Cookie Cutter Blog

Fondant au Chocolat (chocolate melting cake)

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:31:51 +1100

This recipe is for the best chocolate cake I have EVER eaten. Remi you must send me a picture of this INCREDIBLE recipe. In fact I can’t believe the frenchman even shared it with me and the blog.

Method

Take 200g of butter and 200g of dark chocolate (lindt 70%) that you put together in the microwave until it’s melted, stir, and add 250g sugar little by little and stir.

Let it rest a few minutes, you can prepare the tin for it (put butter and flour so that it doesn’t stick).

Come back to the cake, add 5 eggs (1 by 1) and stir a lot, then 1 big spoon of flour and it’s ready put it in the tin.

Bake 25 minutes at 180 degree (the middle should still be a bit melt).

Serve it with custard cream, whipped cream and vanilla ice and say thank you to the chef

Hot Cross Buns

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:48:05 +1100

I made several batches of hot cross buns over Easter, and every time I did, those who saw photos (or ate the results) asked for the recipe, assuming that hot cross buns must be extremely difficult to bake.

Firstly: here is Citrus and Candy’s hot cross bun recipe.

Secondly: hot cross buns are SO EASY to make. No machines needed! All mixing by hand, a bit of yeast action, then straight in the oven!

This recipe is foolproof — works every time, as long as you let the yeast do it’s thing in a warm place. But it doesn’t have any mixed peel in it, which I believe is essential in a real hot cross bun, so I added 1/2 a cup of mixed peel to this recipe. I also experimented with different fruit (chopped dates, apricots, giant raisins), different spices (more cinnamon, clove instead of allspice), and different jam glazes (orange marmalade, apricot jam, rhubarb jam).

Serve with a mug of tea and whatever jam you used for the glaze. I don’t think these should be a strictly Easter-only baked treat…

Beef & eggplant moussaka… Inspired by leftover...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:15:43 +1100

Beef & eggplant moussaka… Inspired by leftover eggplant… So yum!

Indian Feast - Easy samosas: Ingredients: 3-4 Potatoes, boiled,...

Tue, 24 May 2011 15:35:33 +1000

Indian Feast - Easy samosas:

Ingredients:
3-4 Potatoes, boiled, peeled & mashed
1/2 cup Green Peas, boiled
1-2 Green Chilies, finely chopped
1/2tsp Ginger, crushed
1tbsp coriander finely chopped (optional)
Few chopped Cashews (optional)
Few Raisins (optional)
1/2tsp Garam masala
Salt to taste
Red chili powder to taste
1/2 tsp. Dry Mango powder( Amchur) (optional)
Large pinch tamarind
Large pinch carraway seeds2-3 sheets puff pastry

Method:

In a bowl add mashed potatoes and all dry masalas (salt, chili powder, mango powder, garam masala) and green chilles, ginger and Mix well.
Add green peas, cashews and raisins and mix well.
Add coriander and keep aside.
Take sheets of puff pastry and cut into squares approx 10cm by 10cm

Place a spoonful of stuffing into centre of pastry square, and fold one corner like a paper aeroplane
Pinch top and along side to join, and fold base up to form a flat end, and pinch closed.
Brush with lightly beaten egg or milk. Bake in oven at 180 degrees for around 15 min until golden.
Serve samosas hot with your favourite chutney.

Thanks Kara for this submission - yummm really makes me want to eat Indian, especially now that Sydney has turned cold. We look forward to seeing whatever exciting dishes you cook up in Canada, now that you’ve just moved over!

Mini Maple Walnut Pies

Mon, 23 May 2011 15:26:00 +1000

I made these for an American housewarming party using this recipe (which is great, because it’s a rare pecan pie recipe that doesn’t call for corn syrup!)… with a few alterations. I used my standard go-to shortcrust recipe (250g flour, 125g butter, 1 egg, pinch of salt, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tbs cold water). And I used walnuts instead of pecans because they’re cheaper. And I used a tiny-cupcake tin instead of a full-sized pie tin. The only thing better (okay, almost as good as) a slice of pecan pie is a handful of mini maple walnut pies!

Thanks Olivia… these look delicious!

Indian Feast: Cooking indian butter chicken curry is a lot...

