Post Competition

Hello everyone!

I would just like to inform everyone about the recipe sharing that is happening on Taste of Pearl City. It is an 'Anyone Can Cook' competition which ends this friday. It is a really great way to share you simple and quick recipes with everyone and gather some great ideas too! All you have to do is go to this website: http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/ and follow the linking process. It is really simple and fun! I hope you get the chance to look and enter! There are some prizes too! I have already entered the following recipes:

Coconut Loaf with Passionfruit Sauce










Scrolls










Incredible Pie












Pasties












These are some of my favourites!!! I hope you share your simple and quick favourites as well!

Cheers,
Yasmin

Pasties

Recipe and Images from Yasmin

This is a very simple dinner to prepare when live is hectic and there are many busy and late nights. This is a meal perfect for when you don't feel like making something that takes a while to develop a great flavour, is filling and healthy. If there are any left over puff pastry sheets to fill with the meat filling, simple sweet pasties can be prepared as well. The list of fillings possible for this pastry design is endless, so have a go at mixing your favourite sweet and savoury flavours to produce something simply delicious. If serving this meal as a dinner, be sure to serve with a beautiful garden salad. I apologise in advance for this inartistic photo of the meal, we were in a hurry to eat and I couldn't prepare a decent setting for the meal. It is eaten so quickly it is hard to capture it on camera!!!

(cooked savoury pastie)

Ingredients:

For Savoury:

• 1-2 carrot
• 1-2 zucchini
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 potato
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup corn kernells
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 300-500g minced beef 

For Sweet:

•  2 -3 dessert spoons of jam
• 1 apple, thinly sliced and cored
• 1 cup dried fruit (of choice)
• 1/2 cup coconut 

 (Uncooked Sweet Pastie)

Method:

Take frozen puff pastry sheets out of freezer and separate, allowing to defrost on the bench.

While pastry is defrosting, prepare savoury filling. Into a large bowl, grate carrot, zucchini, sweet potato, potato, beans and corn. Add partially defrosted minced meat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using bare hands, thoroughly combine the savoury filling. 

Using a sharp knife, divide the mostly defrosted pastry diagonally, to create two triangles. Place a small handful of the uncooked mixture in one end of a triangle piece of pastry. Mold this to fit into the triangle shape, leaving about 1-2cm room around the edges to allow room to fold the pastry. Grab the other corner of the triangle and drag it over the filling to match the triangle shape, this is symmetrical. Press down on the folded pastry to seal the triangle shape pastie. Fold over the edges of the triangle and press again to secure (this should make sure that the pastie won't open and the contents spill). Lastly, twist the ends of the triangle, as it is just excess pastry.

Continue until all filling is used. As each pastie is made, place it on an oven tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 20-30 minutes on 180'C fan-forced.

If there is leftover pastry either cut it into triangles, as done for the savoury pasties, or leave it as a square to then fold into a rectangle (as shown in picture). Prepare a sweet filling. Smooth jam over pastry. Cover with coconut, thinly sliced apple, currants, sultanas, dried apricots and/or dates. Fold symetrically, using the same method as before, whether it is a triangle or rectangle, except, for the rectangle, cut a few slits in the sides (as shown in the photo).

Cook for 20-30 minutes at 180'C fan-forced.

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.

Apple Pie

Recipe and Photos by Yasmin

This is a classic dish that everyone should make at some point in their life, whether it is with your Grandma or your Grandchildren. This dessert, for me, isn't as much about the soft texture of the apples complimented by the sweet flavour of cinnamon and sugar, it is about tradition. Rain or shine, hot or freezing, without fail, I will make this dessert when my Grandma comes and visits from Melbourne. It is a tradition that strengthens our love and makes each other happy. My Grandma is the woman who taught me how to make this dessert by letting me stand by her side and peel the apples and roll the pastry. She is a major factor that made me who I am today and helped develop my love of cooking. Although I am older and more experienced in the cooking department, and my Grandma has become less capable, our tradition and bond is tighter than ever. Nowadays, when she visits (as she is at the moment) I am the one who makes this beautiful dessert for her and she is the one to judge if it is made with enough Grandma love. I hope everyone enjoys making Apple Pie as much as I do, and enjoys sharing this dessert all year round, but especially at Easter (as shown through the bunny on the table cloth!) with you much loved family.

