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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Mums Pavlova Recipe

Whenever Australia Day comes around, it would not be the same without making my mums pavlova. I have tried so many versions of pavlova but always come back to this recipe as it is just the best one around.
Pavlova is an Australian Icon almost and is always a favourite over here. This is simple to make and if you follow the recipe exactly, you will always have success with making one.

INGREDIENTS:
4 large egg whites (I use free range)
pinch of salt
1 cup caster sugar
1 dessertspoon cornflour
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 x 300ml carton whipping cream
strawberries (or kiwi fruit, bananas and passionfruit together)

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 150C or 130C for fan forced.
Draw a 20cm circle with a pencil on a sheet of baking paper and place pencil side down onto a large baking tray.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and salt together with an electric mixer on medium-high until soft peaks form.
Turn mixer up onto high and gradually add the cup of caster sugar, beating all the time until glossy and stiff.
Sift the cornflour into mixture and add the vanilla and vinegar to it. Mix through on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Using a large spoon or spatula, spread out onto the baking sheet within the circle drawn on the baking paper. Make sure you have it in an even mound, keeping the top fairly flat. You can slightly indent the middle if you prefer to hold the cream and fruit better. (I usually just keep it flat on top).
Place tray in oven and reduce your heat to 120C or 100C for fan forced oven.
Cook for 1 hour, making sure that you don't open the oven door as you don't want to change the temperature while cooking.
After 1 hour, turn off oven and leave pavlova in until completely cold, or for several hours if possible. This helps to eliminate the amout of breaking away from the side of shell. It is normal to get a little of this happening so don't be alarmed by it.
To serve, whip the cream with a teaspoon of pure icing sugar and when thoroughly whipped, pour onto top of pavlova and decorate with either strawberries with a little icing sugar sifted over top or my favourite is slicing banana and kiwi fruit over it and topping with some passionfruit pulp. You could use lovely summer berries as well. Whatever way they look delicious and taste the same.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Crispy Quinoa Cookies Recipe

This is another yummy gluten-free recipe that was given to me by a friend who also has coeliacs disease. They only take about 15 minutes in the oven to bake so are a quick and easy recipe to follow. Be warned, not only gluten sufferers will want these once you have made them. My husband David can't wait for them to get out of the oven before he is wanting one.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup raw sugar ( I use organic palm sugar)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup crunchy peanut paste (check label)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup quinoa flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup raw peanuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 175C or 160 fan forced.
Beat honey, sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla in a medium size mixing bowl with electric mixer until nice and creamy.
Sift rice flour, baking powder and salt together and combine with quinoa flakes in a separate bowl. Add to honey mixture and beat together until well blended. Add peanuts if desired to the mixture.
Drop teaspoons of mixture onto non-greased baking sheet, 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake for approx 12 - 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to stand on tray for a minute or two and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool down.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Quick Peach Chutney Recipe

I love home made chutneys, pickles and sauces and am always on the lookout for new recipes.
A friend served this delicious chutney up with roast rack of pork and I loved it and it is just so easy to make. This would also be great served with cold pork, ham or chicken or as a barbecue relish.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large can (800g) peach halves in syrup
1 tablespoon oil such as sunflower or light olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 crushed clove fresh garlic
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 star anise
1 cinnamon quill

METHOD:
Drain peaches, reserving the syrup. Coarsely chop peaches.
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft.
Add peaches to pan, the reserved syrup and other remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and then simmer, uncovered for approx 45 minutes or slightly thickened.
Discard the star anise and cinnamon quill. Cool down and then cover and refrigerate until time to use.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

American Baked Beans Recipe

Whenever we went to a barbecue at a friend of mine, she would always make this great baked beans recipe. Pam used to live in the states and says it is a family favourite over there. She would just put in the amounts she thought were right and didn't ever measure them out. I asked her to give me the recipe and so she did with the instruction to taste as I went along to make sure if it would either need more or less sugar.
I love this very simple and great tasting way of having beans and it is a must with a barbecue or doing spare ribs.
I have made mine a gluten free recipe by using gluten free ingredients but you can always used the normal sauces etc if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS:
1 extra large can of baked beans ( I use Heinz)
4 large rashes bacon
2 tomatoes cubed
1 large chopped onion
1/4 cup gluten free tomato sauce
1/2 cup gluten free barbecue sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar

METHOD:
Mix all ingredients together and place in a large baking or casserole dish
Bake in a moderate over for approx 1 hour. Check and if it needs it, continue cooking for another half an hour.
You want the dish to be nice and set but not dried out.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Gluten- Free Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe

I have been diagnosed with Coeliac (celiac) disease and have to now follow a gluten-free diet.
I was quite upset, thinking that this was going to be a huge change to my eating. Much to my surprise, all I have to eliminate is anything that contains gluten. This means no wheat, oats, bran, rye or malt in my diet.
These pancakes do taste a little different to ones made with wheat flour but it is all a matter of tastes when cooking this way. You can always play around with any recipe to get it more to your own liking.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup gluten-free SR flour
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1 cup (250ml) either rice, cows or lite soy milk (I use half buttermilk and half hi-lo)
1 free range egg
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 dessertspoon organic palm sugar (can substitute splenda or stevia)
maple syrup and extra butter for serving

METHOD:
Sift flours and baking powder into a medium size mixing bowl. Add milk, sugar and egg to flours.
Melt butter on hot griddle or frypan and add to mixture.
Using an electric mixer, mix until any lumps have been removed. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 20 minutes.
Over a medium heat, add tablespoons of mixture to the pan (about 4 at a time). After about 2 minutes when bubbles appear, flip them over and repeat cooking time on other side. When golden brown remove from pan and repeat process till all mixture has been used.
Place on plates and top with a little butter and maple syrup.
For a more filling treat cook 4 peeled, cored and quartered red apples in 100ml water, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1/2 teasonn cinnamon until cooked through on low heat. Takes around 15 minutes. Top on the pancakes instead of maple syrup and butter and add a little whipped cream or ice cream on the side. These are quite delicious done with just the apples.