For a long time I have been meaning to make alfajores http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfajor, a traditional biscuit from South America. So I attempted them today. The end result is that they taste great, although I have no idea if they taste like the ones you might find in Argentina. But unfortunately they look a little worse-for-wear should I say. Next time I will need to roll the pastry a bit thinner, and probably make the caramel more thicker. And because they don't look great I haven't taken a photo. I will make them again some day, and hopefully I will master the aesthetic of the biscuit and post a scrumptious looking recipe.
In the post-mortem, as I was scouring youtube for tips on how to make alfajores I got, lets say, side-tracked, and found this video. I had to post it because alfajores don't belong in Adelaide and Penguins don't belong in Japan.
26 October 2008
25 October 2008
Viewing the subject from a different angle
I just stumbled across this blogspot and had to share it:
http://pictures-from-the-sky.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
http://pictures-from-the-sky.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
20 October 2008
Cinnamon meringues
I don't seem to be coping well with working this time round... coupled with an unusually busy social life at the moment, I don't seem to have any time for myself. And of course what is suffering is the number of opportunities to get into the kitchen.
Tonight I got home from work, completely exhausted after a fitful night's sleep and decided that I had neglected my Kitchen Aid for too long, and that I should take some of my own advice and 'just get on with it'.
So I found a meringue recipe for no reason other than I wanted to test out how the Kitchen Aid handled the egg whites and sugar!
The actual recipe is for cinnamon meringues with orange curd cream, but I am only posting the meringue portion (unless someone specifically requests the whole recipe), because I really am too tired to type it all out, and I won't be making the rest of it myself tonight. The recipe has been ripped out of a Home Beautiful magazine.
3 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 100C. Place six large muffin paper cases onto an oven tray, but flatten them out slightly.
Place the ingredients into the mixer bowl and beat for 12-15 mins until thick.
Now, after I did this I suddenly thought 'this is not going to work'. I mean, since when does one make a meringue and just chuck the sugar in with the eggs? All the recipes always instruct to 'gradually add'. Anyway I thought, too late now and I turned the mixer on and just left it running for 12 mins. I kid you not - I didn't even check and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
The result is that I actually got a great meringue mixture:
It is baking as I type, but to finish off the recipe...
Place the mixture into a piping bag with a 1cm plain tube (although I used the star). Start from the centre and pipe a spiral almost to the edges of the cases. Pipe around top edge to form a nest. Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. Allow to cool in oven with door ajar.
Tomorrow night I might whip some cream and dollop it onto the meringues, add some fruit and have myself a mini pavlova for dessert.
Enjoy!
Tonight I got home from work, completely exhausted after a fitful night's sleep and decided that I had neglected my Kitchen Aid for too long, and that I should take some of my own advice and 'just get on with it'.
So I found a meringue recipe for no reason other than I wanted to test out how the Kitchen Aid handled the egg whites and sugar!
The actual recipe is for cinnamon meringues with orange curd cream, but I am only posting the meringue portion (unless someone specifically requests the whole recipe), because I really am too tired to type it all out, and I won't be making the rest of it myself tonight. The recipe has been ripped out of a Home Beautiful magazine.
3 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 100C. Place six large muffin paper cases onto an oven tray, but flatten them out slightly.
Place the ingredients into the mixer bowl and beat for 12-15 mins until thick.
Now, after I did this I suddenly thought 'this is not going to work'. I mean, since when does one make a meringue and just chuck the sugar in with the eggs? All the recipes always instruct to 'gradually add'. Anyway I thought, too late now and I turned the mixer on and just left it running for 12 mins. I kid you not - I didn't even check and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
The result is that I actually got a great meringue mixture:
It is baking as I type, but to finish off the recipe...
Place the mixture into a piping bag with a 1cm plain tube (although I used the star). Start from the centre and pipe a spiral almost to the edges of the cases. Pipe around top edge to form a nest. Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. Allow to cool in oven with door ajar.
Tomorrow night I might whip some cream and dollop it onto the meringues, add some fruit and have myself a mini pavlova for dessert.
Enjoy!
06 October 2008
Fran and Suzanne's wedding
The October long weekend saw a contingent of Italians head towards the Riverland for my cousin Francesco's wedding. It was a fantastic wedding and the happy couple were blessed with perfect weather for the occasion. The two families merged in Renmark where the Bride's parents live, and where they hosted the reception.
I have seen Francesco grow into a wonderful young man, and he has clearly met his perfect match with Suzanne. They are just beautiful together. I wish the couple a lifetime of happiness from the bottom of my heart.
The gorgeous bride:
Done and dusted:
The groom's parents:
The bridal party:
The view from the Bride's parents property where the reception was held:
The next day we went on Roseanne's houseboat for a cruise along the Murray. I should travel more in SA because I saw some of the most beautiful scenery along the way:
And a special mention to my cousin Nina and her husband Sam who came all the way from Gosford for the weekend. Grazia (left) and Roseanne (poking her head in behind Sam) are staying on the boat for the week, enjoying what the river has to offer.
I have seen Francesco grow into a wonderful young man, and he has clearly met his perfect match with Suzanne. They are just beautiful together. I wish the couple a lifetime of happiness from the bottom of my heart.
The gorgeous bride:
Done and dusted:
The groom's parents:
The bridal party:
The view from the Bride's parents property where the reception was held:
The next day we went on Roseanne's houseboat for a cruise along the Murray. I should travel more in SA because I saw some of the most beautiful scenery along the way:
And a special mention to my cousin Nina and her husband Sam who came all the way from Gosford for the weekend. Grazia (left) and Roseanne (poking her head in behind Sam) are staying on the boat for the week, enjoying what the river has to offer.
02 October 2008
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