Chocolate Soufflé

Chocolate Soufflé

Serves 2

Ingredients
150g Plaistowe Dark Cooking chocolate
Softened butter to coat ramekins
1/3 cup caster sugar (about 85 grams)
4 eggs separated
Extra caster sugar for dusting ramekins
Icing sugar

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

Thoroughly brush ramekins with softened butter. Brush up the sides to create a “path” for the soufflé to rise.  Then coat inside of ramekins with caster sugar. Together the butter and sugar will facilitate the rising.

Melt chocolate in a bowl large enough to incorporate the beaten egg whites.

Place egg whites into a bowl and start whisking with some of the sugar then gradually add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk until thick and shiny soft peaks form.

Mix egg yolks with a fork until well combined and add to the melted chocolate and mix well. This will create a batter that will bind with the egg whites.

Mix 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate mixture until well combined. Then turn and fold in remaining egg white until all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour mixture into ramekins all the way to the top and level the mixture but be very careful not to drip any mixture on the side otherwise you will have to wipe it clean and the soufflé will stick when cooked. (Some recipes suggest running the end of your thumb around inside edge of soufflé dish to ensure the soufflé will rise evenly).

Place ramekins onto a baking tray and place in the oven and cook at 200 degrees for 15 minutes until well risen and gooey in the centre.

Serve soufflé dusted with icing sugar and cold whipped cream with grated chocolate on the side.

To eat, break a hole in the centre of the soufflé and drop in chocolate cream.

Deeeeliiiiicious.

My interpretation of the recipe as seen on MasterChef Australia on Ten

Notes:

Used 8x7cm ramekins.

Next time, will reduce the sugar to about 65g because the souffle was intensely sweet.

Soufflé was prepared 30 minutes before baking, left at room temperature.

Methods for avoiding your souffle spilling over the dish when cooking:
– If the temperature is too low, it will not “seize” the souffle quickly enough and the mixture will spill over as it bakes.
– Ramekins can be filled approximately 2cm lower than the top of the dish so when the souffle rises it does not spill over.
– Do not beat the egg whites until they are stiff or the souffles can rise too high and spill over the rims of the mould. Instead whip the eggwhites until they just begin to hold their shape.
Source:  Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey By Marc Vetri, David Joachim, Douglas Takeshi Wolfe

Some recipes also use flour or cornflour and milk. One website noted that they omitted the milk that goes into most chocolate soufflés and the result is a puffier, crisper texture outside and a lighter, airier consistency inside. Another recipe states that the soufflés can be prepared up to the point of ready to bake them. Just refrigerate for anywhere up to three days.  Just bring them out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. If you don’t take them out of the refrigerator early, then bake them for an extra minute or two.

Other recipes:

Lifestyle Food – Chocolate Souffle by Gordon Ramsay

Lifestyle Food – Decandent Chocolate Souffles

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2922/hot-chocolate-souffl-

Lifestyle Food – Chocolate Souffle by Ben O’Donoghue from The Best In Australia

Lifestyle Food – Chocolate Souffle with Figs by Richard Phillips

Channel 4 – Chocolate Souffle by Gordon Ramsay

ABC – Chocolate Souffle from The Cook and The Chef

Epicurious – Chocolate Souffle

Cooking for Engineers – Dark Chocolate Souffle

The Gourmet Cookbook By Ruth Reichl, John Willoughby, Zanne Early Stewart

The Baker’s Manual By Joseph Amendola, Nicole Rees, Nicole Rees Smith

Professional Baking By Wayne Gisslen, Mary Ellen Griffin, Le Cordon Bleu

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Creme Caramel

Creme Caramel

Ingredients

Caramel
200g sugar
A little water
Teaspoon of red wine vinegar

Custard
6 eggs
200g caster sugar
2 vanilla pods
1 litre milk

Preheat oven.
To make the caramel, heat the sugar, water and red wine vinegar in a small heavy based saucepan. Cook over a medium heat without stirring.
When it’s reached a dark, tanned syrup colour and consistency, pour into ramekins or a large oven dish and roll the syrup around until it covers the bottom and two thirds the way up the sides.
For the custard, place milk with split vanilla pods and scraped seeds into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
While the milk is heating, in a large bowl whisk eggs with caster sugar until it is pale and thickened.
When the milk is just about to boil over, remove from the heat and pour into the egg mixture while whisking until well combined.
Pour mixture through a sieve into a jug and then pour the custard into ramekins. Be careful when pouring over the caramel that you swirl a little as you pour so the warm mixture does not crack the caramel.
Place ramekins/oven dish in an ovenproof baking dish and fill half way up the sides of the dish with water. Bake in a medium oven for 30-40 minutes turning the baking dish around half way through to cook evenly.
Remove from the oven when the creme caramel is brown on top and wobbles when gently shaken.
Rest to room temperature and refrigerate. It will set beautifully when cold with a smooth, silky consistency.
I find the creme caramel is best when made and refrigerated a day a head or even better, two days ahead.
Remove creme caramel from the refrigerator and if using ramekins, run a knife around the edge of the ramekins, then place a plate over the top of the ramekin and invert the plate and dish. If using an oven dish, serve a generous large spoonful into a bowl with the caramel sauce.

