Potato Gnocchi

I decided to attempt for the very first time, making fresh potato gnocchi. I love gnocchi so much! The tiny white pillows, soft as a cloud and probably bad for you! (carbs and fat!)

I grew up eating the dry store-bought stuff that you boil and mix a jar of pasta sauce through it - and I even loved it then! It was when I was older and wiser, that I first tried it at a restaurant - its shape more pillow-like than the factory made silkworm. I was intrigued. I bit into it. Nothing could compare to that velvety texture laced with truffle oil that filled the palate. Instantly, I was converted. Never again would I eat the dry, crumbly store bought version.

POTATO GNOCCHI

Peel and quarter 4 large potatoes.

Place in a steamer, cover and steam for about 15 minutes
(or until soft when pierced with a fork)
Place in a bowl and mash. I used a potato ricer.

Add 1 whisked egg and combine.
Add 1 cup of flour and a 1/4 cup grated parmesan and combine.
Add 1 more cup of flour, in 2 halves, and combine.
Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the dough into quarters.
Roll each quarter into a long snake/sausage/worm with a 2-3cm thickness.
Using a floured knife, cut the tiny pillows of gnocchi.

To cook gnocchi, bring a pot of salted water to the boil.
Add gnocchi without over-crowding the pot.
When gnocchi rise to the surface they are ready to collect with a slotted spoon.

I personally like gnocchi pan-fried afterwards, to give it that delicious golden brown skin :)

Christmas 2013

Again I'm so delayed in posting! I hope everyone is having a great new year so far (can't believe we're nearly one month down). This morning I finally took down the Christmas tree - I normally take it down after new year's day but a friend of ours couldn't make it for dinner until this month. So I kept it just for them!

It's always a sad time taking the tree down. I'm reminded of how fast time keeps passing and how short our lives really are. Is this a sign of age? I just turned 29 a few days ago!

Anyhow for Christmas I baked some treats as always. "Red Velvet" flavoured and Green "Snickers" flavoured macarons, red velvet cupcakes, Christmas shortbreads and m&m cookies.

My macarons on display at the dining table for Christmas Day lunch

My Christmas treats packed and ready to give as gifts

Asia's Kitchen Tea

This post is a LOOOONG time coming! I have sorely neglected my blog. First of all, happy new year and rest assured there are a few more catch up posts to come.

My cousin Asia had her Kitchen Tea in November last year and it was a wonderful day! The weather was so nice, the food PLENTIFUL and floral fabrics and pastels abounded. It was also a fun affair filled with the usual Kitchen Tea games. I departed with my feet fatigued, my belly full and a huge smile on my face :)

I had a late night and an early morning for the Kitchen Tea for this creation:
Beige "Snickers" Macarons
Pink White Chocolate Macarons
Caramel Mudcake Base with Meringue and Popcorn Icing

This was a beautifully amazing creation by a friend of Asia's.
This cake and the cupcakes were tri-flavoured mud: Chocolate, Vanilla & Caramel

The bride-to-be and me :)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you haven't tried Nestlé's new caramel chocolate baking chips then I urge you, please, you must obtain some! It is one of the most addictive creations I've had in a long time. Nothing can describe the heady sensation you get when you stick your nose into flavours of the plastic pouch. They are so irresistible that I have often bought them simply to eat straight from the pack. And I have no idea how something that looks and feels like a regular chocolate chip can explode into butterscotch sauce and toffee with hot chocolate in your mouth. So this morning, to pay homage to the wee little buds, I made thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat oven to 160ºC.

In a bowl combine 2 cups plain flour with ½ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt. Set aside.

Melt 170g of unsalted butter and combine with 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup caster sugar.

Mix in 1 tbsp vanilla extract and one whole egg.

Add one egg yolk, mix well.

Gradually mix in the flour mixture.

Stir in the entire contents of the 250g bag of baking chocolate chips.

Dollop the batter with a large spoon onto lined baking trays, spaced well apart.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Best indulged in while still warm :)

 

 

Blueberry Tart

I have a confession to make. I've never been the biggest fan of blueberries - they're really tart and stain everywhere and everything!

I do however, love blueberries in their sweetened and cooked form! They also photograph so beautifully.

 



I have already used blueberries here and here so I planned to make cupcakes. But I've just done that with carrots here! So whenever I have any sort of dilemma (like the increasing number of grey hairs I'm finding) I consult my husband. That's what they're there for right? One thing I love about him is he tells it like it is. He does tell you your butt looks big in something! So he suggested to make something with pastry!

BLUEBERRY TART

To make pastry rub in 180g chopped cold butter into 2 cups plain flour and 1 cup icing sugar with fingertips.

The texture should resemble coarse cookie crumbs.

Add one egg and incorporate with a knife at first, then knead until a ball is formed.

Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough to 0.5-1cm thickness and cut out rounds (I used a cup to cut them)

Line tart tins with rounds, pressing to adapt to the edges.

I find no need to grease the tins, as the high butter content in the dough helps them come out later.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Fill each tart with baking beads and blind bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes.

After blind baking fill each tart with blueberries, brush with melted butter and sprinkle caster sugar over top.

Bake at 180ºC for another 20 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack before removing tarts.

Dust with icing sugar to serve.

 

 

Carrot Cake

There's nothing like a health kick. I go to a fresh produce market and pick the vibrant bounty that mother nature has to offer. So what to do with that bag of fresh, cold and crisp, vitamin A-laden carrots? I know, mix it with sugar, butter and cream cheese!!!!!

