Playdough recipe

It's that kind of day..... slightly cool, drizzly and all cozy feeling. Feels like a good day for play dough.

All you need is standard pantry supplies and a few minutes and the kids are away creating all sorts of creatures and play food.

Here's the recipe I've always used - the cooked method.

Add to saucepan:
1 cup white plain flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup cold water
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tablespoon oil
food colouring of your choice

*I also added some strawberry essence to the pink and peppermint essence to the green

Cook on med-high heat and stir stir stir until it begins to bind together.
Keep stirring till it's all in one big clump. That's it you're done.
When the kids have had enough you can be store this in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of months.

Who wants flat cake?

Who wants flat cake?.........I do! I want a flat cake!!!

It may sound strange and a waste of time to some, but for me baking my kids birthday cakes 3 a year,  year after year cutting the round top off my domed cakes to make them flat I wondered if the old wives tale I heard years ago actually worked???

Those old wives say to wet a tea towel, wrap it around the cake tin and secure it with a safety pin! 

Well finally I remembered in time, before popping it in the oven, to give it a go.
I couldn't believe it actually works!! The top did not rise a bit and was perfectly flat Yippee!!! No more *ahem crooked trimming for my kids birthday cakes and I can move straight on to decorating.

My only tip is to use an old tea towel and to find your longest one as several of mine were too short.
All you home bakers out there have got to give this a go, and let me know how you go.....

Cinnamon & Apple Scrolls

Here's a yummy scrummy in your tummy recipe for fluffy apple and cinnamon scrolls...
I used a thermomix recipe which can be found here.

APPLE AND CINNAMON SCROLLS (Recipe for no Thermomix)

Ingredients

100g castor sugar 

330g warm milk

2tsp dry yeast

80g softened butter

650g bakers flour

1tsp salt

1 egg

Cinnamon apple sprinkle

2/3 cup brown sugar (can use more if desired)

2 tsps of cinnamon (can use more if desired)

1 apple grated or finely chopped

Method

Place sugar, yeast and warm milk (I heat up in microwave for 1 min) in jug, stir then let sit for 10 mins in a warm area until frothy.

Place yeast mixture, butter, flour, salt and egg in TM bowl.  Mix well to combine. Knead for 10 mins.

Remove dough and let it rise for 60 minutes in bowl covered with clean tea towel, in a warm spot.

After dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and divide into two.

Take one portion and roll it into a rectangular shape of 3mm thick.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup of brown sugar evenly over the dough (but leaving 1 to 2cm at the top of one long edge).  Sprinkle 1tsp cinnamon over the dough, then apple. 

Starting from one long edge roll the dough tightly to the other edge.  Press the dough together at the end to make sure it doesn't unravel.

With a sharp knife cut the dough on the cross section into 2 to 3cm scolls (depending on how fat you want your buns!)  Repeat with remaining portion of dough.

Place the scrolls spaced evenly apart into lined cake tins / oven trays 

Let rise again for 30 to 60 minutes to let them double in size.  You can leave them to prove longer than this if you have the time (it will make them fluffier!).  Bake in a hot oven at 200C for approximately 20 minutes until they are golden brown and delicious!

It's quite sad when a recipe takes half and day and then you over cook your second batch!!!

The Ultimate Chewy Choc Chip Biscuit

Serious Choc Chip Biscuit talk here!!!

So many people have a very set view on the perfect choc chip biscuit.....
My preference is definitely a crunchy outer with a perfectly chewy centre mmmmm

So I have finally discovered the key to the perfect way of cooking my all time favourite biscuit with a chewy centre!!!

Perfectly Chewy Choc Chip Biscuits

125g butter
110g white sugar
110g brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
260g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
180g chocolate chips

Place butter, sugars and vanilla into TM bowl.  
Cream together for 1 minute on speed 3-4.  
With TM still running, add egg through hole in the lid and continue on speed 3-4 for 30 seconds.
Add flour and salt & knead on interval speed for 30 seconds.
Add chic chips & stir through with a spatula.
Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture and place on trays, flattening the top slightly. 
Leave room for spreading.  Bake in moderate oven for 10-15 minutes. 
Here's the key: After 10 minutes of baking give them a whack with a spatula then return back to the oven for the last 5 mins.  

