Cookbook 5 : Honestly Healthy by Natasha Corrett - Honey Banana Loaf

If you wish to purchase, please do so.  It is available at Glee Books (based Glebe and Dulwich)  or Booktopia : http://www.booktopia.com.au/honestly-healthy-natasha-corrett/prod9781906417819.html

Honey Banana Loaf

3 Ripe Bananas - mashed
1/2 cup Apple Puree
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Honey
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Flakes
1/2 cup Organic Sultanas
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Bicarb Soda
3 Tbsp Quinoa Flakes
3 Tbsp Fibre Cleanse
1/3 cup Honey-Roasted Museli (plus extra to scatter across the top)

Grease and flour to prepare your cake tin.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Place the bananas and apple puree in the mixer bowl and mix to a runny paste.  Next add your eggs one at a time and mix well.

Add in your Coconut Oil and Honey and mix through the banana mixture.

Next add in the Coconut Flakes, Sultanas, and then the whole wheat or spelt flour with Bicarb Soda. Mix well.

Combine the Quinoa Flakes and Fibre Cleanse into your mix, keeping your mixer on a medium speed.  Finally sprinkle in the Museli and stir through with a spatula.  Pour your mixture into the prepared pan.

Place the cake pan into the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

Coconut Prawns with a Pineapple Relish - A Summer Delight!

Do you feel like a main dish (or entree) that screams S-U-M-M-E-R at your family??? Well I think I have found it! Prawns (or shrimp, or chicken) and Pineapple! Your eyes will glaze over and you'll think you are on a banana lounge in the Bahamas with a luscious fruity cocktail....

This recipe was originally called for them to be baked on parchment paper in the oven but I am not much of a fan of baked prawns, I'd definitely do it for chicken, but I suggest a light simmer on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.  Or another option is to skewer them and BBQ to avoid seafood in the kitchen (if you were my mum that is the only option given)!

Coconut Prawns and a Tropical Pineapple Relish

500g Uncooked Green Prawns (can substitute for chicken tenderloins)
2 egg Whites
2 Tbsp Cornflour
1.5 - 2 cups Shredded Coconut
Oil - to taste (I suggest 3-5 Tbsp)
1 Lime
2 tsp Fresh Green Chillies - seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup Pineapple Preserve (see recipe at bottom)

Taking your prawns, de-vein and shell them (you can choose to leave the tails on for holding if you wish), then rinse them and dry with a paper towel.

In a small bowl using a fork, whisk the egg whites lightly together. 

Put cornflour and coconut on two separate plates. 

Holding the prawn by the tail run it in the cornflour and finely coat.

Next dip the prawn into the egg white wash.

Finally roll the prawn into the coconut and place onto a clean plate.  Then place your plate of coated prawns in the fridge and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes so the coating sticks well and doesn't fall off in the cooking process.

Then to cook Prawns:

Frying - Heat your skillet or pan with oil (test by either a sprinkle of water that will crack upon contact or stick the handle of your wooden spoon straight down into the bottom of the pan and bubbles will gather on it which shows it is ready, no bubbles = not ready).  When the oil is ready place your prawns into the skillet or pan, fry lightly so they become a light gold and ensure your flip them gentle to cook both sides, I use a wire frying scoop.

Oven - Line a baking tray with grease proof or parchment paper, then place the prawns onto the paper lined tray.  Place the tray in the oven on approx 200 (400)degrees for about 15-20 minutes until golden. But I recommend you gently turn them at the 10 minutes mark so you cook both sides evenly.

Pineapple Preserve

1 lrg can Pineapple - Crushed and in Juice
2 cups Castor Sugar

Place your pineapple straight from can and castor sugar into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil in a and then cook for 20 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened or until the temperature reaches 220F on a thermometer.

Pour your jam into steralised jars, screw on lids finger tight with rubberband inserts.  Place in a waterbath for 5 minutes. The leave to sit undisturbed for 24 hours on bench covered in a towel to avoid any drafts.

Hey Presto you have your Pineapple Preserve!

Pineapple Relish (for dipping)

Combine Chillies, Lime Juice and Pineapple Preserve into a small bowl and mix together well.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Oh yummmmm.... these things are TOTES delish!!!