Ingredients:
Pie:

• 20 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup milk, to brush
• 2-4 tsp sugar, to dust
• 2-4 tsp cinnamon, to dust
• short crust pastry (home made preferably - see recipe below)

Pastry:

• 100g chilled butter
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 50g icing sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2-3 tblsp chilled water

Method:
For Pastry; using food processor, pulse butter and flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add icing sugar and pulse for 1 minute. Combine the egg and water in a separate container. With the motor running, slowly pour water mixture into the food processor. The mixture should stick together making dough, if not add more flour until it comes together as a dough. Remove and cover in nonstick wrap. Form it into a ball shape. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

For Filling; stew apples by placing them in a large pot. Fill just a little bit of the bottom of the pot with water, to start the softening of the apples when boiled. Boil the apples and then turn down the heat and let them simmer. Constantly check the apples to see if they are soft. Once softened remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove pastry and place the ball of dough on a floured mat. Take 3/4 of the dough to be the base and roll out in a circular shape until wide enough to fit the pie dish and go over the edges. Spray the pie dish with cooking canola spray and lay the rolled pastry on it. Add the stewed apples but do not overfill the dish. Using the 1/4 of dough left roll out in the same way as the base to use as the top of the pie (it is always better for the base to be thicker than the top). You can leave the top as a whole circle to cover the pie or you can cut the pastry into strips and create a laced top pie. If there is extra pastry hanging over the edge of the pie then cut it off with a sharp knife and use it to create patterns on top of the pie. For assistance in the decorations, use shape cutters. When placing the top pastry to the pie, brush milk on the edges to help the two pastry sheets to stick together. Then, using a fork, press the fork prongs around the edges of the pie to make sure the two sheets are stuck together and to complete the pie's appearance (as shown in the photo below). To finish, brush the top of the pie with milk and then dust with sugar and cinnamon (this allows the sugar and cinnamon to stick to the pie top).

Bake in the oven at 160'C fan forced for 40-45 minutes. When golden brown on top, remove and allow to cool a little before serving. Serve with cream and/or ice-cream and a dusting of cinnamon over everything (optional).

Scrolls

Recipe and photos by Yasmin

Scrolls are a brilliant invention. It is the simplest of recipes; needing only two ingredients and a constant ratio of 1:2 - 1cup of buttermilk to 2cups of Self Raising Flour. From this you can be as creative or subtle as intented; however, the result is undyingly satisfying. I have made this snack or lunch many times before today, yet today is somewhat special because I am sharing a memorable cooking experience with a longtime friend. A caring primary school friend visited and we prepared this dish, alongside many others, as we prepared a feast to celebrate the end of Lenten fasting. As a beginner we made scrolls, followed by the main meal of Chicken and Corn Pie, and finishing with afternoon tea of Apple and Cinnamon Cake and lastly dessert being Incredible Pie. This was a VERY filling and enjoyable experience - as every cooking session should be. I regard my kitchen and cookbook as an old friend as I embrace the task ahead, rather than some people today who believe cooking is a burden and a nuisance. I hope you enjoy the first of many recipes being posted after my Lenten break. It is both sweet and savoury - a perfect balance to start.