Ok this sounds a bit strange but trust me it really works!!!
You know you want to give this a try!

For the love of eggs

We're in egg overload here!!!
When the chooks are laying they're laying well!!

Eggs of all shapes; sizes; colours.

It's definitely time to try those recipes with 6-12 eggs that I usually skim over ....

Time to get baking xxxx

Thermomix - Tomato Paste

Just another reason why I LOVE my Thermomix. We have a bountiful crop of Tomatoes at the moment. We usually bottle Tomato relish or freeze Tomato sauce for pastas.

This crop I was looking to do something different so I stumbled across this recipe for Tomato Paste from the Recipe Community found here, it is seriously soo easy to do whether you have a Thermomix or not.

I put the whole harvest which was about 1.2kg in the Thermomix bowl - I squished the lid on and chopped for 10-30 seconds on speed 6.
(If you have more tomatoes than this it's a good idea to chop them in batches so you don't overload your precious Thermomix)

Add 1 tbspn sugar, 1 tbspn cold pressed olive oil, 2 bay leaves, whatever herbs you have on hand (I popped in a handful of parsley and basil) and 1 tspn rock salt

Cook for 40 mins on speed 1 Varoma temp

When finished turn the speed up slowly to 6 then work your way up to 9 for 1 minute

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat cooking for 40 mins on speed 1 Varoma temp

When finished turn the speed up slowly to 6 then work your way up to 9 for 1 minute
 -Repeat the cooking and blitzing process until you have the desired consistency.

I found just 2 lots of cooking was plenty and had a gorgeous thick tomato paste by the end. 1.2 kg of tomatoes turned out to be 1 1/2 ice cube trays!

Pop into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen keep in a snap lock bag in the freezer. I find for a standard recipe 2 of these cubes is the perfect amount.

I use tomato paste quite a lot and this is really worth the effort, you know exactly what is in it and it will make you smile every time you cook with it!

*Just a warning the smell is hypnotic & your nostrils will be incredibly happy. You may just stand over the Thermomix for the 40 minutes waving the smell your way!!!!

Bacon & Cheese Rolls - Thermomix recipe

Yesterday was the most perfect blue skied day. I decided to make the most of the warm sun and bake some fresh Bacon & Cheese Rolls which are perfect for filling those hungry little tummies. 
Using the Thermomix makes this process so quick & easy with so much less mess.


Here's my recipe for Bacon & Cheese Rolls.

8g sachet dry yeast 
2 tsp caster sugar
280g warm water
480g bread flour 
1 tsp sea salt
1 tblsp good olive oil
200g rindless bacon finely chopped
1 1/3 cups grated tasty cheese
1 egg lightly beaten


Place yeast, sugar and warm water into TM jug, mix 20 secs - speed 4. Stand in a warm place for 10 mins, or until frothy on top.

Place jug back in TM, then add salt, flour and oil, and mix 5 secs - speed 7 to combine.
Set dial to closed lid position, and set for 1 minute 30 secs on interval speed.

Place in a large, lightly greased bowl, cover with clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. (I placed mine on top of the kids slide - whatever works! ;) ).

Using your fist, punch dough down. Knead until smooth (this is where my heart swoons I love kneading after the first rise :D)

Grease two large baking trays (I used olive oil spray makes the base nice & crunchy). Divide dough into 8 even portions. Roll each portion into a 10cm x 12cm oval shape. Place ovals, 5cm apart on a prepared trays.

Cover with clean tea towel & set aside in a warm place for 30-40 minutes or until dough has almost doubled in size. (On top of the boat this time - chasing the sun!)

Pre-heat oven 200c normal, or 180c fan force (preferred). Once ovals have risen, brush with whisked egg, and sprinkle with the cheese then bacon pieces.


I finely diced cheese and bacon in the Thermomix first.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!!!