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Friday, March 29, 2013

Creamy mushroom sauce on Scotch Fillet

For the one who like red meat, nothing to say scoth fillet is one of the best part on the beef. The only thing is the cooking, don't over cook it!! If you like it over cook or 'well done' go for lamb! What I am showing you today isn't extraordinary, but it's quick to make (for a week night) and you will enjoy it so much more than a bowl of pasta!

I am so exited about Easter week end, it is the only time in the years when you can eat a lot (A LOT) of chocolate and no one will judge you! Which one are your favorite? I go for the braised almonds chocolate... Yumm! My favorite! I am going away for the week end but as soon as I come back, I show you a trick to present your desert in the best way. With a family secret inside!!




Ingredients
  • 2 Scotch fillets
  • Butter
  • Salt, Pepper, Italian Herbs
  • 150g fresh mushrooms
  • Salt, Pepper, Butter
  • Lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
  • Paprika (optional)
  • 100ml Thickened cream
  • Pasta or rice or healthy vegetables ;)

Directions
  1.  Cut the mushrooms and cook them in a little bit of butter, salt and pepper. Stir. After 5 to 10 minutes add the cream, lemon juice and paprika (optional).
  2. In a hot pan, add butter and throw it the scotch fillet. Add salt and pepper on it and cook both side 1 minute.

I wish you all a happy Easter
Xx

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Brioche Bun

Brioche are like an enriched bread; extra eggs, milk and butter. It is also a little sweet. Who doesn't like sweet? Those are a mix between brioche and bread. I like it because you can have it with the meal, for breakfast, snack... Brioche is one of my favorite bread and this recipe is the best I've tried.
Something that i terribly miss in Australia is going to the bakery close by and get fresh breads and pastry in the morning. That is the reason why i decided to start making my own. Also because it's delicious fresh baked! The secret for a good brioche is the butter, a good quality butter can make a bad brioche dough good.



  Ingredients
  • 500 g. flour  
  • 25 g. fresh yeast 
  • 6 eggs 
  • 250 g. butter, at room temperature 
  • 2 tsp. salt 
  • 70 g. sugar, depending on how sweet you like it 
  • 60 g. half-and-half, tepid 
  • 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash

 Directions
  1. In a bowl, mix the yeast with the half-and-half. Add sugar, flour and salt. Blend well. It will be dry! Then add the eggs. It should be very sticky. 
  2. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time and knead into the dough. You'll probably need some extra flour every now and again, and don't worry about adding too much! It may be dry, but the butter will absorb the flour as you knead. Knead until the dough is elastic. 
  3. Put dough back into bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled at room temperature. Then leave in fridge overnight, or at least for 12 hours. 
  4. Divide the dough into 20 balls of dough à 50 gram each. You have to shape the balls quickly, so the dough doesn't warm up. If it does though, just place it in the fridge for a few minutes and continue :) 
  5. Let rise for two hours. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Glaze with the egg wash. Make sure you only glaze a little; too much egg wash will hinder rising! Bake in oven for about 12 minutes, or until they're all golden and lovely! 

Monday, March 25, 2013

Cherry Almond Bars

These cherry bars were inspired from a few different images that i found on pinterest but the recipe i followed was originally made for berry bars. Because i had a can of cherry pie filling in my pantry, i thought i would try this way. No surprise, it's very good! Because it is not too soft you can easily pack it for lunch or dip it in a tea. I also decided to add almond powder to the recipe to keep it tasty.

Once you finished your preparation and are choosing which cake pan you will use, you can go for the classy cake pan and have a flat dessert that you will cut into squares. Or you can go for a long and high one (the one for banana bread) and then slice it: option that I chose.

If you serve it warm, you should definitly follow it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is just heaven!


