Spiced Creme Brûlée with bourbon and vanilla cherries

This is a dessert for a very special occasion.  I have adapted this wonderful recipe by Katrina Meynink to Thermomix.  I was drawn to the recipe as I know how great the Thermomix is at making custard.   Also love Creme Brûlée's.  The Whiskey ( Bourbon ) is a perfect match for the large ripe cherries.  I think a good Brandy would also be nice.
The original recipe states 8 to 12 serves.  I think we must be piggies as I made 6 and no one complained
Instead of the large dish,  I used 6  Cast Iron Le Creuset pots.

INGREDIENTS  FOR CUSTARD
50 mls milk
450 mls cream.
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla seed paste
70g castor sugar
8 egg yolks
1 teaspoon mixed spice

Rapadura or brown sugar to sprinkle

BOURBON  (WHISKEY) AND VANILLA  LACED  CHERRIES
3/4 cup of pitted cherries, ( I doubled these)
1Tablespoon Whiskey, ( I doubled this )
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract, ( I doubled this )


METHOD
Pit Cherries and mix with Whiskey and Vanilla and set aside.
( it is a good idea to count the cherry pips to see they match with the number of Cherries)

Set oven 115C FF

Into TMX bowl place ingredients for custard, milk, cream, mixed spice, vanilla, whiskey , castor sugar and egg yolks.
Mix speed 6 /10seconds
Cook at 100 degrees/10 minutes/ speed 1 1/2
Strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
Pour into   6 oven proof dishes.
Stand dishes into a baking dish and pour boiling water to come 1/2 way up dishes.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes.  that is until custard is lightly set. they will firm up when cool.
Remove from water bath and cool on bench,  then refrigerate.

THE CUSTARDS CAN BE MADE DAY BEFORE REQUIRED.  Cover and keep in fridge.

Just before serving, place the custards on an oven tray,  scatter generously with the Rapadura sugar and place under a preheated grill.
Stand and watch as the sugar can burn very quickly. Turn the tray around so that the sugar melts evenly.
It will set into a toffee crust as it cools.
Allow 15 minutes cooling time before you serve as the dishes will be hot.
Serve topped with cherries.

Frying Pan Lemon Tart

How about this for easy and tasty. Mixed in TMX, started in frying pan and finished off in the oven. 
You do need a 20cm non stick pan with a handle that will go in the oven. This is adapted to TMX from David Herbert's  Best Home Cooking.
Serves 6 to 8

Set oven 190 FF

Ingredients
30 g butter
4 eggs
120 g caster sugar. 
Pinch salt
45g ground Almonds
120 g cream
zest and juice of 1 large lemon. 
45 g of flaked almonds. 
Icing sugar for dusting. 

Method
Place butter in non stick pan over medium heat.
Place in TMX bowl, eggs, sugar, cream , salt , ground Almonds and lemon rind and juice.
Mix 10 seconds speed 7.
Add flaked almonds, mix 5 seconds speed 7. 
When butter is bubbling tip mixture into pan and cook until the edges are set. 
Place in oven and bake 15 minutes. ( the top should be brown.) 
Remove from oven and allow to cool. 
Using a spatula carefully loosen the edges and turn on to a fine mesh cake rack.  Then turn onto serving plate. 
Dust with icing sugar. 

Lemon Kefir Ice Cream

The inspiration for this Ice Cream came from the Blog Chocolate and Zucchini.  I gave myself a Kefir kit for Xmas, and as cooking kills the good bugs,  I was using Eat you Books to search for uncooked recipes.  This is one that I found.  I used Meyer lemon which has a mild taste.  It took 50 minutes to churn and I used the sorbet paddle.  The basic mix was made in the TMX.

Into TMX bowl measure
400 mils Kefir. ( or plain yoghurt)
Zest,  (remove with vegetable pealed) and 60 mils.  of lemon juice.
130 mils of Agave syrup.  ( or sweetener of choice).
Optional, good splash of Lemoncello.

Mix at speed 10 for 20 seconds.
Churn in Ice Cream machine for 50 mins approx.

Liquorice Ice Cream

This couldn't be simpler or nicer.

need
600 mls. thickened cream
250 mls milk
3/4 cup raw caster sugar.
good splash of Vanilla
100 mls of Liquorice Liqueur
a generous handfull of soft eating Liquorice cut into 1 cm slices.

