Gluten and Dairy Free Vanilla Sponge

This gluten free vanilla sponge is light, airy and delicious. It is traditionally made using the Italian meringue technique before adding the eggs, baking powder and cornflour. I have adapted the recipe to be made simply in the Tefal Cuisine Companion. An interesting tip is to drop your baked sponges from knee height onto the floor after removing tins from oven, this is supposed to shock the sponges and prevents deflating. I thought this was weird but did it and they didn't deflate.

Note: Make sure your cornflour is made from corn (maize) not wheat.
Note: Make sure your baking powder has rice flour not wheat flour added.
Note: Use PURE icing sugar not icing sugar mixture which has cornflour added if making icing to top the sponge.
Note: I used eggs from an 800gm carton of 12 eggs.

4 Eggs separated
165 gms Caster Sugar sifted if there's any lumps
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
185 gms Cornflour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

Wash your Cuisine Companion bowl with vinegar by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar and wiping out with paper towelling, dry with more paper towelling.

Preheat oven 160 deg.
Grease and paper line 2 x 20cm round cake tins
Sift cornflour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
Lightly beat yolks with a fork and set aside.

Insert Whisk. Stopper out.
Add egg whites
Start Sp6:40deg:6mins adding caster sugar by the tablespoon through hole in lid in the first minute.
Add yolks and vanilla extract
Sp3:10sec scraping bowl with spatula  after 5 sec
Add cornflour, baking powder and salt
Sp4:25sec scraping bowl with spatula after 10 sec
Remove whisk
Gently fold through 2 or 3 times with spatula any unmixed cornflour. Mixture may appear lumpy.
Bake 160 deg 18-20 mins or until done when tested.
Drop from knee height onto floor to prevent sponge from deflating.
Remove from tins and leave to cool on wire rack.
Decorate as desired.

Cannelloni

Cannelloni is one of those satisfying comfort meals which can be time consuming to make but well worth the effort. The bechamel sauce has cottage cheese added to it to give it a creamy subtle cheese flavour which compliments this dish. You can either purchase cottage cheese or make your own in the Tefal Cuisine Companion by searching Cottage Cheese in this blog. If you have the Tefal Mini Bowl you can chop your onions and garlic in the mini bowl then add to the large Cuisine Companion bowl.

Baked Cannelloni garnished with rocket, chilli, basil, oregano, thyme and Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil. 

Cannelloni topped with Bechamel cheese sauce and pre baked for  20 minutes.

Topping with tomato sauce.

Layering filled cannelloni tubes before topping with tomato sauce and Bechamel cheese sauce and pre baking 20 minutes.

TIP: Always pre bake your prepared cannelloni for 20 minutes then set aside for at least 1 hour before topping with cheese and baking. I sometimes make in the morning or the day before, pre cook then refrigerate before topping with cheese before baking.

Note: For convenience I use frozen spinach thawed overnight in wire mesh sieve sitting over a bowl and squeezed through a clean tea towel to remove excess liquid when ready to use.

Note: Australian spoon measurements used - 1 tablespoon = 20 mls. 1 teaspoon = 5 mls

Grated Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese or pre packaged grated pasta bake cheese.

Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 brown Onion peeled and quartered

2 Garlic Cloves peeled

4 short cut Bacon Rashers diced

400 gm tin Crushed Tomatoes
150 gms Sundried Tomatoes roughly chopped

1 teaspoon Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh Basil roughly chopped

Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in.

Add onion and garlic

Pulse until finely chopped scraping bowl with spatula as necessary

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out. Place some paper towelling over hole in lid to prevent splattering.

Add olive oil and bacon to chopped onions and garlic

Slow Cook P1:8mins scraping bowl with spatula as necessary.

Add all other ingredients EXCEPT basil

Slow Cook P2:15mins scraping bowl with spatula as necessary

Remove stirring blade

Stir through chopped basil

Set tomato sauce aside.  

Rinse Cuisine Companion bowl and dry with paper towelling.

Meat Filling

1 brown Onion peeled and quartered

1 Garlic Clove peeled

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

500 gms Minced Beef

1 tablespoon Tomato Paste

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried Italian Herbs or 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs or to taste. I added 1 tablespoon each of fresh basil and oregano.

250 gms frozen chopped Spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed through a clean tea towel to remove excess liquid

1 tablespoons Cream

Insert Ultrablade. Stopper in.

Add onion and garlic

Pulse until finely chopped scraping bowl as necessary

Leave Ultrablade in. Remove Stopper.
Add olive oil. 

Slow Cook P1:5mins scraping bowl with spatula every minute

Add minced beef

Slow Cook P1:5mins scraping bowl with spatula as necessary

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out

Add tomato paste, salt and pepper and herbs. Stir through with spatula

Slow Cook P2:10mins scraping bowl with spatula as necessary

Remove stirring blade

Add cream and stir through with spatula or wooden spoon

Add well drained spinach and stir through with spatula or wooden spoon until evenly combined

Set aside.

