New Cafe

I heard about a new cafe that has opened not far from my house.  So today I'm going to find out where it is and try it out.  I've always hoped to have a really nice local cafe to go to - this just might be it.

I'll keep you posted

Caramel Butter Cake

Didn't know what to expect with a butter cake and wasn't actually expecting much.  But with this one I've been pleasantly surprised.  First off, it was super easy to make.  Took about half an hour (maybe even less). Second, it is delicious.

I made this cake while Jen had Portia over for a play so I was making the Caramel Icing and cooking it on the stove when yelling erupts in the lounge.  I leave my icing (thinking I'll only be a second) and I end up laying on the couch being patient for Jen who was the Nurse and Portia who was the Doctor.  Anyway my icing burnt because I forgot all about it.  But I actually didn't mind.  I had tasted the icing just before burning it and didn't like it because it was soooooo ridiculously sweet.  I really didn't enjoy it at all.  So much sugar and just not nice.

Anyway I did plan to give the icing another go later but Jen spied the cake and wanted a slice and I gave in.  Then Jase and I also had a bit and I loved it just as it was.  No icing required.  Nice with a bit of cream and a cup of coffee.

The only thing I might do differently next time round is to try it with some chopped walnuts in it.  Just for a bit of texture - oh listen to me sounding all so cheffy.

Ingredients
125g butter, softened
1tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (220g) brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbs golden syrup
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1/5 cup (75g) SR Flour
1 tsp ground cinamon
1/2 cup (125ml) milk

Caramel Icing
1 cup (220g) brown sugar
60g butter
2 tbs milk
3/4 cup (120g) icing sugar
2 tsp milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease deep 20 cm round cake pan and line with baking paper.
Beat butter, extract and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time; beat in golden syrup.  Transfer mixture to large bown; fold in sifted dry ingredients and milk.  Pour mixture into pan.
Bake cake for about 50 minutes.  Stand cake in pan 5 minutes, turn, top-side up onto wire rack to cool.
Make caramel icing.

Caramel Icing
Stir sugar, butter and milk in small saucepan over heat without boiling until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 3 minutes without stirring.  Remove from heat; stir in sifted icing sugar.  Stir in extra milk.

Lemon & Lime White Chocolate Mud Cake

I chose this one out of the Women's Weekly Bake cookbook.  I'm not much of a cake baker but thought this one sounded nice.  I've also never made a white chocolate mud cake so a good one to try out.

Really easy to make.  Didn't take long, especially with my little helper.

Ingredients

250g butter, chopped
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp grated lime rind
180g white chocolate
1 1/2 cups castor sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
2 eggs

Coconut Ganache
140ml coconut cream
360gm white chocolate
1tsp grated lemon rind
1tsp grated lime rind

Method
Preheat oven to 150 degrees (fan forced).  Grease deep 20cm round cake pan and line base with baking paper.
Stir butter, rinds, chocolate, sugar and milk in medium saucepan over low heat until smooth.  Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 15 minutes.
Stir sifted flours and eggs into mixture; pour into pan.

Bake cake for 1 hour and 40 minutes.  Cool cake in pan.
Meanwhile make ganache.
Turn cake, top-side up, onto serving plate; spread ganache over cake and serve.

Coconut Ganache
Bring coconut cream to the boil then remove from heat.  Add chocolate and rind to the pan and stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to ice cake.

Tasted delicious.  Would make again

Pork meatballs with hokkien noodles in a hot and sour broth

Ingredients

500g pork mince
2tsp cornflour
1cm piece fresh ginger
1 garlic clove
1 egg
1tsp coriander stalks
2-3 shallots
1 red birds eye chilli
dash fish sauce

1 litre chicken stock

1tbs oyster sauce

1 star anise

1 garlic clove

2 shallots

1/4 cup light soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

Zucchini, finely sliced

Hokkien noodles

Thai basil leaves

Coriander

Method

Place pork, ginger, garlic, egg, coriander stalks, shallots, chilli and fish sauce into a food processor and blitz until all combined.