Measure all ingredients into TMX bowl .EXCEPT SLICED LIQUORICE,   and mix, speed 5 for 30 seconds.
Tip into Ice Cream machine and process until nearly set.
Add sliced Liquorice and churn for a further minute.
Pour into dish and freeze.
Notes
This mix will not set hard because of the Liqueur
Can add liquid Chocolate after sliced liquorice and then have "Chocolate Bullet " Ice Cream

Mango Fluff

This recipe is based on Karonjulie's Banana fluff.  I have doubled the recipe and substituted the banana with fresh Mango. It is low in sugar and fat.

Makes 6 very generous serves.  Best made a day ahead,  but will keep for several days in the fridge.

2 packets of low- cal Mango and Passion fruit Jelly sachets.
500 mls of boiling water
10 g of Xylitol,  or other sugar substitute, to taste
250 g. mango flesh
400 g natural low-fat yoghurt.

Dissolve jelly crystals in boiling water.
Place all ingredients into TMX bowl and mix, speed 10 / 1 minute.
Pour into serving glasses and set in fridge.

Serve as is or with mango cubes and/ or passion fruit.

Passion fruit Flummery

Although creamy,  this is dairy free. I used Splenda instead of sugar, to make it less calories.  I have also made 1/2 the original recipe as the full recipe would have been too much for the TMX bowl. This provides 4 serves @ about 60 calories a serve.

1 dessertspoon of plain flour, ( 8g. )
1/2 cup of sugar,  ( I used 1/3 of a cup of Splenda,)
1 dessertspoon of gelatin, ( 9g.)
1 cup cold water,(250g )
Juice of 1 1/2 oranges
Juice of 1 lemon 3 passion fruit pulp,  or 3 dessertspoons of tinned passion fruit.

Add, flour, sweetener, and gelatin to TMX bowl,   mix at speed 5/ 5 seconds.
Add water, mix sp. 5 / 5 seconds.
Cook on Varoma for 3 mins,  then 4 mins at 100.  The mixture should boil.
Set aside in bowl,add juices,  ( or leave in TMX bowl and ) place in fridge,  until cold.  (I did this part and then went shopping.)
When very cold,  place BUTTERFLY into bowl with cold jelly and whip until white and thick, Speed 4, at least 7 mins, with cap out.
Scrape down during whipping.
Add passion fruit in last 15 seconds.
Pour into 4 serving dishes,  place in fridge to set up

Serve with fresh fruit and additional passion fruit pulp.

Persian Fruit Salad

Persian fruit Salad



This Fruit Salad is made with dried fruit, soaked in an apricot 'sauce', flavored with both Orange blossom and Rose blossom waters. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can be used as a dessert or on breakfast cereal. The Orange and Rose Blossom waters can be purchased from Middle Eastern shops or Turkish shops.

100g Dried Apricots.
250g cold water
450g mixed dried fruit, I used apricots,peaches, pears, figs , plus.
10/15 prunes
Further 1 ltr. cold water
2 Tablespoons of both Orange and Rose Blossom water ,(not essence)
!/2 cup of almonds


Zap dried apricots in TMX ,speed 7 for 7 seconds.
Add 250mls of cold water and cook for 10 mins. at 100o, speed 1.
Zap 7 seconds on speed 7 or until a thick sauce is formed.
Add 1 litre of cold water, dried fruit and prunes, Rose and Orange waters.
Mix, reverse 10 seconds, on speed 5,
Pour into a container and keep for at least 12 hours.
Stir in almonds after soaking period.

Don't be tempted to sweeten until after the soaking period.

10 serves, can be served with cream, yogurt or plain.

Apricot Custard Rolls

Apricot Custard Rolls

This is a classic Greek pastry with a twist. The recipe is from Dan Lepard, via The Guardian Newspaper, and adapted to the TMX. It serves 6, (12 rolls), and can be made ahead. Although very easy, would be suited to a sophisticated dinner party.
It is a variation of the Greek galaktoboureko.

400g milk
1 large egg
25g semolina
1 heaped teaspoon of corn flour
175g caster sugar
125g dried Apricots.
75g butter or Rice Bran oil spray
6 sheets of filo pastry
Flaked almonds
juice of 1/2 a large lemon
Seeds from 3 green Cardamon pods
1 to 2 Tablespoons of Rose water, (not essence)

DO

Place Apricots in TMX bowl and press TURBO 3 times, until small pieces are formed, NOT paste
Set aside and scrape out bowl
Place in bowl, milk, egg , semolina.cornflour and 25g of sugar, Zap for 7 seconds, speed 5.
Cook,7 mins/100 /speed 2.
Add apricots and stir in, 5 sec./speed2.
Pour into a large flat plate to cool.

