Limoncello Tiramisu

Part 1:
1 cup water
1 cup limoncello liqueur
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar, boil over high heat, then simmer on lower heat till alcohol vaporized. Let it cool in a shallow dish.

Part 2:

6 egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Limoncello liqueur,

mix it all in a bowl and place over a double boiler,after the water is boiled, turn off the heat and whisk the mixture continuously till it is thick like a custard. And let it cool at the side.

Part 3:

6 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar,

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites til it is frothy then add the cream of tartar, when it becomes to soft peak add sugar, continue until it is a firm peak.

Part 4 :

500 gr Mascarpone cheese, @ room temperature

2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest,

Mix it together with wooden spoon til it combines well.

Fold Part 4 with Part 2, in 3 steps, then fold part 3 into this mixture.

Tiramisu could be assemble either in a large square glass container, or individual glasses.

You need 40 lady fingers, (less if you are using individual glasses), dip the lady fingers in the syrup, let it soak well but don't let it get too soggy, place them on the bottom of the dish in a single layer, then scoop half of the mascarpone cream onto the ladyfingers, smooth the surface. Dip and arrange the second layer, then cover it completely with the remaining of the cream.

Cover with cling film and refrigerate at least 3 to 5 hour. Serve and sprinkle bit of lemon zest over.

Summer Fair dressing up competition

Saturday was MHPS Summer Fair. After early morning downpour, finally by 11 am the sun started to shine.

Food stall was a big success, good team work and fun.

I do give lots of credits to our hubbies, who were carrying things around, cutting watermelons and them selves :( setting up the tables and BBQ'ing without complaining...

Omer had a great time, and used all his energy ,(he fell a sleep by 4 pm just the end of the fair and woke up next morning @ 6 am!!)

Celine was very happy to win the 1st place at the dress up competition...

It was a hard job to pick a winner, I personally couldn't pick one, loved all the costumes and the effort put into that.

Well done Girls!

View Album

Get your own

Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Box of Barilla Tagliatelle Pasta

400 gr. Chicken breast strips

2 Tbsp butter

200 gr. White mushrooms, washed, peeled and thinly sliced

2 large white onions, peeled and sliced

1 1/4 cups double cream

salt & pepper to your taste

Fresh chopped parsley

Water and salt to boil the pasta.

Place the water and salt in a large sauce pan over a high heat. Fallow the instruction from the box for cooking the pasta.

Dice chicken breast strips, and in a large skillet melt the butter, add the diced chicken and sliced onions. Sote them about 10 min. then add sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper.

Cook until it becomes brown, add the double cream. When the cream is bubbling and reduced a bit, add your drained pasta on top, turn off the heat and mix & serve the pasta on the plates. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the pasta.

Note. I do add 2 Tbsp "Puck Cream Cheese" in the cream. My kids love that.

Banana & Nutella French Toast

12 slices( each to be 1'' thick) brioche

3 bananas

Nutella

3 eggs

2 cups milk

1/4 cup double cream

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp butter + 2 Tbsp sunflower oil to be used for cooking.

Make the batter. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl.

In a frying pan, melt the butter and brown sugar, stir until sugar becomes caramelized, add peeled and sliced bananas, cook till bananas are soft.

In a large oven tray, place 6 slices of brioche, on each slice put 1 Tbsp caramelized banana and 1 Tbsp Nutella, place the top slice on each. Pour the batter allover the slices and let them soak about 3 min. ( I do flip each slice to get better soak but be careful you don't want them too soggy)
Heat griddle or pan on medium heat, melt butter in and add sunflower oil to the pan.
Place each sandwich on the pan and cook until golden brown on each side. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Serves 6.

Lemon bites

Celine was in a baking mood, I was almost crawling on the floor with lower back pain. But she made "the sad puppy face",and my hubby said he would help, so how could I say no!
I told them to use the ready pack, Victorian sponge cake mix from the cupboard. And I would be supervising the rest...
Part 1:
So all you need two boxes of sponge cake mix, and fallow the direction from the box.
I had 29p Asda Victorian Sponge Cake, and it did the job well.


