Superb Chocolate Caramel Slice

Posted on May 27, 2016 by soulfoodie92

Everyone loves a chocolatey caramel sweet treat every once and a while. Most of us also have some stray Weet-bix lying around. This recipe uses Weet-bix in the base and is super delicious with the gooey baked caramel topped with simple chocolate icing. Why not give this one a go this week or even better get in there with the kids and have a family baking day with some other tasty treats.

I’ve used EquaGold Premium Dutch Cocoa in this recipe and it just takes it from average to amazing with such a deep chocolate flavour! You can purchased here.

Weet-Bix Chocolate Caramel Slice

Ingredients

Base
180g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup weet-bix, crumbled
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp equagold dutch cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup coconut, shaved/thread or desiccated
Caramel
1 395g tin condense milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla eseence
80g butter, cubed
Icing
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp equagold dutch cocoa
3 tbsp water

2 tbsp coconut to garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Line square 20cmx20cm cake tin with baking paper base and sides. (help you to pull out once cooked.)
Combine all base ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Press into the lined cake tin.
In small saucepan combine condense milk, brown sugar, vanilla and butter over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly. Once thickened pour over base and bake for 30 minutes, until caramel is golden brown and bubbling.
Allow to cool, once cold remove from tin.
Sift icing sugar and cocoa together into bowl stir in water, add more if necessary. (needs to be a thin icing)
Pour over cooled slice and smooth out evenly, top with coconut once set cut into 12 squares.

Squares: 12

Perfect with a hot cup of tea!

Tender Venison Necks

Posted on May 10, 2016 by soulfoodie92

Everyone who knows me knows I absolutely love a good bargain! One of my favorite things to do is get the reduced to clear meat goes very cheap and usually still has 2 days good before it must be frozen. However these were not reduced to clear they were full price $3.86 for 5 venison necks, $5.99kg now that is awesome isn’t it?

Venison is one of my favorite meats its super high in iron and very lean! Today I was in a relaxed mood as it was my day off so i decided to put the slow cooker on. I love the thing I must say switch it on in the morning by dinner time all you have to do is thicken and make some mash. Love a simple dinner and here is a beauty one im sharing with you all!

Venison necks are a nice cheap cut of meat and they have a surprising amount of meat on them to so its a great value for money meat. You can find them at most supermarkets i picked these up from pak n save however i used to get them at countdown and sometimes new world as well. The ones here are from Canterbury from a farm called the Merchant of Venison. If your lucky enough to have wild venison or know a hunter who could get you some give it a go with that it has a more gamer flavour and is also delicious.

Slow Braised Venison Necks with Cranberry and Pumpkin
on
Swede and Agria Mash

Ingredients

5-6 venison necks
1 tsp paprika
1 onion, fine dice
1 stalk celery, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, fine dice
2 carrots
1/2 small crown pumpkin, peeled and 3-4cm dice
1 tin diced tomatoes
400ml water
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tbsp cornflour + water for slurry
Swede and Agria Mash
1/4 swede, peeled and small 2cm dice
3 medium agria potatoes, peeled and 4cm dice
1 spring onion, finely sliced
50gm butter
1/8 cup milk
salt and pepper

Method:

Turn slow cooker onto low.
Season venison generously with salt, pepper and the paprika on both sides.
Heat medium fry pan over a medium to high heat, add 1 tbsp oil followed by onion, celery and garlic. Saute until opaque add to slow cooker.
Brown venison necks both sides add to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, apart from the cornflour.
Cook on low for 6 hours, combine cornflour and small amount of water to make a slurry stir into venison and cook for further 10 minutes.
Bring swede and potato to the boil and cook until tender. ( it is important to cut the swede smaller as it takes longer to cook than potato.)
Drain, mash and stir in butter, milk, spring onion, salt and pepper. Stir well.
Serve venison necks on bed of swede and agria mash with sprinkle of crumbled feta and chopped celery leaves.

