Our favourite sweet recipes.
My favourite thing to cook is normally something new.
I definitely have my old favourites, sometimes on non-stop rotation, but there is nothing quite like learning a new skill and making something different and wonderful. I remember this exciting feeling as a teenager when I realised if I really wanted to eat something that I had longed after (Vanilla Slice come at me) then I could just make it myself. Continue reading
White Chocolate and Berry Cheesecake
The delicious white chocolate and berry cheesecake. A lovely fresh recipe featuring beautiful berries.
A good cheesecake recipes is such a home staple here in Australia don’t you think? Perfect for to take along to a BBQ and much loved by nearly everyone.
This recipe makes quite a light and creamy cake.
I really dislike a stodgy base and so you will need to have a light hand in preparing the base to this recipe. Start by leaving some of the biscuit crumb out of the mixture and only add it in if you want your base to be a little drier. Continue reading
Gluten-free Brownie Recipe
Brownie, the Bob Dylan of the dessert world.
So why should gluten avoiders miss out on its glorious goodness?
“They shouldn’t” I hear you shout at your computer and indeed I agree.
So I present to you my gluten-free chocolate brownie recipe.
Based on a recipe from the darling of Sydney cooking Bill Granger, and presented to me by the sassy smart Collette from The Morning Drum.
I have adapted it to remove the small amount of flour that was in it and instead added in a mix of gluten-free flours.
I have chosen half coconut and half rice flour because they are complementary in the small amount of flavour they apart.
I have also used chickpea flour to quite good effect in the past. If you do decide to use Chickpea flour instead, then increase the amount to 60grams.
This gluten-free chocolate brownie recipe is ever so popular at my house.
It makes a very rich, gooey batter that is very sweet and chocolatey. It is also quick and easy to make and basically takes next to no time to prep. I have now taught both my ten-year old and thirteen year old to make it so it can’t be too hard right?
Just be patient with the cooking and be sure to pull it out of the oven before it over cooks.
I like to leave some good sized chunks of chocolate in my mix so that when I eat it I get to enjoy chunky pieces of chocolate. Choc chips will work just as well though, especially if you are serving this to a large group and want a nice even spread.
You can make it with normal flour should you be so inclined.
The kids and I tend to eat as much chocolate brownie as we can, almost straight from the oven because the melted chocolate is divine. There is always plenty left over though for a gentle reheat in the microwave the next day, or even a little afternoon tea treat with friends.
I hope you like it, I really think you will.
I like to make my chocolate brownie in nice, deep brownie tin. If you want to serve this to a large group though, you might like to go for a longer, flatter tin and then recreate the cooking time a little.
Everton love to cook have a great selection of tins in both sizes.
Happy Eating.
Dani xx
Love chocolate?
Me too.
You might like to see my white chocolate cake recipe, or my best ever mud cake recipe.
Traditional Mars Bar Slice Recipe
I just have to put this traditional Mars Bar Slice recipe on my website, is what I decided after quite a bit of thought.
Yes, I know that everyone basically already knows how to make a mars bar slice, and that there are many and varied ways to make it including the fabulously sweet idea of covering it in chocolate as well as drenching it in mars bar.
But this recipe is mine. Rather, it belongs to my late mother-in-law and she made it so may times and has provided such detailed instructions, that it is precious to me.
Plus, I do make it at least a couple of times a year, so I will be pleased to have it sitting neatly on my website next time I want to find it.
So here it is, the simply delicious version of a Traditional Mars Bar Slice Recipe.
And no, I don’t believe adding extra chocolate to the top because you can’t improve on perfection folks.
Dani
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Overnight Oats with grated apple and blueberry
I am always looking for something different to eat for breakfast seeing as I no longer eat bread and so toast and jam is off-limits to me.
How I miss my toast and jam.
Most morning consist of the same thing, my favourite gluten-free muesli in a bowl with some extra seed and nuts added. Occasionally I will eat an egg (hello holidays) and in winter I opt for porridge.
My own homemade almond and honey muesli is also a bit of a favourite ( I added cocoa powder this time around yum!) but tends to get forgotten once the jar is empty and I get busy at term time.
So when I was offered a beautiful bowl of overnight oats with grated apple earlier in the year while camping, I was pleased to have discovered something simple, new and good.
Here is my own version of the recipe for overnight oats with grated apple. It is very easy to make although you need to leave time for the oats to soak, preferably overnight.
You will see I have jazzed my recipe up a little bit some berries and orange segments to serve. Feel free to add whatever you love or whatever happens to be in season.
