Chocolate Mousse (number 3)

Chocolate Mousse

 (pictured with chocolate chips)

Inspired by:

Urbanposer.blogspot.it

Why?

As usual with these great discoveries, the story begins with failure! I tried to make a soy free slice for a friend, but used olive oil as a margarine substitute and the slice although chocolatey ended up tasting like olive oil! So I thought a mousse slice would mask the flavor nicely. Am always looking for new ways of doing things, and this mousse recipe was quick and easy.

Time Taken:

Overnight refrigeration of coconut milk+ 5 minutes.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Medium sized bowl, beater, measuring spoons/cups.

I used:

1 cup of chilled coconut cream (the solid white part not the watery part)

5 tbs cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

½ cup icing sugar (it’s supposed to be 3tbs honey but the lid was stuck on the jar!)

What I did:

Scoop the cold coconut cream into a medium sized bowl.

Add cocoa, vanilla and icing sugar and beat for 2-5 minutes until combined and fluffy.

Eat, or chill and eat later.

Comments after eating Chocolate mousse:

Yum and wow. So easy!

My husband likes the other mousse recipes better than this though.

What I would do different:

When I can get the lid off my honey, I will try it with that instead of icing sugar!

I want to try this method to make different flavours of mousse!

Un-fallen chocolate cake

Un-fallen chocolate cake

Inspired by: 

A recipe in Marie Claire magazine

Why? 

A friend shared this recipe with me.

The first time I made this cake we had to do a lot of tweaking with the cooking time as it was raw so I wanted another try to see how it would work.

Time Taken: 

20 mins prep+45mins-1hr bake= 1 hour 20 mins

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Pie dish, small bowl, fork, large saucepan, spoon, whisk, medium sized bowl

I used:

255g dairy free chocolate

255g softened dairy free margarine

6 separated eggs

1 ½ cups castor sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 30cm round pie dish. 

In a small bowl beat egg yolks and sugar, with a fork, until pale.

In a large saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate and margarine, stirring to make sure it does not burn. Once melted take saucepan off heat (turn off stove top) and mix yolk and sugar into the chocolate.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk whites until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture. 

Once combined, pour cake mixture into pie dish and bake for 45 minutes or until crust solidifies.

Take out of the oven, let cool and cut into slices.

Eat and Enjoy!

Comments after eating un-fallen chocolate cake:

To me it tastes like a very naughty fudgy brownie. 

It was a hit with the 12 people we shared it with, who all went back for more!

The recipe describes that the cake will rise and fall but in both my attempts at this I didn't witness any rising and falling. 

What I would do different:

I don't think this recipe needs that much margarine. Next time I will try and reduce the amount to 200g.

Melting Moments

Melting moments

Inspired by:

Taste.com.au

Why?

I haven’t eaten one in what feels like years!

Time Taken:

15mins+15mins+5mins=35 mins

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Biscuit tray, medium bowl, fork, measuring cups, table knife, small bowl

I used:

250g dairy free margarine, cubed

1/3 cup gluten free icing sugar

1t vanilla

1 1/3 cups gluten free flour

1/3 cup gluten free corn flour.

Icing

60g dairy free margarine at room temperature

1t vanilla

Lemon rind to taste

2/3 cup gluten free icing sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 160C and line biscuit tray with baking paper.

In a medium sized bowl beat dairy free margarine, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy.

Add flours and mix until biscuit dough is just combined.

Roll into balls (the bigger the ball the bigger the biscuit) and place on tray 5cm apart (they do spread). Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake 15 minutes. Take out of oven and leave to cool (they will solidify more). Once cool, mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl. Using a table knife cover the base of the biscuit in icing and press the base of another biscuit on the top. Repeat until all biscuits are iced. Eat and enjoy!

Comments after eating Melting Moments:

They really do melt in your mouth! Delicious and dangerously moreish! Although they are not so tidy to look at. Once iced they look a bit more respectable, but once you taste them the look of them does't matter so much!

What I would do different:

Make a bigger batch! Also experiment with a little less margarine in the hope that they would spread less. 

Brownies (non chocolate)

Brownies (non chocolate)

Inspired by:

Family Circle Children’s Cookbook Chocolate Brownies.

Why?

I am taking dessert to a friend’s house on the weekend, so am experimenting with ideas.

