HOMEMADE MARZIPAN has a grainier texture than commercially made marzipan, which is passed through heavy rollers to create a smooth texture.
The flavour of homemade marzipan can be adjusted to taste by adding more or less almond essence. The colour of the almonds can be maintained by mixing a glass or glazed bowl.
When using raw egg, there is always a risk of salmonella, so use homemade marzipan quickly, and make sure you wash your hands well between separating the egg and mixing the marzipan.

Ingredients: 225gr Icing Sugar; 225gr grown Almonds; 1 large Egg white; 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice; Almond Essence (a few drops). Add a colour if you wish
.
Mix the icing sugar and ground almonds in a bowl, add the liquids and stir together. Knead the mixture until smooth. Store in a polythene bag until ready to use. Use within 1 week of making.

 

NUTELLA MADE FROM SCRATCH

Dark Chocolate:

175gr roasted, skinned hazelnuts

300gr dark chocolate

2 tabls icing sugar

2 tabls oil (flavourless or mild tasting oil)

1 tabls cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

A pinch of salt.

Have jars ready, this recipe yields 500ml of Nutella.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl  doesn’t touch the water) and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Alternatively use the microwave oven, make sure to stir each time it is remove from the microwave.

In a food processor add the roasted skinned hazelnuts and grind until it becomes small particles. While the blades are turning, add the sugar, oil cocoa and vanilla, add a pinch of salt. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Then remove the lid and add the melted chocolate and process.

Pour into the prepared jars while it is still warm and liquid. The Nutella firms when cooled, so it is easier to place it in the jars and remove the air bubbles when it is liquid. Gently tap the jars against the counter to remove air bubbles and put on the lids.

White Chocolate:

175gr roasted, skinned hazelnuts

300gr white chocolate

2 tabls oil (flavourless or mild tasting oil)

1 tsp ground ginger (you can also use ground cinnamon or other spices)

A pinch of salt.

Us the same method as above although you will be omitting the sugar and cocoa and adding ground spice of your choice.

This recipe is Courtesy of Not Quiet Nigella.

Fondant Shapes on Wire

There are a couple of tricks to successfully wire fondant shapes.

1. Choose the correct gauge of wire. This will depend on the size and thickness of the shapes you intend to make. The highest gauge is No.18, the finest is No.33.

2. I do not use the hook technique when making my wired shapes. I insert the wire into the shape, approximately 4mm deep then remove it. Brush the end of the wire to be inserted with sugar glue, this will ensure the wire does not move. Then reintroduce the glued wire end  to the little hole you previously made in the shape.
5. Place the wired shape flat onto a drying surface and leave for 24 hours. Carefully lifting the shape with one hand and the wire with the other hand, and turn it over, leave it for another 24 hours to dry on this side of the shape

4. Repeat the turning until the shape is complete dry. Make the wired shaped well in advance of the date you need them, the longer the better. Cut wires to desired lengths

 

5. Finally, either brush with shimmer or spray with colour mist. For a glitzy look sprinkle edible cake sparkles as a finishing touch.

6. Warning: never insert the wires directly into cakes, they should be placed into a plastic flower spike which has been placed into the cake.

Coconut Macaroons

195gr Shredded Coconut

4 Egg White – at room temperature

¼ tsp salt

170gr Caster sugar

2 tsp Vanilla Essence (another essence can be substituted for variation of flavour)

Preheat oven 170 degrees celsius. Line 3 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Spread the coconut over two of the trays and cook in preheated oven, tossing occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until lightly toasted, do not leave unattended or the coconut will burn.. Transfer to a plate.

Whisk the egg whites and salt together in a large, clean dry bowl, until soft opeaks form.

Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk for a further 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and glossy.

Add the Vanilla essence and whisk to combine. Using a large metal spoon fold in the toasted coconut until combined.

Spoon tablespoon of the mixture onto lined trays, leaving about 2cm between each spoon of mixture. Bake in preheated oven swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 12-15 minutes or until light golden and firm. Set aside for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container.

Rice Krispy Treat Recipe

280 g marshmallows

4 cups rice bubbles

Pour rice bubbles into a large bowl.,

Place marshmallows into a heat resistant bowl and microwave until puffed up

Probably 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir marshmallows through rice bubbles.