If using butter, melt on stove.

Set oven to 190 ff

Take a sheet of Filo with long side facing you. Brush with butter or spray with oil. Place another sheet on top.
Cut into 4 even strips. That is from front to back.
Take 1 generous Tablespoon of Apricot mix and place on short edge and roll up. Make sure that no mixture pokes out the end.
Place on lined oven tray.
Repeat until you have 12 rolls on tray. It may help to divide the mixture into 12 before you start to roll

Brush with butter or spray with oil when all rolls are on tray.
Sprinkle with Almonds, and spray again.

Bake 25 to 30 mins, until the rolls are light brown

While rolls are cooking , make syrup.
In a saucepan on the stove, boil together for 1 minute , sugar , cardamon seeds,lemon juice and 75 mls of water. Leave to cool and then add rose water.

When rolls are cooked, place into a serving dish with a small edge. Pour over syrup
Serve at room temperature.

Macadamia and Honey Tart

This Tart is for special occasions. However it is very easy to make, and can be made the day before required. Although the nuts are expensive, it does cut into 10 to 12 serves. It costs about $1.50 a serve.

8 sheets of Filo pastry
Rice Bran oil spray or butter(80g)

150g butter, cut into cubes
100mls. honey
40g. sugar
60g. cream

3 Tablespoons of Mandarine rind

250g. unsalted, raw Macadamia nuts
200g. slivered almonds


Set oven to 160c. ff
Prepare a 23cm. fluted flan tin, with a removable base, by spraying with oil .
Line the tin with Filo, spraying between every second sheet.
Trim edges of Filo with scissors.
Place rind of 2 mandarines into bowl and zap for 3 sec. on speed 7. set aside and wash bowl.

Into TMX bowl place, butter,sugar, honey and cream. Heat and simmer for 3 mins. by setting 8 mins., Varoma, speed 1.
Add 3 Tablespoons of the grated mandarine rind and cook for 1 min.Varoma, speed 1.
Add nuts and fold through, reverse, 1 min.

Tip nut mixture into prepared flan tin, and smooth out the nuts.
Cook for 25 mins or until the top is a nice caramel colour.

I place a baking tray on the oven floor as some syrup may run over.
During the last 10 - 15 mins of cooking the mixture will bubble. This is O.K.

Serve as is or with thick cream and a strawberry.

Store in an air tight tin in fridge. Serve at room temp.

While the Tart is still warm, remove the fluted ring, but leave the base in place.

Swedish, Ice Cream Cheese Cake,

This is said to be low -fat!!!
It is a frozen dessert, and is handy because it can be made 2 weeks ahead, and kept in the freezer. An emergency, very nice dessert. Serve it with berries.

10 gingernut biscuits,
3 eggs, separated
150g caster sugar
250g low- fat cream cheese
1 teasp. vanilla
300mls. cream

Crush biscuits in TMX. ( not to powder, but small crumb.) Sprinkle on to base of a 23cm well buttered flan dish, (with removable base).
Clean out bowl thoroughly and whip egg whites , with butterfly, until stiff. Put aside.
Whip cream until stiff. Set aside
With Butterfly still in whip on speed 3, egg yolks,sugar,cream cheese and vanilla. Until well mixed.
Stop machine, remove Butterfly, and with spatula fold in 1st. cream then egg whites.
Pour into shell and freeze over night

Old fashioned, cold pineapple pudding. [aunty Glads]

1st mixture

Place into TM bowl 1/4 cup of sugar and zap on speed 7 for 3 seconds.
Add 1 egg and beat 2mins. on speed 5.
Add 1 cup of milk and mix for 30 seconds on speed 3.
Add 3 or 4 passion fruit [ or 1/2 a tin of passion fruit 85g.] and mix on speed 2 for 20 seconds.
Tip into a glass bowl.

2nd. mixture

Tip 1 tin of pineapple pieces [16 oz. or 440g] into TM bowl. add 1 packet of yellow jelly. Stir jelly into the pineapple. Set temperature at 100, speed 5 reverse, for 5 mins.

Tip hot mixture on mixture in bowl and stir briefly to incorporate.
cover anf set in cool place.

best made day before , should separate into 2 layers