My fave lemon tart

This recipe is made with homegrown lemons which are their best during the winter. As I'm getting over a cold, I wasn't going to say no to a bagful of bright yellow lemons. What better treat is a lemon tart for an afternoon tea or served as dessert after dinner on these cool evenings.

Your guests will be in for a treat with this one. I've had a few requests for this one, so I've finally written it down. A creamy tart filling with the perfect pastry crust. Totally divine, if I say so myself. This delectable tart was gobbled down quite quickly before you could say, 'Can I have some more, please?'

Ingredients

Sweet pastry

300g cups plain flour

150g unsalted butter cubed

120g icing sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 egg yolks

Zest of 1 lemon

Filling

3/4 cup caster sugar

zest of 1 lemon 

3/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 eggs


Serves 8

 

Method

1. In a food processor, combine flour, butter, salt, icing sugar until it forms a coarse crumb like appearance.
 

2. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract into the food processor and mix until combined.
 

3. Shape pastry into a disc and cover with plastic film and place in the fridge for 30 mins.
 

4.  Make a cartouche* with baking paper to cover the base of the 20cm flan pan or 20cm springform cake pan. Basically a circular shaped piece of baking paper so the tart crust doesn't get stuck on the bottom.

5. Roll out pastry between baking paper and the plastic film used to wrap pastry.

6. Place pastry into a lined 20cm flan/cake pan. Use your hands to mould pastry around the flan/cake pan. Cut off excess pastry around the flan/cake pan with a knife.
 

7. Prick the pastry lightly with a fork and refrigerate for 30mins. (This is so the pastry doesn't shrink and to add as much of that delicious filling as you can)
 

8. Preheat the oven to 180C degrees and bake the pastry case with baking paper held down by dried beans for 15-20 mins.
 

9. Remove baking beans and return pastry case to bake for another 10 mins. Before taking out to cool.
 

10. Turn the heat down to 150C. 

11. Whisk together sugar, zest, lemon juice, cream, vanilla extract and eggs one by one. 

12. Pour the lemon filling into the pastry case and cook 35-45 mins or until the mixture is set.

13. Serve as is or with a dollop of icecream.


Handy hints
 

*How to make a cartouche.
I usually start with a square, fold in half to get a rectangle, fold in half again to get a square, then fold again along the edge of the folds to get a triangle. You will want to use the end with no edges or else you'll end up with 2 semi circles. Place pointy end to the centre of the 20cm cake pan and cut off the larger end of the triangle to fit within the cake pan. When you unfold the baking paper, it should be a perfect circle.

Cocoa Coconut Roughies

 

Needing a super fast easy treat to appease the kids? A treat that's sugar, gluten and diary free, nutritious and satisfies a sweet tooth craving. These Cacao Coconut Roughies are so good, you'll need to make double quantities to keep up with the demand as the kids will love them.


Preparation Time: 3 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 15-20 rectangles

Ingredients

100g almond meal (or hazelnut meal for a nuttier taste)
80g rice malt syrup
50g dessicated coconut
100g coconut oil
20g linseed
20g cacao powder
pinch of sea salt
20g rice bubbles for an extra crunch (can leave out if you want)

  

Method

1. Combine the almond meal, rice malt syrup, coconut, coconut oil, linseed, and rice bubbles if you are using these.

2. Press mixture into a small lined tray and press into the mix with your hands and place in the fridge or freezer to set for 5-10 minutes.

3.  Once this mix has set, remove from the tray and cut into little rectangles. It is best served chilled or else they will melt on a warm day.To store keep these in a container in the fridge or freezer for a longer shelf life. But I doubt that they're last that long.

Handy tips
If you need it to be sweeter, throw in  a few chocolate drops and that will hit the spot.

Basque burnt cheesecake

Researching our next trip to the Basque region, I came across a recipe for a Basque burnt cheesecake. In readiness for our trip to San Sebastian and the food to eat, I was excited to learn that this is a place where you have to eat dessert first.

Not due to the fact that this is a Basque tradition but if we were to fill ourselves on savoury tapas, all this delicious cheesecake from the cafes will be gone. 

This must be the easiest cheesecake to make and equally delicious. I'll be sure to make a trip to the cafes in San Sebastián to get my fill of this cheesecake. 

And yes dear sister, it's meant to be burnt as the sugars form a delicious crust  which I can't get enough of. Will make it for you soon. 

