Apple & Rasberry Iced Tea

What makes a great hostess? Who's with me in feeling like a failure in this regard most of the time? Guests swish in all glammed up, and you're standing there in the kitchen covered in a cloud of self raising flour in bare feet wondering where time got to. In a flash you have bolted to the bedroom, thrown on that trusty little black dress and cleaned up with a baby wipe-only to realise your guests are standing around without a drink in hand. There's nothing like that sense of  panic of feeling like the world's worst host or hostess (they should make a TV reality show on that one)
Never feel like that again. Be the host (est) with the mostest.

-Plan your gathering in advance. Try to visualize the ambiance, mood and the food you want to create. Make a list of cooking supplies you will need for your meal, as well as music choices for the night, beverages that you will serve and of course, dessert. Make a list also of when you will be making each of the edible components of the night. Make sure that there are a few you can make in advance to reduce the fluster and time spent in the kitchen when your guests are over. Ensure one option is non alcoholic, for those who are the designated drivers, or pregnant.

-Make sure you take into account any of the guests who may have allergies or intolerance when planning the menu.

-Feel free to buy any food from the store to make your job quicker and easier, as long as some components are home made (okay, lets leave that packet of quick cook pasta Alfredo on the shelf, though). You can buy things like meringue nests that can make putting together a dessert effortless and quick, and it looks like you've slaved the whole afternoon over the stove for your guests.

-Keep the food simple. You may want to look like Mather Stewart, but refrain from creating anything too complex and time consuming. At least make sure this is not the first time you are cooking the meal-it may go terribly wrong or just not taste as good as you thought it would. Also, if you are planning a three course meal, ensure there is a variety of textures and flavours. Too much of a good thing can often be a bad thing! (for example, risotto for entree, curry and rice for main and creamed rice for dessert. Too much rice, obviously. Keep the entree and dessert lighter than the main.)

-The first bite is taken with the eyes. Keep the dishes looking good! A sprig of fresh herbs here and there goes a long way and makes it look like you've made efforts where you have not.

 -Have your table set in advance, if possible. Also, any mood lighting such as tealights or candelabras should be lit before guests arrive so that they can experience the ambiance change as soon as they enter your house. If you are dining outside, such as the garden, fairy lights or tea lights set out in mason jars is a lovely way to make the even magical by creating warm glowing surroundings. If you're not planning on lighting any wicks, see if you can dim the lights a little.

-Prepare a welcome charcuterie platter in advance. You can whip this out of the refrigerator as soon as you hear the first knock on the door. Place it somewhere central where the guests can see it and help themselves to it while you fix the last bits and pieces of the food or set the table. You could also have a tray of drinks ready and waiting to be given for after your guests put down their coats and bags.

-Have a small table or coat rack handy so you can take jackets and bags when your guests enter. Your friends will love to be waited on, and it makes them feel more special.

-Surprise your guests with something unexpected. When my girlfriends come for tea, for example, I like to pamper them by offering to give them a Jamberry Manicure while we chat. This works well for an afternoon tea, but you might like to try something less time consuming if you're holding a dinner party. A friend of mine has a drinks trolley that he wheels out when he entertains. There's a cocktail book on the trolley along with a selection of liqueurs, and the guest chooses one, and the host will create it for them. You could also have a little take home gift of chutney or something you have made as a thank you for the guest's company.

-Make sure there is something on your charcuterie platter or tea and coffee tray that your guests have never tasted before, just to add to the experience. It might be some cookies from a foreign country, or wasabi covered dried peas to snack on-something exotic and unusual. These sort of surprised are often pleasant and make the night memorable.

-Chill out! Have a glass of wine or something to relax before any one arrives. Turn that groovy music on. And if anything goes off plan, go with it, just roll with the punches. Your guests are actually there for your company-the food, atmosphere and the rest are just a bonus. Enjoy yourself!

