Aquafaba Meringue Nests

Aquafaba Meringue Nests

These egg free meringues are perfect for those who cannot tolerate eggs or chose a vegan lifestyle. The brine from a can of chickpeas whips up to the perfect consistency in the Tefal Cuisine Companion for piping these nests which can be filled with coconut cream or an egg free lemon curd instead of the dairy cream I have used. The most important step is to chill your tin of chickpeas in the fridge overnight. 

Note: Vinegar wash your Tefal Cuisine Companion bowl by adding a small amount of vinegar and wiping around bowl with paper towelling. Dry thoroughly with more paper towelling. 

150 mls brine from a can of chickpeas chilled (place tin in refrigerator overnight)

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

160 gms caster sugar 

Insert Whisk. Stopper out. 

Add brine, cream of tarter and vanilla extract

Start Sp8:40deg:5mins. After 2 minutes start adding sugar by the tablespoon through hole in lid making sure all the sugar has been added before the final minute. 

Pipe nests onto lightly oiled baking paper covered baking tray. 

Bake 110 deg for 1 hour 30 minutes or until shells are not tacky to the touch. Turn off oven and leave meringue nests in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Cool on wire rack. 

Lemon Cheesecake without Gelatine

Lemon Cheesecake without Gelatine

This lemon cheesecake set without gelatine has been a staple cheesecake recipe for over 40 years. I remember my mother making this for special occasions when I was a child.  I make this with The Tefal Cuisine Companion prepared cream cheese (recipe for cream cheese can be found on this blog using the search function). For this cheesecake to successfully set be sure to use ripe lemons. If using the cream cheese from this blog there is no need to blend until smooth, just add to the Cuisine Companion bowl and proceed from the 'Lemon Cream Cheese Filling'. This cheesecake should be chilled overnight before decorating. 

Ingredients 

140 gms Granita biscuits or similar

75 gms unsalted butter melted

250 gms cream cheese

395 gms condensed milk

1/2 cup lemon juice strained

Biscuit Base

Insert Kneading Blade, insert internal steaming basket, stopper in. 

Add biscuits

Pulse until biscuits resemble bread crumbs, place biscuit crumbs into separate bowl and add melted butter, stir to combine and press into base of 20 cm springform cake tin. Refrigerate. 

Rinse and dry Cuisine Companion bowl and Kneading Blade. 

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling 

Insert Kneading Blade 

Add cream cheese 

Sp8:30sec or until smooth. Scraping bowl as required. 

Add condensed milk

Sp8:1min or until combined. Scraping bowl as required. 

Insert Whisk 

Start Sp6:30sec adding lemon juice through hole in lid. 

Insert stopper 

Sp8:30sec. 

Pour into chilled crust and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. 

Decorate as desired.

Cheesecake

Cheesecake 

I have been making this cheesecake every Christmas for the past 30 years. I have always used Philadelphia cream cheese but this year I've used my Tefal Cuisine Companion made cream cheese (recipe follows) it is so light, creamy and delicious. The toppings for this cheesecake have changed over the years. I used to set a tin of pitted dark cherries with gelatine and when thick and syrupy pour over the cheesecake. In past years I have made my own dark cherry jam to top this cheesecake but in recent years when pressed for time I have used a store bought dark cherry jam.

Biscuit base:

140 gms plain biscuits (I used Marie biscuits )
75 gms unsalted butter, melted (I melted in microwave)
Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in.
Crush biscuits using pulse button until done with internal steam basket inserted.
Add melted butter. Stopper out. Internal steam basket removed.
Sp3:30sec or until combined.
Press into base of  20cm springform cake tin (you may not use all the crumb mixture, it depends on how thick you like your biscuit base) and refrigerate.

Cheesecake layer:

1/4 cup boiling water
10 gms gelatine powder
250 gms CC made cream cheese or Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
395gm condensed milk
300 mls thickened cream
1/2 tspn vanilla extract
Pour boiling water into small heatproof bowl, start stirring vigorously with fork, add gelatine quickly and keep stirring until gelatine dissolves. Set aside stirring occasionally until cooled to room temperature.
Insert Kneading Blade
Add cream cheese, Speed 11 until smooth, scraping down sides with spatula every 10 seconds.
Add condensed milk, Speed 10 until fully combined, scraping down sides and around blade with spatula every 10 seconds.
Insert Whisk.
Add cream and vanilla extract.
Speed 7 for 1 min 30 or until mixture thickens. Scrape down sides with spatula every 20 seconds.
Start Speed 6 for 20 seconds whilst pouring gelatine mixture through hole in lid.
Remove whisk, give a light stir with spatula and pour onto biscuit base.
Refrigerate until set.

Cream Cheese

1 litre full cream milk

300 mls thickened or pure cream

40 gms white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt (optional)

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.
Add milk and cream

Sp3:100deg:20mins 

Sp3:1min adding white wine vinegar through hole in lid

Rest 10 mins then gently pour curds into tea towel lined mesh sieve over large bowl. (Reserve 1 cup whey). Strain for 2 minutes then place in clean bowl, and set aside for 1/2 hour.  Add enough  reserved whey to just cover cheese. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to use drain any excess whey. Add yoghurt (optional)
Blend until smooth using Ultrablade, Mini Bowl or stick blender.

Creme de Cacao Chocolate Buttercream

Creme de Cacao Chocolate Buttercream

This is one of the most delicious chocolate buttercreams I've ever made. It is silky smooth, full of chocolate flavour and so easy to spread as a filling or topping for cakes or cupcakes. It also pipes beautifully and because the sugar is dissolved there is none of that grainy texture that spoils other buttercreams. Because the Creme de Cacao is boiled you're left with the flavour of the Creme de Cacao and no alcohol so this buttercream is suitable for everyone. 

Silky smooth Creme de Cacao buttercream 

75 gms Caster Sugar 

70 gms Creme de Cacao 

60 gms Water

200 gms chilled Unsalted Butter diced

200 gms Dark Cooking Chocolate melted and at room temperature 

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.

Add caster sugar, Creme de Cacao  and water

Sp3:70deg:1min or until sugar dissolves.  Scrape bowl with spatula. 

Sp3:100deg:45sec or until mixture comes to a rapid boil. Set aside in heatproof bowl and place in refrigerator to chill. 