Wed, 18 May 2011 13:02:00 +1000

Indian Feast:

Cooking indian butter chicken curry is a lot easier than it sounds, and curry is the perfect dish for the cooler weather we have been enjoying(?) lately.

Serve with home-made samosas, deep fried poppadums, naan, saffron rice and mango chutney; this dish is a real winter crowd pleaser!

Here is the recipe:

http://www.indianfoodforever.com/non-veg/chicken/butter-chicken.html

Thanks Kara for this submission!

Kara sent me these beautiful salad ideas, yum figs really are...

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:43:49 +1000

Kara sent me these beautiful salad ideas, yum figs really are the flavour of the season!

Autumn salads:

#1. Fig, pistacchios, walnuts, fetta and baby spinach with caramelised balsamic dressing (foreground).

#2. Cashews, chickpeas, beetroot, white beans, sultanas and rocket (background).

Perfect for lunchtime entertaining with minimal preparation time! Serve with stuffed mushrooms and/or hot crusty bread for a touch of warmth.

Cinnamon Fig and Ginger jam Nice idea Olivia! I made this jam...

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:54:45 +1000

Cinnamon Fig and Ginger jam

Nice idea Olivia! I made this jam last night with a pile of leftover figs. I’ve just tried some on buttered toast with my cappuccino at work this morning - it is sooo yummy! This recipe doesn’t have ginger, however you’re a fanatic like me, add some chopped crystalised ginger which become chewy jewels of goodness in the sweet compote.

Enjoy!

Sexiest Salad in the World Sharnie’s Potluck dishAlmost...

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:10:00 +1000

Sexiest Salad in the World Sharnie’s Potluck dish

Almost as bad as turning up to a party in the same dress - bringing the same dish to a pot-luck dinner! Luckily it was just a core ingredient blunder (Sharnie we do have good taste!). The beauty of this one is it’s simple and sexy as Jamie Oliver puts it, taking minutes to prepare and nicely washed down with a glass of sparkling red wine.

Fresh figs, prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, give this dish its panache, click here for the recipe.

My Pot Luck Dish: Fig, Prosciutto & Gorgonzola Pissaladiere,...

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:42:00 +1000

My Pot Luck Dish:

Fig, Prosciutto & Gorgonzola Pissaladiere, Bourke St Bakery Cookbook

Puff Pastry, caramelised onions, figs, prosciutto and gorgonzola baked in the oven until cheesy-crispy-yum. If you like these ingredients separately you will love them baked together in mini-pizza style canape. The recipe recommends larger squares, I cut mine small so you have canape in one hand, wine in the other.

Delish.

Pot Luck What to make for a pot-luck party!? If you’ve...

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:35:00 +1000

Pot Luck

What to make for a pot-luck party!? If you’ve been living under a rock a pot luck party is one where each guest must bring a dish of their choice, main, entree or dessert and it’s random luck what food ends up on the table.

I had to think up a dish for Sarah’s potluck party on the weekend and was overwhelmed not knowing what the rest of the menu might be. Will we have too many desserts?? will two people cook the same thing!?!? ahhh - this was much more difficult than being told what to cook.

So heading out to the shops Sat morning with no clue what to make, and guess what I found on the way? An old chilean man selling figs on the side of the road from the back of his truck! As a self-confessed Chilean/Aussie this had be a sign - figs had to be my dish.

Next I remembered my old Burke St Bakery cook-book which hasn’t been opened for a few weeks, and the delicious looking fig and proscuitto pissaladiere which I’ve been meaning to make for ages.

Figs are in season now, as such this gourmet ingredient has become the next big thing for Sydney Foody’s, well that’s my perception (and proved right at the potluck party). See the following photos of figalicious combinations - and post me any fig recipes you find, as I now have half a box of figs and trying to figure out what to do with them!

I love macaroons!

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:00:40 +1000

I love macaroons!

Celebration Mousse Torte (Easter egg cake) This cake was...

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:20:10 +1000

Celebration Mousse Torte (Easter egg cake)

This cake was actually death by chocolate, sugar overloaded blissful chocolatey heaven in a torte! Words simply cannot describe how delicious this fluffy mousse cake with oreo base and peanut butter chocolate icing was…. I think we’ve found a new favourite in my house. Recipe found not in a fancy-schmancy Nigella-like source but from the humble (and free!) coles supermarket magazine! Truth to the fact that delicious doesn’t always mean pricey. Nice one mum! Now back to my sugar coma…

Click here for recipe

I lived in Chile from 2008 - 2010 on student exchange for...

