Pancakes with a Warm Berry Sauce

How amazing does that look? I know, right? Your ready to jump into your screen and gobble up the picture? These are healthy, yummy, and delish pancakes. If I knew more words that defined 'delicious', I would put them all in this post, seriously I would.
So.. It's actually supposed to be mothers day this week Sunday, but the household that I live in things always happen on different days! (Dont ask)
Oh, Oh, wait.. I've got a explanation for this years wrong date, my Mom is actually going on a small vacation to see her parents overseas. (Last year we did mothers day a week earlier then it actually was, yea.. I think you've gathered we're not the best family with dates).
So this year we actually did Mothers Day on a Monday. (?) Sooo weird and so not the day to have it.. I know. But as soon as I cooked up these healthy morsels.. everyone just sat and munched their way through piles and piles of pancakes (literally.. my Dad had like 5!!)


Oh, and I also wanted to share my recipe box with you, I spent forever writing out all my recipes on tiny cards. I dont think you would of wanted to see my recipe book, it's a mixture of scrappy and cut-out peices of paper that happen to have recipes on them!

I made the batter the night before because (as tradition for the past 9 years) we were having breakfast in bed. And when I wake up, I am in no mood to make batter, wait for it to rest in the refridgerator and cook!, so this way I was thanking myself the night before as I was flipping pancakes on the pan at 8 in the morning.

Okay.. I think you want the recipe now.. yes? Let's do thissss.

So first, I satrted by measuring my flour and salt, and threw that into a bowl, and then I cracked 2 eggs into another bowl

I added some milk and whisked until all of it was combined

Make a well in your other bowl (your flour and salt bowl) and gradually pour in the mixture pulling the flour away from the side until you are able to really mix it until it is smooth. I also added a teaspoon of baking powder, to make the pancakes doubley fluffly and light.. all for good measure!

And from there, I just mixed it, and threw in the melted butter and put all of that into a airtight container ready for the awaiting fridge.

FAST FORWARD 12 HOURS OR SO

______________________________________________

Wake up, go to fridge, pull out pancake batter, spoon on to waiting fry pan.

Yes.. thats it!! Done, done and done. Best pancakes I have ever made.. and thats saying something!

Perfect Pancakes

- 2 cups SR flour

- 1 tsp Baking powder

- PInch of salt

- 2 eggs

- 2 cups of milk

- 1 Tb Sugar (Optional)

- 60g melted butter

Method

Sift together flour and salt baking powder and sugar (if using) in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl beat together eggs and milk until well combined. Slowly pour in milk mixture to flour mixture whicking until no lumps are left and until a thick ribbon is formed when whisk is lifted up. Melt butter in a small saucepan and then rest for 30 mins in refidgerator, or leave in refrigerator overnight.

Spoon batter onto a medium sized fry pan, on medium heat. Wait for pancakes to bubble on the top, the outside of the pancake should be dry. Flip, for about 1 miniute. And keep going!

So then, after putting on the pancakes, I got started on my berry sauce, I adapted this recipe from 'Joy the Baker" (best blog in town!!)

I started by placing 1 and a 1/2 cups of froxen berries into a medium non-stick saucepan and ontop of that I put in 1Tb of sugar

Warm Berry Sauce

Adapted from "Joy The Baker" blog.

- 1 and a 1/2 cups frozen berries

- 1 Tb sugar

- 1/4 cup water

METHOD

Place frozen berries and sugar in a saucepan, and cook for about 5 mins. The berries would have released some liquid and the sugar will be dissovled. Keep stirring constantly, and when needed, add the water. Simmer for 10 mins stirring constantly. Serve warm ontop of pancakes with a dollop of Vanilla Ice-cream.

Pecan and Chocloate Pastries

I know, I know its been ages since i last updated. I finally got around to uploading the pictures on my laptop. Right now, im jamming to some Demi Lovato music so, im in the mood to put pictures up and write about the pecan and chocolate cigars.

I really wanted to try and make these, because i have never really worked with fillo pastry, but after my trusty google searching, i found out the secrets to getting your fillo pastry perfect. I found that you had to cover the pastry sheets with damp tea towels.. that way it stays moist and it doesnt dry out!
Right, lets get to it. Oh.. and by the way, did i not mention how delicious sweet and crispy they tasted?