Do you have any other tips for entertaining? What's your fool proof go to? We'd love to hear! And while I'm waiting for your responses, I'm going to be sipping this delicious iced tea. Its delightful on hot summer days and so easy to make in bulk, you could pour some into a bottle and tie a ribbon around it and send it home with your guests! Perfect for sipping on a balcony with a good friend in the afternoon too, with a side of cake. There should always be cake.

APPLE & RASPBERRY ICED TEA

4 strong black tea bags
4 cups boiling water
2 cups iced water
1/2 cup concentrated Apple Raspberry cordial (add more or less to taste)
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup mint leaves

In a large heat proof jug, place the tea bags and boiling water. Stir the tea bags around and let steep for two or three minutes. Discard the bags. Add the chilled water and concentrated cordial to the tea. Add lemon to taste. Before serving, garnish with mint, ice and a slice of lemon if desired.

NOTES: this recipe is largely dependent on your tastes and the strength of your chosen tea and cordial brands. Alter as desired. A few tablespoons of sugar or honey may be added to the hot tea if desired to increase the sweetness. You can also use other flavours of cordial to change the type of iced tea-the options are endless!

Orange and Beetroot Ice Cream

I've never been into weird food. Lamb's brains, liver, bacon flavoured soda. I'll pass.
I'm anxious when I hear about people adding cauliflower to their sweets, and even have my reservations abut zucchini in chocolate cakes, although I hear at least that one is quite nice.
So, adding pureed beetroot to ice cream is a real leap for me. I happen to love beetroot, despite its staining tendencies, and fell in love with the thought of churning hot pink to fuchsia coloured ice cream in my machine.
I figured someone had probably already invented beetroot ice cream, so I googled it and found a recipe for it on a lovely blog. The pictures were amazing, and yes, the ice cream was fuchsia!
Somehow mine didn't turn out so hot pink, but it was a lovely shade of pink, and tasted even better than I thought it would. When you hear that a vegetable has been added to ice cream, it can make you pretty weary- so I have to say I was absolutely pleasantly surprised. Of course you are all wondering what it tastes like. Well the first flavour that hits you is that of oranges-a delightful citrus that hints at marmalade and is simultaneously fresh. There are subtle notes of beet on the end. I wouldn't go as far to say that you can pick out the flavour distinctly, but there are definitely beetroot qualities, a certain earthiness, a tang. There are no strong flavours, it is a very smooth and harmonious combination, a delicate quality to the ice cream, along with a silky smoothness that lacks in many home made ice creams.

ORANGE AND BEETROOT ICE CREAM  (Adapted from Saveur)

2 cups milk
4 tsp corn flour (or corn starch)
1 1/4 cup thickened or heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp light corn syrup (or golden syrup)
pinch salt
peel of 1 orange
3 tbsp cream cheese
1/2 cup pureed beetroot (I used beetroot from a 450g can, drained.)

In a small bowl, place 1/4 cup of the milk with the corn flour and set aside In a medium saucepan, place the remaining milk cream, sugar, syrup and salt and whisk to combine.
Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Add the orange peel and cook for 4 minutes Stir the milk-cornflour mixture until combined, and add to the saucepan. Return to the boil and cook, stirring until thick, for about 2 minutes. Remove about 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and place in a small bowl with the cream cheese. Combine thoroughly until smooth. Add this to the saucepan. Stir in the pureed beetroot.
Chill the mixture until completely cold. I left mine overnight in the refrigerator. Then strain the mixture to remove the beetroot and orange peel. Follow the manufacturers instructions on your ice cream machine for the final step. When churned, place in the freezer for several hours to freeze before serving.

Makes about 1 litre

Cloudy Pink Old Fashioned Lemonade

 This little beauty of a recipe was copied down into a little note pad in grey lead pencil when I was about 8 years old. It comes out of a 1950's kid's cookbook, and was by far my favourite thing to make in the kitchen at that age. It's so simple and so tasty, and a great way to keep the kids both occupied and cool in the summer holidays. It's the best home made lemonade recipe I have come across--it pleases kids and adults alike. It's old fashioned goodness--cloudy, sweet and lemony, without gassy bubbles. These days lemonade is rarely without fizziness, and I have had a few people recommend, after a glass of this refreshing drink, that I should add bubbles to it. I personally like it the way it is--it reminds me of how it would have been way back when that cookbook was written--chilling in Granny's fridge in a tea-towel covered jug. You could add sparking water to the concentrated lemonade in place of the cold water if desired however, to modernise it if preferred. Prepare yourself for a refreshing crowd pleaser! This is a frequently requested recipe.