Ingredients

600g cream cheese

4 eggs

275g caster sugar

300mL thickened cream

1 tbs plain flour 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius. 

2. Grease and line the bass and sides of a 23cm springform cake pan with baking paper so the paper comes 2cm above the rim of the pan. 

3. Beat the cream cheese using electric beaters until smooth and creamy. 

4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. 

5. Gradually beat in the sugar, then the cream, then add the flour and beat until smooth. 

6. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan gently on a flat surface to remove any air bubbles. 

7. Bake for 50mins or until the top is dark brown and cake is set with a slight wobble in the centre and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 

8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely before removing from the  pan. 

9. The cake is best eaten within a few hours of baking. (Actually is still really good til the next day). 

Handy hints

The recipe did ask for double cream (fat content of 48%) as it is the most versatile cream because it withstands boiling and whips and freezes well.

But I opted for the thickened cream (fat content of 35%) which does an equally good job for this cheesecake and for whipping into cream.

Decadent Chocolate Fondants

I haven't forgotten you all and I've been on adventures to Taiwan and Hong Kong which I will need to fill you in at another time but I needed to stop and write a recipe for my decadent chocolate fondants.

I recently ate at Big Stone Tapas in North Sydney and I couldn't get over how amazing the chocolate fondant dessert was. It was one of the things I missed most on my travels was being able to cook and bake for my family.

I decided to rectify this to replicate a quick and easy chocolate fondant that could be whipped up whilst we enjoyed our family dinner of spaghetti bolognese.

Serves 6

Ingredients

100g dark chocolate
100g unsalted butter

2 eggs
2 egg yolks
100g sugar

100g plain flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celcius

2. Use a thin slice of butter and use this to grease the ramekins. (I use a pannacotta mould as I wanted these to be small as these were rather decadent)

3. Add chocolate and butter into a microwave dish with lid and place in the microwave for High 50 seconds. The chocolate wouldn't have completely melted but stir this mixture around and it will melt due to the residue heat from the butter.

4. Add eggs and egg yolks with the sugar into a mixing bowl and whisk for 3 minutes until pale yellow in colour.

5. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mix and fold in the 100g of flour.

6. Divide the mixture into the ramekins and place on an oven tray.


7. Bake for 8-10 mins or until the surface is cooked but still soft in the centre.

8. I like to serve mine with a dollop of yoghurt as it is a rather rich dessert.

Lime syrup cake

With limes in season and hubby's birthday coming up, it was perfect timing to bake a lime syrup cake for the family get together lunch. I've made this once before and found this cake so moist with a sweet sour taste. As this was to be the birthday cake, I added a few strawberries for the finishing touches.

 

Ingredients

350g caster sugar
30g self raising flour
90g desiccated coconut
zest of 1 lime
250g unsalted butter melted
2 eggs
250mL milk

Lime syrup
225g caster sugar
zest of 1 lime
juice of 5 limes
180mL water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

2. Lightly grease a 19cm (7.5inch) square cake tin. Line the base and side with baking paper.

3.Place together the sugar, flour, coconut and zest in a bowl.

4. Pour in butter, eggs and milk and mix until smooth.

5. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour (or until skewer put into the centre comes completely dry).

6. Put foil over the cake at 40minutes to prevent it getting too brown and continue cooking.

7. Make the syrup when the cake has 10mins of cooking time to go. Put sugar and 180mL in a heavy based saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Add the lime zest and juice bring to boil and reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes then strain.

8. Remove cake from the oven and use a skewer to poke a few holes evenly over the cake. Slowly pour the hot syrup over the cake and let it stand for 20mins to soak though.

9. To serve simply slice and serve on its own or with strawberries.

10. Cut up the baking paper into triangle edges and tie up with twine for a quick and easy presentation.

Handy hint

Pour the hot syrup over the cake whilst its still hot to soak up all the liquid.

Sweet Potato Pie

With a Canadian friend leaving to go back to the States, I thought I'd make my version of pumpkin pie, a sweet potato pie for her farewell. The cinnamon and ginger spice aromas wafting through the house, I couldn't wait to have a slice.

I thought I'd also follow the current food fads and make a paleo sweet potato pie. The filling is rich, smooth and thick served with a delish date almond pie crust and yoghurt. It is on the light side of sweet but the maple shards and extra maple add that extra hit of sweetness if need be.  With a nod of approval from my American friends, I think this one's a winner.

