No Coments...

My oven is still broken so here is another no bake desert that I made out of desperation: the chocolate mousse dessert.... I think you have to find it for yourself and actually taste to appreciate. So, NO COMMENTS FROM ME...

COCONUT AND MIXED BERRIES CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

 Ingredients:  200g dark chocolate
                      4 tbsp double cream
                      2 tbsp coconut flavored rum (something like "Malibu")
                      3 eggs
                      4 tbsp sugar
 For serving:  4 tbsp desiccated coconut
                      2 handfuls of mixed berries (like blueberries or raspberries etc... the more the better!)
                      200ml double cream

1. Melt the chocolate and mix it with double cream.
2. Separate egg yolks from whites (reserve the whites in separate bowl). Add sugar to the egg yolks and whisk it until it becomes pale. Gradually add it to melted chocolate mixture.
3. Whisk the egg whites until it forms stiff peaks. Add it gradually into the chocolate mixture by folding and don't overwork it as it would let all the air out!
4. The mixture then is ready to split into 4-6 glasses (I used cups as I thought that looks really cute!). Cover them with cling film and place them into the fridge for at least two hours.
5. Decorate the deserts with whisked double cream, desiccated coconut and mixed berries.

The rest is up to you....

Broken oven??? :'-(

The past couple of weeks I have been a little bit upset as the oven in my house is broken... which means no baking :-(. But this did not stop me from eating deserts... You see, I have been experimenting with no-bake cheesecake, which I tried to fit into little cups. Why? because I think the smaller the cuter! So there you go my best version so far...

CUP-CHEESECAKE
(makes 12)

Ingredients:   200g (14) Bourbons (chocolate biscuits)
                      75g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter
                      200g (7oz) soft cheese (something like Philadelphia)
                      300ml (1¼ cup) sweetened condensed milk
                      250g (9oz) cream fraiche (soured cream) 
                      1tbsp lemon juice
                      10g (4 sheets) gelatine, soaked in cold water
                      36 raspberries (3 per cup) 
                      50g chocolate (optional)

1. Break up the Bourbons into food processor then crush them up. Stir in the butter. Use crumbs to line the base of 12 cupcake cases.

2. Blend the soft cheese with condensed milk and cream fraiche.
3. Heat the lemon juice in a pan. Squeeze water from the gelatine leaves and stir into the juice. Strain trough a sieve over the cheesecake mixture and continue mixing until well combined. Pour the filling into the 12 cups over the base.

4. Drop tree raspberries into each cup and place the whole cupcake pan into the fridge to set for approximately two hours.

 5. Meanwhile melt the chocolate and pour it into the piping bag. On the parchment paper pipe whatever shape you want to decorate your cup-cheesecakes (I tried to create little hearts, but it could be anything).

6. Place the tray with the chocolate decoration into the freezer for 15min and then they are ready for the job.
7. This is the end job to enjoy... yum!

    

What Pinterest told me to bake for the Easter?

I recently fell in love with Pinterest. They say this social website is going to be the next Facebook! I totally agree, however my friend disagree as she is a hardcore Facebook-er. But I bet when Pinterest becomes more popular she will convert. Anyway, the cool think about Pinterest is that is so visual as people "pin" their crafty decor ideas, fashion and of course deliciously looking bakes in picture form.... so when I was looking for Easter ideas, I "repinned" on my profile these speckled Easter eggs...

then these Easter eggs that have been dyed with natural dyes like beetroot juice, blueberries and orange peel (this reminds me of Lithuanian traditions when we dye our Easter eggs with onion peeling)....

and this egg-pot idea, which is not only for Easter...

These Cadbury cream cookie cups have been pinned by Katrina (http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/2012/03/cadbury-cream-cookie-cups.html) , but I edited the recipe slightly. I don't know about you, but I find the cadbury eggs a little bit sickly... however these cups taste heavenly....

I tried to make it as natural as I can so I used agave nectar in the cream. Accidentally I used agave nectar that have been flavored with honey. So my chocolate cookie have been flavored with honey which tasted yummm.... however I don't know if this is to everyone taste.

CADBURY CREAM COOKIE CUPS
(makes 12)

Ingredients: 125g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
                    125g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar
                    1 egg (beaten)
                    200g (1 3/4 cups) flour
                    1 tsp baking powder
                    1/2 tsp salt
                    2 tbsp coco powder
                    50g flaked chocolate bar (I used milk chocolate)
                    50g chopped nuts (I did it with coconut flakes since I had none in my cupboard)
                    (for the cream)
                    25g (6 tsp) unsalted butter
                    85g (1/4 cup) honey flavored agave nectar or runny honey
                    260g (2 cups) icing sugar
                    2 tbsp water
                    yellow food colouring                
1. Cream butter with soft brown sugar, then add egg and combine well.
2. Add flour, baking powder, salt, coco powder, chocolate and nuts and mix again.
3. Grease muffin pan with little butter and spoon cookie mixture into it and press it in so it creates a cup.
4. Bake for 10-13min until firm. Let cool for 15 min in the pan and remove them by gently twisting them with your fingers. Let cool completely.
5. In the bowl combine agave nectar and softened butter. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Remove about 1/3 of cream and dye with yellow food colouring.
6. Pour white cream into the cookie cups. Finish off with small of yellow cream.

Happy Easter :)

"Little Paris Kitchen": the breakfast treats

"Little Paris Kitchen" is the new program on tee-vee that made me to forget my beloved "Desperate Housewives". And it's not that there is anything to compare between them two! I used to be really devoted to watching a little of Wisteria Lane mysteries, but now I am just dazzled by this grand appearance of Rachel Khoo and her wonderfully looking food, style sense and her little kitchen. I love her lifestyle so much... in fact I even feel a little bit jealous.

Even though there have been only two series, I have managed to try some of "Little Paris Kitchen" recipes myself: two breakfast treats! First I tried Croque Madame muffins as seeing it how it was created really inspired me!

Then I made these Eggs in pots (oeufs en cocotte)...

And I can say that I finally found something better for breakfast than Eggs Benedict.... and it is easier to make! Except I used bacon instead of lumpfish roe since is really difficult to find it in UK. Here is the recipe.

EGGS IN POTS

Ingrediants:    150g creme fraiche

                       salt and freshly ground black pepper

                       pinch nutmeg

                       handful of chopped dill

                       4eggs

                       1 rasher of bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
   
2. Season the creme fraiche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
   
3. Place a heaped tablespoon of creme fraiche in the bottom of a ramekin, followed by a little dill.
   
4. Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of creme fraiche and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add small tear of bacon on top. Repeat all this with three more ramekins.
   
5. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
   
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the egg yolks are set to your liking.
   
7. Finish each serving with some dill.