Rinse CC bowl in cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towelling.

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.

Add chilled unsalted butter 

Sp10:2 min or until butter is  smooth and creamy (butter will form a ball at first but will become smooth and creamy).  Scrape sides of bowl with spatula as required.
Insert Whisk . Stopper out.

Start Sp8:1min 30sec adding chilled Creme de Cacao mixture through hole in lid. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula as required. Mixture may not have incorporated at this stage.
Add cooled melted chocolate. 

Sp8:20sec or until mixture is combined and smooth, scraping sides of bowl as required. 

Mascarpone

Mascarpone 

Revised

Unfortunately one batch I made didn't set because my lemons were not quite ripe. So I've revised the recipe to use white wine vinegar or strained lemon juice. 

Make your own Mascarpone for the fraction of the cost of store bought. Mascarpone imparts a delicious creaminess to desserts and savoury dishes alike. Most store bought mascarpone use citric acid as the acid agent needed to make the cheese but this recipe uses white wine vinegar or lemon juice. The Tefal Cuisine Companion is perfect for making marscapone as well as cream and ricotta style cheeses.

Note: You will need to allow up to 48 hours setting time.
Note: If using lemon juice make sure your lemons are ripe. 

Note: I use thickened cream without gelatine added. I also buy the cheapest thickened cream which works perfectly. 

600 mls thickened cream without gelatine

15 gms lemon juice strained OR 15 gms white wine vinegar

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out. 

Add cream

Sp3:90deg:15min

Start Sp2:90deg:10min adding lemon juice OR white wine vinegar through hole in lid.
Empty mixture into heatproof bowl. Mixture will be watery at this stage. Set aside for 30 mins to come to room temperature then cover with clingwrap pushing it onto the surface to prevent skin forming. Refrigerate 24 hours.
Spoon mixture into a tea towel or cheese cloth lined sieve that is sitting over a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours to set. Mine only took 12 hours.
Store in airtight container and use within 48 hours. 

Linzer Biscuits

Linzer Biscuits 

An Austrian classic biscuit combining almond, cinnamon and raspberry jam. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes the dough in seconds and can make the jam in under 20 minutes using frozen raspberries and sugar. The jam recipe can be found by typing raspberry jam in the search function. I coated the bottoms of the biscuits with chocolate for an extra taste sensation. 

I used special Linzer biscuit cutters but any cookie cutter can be used and the middles can be cut out with a smaller cutter or a piping tip. 

Makes approx 24 completed Biscuits. 

230 gms Unsalted Butter softened
1 large Egg

40 gms Almond Meal

85 gms Brown Sugar 

360 gms Plain Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Raspberry Jam
Icing Sugar Mixture
Dark Chocolate melted (optional)

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.
Add all ingredients in order listed

Sp10:30sec or until mixture forms a ball. 

Divide in 2 and shape into discs, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate one hour. 

Roll or pat out first disc on lightly floured silicone sheet or board (you may need to lightly flour your rolling pin) to about 3/4 cm thick and cut out 5 cm rounds. Use a small spatula to remove the rounds from the silicone sheet and place on paper lined baking tray. 

Roll out second disc as above and cut out centres with a small cookie cutter, piping tip etc. 

You can re roll the off cuts to make more biscuits. 

Bake at 160 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until just beginning to turn light golden around the edges. Leave biscuits on baking trays for 10 minutes to firm up before transferring to cooling racks.
Spread melted chocolate on bottom of biscuits if liked. Leave to set then spread 3/4 teaspoon of jam on biscuit bases. Sift icing sugar mixture over biscuit tops and place over raspberry jam filled biscuit bases. 

Cream Cheese

Homemade Cream Cheese

This cheese is similar to a ricotta style cheese I make in the Tefal Cuisine Companion but by adding cream you have the most delicious soft cream cheese that can be used for cheesecakes etc. at a fraction of the cost. This is a very mild cheese but you can add some Greek yoghurt to give the cheese a slight tang.

1 litre full cream milk

300 mls thickened or pure cream

40 gms white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt (optional)

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.
Add milk and cream

Sp3:100deg:20mins 

Sp3:1min adding white wine vinegar through hole in lid

Rest 10 mins then gently pour curds into tea towel lined mesh sieve over large bowl. (Reserve  whey). Strain for 2 minutes then place in clean bowl, and set aside for 1/2 hour.  Add enough  reserved whey to just cover cheese. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to use drain any excess whey. Add yoghurt (optional)
Blend until smooth using Ultrablade, Mini Bowl or stick blender.

Mirror Glaze without using a Thermometer

Mirror Glaze without using a Thermometer  

We've all seen the spectacular cakes covered in glossy mirror glaze. These cakes are truly breathtaking and the designs and colours are limited by your imagination.  I've adapted this recipe to be made without a thermometer and the best part is it doesn't dull when refrigerated. In fact I think it gets glossier when brought to room temperature after refrigeration. The Tefal Cuisine Companion is perfect for making this extraordinary glaze. You will need a cake covered 1/2 cm thick with the white chocolate buttercream which can be found by typing 'buttercream' in the search function. The buttercream has to be super smooth and the buttercream iced cake has to be refrigerated at least 4 hours or overnight before glazing.

Note: It is important to use a good quality white chocolate. I use Cadbury White Chocolate Melts.

Note: Have all ingredients weighed and ready before starting the recipe. This is important so you don't lose any heat in the bowl by stopping to weigh ingredients.
Note: The final mixing time will depend on how many colours you will be using. One colour will need 1 hour 10 mins, 2 to 3 colours will need 1 hour.

15 gms Powdered Gelatine
80 gms Water
100 gms Water extra
200 gms Caster Sugar
200 gms Glucose Syrup
200 gms Cadbury White Chocolate Melts
150 gms Condensed Milk
Gel Food Colouring

Bloom gelatine in 80 gms water. To bloom gelatine add water to small bowl and start stirring the water vigorously with a fork, whilst stirring vigorously add the gelatine quickly and keep stirring for a further 10 seconds. There should be no lumps of undissolved gelatine. Leave to bloom.