Other recipes:
http://www.sbs.com.au/food/foodsafarirecipe/index/id/24/n/Creme_caramel

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Doughnuts

Doughnuts

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you want them)
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2-1 egg lightly beaten
About 1/2 cup water &/or milk mixture (warmed)
Pinch of salt
Optional: Pinch of spice (eg. cardomom, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger)
Vegetable Oil for deep frying

All pastry ingredients should be allowed to come to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and spices. Add yeast which has been mixed with a few teaspoons of warm water. Mix the water/milk, melted butter, and egg together. Add the melted butter and egg to the flour mixture then gradually add the required amount of milk/water while kneading until you achieve the right consistency.  The dough should be a little softer than pizza-dough consistency but not sticky.
Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for 15-20 minutes until a smooth and elastic dough is formed.
Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place (such as an oven that has been heated to a very low temperature then turned off) for an hour or more.
Roll or press out the dough onto a lightly floured board or bench to 1.5-2cm even thickness and cut into rounds (I use a drinking glass with a 6cm diameter.)  You can let them rise a second time (I skip this step).
Pour enough oil to half fill a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Test the temperature with a piece of dough first to ensure you have the correct temperature to cook the doughnuts through without burning the outside. Fry doughnuts turning once until golden brown all over. Fry as many as can float in the oil without touching.
Drain doughnuts on newspaper or paper bags covered with absorbent towels then toss through sifted icing sugar.

Notes:
I use the dough setting on my Breville Baker’s oven to make the dough the night before and let the dough rise overnight so it’s ready in the morning to make doughnuts.

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Cumquat Tart with Candied Peel and Vanilla Ice Cream

Cumquat Tart with Candied Cumquat Peel and Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
225g plain flour
45g pure icing sugar
125g chilled unsalted butter, diced
2 egg yolks (from 59g eggs)
Eggwhite

Filling
1/2 – 3/4 cup preserved cumquats pureed with cumquat syrup
6 Eggs (room temperature)
250g caster sugar
150-200ml pure pouring cream (min 35% fat)

To Serve
Candied cumquat peel
Pure icing sugar to dust
Extra caster sugar for carmalising the top
Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or thick double cream

To make the pastry, place flour and icing sugar in a food processor and process to combine. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolks one at a time and process until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.

Press into a flat disc and wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 15 -30 minutes to rest or until firm enough to roll out.

Grease a 24cm x 3cm deep tart loose-based tin with softened butter.

Remove dough from the refrigerator, roll out on a lightly floured bench to a thickness of 3-5mm.

Carefully lift the pastry using your rolling pin and line the tart tin with the pastry. Gently press the pastry along the sides to ensure you have an even thickness.  Trim excess dough. Left over dough is handy for any small repair jobs required!
(Alternatively you can trim some excess dough leaving an extra 1-2cm dough overhanging. When the pastry is baked, there will be some shrinkage and the excess pastry can then be trimmed after it is cooked by slowly and gently rolling the rolling pin over the tart tin to cleanly remove the excess pastry).

Prick the pastry base all over with a fork, cover with cling wrap and return to the fridge for a further 15-30 minutes to rest and allow butter to become cold and solidify.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Remove pastry shell from the refrigerator, line with baking paper and fill with raw rice or pastry weights ensuring the rice is flat and pushed up against the side of the tin.  Blind Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

While the pastry is baking, prepare your filling.  Break 6 eggs into a large bowl and using an electric whisk, start whisking the eggs until well combined then gradually add the sugar and whisk until you have a pale, thick mixture. Whisk in the cumquat puree then the cream.

Remove rice and paper and return tart shell to the oven and cook for a further 5-10 minutes to dry out the pastry until it is firm to touch and is golden brown. Be careful not to overcook the pastry otherwise it will over brown and crack.   You can combine reserved eggwhite with some cold water and brush the inside of the pastry and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. This will seal the pastry.

Remove the pastry shell from the oven.  You can at this point set aside the pastry shell to cool in the tin to use the next day if preparing the pastry shell ahead of time.

Reduce oven to 150 °C.