To mould:

Spray a sheet of glad wrap with oil and wrap around desired amount of mix.

Shape into required shape using plenty of pressure.

Freeze until required

Macarons

Preparation: 50 minutes, plus setting time
Cooking: 1 hour

·         300g pure icing sugar; 300g flaked almonds;  100g egg whites;120g dark chocolate 70%, finely chopped; 300g caster sugar; 75ml sparkling water; 100g egg whites.

White Chocolate Ganache

120ml pouring cream, (35% milk fat); 260g white chocolate, finely chopped; 40g vegemite;

 

Raspberry filling

2 punnets raspberries; 1 sheet gold-leaf gelatine

120ml pouring cream, (35% milk fat)

260g white chocolate, finely chopped

40g vegemite

1. Preheat oven 160°C fan forced.

2. For macarons, place icing sugar and almonds in a thermomix or food processor and blend to a fine meal. Transfer to a large stainless steel bowl. Stir in 100g egg whites and set aside. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Keep warm.

3. Bring the caster sugar and water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Bring to 115°C on sugar thermometer. Once it reaches 115°C start the whisking the 100g egg whites in an electric mixer to firm peaks. Meanwhile the sugar should have reached 118°C. Remove from the heat and start to pour hot syrup into the egg whites in a slow steady stream. Continue to beat the meringue until it is 50°C. Use a spatula or pastry scraper to fold the meringue into the almond mixture then fold in the melted chocolate.

4. Pipe the mixture in 4-5cm circles onto baking trays lined with baking paper. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes until a skin forms and the macarons can be touched without leaving any residue on your fingertip. Bake macarons for 14-18 minutes, set aside to cool.

5. For ganache, pour cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Place the chocolate and vegemite into a heatproof bowl, pour over the hot cream and stir until smooth, if necessary place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir. Refrigerate until cold. Spoon mixture into a piping bag.

6. For raspberry filling; reserve 18 raspberries. Process remaining raspberries until smooth then sieve into a small saucepan to remove the seeds. Place over medium heat until warm. Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft, remove and squeeze out excess liquid then add to the raspberry puree, stir until dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

7. To assemble, break the reserved raspberries in half and dip into the puree, place in the centre of a macaron. Pipe the ganache around the raspberry and sandwich together with another macaron. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Chill slightly before serving.

 

This recipe is from the Masterchef Series, it was aired Sunday.

 

Crystallized Petals

Only use edible flowers, such as roses, lavender and daisies, for this project.

Choose a good quality , clean rose and carefully pull off all the petals, wiping them gently with a moist tissue. Whip an egg white, place the clean petals onto baking paper, and brush both sides of each petal with egg white.

Drop each petal into a bowl of caster sugar and turn to coat completely. Dry on a wire rack.

When the petals are dried, they should be stored in a n airtight container between sheets of baking paper, avoid touching. The taste and perfume when you bite into these will be as fresh as the day were made.

Hint: Add clear essence to your cake batter to match the flavour of the flower you are decorating with. Sweet Deliveries stock, Lavender, Rose and Violet essences which are suitable for this use.

Glass Rolling Pins

It is believed glass rolling pins were introduced in 1870's or 1880's,

The Etruscans are thought to be the first people to have used rolling pins for food preparation. In more modern kitchens, rolling pins can be found made of wood, ceramic, marble, stainless steel, copper, aluminum and silicone but seldom does a glass rolling pin turn up in a drawer.

As for the hole-in-one end of this rolling pin, it was there to allow cold water to be placed inside the barrel. The end was sealed with a cork.  This cold water facilitated the dough-rolling process by keeping such items as puff pastry cool, and the water gave the rolling pin more heft for pushing and rolling the dough.

In the 19th century, rolling pins could be quite elaborate. Some were painted with images of ships and messages such as "A Present From a Friend" or "A Present to My Mother From Her Son." Glass examples were spattered with several types and colors or came in solid colors that ran the gamut from clear colorless to red, blue, green and white.

Quick Tip

COLOURING FONDANT

Next time you need to colour fondant, consider using your Electric Mixer and give your wrists a rest.

