
1/2 cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (reserve 1-2 tbs for decorating)
1 tbs chia seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
180g white chocolate
Preheat oven to 180°C // 350°F and line a rectangular baking tray with baking paper.
Combine oats, puffed quinoa, sesame seeds, coconut, pepitas, cashews, cranberries, chia seeds and sea salt in a bowl, mixing well.
Using a separate, microwavable bowl add the peanut butter and honey and microwave for approx 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth and runny.
Add the vanilla extract and incorporate fully.
Add the peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well then transfer to baking tray making sure to press down firmly and even the top.
Place in freezer for around 60 minutes to harden up.
Bake for around 10 minutes or until the top has turned golden brown.
Allow to cool then cut into 2cm wide rectangles.
To make the topping, melt chocolate in a microwave or bain-marie and transfer to tops using a metal spoon to either cover the entire bar or to drizzle haphazardly over. While chocolate is still soft add the chopped cranberries to decorate.
[ Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest ]
Et voila.
-Sxx
It may shock you to know that I don't eat breakfast.
I don't know if this is an Australian thing or not because I know a hell of a lot of people who don't revel in early morning meals of sorts. For me, it is simple. I'm just not hungry enough to consume so early in the day. And on the off chance when I do find myself feeling peckish, I favour something light and fresh like fruit or yoghurt as opposed to indulging in traditional breakfasts such as bacon and eggs. Firstly I don't like bacon (yes, you read that right) and secondly its way too heavy and indulgent. Unfortunately for me my body has decided to become disloyal, a betrayal which possibly spans over some time now; like the last two or so years. And it turns out I have an under-active thyroid and thus am now on medication that requires me to eat something immediately after downing a minuscule white pill.
Well truthfully I can because I have such an aversion to food in the mornings but nonetheless these little babies have made the foray into breaking bad breakfast habits much less burdensome. They're light, moist and not overly sweet enough to insult. There's also a fun little crunch on top thanks to some crispy, puffed quinoa and chia seeds.
They also happen to be relatively healthy and you can read all about the benefits of quinoa here. Of course you can substitute or remove to make it that extra bit healthy. Or better yet check out the original from which I adapted this one from right here.
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1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup puffed quinoa
1/2 cup raw sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tbs baking powder
125g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup almond milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150g dark chocolate, cut into chunks
200g fresh strawberries, sliced
1 tbs black chia seeds
Preheat oven to 170°C/ 335°F.
Using an approx 18cm square sheet of baking paper, further cut into 4 pieces until you have a total of 12 small square pieces of baking paper.
Place and mould baking paper pieces into a large cupcake or muffin tray.
In two separate small bowls reserve about 1 1/2 tsp of puffed quinoa and raw sugar.
In a larger bowl place almond meal, flour, coconut, the rest of the puffed quinoa and sugar, salt and baking powder and combine.
Making a well in the centre then add vanilla, melted butter, almond milk and egg and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate and mix through and repeat with fresh strawberries.
Fill each hole on the baking tray so that it is just shy of full.
Top with a sprinkling of chia seeds, puffed quinoa and raw sugar.
Bake for around 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
[ Recipe adapted slightly from Cook Republic ]
Et voila
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I don't know about you guys but there's something about a tarte tatin that has had me secretly longing to perfect one day. That said I was also terrified to bring myself towards finally making this, somewhat from scratch, as the French do. Truthfully I was inexplicably and utterly terrified about making this and thus decided upon taking some small shortcuts. Overall it's the creation of making puff pastry from scratch that has me reeling. I mean, have you ever actually seen a recipe for it?
Holy cow!
All that kneading and folding and chilling, perpetually repeated for all eternity. I can't get pastry to do it's thing even on a good day let alone when chucking all ingredients into a food processor, so can you imagine what horrors would emerge from me trying to do so? That my friends would be a strong contender for the basis of another new Saw movie. Plus, ain't nobody got time for that.
So lets talk about shortcuts. Seemingly this isn't a proper, traditional tarte tatin. In fact most French would most probably turn their noses up to this "abomination". Especially since it features pears and not apples as the recipe calls for. But what some people don't know, won't hurt them either. I will one day attempt the real deal; apples and all. But maybe not the pastry. Maybe.
Seriously t recipe is utterly idiot proof, guaranteed. It's effortless and takes minutes to prepare. Then once it's out of the oven all you have to do is turn it onto a plate, maybe top with some vanilla bean ice cream then just devour it.
INGREDIENTS:
30g butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
825g canned pears, sliced
1 sheet puff pastry, partially thawed.
Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F and line a 20cm round tray with baking paper.
Combine butter and sugar in a heatproof bowl and microwave at 350W for 30 seconds. Remove and stir then microwave for a further 30 seconds or until mixture has come together and is smooth then pour over the base of the tray.
Arrange pears onto the base of the tray, overlapping slightly.
Place the puff pastry atop the pears and trim the side around the cake tray, leaving a slight border so you can tuck it into the sides.
Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed and turned golden.
Turn onto a plate and serve immediately.
[ Recipe via Super Food Ideas magazine ]
Et voila.
Holy cow!
All that kneading and folding and chilling, perpetually repeated for all eternity. I can't get pastry to do it's thing even on a good day let alone when chucking all ingredients into a food processor, so can you imagine what horrors would emerge from me trying to do so? That my friends would be a strong contender for the basis of another new Saw movie. Plus, ain't nobody got time for that.