Place the tart shell on a baking tray and carefully pour the cumquat custard into tart shell and bake for at least 25 minutes or until just set. It will continue cooking when removed from the oven. Don’t worry if it has separated into two layers (noticeable when it is cut). Set aside to cool.  If preparing this ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove tart from tart tin.  Cut into serving portions. Sprinkle the top of each slice with caster sugar and use a kitchen blowtorch to cook the sugar until it bubbles, then caramalises and forms a shiny, hard tortoiseshell surface.

Place each slice individually on a plate sprinkled with icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream or cream and candied cumquat peel.

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Tiramisu

Tiramisu

Ingredients
2 or 4 eggs separated (2 were used for this recipe)
250g mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 T caster sugar
150ml single cream
150-200ml espresso, cooled to room temperature
Liqueur – approx 5 T mixture of Marsala, Brandy, &/or Tia Maria (to taste)
Approx 14-16 Savioardi or Pavesinsi biscuits – thick or thin
Chocolate (60-70% cocoa) – can be frozen, to grate
Cocoa powder, to dust

Separate the egg yolks and the whites into 2 bowls.
Whisk the yolks, slowly adding 1/2 the amount of sugar, until pale and thick.
Add the mascarpone, vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of the liqueur and 50ml of coffee, and whisk on low speed until well incorporated.
Whisk the egg whites, slowly adding the remaining sugar until standing in thick, glossy peaks.
Gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture until combined.
Whisk the cream until it is smooth and just thickened, then fold into the mascarpone mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
Pour the remaining coffee and liqueur into a bowl. Take one sponge finger at a time and dip it in to the coffee/liqueur mixture for a second or two per finger, making sure they absorb the liquid but are not saturated. Set them to one side and continue with the remaining biscuits.
In a medium sized deep dish layer a row of biscuits across the base of the dish.  Spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly across the top of the biscuits.
Then layer the remaining biscuits over the top and finish with the remaining mascarpone mixture.
Refrigerate for several hours or ideally overnight to allow the flavours to infuse.
Remove the Tiramisu from the fridge. Take the frozen chocolate and grate over the top. Finally, dust with sifted cocoa powder to serve.

References:
Tiramisu – SBS Food Safari
Tiramisu – LifeStyle Food
Tiramisu – Channel 4, Gordon Ramsay
Modern Italian Food – Stefano dePieri

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Cumquat Panna Cotta and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Cumquat Coulis

Cumquat Panna Cotta with Cumquat Coulis

Panna Cotta with Cumquat Coulis

Serves 4 – This recipe makes 2 Vanilla Panna Cottas and 2 Cumquat Panna Cottas.

Ingredients
350-400ml pouring cream (min 35% fat)
100ml full cream milk
1 1/2 leaves of gelatine
60g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
Approx. 3 tsps homemade pureed candied cumquats (seeds removed)

Heat milk, cream and sugar in a saucepan and gently bring to simmering point.
Divide mixture evenly into two bowls.
To one bowl add 1 split vanilla pod with scraped seeds and let the flavours infuse.
To the other bowl stir in cumquat puree.
Soak gelatine leaves in a little bit of milk for a couple of minutes – first soak half the gelatine leaves until softened and remove leaves from the milk and add to the cumquat mixture, stir thoroughly then pass the cream through a fine mesh sieve into 2 dariole moulds.  Now soak the other half of the gelatine leaves until softened, remove the vanilla pod from the second bowl and add the the gelatine leaves, stir thoroughly then sieve the mixture into 2 more dariole moulds.
Place the 4 moulds into the fridge to set for at least 6 hours or overnight.
To serve, dip moulds briefly in warm water, then invert onto plates.  You may need to use a knife to run around the inside first before trying to plate.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with finely sliced candied cumquat rind and cumquat coulis.

Notes:
This amount of mixture doesn’t quite fill the 135 ml dariole moulds to the top.

