threelilprincesses.com

Tag: dessert

  • Aussie Giveaway Linkup #107: Chocolate Winterfest

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup #107: Chocolate Winterfest

    Skyping

    There is plenty to do a happy dance about this week. Our wins were:

    • Julian and I were selected (ah… roped into) a celebrity chocolate mousse eating competition. You’ll see us there at Latrobe tomorrow (Sunday). The idea is we’ll feed each other chocolate mousse – while blindfolded. I do love my chocolate, but this is probably taking it a tad too far. It starts at 10.40am if you happen to be in Latrobe, I’d love you to come and say hi. And maybe cheer us on!
    • Ella had her school report come back this week. It showed she’s super smart, super creative… but not an athlete. Takes after her mother.
    • It’s the Bloke in the Shed’s birthday this coming week. We sent him off to Melbourne on Thursday to watch the Collingwood versus Carlton game at the MCG last night. The girls missed him so much, when they Skyped him Holly asked for cuddles and kisses. It’s fair to say my computer is just not the same anymore.

    What were your highlights?

    Now, onto some real wins…

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

    If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:
    1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.
    2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.
    3. Grab the button below to add to your post.
    4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
    5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.


    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses



  • My Tasmanian Backyard: Devonport Food and Wine Festival 2012

    My Tasmanian Backyard: Devonport Food and Wine Festival 2012

    Tasmania is nearly half way through the Devonport Food and Wine Festival 2012 and I think I’ve already experienced the two highlights (and gained a sizeable belly from it).

    Friday night was the Taste the Harvest Celebration Dinner – a five-course degustation dinner, with Melbourne’s Pure South chef Dwayne Bourke. It was led by a Melbourne restaurant that champions Tasmanian produce. The owners even get their gummies on and tread the paddocks where the produce comes from. There’s nothing qute like getting a bit of cow excrement on your boots.

    Pure South sources the main ingredient for its dishes from Tassie, including Petuna seafood and Mount Gnomon Farm’s free range Wessex Saddleback pork. Then add a splash of Barringwood Park and Ghost Rock wines. Yummo. If you live in Melbourne, seriously, make a special date and go. The food was sublime.

    Devonport Food and Wine Festival Taste the Harvest dinner

    Apologies for the quality of the photo. You’ll need to click on it to see a bigger version.

    Devonport Food and Wine Festival Taste the Harvest Dinner Petuna Ocean Trout

    Here’s the recipe for the above dish from Petuna Seafoods:

    Petuna Seafood recipe

    Again, click for a bigger version.

    And apologies, but I kept forgetting to take photographs of all the dishes. I’d only remember when I’d finished eating. I didn’t think you’d care for an empty plate.

    The dinner was followed by yesterday’s Taste the Harvest Festival on the Mersey Foreshore. The question is, what didn’t I have? After sushi was a Moroccan chicken burger, a taste of the girls’ Ashgrove ice cream and finally this:

    Pardon My French Taste the Harvest Festival

    The Pardon My French dessert tasting box – minus the vanilla slice because I ate that before remembering to photograph it. I would make a hopeless food photographer.

    I’m ashamed to say I ate 90% of it myself. I didn’t feel much like dinner last night. I swore The Bloke in The Shed was going to make me sit at the dinner table until I’d finished all my veggies. Or put it in the fridge and make me eat it for breakfast this morning.

    If you’re planning on heading to Tasmania, make sure you make it for the Taste the Harvest Festival next March. This year it had more than 50 food, wine and beer businesses showcasing local produce, interactive agricultural marquees with cooking demonstrations, live music, roving performances and a dedicated children’s area. Although, I swear Li’l Holly’s been having nightmares since about the puppet show.

    And make sure you tell me if you’re heading this way. We’ll share a Barringwood Park or Ghost Rock vino!

    Some other highlights for the rest of the Devonport Food and Wine Festival (sorry, but my tired fingers couldn’t type out the entire program):

    Tomorrow: Cooking for Families on a Budget – Nigel Squibb, The Zone

    March 14: Cooking with Primary Schools, Country Women’s Association

    March 15: Mediterranean Night, Bella’s Restaurant

    March 16: Cherry Tapas, The Cherry Shed

    March 17: Forth Valley Blues Festival.

    March 18: Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting, Ghost Rock Vineyard + A Taste of Life, Barringwood Park Vineyard

    March 19: Taste of India, Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant

    March 20: Chocolate Masterclass, Anvers

    March 21: Thermomix Cooking Class, with Deidre Triffitt, Girl Guides Hall

    March 22: 100 Mile Dinner, Drysdale Restaurant Devonport

    March 23: Sweet Treats, from The Edgewater, Roundhouse Park

    March 24: Hop Picking, Seven Sheds Brewery + How to Cater for a Dinner Party, 5 courses with Ben Burgess, Tranquilles Bed and Breakfast, Cafe and Gallery

    March 25: Australianising the American Plate, with Sally James, Waterfront Function Centre + Devonport Motor Show

    March 26: Traditional Chinese Cooking, with Anthony Kwong, Reece High School

    March 27: Heaven’s Kitchen, Gateway Church

    March 28: My Favourite Secrets Revealed, with Nigel Squibb, Reece High School

    March 29: Cocktails and Jazz, Laneway

    March 30: Thai Tasters, Thai Imperial Courthouse

    March 31: The Finale Dinner, Waterfront Function Centre.

