merry 'almond' christmas to you'll!

Almond crescents are the perfect gift or a sweet goodness to have just lounging around at home over the Christmas break.

makes 30 keeps 1 week in an airtight container

ingred's

250g butter, softened

2/3 cup icing sugar

1 1/4 cups almond meal

2 1/3 cups plain flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

to do

Pre-heat a conventional oven to 175˚C for fifteen minutes.

Beat butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes, until light and creamy. Add remaining ingredients and stir until the mixture is just combined. Turn dough out onto a clean bench and roll into a dough ball. Divide mixture in two halves and wrap in cling wrap to rest.

Roll half the dough into a long log, cut into 10cm pieces and turn the edges inwards to make crescent moon shape, repeat with remaining dough.

Place biscuits onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, 3cm apart.

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and the base of the biscuits is golden brown.

Set aside on trays for 5 minutes, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Dust generously with icing sugar. Serve.

Christmas special For white chocolate and passion fruit crescents - Add 1 cup white choc chips & 1 tablespoon passion fruit pulp to the mixture before rolling out.

love amie x

zucchini ribbon, buffalo mozzarella and lemon tart

If you are a 'last minute Lucy' as I tend to be with mid week dinner's on my mind. You and your crew will happily appreciate this throw together summery Zucchini tart.
makes 4 tarts prep 5 mins cook 20-25 mins
ingredients
3-4 zucchinis, very finely sliced
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed, sliced evenly into 2 pieces
1 egg white

1-2 fresh buffalo mozzarella balls, shredded

1/2 cup round mint leaves

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon, optional

salt and pepper, to taste

to do
Pre-heat oven to 180C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Place pastry pieces onto baking paper and using a fork pierce holes in the top of each pastry half. Layer 8-10 pieces of zucchini on top of the pastry leaving a 1cm border clear. Brush zucchinis with egg whites (to prevent over browning).
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven and transfer tarts immediately to cake cooling racks (prevents pastry going soggy), sprinkle each tart evenly with buffalo mozzarella, mint, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste.

love amie x

measured baking

Charlotte the Chef

The sweetest thing sometimes come in a surprise small package and my 4 year old niece is no exception! She adores baking and has learnt from her aunties love for baking. At 4 she knows how important it is to weigh all her ingredients to get the best possible result.

When making brownie my little niece says, 'its important to weigh all the ingredients aunt Ame'.

Concentration on her face she carefully scoops each ingredient with adult patience and then weighs the ingredients on top of scales.

Little chef in the making! No need for glorified Masterchef.

Charlotte is the humble little chef.

love aa x

super sweet spring scones!

An afternoon tea without scones is like eating pancakes without maple syrup.

Homemade scones with whipped cream and strawberry jam

Makes: 12 delicious scones

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups self raising flour

1 x 300ml pure cream

1 cup (250ml) lemonade

1 egg, lightly beaten

To serve

1 x 300ml pure cream

2 tablespoons pure icing sugar

strawberry jam

to do...

Add flour to a large bowl and pour in liquids. Stir mixture gently with a butter knife until just combined.

Sprinkle flour onto a bench top and turn out the dough. Fold the dough mixture together.

Dip a scone cuter or glass into flour and then cut the dough into rounds.

Place rounds 2cm apart onto a baking paper lined baking tray and brush with egg or milk.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden, like a sweet spring morning.

Remove from oven and devour immediately before they cool!

love amie x

Friday night soiree
Grab your closest pals and settle in with a chickpea and basil dip, baguette toasts, a soft creamy centred brie & finished with some crisp water crackers. Add a platter of fresh zucchini fritters*, sprinkled with an avocado and tomato salad or a simple home made relish.
To drink pour a large glug or two (~150ml) of Pimms into a large jug, top with lemonade, sprigs of fresh mint & cucumber wedges for a late afternoon aperitif!


Quick (lazy girls) hummus with basil and lemon
Makes: 1 bowl (enough to feed four hungry girls)
Keeps: Covered & refrigerated 3-5 days

Ingredients
2 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed well, drained
handful of fresh basil leaves
juice & rind (grated) of a lemon
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper, to taste
1 4 teaspoon sweet paprika

to serve:
1 baguette, thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with sea salt. Baked at 200C for 15 minutes.
triple cream brie, sliced
lemon wedges
sea salt
water crackers

Add all the ingredients (reserve 2 tablespoons of chickpeas) to a blender jug or food processor bowl. Process mixture until smooth. Adjust consistency of dip with extra tablespoons of water or oil for a thinner dip.
Spoon into a bowl and top with remaining chickpeas, sprinkle with paprika & drizzle with olive oil and fresh baby basil leaves.