Serves: 2-4

Long Time Coming

Posted on May 9, 2016 by soulfoodie92

Its been a longtime since I have posted on here. Its been a busy start to the year and now its already May! I don’t know where the first four months of the year have gone but I can defiantly say that the years are going faster and faster!

Its getting colder in New Zealand now as winter is approaching we get a great variety of produce available as the seasons change. Ive had great fun in the kitchen photographing and testing some new recipes for the blog. Coconut and Mango Passion Cheesecakes, Feijoa and Apple Crumble, Rhubarb, Vanilla Bean and Granny Smith Preserve plus some great savory dishes . Butternut Squash Cheese Bake, Sole with Capers and Shallots in Brown Butter the list goes on. Now I better get typing so you all can enjoy these tasty items to !

Feijoa and Apple Crumble

Feijoa is such a unique flavour which i really love and something i get very excited about once they come into season. Here is a super simple and fast recipe for feijoa and apple crumble with fresh custard.

Ingredients
5 feijoas, peeled and sliced
2 apples, cut into 3 cm chunk (skin on)
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup water
Crumble Topping
1 1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup brown sugar
130gm butter, melted
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Custard
20gm custard powder
30gm white sugar
300ml milk
1 tsp vanilla

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
Combine sliced feijoa, apple, sugar and water in a medium size pot bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes until feijoa’s are soft and apple is tender.
Pour into oven proof dish.
Make the crumble topping by combining all ingredients and stiring well, top the stewed fruit evenly with crumble mix.
Bake for 20minutes until golden and bubbling.
While the crumble is baking make the custard.
Combine custard powder, sugar and a small amount of milk in a bowl to form a smooth paste, whisk in remaining milk and transfer to a pot.
bring to the boil and stir until thick.
Remove crumble from oven and serve with hot custard and ice cream if you dare.

Serves 4

Homemade Cinnamon Coconut Crunch Muesli

Posted on October 19, 2015 by soulfoodie92

Here’s a great base recipe for homemade muesli what i mean by base recipe is you could add any chopped dried fruit you wanted I just didn’t have any in my cupboard at the time. Some of my favorites are apricots, cranberries, sultanas and blueberries.

You can use this muesli for much more than just breakfast! It can be the crunch layer in a layered yoghurt dessert added to raw muffin mix for a crumble topping and many more!

This is my new go to muesli recipe! Im sitting here at 2 in the afternoon with a big bowl and it is so tastey and crunchy, with a combination of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, finished with cinnamon and maple syrup.

Homemade Cinnamon Coconut Crunch Muesli

Ingredients:

2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cup pumpkin seeds
8 cup rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 brown sugar
250 gm butter, melted

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees.
In large bowl combine all ingredients, mix well, pour into a lined baking tray and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown not to dark as it will taste burnt.
You want to stir it every 5-10 minutes to evenly bake the museli.
Remove from oven , cool and store in an air-tight container.

Makes: 10-15 serves muesli

Sinful Chocolate Boysenberry Cheesecake

Posted on August 2, 2015 by soulfoodie92

Sinful Chocolate Boysenberry Cheesecake

I received a goodie parcel from Equagold a few days ago and as today is my day off a “Saturday to most”. So I decided that it was time to hit the kitchen and get the creative hat on. I was thinking cheesecake however I didn’t want to make the classic biscuit crumb so i opted for my moist chocolate velvet cake.

The end result is bloody delicious if I may say so myself. WOW sums up my reaction when my fork hit the chocolate boysenberry cheesecake!!! Words basically cannot describe this dessert it was basically like being in heaven! Creamy velvet chocolate cheesecake with a moist velvet cake finished with slightly sweet boysenberry gel! No need to buy chocolate and melt it into this cheesecake, Ive used Equagolds Premium Dutch Cocoa Powder it is just divine, you cant tell that its cocoa not melted chocolate.

Equagold is creating outstanding products if you would like to get your hands on Equagolds Dutch Cocoa Powder I have used in this recipe please click this link : Equagold Online Store

If you want to impress someone or treat yourself this is the recipe for you!!

