Lemon Meringue Pie

Recipe and images by Yasmin

This is a family recipe that has been well shared among friends as well. It is truly delicious dessert for any gathering that I guarantee will stir a good conversation. This recipe requires minimal fuss and ingredients but still produces fantastic results. It really does.. Tickle Your Taste buds! For even more flavour in this dessert add one can of passion fruit pulp and syrup or two passion fruit. This gives an excellent kick to the citrus flavours.
NOTE: For future cooking reference, this pastry can be used for any pastry desserts - just remove the lemon zest. It produces a very steady dough for molding on the dish and extra decorations on the top of pies.

Ingredients:
Pastry:

·         100g chilled butter

·         1 1/2 cups plain flour

·         1/2 lemon of grated zest

·         50g icing sugar

·         1 egg, lightly beaten

·         2 tblsp chilled water

Filling:

·         tin of sweetened condensed milk

·         2 - 3 egg yolks

·         juice of to lemons

Meringue:

·         3 egg whites, at room temperature

·         1/2 cup Castor sugar

Method:
Using a food processor, pulse butter and flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add lemon zest and icing sugar, pulse for 1 minute. Combine the egg and water in a separate container. With motor running, slowly pour water mixture into the food processor. The mixture should stick together making dough. Remove. Roll into a ball in glad wrap. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven 220'C. Prepare an oven proof dish. On a flowered board, roll out pastry to fit the cooking dish. Blind-bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce temperature 180'C. For filling, combine ingredients into a bowl. Then pour into the partially cooked pastry base. Cook for approximately 15 minutes. For meringue, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add Castor sugar while beating, until stiff and glossy.

Spoon meringue over the top of the cooked filling. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream and ice cream.

Mish's Muffin Recipe

Recipe from Mish
Photos by Yasmin

This is a different way to make delicious blueberry muffins. Very moist and truely yummy for lunches or snacks. Bonus, it is healthy too!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups self raising flour
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
•  1 tsp vanilla
• 2 x 75g packets of frozen blueberries

Method:
Combine all dry ingredients and berries. Combine oil, milk, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour oil mixture into the dry mixture and stir 12-15 times. Do not over mix. Muffin mixture should still have some dry flour.

Bake in oven at 170'C fan forced for 30-35 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Microwave Caramel Self Sauce Pudding

Recipe from Super Food Ideas
Photo by Yasmin

I'm sorry that I have not been able to post any of the recipes I have listed in the 'Soon to come' column. I have had this recipe and photos ready to post since Mother's Day; however, have not had the time to post it. My mother enjoyed her first of two desserts I prepared for her, the second, Lemon Meringue Pie, will be posted shortly. I have just been sooo busy with one million and one things to do, I'm sure you all know the feeling. If you are in that stressed and hectic situation, I recommend that you be naughty and eat some of this delicious comfort food. This self-sauce pudding takes less that 17 minutes to prepare and cook, and it is absolutely fabulous! It can be made with or without the nuts, I prefer without. This pudding is perfect for a truely naughty afternoon tea or dessert, especially in the now cooler months when you need that bit of warmth. I'm telling you now, this hits the spot. I also appologise for the unprofessional photograph of this pudding, I was craving food and comfort, so I just took one quick photo, which wasn't very neat.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 60g butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts (optional)
• 1 cup boiling water
• icing sugar and ice cream, to serve

Varitations: Replace pecans with chopped hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts.

Method:
Grease a 6cm deep, 6 cup capacity, heatproof, microwave safe dish. Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add butter, milk and egg. Whisk to combine. Stir in pecans. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Smooth top. Combine boiling water and remaining sugar in a heatproof jug. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour mixture over the back of a large metal spoon to evenly cover pudding batter.

Place dish on a microwave safe rack or upturned dinner plate. Cook, uncovered, on Medium (50%), for 9-10 minutes or until the pudding comes out clean. Carefully remove from microwave. Stand for 1 minute. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with ice cream.

Apple and Cinnamon Cake

Recipe from Cake Bible
Photos by Yasmin

This is a very simple tea cake. It doesn't have much flavour but is very moist and perfect for tea, coffee or a snack. If you have a sweet tooth and aren't a fan of simple flavours then serve this cake with a jam of your choice. You can eat it like a scone with the jam by cutting the cake in two or you can serve it on the side of the cake (as shown in the photo) and eat it with the cake, like with a dessert. This recipe isn't in any way a festive Easter cake, however it is delicious to eat on Easter Monday in the peace and quiet of your home.

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 2 tblsp castor sugar
• 3 tblsp softened butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup milk

Topping:

• 200g green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more if desired)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 1/2 tblsp butter, melted

Method:
Preheat oven to 180'C. Prepare cake tin. Sift flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add butter and cut into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg and milk. Beat to a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared bake tin.

Combine the apple, cinnamon and cornflour in a bowl - to coat the apple slices in flavour. Arrange on top of the cake batter. Drizzle butter over the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Cool in the tin on a rack. Remove from the tin when cooled and serve.