* Zucchini & mint fritters
Makes: 10-12 fritters
Keeps: To good to leave on the plate so we never know, best eaten quickly!

Ingredients
2 zucchinis, washed, ends removed, grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons feta, chopped
1/2 cup plain flour
1 tablespoon mint, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
rind of 1 lemon, grated
1 tablespoon oil
to serve:
1 avocado, peeled, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
handful of fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup tomato relish
1/4 cup sour cream

To do...
Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix until combined.
Heat a non-stick fry pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil to the pan.
Add tablespoonfuls of zucchini mixture to the pan, pressing down gently. Cook each fritter for 3 minutes or until golden and then turn over. Cook for a further 3 minutes or until cooked through and remove from the pan, set aside. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Place zucchini fritters onto a large serving platter, sprinkle with avocado, tomato, spinach and serve with tomato relish and sour cream.

love amie x

goats curd & crispy leek tarts

Slightly tangy but super fluffy, goats curd can easily play the main role in many dishes. Spread lavishly onto toast for brunch or team it with other goats curd loving ingredients - thyme, leeks and ricotta for a light luncheon the ladies will adore.

Another way to secretly up the anti on a forgotten nutrient - Calcium.

ingredients

1/2 leek, finely sliced

2 teaspoons oil

4 x 60g eggs

120g goats curd

1 x 250g firm ricotta

1 x 300ml cream

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

to do

Pre-heat oven to 180C.

Heat a small fry pan over medium heat and saute leek gently until golden and soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place all ingredients except leek and thyme into a food processor bowl. Process until smooth.

Lightly grease a muffin tray with cooking oil spray. Pour mixture evenly between 12 x cup muffin tray. Top evenly with crispy leeks and thyme.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the mixture wobbles once when shaken gently. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Gently remove each tart.

Serve immediately with freshly sliced bread and a modest green salad.

love amie x

ice cream sundae

Laze away this weekend with an uber cool childhood favourite dessert - the ice cream sundae is back.
cool ingredients
1 ½ cups (375ml) milk
1 X 300ml carton pure cream
1 vanilla bean, split length ways, seeds scraped
¼ cup caster sugar
6 large egg yolks

cool fun
Add milk, cream, vanilla seeds and bean to a heavy based saucepan; Stir, bringing to a very gentle simmer (77-80 C). Do not boil. Remove from heat and allow to steep* for 5-10 minutes.
Beat sugar and egg yolks until light and creamy.
Add a few tablespoons of heated milk mixture to the egg and sugar, whisk well. Continue whisking until the remaining milk mixture is combined. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over a medium heat until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine. Churn ice cream following manufacturers instructions.
Serve immediately with fresh strawberries & strawberry sauce, wafer sticks and chopped peanuts.
Or alternatively place ice cream in a clean plastic container with a lid and freeze until required.

Tips
For cookies and cream add 100g finely chopped Oreo cookies.
*Steep – Infuses and increases the flavour of vanilla in the ice cream

I love...

Breakfast pizza, it's more than just a pizza.
dough

makes: 4 (30cm) pizzas

ingredients
3 teaspoons dry yeast
3 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) water425 g (15 oz) 00 (bakers‘) fl our

vegetarian topping (for 1 pizza)
2 tablespoons goats cheese

1/4 cup mozzarella, grated

2 tomatoes, chopped

6-8 basil leaves, torn

1 egg

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

to do...
Add yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil to a mixing bowl with warm water and stir gently. Leave for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate (it will look foamy).
Add the flour slowly and knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and set aside in a warm place for one hour or until dough ball has doubled in size, then knock back with one good punch. Separate dough into 4 even dough balls and allow to rise slightly.

assembly

Pre-heat oven to 220C

Sprinkle extra flour on bench top and dough ball to avoid sticking

Roll each dough ball evenly into a 0.5cm thick pizza round.

Place rolled pizza round onto (hot) stone or tray.