CLOUDY PINK OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE

1 cup sugar
3 lemons, juiced (1/2 cup)
4 cups cold water
drop or two of red or pink food colouring

Put the sugar and 1 cup of water into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Boil for five minutes. Then add remaining water and remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and stir through the water. Leave to cool and serve with ice.

Serves 4

Raspberry and White Chocolate Mousse

It's quite official that I can't see my toes when I look down.
The rotund, bulbous belly can no longer be mistaken as a sign of indulgence in my cooking though--if you've been following the blog, you will know that within the next five or so weeks, we're welcoming a new baby into the family. Cooking and baking and artistic creativity in the kitchen may be on the back burner for a while while I catch my breath and gather my feet. Nothing will ever take precedence over my babies---not even a great raspberry and white chocolate mousse.
It's a thick, creamy pink dessert swirled with cream and sweet, tangy raspberry sauce, a pile of berries and a grating of white chocolate. It's elegant and simple and fancy all at the same time and a perfect entertaining dessert that you can make ahead before a dinner party. Choose from small tumblers, bowls or ramekins to sophisticated champagne glasses to show off this delectable dessert that features the summer's first berries and cream. What a feast for the eyes and the taste buds!

RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (Adapted from "More Please" by Valli Little)

500g raspberries, frozen or fresh
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
2 tsp gelatine powder
300ml cream
160g white chocolate

Puree the raspberries. With a spoon, push the puree through a fine sieve and discard the seeds. Set the sieved puree aside, reserving 1/3 of a cup for the sauce. To this 1/3 of a cup of puree, add the lemon juice and sugar. Stir to combine, then cover and refrigerate.
In a small bowl, place the hot water, and shower the gelatine evenly over the surface. Set aside for five minutes to soften and then stir to dissolve. Add this gelatine mixture to the the raspberry puree (not the raspberry sauce that you have refrigerated.) Stir to combine and set aside.
Place 1/3 cup of the cream in a microwave proof bowl with the white chocolate. Microwave on high, checking and stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate has melted and the cream mixes in smoothly with the chocolate. Set this bowl aside to cool.
Whip the remaining cream into soft peaks. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture through, and then the puree. Divide among 4-6 glasses or serving bowls, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
To serve, drizzle the raspberry sauce over each portion with a little cream. Garnish with extra raspberries and grated chocolate if desired.

Serves 4-6

The raspberries are pureed and then pushed through a sieve to separate the seeds and skin. Whipped cream is folded through the chocolate ganache mixture, and then a great portion of the raspberry puree is also folded through to form the mousse.

Choc Malt Tim Tam Ice Cream Bombe

A good husband has to get his wife her crave in the middle of the night at least once during a pregnancy. Not pickle and peanut butter sandwiches. Chips smothered in jam? What's the weirdest pregnancy craving you've ever heard of or had? Those hormones do some crazy things to you. As if it isn't bad enough getting up every hour to go to the loo, or having to getting teary over spilled milk, you occasionally have to wake up wanting some bizarre edible (or non edible) in the dead of night.
He's a good man. Better than life itself.
And who doesn't crave Tim Tams in the middle of the night--seriously?

"Mummy's made an ice cream bombe, and it's going to explode on your taste buds!"

"Nooo! That doesn't sound good..."

Here I am now feeling super sorry for all those of you who do not live in a place like Australia where Tim Tams can be found in every grocery store. You really are poor unfortunates and what ever do you do when you have a Tim Tam craving? Now that's a question I would like answered!

