Fast Easy Mircrowave Chocolate fudge

My girl (10yrs) followed Elizabeth LaBau's simple instructions from the following YouTube video to make this quick and tasty Chocolate Fudge.

Let me know if you try it!

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Nom Nom Pork Pie!

I made these a week or two ago but didn't get round to blogging them. I loved the pastry for this recipe, it tasted very authentic. I wasn't so sure about the filling though. Still, the whole thing tasted scrummy and I'd deffinately make them again with a few changes... I would roll the pastry out next time and bake in a muffin tray rather than mould them by hand. I would also wait until the stock was cooled instead of filling the pies with warm stock because I didn't leave enough time (a day before you want them is best).

Let me know if you make them!

UPDATE!!!

Oooooooh, this weekend I made these pork pies again but changed a couple of things...

I ignored the order of putting in the ingredients, instead I melted the lard and butter in the microwave, added the eggs then flour, mixing with each addition. I forgot the salt and because it was dry and crumbly I added a little milk.

I rolled the pastry real thin (after being in the fridge an hour), cut a large circle to line a muffin tin and a smaller circle for thed top then squashed them together at the sides after putting in the pork. The pastry cooked just as well in the muffin tin as before.

I pre cooked the diced pork (I just get the packs of stir frypork) in a frying pan until just cooked on the outside. There was no need of boiling bones for jelly, the pork was so tender and juicy without. I don't add any of the herbs and spices as I have a small child.

I kept the baking paper on for 30 minutes, put more egg on the tops and baked uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Yippee I've made it easier!

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Rainbow Cake

Happy Rainbow Cake YAY!

OMG this cake is to die for...I mean so laden that it trys to kill you apon eating lol

I found the recipe for this beautiful Rainbow Cake here. I stumbled across it last October while looking for cakes to make for my girl's 4th birthday. I made a mermaid ice cream cake instead which, unfortunately, I don't have any good pictures of. I hope you try this cake out too as it's super delicious! Tell me if you do :)

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Christmas Mince Pies

Ingredients - Makes 12

1 Cup/250g Plain flour
2 Tblsp/25g Icing sugar
1/2 Cup/125g Softened butter
Grated zest 1 lemon
2 Eggs (1 egg for glaze)
6 Tsp Lemon Curd

12 Tsp Mincemeat

1/2 Cup Dried cranberries

Mix the flour, icing sugar and butter to form fine crumbs. Add the zest (you can add the juice too if you like or use it for a nice chilled drink) and 1 egg and mix thoroughly. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm it up a bit. (It will keep in the fridge for 3 days or the freezer for one month)

Preheat the oven to 190 Celsius. Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough to $1 thickness. Cut out 12 rounds to fit your pie/muffin tray (I find a cup just larger than a pint glass rim works for me but I guess aiming for around 8cm radius is good). If any dough is left over you can cut shapes to go on top, my 4 year old girl cut all the Santa tops for these.

Place your rounds into the pie/muffin tin but no squashing them down in the pan, lightly poke them in so the sit in enough to stay, that way they'll be easier to get out. (I hope that made sense) 

Fill the pies with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd, 1 teaspoon of the mincemeat (do not fill to the top, it just bubbles and dribbles out) and a few cranberries. Glaze with beaten egg. Cook for 15 minutes or until golden. 

Leave in the tray for 5-10 minutes before attempting to remove. I remove mine by running a sharp knife around the edge and then levering them out, though I shouldn't suggest this as it damages the non stick in the tray - any ideas would be welcomed.

I hope you have fun making them and enjoy eating them.

Let me know if you try it :)

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Banana Cream Pie

Using the recipe here I created this wonderful Banana Cream Pie. I even substituted the Thickened Cream for Cream Cheese and the Cornstarch for flour and it still tasted divine. I used the leftover pie filling as custard for our mince pies after adding a little pouring cream and re-heating...Yummy!

Let me know if you try it :)

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Cauliflower Cheese Pie

Ingredients - Fills 1 Pyrex dish and serves 4-6 people
1 Cauliflower
500g Minced beef
1 Large carrot
1 Pepper/Capsicum
1 Large Onion
6 Medium Mushrooms
1/2 Cup of sweetcorn (whole kernels)
1 Tin of tomatoes
1 Tablespoon of tomato puree (the thick stuff)
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons of plain flour
1 Pint of milk
250g of grated cheese
Seasons of choice

Cut the cauliflower into florets and boil for 10 minutes or so...until soft.
Brown the mince in a frying pan. Chop the carrot, capsicum, onion and mushrooms small (pea size) and add them one by one straight as they are cut, stirring each time. Add the sweetcorn, tomatoes and puree and cook a further 2 minutes. Take off the heat and pour this mixture into the Pyrex.

Drain and chop the cauliflower then add this layer in the Pyrex.
Add the butter to a pan and melt, then add the flour and stir. Now add the milk and continue to whisk for the length of time it takes for it to thicken. Add this sauce to the Pyrex and cover with grated cheese.
Bake at 180 Celsius for 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Let me know if you try it :)

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Homemade Mayo

I used this Homemade Mayo on a Portable Salad I made for a BBQ yesterday.

Ingredients
2 Eggs
A dash of salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon of mustard (any, dry or made up)
1 Tablespoon of vinegar (any)
1 Tablespoon of hot water
1 Cup of oil (any but I prefer cold pressed extra virgin olive oil)

Add to blender all but the oil and 'whizz' for a minute. Some say you should add the oil slowly, I add half the oil and whizz for a minute then add the other half and whizz until the mixture turns pale yellow.

Let me know if you try it :)

You're done! Now wasn't that easy?

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Wholemeal Bread

I've devised a recipe that gets rid of the bulk of nasties that can be found in some commercial breads.

Ingredients
2 Cups of warm/hot water
2 Tablespoons of yeast
2 Tablespoons of honey
3.5 Cups of wholemeal flour

Add yeast and honey to the water, stir and leave for 15 minutes.
Lightly oil and flour a bread/loaf tin.
Set the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Add the flour and mix until just combined (don't over mix).
Transfer dough to the bread tin and leave on the oven, near the vent for 20 minutes.
Place the tin in the oven for 40 minutes.
Remove bread from the tin and place on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Let me know if you try it :)

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