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 21:59:00 +1000

I lived in Chile from 2008 - 2010 on student exchange for university. From living as a student in a beach front apartment, snowboarding in the nearby Andes, playing soccer with the locals or ‘pichanga’ as they call it and living la vida loca, of course the year could not pass without my favourite hobby, cooking to add to the mix.

I was lucky enough to live in shared accomodation for most of the first year with an eclectic mix of overseas students, including a fine Chilean Chef and now very dear friend of mine, Pepe. It was frequent to hear my voice yelling through the house, “Pepe te necesito, no esta funcionando!” (Pepe I need you, it’s not working!) - and Pepe would come running to the kitchen, to fix my sauce with a shake of this and a dash of that. I would find myself in awe of the musicality and coordination of the Chef in action, who when not in the kitchen possessed a clown-like youthful exuberance, always laughing and playing practical jokes on the housemates. Almost majestically, the kitchen transformed him into a conductor, the pots and pans his orchestra with each spice and cream playing their role, to create the perfectly tuned masterpiece, ending up something like the picture seen above.

Pepe now works on luxury cruise-liners, and this photo is one of the desserts he has made in a recent stint somewhere in the Caribbean.

Now I’m not expecting you to cook this one - I’m not going to attempt it myself - however let’s all sit back and admire the beautiful foodography which has made it’s way to this page, from the distant shores of Costa Rica. Nice One Pepito!

Hi! How do I add a place for people to comment on my page?

thank you

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:22:53 +1100

Hi there! To get a comment box on your blog simply sign up with disqus and insert the code in your tumblr.. read this link: http://ijafri.com/2009/04/06/add-comments-to-tumblr-blog-with-disqus/ If you have any more questions just let me know :)

This Gretta Anna classic was made by my sister Liesl, who loves...

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:30:07 +1100

This Gretta Anna classic was made by my sister Liesl, who loves everything French (and lucky for the rest of us, the French food part is usually pretty amazing!) We really enjoyed this soup, great for cold weather and can’t be served without a glass of red on the side.

You can add fried bacon to this recipe if you like.

French Onion Soup The Gretta Anna Recipes, p. 22

Saute 8 thinly sliced onions with 5 Tbs of oil, until fairly brown (this can take some time, around 30 minutes on low-med heat, stirring so onions don’t stick to pot). Add 3 Tbs of flour, 3/4 tsp salt and some black pepper. Mix and cook a few mins.

Add 4 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 good tsp English mustard, 1 1/2 cups of white wine, 9 cups water, 17 crumbled chicken cubes, and 8 Tbs brandy. Simmer mixture for 20 mins.

Add 3 Tbs chopped parsley and 2 Tbs chopped thyme (or 2 heaped tsps of dry thyme). Simmer for a few mins and serve into bowls.

Place chunks of baguette in soup with swiss or gruyere cheese slices on top, and grill until cheese melts. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Chicken Korma Curry Crock-pot with Pomegranate Regular readers...

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +1100

Chicken Korma Curry Crock-pot with Pomegranate

Regular readers may be aware of my, what shall we call it, borderline obsession, with pomegranates this summer. Well, cruising the fruit ‘n’ vege section in Coles for curry ingredients today, I just couldn’t help myself but buy one last pomegranate, as Sydney leaves have already begun to fall and the summer fruits are disappearing from our plates and blogs for another year (thank goodness I can hear you saying!!) Farewell pomegranates, we’ll miss you dearly!

Slow Cooker’s are an incredibly simple way to cook amazing meals. All you do is throw all ingredients in the crock-pot and let it be for 4-6 hours! I can see why these devices were so popular in the 70’s, and not surprisingly seem to be making a comeback in the last couple of years. The best part is cheap cuts are ideal for slow-cookers, as the meat is cooked slow and long the meat will fall off the bone. Also, boned meat is perfect, without the bone you’re meat may fall apart and become mushy.

Click here for the recipe.