Insert Mixing Blade. Stopper out.
Add 100 gms water, caster sugar and glucose.
Sp3:70deg:5mins scraping bowl with spatula after 2 minutes.
Sp3:100deg:1min.
Tear bloomed gelatine into about 8 pieces and add to bowl.
Sp3:1min or until dissolved.
Add white chocolate and condensed milk.
Sp3:3mins.
Sp8:30sec.
Sp1:1 hour 10 mins if using 1 colour or Sp1:1 hour if using 2 to 3 colours.
Pour the glaze into bowl/s, or if using one colour you can pour into 2 litre capacity glass jug, add gel colouring and mix with spoon. Break up any bubbles with the back of the spoon.
Support cake on upturned steamer bowl or upturned cake tin (slightly smaller than cake) placed in baking dish. Pour Glaze over cake through fine mesh sieve to catch any bubbles making sure the top and sides of cake are covered.  Do not touch or use anything  to smooth the cake. Leave to drip for 5-10 minutes then use a spatula or knife to remove any drips from the bottom of cake by pushing the drips under the cake. To remove cake to serving plate slide a large cake lifter under cake, place on serving plate and using a metal spatula lift the cake gently to remove the cake lifter.

Custard Cream Biscuits

Custard Cream Biscuits 

These delicious custard flavoured biscuits are the perfect treat to have with a cup of tea or coffee for morning or afternoon tea. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes these to perfection in a few seconds. I often freeze half the dough so I can have fresh home baked biscuits when friends drop in. The custard filling can be mixed in the Cuisine Companion or just mixed or whisked by hand.

Biscuits

100 gms Unsalted Butter softened

40 gms Caster Sugar

100 gms Plain Flour 

25 gms Custard Powder sifted

25 gms Cornflour sifted

5 mls Milk

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out. 

Add all ingredients except milk. 

Start Pastry P1 adding milk through hole in lid if mixture hasn't come together after 1 minute.

Knead for a few seconds on lightly floured board or silicone sheet, roll into a log, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour. 

Slice into 1cm rounds, place on paper lined cookie trays and bake at 160 deg for 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden. Leave on trays for 10 minutes then place on wire racks to cool. 

Custard Filling 

150 gms Icing Sugar sifted

45 gms Unsalted Butter softened

20 gms Custard Powder sifted

15 mls Milk

Add all ingredients to mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. 

Assembly

Place custard filling in zip lock bag, cut a hole in corner of the bag and pipe filling on half of the biscuits. Place remaining biscuits on top of custard filling and store in airtight container.

Jelly Cheesecake Slice

Jelly Cheesecake Slice

One of the all time best no bake desserts is cheesecake. Making it into a slice is the perfect way to serve cheesecake. You can have a slice for dessert or morning tea or pop one into your lunchbox. It is popular all over the world with nearly every cuisine having a version of this luscious cake. The best part is it is so easy to make in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. You can even make your own cream cheese (recipe follows) in the Tefal Cuisine Companion.

Biscuit base:

200gm plain biscuits (Granita or Marie etc)
20gm shredded or desiccated coconut
150gm unsalted butter, melted (I melted in microwave)
Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in.
Crush biscuits using pulse button until done with internal steam basket inserted.
Add coconut and melted butter. Stopper out. Internal steam basket removed.
Sp3:30sec or until combined.
Press into baking paper lined 20cm x 30cm slice tin (make sure baking paper extends over sides of tin to enable easy removal of slice)

Cheesecake layer:

1/4 cup boiling water
10 gms gelatine powder
250gm CC made cream cheese or Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
395gm condensed milk
300mls thickened cream
1/2 tspn vanilla extract
Pour boiling water into small heatproof glass, start stirring vigorously with fork, add gelatine quickly and keep stirring until gelatine dissolves. Set aside stirring occasionally until cooled to room temperature.
Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.
Add cream cheese, Speed 11 until smooth, scraping down sides with spatula every 10 seconds.
Add condensed milk, Speed 10 until fully combined, scraping down sides and around blade with spatula every 10 seconds.
Insert Whisk.
Add cream and vanilla extract.
Speed 6 for 1 min 30 or until mixture thickens. Scrape down sides with spatula every 20 seconds.
Start Speed 6 for 20 seconds whilst pouring gelatine mixture through hole in lid.
Remove whisk, give a light stir with spatula and pour onto biscuit base.
Refrigerate until set.

Jelly topping:

1 packet Aeroplane mango jelly
1 packet Aeroplane pineapple jelly
2 passionfruit
Combine both jelly powders in measuring jug, make up to 500mls with  boiling water and whisk until combined.
Set aside on bench top to cool for 30 mins,
Stir in passionfruit pulp and refrigerate for approx 20 to 30 mins until it is the consistency of thick syrup.
Pour over cheesecake mixture.
Refrigerate until set.

Cream Cheese

1 litre full cream milk

300 mls thickened or pure cream

40 gms white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt (optional)

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.
Add milk and cream

Sp3:100deg:20mins 

Sp3:1min adding white wine vinegar through hole in lid

Rest 10 mins then gently pour curds into tea towel lined mesh sieve over large bowl. (Reserve 1 cup whey). Strain for 2 minutes then place in clean bowl, and set aside for 1/2 hour.  Add enough  reserved whey to just cover cheese. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to use drain any excess whey. Add yoghurt (optional)
Blend until smooth using Ultrablade, Mini Bowl or stick blender.

Mini Black Forest Cakes

Mini Black Forest Cakes 

Mini versions of one of my favourite cakes. Chocolate cakes brushed liberally with Kirsch, filled and topped with fresh whipped cream and cherries then rolled in grated chocolate. Perfect for a special afternoon tea or whenever you need a treat. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes the chocolate cake effortlessly, grates the chocolate if you have the grater/shredder attachment and whips the cream. I have used tinned black cherries (not morello cherries) because fresh cherries are not in season. Fresh cherries can also be used. 

Makes 24 mini cakes.

Grease and paper line 2 32x22cm Swiss roll baking tins

Kirsch

200gms Dark Chocolate grated and chilled in fridge

2 tins Black Cherries in syrup drained reserving 2 tablespoons of liquid
600mls Thickened Cream whipped until stiff peaks form

Chocolate Cake

340gms Caster Sugar

280gms Self Raising Flour sifted

70gms unsweetened cocoa powder sifted

Pinch Salt

2 Eggs lightly beaten with fork

250gms Buttermilk

110gms Canola Oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

240mls Boiling Water

Insert Whisk. Stopper in. 

