Chocca lotta

It's beginning to feel a bit like Easter around here with Easter eggs and Hot Cross Buns in the shops (well actually they have been in the shops for weeks!), so today I decided to share with you a Chocolate Tart recipe I made a few years ago, and have just searched for again. I haven't made them since, but I think I will have to as they were delicious!

 The recipe says only 20 minutes prep time, but it took me longer than this. So allow 1 hour preparation, 30 minutes chilling, and 35 minutes to cook. 

Here's the recipe: (from Woolworths Fresh magazine, July 2012)
Chocolate Tarts

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
125g butter, chopped
2 eggs
2 pears, peeled, cored, thinly sliced 
2/3 cup cream
200g dark cooking chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts

 Process flour and cocoa in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg and process until mixture comes together.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide dough into 6 even portions and form into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 6 individual loose bottom fluted flan tins (approx 8cm x 2.5cm deep). 

On a lightly floured surface roll each piece of dough out until 3mm thick. Press into pans and trim off any excess dough. Place plans onto a large baking tray. Line each with baking paper and fill with baking beans or dried beans (not that I bother to do this). Bake tart shells for 10 minutes. Remove beads and paper. Bake for 5 minutes more or until pastry is just cooked. Set tarts aside to cool.

Arrange pear slices into each pastry shell. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until small bubbles form around edge. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining egg. 

Pour mixture over pears and sprinkle nuts on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until mixture is just set. Stand for 5 minutes before removing from pans. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold. 

Sit back and enjoy the compliments. 

If that sounds just a little bit like too much work when you are trying to have a relaxing Easter too, try this recipe instead. 

I've often made a quick chocolate self saucing pudding in winter, but this one is cooked in individual dishes. Have you ever made the one made in a mug in the microwave? I haven't. 

Quick Chocolate Self-Saucing Puddings (recipe from Woolworths Fresh magazine, June 2011)

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes. Makes 4-8 depending on the size of your pots. 

125g margarine, melted
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup milk
3/4 cup caster sugar, extra
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons icing sugar
thick cream or ice cream to serve 

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 8 x 1 1/4 cup capacity ramekins or ovenproof dishes. Stand dishes in a large roasting pan. Whisk melted butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Sift flour and half the cocoa over mixture. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Divided evenly between prepared dishes.

Place remaining cocoa and extra sugar in a bowl. Slowly add boiling water, stirring constantly until well combined. Pour cocoa mixture gently over each pudding. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan until water comes half way up the sides of the pudding dishes. 

Bake for 30 minute or until puddings are cooked when tested in the centre with a skewer. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of thick cream or ice cream. 

Here is a pic - they shrunk back from the sides of the dishes when they came out of the oven and started to cool. 

 PS - I had a question about caster sugar which is readily available in Australia, but might not be in your country, or might be called something else. Here is an explanation I found - What is caster sugar and does it make a difference in baking?

Thank you so much for stopping by. If you celebrate Easter I wish you a safe and happy one. Do you have a favourite chocolate recipe? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  

You might also like:
Winter days and an energy bar recipe 
Making and photographing blueberry pancakes
Melting moments and hydrangeas in my garden

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

   
All Seasons
Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

ThroughMy Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at Deep Fried Fruit
Little Things Thursday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

If you are a blogger you can also link your blog to Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global.

The Quince - symbol of love in ancient Greece and Rome

I have had a love affair with quinces since I was introduced to them a few years ago, so I wasn't surprised to read that in Ancient Greece and Rome, the quince was a symbol of love and fertility.

According to -  ABC's Gardening Australia - Quinces originated from Persia, now Iran, and then spread throughout the Mediterranean. (click on the ABC link to read their informative facts sheet and learn more about the quince)

They are a hard fruit which you cannot eat raw, but oh my, the gorgeous aroma of them cooking and their flavour nearly leaves me swooning. Have you tasted them? If you haven't I encourage you to do so.

Quinces seem to be an old-fashioned fruit that you might only see in an old orchard. The quince grows on a small deciduous tree, a member of the apple and pear family. Here you can see a tree and the fruit on the tree.

This tree below is in the Balingup Tree Park was planted in 1982. See how it has had to be propped up? But despite this it seems to be doing well. (please click on the link to read my latest blog about the Park).

I always look for quinces this time of year and I was able to buy some a couple of weekends ago at the Boyanup markets.  I cooked them today in preparation for making a tart tomorrow.  You can just poach them in a saucepan with a little sugar and water, but below here is the simple, yet delicious recipe I used (if you have a little more time for the preparation - or do this the day before making the tart). 

 For about 4-5 quinces - peel, core and quarter the quinces (or thinner slices if large quinces). 