Attach the dough hook to your mixer, cut the fondant into smallish pieces, add the colour them turn your mixer on low speed. Gradually increase the speed, once the fondant is marbled stop the mixer. Remove the fondant onto your prepared surface and complete the process by hand.

This method reduced the time it takes to colour medium to large amounts of fondant.

Just be carefull not to over heat your mixer, if you are concerned that the mixer cannot cope with the load, either remove some of the fondant or stop the process completely.

Biscuits Roses de Reims

Biscuits Roses de Reims
The oldest biscuit factory in France, Maison Fossier the home of biscuit rose de Reims, the regions most famous sweet. Served with Champagne, the meringue-like biscuit rose is made from egg whites ande sugar, flavour...ed with vanilla and coloured with cochineal (a small insect from which crimson coloured dye is derived), imparting a pink rose blush. The biscuit rose de Reims became popular in France in 1880's loved by Kings Louis XV, Charles X and Louise X1 who served them to guests at his coronation.The light, delicate dough is in fact baked twice successively, which gives the biscuit the particularity of not flaking when soaked up in liquids.

Slightly powdered with icing sugar, this French treat is traditionally enjoyed with outstanding Champagne wines; respecting the tradition, dunking the biscuit in a glass of Champagne or local red wine enhances all the wine aromas

Milk and Cream

Milk

Opaque white alkaline liquid with a yellowish or bluish tinge, secreted by the mammary glands. The composition of the milk varies according to the type of breed of animal, its state of health and the diet on which it has been reared.

A litre of milk supplies the body with 30gr protein, 35gr fats, 54gr milk sugar, 7gr mineral salts and an appreciable quantity of Vitamins A, B, B1, B2, C. It is indispensable to babies, but not the complete food for adults that may suppose it to be.

In spite of the fact that it is a liquid, milk should always be regarded as a food and not as a drink, and should be sipped and swallowed slowly. Taken in this way, it coagulates in little fragments in the stomach, and these can be dealt with readily by the digestive juices.

Cream

Cream not only contains globules of fat, used for butter, but also a proportion of water, casein lactose and mineral salts.

There is a difference between single cream which is obtained by skimming milk that has been left to settle in shallow bowls, and which contains 10%-20% butter, and double cream, which is obtained by a separating machine and which must contain at least 30% butter.

Cream is a great staple ingredient that I always have in the fridge. It is suitable for sweet or  savoury receipes.

Next week: Cream Horns

White Chocolate Mud Cake

This week I needed to bake a large square White Chocolate Mud cake. The large volume of fluid is always difficult to stir and combine thoroughly. I prefer to mix by hand, when a large volume is involved and not an electric mixer. I was mixing about 4 times the mixture than for a small tin.

 Generally recipes call for the flour to be added to the Butter, Chocolate, Sugar and Water. I decided to experiment with adding the Chocolate mixture gradually to the sifted flours, they add the Eggs and Sour Cream.

I would encourage you to try this method change next time you make your mud cake, and judge which method you prefer.

Sandra

FLOUR

Flour is the finely ground and bolted meal of wheat and other cereals, including rye, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and maize (corn). But, since wheat, with its content of gluten, is best for breadmaking.
The milling of grain for flour, dates back to prehistoric times.What for centuries was the hard domestic job of producing flour that could be made into bread, has developed through the ages into a large industry. There is evidence that wheat or corn was crushed and used as food at least 6000 years ago.
The Romans invented slightly conical millstones (querns) which were turned by hand or by slave or beast.

The invention of the water-propped mill dates from about the time of the birth of Christ, and it was also at this time that flat mill-stones were used in preference to conical shapes.
CORNFLOUR OR CORNSTARCH
Corn plants are of South American origin. It was cultivated by the Peruvians before the arrival of the Spanish settlers.Corn was introduced into France in the sixteenth century. It flourished in wine growing districts.Corn is relatively poor in nitrogenous substances, but quite rich in lipids and carbohydrates. In some regions it is eaten as porridge or polenta, cakes or bread.