Spread pizza evenly with goats cheese, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Crack an egg carefully into the centre of the pizza. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

love amie x

Old fashioned lemon tarty pies

the humble little lemon
To tart on it's own,
Sugar has shown,
That lemon can too,
Definitely woo!

Juiced and into a tart,
It likes to be the main part,
A friend to the sweet,
& savoury cannot beat.

The humble little lemon!

lemon tarty pies
makes: 1 large tart OR 12-14 mini tarty pies
keeps: best eaten immediately or covered, refrigerated up to 3 days
ingredients
4 sheets frozen short crust pastry, thawed
Lemon Filling:
125g butter
1 ½ cups (345g) caster sugar
4 x 60g eggs
170ml (2/3 cup) natural yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
juice and zest of 2 lemons
90g (1 cup) coconut
icing sugar, to dust

to do...
Pre-heat oven to 180C.
Cut pastry into rounds using a 8x8cm cookie cutter. Place pastry rounds evenly into the (silicone) mini tart cases. Place another (silicone) mini tart case on top, pushing down gently to blind bake. Repeat with remaining pastry and tart cases.
Place tarts onto a baking tray and blind bake pastry for 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
To make the filling:
Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Add eggs one at a time until well combined. Add yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice and zest.
Stir through coconut and pour mixture into prepared tart bases.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the filling is golden and slightly puffed.

love amie x

salty crepe goodness

Are you not a fan of crepes unless they're sweet? Then try this salty recipe twist for a quick weekend brunch.

Salty crepes

makes: 5-6 crepes

keeps: covered, refrigerated 3-4 days
ingredients

crepe batter

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

2/3 cup water

4 x 60g eggs

1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

large pinch salt

topping - per crepe

1 egg, lightly beaten

1-2 teaspoons mixed fresh herbs - sage, parsley, rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese, grated

3 teaspoons goats curd

to do...

Combine all ingredients into a large jug or bowl. Whisk well until smooth. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour 1/3 cup mixture into the pan, swirl the mixture around the pan until firm. Cook for 1 minute and then turn crepe over.

Pour a beaten egg on top of the whole crepe, stirring until egg is almost set. Sprinkle half one side of the crepe with herbs, mozzarella, and dollop with goats curd. Fold one side over on top of the other and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until filling is melted and warmed through.

Slide crepe onto a plate and eat immediately to be in cheesy heaven!

love amie x

lazy 'ladies' luncheon

When the girls pop in un-announced, something quick and of course, delish is on the menu.
Freshly sliced cured meats, Dutch Gouda, goats curd all served with quinoa and soy bread.
Next is a 'warm your tummy' vegetarian Dahl. A combination of slowly roasted spices cooked with ginger and garlic then simmered gently with lentils (of choice), and stock until soft.
Serve with fresh natural yogurt and a squeeze of lime!

love amie x

the chocolate teddy bear recipe.

My sister, Kate was busy at home one day as a mother of two young children often is. When here little 4 year old daughter, Charlotte called out to her.
'Mummy, what is in biscuits'?
Kate answered, remembering the few ingredients from the last time they had baked biscuits together.
'Butter, sugar, eggs, cocoa and flour, Charlotte.' Returning hurriedly back to her house jobs & thinking nothing of her daughter's recipe question.
Kate returned to check on Charlotte who had been busy drawing. But instead found her in the kitchen with flour and cocoa dusted all over the kitchen floor and bench
'Oh know, what a mess!', Kate thought to herself looking around bewildered.
At the centre bench of the large family kitchen a tiny plastic chair had been pushed up against the bench with Charlotte standing on top of the chair, tall and proud. Her tiny hands inside the mixing bowl, mixing ingredients. Before Kate could remark, Charlotte opened her little mouth and exclaimed.
'Mummy look at my recipe I have made'.
With those few little words Kate's worry of mess dissolved. Kate peered inside Charlotte's mixing bowl. There inside were chunks of butter surrounded by sugar, cocoa, flour and eggs. All of which Charlotte had sourced from the cupboards and fridge on her own.
Kate was amazed that her little girl could remember, write and then find the exact ingredients she had mentioned briefly to her earlier.
Kate then helped Charlotte melt the bits of butter and added them to the mixture. Charlotte decided the mixture still wasn't correct and announced that:
'I think we should add some milk, Mummy'.
So together they added some milk to the mixture. Poured the mixture evenly into the tiny teddy moulds Charlotte's Aunt Ame had given her and baked her first recipe.
They were so delicious Charlotte wanted to send one to Aunt Ame who lives interstate, but mummy loved them too much to give away.