Time Taken: 

10 minutes preparation+15-20 minutes baking

Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, wooden spoon, measuring cups, tray

I used:

200g dairy free margarine

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence/powder

1 1/2 cups gluten free plain flour

2 eggs

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C. 
Grease/line a 20cm x30cm tin. 
Over a very low heat, melt margarine in a saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon. 
Once melted, add sugar and vanilla and mix well. 
Take off heat (turn off stove), add flour and stir until smooth. 
Then add eggs and beat well. 
Pour into tin and bake for 15-20mins (if you want them fudgy inside) or until the tester comes out clean (if you prefer them more cakey). 
Let them cool, then refrigerate, or eat warm.

Comments after eating Brownies!

Yum! Delicious and fudgy, without the chocolate taste!

What I would do different:

I’m going to try coffee flavor next!

Coconut Lemonade Ice

Amazing Coconut Lemonade Ice

Inspired by:

Coconut ice and lemons

Why?

I had made some lemonade then got this crazy idea of making lemon coconut ice!

Time Taken:

10 minutes+ refrigeration

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Bowl, fork, tray, measuring cups

I used:

250g icing sugar

100ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Grated lemon rind (to taste)

250g desiccated coconut

What I did:

Line a 20cmx10cm tin and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine icing sugar and coconut. 
Add lemon juice and zest and mix well with a fork.
Press mixture firmly into tin and refrigerate until set. 
Cut into squares and enjoy!

Comments after eating Coconut Lemonade Ice:

YUM! Tastes like lemonade but is in a slice. Delicious! Smells amazing too!

What I would do different:

Add a bit more icing sugar to help it set, or cut it into squares half way through setting to help it solidify.

Caramel Custard Slice

Caramel Custard Slice

Inspired by: Jodie’s Nanna, this caramel came out of her hand written recipe book and www.bakingmakesthingsbetter.com for the base.

Why? Caramel is my Achilles heel!

Time Taken: 10 mins+20mins=30 mins

Number of Dirty Dishes: saucepan, tray, spoon, measuring cups, 2 medium sized bowls, wooden spoon, fork, small bowl

I used:

Base:

150g room temperature dairy free margarine

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cups gluten free flour

¼ cup cocoa or ¼ cup dairy free chocolate chips

2-4 tablespoons of rice milk

Caramel Custard:

2 cups rice milk

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbs dairy free margarine

1 Tbs corn flour

Yolks of 3 eggs

Pinch of salt

1 tsp of Vanilla

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C, and line a 30cm x 20cm baking tin. 

For the base: in a medium bowl cream margarine and sugar together until well mixed. 
Sift in flour and cocoa or chocolate chips (I used chocolate chips) and mix well until combined. 
If the mixture is a little dry add 2-4 Tbs of rice milk to the mix (I did not find the rice milk necessary). 
Press mixture evenly into baking tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until just firm.

For the Caramel Custard: in a medium saucepan heat rice milk on a low heat.
In a medium bowl combine corn flour, brown sugar, dairy free margarine, salt and vanilla. 
Whisk yolks together in a small separate bowl. 
Pour a little heated milk over the egg yolks and stir well. 
Add the heated milk and then the yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. 
Once combined, pour the mixture back into the medium sized saucepan and cook on a low heat, stirring until the Caramel Custard is thick. 
Take off the heat and leave to cool.

Leave base to cool before pouring Caramel Custard on top. 
Cut up and Enjoy!

Comments after eating Caramel Custard slice:

YUM! I wanted more of this. I haven’t eaten dairy filled Caramel for a long time, so I’m not sure if it tastes like real Caramel exactly, but it’s delicious!

What I would do different:

I might try adding more corn flour in the hope the caramel would solidify almost like Vanilla Slice.

Chunky Pineapple Sorbet

Chunky Pineapple Sorbet

Inspired by: Myrecipes.com

Why?

I had bought a pineapple with the knowledge that we were having friends over for dinner. However when their plans changed, it was too much for two of us to eat, and in the light of the fact that we were going away for the weekend, I wanted to use the pineapple so we didn't come home to fruit rotting in the refrigerator. 

Time Taken:

20 minutes preparation+7 hours freezing.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Fork, medium sized bowl/saucepan/container which is suitable for freezing, measuring cup, tablespoon, knife, chopping board.