Put in an oven-proof dish, with juice and zest of 2 lemons and 1 orange (although I found that just one lemon was enough)
1 or 2 cinnamon sticks  (1 is enough for this quantity)
1 and a quarter cups of raw sugar
and about 500 mls water, enough to cover the fruit. (quantity dependent on the number and size of the quinces you have).

Cover with a piece of damp baking paper. Bake at 160-170 C for about 2 and a half hours. Turn off oven, and leave them in the oven till cool. The longer you cook the fruit the pinker they become, or sometimes not....

You can just serve them like this with a dollop of cream or icecream or make a pie.  



 Do you remember the poem by Edward Lear - "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat' -
   "They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon,
   And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,  They danced by the light of the moon"....

  The recipe for the tart I found in "Spice" magazine a few years ago. Everyone loves it. 

Quince and Browned Butter Tart

3 quinces, poached in sugar syrup until cooked and rosy pink
1 x 26cm unbaked tart shell
2 eggs
half cup of sugar
50g flour
125g butter, cooked until golden brown and then cooled. (though I don't really do this - I just melt the butter and simmer for a few minutes)

Drain the quinces and lay them in the tart shell. Beat the eggs and the sugar until light and fluffy, fold in the flour and lastly the browned butter. Put over the quinces and bake in a 1280C oven until golden brown and set - about forty minutes. 

Serve at room temperature with a dollop of cream. 
You could also make this recipe with other fruits ie apples, pears, peaches, apricots.

This is my tart photo from a couple of years ago. As you can see the fruit is quite red-pink colour. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, but however it looks it still tastes and smells divine! 



 I seem to blog about quinces every couple of years, so you might also like:
And slices of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon
Autumn arrives in Western Australia

Thank you so much for stopping by. Have you ever tried quinces? Do you have a favourite quince recipe? Perhaps you'd like to share in the comments. 
 I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday 

Our World Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

Through My Lens 

Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 

The Lovin' Life Team over at 50 Shades of Age

Sky Watch Friday

Life in Reflection

Hello there! I love reading your comments. Just click down here to comment too! 

June capers

There has been much tragic news around the world lately. It seems every morning when I turn on the radio to the news there is news of another tragedy somewhere in the world. There have been numerous terrorist attacks, particularly in Europe, where innocent people have been killed or badly injured, and also lives and homes lost in a terrible apartment fire in London.  I am sometimes afraid for the madness that seems to be going on in the world, where it is leading to, and what the future holds for our children and grand children. Long gone is the innocence of our own childhood.

These world events make me pause and remember that I have much to be thankful for.  Not to make light of these events, but, perhaps because of them, today I give my blog over to some of the things that I have been able to enjoy in the last couple of weeks. Indeed I am very grateful for living in a relatively safe country where we are free to do as we wish, within reason. 

I am enjoying in sun in my June garden, although rain is desperately needed. It's winter but we have had no more rain since the one evening of rain of over a week ago which I wrote about in my last blog post.  

Top centre is Lilly Pilly - an Australian native fruit. I wrote about them last year here - Lilly Pilly jam
And bottom left hand corner is one of the Australian Native Hibiscuses which has just started flowering in my garden - isn't it a gorgeous colour!   

I am enjoying reading the memoir, Rabbits and Rosaries, written by my friend and former Catholic Nun, Glenys Yeoman. I am enjoying playing my old Carpenters record on my new record player, and Dami Im's tribute to the Carpenters. I am enjoying watching Series 3 of Poldark (I've been a fan ever since reading the books years ago), and last week I enjoyed watching my Grandson sing in his school choir at the Eisteddfod.

 A couple of weeks ago I enjoyed dancing with my Flamenco dance group, Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company, at the Eisteddfod. We won the "Dance Production" section with our "Cafe Flamenco". This is the view before the show. Unfortunately no photos during the performance as photography of the show is only allowed to be taken by the hired professional photography company.

 I celebrated with my two friends  who were both awarded an Order of Australia in the Queen's birthday honours list - historian Phyllis Barnes for her ongoing community and historic work including a number of published historical books (she is a member of my writer's group and truly inspiring), and Eileen Wenn for her services to the the floral arts through a variety of roles including former Australian Floral Art Association president (I know Eileen through Sol y Sombra and she has always been an encouraging supporter of my flower photography). These pictures have been copied from the Bunbury Herald newspaper.

I enjoyed attending the exhibition opening of the collaborative exhibition, "On the Same Page", and the artist talk by two of my friends, printmaker and mixed media artists, Denise Gillies and Lynne Mitchell.  It was a joy to see their beautiful multilayered work, both together and separately, and it was fascinating to hear about how they went about their collaborative work for this exhibition.
Denise and Lynne agreed when working on a collaborative piece it is important to loose any preciousness, to make decisions together, to be open to negotiation, and to TRUST.

