A Simple Torte

My second torte in as many weeks.  What can I say, I love them!  I found this recipe online (compliments of the Australian Woman's Weekly) and it was much simpler (and half the ingredients) than my version (posted last week for World Nutella Day).  So tonight I had to give it a try.  There was no occasion, no guests, just me, my roomie and the torte.  A perfect evening if you ask me!

Ingredients

• 5 egg whites
• 1¼ cups (275g) caster sugar
• 1½ cups (150g) hazelnut meal 
• 1 cup (320g) Nutella
• 600ml thickened cream, whipped 
• cocoa powder, for serving

What to do

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Using a pencil, mark two 25cm x 12cm rectangles on each tray. Turn over the baking paper so that the pencil marks are facing down.

Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beat until dissolved. Fold in hazelnut meal.

Spread one quarter of the mixture evenly over each outlined rectangle. Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for about 40 minutes or until crisp. Cool on trays.

Place the Nutella in a small bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds or until a soft, spreadable consistency. Spread three of the meringue rectangles evenly with the Nutella, reserving the remaining meringue rectangle for the top layer.

Place one of the Nutella-topped meringue rectangles on a serving plate. Spread with one third of the whipped cream. Continue layering with remaining Nutella-topped meringue rectangles and cream. Top with the remaining plain meringue rectangle. Serve dusted lightly with cocoa. 

Heavenly Nutella, Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue Torte

It's only fitting to post a tribute to the most amazing creation of hazelnutty chocolatty goodness on this day, World Nutella Day!  So here is a recipe where I have combined my two favourite things: a torte and of course the spread of honour, Nutella.

I love the texture and the flavours of a good torte.  And then when you add Nutella... You get quite simply, heaven in your mouth!  It doesn't matter if your torte looks less than perfect, because I think that is half of the appeal of this tasty treat.  It's a messy compilation of chocolate Nutella goodness!  The original torte recipe is compliments of the Australian Woman's Weekly with a few changes and the filling thrown in by yours truly.


Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons of good quality cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon of cornflour
• 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 1/2 a cup of hazelnut meal
• chopped toasted hazelnuts and cocoa to serve
• 400g of milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 of a cup of thickened cream
• 2 teaspoons of coffee powder
• 1/2 of a cup of Nutella
• 300ml carton of pouring cream, whipped, to serve

What to do

Preheat the over to a very slow 120 degrees.  LIghtly grease and line 3 oven trays with baking paper and draw three 20cm circles on the baking paper.

In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  

TIP:  It is important that your bowl and beaters are clean and dry, this will help you achieve optimum volume in your peaks.  It is also important to not over beat your whites before adding the sugar as this will cause the mixture to break down.

Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until the sugar dissolves.  Beat in the cocoa, cornflour and vinegar.  Fold in the hazelnut meal.

Divide the meringue between the three circles and spread evenly with a palate knife.  Bake for 25 minutes, until crisp.

Turn the oven off and all to cool in the oven with the door ajar, for at least 30 minutes.

Filling:  In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate, Nutella, cream and coffee.  Stir on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is melted and smooth.  Cool until spreadable.

Spread one meringue with 1/3 of the chocolate mixture then 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Repeat the layers, and finish with the cream.  Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and a dusting of cocoa.

TIP:  When whipping your cream, I find using a stainless steel bowl and mixers that have been chilled in the freezer guarantees you great peaks every time.

Remember that today is a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to eat Nutella.  So treat yourself.  After all, it'd be wrong to not pay your respects to the Nutella Gods today!

And a big thanks to the ladies at Ms Adventures in Italy and Bleeding Espresso for giving us an excuse to eat as much Nutella as our hearts desire today.

Cherry Ripe Slice

Today I am taking some much needed me time.  No work.  No client demands, deadlines & all things advertising related.  You know how it goes... anyway back to me time and Cherry Ripe Slice.

It's a good thing that I consider being in the kitchen (and now blogging) as me time.  Because today I am baking one of my favourite slice recipes, Cherry Ripe Slice.  It is super easy to make and it's perfect for those times when you need to take a plate, or just want to share a piece of tasty goodness with someone... or no one other than yourself and a cup of coffee, which is just what I intend on doing today.

And in case you are wondering.  No, I won't eat the whole thing (as much as I'd like to).  I'm trying to be good so I'll just have a slice and then freeze the rest to take to a picnic next weekend... I'm sure they'll enjoy it much more than I'll enjoy working it off at the gym later!


