Wholemeal Tomato and Herb Focaccia

Today I posted over at Teenage Cakeland! It was lots of fun getting to post somewhere else for a change, and the focaccia was a real hit with all the family (even the dog, who jumped up on the table and stole two, TWO slices while I was out of the room for approximately one fifteenth of a second!)

To check it out, go here: http://teenagecakeland.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/guest-post-wholemeal-tomato-and-herb-focaccia/

Mia :)

Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns

This week is super duper exciting; easter, for one, but (more importantly) my birthday! I'm not normally too insanely enthusiastic for birthdays, but this year with the added perk of it being on good friday (=first day of a 4 day weekend) I can't help myself! So if I've mentioned my birthday to you approximately 4 bajillion times in the last month, I do apologise.

But even if you haven't got a birthday coming up, there's plenty to get excited about easter-wise! Long weekend aside, there's all that chocolate! Today I did a mini 'kris kringle'  thing with some friends at school where we all got each other chocolate and boy! was it fun! I've been happily muching away on my eggs all day, and I carefully saved my little bunnies for later (though the 30 degree heat uhhh... helped with that). And even without chocolate, there's hot cross buns to look forward too!

This was my first time making hot cross buns, and it was super duper easy. In the middle of their rise I suddenly decided to meet a friend for impromptu lunch and shopping, and they still turned out, so I think you could pretty-much put this recipe under the 'never-fail' category. The apple was lovely on it's own, but if you wanted to add other dried fruit for a more traditional or completely unique bun, why not?! The only change that I'll make next time is I think I'll use a different cross mixture- I just combined flour and water but they were a bit pale for my liking, so there's no cross recipe included here but I think any icing or even melted chocolate would be wonderful! Otherwise though, these were perfect. And surprisingly healthy actually- there's only a little honey and they're wholemeal too! So I don't know about you, but intend to use these to counteract all the chocolate ;)

Mia x

Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns
Based on: http://www.thehealthychef.com/2013/03/healthy-hot-cross-buns/

220g whole-wheat flour
50 g rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried yeast
125 ml (1/2 cup) milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract or 1/2 of paste
60 ml (1/4 cup) macadamia nut oil or olive oil
2 free range / organic egg, lightly beaten
1 apple, diced

1. Put the apple in a bowl, then microwave for 30 seconds to a minute to soften it slightly. Mix the wholemeal flour, oats, cinnamon, yeast and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Warm the milk, vanilla and honey in the microwave just a little until just slightly warm, then pour into the mixing bowl along with 1 of the eggs and the oil.
3. Mix the dough for about 6 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Add the apple and mix through.
4. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or glad wrap and leave the dough to double in size in a warm place for about 1 hour.
5. Knock back the dough and tip in onto your  working bench. Knead a little then shape into 10-12 rolls. Preheat your oven to 160 C. Cover lightly and allow to rise for another 30 minutes or until double in size.
6. Brush lightly with the second egg and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Cool, then if you like pipe a cross made from icing or chocolate on top. Enjoy! Makes 10-12 hot cross buns

Farewell Google Reader...

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

So I know, this is probably getting boring now, but in case you haven't heard; google reader is shutting down! And so even though there aren't many of you, be sure to follow me somewhere else (or secretly be glad my annoying, sarcastic posts and bad food photography will no longer be part of your life. each to their own I guess)

I personally am quite sad, because, trust, literally 2 weeks ago I went through and followed all my favourite blogs on google reader! Arghhh! But this morning I made a bloglovin, moved all my subscriptions over and it all seems like it might be ok again! Phew! (Excuse all this onomatopoeia, I just can't help it) So if you're considering it, I'd highly recommend trying it out, it really is great!

Mia :)

Wholemeal Griddle-pan Waffles

Until about a month ago, I was completely sure I hated waffles. I'm not quite sure where such a strong hate came from, since I generally only hate rocket out of all the foods in the world and I'm not actually sure whether I'd ever had a waffle, but I was sure and so I'd never once thought of eating one, let alone making one!

But that all changed at a friend's 16th not too long ago. Her Mum made her world famous waffles, and how could I say no to that? Fresh waffles, with a reese's piece in every little hole, doused in strawberry sauce- who was I to let along standing discrimination stand in the way of that?

They were brilliant, and ever since I've been dreaming of having them again, but since these waffles seem to be saved specifically for her birthday and that was far too long to wait, I decided it was time to have a stab at making my own. Now, being my completely waffle unaware self, I wasn't even entirely sure how the shape of a waffle was made. Magic?

