Wednesday 26 March 2014

Vanilla Marshmallows!

Let me begin by saying that marshmallows are not my thing.

But, it was something I wanted to learn to make because you can use marshmallows in many recipes and also because I cannot find them easily. Oh, my mom loves them, too, so I searched and found a recipe I thought was easy and tasty!

Vanilla marshmallows
adapted slightly by the wonderful Sweetapolita!

4 1/2 teaspoons unflavoured powdered gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup, divided
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 cup Classic Coating, plus more for dusting

** Classic Coating:
1-1/2 cups icing sugar
1 cup cornstarch

marshmallows:

* Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
* Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 min.
* Stir together the sugar, half the corn syrup, water and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. 
* Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 115°C. 
* Pour remaining corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. 
*  Microwave gelatin on high until completely melted, about 30 seconds. Pour into the mixer bowl. Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.
* When the syrup reaches 115°C, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 min. 
Essentially the way you would do it for Italian meringue.
* Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more min. Beat on the highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes more and beat in the vanilla.
Finished marshmallow will be opaque white, fluffy, and tripled in volume. 
* Pour it into the prepared pan and smooth it into the corners. Sift coating evenly and generously over top. 
* Let set for at least 6 hours in a cool, dry place.
* Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. 
* Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. 
* Cut it with a cookie cutter to whatever shape you want.
* Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more coating, patting off the excess.

Classic Coating:
* Sift the ingredients together in a large bowl. Store it in an airtight container; it keeps forever.

I used the smallest round cookie cuter I had, since I wanted them bite-size.
I dipped the cutter first in Classic Coating, then I cut little rounds from the slab.

Aren't they cute? Like covered with snow!!
Even though I don't like marshmallows, I thought they were quite tasty and this recipe can serve as a base for many flavour variations.

Louise.

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Orange Chocolate Cake / Dessert!

Everyone in my family knows I can bake. So, from time to time, there will be an "order" from someone!

My father-in-law found a recipe (!) for an orange chocolate dessert, that he asked for, for the next time we would have a big family lunch. Naturally I said OK!

Orange Chocolate Dessert

cake:
250gr chocolate
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup soft butter
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 eggs separated
3 tbsp orange liqueur

glaze/filling:
250gr chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup orange jam
2 tbsp orange liqueur

* Preheat the oven to 180oC.
* Butter and flour a 23cm round spring form pan.
* Melt the chocolate and let it cool.
* Mix in a bowl the flour, the almonds, the baking powder and the salt.
* Beat the butter and the sugar until creamy.
* Add the egg yolks one by one.
* Very slowly add the melted chocolate.
* Add the flour and the liqueur.
* Beat the egg whites until very stiff.
* Incorporate them in the mixture gently.
* Pour into the pan and bake for 40-50 min. until you insert a toothpick in the centre and it comes clean.
* Leave it in the pan for 5 min. and then invert it on a rack to let it cool completely.
* For the filling, you melt the chocolate with the butter and let it cool, so that you can spread it.
* Warm the jam with the liqueur a bit.
* Cut the cake in two layers.
* Place one layer on a platter, wet it with some liqueur and spread most of the chocolate filling.
* Cover with the other layer and wet it too.
* Spread the remaining chocolate and the jam.
* Ready!


I used a store bought orange jam with citrus chunks.


My father-in-law was happy and everybody at the table really enjoyed it. I must admit that the orange-chocolate combination is a tricky one and does not suit every taste. This particular one was well balanced ans so so moist!


Louise!


Sunday 9 March 2014

Peanut butter Sugar Cookies!

I believe that the title of this post says it all....

Peanut butter....

Sugar Cookies....

Well, it was meant to be!

I used my trusted sugar cookie recipe and a generous amount of my home made peanut butter (about 4 Tbsp).

I didn't roll the dough, I didn't even chill it. I simply made small balls of dough, placed them in my pan and pressed them with my fingers. That's it!


.
The pictures cannot compare to the real thing...



The outcome? Well, let's just say they were vanished in a matter of a few hours!

Louise!