Carrot cake with cream-cheese frosting

Preparation Time

35 minutes

Cooking Time

120 minutes

Ingredients (serves 10)

• 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups (440g) caster sugar
• 3 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrot
• 100g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 1/4 cups (310ml) vegetable oil
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 300g sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• Cream cheese frosting

• 500g cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/3 cups (500g) icing sugar

• Candied carrot

• 1 large carrot, shredded lengthways using a zester, plus 1 small carrot
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1 green jelly snake, cut into thin strips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 25cm round cake pan with baking paper.
2. Sift flours, soda and spices into a large bowl. Add caster sugar, grated carrot and walnuts and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour into pan, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.
5. For frosting, beat cream cheese using electric beaters until smooth. Add vanilla and beat well. Gradually add icing sugar, beating until smooth and creamy.
6. Split cooled cake into 2 layers. Spread bottom layer with half the frosting. Add top, then spread with remaining frosting.
7. For candied carrot, cut a 4cm piece from the end of the small carrot and use a vegetable peeler to make a small carrot shape. Place sugar and 1 cup (250ml) water in a pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add the mini carrot and simmer for 1-2 minutes until just tender. Remove and set aside. Add the shredded carrot to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until candied and transparent. Remove and set aside. Turn heat to medium and allow liquid to bubble for 1-2 minutes until reduced and syrupy, then remove from heat. Add mini carrot and shreds and allow to cool. To decorate, drain carrot and shreds on paper towel. Spread shreds around edge of frosted cake. Place mini carrot in centre, then arrange snake strips as leaves.

How to make chocolate curls for deco

http://video.taste.com.au/2229792371/How-to-make-chocolate-curls?area=videoindex4

how to make chocolate truffles (VIDEO)         (link)

http://video.taste.com.au/2229875870/How-to-make-chocolate-truffles?area=videoindex2

how to make normal crepes VIDEO      (link)

http://video.taste.com.au/1914614822/How-to-make-crepes

Chocolate crepes with raspberry syrup 

Preparation Time

30 - 90 minutes

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 300g frozen raspberries
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar     
• 2 tbs water
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
• 2 tbs caster sugar, extra
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 310ml (11/4 cups) milk
• 30g butter, melted, cooled
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 150ml pouring cream
• Melted butter, to grease
• Double cream, to serve

Method

1. Combine the raspberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until raspberries are soft. Transfer to a fine sieve over a bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes to drain. Set syrup aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, cocoa and extra sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Whisk the egg, milk and butter in a bowl. With the motor running, add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Process until smooth. Transfer to a jug. Cover. Set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
3. Place the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Stir with a metal spoon until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Heat a crepe pan or 18cm (base measurement) non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush with melted butter to lightly grease. Add 2 tablespoons of batter and tilt the pan in a circular motion, swirling the batter to cover the base. Cook for 2 minutes or until the edge begins to curl. Turn and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until light golden. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat, in 11 more batches, with melted butter and the remaining batter.
5. Divide the crepes among serving plates. Spread the chocolate mixture over one-half of each crepe. Fold into quarters. Top with cream. Drizzle over the raspberry syrup to serve.

 

Cookies and cream ice-cream pie New!

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 250g packet choc ripple biscuits
• 125g butter, melted
• 2 litres Blue Ribbon vanilla ice-cream, softened
• 150g packet Oreo cookies, roughly chopped
• 2 litres Bulla chocolate chip ice-cream, softened
• 300ml tub thickened cream, whipped
• 1/2 x 155g packet Maltesers
• White chocolate curls and cocoa powder, for dusting

Method

1. Grease a 3cm-deep, 24cm round (base) fluted, loose-based flan tin. Process choc ripple biscuits until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add butter. Process until combined. Press mixture over base and side of prepared pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place vanilla ice-cream in a large bowl. Add chopped cookies. Stir until just combined (ice-cream should be soft, not melted at this stage).
3. Dollop vanilla ice-cream mixture and chocolate ice-cream, alternately, to fill (ice-cream will come up higher than the base). Smooth slightly to fill any large holes. Freeze, uncovered, overnight.
4. Just before serving, stand pie at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes or until it can easily be removed from tin. Place on a plate. Dollop top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with Maltesers and chocolate curls. Dust with cocoa powder. Serve.

Notes

Allow overnight freezing time.

Sushi rice salad 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/2 cups (330g) sushi rice
• 1/4 cup (60ml) seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp nigella seeds (see note)
• 200g frozen podded edamame, blanched, drained, refreshed (see note)
• 4 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 300g sashimi-grade centre-cut salmon, thinly sliced (see note)
• Coriander leaves and pickled ginger, to serve

• Dressing

• 1 tbs light soy sauce
• 1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbs rice vinegar
• 2 tsp wasabi paste
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil

Method

1. Rinse rice under cold water to remove the starch. Drain, then place in a pan with 2 cups (500ml) water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stand, without removing the lid, for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.
2. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, sugar, nigella seeds and 1 tsp salt. Stir through the rice, then spread out on a tray to cool.
3. For the dressing, combine soy, sweet chilli sauce, vinegar, wasabi and oil. Toss with edamame, radish and avocado. Divide rice among bowls and top with edamame mixture and slices of salmon. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with pickled ginger.

Notes

Nigella seeds and edamame are from Asian food shops. Sashimi-grade salmon is from fishmongers.
Rice is widely used, like basmati for Indian dishes, jasmine for rich Thai curries or arborio for creamy risottos and rice puddings. Even if you buy sushi ready made, sushi rice is great to have on hand to add substance to salads.