Virgin Mojitos

Virgin Mojitos

Inspired by:

I can’t find the recipe anymore! I didn’t even write it down!

Apologies if my directions are rough.

Why?

I felt like having a Mojito but am off alcohol at the moment.

Time Taken:

5 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Spoon, knife, chopping board, 2 drinking glasses

I used: (2 skinny glasses)

4-6 tbs Lemon cordial chilled

(equal parts lemon juice, castor sugar and water, boiled until sugar has dissolved)

2 limes

10 mint leaves

2 tbs raw sugar

Cold water (still or sparkling)

What I did:

Cut limes into quarters and squeeze half a lime into the bottom of each glass.

Add 1tbs of raw sugar and 5 mint leaves to each glass.

With the spoon mix thoroughly, making sure the flavours muddle.

Then add the squeezed half lime and 2tbs of lemon cordial.

Mix again and add the other half of the limes and fill glass with cold water.

Serve!

Comments after drinking the Virgin Mojito:

YUM! I want to make another one! (and I did!)

What I would do different:

Muddle more, and maybe add some more lemon cordial.

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.

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Peanut butter biscuits

Inspired by:

pbs.org and the may other 4 ingredient peanut butter biscuit recipes that are online

Why?

I had a 'craving' for peanut biscuits

Time Taken:

10 mins preparation +10 mins cooking =20 mins

Dirty Dishes:

Tray, medium bowl, spoon, fork, measuring cups.

I used:

2/3 cup dairy free peanut butter

2/3 cup castor sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

What I did:

Line/grease biscuit tray. Preheat oven to 175C.

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and mix with a spoon until well blended. 

Roll spoon sized amounts of the mixture into balls (size of the spoon depends on how big you want the biscuits). 

Place the balls on the tray 5cm apart and press with a fork to flatten each ball slightly. 

Bake 10-15 minutes, checking regularly that they do not burn. 

The biscuits will spread and will set further once cool. 

Cool on tray. Eat and enjoy.

Comments after eating Peanut butter biscuits:

YUM! They are really moreish and this is a great flourless biscuit recipe!

I did leave mine in the oven a little too long and they burnt slightly on the bottom, but they still tasted great!

What I would do different:

Watch the biscuits more carefully in the oven!

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.