CHOC MALT TIM TAM ICE CREAM BOMBE (Adapted from Not Quite Nigella)

600ml cream
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup Milo powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 packet Tim Tams
3/4 cup chocolate chips, melted

Place the cream, sifted icing sugar and vanilla essence into a large bowl. Whip until soft peaks form, then evenly divide the contents into two bowls. Set one bowl aside, and in the other add Milo and cocoa powder. Whip to thoroughly combine.
Take a mold such as a bowl that is approximately of 5 cup capacity. Smooth the chocolate mixture into the base and sides of the bowl to coat evenly. Spoon quarter of the vanilla mixture into the middle. Break up 3/4 of the Tim Tams and layer with the vanilla cream, a quarter of the mixture at a time. Cover the top with foil or cling wrap and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of the Tim Tams for decorating the top of the bomb at a later stage.
To remove the bombe from the mold when frozen, prepare a large bowl with enough boiling water in it that it comes to the rim of the mold when submerged (be careful not to let the water come over the top of the rim and spoil the ice cream!) Let the mold sit in the hot water long enough to soften the edges slightly, then remove from the water. You may like to use a smooth knife to help ease the bomb up from the edges of the mold, before turning it upside down on the serving platter. Gently ease the bomb out. Smooth away any scrapes that may have occurred on the bombe's surface with a hot knife. Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the bombe and top with the remaining crushed Tim Tams. Return to the freezer or serve.

Serves approximately 6-8

NOTES: If you have an ice cream maker, before smoothing the chocolate cream into the mold, place it in the machine for a few minutes to churn and semi freeze. Then spread into the mold. This makes for a lovely moussy layer when cut. You can also do the same with the vanilla layer, giving the whole bombe a better end result texture.

The cream is whipped into soft peaks, then divided into two bowls. To make the malt flavoured ice cream, milo powder and cocoa is added and beaten, then smoothed into the ice cream mold. The vanilla mix is then layered with the broken tim tams to form the centre of the bomb.

After freezing, the mold is removed from the freezer and unwrapped. It is put into a bowl of hot water to soften the edged, then gently removed with the help of a knife, and turned out onto the serving platter. A smear of hot chocolate is poured onto the top before serving.

Lime Cheesecake Ice Cream with Raspberry Swirl

It's a little experiment that turned out oh so right.
This thick, creamy cheese cake ice cream, infused with lime and rippling with raspberry puree, has a lovely biscuit base mimicking the real deal and tastes sublime. It's rich and decadent and smooth, and the flavours of the lime and raspberry together are just meant to be. There's nothing quite like home made!

LIME CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM WITH RASPBERRY SWIRL (Adapted from The Perfect Scoop By David Lebovitz)

1 lime
125ml (1/2 cup) full cream milk
225g cream cheese, room temperature
250g sour cream
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup raspberries
green coloured food dye (optional)
3 scotch finger biscuits, crushed

Finely grate the zest of one lime into a small bowl containing the milk. Stand for half an hour to infuse. Meanwhile, cut the lime in half and juice. With a small spoon, scoop out the green fleshy part of the lime and also add this to the juice.
In a food blender or processor, place the cream cheese, sour cream, salt, vanilla and sugar, as well as the juice and flesh of the lime. Add the milk and zest. Process until well combined, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
Add the food colouring.
Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture forms a thick ice cream. While churning, place the crushed biscuits in the base of the container you are using to store the ice cream. Puree the raspberries and set aside. Spread the churned and frozen ice cream over the biscuit layer when removed from the ice cream machine. Swirl the raspberry puree through the ice cream and place in the freezer until firm. Serve with raspberries or more lime zest if desired.

Makes about 700ml

Spiced Mango Lassi

Life's been a little lumpy in the last month and a bit. I'm talking surgery, bloody messes, hospitals, screaming babies. On the up side, I got to see the 20 week ultrasound of my latest little angel, and it's a beauty. Fat and rounded and big for it's estimated age, with a straight little nose and sweetly sucking his or her tiny thumb.
So that wasn't so lumpy. Neither was the Spiced Mango Lassi I made, that went down a treat. Smooth, creamy, cold and refreshing, you could serve this tropical Lassi as a dessert, a afternoon snack or a meal. It's super easy to make as well, and only requires a few minutes of your time, some delicious ingredients and a food blender.

