The Splendiferous Thermomix: May 2011

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

Ladies Kisses - Lemon Shortbread dressed with Berry Vienna Cream


Ladies Kisses - Lemon Shortbread dressed with Berry Vienna Cream

These little treasures are a marriage of Shortbread/Melting Moment meets Baci Di Dama (Italian Ladies Kisses)... and what a marriage they make! I was particularly pleased at the vibrant colour achieved simply by using fresh berries in the Vienna Cream.

Ladies Kisses

First things first:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and prepare baking trays (I line mine with baking paper).

Lemon Shortbread:

1. Place 150g organic raw sugar, 100g raw almonds, and the rind of 1 organic lemon into Thermomix bowl. Grind 1minute@speed9.

2. Add 250g softened butter (we make our own in the Thermomix) and blend 20seconds@speed5.

3. Add 60g organic cornflour, 300g organic plain flour, 1 organic free-range egg yolk, and 60g lemon juice (juice from the same lemon that you removed the rind off). Pulse 10-20seconds@Turbo until blended, scraping down bowl as necessary.

4. Shape dough into 1.5-2cm balls and press gently with a fork.

5. Bake 12-15 minutes until firm. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container until you are ready to use them.

NB: The undressed biscuits can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.


Some beautiful young ladies enjoying (Young) Ladies Kisses for afternoon tea

Berry Vienna Cream:

1. Insert butterfly into Thermomix.

2. Place 120g softened butter into Thermomix bowl. Cream 30seconds@speed4.

3. Scrape down bowl. Add 100g fresh berries (we used 60g blueberries & 40g blackberries in the batch for the photos) and 130g icing sugar (we grind our own from organic raw sugar). Cream 30seconds@speed4.

4. Scrape down bowl. Add 120g icing sugar. Cream 30seconds@speed4.

5. Scrape down bowl. Add 130g icing sugar. Cream 30seconds@speed4.

6. Scrape down bowl. Add 130g icing sugar. Cream 2minutes@speed4.

7. Allow to rest 10-30 minutes until cool and thick. Spoon Vienna Cream into piping bag fitted with wide tip.

8. Pipe Vienna Cream onto Shortbreads and sandwich together.

9. Enjoy!

Variations:

Raspberry Shortbreads - omit the lemon rind & juice, substitute with 60g fresh raspberries.

Blueberry Shortbreads - omit the lemon rind & juice, substitute with 60g fresh blueberries.

Vanilla Vienna Cream - omit the 100g berries, substitute with 1tsp vanilla extract and 5Tbsp milk.

Ladies Kisses: Blueberry Shortbread with Vanilla Vienna Cream

Sunday, 22 May 2011

Upside-Down Toffee Apple Brownies

I have always understood brownies to have a chocolate foundation or, in the event of blondies, at least be lacking in raising agents. However, I found a recipe in a dedicated Brownie Cookbook for the basis of these little gems (which have no chocolate but do contain raising agents!). You can decide for yourself if they are worthy of the 'brownie' title... in my house, they will be inhaled regardless!

Upside-Down Toffee Apple Brownies

First things first:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 23x32cm pan with baking paper.

2. Place 100g pecans (or macadamias) into Thermomix bowl and chop 2seconds @speed4. Set aside.

Topping:

1. Place 150g dark sugar (coconut palm or brown or even rapadura) and 120g cubed butter into Thermomix bowl. Cook 5minutes@70deg@speed5. Pour into lined baking tin.

2. Arrange cored and thinly sliced dessert apples (we used Fujis) over the toffee mixture.

Brownies:

1. Place 100g dates and 500g cored and quartered apples (we used Granny Smiths) into Thermomix bowl. Chop 10seconds@speed5.

2. Add 250g butter, 200g rapadura sugar, 4 eggs, 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp each ground ginger and ground star anise. Combine for 10seconds@speed4 until just blended.

3. Add 400g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda and previously chopped pecans. Combine 10-20seconds@speed4 (may need assistance from spatula) until well blended. Pour over toffee and apples in baking tin.

Bake 45-50 minutes until firm and golden. Cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then turn out and cut into squares. Enjoy!

Moroccan Lamb Chops rubbed with Chermoula and served with Roasted

Moroccan Lamb Chops rubbed with Chermoula and served with RoastedVegie, Pomegranate & Smashed Almond Israeli Couscous

Peter's Slow-Cooked Lamb Curry - ala Jamie Oliver

Portuguese Custard Tarts - ala Jamie Oliver

Yummy chicken and rice soup

Miss J's version of Quirky Cooking's yummy chicken and rice soup (http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2010/07/creamy-chicken-brown-rice-soup.html)

Caramel Chocolate Slice

Caramel Chocolate Slice by Mr M - headed for Australia's BiggestMorning Tea!

Mother's Day Breakfast - take 2!

Mother's Day Breakfast - take 2! Includes TMX slow-poached eggs(http://trissalicious.com/2010/09/30/slow-poached-eggs-and-hollandaise-on-the-thermomix-is-it-cheating/)...YUM!!

Oven-baked Cinnamon Doughnuts

Sam's Famous Chicken Korma

Miss L's favourite Chicken & Vegie Casserole

Miss L's favourite Chicken & Vegie Casserole ... ah, comfort food!

Sam's Homemade Korma Paste... smells FANTASTIC!

Mr M's famous meatballs... LOTS of garlic, LOTS of love!

Spinach & Homemade Ricotta Cannelloni

YUMMY cannelloni this evening, courtesy of Mr M! Homemade ricotta(http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/12574/make-ricotta-thermomix-recipe.html), rainbow chard from our garden, homemade tomato sauce... DELISH! Thanks Quirky Cooking for the ricotta link!