Ingredients
  •  ½ cup unsalted butter, softened 
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1 ½ cup flour 
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder 
  • 3 eggs, beaten 
  • 1 can of cherry pie filling 
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder 
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla 
  • ½  cup almond powder
Directions
* I made about 12 slices  
  1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Speard butter on the bottom and flour. 
  2. Put soft butter into a bowl and beat it.  Add 1 cup sugar, 1 ½ cup of flour and baking powder to the butter.  Mix until fully combined: it can be hard at this moment, but no worries, the mix is going to be good. 
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla in the bowl and mix to combine fully.  Add in almond powder and mix. 
  4. Spoon 3/4 of the mixture in the bottom of the pan.  Place cherries and their juice on top of the mixture.  Add the mixture left over inbetween the cherries. 
  5. Place in the 200°C oven and bake until set (when toothpick removed is clean, and top has browned) about 30 minutes.  Do not over brown. 
  6. Allow to cool on a rack for 20 minutes.  Slice and serve.


Saturday, March 16, 2013

Ferrero Nutella cupcakes

 A cupcake is never too rich, it's just that after one of those you will skip the diner! Nutella and Ferrero goes so good together specially when you take it out of the oven. So, when are you baking them? Because if I didn"t convinced you, the pictures will!
 


Ingredients
Milk Chocolate cupcakes
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 250g milk chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • + Nutella (a small jar is enough)
  • + Ferrero rocher (around 10)


Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
  2. Softened butter and chocolate together and in the bowl mix it with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Add the flour and mix until just combined. 
  3. Put a paper in the muffins tray or butter it. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups 3/4 full.
  4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Don't overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.
  5. Cut out a small piece out of the top (Discard or eat the small pieces of cake!). Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon of Nutella. 
  6. Top off each cupcake with a Ferrero Rocher candy, slighting pressing into the Nutella so it stays put. Store in the fridge. It's delicious hot or cold!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

DIY Buffet

I am so happy to show you this buffet, that was the last bit of renovation in the kitchen, now we will just change the floor and that's it!!! We I spent so much time in this kitchen! The colors are grey, white and wood. I will soon show you the pictures of the all kitchen. What do you think about the buffet?

    • With this special undercoat (B.I.N.), no sanding :)
    • Two coats of white
    • Two coats of grey where you want it
    • Et decorate!


    Sunday, March 10, 2013

    DIY Kistchen Island


     I got this IKEA table for free from a garage sale. It was in a very bad shape: it stayed on a balcony for months under rain, wind... For a long time I have wanted a kitchen island and I just saw so much potential in this table. Not a bad idea! After sanding, staining, vanishing and painting... Add a wooden board and the feet (that you need to pain aswell).

    I also had some wood left over that I vanished and put on the table as a chopping board. Very usefull!

    TADAAA!! That's beautidull kitchen island is so helpfull: extra space to cook and stock ;)

      • Paint the legs
      • Sand the entire table first.
      • Stain and vanish the top
      • Add the board and feet


          Admire it!


          Thursday, March 7, 2013

          Boiled eggs

          Today i give you the ultimate cooking trick to make perfect boiled eggs but I also want to introduce you to the new rubric in my blog: Cooking trick. Tempting? A lot! I want to develop it a lot, use it inbetween two recipe, you know, when i take too long!


          Recipe
          Put your fresh eggs in a sauce pan filled up with cold water, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 pinch of salt. When the water start boilling, count 10 minutes. This recipe works every times and makes the eggs so easy to peel!

          Thanks so much for following me ;)

          Saturday, March 2, 2013

          Best Mac&Cheese EVER!

          Mac&Cheese is such an english countries dish. A basic one, but if you don't cook it properly it's terrible. The secret? Cook the pasta in milk, it's keep them together and soft. Just add gratted cheese + taste and you are done! That's perfect for a busy week night.


          Ingredients
          • 2 cups of milk
          • 2 cups of maccaronis
          • 1 cup of grated cheese
          • 1/2 tbs of Vegeta (optional) can use salt instead

          Directions
          1. Pour in a large sauce pan 2 cups of milk, the Vegeta or salt and 2 cup of maccaronis.
          2. Stir frequently. When all the milk desapeared, add the gratted cheese, stir, let it melt.
          3. Try before serving, make sure you don't put too much salt if using a tasty cheese.
          4. Scream "IT'S REEEEEADYYYYYY!!!"