If you look close enough at the image above you can almost read the first recipe my 4 year old niece, Charlotte wrote and tested all by herself.


It reads:

- butter

- sugar
- eggs
- cocoa
- flour
plus some milk to combine!

love aunt ame x

little vanilla kisses with chocolate ganache

ingredients

3-4 eggs whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 1/4 cups sugar

dark chocolate ganache

300ml pure cream

250g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

to make kisses (meringue)

Preheat conventional oven to 120C.

Beat egg whites and cream of tarter in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form.

Add 1/4 cup sugar at a time, beating well between additions. Continue to beat mixture until sugar has dissolved.

Spoon meringue mixture into piping bag, pipe 2cm kisses evenly onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Bake for 20 minutes or until meringue is set. Leave in oven with the door ajar for a further 15 minutes.

to make ganache

Heat cream in a non stick saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until just starting to bubble. Immediately remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined. Set aside to cool or place in the refrigerator until desired dollop consistency is reached.

Sandwich kisses with chocolate ganache and set aside. Voila!

love amie x

'ode' to the pink macaron

Shopping for a birthday present, it was my mothers 50th. I aimlessly wandered into the book section of Myer. A shower of macaron books lay ever so delicately ahead. Shades of pastels and polka dots shone bright, pulling teasingly on my sweet and girly Achilles heal - the macaron. The sweet macaron.

When did this perfect, petite French biscuit become so popular?

It made me feel a little sad, that the glamour and exquisiteness of the macaron had lost some sparkle for myself. Could it have 'had it's day' with all the overdone array of mediocrity's I had and was continuing to experience to date.

Had the delicate macaron fallen from grace?
Become so common, it now missed the elusive elegance that once made it so fabulous. From sharing company with 'creme brulee' to be more of a friend to the cute but common 'cupcake'. I still very much adore, but...

I pondered back to when I first experienced a 'macaron'.

love amie x

pass curd

For something sweet on your lips, this passion fruit curd is a winter winner!

The passion fruit vine was my first garden responsibility at the tender age of 7. Dad generously allowed each of my sisters and I a strip of garden to design, plant and care for our very own little green patch. My patch was beside the old wood shed and facing north, which showered my little garden with afternoon warmth. Already established was my prized and beloved passion fruit vine. Dad had already set up a crawler for the mysterious vine to wind upwards and onwards. Later to Dads dismay, the tank above. My job was to water, weed and fill the remaining dirt with pretty little flowers, which would brighten this dull and grey area of our garden. I childishly chose plants, which were the most fun flowers; snapdragons and pansies.

This memory was provoked when my dear 'mother in law', Fay offered me some of her passion fruit curd she freshly made. 

The recipe is delicious when bundled up inside freshly made pancakes or with some freshly toasted brioche. 

'Mmm, delicious...'

Passion fruit curd 

Takes 15 minutes 

Makes 4-5 jars

the ingredients 

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

12 passion fruits (pulp only) 

a little love

Beat eggs in a medium bowl until light and creamy.

Combine beaten eggs with the remaining ingredients in a medium sized non-stick saucepan.

Cook, stirring constantly over a medium heat until mixture starts to thicken. 

Remove from heat, pour evenly into sterilised jars. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

love amie x

 

