Avocado Ice cream

After a short period of convincing Toni to get an ice cream machine, he finally agreed and got me a nice Cuisinart double bowl ice cream machine. Let's just say, we eat about 2 L of ice cream per week. Maybe lesser during the winter time, but it is definitely balanced during the summer time. So after a few tries, this is my favorite at the moment. Avocado ice cream! I wonder why this is not as exciting as strawberry ice cream to my EU friends. This is one of the most sought after ice cream in the Philippines. And I am just elated to have made such a thick, delicious, out-of-this-world creaminess!

I blended 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 ½ cup of whole milk until sugar is dissolved. To this I added 3 medium ripe avocados, a pinch of salt and 1 ½ tbsp of fresh lemon juice. I blended this until my blender is about to complain for its thickness. Then I added 1 and 1/4 cup of double cream, and blended it some more.

Freeze the mixture in the blender pitcher itself for about 1 hour. Then start pouring into the ice cream machine.

Five to ten minutes in the machine, gives you a gelato kind of ice cream, which to me, is just perfect. But if you want hard core ice cream, then freeze it for 2 more hours in the freezer or even overnight before serving.

No-bake Cookies and Cream cheesecake

One day, I suddenly had a craving for a certain flavor. Of course its sweet. I checked the pantry for any cookies and found nothing! So I asked Toni to grab some Domino cookies on his way home. As I waited, a recipe was forming in my mind and this is what I came up with:

 

 

I have not made anything like it, and only saw recipes online, after I have actually made it. I hope you will find this delicious. As good as I and my ever loyal fan, my daughter Ria.  :)

 

I started off by scraping the white cream from in between the chocolate cookie sandwiches until I got about 150 gms. (keep the creams) Finely crush the cookies and mix it together with about 70 gms of butter, melted.
Press the cookie crumb to large muffin pan lined with muffin paper. ( about 12 pieces)

Refrigerate the pans while you work on the fillings.

Chop the rest of the cookies (I got a box of 350gms-in the picture) together with the cream and scraped off ones. Don't crush, just coarsely chopped. Set aside.

In a small bowl (ramekin will be nice, something that can be boiled), pour in 1/4 cup of cold water and sprinkle 1 ½ tbsp. gelatine powder. Mix this and let it stand, until the granules become fat.

While you wait for the gelatine, mix together using an electric mixer,  1 pack (200gms) of mascarpone cheese and 1/4 cup of icing sugar. You can add some more sugar later if you think its not sweet enough.

Add to this, 1 small pack (150 ml) of whipping cream and 1 tsp. Vanilla.
 

Gently fold in the crushed cookies. And put the bowl inside the fridge while you work on the gelatine.

 

Put the ramekin with the fat gelatine in a small sauce pan and add enough water to reach the height of the gelatine. On medium heat, slowly stir the gelatine until the fat granules has liquefied but not boiling. 

Quickly fold the gelatine liquid to the cream mixture and pour it on top of the crust on your muffin pans. You can fill up the muffin cups as much as you want, since it will not rise to over flow.

Refrigerate the pans for at least 4 hours before serving. Enjoy!!!

Cherry Blueberry Strudel

I promised you the Strudel, and here it is. 

From wikipedia:

A strudel (/ˈstruːdəl/, German: [ˈʃtʁuːdəl]) is a type of layered pastry with a— most often sweet—filling. It is often served with cream. It became popular in the 18th century through the Habsburg Empire. Strudel is most often associated with Austrian cuisine but is also a traditional pastry in the whole area of the former Austro-Hungarian empire.

1. Fillo pastry is the nearest, easiest and fastest pastry to use for this recipe. You can find them in the freezers of grocery stores. I got a 12 sheet pack.

2. You need about ½ stick (113 gms) of melted unsalted butter. Use first 3 sheets of fillo pastry, brushing it with butter before laying the each sheet with at least 1 inch indentation. Please see pic 1.1

 

Pic. 1.1:

 

 

3. Spread about ½ cup of the blueberry and cherry filling (Recipe here). See pic 1.2

Pic. 1.2:

4. Roll the pastry, sealing the ends. Set aside.
5. Repeat with the next 3 sheets of fillo pastry and add a sprinkle of chopped nuts. Around 40 to 50 gms. I used pecan nuts here.

6. Lay the first pastry roll on the second, and roll it. See pic. 1.3

 Pic. 1.3:

7. Bake the strudels in 200 degs C for 20 to 25 mins. or until golden brown.

8. Let it rest for 30 mins. before serving. Sprinkle icing sugar and serve with either vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Syllabub

Found this from my old blog site, and thought you might wanna try.

Inspired by Nigellas Syllabub, I tried making the same with the liqueur I could find in my alc. cabinet. I found a cranberry and cherry liqueurs. And it was a huge success! So here it goes. I hope you enjoy this too.