So first up, I started with my pecan nuts and blended them in my mini food processor, until they were relativley blended and fine.

Cute food processor, huh?

After i had processed the pecans, i just combined them with cinnamon and brown sugar and threw them in a large bowl

then i measured some butter, and some olive oil


then i simply just put both of them into a small saucepan and melted them

then i got my yummy little chocolate chip morsles

i grinded them in a nut grinder, dont grind them in a food processor! you dont want chocolate dust, more like chocolate rubble, some buts chunky some bits tiny like this:

so, i had the butter and olive oil mixture, my pecan nut mixture, and my chocolate mixture.
they all remained seperate in their own bowls. and i got to work with brushing the pastry, filling, folding, filling then rolling! I dont actually have any pictures of me doing this (maybe because i was in a rush because i was scared that the pastry could dry out!)i have only one picture:

Underneath those chocolate chips, is the pecan and cinnamon mixture. after these chocolate chips went on i tucked in the longer sides about 1/2 a centimetre and then i carefully rolled it up so it looked like a pretty cigar

lightly brush over the top with the olive oil mixture so you get a shiny glaze after it's baked, i kind of went over the top with this.. but use in moderation!!

put them in to the oven, for about 15-20 mins and they will turn out like this

Scrumptious!



Perfect Pecan and Chocolate Cigars
- 100g pecan nuts

- 2 tsps ground cinnamon

- 1 tsp brown sugar

- 125g butter

- 1/4 olive oil

- 250g choppped milk/dark chocolate


Method
Preheat oven to 180c degrees
Ground pecan nuts in a mini food processor, and combine with cinnamon and brown sugar. Set aside.
Melt butter and olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat until melted. Set aside.
Chop milk or dark chocolate and place in a small bowl.
Cover fillo pastry with a wet tea towel, to prevent it from drying out. Working with about 3 sheets at a time, cut in half so you are left with a long rectangle. Brush half of the rectangle and place in 2 tsps of pecan mixture. Fold ver, so you have a square. Brush the square with olive oil mixture again, and place 2 tsps of chocolate chips. Roll the vertical longer sides in 1cm and starting from the chocolate end, roll into a cigar shape. Place on lined tray and gaze the tops again, with olive oil mixture. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 mins or until pastry is a pale gold.

EAT.

Pistachio Fudge

I found the best fudge recipe in the world here. It comes from the legend cook: Nigella Lawson. She makes amazing desserts, and I thought that I had to try one of them.
I had already tried her "Berry Cheesecake" which was a great success (dont worry, i will post the cheesecake soon!), so I was browsing through her recipes and came across a very tasty looking treat.
Pistachio fudge. Wow.
So, I tried it and it was uh-mazing. Grainy, fudgy, choclatey and soft. It's so simple to make I dont even need to provide step by step pictures! its just a simple matter of turning on your stove and bashing up some pistachio nuts.
Pretty fattening, and not healthy, but whatever.. its still amazing.

I will post step by step pictures when I get round to making it again (which is very soon!), but til' then I have to share the recipe!!


CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO INCREDIBLE FUDGE
- 350g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chopped
- 1 x 397g of Sweetened condensed milk
- 30g butter
- Pinch of salt
- 150g pistachio nuts


METHOD
Put the chopped chcolate, condensed milk, butter and salt in a heavy based pan, on low heat and stir to melt.
Put the nuts into a freezer bag and bash up with a rolling pin, until broken up into both big and little pieces. (You want crumbs aswell as chunks to give it some bite).
Add pistachio's to the choclate mixture in the pan, and mix until combined.
Pour and spatch this mixture onto a foil lined 23cm square tin, smoothing the top.
Let the fudge cool, and then refrigerate until set. You can then cut it into small peices (3 x 2.25 cm)to give 64 peices.
Once cut, it can be kept into the freezer, no need to thaw, just eat straight away!!
(It tastes much better when you leave it in the freezer for longer and then indulge in it, it goes more grainy and fudgy that way)

Enjoy, and then you can thank me later..
with some of these

Date Scones

"!"

