Espresso coffee truffles

You will need:

1 cup heavy cream
100ml hot espresso coffee
200g extra dark chocolate (at least 80% cacao)
Sugar (optional)
Cocoa Powder, for coating
1 tablespoon rum

In a small saucepan slowly bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the coffee, sugar(if you are using) and chocolate. Stir with a whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and the chocolate has melted, now you can add rum. Pour the mixture into the parchment-lined pan, cover loosely and place in the fridge to firm for at least 2 hours.
Sift a little cocoa powder into a wide shallow bowl, set aside. To shape the truffles, use a small ice cream scoop or melon baller. Roll the truffle quickly in your hands to form a smooth ball. Drop the truffle into the cocoa, rolling it around, and then shake off any excess powder.
Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Remove from fridge at least 5 minutes before serving.

~bon appétit~





instagram flickr

Lavender panna cotta

250ml heavy cream
250ml full fat milk
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
1½ cups sugar
10g gelatin

Pour the ½ cup of cold milk into a small bowl and sprinkle the powdered gelatin over it. Set aside to soften.
Place the rest of the milk, heavy cream and lavender flowers into a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes (do not boil). Take the pan off from the heat and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Strain out the lavender. Remove from heat. Stir the gelatin into the very warm cream mixture. Whisk well until dissolved. Pour the mixture into 2 small dishes, and place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours before serving. For easy removal, place the chilled dishes in a shallow bowl of hot water for 2-3 seconds then flip the dessert onto a plate.



~bon appétit~

Plum and anise marmalade

Meringues with poppy seeds syrup

For meringues:
4 egg whites
200g sugar

For syrup:
50g poppy seeds
150g sugar
100ml water

Preheat the oven to 150 C, 130 C fan, 300 F. Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff with an electric mixer. Now add the sugar, a little at a time, whisking until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Using a little of the meringue mixture, stick baking parchment on to a clean baking sheet. When the timer goes off, switch the oven off and allow the meringues to cool down in there.

Now prepare your syrup.
Put water and sugar in a saucepan, stir until sugar is dissolved. Turn down the bottom after boiling syrup. Boil for 10 minutes. Add poppy seeds into the syrup. Remove syrup from heat, leave to cool.
When ready to serve carefully pour the syrup onto meringues.

Pumpkin Soup with toasted coconut and cinnamon

15oz can pumpkin
2 cups water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
ground pepper
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

Cut the top off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and strings, peel the shell, and dice the flesh.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook chopped pumpkin for 3 mins. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and boil the pumpkin for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Place coconut milk, honey, cinnamon, ground paper and soft pumpkin into a blender and process starting with low speed, gradually increasing to high speed. Blend well until reach and creamy.

Now just mix pumpkin soup with toasted coconut flakes and stir until combine. Pour into bowls and serve.
Enjoy the autumn!

Pecan & rum loaf cake with goat cheese frosting

For the cake:

½ stick unsalted butter (50g), softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
½ cup brawn sugar (optional)
4 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the goat cheese frosting:

150 g soft goat cheese
1 cup whipped cream
2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, chopped pecans, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add honey and beat well again.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium, add the rum, cream cheese, honey and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes.
Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan. Place a cake plate over the top of the pan and carefully flip it upside down. Cool cake completely.

To make goat cheese frosting:
Beat goat cheese, honey and whipped cream at medium speed with an electric mixer just until combine (about 30 seconds).
Put the cream on top of the cake and serve. Make sure that cream is sweet enough for you.
~bon appétit~

Warm coconut nutmeg pudding

Ingredients:

1 can full fat coconut milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 teaspoon Malibu rum


In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut milk, sugar(optional), cornstarch and vanilla extract, stirring to dissolve cornstarch. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick, about 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the nutmeg, honey and Malibu rum.
This recipe made enough for two of the small dessert dishes. Serve warm and enjoy!