I used small chicken drumsticks for this recipe - and cooked it on high for 4 hours (on low/med 6 hrs would be sufficient). My garnish was pomegrante anils, chopped coriander and slivered almonds. (Read my “How to de-seed a pomegranate” blog entry if you need a quick refresher). The pomegrantes gave sweet bursts of joy to the hearty korma curry and the chicken was deliciously tender, juicy and just fell off the bone.

Low-fat Lemon & Berry Cheesecake Who said cheesecakes had to...

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 09:30:00 +1100

Low-fat Lemon & Berry Cheesecake

Who said cheesecakes had to be bad for you? This recipe has no butter and low fat cheeses giving you a delectable dessert without the guilt. I accidently used plain flour instead of self raising (whoops! rookie error!) and so mine didn’t rise as much as it should. Still tasted wonderful and was warmly welcomed by dieters and full-fat fans alike. I used mixed berries instead of blackberries and also added pomegranate anils as I had a few leftover from dinner which gave a zangy, crunchy tang. I love the semolina and berry / lemon combo, reminds me of the berry semolina cupcakes from a a few blogs back.

click here for the recipe

FitzPacker’s Chocolate Delights (muffins) This easy to...

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:48:00 +1100

FitzPacker’s Chocolate Delights (muffins)

This easy to follow recipe is great for first timers like us. It’s definately not one for the health concious, however tastes delicious and is perfect for that mid-afternoon treat. For recipe, email rachel.fitzpatrick88@gmail.com :)

Nectarine, Peach or Plum Cake - Gretta Anna Recipes, p. 191 This...

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:05:00 +1100

Nectarine, Peach or Plum Cake - Gretta Anna Recipes, p. 191

This recipe has been made summer after summer in my house, usually at the mid-end of the season when stone fruit is cheap and bountiful and ends up a little over-ripe as the household fails to keep up with the overflowing summer fruit bowl.

This never-fail recipe which is moist and luscious, makes for the perfect morning tea cake with a coffee.

Slice 4 large nectarines, 3 large peaches, or 5-6 large plums into a basin and sprinkle with 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and toss.

Cream together 320 g butter with 300 g sugar. Add 3 eggs and the grated zest of 2 lemons. Add 250 mls milk, 400 g self-raising flour and, lastly, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder. Divide the batter between two 20 cm torte tins. Cover one with the chosen drained fruit (drain in a strainer) and place the other directly into the deep freeze. Sprinkle over the fruit a further 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake in 180 degree oven, the fruit should sink into the cake (mine didn’t work as it usually does in the picture!)

Nectarine/peach cake cook for 55 minutes and a plum cake 60-65 mins or when a skewer comes out clean from the centre. This recipe makes 2 cakes, when you wish to make the frozen cake, simply defrost, cover with the fruit and bake in the oven as directed.

Effort factor - 5/10 Taste factor - 9/10 Make again: Of course - It’s been made many times before and will always be a favourite

Cookie Cutter Blog

Fondant au Chocolat (chocolate melting cake)

Hot Cross Buns

Beef & eggplant moussaka… Inspired by leftover...

Indian Feast - Easy samosas: Ingredients: 3-4 Potatoes, boiled,...

Mini Maple Walnut Pies

Indian Feast: Cooking indian butter chicken curry is a lot...

Kara sent me these beautiful salad ideas, yum figs really are...

Cinnamon Fig and Ginger jam Nice idea Olivia! I made this jam...

Sexiest Salad in the World Sharnie’s Potluck dishAlmost...

My Pot Luck Dish: Fig, Prosciutto & Gorgonzola Pissaladiere,...

Pot Luck What to make for a pot-luck party!? If you’ve...

I love macaroons!

Celebration Mousse Torte (Easter egg cake) This cake was...

I lived in Chile from 2008 - 2010 on student exchange for...

Hi! How do I add a place for people to comment on my page? thank you

This Gretta Anna classic was made by my sister Liesl, who loves...

Chicken Korma Curry Crock-pot with Pomegranate Regular readers...

Low-fat Lemon & Berry Cheesecake Who said cheesecakes had to...

FitzPacker’s Chocolate Delights (muffins) This easy to...

Nectarine, Peach or Plum Cake - Gretta Anna Recipes, p. 191 This...

Hi! How do I add a place for people to comment on my page?

thank you