Add caster sugar, self raising flour, cocoa and salt. 

Sp6:20sec. Brush blade with pastry brush. 

Add beaten eggs, buttermilk, canola oil and vanilla extract. 

Stopper out.
Sp7:1min 15sec adding boiling water through hole in lid and scraping bowl with spatula after 1 minute.
Divide evenly between baking tins and bake at 170deg for 15-20mins or until done when tested.
Cool on wire racks
When cool use small round cookie cutter to cut 24 rounds from each cake and brush each round with Kirsch or a mixture of reserved cherry liquid and Kirsch to taste.

Assembly

Whip cream. There will be enough cream for the filling, for spreading around the outside of cakes and to pipe on top. 

Slice 24 cherries in quarters. 

Spread a layer of whipped cream on 24 cake rounds, top with the sliced cherries and place the remaining 24 cake rounds on top Kirsch side down. 

Spread more cream evenly around sides of cakes and roll in grated chocolate. Pipe cream decoratively on top of each cake and top with cherry. 

Vanilla Custard Cream Slices

Vanilla Custard Cream Slices

This has been voted the best vanilla custard cream slice by friends and family. No one can resist the combination of thin puff pastry sheets filled in the middle with creamy custard and whipped cream then topped with glacé icing. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes and cooks the custard to perfection. You can also make the puff pastry and whip the cream in the Cuisine Companion. I baked the puff pastry sheets first, then made the custard in the Cuisine Companion. Whilst the custard was cooling I glacé iced one of the cooled pastry sheets and left to set before pre slicing into 12 pieces. To assemble place uniced pastry sheet in bottom add cooled custard , refrigerate until cold, whip cream and spread evenly over custard and rearrange the 12 pre sliced iced pastry sheets on top. Refrigerate before cutting. 

Note: I have used eggs from an 800gm carton of 12 eggs

You will need a 20x10cm loaf tin lined with overhanging baking paper to help remove the slices from tin. 

Note: These are best made the day before serving to allow the custard to set.

Puff Pastry Layer

1 sheet puff pastry. 

Using loaf tin as guide cut 2 pieces slightly larger than base of loaf tin. Place the 2 puff pastry sheets on baking paper lined tray. Cover with baking paper and place another baking tray on top. Cook at 175deg for 10mins, carefully remove top baking tray and paper, turn over pastry sheets, cover again with baking paper and tray and cook a further 8 to 10mins, remove top baking tray and paper and cook a further 1 to 2 mins or until light golden. Leave to cool on wire rack. Trim puff pastry sheets to fit inside loaf tin. 

Custard

8gms gelatine powder
50 gms water

Bloom gelatine by adding water to small bowl and stirring vigorously with fork whilst adding gelatine quickly and keep stirring until mixture is smooth. Set aside to bloom. 

600mls thickened cream (250 mls for custard 350mls for whipped cream layer)

250mls milk

1 tspn vanilla extract

80gms caster sugar

40gms cornflour sifted

4 egg yolks (freeze whites for pavlova etc)

Insert Whisk. Stopper in. 

Add 250mls thickened cream, 250mls milk, vanilla extract, caster sugar and cornflour

Sp8:1min 30sec using pastry brush to brush off any sugar or cornflour on whisk after 30 sec. 

Add 4 egg yolks

Sp8:30sec. 

Stopper out 

Select Dessert:6mins. or until custard has thickened and is smooth. 

Tear bloomed gelatine into about 8 pieces and add to custard in bowl. 

Sp4:1min 30sec or until the gelatine has dissolved and mixed through.
Place custard into glass or ceramic bowl and refrigerate until cooled covering with cling wrap and pressing cling wrap onto surface of custard to prevent skin forming.

Glacé Icing

200gms sifted icing sugar

40mls milk

1 to 2 drops red food colouring

Mix together until smooth and ice one of the cooled, trimmed pastry sheets and leave to set. 

To Assemble 

Place uniced pastry sheet in base of loaf tin, add custard and refrigerate until cold. 

Whip cream until soft peaks form and spread over cooled custard layer. 

Cut iced pastry sheet into 12 equal pieces using long sharp knife dipped in hot water and dried between each slice. 

Reassemble the 12 slices on top of whipped cream. Leave to set for a few hours then remove and slice through all layers using the top as a guide.

Minestrone

Minestrone 

One of the classic vegetable pasta soups of all time. Especially delicious served with some crusty Italian bread. This is a family favourite and has been enjoyed by my family for over 40 years. Hope you enjoy it too. The Tefal Cuisine Companion does the chopping, stirring, and cooking for you, and if you have the shredder/slicer attachment you won't have to manually dice the vegetables. You can cut the carrot, celery and zucchini into sticks then using the thick slicer attachment feed the vegetable sticks through the feeding tube and within seconds you'll have your veggies diced. 

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250 mls. 1 tablespoon = 20 mls. 1 teaspoon = 5 mls.

1 onion peeled and cut into quarters
1 garlic clove
1 green capsicum cut into large chunks
125 gms bacon diced
3 celery stalks diced
2 carrots diced
2 zucchini diced
1 tin crushed tomatoes
100 gms small pasta shells
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Pinch sugar
2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable stock
1 tin red kidney beans drained and refreshed under cold running water
Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper in.
Add onion and garlic Sp11:15sec. Scraping bowl with spatula after 10 seconds
Add capsicum. Sp11:10sec. Scraping bowl with spatula after 5 seconds
Insert Mixing Blade. Stopper out
Slow Cook P1:5mins. Scraping bowl as required
Add diced bacon. Slow Cook P1:10mins. Scraping bowl as required
Add all other ingredients EXCEPT stock and kidney beans
Add stock to maximum level marked in CC bowl
Stopper in and set to maxi
Sp3:100deg:10mins or until boiling then
Sp2:100deg:20mins
Add kidney beans
Sp2:100deg:10mins
Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, chilli and fresh herbs to taste.

Choc chip pecan and fruit no bake slice

Chocolate Chip, Pecan and Fruit No Bake Slice

This is an old family favourite. The combination of chocolate chips, pecan and fruit is delicious. This recipe is also so versatile, you can change ingredients and add ingredients. If you don't have pecans you can add more raisins or apricots or some white chocolate chips.  And the best part is it's no bake. 