I used:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Pineapple

What I did:

In the medium sized bowl (which is suitable for freezing) dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, and stir until combined. 
Skin and core pineapple and cut the remaining flesh into small pieces 1cm square, and add to the bowl. 
Mix with a fork and mash as much of the pineapple flesh as possible. 
For a smoother finish blend the pineapple, sugar and juice until pureed and then return to bowl. 
Cover bowl and freeze for 3 hours until it is frozen on the outside but still soft in the middle. 
Mash sorbet with a fork to break up the pineapple as much as possible and distribute the ice and then return to the freezer for 4 hours. 
Serve and Enjoy!

Comments after eating Pineapple sorbet:

YUM! This is delicious!

What I would do different:

Adding some fresh mint leaves in here would make a great flavor.

Scones

Scones

Inspired by:

Simon and Alison Holst- Gluten free baking.

Why?

We had just come back from a weekend away, and had no food in the house. I was feeling too unwell to go to the shops, but needed something quick and easy for lunch.

Time Taken:

10 mins preparation+15 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Tray, bowl, spoon, fork, measuring cup, measuring spoon

I used:

2 cups Gluten Free Flour

4tsp baking power

½ tsp salt

75g dairy free margarine- cold

¾ cup dairy free rice milk

3 Tbs sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 200C and line 20x 25cm baking tray. 
In a medium sized bowl mix gluten free flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and dairy free margarine and blend with a fork until the margarine is well combined and the mixture looks like small crumbs.
Add rice milk gradually and mix it in with a spoon to form the dough. 
When the dough is mixed, use a tablespoon to create equal spoons of dough on the baking paper, placing them a few centimeters apart (should make 10-12 tablespoons). 
Bake for 10-15 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Comments after eating Scones:

YUM! I have missed the taste of hot scones with melted margerine! Delicious, a little bit sweet and so soft! Perfect with golden syrup, margarine or jam! Reheats well in the microwave.

What I would do different:

The proper way to make scones involves using a round to cut the floured dough into circular buns. However this method didn’t work for me and so I found spooning to be just as effective, or better. Next time I will space them out on the tray in an even pattern!

Anzac Slice

Anzac Biscuits/Slice

Inspired by:

Family Circle Kids Cookbook Recipe

Why?

I continued the Australia Day celebrations from last week. We had more visitors from Australia come and stay and they had missed out on celebrating Australia Day. What better to cheer them up than some warm Anzac slice!?

Time Taken:

10mins +20 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, wooden spoon, measuring cups, medium bowl, tray

I used:

1 ½ cups rolled oats (or rolled rice if oats isn’t in your gluten free diet)

1 ½ cups gluten free flour

2 tbs golden syrup

125g dairy free margarine or ¼ cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbs hot water

1tsp bicarb soda

*see what I would do different for the recipe with coconut

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 20cm x30cm baking tray. 
In a medium saucepan, melt dairy free margarine and golden syrup. 
In a cup mix hot water and bicarb soda and then add to the syrup, stirring well. 
Take off the heat (turn off the element). In a medium sized bowl mix together oats, sugar and gluten free flour. 
Pour syrup over the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. 
Pour into tray and flatten into the pan with the back of the spoon making sure the mixture is even. 
Bake for 20 minutes (it will be gooey/bubbling when it comes out of the oven), and then leave to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Comments after eating Anzac biscuits/slice:

This slice is a winner with so many, which I am always surprised by that as I think it looks healthy (in a way that might make the eater think the biscuits are bland) because of the oats, and in general when it comes to dessert I find that friends don’t often choose the healthy looking option they choose the yummie looking option. I think the golden syrup gives them a delicious taste that not everyone, especially here in our international community is used to as It’s very easy, it’s vegan, and very delicious.

Comments/What I would do different:

Normally coconut is added to this recipe, but as I didn’t have it I added extra oats and flour. 
If you add 1 cup of shredded coconut, then only add 1 cup of rolled oats and 1 cup of gluten free flour. 

Normally this recipe is made as a biscuit/cookie not as a slice. I have had no success in getting my mixture to stay separate in the oven (perhaps a side effect of the dairy free part) and so I cut them into biscuit squares after it is cooked instead of despairing every time.