Triple Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients: 

1.5 cups SR flour 

1 cup brown sugar, dark, firmly packed 

250g dark chocolate, chopped 

125g butter 

1/4 cup cocoa 

300ml sour cream 

2 eggs 

2 tsp vanilla essence 

12 caramel filled chocolate Easter eggs 

1/4 cup drinking chocolate, sifted

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line 12 x 1/3 cup-hole muffin pan with paper cases. Sift flour into a large bowl, stir in sugar. Melt chocolate and butter in a heavy-based pan. Stir in cocoa and cool for 5 minutes. Whisk sour cream, vanilla and eggs in a jug. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate and sour cream mixtures until just combined. Spoon batter into pan so each hole is 1/2 full. Press a chocolate egg into the centre of each. Spoon the remaining mixture to 2/3 fill each hole. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with drinking chocolate just before serving.

Pikelet Pops

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1-2 tablespoons of milk, depending on the thickness of the yogurt you use
2 tablespoons of melted and cooled butter
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Add Greek yogurt, butter, and lightly beaten egg to the same bowl. 

Add enough milk to make batter stir-able, 1-2 tablespoons depending on the thickness of the yogurt.

Start by melting your butter, preheating your electric non-stick griddle, and having your lollipop sticks handy. I use the Wilton six inch lollipop sticks purchased from Spotlight.
Now, let’s make the pancake batter. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to a large bowl and whisk together. Then add non-fat plain Greek yogurt, melted and cooled butter, egg, and milk. Stir just until combined. You will have a very thick and creamy pancake batter.

Scoop out a heaping teaspoon of pancake batter.

Drop the pancake batter onto the hot griddle. Give the pancake about a minute to set up on the griddle side so the lollipop stick won’t go all the way through, then place the lollipop stick in the batter just shy of the top of the pancake. Press stick down and use your spoon to smooth out the valley in the batter, that way you will have pancakes that look perfect on both sides!

Space the rest of the pancake pops out, so you have room to add the sticks. They cook really quickly since they are so small. About 4-5 minutes on the first side, and around 3 minutes on the second side. Once the edges start to dry out, they are ready to turn. To flip the pancake pops use a small spatula to lift them up a bit, then you can use the lollipop stick to give them a quick turn. 

To warm before serving, pop them in the microwave for thirty seconds and they were perfectly hot and fluffy!

Caramelised Onion and Bacon Quiche

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Caramelised Onion
2 large onions, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Season with salt and pepper

Pastry

260g plain flour

145g butter, chopped

1 egg yolk

2-3 tablespoons iced water

Filling

3/4 cup caramelised onion (about 2 large onions, sliced)

200g bacon, roughly chopped

small handful parsley

100g cheddar cheese, cubed

220g cream

5 eggs

sea salt and cracked black pepper

Method:

Caramelised Onion
To make the caramelised onion, just heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the sliced onions. Season with salt and stir every few minutes until it softens and becomes a deep golden brown (about 20-30 minutes).

Pastry

Place the flour and butter into the TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds/speed 6, or until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

1. Set dial to closed lid position and add egg yolk and water.  Knead for 30 seconds/interval speed, or until the dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Roll the pastry out to 3mm thick and place into a lightly greased pie dish or tart tin. Trim the excess pastry, prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
4. Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until light and golden. Allow to cool. 
5. Reduce the oven to 170 degrees.

Filling

Place cheddar cheese and parsley into TM bowl and grate for 5 seconds/speed 5. Set aside.

1. Place bacon into TM bowl and chop 5 seconds/speed 5. Set aside
2. Place cream, eggs, salt and pepper and mix for 15 seconds/speed 3.
3. Sprinkle the tart shell with the caramelised onion and chopped ham followed by the cheese and parsley mixture.
4. Pour the cream and egg mixture over the filling in the tart shell and bake for 40 minutes or until set. 
5. Serve warm or cold with a simple green salad.

Chicken Bites with Plum Sauce

My family love these - and they are a much better alternative to pre-made meatballs which are full of additives. They can be eaten hot, but also make great finger food for lunches. Pack with carrot and celery sticks and a sauce for dipping.

Makes 25

Ingredients
600g chicken thigh fillets
small handful of coriander
8 shallots, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons ginger, roughly chopped
2 eggs
120g breadcrumbs, made in TM
plum sauce, to serve

Method

1. Roughly cut the chicken into 3cm cubes and freeze for 45 minutes.
2. Put 250g of the meat into the TM bowl and mince for 2 seconds/speed 7. Set aside and repeat with the remaining chicken.
3. Place coriander, shallots and ginger into TM bowl and chop for 8 seconds/speed 7.
4. Add meat and remaining ingredients (except plum sauce) and mix for 5 seconds/speed 6.
5. Take a spoonful of mixture and shape into walnut sized balls, using wet hands.  Place onto a tray and repeat with the rest of the mince. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
7. Place chicken bites onto a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and drizzle with oil.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.

Portuguese Tartlets

Ingredients:

1 large whole egg
2 large egg yolks
115g caster sugar
400ml full-cream milk
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Method:
Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan, and preheat your oven to 180 degrees (fan-forced).
In a medium saucepan, combine the egg, yolks, cornflour and sugar. Gradually stir in the milk until the mixture is even and smooth.
Place the saucepan over a medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the custard into a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cool.
Cut the pastry into two even pieces and place one on top of the other. Roll (lengthways) into a very tight log. Cut the log into 12 even rounds.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry round into a disc of about 10cm and press into the muffin pan.
Spoon the cooled custard into each pastry cup, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top.
When you take out of the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon powder.
Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.