Ingredients:
Velvet Cake Base
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 Equagold Premium Dutch Cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
250ml water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp white vinegar
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
250gm cream cheese, room temp
2 heaped tbsp Equagold Premium Dutch Cocoa, sifted
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp Equagold vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp boiling water
Boysenberry Gel
1 1/2 cup frozen boysenberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp boiling water

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl sift all dry ingredients for the velvet cake, once sifted whisk the dry ingredients to aerate and evenly mix together.
3. In a separate bowl combine all liquids for the velvet cake, pour into the center of the dry ingredients and mix through to combine. (Do not over mix)
4. Pour into a lined spring form cake tin and bake for 25-30minutes until when tested with a skewer it comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and turn put onto a cooling rack, once cold using a bread or serrated knife cut the top of the cake off. *see the picture
6. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer attach the whisk attachment, in the mixing bowl combine, cream cheese, sifted icing sugar and cocoa and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.
7. Scrap down the sides and be sure to get the bottom of the bowl, add cream and whisk to combine.
8. in a small bowl sprinkle gelatine over boiling water and microwave for 15 seconds, stir well and whisk into cheesecake filling.
9. Using the same cake tin as you baked the cake, reline and this time line the sides, a little cooking spray before you put the baking paper around will make it stay in place.
10. Place the trimmed cake base in the bottom of the lined cake tin, followed by the cheesecake filling. Smooth over and place in the fridge.
11. Now onto the final stage, take a small saucepan combine boysenberry’s, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved around 4 minutes, add squeeze of lemon. Bloom the gelatine the same as for the cheesecake filling step and add to the boysenberry mix.
12. Allow to cool and pour over the cheesecake filling, place in fridge for 1-2 hours. 13. Serve with whipped cream or yoghurt.

Serves:8-12

Sift all dry ingredients for the velvet cake.

Whisk together wet cake ingredients and add to dry.

Stir to combine and pour into a lined medium sized spring form cake tin.

Bake at 180 degrees for 25-30minutes.

Once cooked and cooled, remove the lump over the cake to make it flat. ( you can eat the off cuts 🙂

Leveled cake.

Whisk in 1/2 cup cream, scrape down the sides.

In stand mixer bowl combine cream cheese, sifted icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

Add dissolved gelatin mixture, mix well to combine.

Line cake tin bottom and sides.

Add trimmed cake followed by cheesecake filling.

Smooth over and refrigerate.

Combine 1 1/2 cup boysenberries in medium pot with sugar and water. Simmer for 4 minutes add gelatine mixture, cool.

Pour over cheesecake filling and refrigerate for 1-2 hours if possible over night.

Remove baking paper. Using a hot knife cut a medium size wedge.

Serve with whipped cream and a dusting of icing sugar and cocoa.

Enjoy

Bubble and Squeak Quiche Bites

Posted on July 27, 2015 by soulfoodie92

My partner has just started studying and I wanted to make some wee snacks for him to take. We had a roast yesterday and there is heaps of roast vegetables and steamed cabbage left over. Cabbage and roast veges ,that’s a perfect combo for bubble and squeak then I thought why not make individual quiche bites. So here is the end result , I hope you enjoy! you can make the filling what ever you like.

Bubble and Squeak Quiche Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup left over roast root vegetables, small dice (I used swede, potato, pumpkin)

1 cup steamed sliced cabbage

6 eggs, beaten

200gm shaved ham, rough chop

1 clove garlic, finely diced

Pinch salt and pepper

1/4c grated cheese

6x muffin cases

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
Line 6 hole texas muffin tin with muffin cases.
In large bowl combine all ingredients apart from the cheese, stir well to combine.
Fill each muffin case with about 1/4 cup mixture, any left over divide evenly between the cases.
Top with cheese and bake for 16-17 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Do not over cook as they will go soggy.

Makes : 6 medium individual quiches

Almond Orange and Rosemary Cake

Posted on August 24, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Almond Orange and Rosemary Cake

Orange, rosemary caramel with delicious lemon and orange scented almond cake these are flavours that pair perfectly against each other!!
It turned out simply divine, served it just warm with mascarpone and rereduced orange vanilla bean syrup and a cup of Earl Grey this was the perfect sunday baking treat! Yum

Would you like to try this recipe out?
Comment below for the recipe.