Batu Karang Lembongan Resort & Day Spa - Nusa Lembongan

In the midst of chaos we hear familiarity, Aussie slang greets us from every corner; 'G'day mate' and 'how you goin' surround BALI'S, Kuta shopping strip like wildfire.
We are amazed and delighted at the remote and raw feeling that still lingers in the distance. A tiny island off Bali's east coast, Nusa Lembongan is Bali bliss. The scoot cruise boat, scoots us across the open waters to our own tiny piece of heaven. Arriving with bright eyes into a reef port, dotted like salt and pepper are brightly coloured local fishing boats. Tiny 4 ft. local woman swarm like bees to honey, grabbing our surf board bags and anything else we may 'try' to carry is kindly taken from us. The heavy loaded bags sit perfectly balanced on the tops of their heads and without effort they are gone, following quickly behind like ants and our jaws still on the ground. The local men don't seem to batter an eyelid and mull about uselessly as the woman seem to do all the heavy lifting!
We are staying in luxury at a place I remember vividly, Batu Karang Lembongan Resort and Day Spa. A luxurious resort that overlooks a luminescent reef break and volcanic island in the distance. A lap pool outside our front door is perfect as the rolling reef breaks one after the other.
The nights are warm, as if the sky has a blanket snuggled around your shoulders and we delight in dining al fresco as our minds wander back to what will greet us when we return home to the Aussie winter.
The Resorts restaurant is fresh as we dine poolside, with an offer of seafood, meats and vegetarian fare. The wine is divine enough that is warms our souls even more, if that could be possible.
The Australian owned resort is fresh and filled with warm smiles and knowledge of the local area. It's complete luxury making you feel right at home. Departing is hard so make sure your stay is lengthy enough to explore the twin Islands; snorkeling, swimming, cruising on motorbikes, surfing, sipping cocktails and lounging luxuriously like lizards by the refreshing pools just to wet your palette.

love amie x

A cure for winteritis - Pass the cheese please!

Are you suffering from tiredness, mood swings, food cravings, lack of motivation and just can't seem to get out of your rutt?

When weather is dull I delight in some favoured & indulgent foods.

This is sure to bring a smile to even the most unpleasant of faces!

love amie x

cupcake

Like my little friend the Courageous Cupcake I love these little sweet delights almost as much as my beloved (sorry honey!). Inspired by my nan's eclectic bunch of home made cupcakes you too can create your own unique cupcake.

love amie x

anzacs

Buttery and caramel sweet, crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. Anzac's can make a cold afternoon into a warm one when served alongside a simple 'cuppa'.

Ingredients

125g butter

1/2 cup (125g) brown sugar

1/4 cup golden syrup

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 cup (150g) plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup coconut

a little fun

Pre-heat oven to 175˚C
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar and golden syrup; stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Add bicarbonate soda and water, stir until mixture starts to foam. Set aside to cool.
Combine flour, oats and coconut in a large bowl, pour in warm butter mixture and stir until well mixed.
Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on baking paper lined baking tray. Press down gently with a fork to flatten slightly.
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and leave for 5 minutes on tray. Transfer to a wire cake cooling rack to cool completely.

love amie x

Sundarams villa, Bingin

Could a French  crepe be any more delicious?

Filled with grated coconut, brown sugar and slices of freshly picked banana's straight from the home banana tree then rolled and wrapped.  

This Villa in Bali's south west coast is a diamond in the rough, if you can handle the steep decent to Bingins infamous reef break it's well worth a visit. Expect to find good value accommodation with fresh home cooked fare straight from the garden.

love amie x

Alila spa and villas, Uluwatu

In search of waves a stop to Uluwatu and it's famous pumping reef break was a Bali, i to dot! 

Balancing nervously on a remote cliff edge of the spectacular Uluwatu you can find an array of kitschy Bintang drinking and Nasi Goreng eating bars squashed next to rows of Uluwatu memorabilia and 'DING' repair stores. 

Indulgence here is the view and with a Bintang in hand you can sit and watch the masses of first timers, locals and tourists surf the first Uluwatu wave. A spot to visit even if the waves elude you. Semi cold Bintang will set you back around $2 and the view is free. 

Jumping on the scooter, which is the only way to roll in this remote part of Bali we head east to a place we mostly dream longingly of. Alila spa and villas takes indulgence and luxury to new heights. Finished in December 09 Alila is uber pretentious and will send you screaming all the way to the bank for around $US750 per night.  A cheeky way to enjoy a taste of the high life without the hefty price tag is to visit one of the two restaurants for a light lunch. 

We arrive on our knock about scooter, wind swept hair and un-washed clothes straight from the beach. Ravished from our mornings adventures we are eager to try some modern Indonesian-style fare. The decision is made to dine at the Indonesian of the two restaurants, when in Rome!

The staff greet us warmly with large smiles and without a second thought take our scooter and broken helmets straight to valet parking. Ushered then through the spectacular entrance by perfectly dressed Balinese workers. Who seem happy and eager to have some customers to look after. We arrive at our table, an infinity pool to our left and an over sized lounge, which sits teasingly out over the raw Ocean. Instantly cool face towels arrive, which is common in Bali along with a fragrant face spritzer to re-vitalise our weary sun kissed faces. 

