PEPPERMINT AND DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT ICE CREAM

So browsing the internet for amazing food you don't expect to find this! eeeek!
Clearly Im not the super adventurous type when it comes to food.... Are you?

BUTTERNUT PIE AND THANKSGIVING

 

I've never had pumpkin pie before in my life so I'm really not sure if what I created is anything close to what its supposed to be like. I really wanted to try and make it... so I read loads of recipes and the common thread was pumpkin, sugar, eggs and milk plus cinnamon, spices and a pie crust (duh)!---BUT I wanted it to be minus the dairy and mounds of sugar And I really like butternut so I subbed that for pumpkin. So in the end I think I really created a vegan, dairy free variation of "a kind of pumpkin pie?"...  I suppose it could maybe be called South African Butternut "thanks giving" pie

COCONUT RICE PUDDING

My husband being British loves rice pudding. I never new what is was before my life with him.
So one night when I was making a new oriental dish and decided to try make some coconut rice to go with it which we ate and placed the remains in the fridge. To my discovery it was even more yummy  the following day. I then thought the heated coconut rice would make a lovely

CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE

Anyone who knows me or even follows me on facebook or twitter will know that I love 2 things: Coffee and Chocolate!!


So a few weeks ago I received this very cool parcel in the post... I mean who doesn't like receiving parcels (mail is so cool) and when my parcel happened to be a box filled with chocolate I just knew my year was off to a GREAT start!!!

CHRISTMAS COLD AND FRUITY "PUDDING" ICE CREAMS

With the craziness that comes at this time of year - we all need all the help we can get. Every little thing that helps me have a smooth and stress free Christmas is worth having or doing as far as Im concerned :) 

So here is my idea for an easy, prepared, Christmas dessert that can be tailored to your tastes.

THE BEST BAKED APPLES

The Best Baked Apples recipe on www.bettybake.co.za

I know saying the BEST of anything is a tall claim. You see I'm not a baked fruit kind of person. I am more of a cold desserts kind of girl - you know anything containing chocolate, cold and custardy, or mousse, or creme brulee or anything creamy.
The husband is the reason I make anything baked for pudding - like this baked plums or baked cookie dough apple pie.
But this time its all me!  
I keep making these and actually loving them... usually baked fruit is eaten by me slowly and its ok! but not anymore - this dish keeps being made over and over and I just can't stop!
I think I may take some left over baked apples and try to make a baked apple ice cream!!! (but thats if there is any over!)

INGREDIENTS
4-6 organic apples (or as many as you need - 1 per person)
1 large orange (organic so you can use the skin)
ground cinnamon
2 - 4 Tablespoons Jaggery or brown sugar
a handful of Raisins

METHOD
Wash you apples and make sure they can all fit in a baking dish that has a fitting lid.
Core the apples (take out the centers while leaving the rest of the apple whole)
Make a small slit/ incision all the way around the middle of the skin - just piercing the skin (imagine the apple is hoola hooping)
Place all the apples in the dish you are using and stuff raisins down the necks/ center of the apples until 3 quarters fill.
Wash your orange and grate orange rind on the small side of your grater over the apples - let a little go down neck/ center of each apple.
Sprinkle the Jaggery or brown sugar down the necks/center of each apple.
Cut your orange in half and squeeze the juice over all the apples.
Sprinkle cinnamon over each apple
Place the lid on the dish and bake in a moderate oven 180 degrees celcius until soft and juicy
Roughly +/- 30 - 40 min
Enjoy with a drizzle of cream or served with vanilla ice cream

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE ICE CREAM RECIPE

Chocolate Ice cream recipe found on www.bettybake.co.za


We have cut down considerably on dairy but this week I had an incredible dessert craving...
something smooth and chocolatey. I wanted chocolate mousse or pudding or cold chocolate-something!

I have been using coconut milk and frozen bananas as a substitute in baking for milk and dairy but this time I just couldn't do it! I had to have cream and chocolate! So I started by making a chocolate pudding of sorts and then decided to freeze some of it in individual little cups for dessert. It was so yummy that the remainder that was in the fridge had to be turned into ice cream.

BUT I worried that if I put the mix in the ice cream maker that I wouldn't be able to share the ice cream that came out as  the amount was a little and SO YUMMY! (I wanted to gobble it ALL up) So I added a cup of milk and mixed it all together before putting it into the ice cream maker:) It was now a little less chocolatey but still so delicious. So its your choice whether you want a stronger chocolate taste or a bigger batch of ice cream. You could also not add the extra milk and leave it in the fridge - it sets to a gorgeous velvety pudding! soooo good!