Ingredients:

• Buttermilk (a carton)
• Self Raising Flour
• Fillings of choice

Filling Combinations:
Sweet:

• Plum Jam, shredded coconut, shredded apple and sultanas (as featured in photo)
• Shredded apple, cinnamon and sugar
• Nutella and choc chips
• Apricot jam, diced apricots and shredded coconut
• Strawberry Jam and mixed dried fruit
• White chocolate and passionfruit pulp
• Honey and sliced banana

Savoury:

• Vegimite and cheese
• Shredded ham, cheese and pineapple
• Salami, ham and cheese
• Semi-dried tomatoes, low fat feta cheese, ham, salami and cheese

Method:
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of buttermilk and 2 cups of flour with a fork until a soft dough forms. Flour a mat and rolling pin and roll out the dough until 1-2cm thick. Spread with a filling of your choice, sweet or savoury. Pick up pastry from one end and roll it up to the other (as shown in the photo above). Once the dough is now one big scroll, use a sharp knife to cut the scroll into 2-3cm slices. Place these lying flat on a non-stick baking tray as you cut (as shown in the photo below). Cook in an oven at 180'C fan-forced 4 for 20-25 minutes. Once cooled a little, serve.

This process can be repeated until all of the buttermilk is used. It makes approximately 2 1/2 batches. For the half batch make sure the measurements maintain that ratio of 1:2, in this case it will be 1/2:1. If you don't simplify the ratio evenly, then the dough will either be too sloppy or too hard.

Dutch Pancakes

Original recipe from NMAA Cooks, modified by Yasmin

Image by Yasmin

I have my moments on some mornings were I crave for sweetness. My solution.... Dutch Pancakes. A Dutch Pancake is very similar to the average packet mix pancake except it has added goodness; fruit. My favourite combination for these pancakes is shredded apple dusted with cinnamon. However, any combination of fruit and seasoning can be created, depending on what is available at the time and your craving. For another example, try sultanas, shredded apple and jam, or diced dried apricots and coconut. The possibilities are endless!



Ingredients:

•  125g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg + yolk extra
• 250ml milk
• 50ml water
• 1 tblsp melted butter
• canola spray

Method:
Sift flour and salt, make a well in the middle, and break in the egg and yolk and stir. Add milk and water gradually and stir until smooth. Stand for 1 hour, then add melted butter. If desired, add a fruit and seasoning combination (some are suggested above). Stir slowly until mixed through. Heat frying pan and when hot spray with canola oil. Pour pancake batter onto the middle of the pan to the desired size (remembering that it will spread). Cook until bubbles form around most of the pancake. Using a spatula, flip the pancake onto the other side for only a few minutes. Then, using the spatula, transfer to a plate. Repeat the cooking process until all the batter has been used (stacking the pancakes). If desired, reheat in the oven for a few minutes at 180'C. Serve plain, with ice-cream dusted with cinnamon, or one of the suggestions below (if fruit has not already been added into batter).

Topping suggestions:

• sugar coated with lemon juice
• Ricotta cheese, sugar, cinnamon, sultanas
• Berry jam with cream
• 250g fuit mince softened in 1 tblsp brandy
• 125g cream cheese, 2 tsp lemon juice, 4 tblsp chopped walnuts
• chocolate sauce
• honey or golden syrup
• nutella spread

Sour Cream Apple Slice

Recipe from Yasmin
Image by Patricia Scarpin and Yasmin

This recipe has been passed down from one of my grandparent's friends to at last me and I can understand why it has not been forgotten. The recipe is really easily made and one of the best slices I have tasted. It has very few ingredients but still can entice anyone, even a chocolate lover will enjoy this just as much as plain chocolate! I do warn any taste tester of this particular slice, it is very addictive!!! This is the perfect slice for sudden afternoon tea arrangements with friends or if you receive an unexpected visitor. Once you serve this, I promise that your friends will visit you more often and demand the secret to this success!

(with coconut)

Ingredients:

·         ¼ pound (115g) melted butter

·         1 packet buttercake mix

·         1 cup coconut

·         Tin of pie apples

·         1 egg, lightly beaten

·         1 cup sour cream

·         Vanilla

Method:

Combine butter, buttercake and coconut in a bowl. Press into a greased lamington tin and cook in a moderate oven for 10 minutes. Spread the apple over the partly cooked base. Combine the egg, sour cream and vanilla in the empty bowl. Spread the sour cream mixture over the apple layer. Sprinkle with coconut and/or cinnamon. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes.

Serve for cold for dessert or afternoon tea.

 (with cinnamon)