Sources:
LifeStyle Food
Gourmet Traveller

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Cumquat Soufflé

Cumquat Soufflé

Ingredients
2 eggs separated
25 g + 25g caster sugar
3-4 tsps pureed candied cumquats (see previous post for recipe)
Extra caster sugar for dusting ramekins
Softened butter to coat ramekins
Salt
Icing Sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
Thoroughly brush ramekins with softened butter. Brush up the sides to create a “path” for the soufflé to rise.  Then dust the inside of the ramekins with caster sugar by turning the mould around until the inside of the ramekin is thoroughly coated with sugar. Together the butter and sugar will facilitate the rising.
In a bowl, cream the egg yolks with the first 25g sugar, until pale and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the candied cumquat puree, mix and set aside.
In a separate clean bowl (copper, if you have one), whisk the egg whites with a tiny pinch of salt. When you are ½ way to peaks forming, add ½ the remaining sugar, followed by the rest shortly after. Whisk until thick and shiny soft peaks form.
Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolks until well combined then carefully turn and fold through the remaining egg white mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
Spoon the mixture into the soufflé moulds or ramekins all the way to the top and level the mixture but be very careful not to drip any mixture on the side otherwise you will have to wipe it clean and the soufflé will stick when cooked.  This quantity will fill 2x270ml ramekins.
Bake the soufflés at 190C for 15 minutes for these sized ramekins – cooking time will vary between approximately 8-15 minutes depending on the size of the moulds used.
Dust the soufflés with icing sugar and serve immediately.  You can break a hole in the centre of the soufflé and drop in cold whipped cream.

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Passionfruit Souffle

Passionfruit Souffle

Ingredients
2 egg yolks
25 g + 25g Sugar
30 ml strained passionfruit juice
2 egg whites
Salt
Icing Sugar for dusting

In a bowl, cream the egg yolks with the first 25g sugar, until pale and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the passion fruit juice, mix and set aside.
In a separate clean bowl (copper, if you have), whisk the egg whites with a tiny pinch of salt.
When you are ½ way to peaks forming, add ½ the remaining sugar, followed by the rest shortly after.
Whisk to firm peaks but be careful not to over beat them.
Whisk 1/3 of the whites into the yolks then carefully fold through the remaining.
Spoon the mixture into a buttered and sugared soufflé mould or tea cup or ramekin.
Bake at 190C for 12 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with passionfruit sorbet.

Passionfruit Soufflé – Neil Perry at LifeStyle Food

Other recipes:
Lime Soufflé with Raspberry Icecream – Gourmet Traveller

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Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce & Almond Praline

Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce & Almond Praline

Serves 8

Ingredients

180g dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1¼ cups (310ml) water
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¾ cup (165g) firmly packed brown sugar
60g butter, softened chopped
2 eggs
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

Almond praline
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
¼ cup (35g) slivered almonds

Butterscotch sauce
50g butter
1 cup (220g) brown sugar
1 cup (250ml) cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan-forced). Lightly grease eight (½ cup capacity) metal dariole moulds.

2. Place dates and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Remove from the heat. Add bicarbonate of soda, stir until dates start to break down, set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

3. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl using a hand beater, gradually add eggs one at a time, beat until light and fluffy.

4. Add date mixture, stir to combine. Carefully fold through sifted flour, divide mixture evenly between the eight moulds, until 2/3 full.

5. Place moulds in a baking tray, carefully pour water in tray until it comes up 1/3 of the side of the moulds. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until golden and skewer comes out clean.

6. Meanwhile, for the almond praline, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan over medium heat and cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden. Scatter almonds onto a baking paper-lined oven tray, pour over caramel and cool until set. Break praline into pieces.

7. For the butterscotch sauce, combine butter, sugar, cream and vanilla in small saucepan over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring sauce to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 5-6 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.

8. To serve, invert the hot pudding onto a serving plate, top with butterscotch sauce and shards of praline.

Recipe Courtesy of Masterchef on Ten

As cooked by Shane.

Other recipes can be found at:

Channel 4 – Food

LifeStyle Food

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Orange and Almond Cake

Orange and Almond Cake

Ingredients
2 Australian oranges (eg. Valencia)
6 eggs
250g caster sugar
250g almond meal
1tsp baking powder
Extra caster sugar for dusting before baking
Icing sugar

Wash oranges and place unpeeled in a pot of boiling water for 2 hours. Drain the water and allow the oranges to cool. This can be done ahead of time.

Preheat oven to 190°C.

Break 6 eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add caster sugar and using a hand mixer beat until pale and thick. Bowl must be large enough to later add the orange/almond mixture.

Break up the oranges and blend together in the food processor to a smooth consistency. Add the orange puree to the egg mix. Add the almond meal and baking powder and blend all the ingredients together to form the cake mix.

Grease a 20 cm spring form baking pan with butter and dust with caster sugar or line the inside of the tin with baking paper to prevent sticking and over browning.

Pour batter into the pan and sprinkle caster sugar on top and bake for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until the top is golden brown.

Remove cake from oven and let cool before removing from the tin.

Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Notes:

* Cooked oranges and the cake mix tasted bitter but after the caked was cooked it was sweet.  Some bakers suggest removing the stems as these are bitter.
* This can be made a day ahead of time.  Flavours are better the next day onwards.
* Keeps for up to 3 days.  Cake can be portioned and frozen.

Recipe courtesy of Food Safari

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