That's the little noise I make when someone mentions the words "scones". Plain, and chocolate go down well with me.. with a big giant glass of cold milk.

I'm happy.

Actually i'm ecstatic, im a scone fanatic.

My sisters on holidays at the moment from her college work, and I'm on school holidays. It's too hot to go out, my mothers away, so no car.. and the fridge is stacked with butter and milk.

Flour? Check

Oh right, there all the ingredients I need! We happened to find some dried fruit that was close to expiring waay out of it's date, so we decided to throw that in the mix aswell. why not!

We're a pretty spontaneous family like that :)

Rub it your butter in to your Self raising flour with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs, like this
Add some dried fruit of your choice, I decided to use dried dates and plop it into your bowl.

Add a tablespoon of sugar for your sweet tooth,

and pour in some milk until your mixture resembles a dough.. I had to do this slowly, because last time I waay over did it and ended up with like a massive dough that had been dunked in to a gallon of milk.
so, add your milk slowly because ending up how mine did last time is a utter disaster.
Transfer the date filled dough to a lightly floured surface and knead only for about 30 seconds, other wise your dough may become tough.
So, knead for a bit then roll out with a rolling pin until 2cm thick and cut with a scone cutter.

after you have used up all your dough by re-rolling and re-cutting,glaze all of your scone tops with milk using a pastry brush. Pop into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
express cooking at its best.

    Date Scones
- 60 grams unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dried fruit
- 1 tablespoon of caster sugar
- 2 cups Self-Raising flour
- 2/3 cup milk
Method
Preheat oven at 220c degrees celcius.
Sift flour in to a large bowl, and place butter in. Rub with your hands until fine breadcrumbs are formed, and there are no lumps of butter.
Add in your dried fruit and sugar and mix. Slowly add milk and form into a dough, using a bread and butter knife.
Place on to a lightly floured surface and roll 2 cm thick. Cut with a scone cutter and place on to prepared lined tray.
Glaze tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar (optional).
Bake for 10 minuites, and transfer to a cooling rack.
Serve with jam, cream and butter.

Anzac Biscuits

I was in the kitchen just then making anzac biscuits with my sister, and remembered just in time to whip out my camera to start flashing away.

Anzac biscuits are basically just oaty, sugary biscuits that can either be chewy or crunchy (I prefer chewy!).
It's a biscuit made for the commemoration of Australian soldiers back in the war.. but thats the boring part.. lets get on to the nitty gritty.

Okay, so i started the biscuits by melting some butter and golden syrup into small pan.

And then in a seperate bowl (for the dry mix) I combined some Coconut (mmm)and brown sugar

And to that fabulous mixture, in went some sifted plain flour


Then finally, for the dry ingredients, some oats. I then added a teaspoon of bicarb soda (baking soda) to 2 Tablespoons of hot water and mixed it up in a tiny bowl.
I then added it to the dry mixture.
I also added the melted butter and golden syrup mixture.

And mixed until all combined. (of course!). It was tricky, but I rolled tablespoons of the mixture and pressed it down lightly with a fork on to my prepared baking tray. I say it's tricky because mine was waaaaay too dry, so adding a little bit of more hot water is good.

ahhh

Put 'em in for about 10 minites-ish...

And you'll end up with these beauties. Oh, and transfer to a wire cooling rack when out of the oven!
Here are some pictures to feast your eyes on



store in a airtight container.. but they will probably all get eaten just on the cooling rack alone.


AMAZING ANZAC OATY RECIPE:
- 1 cup plain flour (All-Purpose flour)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup coconut
- 220 grams of unsalted butter
- 2 Tbs of golden syrup
- 1 teaspoon of bicarb soda (baking soda)
- 2 Tbs of hot water


METHOD:
Preheat oven to 155c degrees celcius.
Combine flour, coconut, sugar and oats and let rest.
In a small saucepan melt butter and golden syrup until just melted.
In a small cup or bowl (save on the dishes) combine 1 teaspoon of bicarb soda to 2 Tablespoons fo hot water, and mix up. Pour bicarb mixture in to dry mixture, and also pour in golden syrup mixture.
Mix together, if mixture is too dry to work with (if you cant press it into a ball easily) then just add some more hot water.
roll mixture in to balls and place on prepared oven tray. press down lightly with the back of a fork to slightly flatten.
Place in the hot oven, and cook for about 10 easy miniutes.

