Lemon Curd

I have never tried curd before, so I was not  quite sure what to expect but at the end, it looks and tastes perfect .It is really so easy to make.If you have 15 minute, make this lemon curd;you will be licking the spoon in no time :)

Ingredients
2 cups of sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 table spoon lemon zest
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup butter

Preparation

• Place sugar in a pan over a pot of simmering water in a double boiler.Gradually whisk in fresh lemon juice.
• Add eggs and egg yolks and continue to whisk in high heat about 10-15 minutes or until mixture thickens if it is not thickening you can add cornstarch or increase the heat and continue to whisk.
• Add butter and continue to whisk remove pan from heat and stir in lemon zest transfer to a bowl and place plastic wrap over it .
• The lemon curd will continue to thicken some as it cools.
• Store refrigerated couple of  weeks.Enjoy!

Heart Shaped Pie Pops

The pie lollipops are delicious warm,cold or at room temperature and great for birthdays,Vdays or dinners parties with friends .Easy and an attractive recipe so I tried ..and  i have to admit the results were pretty.You will love the look of golden baked dough.

Ingredients

Two sheets pie dough
Apricot jam (optional)
Lollipop sticks
Heart shaped cutters

Preparation

• Roll out pie crust and cut out 20 hearts by using the heart shaped cookie cutter
• Place filling on one heart,you can use whatever you want .I prefer jam but  chocolate crusts,Nutella,honey,almond,tiny apple pieces can be used as well..

• Place the stick pressing down and press the other heart on top .Press borders to seal .You might decorate the borders by pressing fork .
• Bake at 350F at about 10-15 minutes.
• Let cool and serve!

Classic Cherry Cake

  This is one of the cakes I made in the beginning of my baking.I am really  surprised that i have not post this recipe for such a long time ..Well,easy ,yummy perfect with a cup of tea :)

Ingredients

200 g unsalted butter
100-150 g glace cherries quartered
50 g ground almond

200 g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
1 lemon juice

For topping icing sugar and water (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 180 C.Grease and line your cake tin.
• Stir together the cherries,almonds and 1 table spoon of the flour.Sift the remaining  flour into  a separate bowl with the baking powder.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Gradually, add the eggs,beating hard,until they evenly mixed.
• Add the flour mixture and fold lightly and evenly into the creamed mixture with a metal spoon.Add the cherry mixture ,fold in evenly,then fold in the lemon juice .
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for an hour or until risen and golden brown and shrinking from the sides of the tin .
• Leave to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes .

Cut into slices and serve as a mid-morning treat!

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

    A delicious and healthy ,richly- chocolatey and guilt-free dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth.I know,i was suspicious as you are right now when i came across with this recipe ,actually i have seen the recipe for chocolate avocado mousse floating around for the last few months and after mixing and matching a few that looked promising settled on the recipe below.I have to admit it was amazing and no,you do not taste avocado ..:)

Ingredients
1 large Haas Avocado(ripe and creamy)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tea spoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

• Place avocado ,maple syrup and vanilla in food processor bowl.Process until smooth about 30 sec stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl with spatula.
• Add cocoa powder,sifting it with a mash strainer to prevent lumps.Process about 1 more minute.Stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.,until very smooth and creamy.
• divide between 4 individual dessert bowls.Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Do not forget the cocoa powder should be high quality and use real maple syrup...

Plum Cake

This is a wonderful cake recipe ,comes together quickly and absolutely perfect for plum lovers!

Ingredients

60gr butter at room temperature
112 gr sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
170gr self raising flour
1/4 cup milk
5-6 plums ,halved and pitted
Caster sugar for sprinkling on top of the plums

Preparation

• Pre heat the oven to 350F
• Butter an 8"square baking tin
• with electric beaters,cream butter sugar and lemon zest
• Add the eggs one at a time,beating well after each addition
• Add half the flour and continue to mix with a wooden spoon.
• Add half the milk gradually and continue to mix until well combined.
• Add the rest of the flour and mix well.

• Add the rest of the milk and mix until well combined
• Pour the batter into the cake tin.
• Place the plum halves ,cut side up,on top of the cake batter
• Sprinkle the plum halves with a caster sugar
• Bake for 45 min until the cake is golden brown up on top.
• Serve warm.

Adopted by Mardi Michels Nana's plum cake

Chocolate Swirl Meringues

Adding more than the usual amount of chocolate to this classic makes them even better than usual..

Ingredients

140 g dark chocolate min %70 cocoa solids)broken into pieces
3 egg whites ,at room temperature
150 g caster sugar

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 90 C (fan oven 70 C)
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
• Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave and set a side.
• place the egg whites in a large metal bowl .
• Using an electric whisk ,whisk on a medium speed for about  1 minute .
• The whites will turn to foam and begin to increase in volume.Increase the speed of high and continue until soft peaks begin to form.
• Still whisking ,add the sugar a few spoonfuls at a time ,whisking for 20-30 seconds after each addition

• Continue to whisk until the egg whites are eight times their original volume ,the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is stiff and shiny.
• Gently poor the melted chocolate on the meringue and with one or two folding motions,fold the chocolate into the meringue .do not mix well.
• Spoon on the baking sheet,making 6-8 cloud shapes about 10 cm (4 inches)round.
• Place in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meringues are dry to the touch but have not changed color.
• Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking parchment.The meringues will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days .

Homemade Doughnut with Chocolate Glaze

Yesss.. This is my very first homemade doughnut and i think it is pretty good .Well done me :)I tried quite a few recipes until i find a perfect one for me which is White on Rice Couple's one and as  a chocolate lover,of course used a chocolate glaze on doughnuts..

Ingredients
270 ml milk
50g sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
140 g unsalted butter
2 large eggs beaten
500 g all purpose flour

For chocolate glaze
80 g unslated butter
150 g dark chocolate

Preparation

• Gently warm your milk to 115F,add sugar and yeast ,mix till the sugar dissolve .
• Gently melt your butter and add it to beaten eggs but be careful butter should not be so warm otherwise it will cook eggs.
• Put butter into an electric mixer with a dough hook.Turn mixer on low speed  and add yeast mixture to the butter.Mix for a couple of minutes until well combined.
• Add the flour to the dough ,mix well and transfer the dough to a well oiled bowl.Cover bowl with a plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator.Leave the dough at least 8 hours or overnight.

Roll and cut

• On a well floured surface roll the doughnuts out to 1/2,1/3 inch thick
• Using  a 3 inch cutter,cut as many rounds out of the dough as you can.Gently pick up the rounds and place on a well floured sheet pan
• Using a 1 inch cutter,cut out the center hole.
• Cover doughnuts in a large tea towel and place ina warm place .Allow doughnuts to raise at least an hour.

Fry the doughnuts

• In a large pot ,pour enough oil.Heat to 375F .
• gentle pick up and ease donuts into oil and cook each side until light brown.
• Remove from oil with a slotted spoon.Drain on several layers of paper towels carefully turning over every 5 seconds,to try and blot as much oil  out as possible.

For the glaze 

• Melt butter and chocolate together in Ben Mari style.
• Dunk each doughnut into the glaze and miracle !..