"Their multilayered compositions explore texture, shape, colour and the environment. Their collaborative works display openness, trust and comfortable friendship while respecting the artistic creativity of each other". (Graeme Pages-Oliver)

This morning my dear husband has been busy painting the second bathroom and toilet, (thank you! x), whilst I made ginger biscuits and did some pruning in the garden.
And I felt privileged that I have not one but two bathrooms, when I know that there are many people all over the world who don't even have the luxury of clean running water.

 Last weekend we drove up to the beautiful Ferguson Valley and picked olives on the property of a friend of ours, and then enjoyed coffee and cake in the sun on the patio at Ferguson Hart Estate (thankyou Jan!) You can find Ferguson Hart here - Ferguson Hart Estate

We also visited the Wellington Mills community walk trail where the recently erected interpretive signage features a photo of mine of the old Bunbury jetty pylons along the bottom edge of the panels. So wonderful to see my photography out like this.

Last week I did a photo shoot for my beautiful friend and pro-blogger, Jo Castro, from Lifestyle Fifty. You can go to her fabulous blog by clicking here - Lifestyle Fifty
and my grandson helped me with a photography group project, the theme of "fragile".

And finally some opportunities to go walking out in nature - food for the soul. How blessed I feel to be able to do this. 

Did you want the recipe for the Ginger Nut biscuits (cookies) ? Here is is! 

2 cups Self Raising flour
3/4 cup sugar
4oz (113gm butter or margarine)
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
4 dessertspoons golden syrup (you could substitute with corn syrup)

Beat butter and sugar together well. Add egg, syrup and then the dry ingredients (sifted together). Mix together well. You might need to add a little more flour if it is a bit sticky. 
Form into small balls and flatten a little onto baking paper on the tray. Bake in a moderate oven (190 C) for 15 minutes. 
Makes about 27. 
You can also roll this mixture out, and cut into shapes. My grandsons have enjoyed making gingerbread men with this recipe. 


Thank you so much for stopping by and for your indulgence while I look back over the last couple of weeks. I have much to be grateful for. Do you find there are times where you take stock and be grateful? Perhaps you would like to share with us in the comments.
I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
 

Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday 
The Lovin' Life Team over at Lifestyle Fifty
Sky Watch Friday

Making Scones with Yoda

A slightly different post for you this week....

For my writing homework for yesterday's meeting of my writing group, the South Side Quills, we had to write instructions for something in the voice of a well known person, writer, poet, personality.  An example we were given was writing in the voice of Shakespeare, but failing in my ability to write something of that caliber I chose Yoda, Jedi Master from Star Wars.  There was much laughter in the group as I read it. I thought I'd share it here for your amusement. Those that "know" Yoda will know that he says many things backwards. The words in "apostrophes" are his actual quotes from Star Wars. 

Enjoy you will I hope.

 Please click here to learn how to make scones with Yoda....

Apple roses - easy and delicious dessert

I don't know if you have seen the little video that this trolling around Facebook at the moment for little Apple Roses.

 I've been seeing it pop up now and then over the last few months. They looked so delicious and easy to make. A couple of weeks ago we had some friends coming to our house for lunch so I decided Ito stop procrastinating and make them! They were a hit with our guests.

I'm not sure how to upload the little how to video - but please go to the link from Just Eating Real Food - Apple Roses - I hope it works for you ok. 

They were fun and easy to make and used very few ingredients. They were a bit fiddly to make so allow 1 hour preparation time. 

And here is the recipe - 

2 red applies - half and core - I used Pink Lady apples - and cut into thin slices. 
Put into a bowl of water with juice of half a lemon. Microwave for 3 minutes. 
Drain water.
Put 3 tablespoons of apricot jam with 2 tablespoons of water into a small bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. (You could try other sorts of jam too)
Thaw 1 or 2 sheets of puff pastry. (1 sheet will make 6 rolls, 2 sheets 12 rolls)
Roll the pastry out thin and cut into 6 strips.
Spread with jam. Place slices of apple on one half of the pastry strips. Sprinkle with cinnamon. 
Fold over the other half of the pastry strip and roll into rose shapes.
Put into muffin tin. (I put squares of baking paper into each muffin hole first).
Bake at 375F or 190C for 40-45 minutes. (I brushed over a little melted butter before cooking)
Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve. Enjoy! 

Do you have the grandies coming over to stay? I am sure they will love helping you make and eat these!   Usually I would do a bit better with my food photography styling, but everyone was waiting to eat!

  Last night I went to the first of four Spanish cooking classes conducted by my Spanish  friend Montse. We made two Tapas -  Potato Tortilla Espanola, Mushrooms with garlic and lemon sauce and finished with Churros. Oh my goodness those Churros are so delicious! and easy to make. Now I just have to find the little machine needed to push the mixture through. 
I'm looking forward to next weeks lesson. 