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used.  1 cup = 250 mls. 1 tablespoon = 20 mls.

1 teaspoon = 5 mls. 

Prepare slice tin 30x20cm by lining with baking paper overhanging the sides to make it easy to remove slice from tin. 

125 gms butter melted and at room temperature 

200 gms condensed milk

1 cup pecan nuts
250 gms malt biscuits 

125 gms dark chocolate chips

1 cup chopped raisins 

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots 

250 gms dark cooking chocolate 

1 teaspoon vegetable oil 

Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in. 

Add pecan nuts. Pulse 15 sec or until pecans are chopped. Remove from bowl and set aside. 

Add malt biscuits. Pulse until crushed. 

To crushed malt biscuits in CC add chopped pecans, dark chocolate chips, raisins, apricots, melted butter and condensed milk. 

Stopper out 

Sp5:30sec or until combined. Remove Ultrablade and stir through with spatula. 

Press into slice tray and refrigerate. 

Melt 250 gms dark cooking chocolate in microwave, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Pour over slice and refrigerate until set. 

Remove slice when set and slice with sharp knife dipped in hot water. 

Petit Fours

Petit Fours

These melt in the mouth cream filled petit fours would be perfect for a special afternoon tea or just a treat at anytime. The Tefal Cuisine Companion makes light work of preparing the sponge batter and white chocolate buttercream. The white chocolate buttercream recipe can be found using the search function in this blog. 

Pink iced petit fours 

After smoothing white chocolate buttercream 

Filled with whipped cream

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250 mls. 1 tablespoon = 20 mls.
Note: I used eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12 eggs.
Note: Place eggs in warm water for 6 mins before whipping.

Sponge. 

Grease and paper line 33cm x 23 cm lamington tin. 

15 gms butter

60 gms milk

3 eggs. Placed in warm water for 6 mins before whipping. 

120 gms caster sugar

113 gms Self Raising flour

Place butter and milk In heatproof bowl. Microwave on low heat setting until butter is almost melted. Stir until melted. Set aside stirring every now and then whilst preparing sponge batter. 

Insert whisk in CC

Add eggs and caster sugar. S8:15mins.

Sift S.R. flour into CC bowl. S4:5sec. Use silicone pastry brush to brush flour off whisk.

Select S4:10sec pouring butter/milk mixture through hole in lid. Remove blade and gently fold through with spatula any unmixed flour or butter/milk mixture. 

Pour mixture into lamington tin. 

Bake 170deg for 10-15mins or until done when tested. Do not open oven door for the first 10mins.

Cool on wire rack. 

Whip 300mls thickened cream until stiff peaks form. 

Using small cookie cutter cut into individual small cakes. 

Split in half and sandwich with cream. Refrigerate for 20 mins. 

Make white chocolate buttercream.  

The recipe can be found by using the search function in this blog. 

Spread buttercream roughly on sides and top of cakes. Refrigerate 30 mins.   

Using a spatula dipped in boiling water smooth buttercream around sides and tops of cakes.  Refrigerate 1 hour. 

Make glacé icing and spoon over cakes sitting on lightly oiled wire rack over a baking dish. Leave to set. 

Glacé Icing 

500 gms icing sugar sifted

85 gms milk

1-2 drops gel food colouring 

Stir sifted icing sugar, milk and colouring together in large bowl until smooth and the consistency of thick honey adding more icing sugar or milk if necessary.

Decorate with melted chocolate if desired. 

Lemon Tarts

Lemon Tarts with Cream Cheese Pastry

I love anything made with lemons, the fresh tart flavour especially when teamed with a light cream cheese pastry and whipped cream is a taste sensation. The Tefal Cuisine Companion makes light work of this pastry and lemon filling. 

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250mls. 1 tablespoon = 20mls

I've used eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12 eggs. 

Cream Cheese Pastry 

170gms cream cheese softened

170gms butter softened

10gms sugar

270gms plain flour

Insert kneading blade. Stopper out. 

Add all ingredients. Pastry P1:2mins. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Grease a 24 hole mini muffin tin. 

Roll pastry out to approx 3mm thick. Cut out rounds large enough to fit bottom and sides of mini muffin holes. 

Refrigerate. 

Lemon Filling 

115 gms lemon juice

210gms caster sugar

3 large eggs

80gms sour cream

Insert whisk. Stopper in. 

Add all ingredients 

Sp6:2mins

Fill pastry shells nearly to the top and bake at 170deg for 20 to 25 mins or until filling is set and pastry is cooked. Leave in tin for 5 mins before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with whipped cream. 

White Chocolate Buttercream

White Chocolate Buttercream 

I'm not a fan of buttercreams, I prefer the silky smooth Ermine Frosting but when making the spectacular Mirror Glazes you need a firmer buttercream and this one is brilliant, it has white chocolate and thickened cream, it sets firmly and is a great base for the Mirror Glaze. You can also use this as a frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Ermine Frosting and Mirror Glaze recipes can also be found through the search function on this blog. This buttercream is perfect to pipe flowers with Russian piping tips, but you will need to halve the amount of cream.
Update: Recently I've been using chilled butter and mixing Sp10:1-2 mins, the mixture will form a ball at first then become smooth and creamy. I've found using chilled butter gives a much better consistency for piping.

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250mls. 1 tablespoon = 20mls.
1 teaspoon = 5mls
Note: You can substitute dark chocolate instead of white to make chocolate buttercream.

200 gms white chocolate. Melted in microwave and cooled to room temperature 

230 gms unsalted butter chilled

240 gms icing sugar mixture 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

20 mls thickened cream or omit cream if using this buttercream with a Russian piping tip.

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper in 

Add butter, icing sugar mixture and vanilla extract. Sp10:1 min 30 sec scraping bowl with spatula after 15 sec. (This may take longer depending on how soft your butter is). Mixture should be soft and creamy and paled in colour. 

Add cooled white chocolate. Remove Stopper. Sp10:15sec scraping bowl with spatula after 10sec. 

Add cream Sp10:5sec. Remove blade and stir through with spatula. 

Add gel colours if desired and mix through with spatula.
Frosting might need refrigeration before piping. 

Pipe or spread Buttercream on to cake or cupcakes and refrigerate until firm. 