A selection of complimentary chilli's, sambals and pickled vegetables in tiny pots arrive sitting eloquently atop a long wooden plate and served with Balinese-style crackers. 

We decide to share the satay plate; fish on lemongrass skewers, beef and chicken served with a thick and luscious satay sauce, fragrant coconut salad and pieces of rice cake. A light and delicious way to enjoy a luxurious part of Bali.

YUM...

love amie x

 

spongalicious

Is there anything that screams afternoon tea more than the humble sponge cake?

ingredients

4 x 60g eggs, separated

1/2 cup (125g) caster sugar

2/3 cup self raising flour

1/3 cup cornflour

2 tablespoons water

a little fun

Preheat conventional oven to 175C. Lightly grease and line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm cake pans with baking paper.
Using a good quality bench mixer.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, add sugar and beat until thick and glossy. Add egg yolks and mix until combined.

Add flour and water alternatively*, gently folding until just combined.
Pour mixture evenly between prepared cake pans.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake starts to come away from the sides or springs back when gently touched. Allow to cool in pans, then invert onto a baking paper lined cooling tray.

Decorate simply with berries and jam and serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream to enjoy this cake at its light and airy best.

love amie x

* alternatively - Gently fold through 1/3 flour, then half the liquid, repeat with remaining ingredients.

white chocolate shards dotted with pistachios

Chocolate and nuts can make a marriage made in heaven. Silky smooth and sweet white chocolate couples perfectly with vibrant and buttery pistachios.

ingredients

2 x 200g block white chocolate, melted

1/2 cup raw pistachios

fun

Pour melted chocolate into a silicone slice tray or a baking paper lined slice tray.

Sprinkle evenly with pistachios, place in the refrigerator until set.

Break the chocolate into large pieces, uneven sized pieces.

a bit extra

Pop a few pieces of the chocolate shards into a plastic bag or box, wrapped with a special ribbon. Makes a special work or occasion treat.

love amie x

Pepita sprinkled carrot cake!

ingredients 

1 cup oil

1 cup (125g) brown sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ cups (225g) self raising flour

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups grated carrot, firmly packed (approximately 4)

Icing

500g cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 cups (250g) pure icing sugar

1 orange, zested and juiced 

1 cup Pepita's, optional

to do

Preheat conventional oven to 175˚C.

Combine oil and sugar in a medium sized bowl and mix until well combined. Add eggs and whisk for a further 30 seconds or until well combined.

Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon in a bowl. Add flour mixture and carrots to the wet mix; stir until combined.

Lightly grease and line a 20cm cake pan with baking paper. Pour cake batter evenly into cake pan.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting cake onto a cake cooling rack.

Icing: Using a bench mixer; beat the cream cheese and icing sugar for 2 minutes or until light and creamy. Add orange zest and juice and continue mixing until combined.

Spread cream cheese icing over cooled cake and sprinkle with Pepita's.

Try...making individual muffin sized cakes for a simply delicious dessert. 

cream filled delights

The new sweet kid on the block, cream filled biscuits are the new in vogue treat. Try this quick and easy recipe instead of the usual cutesy cupcake next time your stuck indoors whilst the weather is cool!

Cream filled oat delights

makes 12-14 filled biscuits

prep time 10 minutes

cooking time 15-18 minutes

Ingredients
180g butter, softened
220g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup plain flour
3 cups rolled oats

Icing:
250g cream cheese, softened
500g pure icing sugar
1 tablespoon honey, optional

Pre-heat oven to 175C.

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and egg, beat until well combined.
Add salt, cinnamon, flour and oats; stir until just combined.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the cookie mixture together and place each one 3 cm apart onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Flatten cookies slightly using a fork.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cake cooling rack and cool completely before icing. 

Icing – beat cream cheese on high for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add icing sugar and honey, beat until combined.

Spoon a teaspoonful of icing mixture onto the flat side of one biscuit and press a second biscuit onto the icing, sandwich together. Set aside and repeat with remaining biscuits and icing.

tip - replace caster sugar with brown sugar for a darker colour and richer flavour.

love amie x