    Learn more about the full program via http://www.facebook.com/devonportfoodandwinefestival and Taste the Harvest at http://www.tastetheharvest.org.au/

    What’s been your best foodie experience?

    Read more about Tasmania in the My Tasmanian Backyard series.

  • Chewy chocolate mousse surprise with #AllBran Fibre Toppers

    Chewy chocolate mousse surprise with #AllBran Fibre Toppers

    Kelloggs All Bran Fibre Toppers

    Just like some people are folders and some are scrunchers (we’re talking fibre, right?), others like foods that are chewy and others like crunch. Maybe the real beauty of Kelloggs’ newly released All Bran Fibre Toppers is that it’s pretty versatile in its ability to provide recipes that are sweet, savoury, crunchy or chewy.

    So, since we’ve covered savoury and crunchy, my second attempt at what I’m calling the All Bran Mystery Box Challenge is to create something that’s sweet and chewy.

    We’re again pulling out the Tasmanian foods as part of our new Tasmanian food series (inspired by Kelloggs itself) and have created a Chewy Chocolate Mousse Surprise. The chewiness comes from the addition of a cup of Kelloggs All Bran Fibre Toppers (providing 66% of your daily fibre requirements) and the surprise is in one cup of juicy craisins. There’s also the little addition of Fibre Toppers sprinkled atop the decadence.

    While there are a few ingredients in here likely to rule me out of the trip to BlogHer in New York as part of the Kelloggs cooking competition – the brief was for “healthy’’ recipes – this still at least shows you what’s possible. Plus we all need a “well rounded’’ diet, right? Right?

    Chewy chocolate mousse surprise with #AllBran Fibre Toppers

    Kelloggs All Bran Fibre Toppers

    Ingredients:

    300g Cadbury cooking chocolate (dark chocolate is the healthier option, lowering blood pressure and fighting disease), broken into pieces

    3 eggs

    1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar

    1 tbs good-quality cocoa powder, sifted

    1 cups of Kelloggs All Bran Fibre Toppers

    1 cup of craisins (original flavour)

    300ml thickened cream

    Extra whipped cream, All Bran Fibre Toppers and craisins to serve

    Method:

    Place the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water making sure the bowl isn’t touching the water. Stir as it is melting, it won’t take long. Set aside to cool.

    Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5 minutes or until mixture is pale and a thick volume. Fold in cooled chocolate and cocoa powder until combined.

    In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (be careful not to overdo it).

    Sprinkle in the All Bran Fibre Toppers and craisins into the chocolate mixture. Don’t mix in just yet.

    Use a large metal spoon to carefully fold the cream into the chocolate, All Bran Fibre Toppers and Craisins mixture now, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible.

    Spoon into six glasses and chill in fridge for at least one hour. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving, then top with extra whipped cream, All Bran Fibre Toppers and craisins.

    Do you like crunchy or chewy foods?

  • RECIPE: Choccie hot cross bun and butter pudding

    RECIPE: Choccie hot cross bun and butter pudding

    The ``naughty'' ingredients

    THE Bloke in The Shed and Princess Ella donned aprons yesterday to put together this Eastery take on the humble bread and butter pudding. Comfort food to the extreme.

    If this doesn’t get you in the Easter mood, then nothing will. Except for probably Cadbury’s Roses, a cake of blackforest chocolate, Turkish Delish, oh, and maybe a few Ferreros. (*hint hint*).

    • One packet of choc chip hot cross buns (Either minis or regular size. Minis allow for better serving portions).
    • 30g butter, softened
    • 125g roughly chopped dark chocolate
    • If you want to be fancy 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped or just a few drops of vanilla essence.
    • Zest of one orange
    • 600mL thin cream
    • 600mL thickened cream
    • 4 eggs
    • 170g caster sugar
    • Icing sugar, to dust (after cooking).

    1. Split the hot cross buns and butter each half. Lay the bases, butter side down in a baking dish, sprinkle with the chopped dark chocolate, then place the bun tops on the bases, again butter side down with the crosses to the top.
    2. Place the vanilla in the saucepan with the creams and zest, and heat over low heat until just simmering. Remove from the heat.
    3. Beat the eggs and sugar until just combined, then pour into the warm cream, stirring continuously. Strain the custard over the buns and set the pudding aside for 30 minutes for the buns to soak up some of the custard. (The pudding can be prepared to this stage several hours in advance and refrigerated – just bring to room temperature before baking.). I found I had too much custard, but that’s OK because I stuck it in a bowl and put it in the fridge for another yummy dessert.
    4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 170°C.
    5. Place the pudding dish in a large roasting pan and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pudding dish. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Dust with icing sugar and serve with extra cream if desired.
    Leftover custard
    Hmmm, probably not a good idea to put icing sugar on before they go in the oven!
    Not the prettiest picture, but oh so yummy!