Raspberry Jam

Raspberry Jam

Tefal Cuisine Companion is perfect for making home made jam. This raspberry jam does not need pectin, grated apple or gelatine to set the jam. It has 2 ingredients only, frozen raspberries and sugar and is absolutely delicious. This jam is not overly sweet and perfectly compliments sweet cakes which are topped or frosted with a sweet frosting or chocolate ganache. 

Note: I only make small amounts of this jam for cakes. You can increase the quantity to 500 gms frozen raspberries and 320 gms sugar and cook for an extra 5 mins or until syrupy. This jam keeps well when refrigerated.

300gms frozen raspberries
210 gms sugar
Insert mixing blade
Stopper out but place paper towelling over hole in lid to prevent splattering.
Add raspberries and sugar
Sp3:120deg:15mins
Check if jam is set to your liking (jam will continue to set upon standing).
Strain through sieve to remove seeds by stirring and pressing down with a metal spoon.

Lamington Sponge Roll

Lamington Sponge Roll

Lamingtons are an iconic Australian miniature cake dipped in a chocolate glaze and rolled in coconut. Instead of making individual little squares of cake I've made a Lamington sponge roll.  Who can resist a light as a feather sponge rolled around home made raspberry jam (recipe follows) and cream then covered in a chocolate glaze and dessicated coconut. Tefal Cuisine Companion makes light work of the sponge and raspberry jam. It's important to warm your chilled eggs in warm water for 5 minutes before whisking in the Cuisine Companion, this increases the volume of the whisked egg and makes for a light as air sponge.
Dessicated or flaked coconut can be used.

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Lamington Sponge rolls rolled in moist coconut flakes on left and dessicated coconut on right. 

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250 mls. 1 tablespoon = 20 mls.

1 teaspoon = 5 mls. 

Note: I've used eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12 eggs. 

Note: Place eggs in warm water 5 mins before whipping.

Sponge

Grease and baking paper line a 33cm x 23 cm lamington tray. I also grease the paper. 

Turn oven on to 170 deg fan forced. 

10 gms butter diced

40 gms milk

2 eggs placed in warm water 5 mins before whipping

80 gms caster sugar

75 gms S.R. flour

Place butter and milk in heatproof bowl. Microwave on low heat setting until butter is almost melted, stir with spoon until fully melted. Set aside stirring occasionally. 

Insert whisk in CC. Stopper out. 

Add eggs and caster sugar. S8:14mins 

Sift S.R. flour into CC bowl. S4:5sec. Use silicone pastry brush to brush flour off whisk.

Select S4:10sec pouring butter/milk mixture through hole in lid. Remove blade and gently fold through with spatula any unmixed flour. 

Pour into prepared tin.  Bake 12 mins or until sponge springs back when tested. Do not open oven door for the first 10mins.

Place a tea towel on a wire cake rack. 

I use a knife to cut around the edges of the sponge before turning out.
Turn out onto tea towel.

Roll from short end and leave until completely cold. 

Gently unroll when cold and spread with raspberry jam and whipped cream.

Roll in chocolate glaze then roll in dessicated or flaked coconut. 

Chocolate glaze recipe below.

Chocolate glaze. 

40 gms dark chocolate 

120 gms boiling water

160 gms icing sugar mixture 

55 gms cocoa

10 mls milk

Dessicated coconut sprinkled into baking dish. 

Break chocolate into individual squares, place chocolate into heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over chocolate and stir or whisk until smooth.

In large bowl sift icing sugar and cocoa

Add chocolate/water mixture to sifted icing sugar and cocoa, add milk and whisk until mixture is smooth. Pour into baking dish. Roll log in icing until well covered, then roll in coconut. Refrigerate until set. 

Double this recipe if making individual cake lamington squares.

Raspberry Jam

300gms frozen raspberries

210 gms sugar

Insert mixing blade

Stopper out but place paper towelling over hole in lid to prevent splattering.

Add raspberries and sugar

Sp3:120deg:15mins

Check if jam is set to your liking (jam will continue to set upon standing).

Strain through sieve to remove seeds by stirring and pressing down with a metal spoon.

Raspberry Jelly Cake Topping

Raspberry Jelly

This is a tart raspberry jelly that I top sweet cakes with, especially my gluten free chocolate cake with raspberry mousse filling. It is the perfect balance to any cake with a sweet filling and so easy to prepare with frozen raspberries in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. 

Raspberry Jelly Topping

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup=250mls. 1 tablespoon=20mls.
3 gelatine leaves
Enough water to cover gelatine leaves
200 gms frozen raspberries
1/4 cup water extra
1 & 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
Soak gelatine leaves in cold water.
Insert Ultrablade. Stopper out.
Add frozen raspberries, 1/4 cup water and caster sugar. Brush any sugar off blade with pastry brush.  Sp3:70deg:2min. Or until sugar is dissolved. Scrape bowl with spatula.
Sp3:95deg:1min 30sec.
Squeeze excess water from gelatine leaves and add to bowl with raspberries. Sp4:40sec.
Strain mixture through wire mesh sieve into heatproof bowl and set aside until mixture is the consistency of a light syrup.
Place cake to be topped with the raspberry jelly syrup into a loose bottomed cake tin. Pour the raspberry syrup into the centre of cake and tilt cake from side to side to spread syrup to outer edges. Refrigerate until set. You may have to repeat tilting the cake to evenly distribute the jelly whilst it's setting in the fridge.

Raspberry Cream Mousse

Raspberry Cream Mousse

This is a delicious raspberry cream that I use to fill cakes and to pipe decorative borders. I use frozen raspberries which are available all year round.  I first make a raspberry syrup in the Tefal Cuisine Companion then when the syrup has cooled to room temperature I pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before I whip cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold the cooled raspberry syrup through the whipped cream. I then pop back in the fridge until the raspberry cream is of a spreadable and piping consistency. This may take 1 to 2 hours.

Raspberry cream mousse filling and piped border

After folding syrup through the stiffly whipped cream.

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup=250 mls. 1 tablespoon =20mls.