Have you a little easy recipe you enjoy making or been to cooking classes? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in the comments. Montse says the most important thing for the Spanish is to enjoy the food with friends.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday

Lifestyle Fifty Monday Linkup 
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Worth Casing Wednesday
What's It Wednesday

What's baking at your house?

I don't know about you, but winter seems to me to be a time for baking, and making hearty soups and casseroles. I love the smell of biscuits baking. Home-made biscuits are so much better I think than their store bought cousins - although there are also yummy store biscuits too. (For my American friends, when I say biscuits I mean cookies  :)

When I was a newly-wed almost 40 years ago, and not yet quite 20, I baked biscuits for my husband for the first time a few weeks after we were married. You can see a pic of me below here making that first batch of biscuits, a pic of the two of us, and our little flat. We were on the top floor and thought we had it all. Oh to be that young and carefree again!  My husband must have thought my making biscuits was note-worthy to have taken a photo.

While I had young children at home baking cakes and biscuits continued with recipes from my Mum, Aunts, Sister and those favourite cookbooks for Australian cooks - The Golden Wattle Cookbook, and the Country Women's Association Cookbook. No household would have been complete without these cookbooks.

Summer plum galette

A few weeks ago a friend brought me a huge bag of plums fresh picked from an orchard - firm, with a sweet-sharp taste - delicious.  

(I had a bit of a problem with the on-line photo editor this morning) so I made this collage free hand in Photoshop Elements. I didn't realise you could drag different pics into one image in Elements - but it worked ok)

I decided to make a plum tart. I had seen a few blog posts recently about "galette" which is a French term for a rustic free form tart, so I decided to make one.  It really is a simple pie to make and you can use just about any sort of fruit, or make a savoury galette. 

Please click on "read more" to keep reading and see more pics! see you there!

Lemons and lemon butter

It is spring and our lemon tree is loaded with lemons.

Lemons are a very versatile fruit - you can drink it, make it into jams and spreads, cook with it - both sweet and savoury, use it for medicinal purposes, and even use it for cleaning! (try it out in your bathroom)
Do you remember as a child writing secret notes with lemon juice that only reveal themselves when heat is applied?

This time of year with our family love lemon butter and lemon meringue pie. Delicious!!
Shall we have fresh baked scones with that lemon butter? And sit out on the patio in the morning sunshine?

First you need lemons - fresh from the tree

Then the ingredients -
Juice of 3 lemons & finely grated rind
500gm (1 lb) white sugar
250gm (1/2 lb) butter
4 eggs, plus 2 yolks, well beaten together. 
Place all in a large bowl, standing in pan of boiling water on the stove. Stir constantly until consistency of honey, but do not allow to boil. (about half an hour approx)
Bottle, and keep in fridge.

 Then some fresh made scones, and some pretty china, and a nice place to sit.

These colourful little daisies come from a bush in my garden which has flowers on it just about all year round. The lovely little glass jar I have put them in is actually an antique mustard pot from a cruet set that belonged to my grandmother.

And here is the lemon meringue pie - it is a family favourite. I have always loved it. My mother brought me in a piece when I was in hospital when my eldest son was born. It is his favourite, and now his eldest nearly six years old little boy loves it too!

Do you have a lemon tree? Do you make lemon butter? or lemon meringue pie?

Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to Mary and the other wonderful contributors from across the world at Mosaic Monday - to visit, please click on the link here - Mosaic Monday

 You might also like - click on the links to go to -

Lemon tarts 

Oranges and lemons

Sri Lanka cooking show - SBS Australia

 I love this cooking show with Peter Kuruvita on SBS - so interesting - and the recipes always look so devine!
I just had to post the link - mysrilanka

Look for it on your TV program - not just a cooking show but a very interesting cultural tour around Sri Lanka as well!

I really want to try this recipe that was on last night - Lagoon Prawns with ladies finger sambol -
Lagoon Prawns - it looks like a delicious summer recipe.

When I have cooked it I will come back with a pic!

Happy cooking!

Seasons grettings from Australia

I have finally gotten into the Christmas spirit and finished decorating my tree last night after coming home from Carols by Candlelight - there is nothing like the company of children and some Christmas carols to get you in the mood.

Today it has been unusually dull and drizzly rain all day - a dramatic change for the usually hot December weather in Australia. We have had a dry winter and spring, so my garden has welcomed the cool day and the soak.  It also was a great day for Christmas cooking - so I made sausage rolls, fruit mince pies, stained glass Christmas cake, melting moments biscuits and little Christmas puddings.You can see samples of my cooking below in my mosaic for today.

The little guy on the RHS is just me playing around with Christmas tree light bokeh!

Enjoy! And have a wonderful Christmas in the company of those you love.

 This post has been a part of Mosaic Monday at Little Red House. To see the work of Mary and other contributors, please click on the link -
http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/