Rummaging the Archives--Coconut Whirl Biscuits

I recently promised some of Mum's golden oldies that I ransacked from her recipe drawer at home. I love scrummaging through the deteriorating scraps of paper and magazine cutouts, the handmade school cookbooks with pages missing, and those tattered and written on old recipe books from who knows when. You never know what you're going to find. Sometimes I find something and it hits home. I remember that!! And all of a sudden a memory of my childhood comes back, as vivid as ever. Then when I bake it, more of the memory floods in. Its like finding photos of the past that you've never seen before, of when you where a child, and all of a sudden something you hadn't thought of in 20 years comes back into the mind.
So here's one of those recipes. My mum used to make these when I was very small. They are a soft biscuit with tangy lemon, coconut and the subtle sweetness of strawberry jam to balance the delightful flavour combination. So pretty and tasty for an afternoon tea with friends!

 

COCONUT WHIRL BISCUITS

2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup milk
4 tbsp sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp jam
6 tbsp coconut
1 tsp grated lemon rind
squeeze of lemon juice
extra coconut

Make a dough from the flour, baking powder, salt, butter, sugar and milk. Roll out into a rectangle shape on a lightly floured surface.
Combine jam, coconut, lemon juice and rind together and spread over the top of the dough until the surface is well covered. Roll up into a sausage shape, and cut into 1cm thick slices. Arrange on a lined baking tray and brush the tops with beaten egg. Sprinkle each with extra coconut and bake at 180C until lightly golden (approximately 15-20 minutes.)

Makes 28

The Perfect Weekend Breakfast in Bed

Okay, it just about never occurs, but breakfast in bed is one of my all time favourite weekend treats. Is there anything better than waking up to the rain pouring down, and being greeted with a steaming coffee and a plate of pancakes layered with yogurt, strawberries, syrup and ice cream? I think not!
I'm of the opinion that every mum should have one of these breakys in bed at least every few months and just ooze back into the pillows with a magazine and enjoy the beginning of her "day off". Not that a housewife ever has a day off, but you know. Let's just pretend its a day we don't have to work either...just until we have to get out of bed and that plate of oozy pancakes has disappeared.
Men: you wont regret it. Who doesn't want brownie points?

PANCAKES WITH STRAWBERRIES (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens 07/11)

1 cup self raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
60g butter
2 tbsp honey
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Strawberries
Icecream
Maple Syrup
Strawberry yogurt

Sift flour and bicarb into a medium sized bowl. Heat butter and honey in a small saucepan over a low heat. Cook, stirring, until the butter has melted and is smooth. Set aside to cool.
Add milk and beaten egg to the butter mixture and whisk until combined. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until a smooth batter forms.
Add a little butter to the base of a large fry pan, at medium heat. Dollop four spoonfuls of batter into the fry pan at once. When bubbles begin to burst on the surface of the pancakes, flip and cook the other side until golden. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with your choice of topping and filling.
We used strawberry yogurt between the layers and slices of strawberry, maple syrup and a dob of ice cream on the top. Yum!

Serves 3-4

Cheating Chef--Peppermint Choc Chip Icecream

I don't know how many times I've been silly enough not to re-read through a recipe..and come to the stage where I realise I don't have one of the ingredients! I'm sure a lot of people have been in the same boat, so I just wanted to share a few handy tips for making substitutes so the batter you're half way through making doesn't go to waste!

Replacements for EGGS:

1/4 cup of tofu will replace 1 egg
or 2 tbsp water mixed with 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp baking power
or mashed banana
or apple sauce
or a blob of egg mayonnaise


Replacement for SELF RAISING FLOUR:

2 tbsp baking powder mixed into 1 cup plain flour

Replacement for CORNFLOUR or CORNSTARCH:

2 tbsp flour will replace 1 tbsp cornflour
or 2tbsp instant tapioca
or 1 tbsp arrowroot

Replacement for CREAM OF TARTAR:

1/2 tsp lemon juice will replace 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
or 1/2 tsp vinegar


Replacement for SOUR CREAM or BUTTERMILK:

1 cup plain yogurt will replace 1 cup sour cream
or 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice combined with 1 cup milk (stand for 10-15 minutes)


Replacement for SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK:

1 cup instant dry nonfat milk powder, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water, and 3 tbsp melted butter, processed in food blender until smooth. (Makes same amount as one can)

Replacement for CASTER SUGAR:

1 cup white granulated sugar ground in food processor makes 1 cup of caster sugar.

Replacement for  WHITE VINEGAR:

1/3 cup lemon juice is a good substitute for 1/4 cup white vinegar.

Now here's my cheats recipe for the day:

CHEATS PEPPERMINT CHOC CHIP ICE CREAM

1 litre vanilla ice cream
1 cup mini choc chips
2 tbsp. green food colouring
1-2 tbsp peppermint essence

Remove vanilla ice cream from the freezer and leave to thaw until it begins to go sloppy. Stir through the colouring, choc chips and enough peppermint essence to suit your tastes. Combine thoroughly and return to the freezer until reset.

NOTES: measurements for colouring and flavouring are estimates only. Adjust to your own tastes.

Some other cheats ice cream ideas: 

Run a swirl of your favourite jam through vanilla ice cream for a fancier alternative.
Combine your favourite liqueur with vanilla ice cream. How good does Bailey's Irish Cream ice cream sound?
Rocky road ice cream--mix chopped marshmallows, chocolate, nuts and broken cherry ripe chocolate bars through vanilla ice cream for something a bit different!

Go nuts!

Mini Choc Fudge Cupcakes With Strawberries

There's a few wonderful things about living in Queensland. For one, winter doesn't last very long and we have more than half the year of beautiful tropical summer weather, and summer fruit. For that we pay the price by sweltering through the humidity, but when I sit down with a punnet of strawberries or a sticky mango, I tend to think its well worth it.
Since the February floods, everything has been so expensive, due to crop damage I suppose. Bananas are at $15.00 a kg at the moment and up until very recently, you couldn't buy a punnet of strawberries for under $5.00. But the warmer weather is on its way and prices are dropping. Hence I found myself with a punnet of strawberries and a million ideas whizzing through my head.
Chocolate and Strawberries.
Does that combination ever fail?
I think not.

MINI CHOC FUDGE CUPCAKES WITH STRAWBERRIES

250g butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180C.
Melt the butter and the sugar in a saucepan and stir. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl. Pour the butter mixture, eggs, and vanilla into the flour mixture and combine thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips and stir through. Spoon the mixture into a silicone mini muffin tray (alternatively muffin cases) and cook for 20 minutes or until firm. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing. Ice with strawberry butter icing and slices of strawberry.

NOTES: To make icing, use strawberry jam for flavouring and for that subtle pink colouring. Recipe makes approximately 12 regular sized cupcakes, and about 35 mini cupcakes.

 Just because they photographed so well...I couldn't resist!!

Sharing the Coveted Recipe--Italian Salad

Someone get me a crane! For heaven's sake, I need it! I sound like a dying moose every time I have to do anything slightly strenuous...and that means everything from getting out of bed to lifting my son. Yes...I made the mistake of getting on the scales the other day and looking at how much weight I'd gained since becoming pregnant 6 months ago, and almost broke the scales.
Is it going to stop me from baking? Not in your life. The baby calculator tells me I can safely put on another 10kg and I'm guessing I will. But it does feel rather unattractive. Thankfully I'm not an emotional eater. I'm just an emotional baker. And I tell you what, those pregnancy hormones have a way of making an emotional wreck out of this ship sometimes.
Anyway, my hormones are making me feel giving, so I'm going to pass on a coveted recipe of my mother's. Shh. Don't tell her! Its for salad, just so you know, I do eat other things besides sweets, in case you were wondering.
It's a divine Italian salad sporting all their favourites, from tomatoes to olives and cheese quite typically and without all the greens. I'm not usually into eating salads as a main, but I tell you, you'll want to with this one! You wont be able to stop!

ITALIAN SALAD

800g firm, ripe tomatoes, sliced into bite sized chunks
1/4 tsp sugar
125g garlic sausage, rinds removed and thickly sliced
60g black olives, halved and pitted
125g mozerella cheese, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp. french mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or basil

Put the chopped tomatoes in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Cut each garlic sausage into small peices, ass to the bowl with the olives and cheese and stir gently to mix. In a seperate bowl whisk together the oil and lemon juice until thick, then whisk the mustard and salt and pepper into the dressing to taste. Pour this dressing over the tomato salad, add the onion and parsley and mix gently until the salad is thoroughly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired, then cover and chill until serving time.

Serves 6

NOTES: If preparing the salad ahead of time, do not add the dressing, onion and herbs until just before serving.

Porky at 24 weeks

Palmiers or Elephant Ears

Continuing on from yesterdays post about what people will eat--I found an interesting article about the difference in taste buds between the sexes. Apparently women have more taste buds than men, hence women generally have a finer pallet. If we taste the more subtle flavours, that certainly explains the strange phenomenon of men drowning their meals in tomato sauce. Of course I generalise here but I have noticed this is a common occurrence. There can never be enough pizza topping, cheese or tomato sauce.
Anyway, I wanted to share that little scrap of interesting info before telling you about the recipe I'm about to post. Its a delicate little nibble. Called Palmiers or Elephant Ears most commonly, I believe these little pastry coils originate from France and are named after palm leaves. They are very simple, and delicious in that simplicity.  As always, I have added my own spin on these little treats with the addition of cinnamon.