Next week: Milk

Sandra
http://www.sweetdeliveries.com.au/

Sugar

Sugar

Sugar is a sweet substance extracted from many plants; its chief sources are sugar cane, sugar beet.

There are two common methods of classifying syrups, one of which is to note the temperature at boiling point. The other is to determine the density of the syrup with a hygrometer which gives the density based on the water content. There is also a special syrup measuring instrument from which a simple reading of the strenth of the sugar solution can be taken.

Flavoured sugars used in confectionery and Patisserie:

Orange Sugar:This sugar is perfect when making Crepe Suzettes. Choose sweet oranges with a very fine skin. Grate the peel with a lump of sugar, but lightly, so as not to reach the white pith which is immediately under the peek, because this is very bitter and will spoil the fruit flavour.As the surface of the sugar becomes coloured, scrape it with a knife to remove the peel which becomes stuck to by repeated rubbing.

Repeat theis operation with the same care. Dry the sugar in a low oven, or with the door open of a warn oven. Crush it and press through a fine sieve.

You may wish to try this method using lemons or mandarines they work just as well as oranges.

Let me know if there is a problem you have with baking.

Sandra
http://www.sweetdeliveries.com.au/

How to bake a perfect Sponge

Sponge Recipe

Last week one of our customers asked me if I had a recipe for a light Sponge. I had to admist I had not baked a sponge in a long time, but I remember that cornflour was an important ingredient. So I took out my Margaret Fulton Cook Book, 1974 edition. She has a couple of variations but I prefer this one, which I happily share with you.

4 Eggs separated; 1 cup Caster Sugar; 1 1/4 cups of Self Raising Flour; 2 tbls Cornflour; 30gr unsalted Butter; 5 tbls Water.
Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature.

1.Set the oven at 170C or a moderate temperature. Line and grease 2 x 20cm Sandwich Tins.

2. Sift Cornflour and Self Raising Flour twice.

3. Beat the egg white until stiff and gradually add the sugar.

4. Whisk the egg yolks until combined and thick. Gently fold into the egg whites.

5. Sift the combined flours over the egg and sugar mixture, fold in lightly.

6. Melt the butter in the water over a low heat, then fold into the sponge mixture.

7. Pour equal amount of mixture into each pan, bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the sponge cakes spring bake when lightlt touch with a finger.

8. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack to cool.

When cool, they can be filled with fresh fruit and double cream, or another alternative is to fill the centre with passionfruit pulp and  cream, and top with passionfruit icing.

Sandra

Clicksticks-Tippit Cutters
These cutters are a source of many questions from customers. The most common problem is getting the letters out of the cutters without sticking.

Step 1. Colour and roll out your fondant until it does not stretch any further. This means it will be as thin as you can get it.

Step 2. Leave it exposed to the air for between 1/2 and 3/4 of an hour. This allows the surfa...ce to dry.

Step 3. Dust the letter you want to cut out with a little cornflour, tap out the excess.

Step 4. Cut strips as per the directions. Press the letter cutter into the fondant, then either push for clickstick, or tap for the tippits and the letters will release easily.

Step 5. Have a tooth pick handy in case of distortion, gently guide the edges into place.

Alway cut at least two of each letter, just in case one breaks.

History of Butter

HISTORY OF BUTTER

This is an extract from my beautiful 1960 edition of "New Larousse Gastronomique".

Butter is fatty substances extracted from the milk of mammals, known and used as food by man. The origin of butter goes back to the earlt nomaedic people who used to milk goats, cows, ewes, mares,
she-assess and she-camles to prepare it.

The Aryans brought butter to the inhabitants of India, who soon considered it sacred food.

The Hewbrews used butter as a medicine as well as a food. Abraham offered butter, a symbolic food, to three men who came to his tent in the plains of Mamre. In his proverbs Solomon says: 'Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter....'

The Scythians also had butter, and broought it to the Greeks, and its use spread throughout the civilised world.

People loving some southern countries, like the Romans, used oil much more than butter in their cooking. This preference still persits in certain parts of the south of France, mainly in Provence, where oil plays a principal part in all dishes.