P.S Did I tell out this beauty is Gluten and Dairy Free!!!

Asian Spinach Omelette

Posted on August 21, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Asian Spinach Omelette

Perfect start to any day, make my easy asian spinach omelette have it by itself during the week or with oven baked mushrooms and beans for brunch on the weekend. Best Brunch Ever!

You Choose!

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
2 tsp. light soya sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. canola oil
1 cup baby spinach
1 tsp. fresh parsley, rough chop

Method:

In bowl whisk together eggs and soya sauce.
Heat wok or fry pan over a high heat until just about smoking, add sesame and canola oil.
Makes sure it cots the bottom of the pan.
Pour in beaten egg mix.
Roll your egg around the sides of the wok. *see pic below
Fold your omelette sides down, add baby spinach to one side, cook for 1 minute. using a large spoon or spatula flip half of the omelette over the spinach.
Cook for 2 minutes then serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Whisk together 3 eggs and 2 tsp light soya sauce.

Whisk togther 3 eggs and 2 tsp light soya sauce.

Heat wok or frypan over a high heat until nearly smoking add sesame and canola oil.

Make sure the oil has coat the bottom of the wok, pour in beaten egg.

Leave for 30 seconds.

Roll your wok or fry pan in a circle to spread the egg mixture.

Fold down the sides with a large spoon or spatula.

Add spinach to one side, cook for 1 minute.

Fold half omelette over the spinach and serve sprinkled with parsley.

Easy Salted Caramel

Posted on July 19, 2014 by soulfoodie92

Salted Caramel

This recipe for salted caramel only calls for 5 ingredients and is pretty easy to make. Great for sundaes, cupcake filling, milkshakes anything you can dream of you can use it in.

I made banana and salted caramel filo pastries finished with walnuts, mascarpone and a dusting of cinnamon.
Perfect for a late night sugar hit on a quiet Friday night.

Ingredients:

1 250 g can condense milk
5 tbsp. golden syrup
1 tsp. vanilla essence
50g butter, cubed
1 tsp flaky sea salt or 1/2 tsp table salt

Method:

In a small pot combine condense milk, golden syrup and vanilla. Heat over a low to medium heat until well combined, bring to a simmer constantly stirring to avoid burning.
After 2 minutes add cubed butter stir in until well combine, add salt and stir well.
Cook until the mixture thickens around 5-8 minutes, still stirring constantly.
You will know the caramel is done when it coats the back of a spoon and when you run your finger through doesn’t run. *see picture below.
Allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or eaten!

Makes: 1 cup salted caramel

Combine condensed milk, golden syrup and vanilla in a medium size pot.

Add cubed butter followed by salt, stir well to combine simmer for 5-8 minutes until thickened.

Once mixture is thick and coats the back of the spoon and doesn’t run like above your caramel is ready.

Cool and store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge.

Cool and store in a airtight container or jar in the fridge.

Family Recipe

Posted on July 10, 2014 by soulfoodie92

What to do when life gives you lots of lemons? Well dust of Granny Newell’s Lemon Honey recipe of course. Tangy sweet lemon honey is perfect spread on toast or crumpets, a tsp. in hot water on a cold winter day?

I layered hot pancakes with lemon honey and served them with unsweetened greek yogurt and almonds, it was utter bliss!

Lemon Honey

Ingredients:

4 lemons, zest and juice
100g unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 egg yolks

2x Small Sterilized Jars

Method:

In small pot combine finely grated lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter. Heat over a low heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved.
In a metal bowl whisk egg yolks, remove lemon mixture from heat and pour gently into the egg yolks whisking constantly.
Once well incorporated pour back into pot and heat on low.
Stirring constantly until mixture thickens, check picture below for consistency. (DO NOT BOIL)
Pour hot lemon honey into hot sterilized jars and seal with lid or preserve covers see steps below.
Once cool label and store in fridge.

Keeps for 1 month refrigerated