PALMIERS (ELEPHANT EARS)

1 sheet thawed puff pastry
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted

Using a pastry brush, coat one side of the thawed pastry with melted butter. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and generously spread over the butter. Starting at one end, gently roll the pastry towards the middle. When you reach the middle, start rolling the pastry from the opposite end so the pastry rolls meet each other in the middle. Cut into 1cm discs and place on a lined tray. Lather with the leftover butter and place in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes until puffy and golden.

Winter Warmers--Zucchini Soup

It sometimes amazes me what people will eat. Down the road there's a place called Chompers which specialises in fish and chips and burgers. Now remember when Krispy Kreme Donuts first came to Australia? People camped out overnight just to be the first to line up for those donuts. Over time, the stores have increased and I believe the faze is generally over. But at this particular store down the road, I viewed the most hideous looking burger. It was a Krispy Kreme Donut burger, featuring cheese, bacon and lettuce, the works.

Ewww! I wonder how popular they are? I am sure they appeal to some but the thought makes me want to roll over and die, very prematurely. Dear Lord, take those burgers away!

It sounds like a pregnant woman's midnight craving session gone wild. Even I'm not that crazy!

What has your strangest craving been? What's your most detested food? Well, I havnt had so many unusual cravings, but I sure have list of detested foods. From when I was a kid, of course. I have long developed my tastebuds to appreciate them.

I'm sure they're on most kid's lists, but these used to make me retch at the table.

Silverbeet

Brussel Sprouts

Zucchini

Now my husband has never tasted brussel sprouts, to my horror. His mother is kind! But I am sure he didn't like the sound of me telling him I was making Zucchini Soup. The truth is, until I tasted this amazing stuff I probably would have had a little shudder run through me thinking of my childhood qualms. But this soup has become such a hit at our house. I must say, my inspiration comes from my friend and my old housemate who once made it for dinner. I don't remember her exact recipe but its along the lines of what follows.

I will never think of zucchini the same way again.

I am even willing to try adding zucchini to sweets...just watch me!

ZUCCHINI SOUP (serves 2-3 depending on desired consistency)

1 can evaporated milk (Carnation brand)

500g zucchini

½ packet dried French onion soup mix

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut up the zucchinis into rounds. Boil until they are soft, then drain and cool. Place zucchini in a blender, add half the evaporated milk and process. Add more evaporated milk until you get the desired thickness of the soup. Add the dried soup mix and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until very smooth and well combined. Reheat on stove and serve. Delicious with a dob of sour cream in the middle! 

NOTES: this recipe does not freeze well. Best eaten on the day it is made. The smaller the zucchinis, the better the flavour.

A Stomach for Sweets

Now I know that everyone has a stomach...but did you know some people have two? Yes, I am one of those. Actually, I have three at the moment with Tiny bubba in the oven but I'm not going to count that one. The extra one I'm referring to is the dessert stomach! Most women have one, I am still trying to work out if the men do.
Yes...the dessert stomach. You're "full as a goog" so to speak, but there's always room for a chocolate or a slice of that apple pie.True story.
My dessert stomach is virtually always empty and well, its not a bottomless pit but lets just say food digests rather speedily in that region.

Mmmh...apple pie.
Speaking of which, there are some things that never go astray, like that dessert to finish off a meal. The marriage of sugar, cinnamon and apple, wrapped up in golden buttery pastry. *drool*
So I concocted a little afternoon tea delight using a combination of all these ingredients and ooh why didn't I make more? The deliciousness of the apple oozed into the cinnamon and sugar and made a lovely syrup at the bottom of these little treats which was just so tasty. I couldn't stop eating them.

APPLE CINNAMON TWISTS

1 granny smith apple
2 sheets thawed puff pastry
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 180C. Keeping the peel on, cut apple into thin slices. Melt butter in a small bowl and with a pastry brush, lather over the two sheets of thawed pastry.
Combine sugar and cinnamon, and spread generously over the entire surface of the pastry sheets. Cut each pastry sheet into quarters and then score from one corner to the opposite (so you have two triangles for each 1/4 of the pastry sheet).
Wrap a slice of apple in each piece of pastry and place on a lined baking tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the pastry has puffed up and is turning golden. Serve warm.

 

NOTES: These babies are so good warm and just out of the oven...mmmh! You can also serve them cold and they are almost as delicious. You can use any type of apple preferred, and cut and wrap them in pastry as desired.