1. Juice 1 lemon and strain the pulps and seeds, place the juice in the mixing bowl and add
3/4 cups of sugar.

2. Whisk in a 250 ml tub of Mascarpone cheese.

3. Add 1/4 cup (well... go nuts!) of cranberry or cherry liqueur and a 250 ml whipping cream. Continue to whisk until thick. Set aside.

 

5. Arrange 6 pcs. of dessert glasses. Crumble about 1 pc. of a vanilla biscuit to the bottom of each glass. Digestive will also do.

 

6. Layer it with the cream mixture about 1/2 inch thick.

7. Add a layer of raspberry sauce.

I used a small bag of frozen raspberry (if using fresh, you need about 1 ½ cups) run it in a food processor with about 1/4 cup sugar. Strain to get rid of the seeds. 

 

8. Add a thin layer of crumbled biscuit and almond flakes. (for texture)

9. Add another layer of cream.

10. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. Preparing this a day before, works well.

 

11. Top with some cherries and some more almond flakes. Enjoy!!

 

 

Mississipi Mud pie

Mississipi Mud Pie (taken from Everyday Chocolate - A collection of essential recipes)

To make the pastry:
1. Sift 225 gms of plain flour and 2 tbsp. each of cocoa powder and caster sugar.
2. Rub in 150 gms. of cold butter (cut into small cubes) with fingers until the mixture is more like bread crumbs.
3. Incorporate this together using 2 tbsp. cold water until it becomes one ball of pastry. Wrap this in cling film and let rest in the fridge for about 15 mins.
4. When ready, roll the down to a 9 inch pastry dish. Use your baking beans placed in a baking paper to weigh down the pastry and bake in pre heated oven at 190 degs C, for about 15 mins.
5. Take out the baking beans and bake the pastry for a further 10 mins.
6. Melt on a double boiler, 150 gms. of 70% cocoa baking chocolate bar.
7. While you wait, beat with electric mixer, 175 gms of soft butter and 300 gms of brown sugar.
8. Gradually add 4 eggs (slightly beaten) and 2 tbsp. cocoa powder.
9. Add the melted chocolate to the mixture. Then add 300 ml of cold single cream.
10. Lastly, add 1 tsp. of vanilla essence.
11. Pour the mixture into the pastry, lower down the oven temp to 160 degs C then bake the pie for another 45 mins.

Note: The mixture will start to melt. Don't be alarmed. It will set right back.

12. When done, let the pie cool completely before transfering to a serving dish. Cover with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate flakes or curls. Chill, then serve.

Pecan Brownie

Another craving, satisfied!
 This one is from Hersheys Kitchen.

1. Heat oven to 175 degs C. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Stir together 1 stick melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in bowl. Add 2 large eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together ½ cup flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in ½ cup chopped pecan nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare frosting; spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.
   
   
   FROSTING
   
   3 tablespoons butter, softened
   3 tablespoons Cocoa powder
   1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   1 cup powdered sugar
   1 to 2 tablespoons milk
   
   Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk;
   beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

This is just absolutely delicious! Enjoy...

SansRival

Craving for this for a long time now, until Mama Bear Antunes brought a similar dish to our 'Ladies Birthday Celebrants Only' dinner. Checked a lot of different recipes, and thought I'd wing it.  :P)

 

Sans Rival

Make a Meringue:
5 egg whites
3 tbsp. caster sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar.

Spread out flat on a greased baking paper lined oven tray. Bake in 150 degs C for 45 mins. Don't burn. Cool.

Dough: Beat in mixer (high)
5 egg yolks
4 tbsp sugar
(until fluffy)
Slowly add 60 ml veggie oil
add 1/4 to ½ cup buttermilk (or plain yougurt)
1 tsp. Vanilla flavouring
add ½ cup sifted cake flour.
Chopped almond is optional. (1/4 cup)

Put in another oven tray (same size of what was used in egg whites), lined with greased baking paper.

Bake in 185 degs C for 20 mins.
While cooling: Make the buttercream
* Beat 500 gms. room temp butter
* Add in batches : 1½ to 2 cups of icing sugar. (according to your taste)
* Alternating the icing sugar with 250 ml of warm whipping cream. (double cream)

* Add 1 tsp. Vanilla flavouring.
 Don't make this super sweet.

Layering:
1. Cut meringue and cake dough into 3, lengthwise.
2. First layer: cake dough
3. 2nd layer: thin spread of buttercream
4. 3rd layer: Meringue
5. 4th layer: thin spread of buttercream
6. 5th layer: sliced almonds (chips) You can use chopped almonds if thats whats available.
7. Reapeat the layers until all the meringue and cake dough are used.
8. Cover the sides with the rest of the buttercream.
9. Then sprinkle the rest of your almonds on the sides.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

My beautiful ladies! Thank you so much for tolerating my mischievous ways... Love you.