self-raising flour
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 cups self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups raw sugar or caster sugar
2 cups milk
1 tbs butter or margarine, melted, cooled
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1/4 tsp yellow food coloring, optional
Method:
1. Line muffin tins with paper cases. Place flour, sugar, milk and butter in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on slow speed then increase to high speed until combined. Stir in food coloring.
2. Fill muffin pans up to three-quarters full with mixture. (you can use Multix patty pans if you don’t have a large steamer) Steam the muffins for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with butter.
Makes approximately 16
STEAMED MUFFINS ~ We call them “PUTO” in the Philippines. This is a slight modification of my dad’s unwritten recipe. They are my favorite afternoon snacks. I like to serve them warm with butter.
Ingredients:
115g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
Raspberry coulis
1 cup frozen raspberries
2 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs water
Buttercream frosting
125g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 tbs milk
1/4 tsp yellow food coloring
1/4 tsp red food gel
Method:
Makes 14-16 cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line muffin pans with patty cases.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and beat in the vanilla until just combined (mixture will look curdled at this stage). Add the flour and milk in alternate batches and beat until combined. Always remember to start your mixer on low speed when adding ingredients, or you’ll get flour everywhere!
3. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared cups (I used a large ice-cream scoop and it is the perfect measurement for the large patty cases). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.
4. To make the coulis, combine raspberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, while mashing with a wooden spoon. Simmer for one minute on low. Place raspberries in a food processor and process until smooth. Use a spoon to press puree through a sieve into a bowl. Discard seeds. Place in the fridge until required.
5. Use an apple corer to cut holes in the cupcakes – but don’t go all the way through (you can use a small knife if you don’t have an apple corer). Spoon coulis in the center of each cupcake. Top with a small piece of cake that was cut out.
6. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar and milk, beating constantly until combined. Place in the fridge until required.
7. To achieve the swirl, carefully squeeze a few drops of red food gel down the side of the piping bag and use a skewer to spread it down in a line. Sprinkle a few drops of yellow food coloring on the buttercream mixture and mix slightly. Put the frosting in a piping bag fitted with your desired nozzle and pipe on top of cupcakes. Decorate with maraschino cherries or fresh raspberries.
Ingredients:
2 cups self – raising flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tspn vanilla essence
1 x egg
2 Tbls fruit sugar or caster sugar
1/4 tspn cinnamon powder
Method:
1.Whisk milk, egg, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar in a jug until combined.
2. Sift flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add milk mixture and whisk until combined, adding a little extra milk if necessary. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minute to rest.
3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush pan with butter. Cook pancakes for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining mixture, brushing the pan with butter between batches.
To serve: Drizzle pancakes with maple syrup or honey. Garnish with your favourite fruit.
Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
60g butter, chopped
3/4 cup milk
2 tbs pizza tomato paste
1/4 cup sundried tomato, roughly chopped
100g stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
1 tbs rosemary, roughly chopped
1 cup tasty cheese, grated
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a 22cm springform pan.
2. Place sifted flour in a large bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the centre. Add milk. Use a round-bladed knife, stir until mixture forms a soft dough, adding extra milk if necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. (don’t over knead)
3.Using a rolling pin, roll dough out until 1cm-deep, 35cm x 25cm rectangle. Spread tomato paste over dough. Sprinkle with tomato, olives, rosemary and cheese. Roll up and trim ends. Cut roll into 10 equal pieces. Place cut-side up in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Stand for 2 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