Place in the fridge to cool and firm up.  Once firm, roll into balls and place back into the fridge until ready to cook.

Combine stock, oyster sauce, star anise, garlic and shallots and cook over high heat to reduce down.

In a seperate pan, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt and white pepper.  Bring to the boil and then add to you stock mixture.  You may not need to add all so add to taste.

Cook meatballs in peanut oil.

Prepare Hokkien noodles as per packet instructions.

Place noodles in bowls, place meatballs on top of noodles and then pour in your broth.  Add sliced zucchini, basil leaves and coriander as garnish and serve. 

Red wine

Red wine is a big weakness of mine.  I just love to enjoy a glass at the end of a busy day.  My favourite blend is a shiraz grenache.  I'm not a wine connoisseur so I'm not sure what it is about the blend but I just love it.  Can't go wrong I say.

Anyway I'm always trying to find new wines and this week I came across a WA wine called 'Red Right Hand'.  It's from Vinaceous winery in Margaret River.  I haven't been to the winery before but will definitely be stopping by next time I'm down there.

Really enjoyed this wine.  It cost about $24 from 1st Choice Liquor.  I'll be buying it again 

Sri Lankan Fish Cutlets

One of my earliest food memories is of eating Sri Lankan fish cutlets when I was a kid.  My family had Sri Lankan friends and I remember going there all the time and the smell of the spices and the food which took over their house was amazing.  It's something I will never forget.  Anyway apart from the amazing smell, I remember the fish cutlets and it is something that I think about often.

Finally I decided that I had to try and make them so I searched the net and found a couple of recipes that I like the sound of and I ended up blending the two.  The result - amazing fish cutlets.  Oh I'm a happy lady.

I could go for having more chili in them but the way I made them was probably good for anyone to eat - perhaps even my little 3 year old.  I'll give her one tomorrow and see what she thinks.

Sri Lankan Fish Cutlets

Ingredients:

1 large tin Tuna (or salmon)

2 medium size potatoes (boiled)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 green chili, finely chopped

2tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 sprig curry leaves 

1/2 tsp turmeric

1tsp curry powder

1 lime

breadcrumbs

2 eggs, whisked

Method:

Peel, boil and mash potatoes and set aside.

Heat pan with a little peanut oil and quickly fry the mustard, fennel, cumin seeds and curry leaves until the mustard seeds start popping and the .  Remove from the pan and grind up in mortar and pestle.

Heat about 2tbs peanut oil in the pan and add onion, chili and garlic until soft.  Season with some salt and pepper.

Add spices to the pan along with the drained tuna, turmeric powder, curry powder, the juice from 1 lime and the mashed potato.  Combine well and set aside to cool.

Roll mixture into small balls (bit smaller than a golf ball), make sure they are rolled smoothly as if there are any cracks, they will split apart in the deep fryer.

Coat with the whisked egg and cover in the breadcrumbs before putting into the deep fryer at about 170*C until golden

Choc chip, Date and Oat Slice

I absolutely love this recipe.  My waist line on the other hand isn't such a fan.  I make this one with my daughter as the recipe doesn't require any electric beating or stove top cooking so it's super easy, thrown all the ingredients in and stir until combine.  Easy Peasy and the result is an amazing homemade slice or if you want, muesli bar.

Ingredients:

Melted butter to grease
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup dates (or any dried fruit of your choice)
1/2 cup choc bits
12g butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, lightly whisked

Method:

Preheat over to 180 degrees. Grease 17x27cm slab pan with melted butter to lightly grease.  Line with backing paper.
Sift the combined flours into a bowl.  Add the oats, coconut, sugar, dates and choc bits and stir to combine.
Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter and egg.
Use a wooden spoon to stire until well combined.
Spoon mixture into prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
Bake in preheated over for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
Cut and serve or keep in air tight container.