10 gms powdered gelatine
1/4 cup boiling water
300 gms frozen raspberries
165 gms caster sugar
600 mls thickened cream
Pour boiling water into small heatproof bowl, start stirring vigorously with a fork, add gelatine quickly and keep stirring for another 10 seconds to dissolve gelatine. Set aside.
Insert Ultrablade. Stopper out.
Add frozen raspberries and caster sugar. Sp3:70deg:2 mins or until sugar dissolves. Scrape bowl with spatula.
Sp3:95deg:5mins adding dissolved gelatine through hole in lid after 4 minutes. Strain mixture by pressing with spatula through wire sieve to remove seeds.
Set aside to cool to room temperature. When ready to whip cream place cooled raspberry syrup in fridge for 10 minutes.
Whip thickened cream in the Cuisine Companion with Whisk inserted and Sp6 selected or use a  stand mixer until firm peaks form.
Gently fold in cooled raspberry syrup 2 tablespoons at a time until combined.
Refrigerate until mixture is of a spreading and piping consistency.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Flourless and Nutmeal Free Chocolate Cake

This is a rich and dense flourless and nutmeal free chocolate cake. It does require folding through with spatula after being mixed in the Cuisine Companion so as not to deflate the mixture. I always place eggs in warm water for 7 minutes, this helps to maximise the volume when whisking.  I prefer to bake this cake using 2 x 20 cm loose bottom cake tins which makes it easier to remove the cakes from the tins once baked. This cake forms a light crust when baking and is ready when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. I have used a raspberry mousse filling in the centre of the cake, around the outside  and also for the piped border and a tart raspberry jelly on top. Both recipes can be found by typing 'raspberry' in the search function. Take this cake out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving.

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250 mls, 1 tablespoon = 20 mls. 

Grease and line bottoms of 2 x 20cm round loose bottomed cake tins.
225 gms unsalted butter
255 gms dark cooking chocolate
6 eggs. Place eggs in warm water for 7 minutes.
210 gms caster sugar
1 tspn vanilla extract
75 gms cocoa sifted into Cuisine Companion bowl
Pinch of salt
Melt butter and chocolate on med/low in microwave. Stir with metal spoon until smooth. Set aside.
Insert whisk. Stopper out.
Add eggs and sugar. Sp8:16mins or until pale and doubled in volume.
Add vanilla, salt and sift cocoa into bowl Sp4:15sec
Add chocolate/butter mixture Sp4:20sec.
Remove whisk and GENTLY fold mixture with spatula to finish off. Mixture will have a mottled appearance.
Pour into cake tins and bake at 170deg for 20mins or until done when tested with skewer.
Cakes won't rise very much and will settle after baking.

Mexican Pasta Mince

Mexican Pasta Mince

All the Mexican flavours that we love in a pasta dish. So quick and easy in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. I love to serve with shredded cheese, guacamole, lime and chilli aioli and sour cream. I also like to bake this dish as a cheesy pasta bake.  After cooking in the Cuisine Companion place into  greased casserole dish, top with grated cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden. 

Note: Australian standard cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup = 250 mls. 1 tablespoon = 20 mls 

1 small onion quartered 

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

500 gms minced beef

1 sachet Taco seasoning 

470gms boiling water

1 400 gm tin crushed tomatoes 

220 gms small shell pasta or macaroni 

1 jar salsa

1 400 gm tin corn kernels drained
1 small tin red kidney beans drained and refreshed under cold running water 

2 tablespoons red capsicum diced

Shredded cheese

Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in.

Add onion and garlic. Pulse 20 sec scraping bowl with spatula after 10 sec. 

Add olive oil. Stopper out.
Slow Cook P1:4min. Scraping bowl with spatula as required.

Add mince. Slow Cook P1:8min. Scraping bowl with spatula as required.

Insert Mixing Blade 

Add Taco seasoning. Slow Cook P1:2min. 

Add pasta, boiling water and tomatoes, stir through with spatula.
Slow Cook P2:22mins. Place paper towelling over hole in lid to prevent splattering 

Add salsa, corn, red kidney beans and capsicum. Slow Cook P2:10mins. Stirring through with spatula as required.

Serve with shredded cheese or empty into casserole dish, top with shredded cheese and bake 170 deg for 20 mins or until cheese is golden. 

Spanish Chorizo and Vegetable Soup

Spanish Chorizo and Vegetable Soup 

This soup is one of my favourites. I love the way the paprika infused chorizo blends with the flavours of the vegetables, herbs and Parmesan. A real delight served with crusty home made bread and so easy to make in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. 

1 medium onion quartered

1 tblspn olive oil
200 gms chorizo diced
3 large carrots diced
2 sticks celery diced
1 large potato diced
700 gms passata
650 mls chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
1 x 400 gm can cannellini beans, drained and refreshed under cold running water.
Parsley, chilli, rocket, Parmesan and olive oil to serve.
Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in.
Add onion. Turbo 4 sec. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula.
Repeat above until onion is finely chopped.
Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.
Add olive oil.
Slow Cook P1:5mins. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula as required.
Add chorizo.
Slow Cook P1:7mins. Stopper out. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula as required.
Add carrots, celery, potato, passata, stock and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
Slow Cook P2:100 deg:60mins (stopper in Maxi position) adding cannellini beans for last 10 mins.
Serve with chopped parsley, chilli, rocket, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil to taste.

Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes 

I searched everywhere for a light, moist vanilla cupcake that could be easily converted to the Tefal Cuisine Companion. These are perfect and can be decorated with buttercream or ganache or a cream cheese frosting as I have done in the photo below. 

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used. 1 cup =250mls. 1 tablespoon =20mls

Vanilla Cupcakes 

140 gms milk

2 eggs room temperature 
1 tspn vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract 

100 gms butter softened and diced

160 gms caster sugar

200 gms Self Raising flour 

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out. 

Add all ingredients in order listed

Sp6:30sec scraping bowl after 15 sec. Turbo 20-30 sec or until smooth scraping bowl with spatula as required.

Bake 160 deg fan forced for 20-25 mins or until done.

Cream Cheese Frosting

60 gms butter chilled and diced

160 gms cream cheese chilled and diced

1 tspn strawberry essence or to taste 

420 gms icing sugar 

1-2 drops red food gel colouring 

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out. 

Sp10 until mixture is spreadable, scraping bowl with spatula as required. Mixture may form ball at first but will become smooth and creamy.

