Desserts
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pouring cream
400 ml. coconut milk
1 tsp. Queen vanilla bean paste (or use 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped)
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 tsps. gelatine powder
Seasonal fruit, to serve
Method:
1. Place the cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan. Cook stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove form heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of boiling water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle over gelatine powder and stir until dissolved. Cool slightly, then stir into the warm cream mixture. Strain cream mixture into a jug.
3. Lightly oil (I used coconut oil) 6 x 6cm (tall) dariole moulds. Place on a tray and pour in cream mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
4. To serve, turn onto a serving plate and serve with fresh seasonal fruit and micro herbs (optional). You can also serve this with raspberry coulis if you like.
Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
100g dark chocolate, chopped (I used 70% dark chocolate)
1/2 cup thickened cream
8 strawberries, halved (you can use any type of fruit you like)
1 tbs. Queen vanilla bean dusting sugar (for dusting)
Method:
1. Combine flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Add the beaten eggs and milk and whisk until smooth.
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray with oil spray. Cook about 1/4 cup of batter for 2 minutes each side or until cooked through (make sure you don’t over cook the pancakes as it will burn easily and you will have that bitter taste). Transfer to a plate.
3. To make the ganache, place chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until smooth.
4. Divide pancakes among serving plates and drizzle with chocolate. Top with strawberries or your favorite fruit. Dust with vanilla bean powder (you can use icing sugar if you like).
Ingredients:
3 egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbs caster sugar
1 drop of yellow food colouring gel
1 1/3 cups pure icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust
1 cup almond meal
1 tbs sprinkles, or any of your choice
Lemon Buttercream:
500g soft icing mixture
120g butter, softened
1 tsp lemon rind
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbs milk
1 drop of yellow food colouring gel
Method:
1. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Sieve the almond meal and throw away the remaining bigger bits that refuse to pass through.
2. Using an electric beater, beat the egg whites to soft peaks and gradually add the caster sugar and food colouring gel (you can add a bit more food colouring for more intense colour). Beat until sugar dissolves. Gently fold in the icing sugar and almond meal a little at a time.
3. Spoon the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe 36 rounds onto the tray, spacing 2cm apart. Tap the tray on the bench 2-3 times to dispel any air bubbles. If you see any pointy peaks on top of the macarons, smooth them back with your finger. Sift over a little extra icing sugar to lightly cover the macarons and topped with a little bit of sprinkles on each macaron (you can use any type that you like). Let the macarons rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. While the macarons are resting, preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
4. Bake the macarons for 14-18 minutes (depending on your oven). Macarons are ready when they look dry and firm. Sometimes you just have to test them and it might take a few goes to figure out when they’re done. If the macarons are still very soft inside, you need to bake them for a few more minutes. Cool slightly on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Pipe the buttercream on the flat side, then sandwich together with the remaining macaron.
For the lemon buttercream:
1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar until combined. Add the lemon juice, lemon rind, vanilla, milk and food colouring gel until well combined. If the mixture is a bit hard, add a tablespoon of milk or lemon juice to get the right consistency.
Ingredients:
250g macadamia biscuit or any plain sweet biscuit
120g butter, melted
4 gelatine leaves
1/3 cup milk
3x250g cream cheese, softened
395g condensed milk
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla essence
125g raspberries
125g blueberries
Blueberry coulis:
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp. corn flour
Method:
1. Grease and line the base and side of a 25cm (base measurement) springform pan.
2. To make the coulis, bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly and crushing berries with the back of spoon. Boil for 2 minutes to thicken. Pour into a blender and whiz until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
3. Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
4. Use a spoon or a straight-sided glass to spread and press mixture firmly over the base of the pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
5. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Heat milk in a pan over medium heat until just below boiling point. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine leaves and add to the hot milk, stirring until dissolved. Set aside.
6. Whiz cream cheese, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla, lemon juice and the milk mixture in a food processor until smooth. Pour mixture over biscuit base. Use a teaspoon to drizzle the coulis on top of the cheesecake and use a toothpick to create swirls. Chill for 5 hours or overnight.
7. Serve the cheesecake with berries, drizzled with blueberry coulis.
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2/3 cups caster sugar
500ml thickened cream, whipped
1 punnet raspberries
1/4 cup Aeroplane Delightful Strawberry Topping
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 120 degrees Celsius. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Draw 4 x 12cm circles on each sheet of baking paper, leaving space between each circle for spreading.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks forms. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until sugar dissolves. Mixture should be stiff and glossy.
3. Spread the mixture evenly among the circles on trays. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave meringues to cool in oven with the door slightly ajar.
4. Spoon a little of the whipped cream on a meringue disc and top with another meringue disc. Repeat until the stack is 4 discs high.
5. Finish with whipped cream, top with raspberries and drizzle the strawberry topping over the meringue stacks.