Happy Australia Day with Lemon Myrtle Lamingtons!

Wishing all the Aussies a very Happy Australia Day! To celebrate I decided after seeing some of Zumbos creations online for some unusual aussie treats, that I would combine my love of lamingtons with my BIG love of an Aussie Herb Lemon Myrtle! I could smell the essence of those leaves all day looong!

Lemon Myrtle Lamingtons

Cake

190g Butter - room temp & cubed
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Essence or Extract
1/2 tsp Lor Ann Coconut Emulsion (optional)
1 cup Milk
2 1/2 cups Self Raising Flour

Coating

4 Egg Yolks
90ml Lemon Juice
3/4 cup Castor Sugar
8 Lemon Myrtle Leaves - ripped & bruised
100g Butter - cubed & cold
2 cups Shredded Coconut

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease and flour a standard lamington tin.

Place butter and sugar into the mixer and cream together.  Then add in one egg at a time to the mix, beating each addition well.

Add in the vanilla and as an option some Lor Ann Coconut Emulsion, I love this stuff!

Measure out the flour and the milk and then add alternatively in 2-3 batches.  Only beat lightly at the end so as not to bruise the flour.  Once ready and you will know because it will be a nice light creamy mixture with no lumps.

Pour your mixture into the prepared tin and place it in the oven for approximately 40 minutes.

Remove and let cake go completely cold, refridgerate if you have to, I left mine overnight and glad wrapped it once cold.

Place sugar and bruised split lemon myrtle leaves in a jar to infuse (I left mine overnight).

Then sift them out and put the sugar in a medium saucepan with egg yolks, lemon juice and salt and whisk on a medium heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. About 10 minutes. Do not stop stirring and do not allow the mixture to boil or it will become lumpy. Then remove from heat and whisk one cube of butter at a time.  Set aside and allow it to cool.

Once curd is cool, line up your process line of :
1. Cut up cake (slice off the baked edges)
2. Curd
3. Shredded Coconut
4. Empty Plate

One piece at a time, take cake cube, turn it through the curd coating all sides.  Then roll the coated cake cube through the shredded coconut.

Place the lamington piece onto the plate, I recommend the cubes to not touch so the air in the fridge gets to all sides for the coating and coconut to set.

Coat and Crumb all pieces of your cake, I got exactly 12 pieces.

Place the plate of lamingtons in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.

DEVOUR!!!

Masterchef Mojito Time!!! A Twist on Ben's Raspberry Lime Mojito Cake!

It was the Sunday before my Mum's 65th birthday, Little Miss Two seems to not believe that Nanny has birthdays as everytime its mentioned in the last month she breaks down into fits of laughter and just says "thats too funny"!  So it got to the Sunday and I was dropping her over a day early and she insisted with an hour's notice that "She NEEDS to make Nanny a cake"! Dont worry that I am about to stay up half the night baking 5 layers of cake but "She NEEDS a cake"!

Along with the order that she needs a cake..... with an hour's notice.... but she NEEDS to have raspberries!

So thank you Ben from Masterchef making his elimination winner of a Raspberry Mojito Cake, and unfortunately the recipe didn't make it to the website, I had to "pressure test" my own!

So here we go...... Also an easy peesy recipe for the little ones to help with!
(oh and by the way it was lucious so two ticks to me)!

Raspberry Mojito Cake

2/3 cup Castor Sugar
Zest of 1 Lime
Juice 1/2 Lime
4 Tbsp Butter - room temp
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Coconut Emulsion
Juice 1 whole Lime (additional)
1/2 cup Milk
1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Cornflour
1/2 tsp Bi-carb Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch Salt
1/3 cup Dessicated Coconut
1 cup Raspberries - fresh or frozen

Syrup

1 Lime - juice & rind
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
1/2 cup Water

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees and grease and flour your tin, suits round or loaf.

First mix the sugar, zest, butter and first half of lime juice, cream them together in mixer.  Next add the egg, vanilla and coconut emulsion and mix well.  Then add the milk and whole lime juice.