INGREDIENTS
250ml cream (1 tub)
300 milk + 200ml later (optional)
1 vanilla pod
3 eggs
100g GREAT TASTING dark chocolate (the best you can afford)
2 tablespoons jaggery / brown sugar
2 tablespoons agave syrup / honey / brown suagr
2 tablespoons xylitol / brown sugar



METHOD
Place the cream and 300ml of milk in a small pot on the stove with a vanilla pod -score and scrape out the seeds into the milk and then place the whole empty pod into the milk as well.
Heat on medium until just before boiling point then take off the stove and stir through. Allow to cool quite a bit till warm (this will allow the vanilla to infuse into the milk)
In a small bowl or a jug beat/mix the eggs with the a whisk (i use a fork) till the yellows are broken and combined with the whites. Add the sweeteners (brown sugar, jaggery, xylitol) and mix.
Slowly add some of the milk to the egg/sweetener mix and stir.
Add all of the egg mix back into to the pot stirring continuously so that the egg doesn't scramble.
Place the pot on a low heat and continue to stir until slightly thickened. It won't be to thicker - just slightly and won't taste like raw egg any more. Turn off and continue to stir.
Remove the vanilla pod.
Break up and place all the chocolate into the milk mix and stir until it is melted and one uniform chocolatey colour.
CHOICE 1) place into individual small bowls and place in the fridge for chocolate puddings or the freezer for tiny ice cream mousse puddings

CHOICE 2) add the additional 200ml milk and place in an ice cream machine and make into ice cream. If you don't have an ice cream machine then place in a metal dish and place in the freezer and take out and beat to break up ice crystals every hour for 3 or 4 times.

Serve and enjoy
YUM

EASY NECTARINE & YOGHURT DESSERT

I always hope to give my family healthy food. Delicious... but healthy. This is one of those times it really works. Fresh fruit full of vitamins and Greek yoghurt filled with dairy. There is a little brown sugar in there but I did mention it was a little.
Lying below the layer of yoghurt could be any fruit your fancy - Adapt this recipe with fruits like fresh soft plums, peaches, cherries or even bananas.
The time that the bowls sit in the fridge allows for the sugar and fruit to make a small amount of syrupy juice that gives it an extra yumminess. (could make a nice breakfast too)

INGREDIENTS
Nectarines (organic if you can get) OR Fruit of your choice
Greek Yoghurt
Organic Brown Sugar

METHOD
Wash your nectarines and then slice up into thin-ish slices. Take ramekins or teacups and line the bottom of the dish with slices of the fruit until you have a nice layer in each.
Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the fruit.
Cover with the Yoghurt until you can't see any fruit peeking through. *all the fruit must be covered*
Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar on top of the yoghurt and place in the fridge for an hour or 2 for the sugar to turn to syrup.

Serve


*if the yoghurt doesn't cover ALL the fruit then the air may cause your fruit to brown

ORANGE AND HONEY CREME BRULEE

You know when you mean to make something but you end up making something else? Do you? I keep having one of those moments where I go to make my regular vanilla creme brulee (which is very delicious) but every time while making it I think awww just add the honey and orange juice, you can make plain vanilla next time. I have been doing this so much lately I've come to realise that

CHOCOLATE CREAM / CHOC MOUSSE OR AWESOME HOT CHOCOLATE - you decide :)

Friday Inspiration

• buy a slab or 2 of chocolate (100g) and a tub of cream (250ml)
• make sure its good quality chocolate :) treat yourself 
• place half the tub of cream (125ml) in a double boiler - or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water and heat if up
• place in the slab/s of chocolate and stir every now and then until melted
• you should have a goopy mess of chocolate and cream - num
• try not to eat it
• now you can decide - to either 1) make chocolate mousse or 2) make an awesome hot chocolate
• for the choc mousse - take the choc cream off the heat and let cool slightly. While its cooling separate 3 eggs (whip the whites on there own until soft peaks form and then add 3 tablespoons of sugar to the egg whites and beat till medium to stiff peaks form). Whisk the yellows a little - stir these into the choc cream mixture. Now stir the beaten egg whites into the choc cream mixture. whip the remaining half a tub of cream until soft to medium stiffness and stir into the choc cream mixture - spoon into cups and place in the fridge for atleast 2 hours to set. you could eat right away but will be a bit runny.
• Awesome hot choc - take your choc cream mixture and add 1 and a quarter cups of milk and keep heating on the stove slowly until almost bubbling. Add some vanilla and a tiny sprinkling of salt (just a tiny pinch) pour into mugs and stir in some sugar to taste (if you wish). Whip the remaining half a tub of cream until medium peaks and spoon on top.

And there you have it - an awesome chocolate desert or drink :)


 I would do both :)





ps. I forgot to say you can make this into truffles to :) just take the choc cream mixture place in the fridge and leave till set then roll into bite sized balls and roll in cocoa. Place back in the fridge and eat as required - num

EASY CARAMALISED PINEAPPLE DESSERT

 I created this gooey caramel dessert one weekend away, while we were all sitting around the dinner table feeling like something sweet and warm. I needed to be creative with the ingredients I had on hand, as we were at a self catering place and the shops were a good long drive away and by now closed. I'm sure you know how it goes if you go away to self catering places for holidays and pack stuff you never use and wish you had brought stuff along you had never thought of before! Well this time I had packed a pineapple thinking it maybe good for a healthy snack (brownie points for being a healthy mom) to cut up during and nice warm Saturday but we never got round to eating it. Well it was now night time and the weather had turned. Our longing for a sweet, warm, dessert was now much more important and that is how this caramelized dessert was born. Some sugar, a pan and some butter.... and some chopping and this dessert was born in no time at all.
 