Cucina felice!!

Tips For Anything and Everything!

- Whenever baking cookies, pressing the cookies down on the pan will cause them to be more chewy when you take them out of the oven. while leaving them in a ball to melt in the oven will result in a more crunchy crumbly cookie.

- Whenever reading a recipe to make something, try and really read into it, i know that sounds stupid, but actually thinking about how you are going to assemble your ingredients or melt your butter (or whatever) really helps you in the kitchen and your more efficient and in control.

- When a cake is done, it will do three things:
- The cake will shrink slightly from the sides of the pan
- When touched the cake will spring back up lightly
- And when a skewer is inserted into the cake, it will come out clean.

"What do I do if my cake is browning but not actually cooking?"

If your cake is blackening really quickly and you are having a panic attack that its going to burn and not actually cook, then heres what to do. Cover the cake with thick foil (put about 2-3 sheets of foil over) and lower the temperate in the oven. The cake should cook inside without actually burning ontop.

- Always preheat the oven about 20 mins before you put anything in.

- When a recipe asks for a mixture to 'cool', make sure it cools! Putting a hot mixture in to the cake could cause eggs to scramble, and your left with a mess.

- When whipping egg whites make sure everything is oil or butter free. Wash your beater before you start whipping and wash your bowl! Any drop of oil that is mixed accidently with the egg whites could cause it not to whip into a fluffly mixture.

- Use the baking pan sizes as specified in the recipe

_ Try and be inventive! You dont have to follow the recipe exactly, instead of chocolate chip cookies, substitute the chcolate for something like nuts or glaced ginger.

-xoxo-

Shortbread Biscuits

So, a couple of days ago for the easter weekend, i made some shortbread biscuits.. mmmm.
They were actually amazing, like buttery, crumbly and everything. It made about 40 small biscuits (that i cut out from a biscuit cutter).
I started by creaming butter and icing sugar with my trusty electric beater and then slowly adding corn flour.
Corn flour?? I know, but it actually makes the result amazing, so i guess its a pass.
And then added plain flour and spent like a lifetime rolling the cookies.

Put them in the oven, and walla!! Heaven came out!

Sorry, I didn't take the step by step pictures..
The sad thing is that a delicious morsel like this contains hundreds of calories..note the butter below.
Yea.. 200 grams of that. If your weight concious, I reccommend you don't try it because you will end up eating the whole batch.
But if you don't care about weight.. indulge and let the buttery crumbly cookies melt in your mouth.

The pictures may not be so great because of our dodgy camera, but hopefully
we'll get that flashy snazzy expensive professional camera soon!

xoxo

THE ULTIMATE SHORTBREAD RECIPE:
- 1 Cup Plain Flour (All-Purpose)
- 1 cup Corn Flour
- 1/2 Cup Icing sugar (Confectioners Sugar)
- 200 grams unsalted butter


METHOD:
Beat together butter and sugar until light, creamy and fluffy. Slowly add corn flour and beat again until same fluffly consistency.
Sift plain flour and slowly add to mixture. The mixture will still be wet, so its quite hard to roll out and cut. An easier method is to push it through a piping bag and just make shapes onto your prepared pan. Or try to roll them into shapes (hard, but worth the really pretty end result).
Bake at 180c degrees for about 10 minutes. Check every five miniutes.

Note* You dont want the shortbread to be golden brown, just a very pale gold.

welcome to the corner

Hi Everyone!

Just started this blogging thing, and im kind of new. But im willing to share scrumptious recipes, talk breathe and live baking!

I have been ill the past year with chronic fatigue and havent been to school for a long time, but doing baking - it's amazing how much it puts you in a good mood from everything else.

This blog will hopefully help anyone with baking tips, mouthwatering recipes or anything else :)

Xoxo