In a seperate bowl sift together the flours, bi carb soda, baking powder and salt, whisk lightly, then add in 3 parts to the mix.  Add the coconut and raspberries and stir through lightly with a spatula.

Pour the cake batter into the pan (ideally a 9 inch springform), tap the tin on the bench to remove the airbubbles (highly recommended as I had a huge air bubble in the centre of my cake. You can also sprinkle sugar over the top for a caramelised top.

Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool for half an hour before removing the cake from its tin.  To make a syrup, squeeze the juice and rind of one lime with the castor sugar and water into a small saucepan on medium heat., reduce by at least half til it changes from a watery mixture to a thick syrup consistancy. I always take a skewer and make several holes through the top of the cake for the syrup to run through. Then pour the syrup over the cake, I only used 2 thirds of the syrup mixture.

Serving recommendation is 12 slices served with freshly whipped cream.

Tastes decedant when you eat it when its still warm.

Challenge No 4 - Creamy Coconut Cupcakes with Peach Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Month 4 - April
Blog 4 - Haniela's http://hanielas.blogspot.com.au/
Recipe 4 - Creamy Coconut Cupcakes 
http://hanielas.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/creamy-coconut-cupcakes.html#disqus_thread

I have had this recipe on Haniela's Blog open on my desktop for over a month starring at me, begging me to bake it. So today when Miss Two said "can we bake cupcakes Mummy pleeeeeeease"! I know I could hold out no longer.  Little did I anticipate what a hectic afternoon I would have and it momentarily slipped my mind  that Miss Two makes any baking process quadruple in time.

So with my ingredients in hand....

And a helper at the ready....

I set off to make some seriously delicious cupcakes!

Creamy Coconut Cupcakes with Peach Swiss Meringue Buttercream

(be mindful I can't stick to a recipe if you paid me so you will notice a few differences to Haniela's)

5 Tbsp Butter - room temp
3/4 cup Castor Sugar
2 Med (or 3 sml) Egg Yolks
1.5 tsp Coconut Extract (I used Lor Ann's)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cup Cake Flour (see method - you will need corn flour)
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch Salt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Carnation Milk
3 Egg Whites

Preheat oven at 180 degrees (or 160 fan forced).

First step is to separate and place the egg whites into an electric mixer and whip them on high until they are soft snow white peaks.  At this stage take a 1/4 cup of the castor sugar (leaving 1/2 cup remaining) and add gradually into the egg whites, a tablespoon at a time, beat well between each addition. Once the egg whites are ready put them into a separate bowl and set aside.

In the same bowl the egg whites were whipped in, place your butter and castor sugar (remaining 1/2 cup) in the bowl and cream them until light and fluffy.  Next add in the egg yolks, vanilla and coconut extracts, and mix them in well.

Sift the dry ingredients into another separate bowl. To make Cake Flour, measure out the cup of Plain Flour, remove 2 tablespoons of the Plain Flour and place them back in the container, replace them with 2 tablespoons of Corn Flour. Whisk the dry ingredients together lightly so the raising agent is distributed throughout.

Combine the milk and coconut milk together, pour a 1/3 of milks into the butter mixture, alternating with adding a 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix well.  Add remaining milk and then dry ingredients and continue to mix well.  When ingredients combined thoroughly, turn off the electric mixer, take the whipped egg whites ad fold gently into the rest of the mixture. Once mixed through, spoon the mixture into the cupcake wrappers 2 thirds of the way up them. Tap them on counter top to level them.

Place tray into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Makes : 12 medium to large cupcakes

Peach Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2-3 Egg Whites
1 cup Castor Sugar
250g Butter - room temp
Flavouring - 5 drops Lor Ann Oil

Place a saucepan of water and bring to a simmer. With egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl, place the bowl onto the saucepan, and commence whisking vigorously (preferably with a barmix or like).  Once the egg white mixture is too hot to touch, remove from the heat, tip into the electric mixer bowl, and whip for 3 minutes on high until it forms soft white peaks. cube the butter and add in one cube at a time. Ignore if it curdles, keep whipping, it will come back.  Add flavour and and colour tint finally and your ready to pipe it onto your cooled cupcakes.

Quantity should cover 12 comfortably.