Chocolate Chip Biscuits

Discovered this unpublished recipe when I was importing my blogs from Multiply. A couple of good tips I've learnt when making biscuits (aka cookies). The butter should be really chilled before creaming it. If it is soft they spread. Also with choc chip ones put your chocolate chips in the freezer overnight.

Description:
Just like Nana used to make

Ingredients:
125 grams butter
50 grams sugar
3 teaspoons sweetened condensed milk
few drops vanilla essence
175 grams flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
50 grams chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream butter, sugar and condensed milk, add essence.
Add dry ingredients and chocolate.
Roll into little balls, and place on a biscuit tray lined with baking paper. Flatten each biscuit with a fork.
Bake at 180’C for 15-20 mins (until lightly golden).
Note: Almonds, walnuts, pecans are all tasty additions to this recipe!

Question of the day

Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies

Description:
Another tick against my 101 project {#42 Try a new recipe from every cookbook I own}

This one I selected from my 2011 MKR Cookbook.
My Kitchen Rules (or MKR for short) is a tv cook-off competition type show, and this year they brought out a cookbook with a selection of the recipes the contestants cooked during the show.
Yes I love this programme {Don't judge me}

However I must admit, after flicking through the recipe book, 99% of the recipes are either bizzare or too pretentious for me, I got the cookbook more as a souvenir.

I was keen to try the Turkey San Choy Bau recipe, but Lee wasn't interested so this was my 2nd choice. I must admit I was a little shocked at just how much chocolate is involved in this recipe & then I noticed how expensive it was to make, also worked out how many dishes I'd need to wash up...well I nearly kept looking, but I'm a sucker for brownies & I love raspberries so I thought I may as well just go for it.

I'm glad I did OMG this is divine!!! I would give this 6 stars out of 5.

Ingredients:
butter for greasing
250gms butter, chopped
250gms chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
4 eggs, lightly beaten
330gms caster sugar
40gms cocoa powder
1/2 t baking powder
100gms frozen raspberries
100gms milk chocolate chips
fresh raspberries & whipped cream to decorate

Raspberry Icing
375gms white chocolate melts
30ml pouring cream
35gm raspberry purée
6 egg whites
80gms icing sugar
100ml thickened cream


Directions:
Preheat oven to 180c
Lightly grease a 30 x 20 cm brownie tin, then line base & sides with baking paper.
Stir butter & dark chocolate in a medium bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth & combined (don't let the bowl touch the water). Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl until well combined then stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift in the dry and the dry ingredients then gently fold in the chocolate chips and the raspberries.
Pour into prepared brownie tin & then bake for 45 mins approx.
Test with a skewer inserted into the middle, if it comes out clean it's done. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, to make the raspberry frosting : stir white chocolate melts, pouring cream & purée in a medium bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (again, don't let it touch the water).
Remove from the heat & allow to cool slightly.

Using the electric beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the icing sugar & continue beating until smooth & glossy.
In another bowl beat the thickened cream.
Fold both the cream and the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate.

Cut cooked brownie slab into 6 x 6 squares. Spoon or pipe raspberry frosting into the bowl & serve with fresh raspberries & cream.

Tip :- you can store these brownies in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze them up to 3 months.

There is no way the slab will last that long in this house!

Warm Vegetable Salad

Description:
This recipe is a favourite in this household, I generally serve this with grilled chops or a boneless round roast, but it also works well with chicken or steak. It's a great side for a BBQ as well.

*I'll have to remember to take a photo next time I make this.

Ingredients:
2c cauliflower florets
2 c broccoli florets
1 bunch of asparagus
500g baby new potatoes, halved
100g mixed baby salad leaves
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh herbs to garnish (I tend to use parsley & mint)

You can substitute or add veggies to this dish. I made this recently without the asparagus, but added oven roasted carrots,mushrooms, zucchini and whole cloves of garlic.
I've also made it adding cubes of roast pumpkin or sweet potato, sometimes capsicum & I like roasted pine nuts in mine sometimes. Just really depends what I have on hand at the time...

Dressing
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c white wine vinegar
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T Honey

Directions:
- If you are using any oven roasted veggies get those started first.
Ideally you want all your veggies to finish cooking around the same time, so you can let them cool for about 10 mins before combining.
-Boil steam or microwave the broccoli, cauli & apsaragus until just tender. Rinse with cold water & drain well.
-Boil potatoes, drain & set aside to cool.
-In a large salad bowl combine the veggies with the salad leaves & tomatoes.
-In a small bowl or bottle combine the dressing ingredients and whisk or shake until mixed.
- drizzle the dressing over the salad, add your choice of freshly chopped herbs and gently toss just before serving.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:
cinnamon roll pancakes
Yield: 4 servings (4 pancakes)
Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 10 min
An absolutely decadent morning treat...

Ingredients:
PANCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

CINNAMON FILLING:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract



Directions:
1. Prepare pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, oil and egg, just until batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).

2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a small zip baggie and set aside. You don't want this to remain super-liquidy. It's best if it becomes a consistency similar to toothpaste.

3. In a medium, microwave-safe bowl- heat butter and cream cheese until melted. Whisk together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract; set aside.

4. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Scoop about 3/4 cup batter onto the skillet. Snip the corner of your baggie of filling and squeeze a spiral of the filling onto the top of the pancake. When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

5. When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze onto the top of each pancake.

Tips:
*Keep the heat low or your pancakes might cook up too quickly. Don't flip them until you see those bubbles starting to pop on top. Flip them with a wide spatula so you can grasp the whole thing without batter and filling dripping all over the place!
*It's best if you pour the batter onto your skillet, wait a minute or so and then swirl the cinnamon onto the batter. That'll give it a chance to set a little before you add the swirl.
*If your baggie of filling begins to get too thick, just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up again. On that same note, it shouldn't be too runny. The consistency of soft toothpaste is perfect. If it's melty and runny, it will tend to run all over your pancakes. Once you micro it, let it sit on the counter at room temp for a while until it thickens slightly.