Ingredients  

• 1 cup of self-raising flour, sifted
• 100g of dry sweet biscuits, crushed
• 1/3 of a cup of caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon of good quality cocoa
• 100g of unsalted butter, melted
• 395g can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups of desiccated coconut
• 100g of glace cherries, chopped
• 150g of dark chocolate
• 30g of copha

What to do

Preheat the oven to a moderate 180 degrees.  Lightly grease and line a 20 x 30 cm slice pan with baking paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, biscuits, sugar and cocoa.  Stir in the melted butter and mix well.

Press the mixture firmly into the slice pan and bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.

While your base is baking, combine the condensed milk, coconut and cherries in a medium size bowl and mix them together.  Take your baked base fresh from the oven, and spread the mixture over the top and bake for a further 10-15 minutes.   Then allow your slice to cool in the pan.

Tip:  Don't allow your base to cool before adding the cherry coconut mixture, otherwise it will be dry and crumbly.

Once your slice has cooled, combine the chocolate and copha in a small saucepan.  Stir constantly over a low heat until both ingredients have melted together to a smooth consistency.  Pour the chocolate over the slice, tilting the pan so that you evenly coat the surface.  Allow your delicious treat to set in the fridge before cutting it into squares.

Mmmm... I love me time!

Melanzane

A simple Italian classic, compliments of my good friend Josh!

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• dry bread crumbs
• salt and pepper
• olive oil for frying

What to do

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 cm thick slices, lay flat on paper towel, sprinkle with salt and allow them to dry for about half an hour.  The salt encourages the eggplant to sweat and helps to dry them out, avoiding soggy melanzane.

The eggplant absorbs the salt, so only salt them once, otherwise they will be too salty to eat!

Season the beaten egg in a bowl with salt and pepper.  And place the dry bread crumbs in a separate bowl.  Dip each piece of eggplant into the egg before coating in the bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.  The oil is hot enough when it starts to bubble when tested with a piece of the melanzane.  Fry each piece on both sides until lightly golden.  

Pat dry on some paper towel and serve immediately.

Cheese Plate

I'm hesitant to call this a recipe because it really is something that is too versatile to categorise.  You can use what ever you have in the fridge, what ever you feel like at the time or simply subject to your own personal tastes or that of your guests.

Given that I am in Canada for only a short period of time, I want to experience as much of the local produce as possible.  I work right down by the Granville Island Public Markets, so I am very spoilt for choice.  On this particular occasion (entertaining some of the girls from work), I opted to use the following local ingredients all from the markets.

Ingredients (you will need to alter according, depending on the number of people you are serving).

• 100g Blue Des Basque
• 200g Triple Cream Brie
• 100g Laviot
• 1 packet of fig and balsamic paste
• Melba toasts 
• A crusty loaf of bread
• sultanas and dates

What to do  

Arrange all ingredients on a serving platter to your liking.  Prepare the platter about half an hour before your guests arrive, as cheese is best served at room temperature.  I say half an hour for Canada, but if I was at home in Australia, it'd be 2 minutes before the guests arrive (use your intuition depending on your location).

I don't cut the cheese, I just serve with a cheese knife and left everyone help themselves.  Enjoy!

Classic Bruscetta

This recipe is so very, very adaptable. Add or subtract any number of ingredients. This is a recipe in which the quantities are very hard to list. You should be able to eyeball the amount of tomatoes you need to cover the number of bread slices you choose to make.

Ingredients

• A loaf of quality rustic bread, sliced into one inch slices
• One clove garlic
• Olive oil to coat your frying pan, or as much oil as you like!
• An assortment of ripe tomatoes, cut into smallish chunks
• Fresh basil leaves, torn or cut into pieces
• Olive oil to dress the tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Finely grated Parmesan cheese - optional

What to do

Mix the tomatoes and basil. Drizzle on olive oil and toss gently; then salt and pepper the tomatoes. The more salt you use, the most juice will be released. Let this marinate while you prepare the bread.

A perfect marriage - tomato and basil!

In a non stick fry pan, brown the bread slices in the olive oil on both sides, until it's a nice golden color. 

Remove the bread from the pan. Cut off one end of the garlic clove, and rub carefully over the hot bread slices. The garlic "melts" into the bread by using this method. 

Now pile on the tomatoes, Parmesan if you wish, and enjoy the juice running down your chin!

Delicious! I opted not to use Parmesan this time,
but again, this really is a dish you can make your own.