Serves 6-8
 

Ingredients

Sweet potato filling

500g sweet potato 

400mL coconut milk
200mL water
 

Pastry
10 dried dates

1 tsp vanilla extract

50g unsalted butter 

260g almond meal

I egg white
pinch of salt

Spice filling

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground ginger

finely grated zest of half an orange

60mL (1/4 cup) maple syrup
2 eggs and extra yolk

Shards for decoration

40g (1/4 cup) seed mix (I used sunflower kernels and pepitas)
1 tbs maple syrup
 

Dollop of Greek yoghurt

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius 

2. Grease a 24cm quiche pan with butter

3. Place sweet potato, coconut milk and water in a on over medium low heat and simmer for 25 mins or until soft. Cool

4. Whizz dates in the food processor until finely chopped.

5. Combine dates with almond meal, vanilla, butter, 1 egg white and a pinch of salt. 

6. Press mixture into the base and sides. Prick base with a fork. Then bake for 15-20mins until dry. 

7. Whizz sweet potato mixture, spices, zest and 60mL (1/4 cup) maple syrup in a food processor. 

8. Add remaining 2 eggs and yolk and whizz to combine. Pour filling into base. Bake for 45 mins or until just set

9. Toss seeds in remaining 1 tbs maple syrup. Bake on a baking paper lined baking tray for 8-10mins until golden. Cool then break into shards

10. Top pie with yoghurt, shards of seeds and extra maple syrup. 

Chocolate chip cookies

I have cookies on the mind and with a few play dates planned with friends and their kids, this was the perfect excuse to make a batch or two. My girlfriend told me she could smell these on the footpath leading up to our house and was positively drooling.

One batch is definitely not enough, as my kidlets and hubby gobbled these up before I even had two, so I had to make another batch. How can I refuse my youngest when he asks "more cookies please mummy".

Makes 20

Ingredients

60g unsalted butter
95g brown sugar
50g caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

100g wholemeal flour
100g almond meal with chia (throw in chia seeds with almonds to make this delicious flour alternative)
1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
85g quality dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius (150 degrees fan forced)
2. Line two baking trays with baking paper
3. Using electric beaters mix the butter and sugar until well combined
4. Add egg and vanilla extract, continue mixing
5. Add dry ingredients into butter mixture and keep mixing
6. Stir in the chocolate chips
7. Place 20 spoonfuls of mixture onto the baking trays
8. Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown.
9. Cool for 5 minutes before attempting to eat one
10. Watch out they will be gone in 60 seconds.

Handy hints

Store in an air tight container for upto a week, if they last that long.                                    

My favourite all time banana bread

Taking part of Frugal February means reassessing your needs and habits to see where you can cut back on spending. A time to spring clean and de-clutter, I know I've been meaning to but keep putting it off.

Such a great initiative. So far, I've sorted out the kids' room, donated toys, sold a few things online and taking stock of the pantry and food in the fridge to create fun meals for the kids.

With a few weary looking fruit in the fruit bowl, I thought it was the perfect excuse to whip up a simple banana bread to use up the over ripe bananas and sweet pears. Perfect for a mid morning play date snack.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

Dry ingredients
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of wholemeal flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp of ground cloves
1/2 tsp of salt

250g (1 stick) of unsalted butter
1 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
1 tsp of vanilla extract

2-3 very ripe mashed bananas
1 pear cut up finely (I keep the skin on as I rather like it)

One banana bread coming up

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees
2. Line the loaf pan with baking paper
3. Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl, mix and leave until needed.
3. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
4. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl for even mixing.
5. Add the milk and vanilla extract and continue mixing
6. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until a smooth creamy consistency
7. Add in the mashed bananas into the mixture
8. Stir in the cut pear
9. Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake for 60-70mins or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. Let it cool for 20mins before unmoulding
11. Serve slight warm with a dollop of butter, or at room temperature.

My official taste tester

Handy hints

*This banana bread keeps well wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days at room temperature.
*For longer storage, slice the banana bread to your preferred thickness and wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the freezer for 2 months. I also individually wrap slices rather than to defrost the whole loaf.

*Defrost in plastic wrap at room temperature.
*Or place the frozen banana bread slices into the toasted sandwich maker to give that crisp crunch
*I have also replaced the pears with apples and that works out a treat as well.

Deliciously moist banana bread