    What’s your favourite Easter dish?

  • RECIPE: Chocolate Brownies

    RECIPE: Chocolate Brownies

    Chocolate brownies

    THE bloke in The Shed was a little naughty this week. If he were a toddler, I would have sent him to his room to have a think about what he’d just done.

    So, what did he do? Well, he cooked Chocolate Brownies. Ah, the problem, you ask? The problem is, because he’s on a quest to find a thinner version of himself, he left me to eat the lot. And the lot, I did. “Hmmm’’, I hear you all nod in agreed.

    All I can say is it’s just lucky I’m breastfeeding Baby Holly and the weight continues to fall off me quicker than Rhianna’s clothes in a video clip. Now, if only I looked like Rhianna…

    If you feel like being a little naughty in the kitchen this weekend, then try these rich, but yummy brownies.

    CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

    Ingredients:

    150g butter

    1 cup cocoa

    4 eggs

    2 cups sugar

    1 tsp vanilla essence

    ¾ cup plain flour

    1 tsp baking powder

    1 packet white choc bits

    Method

    Preheat oven to 160C. Line a 27cm x 18cm x 3cm tin with baking paper. Melt the butter, then stir in cocoa and allow to cool slightly. Beat in eggs, followed by sugar and vanilla.

    Stir in flour and baking powder, followed by white choc bits. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 45 minutes.

    Leave in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Cut into bars and enjoy!

  • RECIPES: Top recipes from across the blogsphere

    RECIPES: Top recipes from across the blogsphere

     

    Mummy Blogger Knows Best: The Essential Cookbook

    DAY 7 of 31 Days To Build A Better Blog

     is to write a link post (a link is the blue writing in this sentence). 

    So, here goes… 

    THE bloke in The Shed and I often have a race to see who can make it to the kitchen to cook first. 

    Seriously. 

    While we used to cook fancy, spicy or exotic dishes, the introduction of Princess Ella and Baby Holly has seen us experiment with simple, economical, but tasty kiddy-friendly meals. 

    We’re hoping to share some of these with you as the blog grows, so make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss any of the scrumptious treats to come. 

    In the meantime, here’s a virtual cookbook based on some of the best mummy blogger recipes in the Aussie blogsphere. 

    If I had to develop a bloggers cookbook, this is what it would look like. 

    MUMMY BLOGGER KNOWS BEST: The Essential Cookbook

    STARTERS

    Pumpkin Ravioli from Home Grown Mama

    I think the final photo says it all. A great recipe for when the garden is abundant with pumpkins.

    Homemade Sushi from Cooking For Oscar  

    This one’s from a mum dealing with a child with food intolerances, making this recipe a masterpiece. 

    LUNCH BOX IDEAS

    Mini Impossible Pies from Diminishing Lucy 

    A way to get something interesting and nutritious into the kids’ lunch boxes. As Diminishing Lucy describes, it’s “quiche without the pastry’’. 

    MAINS

    Chicken Stir fry with seasonal vegetables by Planning With Kids  

    There had to be a stir fry in here and this is the ultimate. 

    Zucchini Slice from Three Li’l Princesses 

    This has been our most viewed recipe to date and the most cooked item in the kitchen of late. 

    Lamb Shanks in Tomato Chilli Sauce from Writing Out Loud 

    Lamb has to be included in this cookbook, so here’s a gorgeous recipe from Megan. This one’s ideal for the slow cooker – our favourite kitchen `gadget’. 

    Spinach, Fetta and Sundried Tomato Strudel by Vegan Mamma 

    There are other recipes on Vegan Mamma’s site that are describes as “the most popular’’, but we couldn’t go past her latest recipe. 

    Pad Thai Noodles from A Dose of Dannie 

    Our household just loves Thai food. It was a real treat when we stumbled across this recipe. Delicious. 

    BAKING

    Devil’s Food Cupcakes from Cupcakes of Kensington 

    We have to include something a little naughty for the kids _ and this has to be it. 

    DESSERTS

    Best Ever Chocolate Ice Cream from Because I Said So 

    No cookbook is complete without a chocolate delight. And it’s double-y good if that happens to incorporate ice cream. 

    Peach and Raspberry Iceblocks from Hey Bambini 

    This is just a fantastic way to get fruit into little tummies, while keeping the kids cool this summer (yes, surprisingly, it gets hot in Tassie!). 

    So, what’s your favourite dish? Or is there something you think should be added to our `virtual cookbook’? Share your thoughts.