Wash Cuisine Companion bowl and lid, dry.

Cheese Bechamel

This is an adapted recipe from the Million Menus cookbook

750 mls milk

75 gms Plain Flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

75 gms butter diced

250-300 gms cottage cheese blended smooth using Tefal mini bowl Speed 11 or stick blender or pushed through a fine mesh sieve

Insert Whisk. Stopper in.

Add milk and flour

Sp7:1min 20sec

Remove Stopper
Add diced butter, salt and pepper

Sp4:90deg:12 mins or until seating to thicken

Add cottage cheese

Sp4:1min or until smooth

Set aside until thick

Cannelloni Assembly

Grease a rectangular baking dish. Mine measured 25x20cm.

Strain tomato sauce of any excess liquid

Spread 1/3 of tomato sauce in base of baking dish
Fill cannelloni tubes with meat filling using piping bag or teaspoon pushing filling into tube with handle of wooden spoon. 

Place filled cannelloni shells on top of sauce in a single layer
Spread any remaining meat filling on top

Add rest of tomato sauce

Top with Bechamel cheese sauce (you may not need all the Becamel cheese sauce)

Bake 160 deg for 20 mins then set aside for at least 1 hour before topping with cheese and baking 160 deg for 20-25 mins or until golden.

Lemon Blueberry Loaf

This lemon blueberry loaf is the perfect afternoon tea cake, it is super moist and the flavour combination of lemon teamed with blueberries is delicious. The loaf can be left plain or iced with a simple lemon glacé icing or a lemon buttercream. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes the batter to perfection in a matter of minutes. I cut and freeze this loaf in individual portions to take to work for an afternoon tea treat.

Note: I used a 20x10cm base measurement loaf tin
Note: I use eggs from an 800gm carton of 12 eggs.
Note: Butter should be very soft.

210 gms Self Raising Flour
70 gms Butter softened
140 gms Caster Sugar
35gms Lemon Juice
125 gms Milk
1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
Zest of 2 Lemons
2 Eggs (see note)
1 cup frozen Blueberries
Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.
Add all ingredients EXCEPT blueberries
Pastry P1:1min 30sec scraping bowl with spatula as necessary
Remove blade
Gently fold in frozen blueberries, pour into greased loaf tin and bake at 160deg for 50-60 mins or until done when tested.
Leave in tin 5 mins before turning out onto wire rack to cool.
Leave plain or ice with a lemon glacé icing or a lemon buttercream.

Macarons

Macarons are one of the most delightful little biscuits and I thought one of the most difficult to master. The meringue has to be at the right consistency, the almond meal has to be the right texture, and the temperature and humidity in your kitchen has to be just right.  The flavour and filling combinations are endless.  Today with the help of my Tefal Cuisine Companion and my Tefal Mini Bowl I made peppermint and strawberry macarons filled with chocolate ganache. It is best to cook these with a conventional oven (top and bottom heat only) not fan forced.

Consistency of mixture before piping into rounds

Piped macarons waiting to dry out before baking

Note: Pour 1 teaspoon of vinegar into Cuisine Companion bowl and wipe vinegar around bowl with paper towelling, dry with another sheet of paper towelling. This is important to make sure your bowl is thoroughly clean.

100 gms almond meal
110 gms pure icing sugar (not icing sugar mixture)
100 gms egg whites at room temperature
1/4 tspn cream of tartar
100 gms caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint essence or 1/2 teaspoon strawberry essence
Pink or Green gel food colouring

Insert Mini Bowl with blade.
Add almond meal and icing sugar
Pulse 1min 30sec scraping bowl every 15sec
Sift through a fine mesh sieve to remove any larger pieces and set aside.

Insert Whisk. Stopper out.
Add egg whites and cream of tartar
Start Sp6:40deg:6mins. After 3 minutes add caster sugar slowly with a spoon then after 5 minutes  add essence and colouring. Remove whisk and scrape whisk and sides of bowl with spatula.
Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.
Add half of the combined almond meal and icing sugar mixture
Sp3:10sec. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula.
Add rest of combined almond meal and icing sugar mixture
Sp3:25sec
Remove blade and fold through gently 2 or 3 times with spatula any unmixed mixture. Don't overmix.
Pipe 3-4cm rounds on baking paper lined baking trays, tap the trays twice on the bench top to remove air bubbles and leave to dry out for 1 hour or until mixture is dry to the touch.
Bake 120 deg conventional oven (top and bottom heat only) not fan forced for 18-20 mins (turning baking tray around after 10 minutes) or until macarons are firm to the touch. Leave to cool on trays.
Remove by sliding a small metal spatula under macarons.
Fill cooled macarons with ganache or a flavoured buttercream.

Cottage style Cheese

This is a delicious cottage style cheese made in the Tefal Cuisine Companion using only 3 ingredients.  You can have it fresh spread on dry cracker biscuits or blend it smooth with a stick mixer or the new Tefal Mini Bowl to add to a bechamel sauce when making Lasagne or Cannelloni. I also use this cheese as a ricotta substitute. You can use this cheese in any recipe that requires cottage or ricotta cheese. The discarded whey is a great addition when baking bread or scones.

