Chocolate Puddings with Centre Sauce Recipe

I recently had dinner at a friends place who is an amazing cook. She served up these decicious but decadent little chocolate puddings. I have to say that they are truly wonderful and once you have tried them for yourself, you will agree with me. She couldn't remember who gave her this recipe but whoever it was, I am eternally grateful.

INGREDIENTS:
350g dark cooking chocolate
125g butter (do not use margarine)
100g almond meal
6 eggs - separated
100g rice flour
200g castor sugar
150g extra castor sugar

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200C.
Melt butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over simmering water (use a double saucpan set if you have one) for about 1 minute.
Beat the egg yolks and the 150g castor sugar together till pale in colour and doubled in size.
Add the chocolate to this.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and the 200g castor sugar together until light and soft peaks form.
Gently fold this into the egg yolk mixture.
Fold in the dry ingredients gently. I use a knife for this.
Grease 10 individual small moulds (metal is best).
Cook in oven for about 12 minutes.
Turn out onto individual plates and serve with ice cream or cream.
You can half this recipe or alternatively, you can freeze half the uncooked mix in moulds to be used at a later time. If you freeze them, make sure you wrap them in gladwrap before placing in the freezer.

Diabetic Wholemeal Date & Banana Muffins Recipe

This recipe was given to me by a lovely lady who has been making them for over 20 years now and said that they are a favourite in her house. I tried them and have to say they are the best date and banana muffins that I have tasted, diabetic or regular recipe. Do try these for yourself as I know you will love them. They are great to pop in a lunchbox or to serve for afternoon tea. These have just 340kj, 2g fibre and only 0.3g sat fat so if you are following the weight watchers points system that is just 1 point per muffin. Having 2 muffins would not ruin your program and you will love the treat.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups wholemeal SR flour
3 medium bananas - mashed
20 medium pitted dates - chopped
1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 egg (can use low cholesterol egg mix)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons good oil - such as olive or peanut

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180C.
In a large bowl, mix in flour and bi-carb soda together.
Blend bananas and dates together with electric mixer or kitchen whiz.
Add orange juice, oil, egg and honey to this and stir or mix for a minute or two.
Pour this into the flour and slightly mix through with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not over mix as this will toughen them.
Pour into small muffin tins or papers and cook for 15 - 18 minutes. Do not leave in any longer as you want them to be moist.
They are suitable to freeze and reheat in low/moderate temp in microwave.

Diabetic Lemon Loaf Recipe

This recipe was given to my mother-in-law, Amy who is diabetic. I decided to make it and see what it was like. I have to say, for a diabetic cake, it is really lovely and one that I will be serving up quite regularly now that I have tried it. It is also great for people who are following a weight lose program such as weight watchers and if you are on the points system it has just 2 points per slice. This loaf will serve 10 slices. I used a ring tin to make this and it was just as good as using a loaf tin.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups SR flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons light margarine
3/4 cup skim milk (can use hi-lo)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon rind - finely grated
3/4 teaspoon bi-carb soda
cooking spray

SYRUP:
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180C in fan forced oven
In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites and sugar for 1 minute.
Add lemon rind, lemon juice, melted margarine and milk, mixing well together.
In one go, gently fold in flour and bi-carb soda to mixture. DO NOT BEAT as this will make it tough.
Pour into a greased loaf tin 21 x 10cm that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until firm to touch in centre.
To make syrup, combine juice and icing sugar together. When cake is cooked prick a few hole in the top with a fork and pour syrup over the cake. Leave to sit for 2 minutes and remove cake from tin and turn onto wire rack to cool.
You can also use orange instead of lemon for this cake.

Coffee Souffle

I have had this recipe in my file for about 20 years now. It was given to my mum by a friend of hers and it is just delightful. It contains some whiskey but you could substitute that for brandy if you prefer. I use brandy when I make it and it always tastes yummy.

INGREDIENTS:

4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup castor sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
90g dark chocolate
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons whisky or brandy
2 cups cream, whipped

METHOD:

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and coffee until thick and creamy.
Place chocolate and water in a bowl and over hot water, reserving a few squares for grating and decorating. Add whisky to the chocolate while it is melting.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into egg mixture and mix well.
Fold about 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream into the mixture.
Whisk egg whites till stiff but not dry and fold into the souffle.
Pour into individual souffle dishes or one large dish and chill or freeze until required.
Serve with piped whipped cream on top, sprinkled with grated chocolate.

Oat Bran Muffins

This recipe was given to me about 10 years ago and is great to have for breakfast. They are easy to make and you will love them once you have made them. I like to have them hot and you can reheat them in a microwave.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup oat bran cereal
1/2 cup milk (can use Hi-Lo)
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup good cooking oil ( I use peanut)
1 large cooking apple such as granny smith - peeled, cored and grated
1 1/2 cups wholemeal SR flour
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1/4 cup sultanas

METHOD:

Put oat bran, milk and water in a large bowl and stand for approx 5 minutes.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Add oil, honey and grated apple.
Add egg mixture to oat bran mixture. Stir in the flour, spice and sultanas and beat with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into well greased muffin patty tins or papers, filling them about 3/4 full.
Bake in 200C oven for approx 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from tins and eat while still warm. You can half them and spread a little butter on them if you prefer.

Lemon Torte

I came across this recipe recently and cannot remember who gave it to me. I think it was my sister-in-law Leah. I have had it in my recipe file for over 20 years now and I know that it is one of those recipes that is so easy to make, you wonder why you don't make it more often. It has that lovely lemon tart taste to it and is delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tin of Nestles condensed milk
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon rind - finely grated
1 1/2 tablespoons orange rind - " "
300 ml carton cream - whipped
1 pkt granita biscuits - crushed
240g butter - melted


METHOD:

Crush biscuits and pour over melted butter and mix until well combined.
Press into a large springform tin
Mix condensend milk, lemon juice, lemon and orange rind together and let stand for 15 - 20 minutes.
Fold in the whipped cream then pour onto biscuit base and place in refrigeraton.
When chilled serve, decorated with a little extra cream and trimmings such as cherries or strawberries.

Nutty Wholemeal Slice Recipe

This is another one of my mums recipes that she would often make. It was a feature recipe at the ladies homemakers group at the church we went to. Each week a different lady would bring along a favourite recipe as well as giving out a copy of the recipe to everyone so they could make it themselves at home. I love this recipe as it is quite healthy, with hardly any sugar in it so if you are watching your weight, would be a great one to make.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup wholemeal SR flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
2 eggs
1 cup dried mixed fruit
125g butter or margarine (can use light)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons milk (can use hi-lo)
1 heaped tablespoon chopped walnuts
Extra sugar and cinnamon

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 170C for fan forced or 180C for normal oven.
Sift wholemeal flour, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Cream butter, sugar and honey in mixing bowl with an electric beater. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Mix in dry ingredients, alternatively with milk and lastly mix in the fruit.
Grease and line a slice tin and pour in mixture. Sprinkle top with the walnuts and the extra cinnamon and sugar.
Bake in oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until cooked.
Serve either warm or cold. Can spread a little butter on slices to serve.