Overnight oats with grated apple
2 cups of rolled oats
2 cups of milk
1 teaspoon of mixed spice
vanilla
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Cover and leave it in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and 1 freshly grated apple. Stir through.
Scatter over some toasted almonds, hazelnuts, pepitas and coconut flakes- 2 handfuls should do it.
Serve with a big dollop of yoghurt on top and some fresh fruit.
Enjoy
Notes
To make this recipe dairy free you can use almond milk or coconut milk. You might also like to purchase gluten-free oats if you are looking for a truly gf recipe.
Are you looking for some other great breakfast recipes?
Then how about your try one of these.
Home-made almond and honey muesli recipe.
French toast with hazelnut coffee cream.
Cooking with Oats
Boozy Baked Pears with Almond
These beautiful baked pears make for a delicious brunch or dessert dish and are a great way for you to use up Australian pears that are so plentiful at the moment.
This recipe received 5 stars at my house- one from each member of the household.
Delicious and nutritious it is also very easy to make (just 6 ingredients) and the end results is really special.
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can use a food processor or even your knife, but there is something very pleasant about the texture that is achieved with a mortar and pestle.
Plus smashing almonds is great therapy!
Boozy Baked Pears with Crunchy Almond Butter
Pour over the wine, throw in a cinnamon stick and bake at 180 degrees celsius for half an hour.
Serve hot or cold with a little pouring cream, or just on their own.
Enjoy.
A delicious, simple and healthy dessert of baked apples stuffed with crunchy homemade almond butter.
Like cooking with fruit?
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Easter is not too far away and I’m feeling good that it is coming
We have a few traditions in our household at Easter including dyeing our own eggs, making our own chocolate gifts (check out my 15 great chocolate recipes), joining in on a family Easter egg hunt and attending church. We also used to travel every year to the Bendigo Easter Fair which includes an amazing street parade, egg hunt, carnival, torch light procession and the Awakening of the Dragon Ceremony. Continue reading
Speculaas Spices
As promised, here is the recipe for Speculaas Spices.
These can be mixed up and kept in an airtight container for when you want to make the beautiful and aromatic filled Sepculaas Cake.
Filled Speculaas Recipe
This amazing Filled Speculaas Recipe comes to me courtesy of my Aunty. I am not really one to hide or keep my recipes secret (obvs) but there is a little something special about this very traditional recipe that made me think twice about sharing it.
It makes a very delicious cake with three layers, the middle layer being a lovely, light version of home made marzipan. The spicy, scented cake on the top and the base is buttery and delicious.
I am pretty sure this recipe is called Dutch Pancakes.
I am very sure that my kids absolutely love it and have been asking for it nearly every morning.
It originally came to us via one of those supermarket magazines but I can’t for the life of me work out which one, nor can I find it again. So instead I have had to adapt from memory to come up with this rather good version.
Two things to note.
You must preheat the pan in the oven for it to work. It must be really rather hot before you throw in some butter and then pour in the batter.
It has no sugar. I think this is rather excellent. It also has a kind of naturally occurring fluffy bowl of its own by the time it is cooked which means I get to control the amount of syrup going in.
I also add chopped bananas, or cooked berries or fresh berries or nuts, depending upon what is in season.
Creamy and quite impressive, this will serve 3-4 or so people at my house.
Dani.xx
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and for a little bit of fun…..
How to predict your future based on your breakfast.
Caramel Meringue Tart Recipe
This is another recipe that comes via my husbands Grandmother.
I love to think of her cooking this sweet pie to serve to the many guests who came to visit her in Gippsland. She was well known for her generous hospitality and for always having something delicious to serve her guests.
We visited her old house recently. It sits proudly on a corner block in the middle of a country town. Easy walking distance to most things. I imagine her walking regularly in to town to get her supplies and perhaps stopping to talk to the other locals along the way. This was a farming community and I am sure that she was the kind of woman that helped give a community its heart and soul.
Even though the house is now old and a little run down it still has a generous air to it. Maybe it is because of all the stories I have been told about bustling times where it was full of family and guests, little children and cake. Or maybe some houses are just lovely no matter how old they get.
Wherever this pie was served, I am sure it was well loved. My family were delighted when I made it for them. It won’t keep for long, but that probably won’t be a problem.
Crispy pastry, gooey “caramel” and glistening meringue on top.
A little hint from a busy Mum, you could always purchase a tart case from the supermarket to save time.
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