So whether you are on holiday or at home, spend more time relaxing and less time standing on your feet cooking. This caramelized pineapple dessert is so easy to prepare it can be prepared over a camp fire in a pan or at home on the stove. No matter where you are it is easy and fairly quick and healthy too. Delicious and caramelized this pineapple dessert can be made into almost any kind of caramelized fruit and served up with cream or ice cream. (make sure to select firm seasonal fruit if replacing the pineapple for other fruit). The ingredients are a guide, so if you are out in the bush you can wing it.

All you need for Delicious Caramelized Pineapple Dessert is:

INGREDIENTS
1 to 2 medium pineapples
some brown sugar (roughly 4-5 tablespoons)
some butter (about a table spoon or 2)
some fresh cream (if you have)
ice cream for serving (optional)

METHOD
simply peel the pineapple and remove any eyes/bits.
Slice your pineapple into rings - as in picture above.
Place your pineapple rings in a frying pan with the brown sugar and butter.
Place over low heat and cook until golden and caramelized and slightly soft.
once all gooey and golden pour over a little cream.
Serve with whipped/pouring cream or your favorite ice cream

* you can use any fruit you wish - but harder fruits work better


Happy Friday

COOKIE DOUGH APPLE PIE

So I came up with this concoction for the husband the other day and dare say so myself - it is DELICIOUS!
You see the husband loves apple pie and I didn't feel like making gluten free pastry etc.. So I just chopped up some apples baked them in the oven and then put my trusted cookie dough recipe i always use on top and baked it and OH WOW, Why haven't I tried this sooner?

Find the easy recipe below

COOKIE DOUGH APPLE PIE

INGREDIENTS
apples
cinnamon
raisins (leave out if you dislike them)
roughly 3 tablespoons brown organic sugar
125g butter
1egg

1 generous cup brown organic sugar

1 vanilla pod
1 generous cup gluten free flour (i use health connection)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
cream


METHOD
Peel and cut up enough apples to fill your pie dish (i used 6)
Then sprinkle with raisins, brown sugar and a generous amount of cinnamon.
Place in the oven and bake at 180 degrees celcius, stir occasionally and cook until the apples are starting to soften but not fully cooked yet.
While the apples are baking assemble the cookie dough.
Beat the butter, egg, sugar and scraped out seeds from the vanilla pod in a medium bowl until smooth
Then stir in the flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda ensuring that everything is well mixed. Add more flour if you need to the mixture should be nice and soft but not runny.
Once the apples are semi soft baking away in the oven take out the dish and plop/dot the cookie dough all over the mixture - yes it looks messy but it will spread out. The idea is for there to be little blobs of cookie dough all over your apple mixture but you can still see little bits of apple peaking through. You may have to much cookie dough for your pie - you can either bake some cookies or put it in the fridge in a sealed container for a second cookie dough pie tomorrow :) trust me you'll want another.
Turn the oven down to 150 degrees celcius and bake until the cookie dough has spread, risen a little and is light brown on top :)
cut up and serve with cream poured on top or with a good vanilla ice cream


  

HOMEMADE VANILLA CUSTARD - MORE DELICIOUS AND CREAMY THAN SHOP BOUGHT STUFF

we love to grate chocolate on ours and stir it in - mmm chocolate custard.

How to make custard like your granny used to make the old fashion way. No box custard or powder bases you mix with some milk and microwave or stir in a pot.
Non of those tastes the same as old fashion custard made from eggs, milk and real vanilla. For added smoothness and richness swop out 1 cup of milk for a cup of cream in the recipe below.
This is what you will need to make your very own delicoius custard.

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
1 litre of milk
2-3 tablespoons gluten free flour
1 vanilla pod or vanilla paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
4 tablespoons sugar or agave. you can put in more to taste


METHOD
Split your vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into a large pot with the milk in it. Place the restof the vanilla pod in the pot once u have scraped out all the seeds.
Bring the vannilla milk to the boil and then take off the stove. In a small to medium bowl place the eggs, corn flour and sugar and beat to a smooth consistency.
Pour the egg mixture while continuasly whisking the milk into the pot. Keep whisking until it begins to thicken - make sure it doesn't stick on the bottom of the pot.
place the pot back on the stove on a low to medium heat and continue to stir until nice and thickened up. You can add more sugar if you would like it to be sweeter.
also vary the amount of corn flour for a thinner pouring custard at less and for a thick tart filling custard add more.
place in bowls and serve. or you can add a multitude of toppings, cherries, chocolate chips, sprinkles or jelly :) our favourite is to leave the custard in the fridge until cold and then to grate some chocolate over it and stir it in -  mmmm