Shortbread

Shortbread

Rich, buttery shortbread, so easy in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. This shortbread mixture can be piped, rolled into a log and sliced or patted out on a generously floured board or silicone sheet and cut out with cookie cutters using a small metal spatula to transfer to paper lined baking trays. Heat and humidity will affect the consistency of the dough because of the high quantity of butter, you may need to refrigerate the dough briefly before slicing or patting out. For rolling into a log to slice for biscuits you will need to use chilled butter. For piping the shortbread dough you will need softened butter. This dough freezes beautifully, just roll into a log, place in a zip lock bag and freeze until required.

250 gms Butter diced (chilled if you are rolling the dough into a log to slice for biscuits), (softened but firm enough to dice if piping the dough).
50 gms Icing Sugar
250 gms Plain Flour
50 gms Cornflour
1/2 tspn Vanilla Extract
Insert Kneading Blade, Stopper in.
Add all ingredients

For shaping into a log and slicing using chilled butter

Sp10:30sec or until mixture comes together and forms a ball. Pulse after 30sec if necessary.
The shortbread mixture can now be rolled into a log and sliced or patted out on floured board and cut out with cookie cutters. Place on paper lined oven trays and bake 160 deg 10-15 mins or until edges start turning a light golden brown. Leave on trays 10 mins before transferring to cooling racks.
Decorate as desired.

For Piping using softened butter

Sp10: until mixture is combined and very soft.
Place biscuit mixture into piping bag fitted with large open star nozzle. Pipe fingers onto paper lined baking trays.
Bake 160 deg for 10-15 mins or until edges start turning light golden. Leave for 10 mins on baking tray before transferring to cooling racks.
Melt 200 gms white chocolate and dip one end of biscuit into melted white chocolate.  Leave to dry on lightly oiled wire cooling tray. Melt 200 gms dark chocolate and dip opposite end of biscuit into melted dark chocolate. Leave to dry on lightly oiled wire cooling tray. 

Curried Sausages

Curried Sausages

Old fashioned curried sausages made with curry powder.  Great on a cold winters day served with rice or mashed potatoes and some crusty bread. So simple to make in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. 

Note: Australian cup and spoon measurements used: 1 cup = 250 mls, 1 tablespoon = 20mls.
          1 teaspoon = 5mls

750 to 800 grams thin sausages

1 tblspn olive oil

1 large onion peeled and cut into quarters

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic

1&1/2 tablespoons curry powder or to taste

1& 1/2 tablespoons plain flour

3/4 cup celery sliced

1 large or 2 small carrots sliced

1&1/2 cup beans sliced

450 mls beef or vegetable stock 

Place sausages in internal steamer. Stopper in Maxi position. Add 700 mls water. Steam P1

Set aside sausages and empty water. 

Rinse bowl with hot water and dry with paper towelling. 

Remove sausage skins and slice. 

Insert Ultrablade blade. Stopper in. 

Add onion and garlic Sp11 for 10 sec. scrape bowl and repeat.
Insert Mixing Blade. Stopper out. 

Add olive oil

Slow Cook P1 for 4 mins

Add sausages. Stir through with spatula. Slow Cook P1 for 8 mins. Scraping bowl with spatula as required. 

Add curry powder and flour. Stir through. 

Slow Cook P1 for 2 mins. Stir with spatula. 

Add all other ingredients. Stir through with spatula. Stopper in on mini setting. 

Slow Cook P2 for 50 to 55 mins or until veggies are cooked, stirring occasionally.

Sponge

Sponge

There is nothing so delicious as a light and airy sponge filled with home made jam and cream. The Cuisine Companion makes light work of beating and aerating the eggs. One thing to remember is to warm the eggs. Place 4 fridge cold eggs in warm water for 7 minutes before cracking and placing in bowl. I use eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12.

20gms butter
80 gms milk
4 eggs. Put in warm water for 8 mins if straight from the fridge or 4 mins if room temperature.
160gms caster sugar
150gms S.R. flour
Place butter and milk In heatproof bowl. Microwave on low heat setting until butter is almost melted. Stir until melted. Set aside stirring every now and then whilst preparing sponge batter.
Insert whisk in CC, stopper out.
Add eggs and caster sugar. S8:14mins.
Sift S.R. flour into CC bowl. S4:5sec. Use silicone pastry brush to brush flour off whisk.
Select S4:15sec pouring butter/milk mixture through hole in lid. Remove blade and gently fold through with spatula any unmixed flour or butter/milk mixture.
Divide mixture between 2x20cm bottom paper lined sandwich tins. Bake 160 deg for 15-20mins or until done when tested. Do not open oven door for the first 10mins.

Baguettes

Baguettes 

 There's nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking and the taste of bread straight from the oven. These baguettes are perfect, crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They are started with a poolish made the night before which gives them a slight sourdough taste. 

Note: I use active dry yeast.
Note: Best to mix poolish in the evening to develop overnight.

Poolish

245 gms bread flour

230 gms water

Pinch yeast

Mix all together with a round bladed knife,  cover with cling wrap and place a hand towel over the top if your kitchen will be chilly overnight and leave for 12 to 18 hours or until poolish has risen and bubbles appear. 

Dough

3 gms yeast

550 gms plain flour

15 gms salt

270 gms lukewarm water

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out

Add poolish

Add dough ingredients 

Pastry P1:2 mins 30 sec. Do not allow to continue to prove function. 

Knead on lightly floured surface for 10 sec or until smooth

Rest for 45 mins at room temperature in lightly oiled lidded plastic container.

Fold dough in half and rest for a further 45 mins or until dough weighs about 1125 gms (mine weighed 1250 gms after 1 hour resting).

Cut into 3 pieces weighing 360 to 380 gms each. Shape into cylinders. Cover with tea towel and rest for 20 mins.

On lightly floured surface flatten each piece with your hands into small oblong shape (approx. 15x12cm). Fold top third from the short end towards middle gently patting out any air then fold this thicker bit over the remaining third gently patting out air and shaping into small oblong shape again. Roll tightly from the short side like a Swiss roll. Roll dough back and forth until 40cm long. 

Place on lightly oiled baking tray seam side down, cover with tea towel and rest for 45 mins. Cut one long line down the length of each baguette with sharp serrated knife. 

Steam bake 220deg for 25 mins or until brown and crispy.