So lets talk about shortcuts. Seemingly this isn't a proper, traditional tarte tatin. In fact most French would most probably turn their noses up to this "abomination". Especially since it features pears and not apples as the recipe calls for. But what some people don't know, won't hurt them either. I will one day attempt the real deal; apples and all. But maybe not the pastry. Maybe.
Seriously t recipe is utterly idiot proof, guaranteed. It's effortless and takes minutes to prepare. Then once it's out of the oven all you have to do is turn it onto a plate, maybe top with some vanilla bean ice cream then just devour it.
INGREDIENTS:
30g butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
825g canned pears, sliced
1 sheet puff pastry, partially thawed.
Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F and line a 20cm round tray with baking paper.
Combine butter and sugar in a heatproof bowl and microwave at 350W for 30 seconds. Remove and stir then microwave for a further 30 seconds or until mixture has come together and is smooth then pour over the base of the tray.
Arrange pears onto the base of the tray, overlapping slightly.
Place the puff pastry atop the pears and trim the side around the cake tray, leaving a slight border so you can tuck it into the sides.
Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed and turned golden.
Turn onto a plate and serve immediately.
[ Recipe via Super Food Ideas magazine ]
Et voila.
Speaking of cheesecakes (mentioned in the last food porn posting here), I once had a friend who was famous for her Toblerone cheesecake concoction. Constantly requested it was; be it a birthday or a case of the munchies. It was a cake that could bring a grown man to his knees, it was that good people. And of course it was the most delectable thing because it mainly consists of chocolate, Swiss chocolate no less, and if there is one thing the Swiss do best it is chocolate and Toblerone is no exception.
So to call this a crowd pleaser is a gross understatement, especially with the addition of salted caramel.
And indulgent? Oh hell yes it is.
This may be a one hit wonder so savour, savour this moment in.
So why the addition of salted caramel? And swirls no less? Well, why the hell not. I went into this creation knowing full well that I'd never get it remotely near as perfect as that friends combination, so I decided to alter it ever so slightly. Plus it makes this cheesecake even more indulgent and delectable. And it's caramel, salted caramel. Who doesn't enjoy a sprinkling of that on something sweet?
INGREDIENTS:
250g chocolate ripple biscuits
60g butter, melted
500g cream cheese
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp powdered gelatine
200g Toblerone
1 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (I used a recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction)
In a food processor add biscuits and process until they resemble crumbs then add the melted butter to combine (add more if needed).
Press into the base a greased and lined pan then place in the fridge to set slightly.
In another bowl combine the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
Melt the Toblerone chocolate in a separate bowl.
Dissolve the gelatine with 2 tbs of boiling water.
Add melted Toblerone and gelatine mixture in with the cream cheese and mix until combined.
Beat the thickened cream until soft peaks form then fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Remove pan from fridge and pour mixture over the base, smoothing the top.
Heat the salted caramel so that it is slightly runny and pour dollops onto the top of cheesecake. Using the end of a parfait spoon or a bamboo skewer create swirls throughout.
Place back in the fridge to chill for at least four hours or overnight.
Serve as is or topped with fresh raspberries or grated Toblerone.
[ Recipe adapted from the Philly website ]
Et voila.
So to call this a crowd pleaser is a gross understatement, especially with the addition of salted caramel.
And indulgent? Oh hell yes it is.
Going slightly off topic now but I don't know about you guys but does anyone else have extreme difficulty creating swirls? Gosh, I always have. It is the bane of my culinary existence (that and cursed pastry). Truthfully, I've never been able to create that perfect mess without it looking like an actual hot mess. So how it came to be that my caramel swirls actually look like perfect little estuaries of goodness is beyond me! Perhaps the kitchen Gods looked down with favour on me. Or perhaps it was my improvised use of the back of a parfait spoon. Either way, can we please all take a moment to marvel at my perfection.
This may be a one hit wonder so savour, savour this moment in.
So why the addition of salted caramel? And swirls no less? Well, why the hell not. I went into this creation knowing full well that I'd never get it remotely near as perfect as that friends combination, so I decided to alter it ever so slightly. Plus it makes this cheesecake even more indulgent and delectable. And it's caramel, salted caramel. Who doesn't enjoy a sprinkling of that on something sweet?
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INGREDIENTS:
250g chocolate ripple biscuits
60g butter, melted
500g cream cheese
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp powdered gelatine
200g Toblerone
1 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (I used a recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction)
In a food processor add biscuits and process until they resemble crumbs then add the melted butter to combine (add more if needed).
Press into the base a greased and lined pan then place in the fridge to set slightly.
In another bowl combine the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
Melt the Toblerone chocolate in a separate bowl.
Dissolve the gelatine with 2 tbs of boiling water.
Add melted Toblerone and gelatine mixture in with the cream cheese and mix until combined.
Beat the thickened cream until soft peaks form then fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Remove pan from fridge and pour mixture over the base, smoothing the top.
Heat the salted caramel so that it is slightly runny and pour dollops onto the top of cheesecake. Using the end of a parfait spoon or a bamboo skewer create swirls throughout.
Place back in the fridge to chill for at least four hours or overnight.
Serve as is or topped with fresh raspberries or grated Toblerone.
[ Recipe adapted from the Philly website ]
Et voila.
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