Fresh cottage/ricotta style cheese.

Blended smooth in the new Tefal Mini Bowl

Note: Makes approximately 225 gms

1 litre fresh chilled full cream milk (not long life)
Pinch salt
30 gms white wine vinegar
Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.
Add milk and salt
Sp3:100deg:16 minutes
Start Sp3:1 minute adding white wine vinegar through hole in lid.
Remove lid and rest 5 minutes to allow curds to form.
Remove blade and Ladle curds into tea towel lined metal sieve which has been placed over large heatproof bowl.
Leave for 5 minutes to drain. Reserve 1 cup of whey.
To store cottage cheese, place in an airtight lidded container with enough reserved whey to just cover the surface. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Drain excess whey before use.

Pissaladiere Tart with Tomatoes

I have been making this delicious tart for over 40 years. The recipe was from a cookbook I received as a wedding present many years ago. Recently I have been informed by a lovely lady living in Paris that this is not an authentic version of the classic French Pissaladiere. I may have to change the name of this tart so I don't confuse anybody but for now the combination of onions, tomatoes, cheese, olives and anchovies is absolutely delicious regardless of its name.

I

Shortcrust Pastry

300 gms Plain Flour 

125 gms chilled Butter diced

80-100 mls chilled Water

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper in. 

Add plain flour and diced butter. Pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Remove Stopper 

Start Sp8 pouring water slowly through hole in lid until pastry starts to form a ball. Knead briefly until smooth, cover in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins. 

Place flat baking tray or pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 160 deg.

Filling

1 tablespoon Olive oil

2 brown Onions sliced thinly

1 Garlic clove crushed

1 400 gms tin crushed Tomatoes drained through fine mesh sieve

1 tablespoon Tomato Paste

1 teaspoon fresh Basil chopped OR 1/4 teaspoon dried Basil

Pinch Sugar

Pepper

2 Tomatoes skinned and sliced

Cheddar Cheese grated

2 tins Anchovies drained and soaked in milk for 30 minutes, then place on paper towelling to dry.

Black Olives stoned and halved

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.

Add olive oil, sliced onions and crushed garlic.

Slow Cook P1:12-15 minutes or until onions have softened scraping bowl with spatula as required.

Add drained tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar and pepper to taste.

Slow Cook P2:15 minutes scraping bowl with spatula as required.

Strain onion/tomato mixture through fine mesh sieve and leave to cool slightly.

Assembly 

Roll pastry to fit round loose bottomed tart tin. Add strained onion/tomato mixture, 

arrange sliced tomatoes in an overlapping fashion over top, sprinkle with grated cheese

then arrange drained anchovies in a lattice pattern over top. Place olives in each 'window'

of lattice.

Place tart on baking tray in pre heated oven and bake 25-30 minutes or until pastry

 is light golden and shrinks from side of tin.

Scone Dough Scrolls

Scone Dough Scrolls

Quick and easy sweet or savoury scrolls made with a scone dough. You don't have to wait for the dough to rise and they can be prepared in advance, sliced and frozen to be baked fresh when needed. 

The dough is the same for sweet or savoury and the fillings can be anything you desire. I like to cook these scrolls in a 20cm loose bottomed round cake tin. The dough is so easy to prepare in the Tefal Cuisine Companion 

Savoury Scrolls

400 gms S.R. Flour

120 gms chilled Butter diced
200 mls Milk

Ham, grated cheese or any filling of choice. 

20 mls Milk extra

Olive oil optional

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper in. 

Add S.R. Flour and Butter

Pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 

Remove Stopper 

Start Sp6 adding milk very slowly through hole in lid until mixture starts forming a ball (you may not need all of the milk).

Knead briefly on floured board until smooth. 

Roll or pat out to 40x30cm rectangle. 

Cover generously with desired filling leaving 2 cm gap on one long side. Brush this gap with milk and start rolling tightly from opposite long side to form a log. 

Cut into 8 slices and place into round cake tin, brush tops with extra milk, drizzle with olive oil and bake 180 deg for 30-35 mins or until golden brown. 

Sweet Scrolls

15 grams butter melted 

50 grams brown sugar

100 grams or more dried fruit of choice

1 tablespoon Caster Sugar

1 tablespoon boiling Water

130 gms Icing Sugar Mixture 

25 mls Milk

1 drop red food colouring optional

Follow above dough instructions for savoury scrolls. After rolling or patting out to 40x30cm rectangle, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar then cover with dried fruit. Continue with rolling and baking instructions above omitting the olive oil. 

When scrolls come out of the oven brush with a sugar glaze made by combining the caster sugar and boiling water together and stirring with a teaspoon until dissolved. 

When scrolls have cooled, make icing by stirring icing sugar, milk and food colouring together until smooth. Spread a tablespoon of icing on each scroll.