CARROT CAKE

Cream together 125g butter with ½ cup brown sugar. Add 3 eggs, one at a time.

Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a tbsp of vegetable oil and mix.

Gradually incorporate 2 cups self-raising flour.

Fold in 2 grated carrots.

Distribute batter into cupcake tins (or into greased cake tin if making cake)

Bake in oven preheated to 160ºC until skewer comes out clean.

(It took about 12 minutes for each mini-cupcake tray)

Cool on a rack.

 

 

Cream Cheese Icing

Beat together 250g cream cheese, the juice of half a lemon and ½ cup icing sugar.

Pipe, pipe, pipe away!!!

 

 

 



Strawberry Galette

Yes, yet again here is another way to showcase my favourite fruit which just happens to be in season and cheap - not to mention luscious and yummy! This "tart" is deliciously messy and there's just something about the way it is assembled by hand that adds to its rustic charm. It's also the perfect solution if you don't own a pie tin!

STRAWBERRY GALETTE

Strawberry Filling

Hull and halve a punnet of strawberries.

In a bowl, combine ½ cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp cornstarch and a pinch of salt.

Add strawberries and tumble to coat.

Pastry

Into a bowl add 1 cup plain flour and 1 tbsp sugar.

Using fingertips, massage in 100g cold diced butter until crumbs form.

Add in 1 tbsp ice cold water and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Knead into a ball.

On a floured surface, roll dough quite thinly (do not aim for any perfect shape)

Transfer to a lined baking tray.

Distribute luscious strawberry mix over the centre of the dough.

Using your fingers, roll up and pleat the edges.

Brush the edges with water then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180ºC until golden brown.

Served with a strawberry coulis - simply simmer strawberries with sugar then puree!

 Best enjoyed with cream :)

Strawberry Éclairs

Strawberries are cheap at the moment and I am L O V I N G  I T!!!! I made my strawberry shortcake a second time to bring to my cousin's house for lunch. I was about to make it a third time (yes, strawberries are cheap at the moment!) but Paul said he was a bit "over it". The spoilt brat!

So I decided to attempt making éclairs - with a strawberry filling :)

STRAWBERRY ÉCLAIRS

Choux Pastry

Into a saucepan on medium heat, combine 125g diced butter and 1 cup milk.

When boiling, dump in 150g plain flour. Stir with a whisk until a ball forms.

Next comes the part which requires arm power!

While beating with one arm, add 4 eggs, one at a time.

Between each addition it'll look like it's splitting but don't panic, it'll come together.

Beat, beat, beat!!

Transfer the dough to a piping bag with a plain nozzle.

Pipe 10cm logs onto lined baking trays, spaced apart to allow for growth.

Bake at 180ºC for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160ºC and cook for another 20 minutes.

During the 160 cooking, open the door every now and then to let steam escape.

Cool the éclairs on a rack.

Strawberry Cream Filling

Combine 250g hulled strawberries, ½ cup caster sugar and a dash of water in a pan.

Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Puree with a stick blender.

In another pan, add 1 cup milk and ½ cup of the strawberry puree. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Bring to a boil then set aside.

In a bowl whisk together 4 egg yolks with ­40g cornflour.

Add ½ cup of the hot strawberry milk and whisk.

Pour the contents from the bowl into the saucepan and whisk.

Bring to the boil stirring constantly for a few minutes until thickened (like custard).

Turn heat off and whisk in 2 tbsp butter.

Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Assembly:

I used a citrus reamer to poke a small hole in the end of each éclair.

Whisk strawberry cream again then fold in 100ml whipped cream.

Place into a piping bag with a plain nozzle.

Fill each éclair carefully.

Melt dark chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.

Dip each éclair into the chocolate and place on a tray to set.

(Try to resist eating them beforehand!)

 

 

Roast Chicken

Because things haven't been that busy at work I decided to push all my patients to 4 days a week and take one day off for myself :) I chose the day that is typically our quietest day - Thursdays. We've renamed Thursdays "Mummy-Teddy Day" because that's exactly what it is! Although Teddy is officially my dog, he's always been most loyal to Paul. I see that now changing however, with the more alone time I'm getting with him :)

The other bonus of my one day off benefits Paul - I have hours to prepare a delicious dinner for him! So I decided to bake our dinner. I found a nice whole frozen chicken in the freezer!

ROAST CHICKEN

With a whole defrosted chicken, slice a lemon in half and squeeze juice into the cavity.

Throw the squeezed halves into the cavity and tie the legs together to seal.

Into a roasting tin, throw in chopped veggies of your choice.

I did potatoes, onion, and carrots.

Place the chicken in the centre of the tin and spread butter liberally all over the skin. Sprinkle with salt.

With another lemon, squeeze juice all over the veggies. Drizzle all over veggies with olive oil.

Roast the chicken in the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 170-180.

Every 15 minutes from then on, turn the chicken - on its left/right sides, upside down etc.

 Rearrange the veggies to help prop the chicken upright when it's sideways.

Baste the chicken with the pan juices at each turn.
Check from time to time if the chicken is done, by piercing deep near the thigh.
When the juices run clear (ie no blood) it is ready to devour.

To serve, use a big sharp knife to divide the chicken into 2 leg/thigh portions, 2 wings and 2 breasts.