Preparation of Butter: In their emulsive state, the fatty globules of milk are relatively stable, but when the liquid is left to stand, they rise to the surface in the form of cream. Once agitated (in what contstitutes the churning operation) the fatty globules agglutinate into a compact mass called butter.

Next week: Sugar

Freshness of Eggs

Freshness of Eggs

This is an extract from my beautiful 1960 edition of "New Larousse Gastronomique".

A fresh egg is heavy. When shaken, it should feel well-filled. As the shell is porious, the water which encloses the inner part of the egg evaporates. An eggbloses a tiny fraction in weight every day. It is easy to gauge the freshness of an egg by plunging it into a 12 per cent solution of salted water (Cooking Salt). If the egg is very fresh, it falls at once to the bottom of the water. If it is a few days old it floats.
If it is bad it floats to the top. This method does not apply to eggs that have been preserved in water and limestone or other liquid.

The composition of the egg varies with the breed of the hen and its diet - the latter also influences the flavour of the egg.

The best eggs come from Free Range hens, which eat the right proportion of grain and vegetable matter.

Dietetically, the fresh egg is almost a complete food. It contains easily assimilable proteins, fats, Vitamins A, B, D and E (only vitamib C is absent), an appreciable amount of iron, abnd a number of valuable mineral salts: magnesium, a minute quatity of calcium, sodim, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, chlorine, iodine, fluorine etc. The egg being a bearer of life, also contains precious oligo-elements.

As we use eggs in almost every cake we bake, I thought may be of interest to know a little more about them. I will not take an egg for granted anymore.

Next week: History of Butter

History of Biscuits

History of Biscuits

This is an extract from my beautiful 1960 edition of "New Larousse Gastronomique".

Biscuit is a term applied to many kinds of biscuit, and, in French to an iced sweet, made of ice cream mixture, cut to look like biscuits.

 Army Biscuits: These used to be make iof a fairly substantial paste (6 parts flour to 1 part water), baked for 20-25 minutes, cooled off until completely dry. Sometimes a little leaven was added to the paste,  and invariably some seasoning to give the dough some taste, the biscuits were difficult to chew, and were not much good in soups, as they did not absorb enough liquid when soaked.

After 1894, as a result of the work of the Army food chemist, Balland, biscuit was replaced by "Army Bread", which was porous and absorbant, though still not popular with soldiers.

My haven't we come a long way with baking in the late 1890's.

Next week's subject: Eggs

Sandra

Push Up Pops

Push Up Pops
These are the latest craze from USA. They are easier to prepare than Cake Pops, and variations are endless.Let me share one of the recipes from the Push Up Pop book by Courtney Dial Whitmore.

Frozen Peach Bellini

3 cups of sparkling wine

1 cup peach schnapps

3 cups sliced frozen paches

1 cup ice.

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into push up pop moulds and place in the freezer for 1 hour or until ready to serve. Makes 15 pops

The mild and sweet peach flavour and touch of sparkling wine make these elegant for Cocktail Parties or hot summer nights.

10 pop moulds cost $12.20

20 pop moulds cost $20.00

Courtney's book is $29.99.

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Red Velvet Cake

250gr unsalted butter; 3 cups sugar ;6eggs; 30ml red food colouring; 3tbls unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 cup buttermilk; 3 cups plain flour; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 tsp bi-carb soda; 1 tbl white vinegar.

¨ Preheat oven to 165 deg
¨ Prepare three 20cm pans
¨ Cream butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy
¨ Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
¨ Mix food colouring with cocoa and add to the creamed mixture
¨ Add sifted flour alternately with buttermilk, than add the vanilla and salt.
¨ Mix the vinegar with bi-carb soda, and gently stir into the creamed mixture. Do not over mix.
¨ Divide the mixture between the three prepared pans, bake for approximately 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

FROSTING

500gr cream cheese; 375gr white chocolate; 250gr unsalted butter
All at room temperature

v Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave and allow to cool to lukewarm.
v In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
v Gradually beat in the melted white chocolate and softened butter. Beat until it is the consistency of whipped cream.

Use to ice between the layers and on top of the cake.

This is the recipe used in the 1930's at the Wardolf Astoria Hotel.

You cannot do better than use this cake for a special occasion, it is truly delicious.

Sandra