While they were fallowing the instruction from the box, I've asked them to make limoncello syrup:
Part 2:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup limoncello
Mix the water & sugar in a sauce pan and let it boil over a medium heat, remove from the heat and let it cool while you are baking the cake, once the syrup is cool add limoncello.






Part 3:
Lemon Swiss meringue buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
250 gr unsalted butter, @ room temperature
1 Tbsp clear vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
You will need double boiler ( bain marie), combine egg whites and sugar over double boiler, place a candy thermometer and whisk constantly till temperature reaches to 150F.
Remove from the heat , whisk it till its cool to your touch and stiff (like marshmallow melt). Change the whisk to paddle and add butter small amount at a time, ( I really like to use standing mixer), once you add all the butter and it becomes to the consistency you desire add the lemon juice and vanilla.

Part 4 :

Lemon curd

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup double cream

1 cup fresh lemon juiced, strained

1/4 tsp salt


6 eggs whisked to loosen up the yolks & whites.


1 Tbsp lemon zest, finely grated

In a medium size sauce pan, mix first 5 ingredients all together and cook it over low heat, once sugar is dissolved and it started to boil, temper hot lemon mixture into eggs. Add mixture back into sauce pan and continue to cook while stirring constantly until it becomes like a thick custard.

Strain, add zest and cool over an ice bath. Then refrigerate until you need to use.
_________________________________________________________________

Part 5 :
Pour Fondant icing
3 cups confectionery sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 drop of yellow food coloring


Place them all ( except food coloring) over double boiler. Heat til sugar is dissolved and the mixture is lukewarm, stir in the coloring one drop at the time, till you get the color you like. You have to ladle over the cake bites while it is still warm. So make sure you assemble the cake before this step.



Assembling the cake:
After cake is completely cooled, horizontally slice in half with serrated knife.

Use a pastry brush to brush limoncello syrup over the cake first, then spread Swiss meringue with a spatula , fallowed by chilled lemon curd, place the second layer of the cake, and apply the limoncello syrup with brush again.

Slice the cake with a sharp knife 2,5 cm X 2,5 cm mini squares, carefully lift them up and place them on a cookie sheet or parchment paper, you can ladle small amount of pour fondant (icing) over, and decorate them with candied lemon slice or fresh lemon peels.

French Buttercream Icing

2/3 cup / granulated sugar

1/4 cup / 60 gr plain flour

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup/ 250 gr unsalted butter - cold

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a saucepan, place the milk , flour, salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly. Turn the heat on, while stirring constantly,cook until it becomes a very thick pudding. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Cut the butter in pieces.

Place the pudding in a bowl, add small pieces of butter one at a time, beat with a hand mixer ( in medium to high speed) until it becomes smooth. At this point you can add vanilla, any other flavoring or food coloring if you like.

Note : You should chill icing at least 10 min. before decorating your cake and cake needs to be completely cooled and iced cake must be refrigerated until serving time.

Coconut Cupcakes

Ingredients:

7 oz plain flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup caster sugar

3 oz or 100 gr plain yogurt or buttermilk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, @ room temperature

2 large eggs, @ room temperature

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes or fresh coconut

2 Tbsp Bacardi rum or Malibu

1 tsp vanilla

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Per heat the oven 180*C/ 160 *C fan forced. Line your muffin pan with paper cases.

Sift all the dry ingredients first, set at the side, then in a standing mixer's bowl , cream the butter , sugar and eggs one at a time. Add in the yogurt, rum and vanilla. Once it is all fluffed and creamy add your dry ingredients, and beat another 4 min. on medium speed.

You have to fold the coconuts by spoon. Make sure it is well combined.

Dived between the cases and bake about 25 min. depends on the size of your pan. Top should be golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean.