Focaccia

This is a delicious quick garlic focaccia that can be ready in under 2 hours. It uses plain flour which gives a lovely light texture and freezes well. You can leave plain or use any toppings you desire before baking and garnish after baking with fresh herbs, chilli and Parmesan cheese if desired. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes the dough to perfection in a couple of minutes and all you have to do is prove twice and bake.

230 gms water
8 gms yeast (I used active dry yeast)
365 gms plain flour
30 gms butter softened
6 gms salt
Olive oil
80 gms butter extra melted
1 garlic clove crushed
Toppings
Parmesan cheese grated
Herbs, cherry tomatoes, olives, rosemary etc
Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper Maxi setting.
Add water and yeast. Brush off any yeast sitting on blade.
Sp3:35 deg:2mins.
Add plain flour, softened butter and salt.
Pastry P1:2min 30 sec. Stopper out.
Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. Rest 35 mins in a warm place.
Generously oil a baking tray with olive oil and pat dough out to approx 25cmx20 cm. cover with tea towel. Rest 45mins in a warm place.
Indent dough with 'holes' using the bottom of wooden spoon.
Add crushed garlic to melted butter and brush most over dough generously (reserve about a tablespoon). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, herbs, cherry tomatoes etc. Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake 190 deg for 15mins or until golden. Brush with reserved garlic butter (optional) and serve hot.

Chocolate Almond Torte

This Chocolate Almond Torte is a rich dense cake which would be perfect to serve as a decadent dessert teamed with cream and a home made raspberry coulis. The Tefal Cuisine Companion and the Tefal Mini Bowl work together to whisk the cake batter and to crush the flaked almonds. This cake does not rise too much in the oven and will sink in the middle when cooling. I've served this cake sandwiched with cream, covered top and sides with chocolate ganache and arranged flaked almonds around the sides. I've also made white chocolate flowers to decorate the top.

Note: This Torte is best made, decorated and refrigerated 24 hours before serving. Bring to room      temperature before slicing.
Note: I've used eggs from an 800gm carton of 12 eggs.

100 gms Butter
120 gms Dark Chocolate broken into individual squares (I used chocolate with 45% cocoa solids)
50 gms flaked Almonds
20 gms Plain Flour
3 Eggs
80 gms Caster Sugar

Preheat oven to 160 degrees fan forced. Grease and paper line the bottom of a loose bottomed 20cm diameter round cake tin. I also grease the paper.

In heatproof bowl add butter and chocolate and microwave on med/low until butter is melted, remove from microwave and stir with metal spoon until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Stir occasionally whilst making cake batter.

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.
Add flaked almonds
Sp3:120deg:5min
Remove almonds and place in Mini Bowl
Pulse 45 seconds
Add flour
Pulse 45 seconds
Set aside.
Insert Whisk. Stopper out.
Add eggs and caster sugar
Sp8:30deg:5mins
Add melted chocolate/butter mixture
Sp4:5sec
Add half almond/flour mixture
Sp4:5sec
Add remainder almond /flour mixture
Sp4:5sec
Pour batter into prepared baking tin and bake 160 degrees fan forced for 40-45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean when inserted into centre of cake.
Cool on wire rack and decorate as desired.

Swiss Roll

A light and fluffy Swiss roll filled with home made jam or home made lemon butter and cream is one of the easiest cakes you can make. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes the sponge batter to perfection in minutes and all you have to do is bake, roll, leave to cool, unroll, fill and roll up again. This Swiss roll keeps well and can be made the day before and refrigerated until needed. Just take out of the fridge 1/2 an hour before serving. A recipe for home made raspberry jam can be found by typing raspberry jam in the search function.

Lemon butter and cream filled Swiss roll.

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

Pre heat oven to 160 deg fan forced.

Place a clean tea towel on a flat surface and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons extra caster sugar.

Note: Place eggs in warm water for 6 minutes before whipping.

Sponge

15 gms Butter diced
60 gms Milk
3 Eggs placed in warm water for 6 mins
120 gms caster sugar
115 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 butter is fully melted. Set aside stirring occasionally.
Insert whisk in CC. Stopper out.
Add eggs and caster sugar. S8:15mins
Sift S.R. flour into CC bowl. S4:5sec
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 20-25mins or until sponge springs back when tested. Do not open oven door for the first 10mins.
I use a knife to cut any crusty bits around the edges of the sponge before turning out.
Turn out onto prepared tea towel and roll up starting from one short end, place on wire cooling rack until completely cooled.
Gently unroll when cooled and spread with jam or lemon curd and cream.
Re roll and sprinkle with extra caster sugar.

Chicken Garlic Alfredo Pasta

I love one pot meals cooked in the Tefal Cuisine Companion, soups, risotto, curries etc  but I also love the caramelisation that some of the meals cooked in the Tefal Cuisine Companion need by placing in the oven smothered in cheese and baked until golden. This chicken garlic alfredo pasta is one of those meals. Of course you can serve straight from the bowl garnished with parmesan and fresh herbs or do as I do and place in a casserole, sprinkle with cheese, bake until golden and then serve with grated parmesan and fresh chopped herbs and chilli from the garden.

Baked in the oven and garnished with fresh herbs, chilli and olive oil.

Served straight after cooking in the Tefal Cuisine Companion garnished with Parmesan, chilli and herbs.

1 tablespoon home made stock paste or 1 chicken stock cube.
500-600 gms chicken fillets skin removed and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large cloves garlic crushed
1 chilli chopped finely (optional)
Reserved liquid from steaming chicken fillets (add enough water to make up to 650mls)
300mls cream
250gms pennette
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
150 gms sun dried tomatoes roughly chopped
1 & 1/2 cups cheddar cheese grated
1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated plus extra to serve
50 gms baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper
Fresh chopped herbs e.g. basil, oregano, thyme
Chilli fresh chopped or dried flakes
Rocket leaves

Add 700 mls water with 1 tablespoon home made stock paste or 1 chicken stock cube into bowl.
Insert Internal Steaming Basket. Stopper in Maxi position.
Place quartered chicken fillets evenly into steam basket.
Select Steam1:20-25mins or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken and reserve liquid. Chop chicken into large dice when cool enough to handle and cover with foil to keep warm..
Wipe bowl with paper towelling.
Insert stirring blade, Stopper out.
Add oil, garlic and chilli (optional) to bowl. Sp3:90deg for 1min or until fragrant.
Add reserved liquid made up to 650 mls with water, cream and pennette. Stir through with spatula.
Slow Cook P2 for 20 mins or until pasta is al dente.
Add chicken, parsley, sundried tomatoes, grated cheddar and grated Parmesan. Stir through with spatula. Slow Cook P2 for 5 mins. adding spinach leaves in final 2 mins.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately garnished with fresh herbs, rocket leaves, chilli and extra Parmesan or empty into casserole dish, top with mozzarella or pasta bake cheese, drizzle with olive oil and bake 20 mins or until cheese is golden.
Serve with extra parmesan, chilli, fresh chopped herbs, rocket leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

Lemon Cream Cheese Butter Cake

I love this cake, it is so buttery but with the addition of cream cheese and lemon zest it truly stands out as one of the best butter cakes around. I have been making this cake for years but I find it so much easier and quicker to make in the Tefal Cuisine Companion.  This recipe I've adapted for the Tefal Cuisine Companion from an AWW cookbook.

Pre heat oven to 160deg fan forced. Grease 20cm ring tin or baba tin.

Cake

125 gms Cream Cheese diced
250 gms Butter softened and diced
Grated rind from one Lemon
310 gms Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
215 gms Plain Flour
Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.
Add cream cheese, butter and lemon rind.
Sp10:1min 30sec or until mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping  bowl with spatula as required.
Add caster sugar.
Sp10:1min, scraping bowl with spatula as required.
Add eggs and plain flour.
Sp6:1min or until combined, scraping bowl with spatula as required.
Spoon into prepared tin and bake 50-60mins or until done when tested.
Leave to cool on wire rack.

Icing

1 cup Icing Sugar

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Milk

In small bowl stir icing sugar and lemon juice with metal spoon adding enough milk until mixture is the consistency of honey. Spoon over cooked cake and leave to set.

Serve with freshly whipped cream and seasonal fruits if desired.

Ginger Sponge Roll

Ginger lovers can't go past this delicious cream filled sponge roll. The Tefal Cuisine Companion whips the sponge batter to perfection in minutes. It is one of the lightest sponges I've ever tasted, it keeps well and is perfect for morning or afternoon tea.

Note: I use chilled eggs.
Note: I use eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12 eggs.


65 gms Cornflour
20 gms Plain Flour
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
2 teaspoons Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoons ground or powdered Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon or to taste
3 Eggs
110 gms Caster Sugar
25 gms Golden Syrup
2 tablespoon Caster Sugar extra

400 mls thickened Cream whipped

Pre heat oven to 160 deg fan forced. Grease and paper line a 33cm x 23cm swiss roll baking tin.

Place a 30cm length of baking paper on a flat surface and sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons extra caster sugar.

In a separate bowl combine cornflour, plain flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, ginger and cinnamon and set aside.

Insert Whisk.  Stopper out.
Add eggs, caster sugar and golden syrup
Sp8:30deg:10mins.
Sift combined dry ingredients into Cuisine Companion bowl
Sp4:10sec. Scraping sides of bowl with spatula after 5 seconds.
Remove whisk, scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and fold mixture through gently with spatula two or three times until mixture is combined.
Spread mixture into prepared tin and bake 20-25 minutes or until done when tested.
When sponge is cooked trim any crusty sides of sponge before turning out onto prepared sugar sprinkled baking paper, cover with clean tea towel and roll from one short side and set aside until cold.

When cold, unroll sponge and spread whipped cream over surface and re roll. Garnish with crystallised ginger if liked.

Sacher Torte

The original Sacher Torte recipe is a secret and there are many versions and variations of this delicious torte. Some that I've tasted are just mud cakes in my opinion. This Sacher Torte recipe has almond meal in the ingredients and is glazed with apricot jam then smothered in dark chocolate ganache. This Sacher Torte should be made 24-48 hours in advance to allow the flavours to develop and be served with freshly whipped cream.

Note: I use fridge cold eggs.
Note: I use eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12 eggs.


Pre heat oven to 160deg fan forced. Grease and paper line 20cm diameter round cake tin.
100 gms Butter diced
120 gms Dark Cooking Chocolate (70% cocoa solids) broken into squares
50 gms Almond Meal
20 gms Plain Flour
3 Eggs
80 gms Caster Sugar
Apricot jam
150 gms Dark Cooking Chocolate (70% cocoa solids) extra
150 mls thickened Cream
50 gms Milk Chocolate
Place butter and chocolate in heatproof bowl. Microwave on med/low for 2 mins until butter is melted, stir with metal spoon until chocolate is also melted and mixture is smooth. Stir occasionally whilst preparing torte batter.
Insert Mini Bowl. Stopper in.
Add almond meal and flour.
Sp11:30sec.
Sift through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
Insert Whisk. Stopper out.
Add eggs and caster sugar.
Sp8:30deg:8mins
Add butter/chocolate mixture
Sp4:5sec
Add 1/2 flour/almond meal mixture
Sp4/5sec
Add remaining flour/almond meal mixture
So4:5sec.
Remove whisk, scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and gently fold mixture with spatula two or three times to combine ingredients.
Bake 20-25 mins or until done when tested. Cool on wire rack.
Warm apricot jam for 15 seconds on low setting in microwave and spread evenly over top and sides of torte.

Ganache

Melt extra dark chocolate in microwave, remove from microwave and add cream quickly whilst stirring melted chocolate with metal spoon to combine.
Spread thickly over top and sides of torte and refrigerate.
Melt milk chocolate in microwave and pipe 'Sacher' on top of cake.
Refrigerate for 24-48 hours and serve with freshly whipped cream.