SPICED MANGO LASSI (A Lick The Spoon Original)

1 large mango, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
1 flat tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a food blender. Process until smooth.
Pour into glasses and serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top and a mint leaf garnish if desired.
Serves 2 (as a snack or meal) or 4 (as a dessert.)

Refreshing Chilled Berry Water

What could be more refreshing and thirst quenching than water? I have a feeling that lemonade somehow tops water for me--I mean that home made, chilled and super summery liquid gold that goes down so easily on hot summer days, and not the fizzy stuff (ugh!).
But the other day I discovered something perhaps equally as satisfying with no added sugar and prettied up with natural colours and flavours.
It's an elegant option for afternoon teas with the girls out on the deck or for summer dinner parties where water is in hot demand. I'm always on the look out for a fancy non-alcoholic drink to serve to my guests, and this really brought wows to the table when I served it.
Over time, the fruit encrusted ice blocks melted and issued the most beautiful pink colour through the lightly-berry flavoured water, and looked ever so pretty, and the wows started up again.
I served this lemon infused, chilled still raspberry water at a brunch we held for a friend of mine, along with bacon and egg quiches, croissants, blueberry and apple danishes and plenty of tea. You can add any type of fruit you like to the ice tray, and even garnish the jug with slices of lemon or lime to add some contrasting colour and that really fresh zing.

REFRESHING CHILLED BERRY WATER

1 large ice tray (we used a tray with half sphere shaped holes)
1/3 cup frozen or fresh berries of your choice (we used raspberries)
1 lemon, juiced
Water to fill the ice tray
Water to fill the jug (preferably chilled)

Place the berries at the bottom of each of the ice tray hollows. Squirt a little lemon juice into each. Top up the tray with water until the hollows are almost full. (The berries will float) Transfer to the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours. When solid, press from the ice tray into a jug of ice cold water. Garnish with lime, lemon or mint if desired. Serve as is, or sit the full jug for 10-15 minutes for the colour from the berries and the berry flavour and refreshing lemon juice to issue through the water. Serve.

Raspberry Mango Yogurt Slide

Some have claimed to have put on pounds looking at this blog.
It's hazardous.
It's wicked.
It's to be had in moderation. For sure.
There's no harm in looking, in dreaming and drooling.
I say don't touch what you can't afford, but it's hard sometimes, especially when somethings dripping with chocolatey goodness and it's been one of those days!
Trust me. I know what it's like. I get to that stage several times during the day, where a quick sugar fix is super tempting, just to pick my energy up, even if only momentarily.
But considering I'm about to gain about 15-20kg in the next five months, I don't really need any help with extra delights adding to the grand total. (Just so you know, I'm expecting a wee one, and my last two pregnancies have resulted in whopping, healthy babies).
So where do I now turn? In the discovery of this chilled yogurt and fruit blend, that both satisfies my sweet tooth, while remaining nutritious and delicious. It's also a super refreshing snack to have on these hot summer days...I personally don't know anything quite as refreshing.
I make my own yogurt with an easi-yo flask. Just so you know, it's totally amazing with no added sugar, unless you want it--so you know what's going into it. Yogurt is really healthy for you and contains lots of live bacteria cultures, calcium, aids in nutrient absorption, aids in weight loss, helps prevent infections, and is said to reduce the severity of PMS. Worth a try, right?
Combined with my one of my favourite berries, the raspberry, and my favourite tropical fruit, the mango, this is a to-die for blend that you laze back and scoop from the glass. It's not quite a smoothie, it's not quite frozen yogurt, but it's a gorgeous in between.

For the mango version (which is equally as divine) visit here.

RASPBERRY MANGO YOGURT SLIDE (A Lick the Spoon Original)

1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen mango
3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

Combine the fruit and yogurt in a food blender. Blend until all the fruit has been pureed and well incorporated into the yogurt. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Serves 1