Apparently not. It appears that there are special appliances specifically for making waffles! Who knew? (probably everyone else, oops! thank god for google) But since I don't happen to have said appliance, I put my aspirations off once again.

A few days ago, I couldn't do it anymore. I had to make them. And that's when this tutorial came in. 'A griddle pan? I've got one of those!' I thought, and well, the rest is history.

These waffles are great, crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside, and made a perfect sunday morning breakfast. They look like giant pancakes, but once you get into them, they clearly stand on the waffle side of that line. I'd recommend serving them hot, with a little yogurt, maple syrup and some fruit, and eating them lazily whilst reading the food section of the paper and drinking hot tea!

Mia

Wholemeal Griddle-pan Waffles
Based on: http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/2012/08/grill-pan-waffles-how-to-make-waffles.html#.UUUwpBmKyMg and http://theinformedhealthnut.com/2012/03/19/flawless-whole-wheat-belgian-waffles/

    1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (option: sub in 1/4 cup wheat bran)
    1/2 cup flax meal
    1/4 cup sugar
    3 tbsp baking powder*
    3/4 tsp salt
    1 1/3 cups nonfat milk
    2 eggs
    2 tbsp coconut oil (do not reduce!)
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine flour, flax, bran if using, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla, and eggs. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir until well combined. Add the coconut oil and mix again.
3. Heat a griddle pan over medium heat, and brush with coconut or grapeseed oil (it needs to be able to withstand high heat)
4. Pour approx. 1/2 a cup of the batter into the greased pan, spreading until it achieves the shape you desire. Cook for 3-4 minutes, checking occasionally until the bottom is dark golden and the edges are firm (this step is important, if you flip it too early it won't cook through)
5.

*I know, it sounds crazy, but trust me- lifting all that wholemeal and flax takes some serious effort, and you can't taste it at all!

Chocolate and Walnut Slice

The other morning, I woke with an uncurable urge to break out the butter and the sugar and to bake something insanely indulgent and over the top. It had been building up for quite a while, but finally enough was enough. I needed to bake something now, and petty things like the Christmas chocolates still hanging around and the freezer full of stockpiled baked goods weren't going to stop me. 

The fantasy started with cupcakes. Glorious, fluffy cupcakes, with luscious swirls of smooth buttercream on top. Then it was iced donuts, glorious sweet donuts with icing dripping down the sides and sprinkles on top. Then it was slice. Gooey, chocolatey, sugary slice with layers of deliciousness and drizzled with more chocolate on top.

This slice is something I made up using a tart base and topping I'd made before and loved and a fudge recipe I found online, but it fulfilled my fantasy perfectly. The spongey walnut layer, the soft chocolate, the shortbread-like base- this is the perfect sugar hit for those days when you just couldn't care less about your health (not that it's that bad really, it's just that I've been on a sugar-free baking kick lately so it feels indulgent haha). The recipe's a bit time-consuming in that there's a fair bit of baking, cooling and freezing, but the preps short so it's perfect for a day spent at home!

Enjoy!
Mia :)

Chocolate and Walnut Slice
Based on: http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/Website/Woolworths/FreshFoodIdeas/Recipes/Recipes-Content/Double-Chocolate-Fudge-Brownies and  http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/raspberry_walnut_tart/


Crust:
1 1/2 cups (200g) flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (80g)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup or 12 Tbsp) butter

Fudge:
125g dark chocolate
1 cups CSR Caster Sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup flour
1/8 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa

Topping:
3/4 cup (75g) chopped walnuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup (150g) white granulated sugar
1/4 (35g) cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

1 Make the crust. Place the crust ingredients—flour, powdered sugar, and butter—in a blender or food processor. Process until a dough forms, about 30 seconds to a minute. Line the inside of a 30cm by 20cm slice pan with baking paper and place the dough in the tart pan. Use your fingers to spread the dough and press it evenly all over the base of the slice pan. Place in the freezer and freeze for one hour or longer.

2. Pre-bake in a 175°C (350°C) oven for 25  minutes. (It helps if before baking you line the crust with aluminum foil or baking paper and fill with pie weights, such as dry beans; this will keep the tart crust from slumping.)  Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, begin making the fudge mixture by melting the chocolate. Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric beater and then add the chocolate flour and cocoa, beating until combined.

4. When the base is cool, pour over the fudge mixture and return to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the fudge is slightly set (it will still be almost liquid, but that's fine so long as you're gentle with the next layer).

3 While that cooks, Beat together the remaining filling ingredients—eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla—until smooth. Add the walnuts and stir to combine. Pour over the fudge.

4 Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 40 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned all over and the top layer has set. Allow to cool and slice!