Jumble Biscuits

 

 

This is an old recipe that I remember my aunty making and she passed it on to me. It's probably an old Women's Weekly recipe but I can't find the original source. They are not brownies, despite looking a little like them. They have a chewy, biscuity texture. My aunty always called them Jumble Biscuits, so despite being more akin to a slice, I also call them Jumble Biscuits. 

 

In any case, they are not only delicious but also super easy and quick to make! You can mix everything in one bowl with a wooden spoon and don't even need to take out your mixer. It's one of my go to desserts when I need to take a plate.

 

Jumble Biscuits

Makes approx. 48 (size 4 x 4cm)*

2 cups self raising flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups sugar (white or caster)
2 cups desiccated coconut
180g butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 eggs
200g cooking chocolate
extra desiccated coconut to sprinkle on top

* Obviously, you will get less slices if cutting into bigger pieces

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

3. Add butter, vanilla essence and eggs and mix again until all ingredients are fully combined. I like to do this by hand. At first it may seem like there is not enough liquid to incorporate all the dry ingredients but trust me, it's just perfect - you don't need to add anything! Just keep kneading it together by hand until it's all combined.

4. Place mixture on to a lined/oiled baking tray and using your hands, flatten until the mixture is evenly spread. I use a baking tray that measures approximately 35.5cm x 25cm.



This is the mixture, all flattened in the baking tray.

 5. Place tray in preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. There may be sections of the slice that look like they have risen more than other parts - almost like a giant air bubble. Don't worry about this, as any such section will deflate to be level with other parts once out of oven.

The cooked biscuit/slice.

 7. Melt chocolate over stove top or in microwave and then pour over slice whilst it is still warm. Spread chocolate with a knife so it is entirely covered.

8. Sprinkle extra coconut on top to decorate.

9. I like to cut it at this stage to avoid cracks in the chocolate. I cut off about half to one centimetre around all edges simply for presentation and then proceed to cut the slab into 4 x 4cm pieces, wiping knife down between each cut because the chocolate is still quite runny at this stage.

Cutting up the Jumble Biscuits.

 10. Place whole tray as is in fridge and leave until chocolate sets, usually half an hour. When ready to plate up, you'll need to cut up again because some chocolate will have dripped and stick pieces together. However, because of the pre-refrigeration cutting, this should be quite simple and hopefully you will avoid cracked chocolate!

Delicious and ready to eat!

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Mini Apple Cinnamon Muffins

The other day I bought my boys some mini cupcakes at the supermarket and one of the flavours was apple. They really weren't that great and I could hardly taste apple in it, which was probably to be expected from a supermarket chain product. I remembered a banana muffin recipe that I had found and made which I had scribbled down in my notebook - the texture of the muffin just lent itself to apple - so I set about recreating it and the result was wonderful. I'm so happy with how these mini muffins turned out. They have a firm top and are deliciously soft in the centre with big chunks of apple through them. Ideal for a morning tea or afternoon snack, I promise you they won't last long!

You don't even need a mixer for this recipe but for those wanting to use their Thermomix, I've included separate instructions.

 

Mini Apple Cinnamon Muffins

 

Makes approx. 15

 

1/2 400g tin pie fruit apple slices

1 3/4 cups plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of salt/sea salt

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

 

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced.

 

2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium size bowl and set aside.

 

3. In a separate bowl, combine white sugar, coconut oil, milk, brown sugar and vanilla and whisk for a few minutes or until fully incorporated.

 

4. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture in first bowl.

 

5. Add apples on top of mixture and then fold through until both mixtures are fully blended together. You should end up with a dough-like consistency. It won't be runny.

 

6. Spoon dough mixture into muffin cases - I always use an ice-cream scoop with a "squeeze to empty" mechanism.

 

7. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

 

Straight out of the oven. If you prefer your muffins without the extra sweetness of the topping,
you can leave them like this. They'll taste just as delicious!

8. For the coating, place white sugar and cinnamon in a small dish and stir well to combine.

9. Taking care with the hot muffins, take each one and place face down into the dish with the cinnamon sugar. The moisture still present from the heat will be enough for the sugar to stick. If there are any small dips that miss out on sugar using this method, once turned upright, spoon a bit of sugar on top and then turn to shake off excess.



Cinnamon Sugar - a wonderful coating to complete these apple muffins.

Mini Apple Cinnamon Muffins (Thermomix version)

 

Makes approx. 15

 

1/2 400g tin pie fruit apple slices

250g plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of salt/sea salt

320g white sugar

100g coconut oil

100g milk

40g brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

 

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced.

 

2. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to Thermomix bowl and combine 5 seconds/speed 5. Set aside in a medium size bowl.

 

3. Spoon coconut oil into Thermomix bowl and melt for 30 seconds/50degrees/speed 4.

 

4. Attach whisking tool. Add white sugar, milk, brown sugar and vanilla and whisk for 2 minutes/speed 3.5.

 

4. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture in bowl that was previously set aside.

 

5. Add apples on top of mixture and then fold through until both mixtures are fully blended together. You should end up with a dough-like consistency. It won't be runny.

 

6. Spoon dough mixture into muffin cases - I always use an ice-cream scoop with a "squeeze to empty" mechanism.

 

7. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

 

8. For the coating, place white sugar and cinnamon in a small dish and stir well to combine.

9. Taking care with the hot muffins, take each one and place face down into the dish with the cinnamon sugar. The moisture still present from the heat will be enough for the sugar to stick. If there are any small dips that miss out on sugar using this method, once turned upright, spoon a bit of sugar on top and then turn to shake off excess.

Will you be able to stop at just one?

 

Pea and Mushroom Cauliflower "Rice"

Cauliflower "rice" seems to be all the rage at the moment. I see it popping up on all sorts of diet and healthy eating sites, as well as on cooking shows. Basically, it is the use of cauliflower in place of rice - a lower calorie, healthier option for those who don't want to load up on carbs. Whilst I'm definitely a carb fan and could never give up rice entirely, cauliflower rice is a tasty option.  Whilst many use it as a plain base for casseroles, I've chosen to add a couple more vegetables. I was going to add a little bacon as well but I forgot to buy it! We had ours as a side dish but it could easily be a great little lunch meal. Likewise, the ingredient quantities are suggestions only - you can adjust everything to your own taste. 

 

Steamy stove top photo :)

 Pea and Mushroom Cauliflower "Rice"

Serves 4-6 (as a side dish)

1/2 head of cauliflower
200g button mushrooms, chopped into quarters or sixths depending on size
1 cup frozen peas
Couple of handfuls of chopped spring onion
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Chilli flakes to taste

1. Clean cauliflower and roughly chop. Place into food processor and process until cauliflower is of a fine, grain-like consistency. Alternatively, you can grate the cauliflower or if you have a Thermomix, grate for about 5 seconds/speed 5-6. Set aside.

This is how your cauliflower should look after processing/grating.


2. Heat oil to a medium heat and add peas and mushrooms. Saute until vegetables are softened and starting to brown.

 

3. Turn up heat and add cauliflower. Mix through well and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until cauliflower softens and starts to brown.

 

4. Add salt, pepper and chilli to taste and stir through.

 

5. Finally, add spring onions and cook for another minute.

 

6. Serve immediately and enjoy :)

Balla, The Star, Sydney

Last time my husband and I visited Balla, housed at The Star in Sydney, we were gifted with a table by the large windows overlooking the harbour and great lighting for photos - always a huge bonus for foodies who like to share! I had previously written about Balla on my former blog and was always looking for an opportunity to revisit it on behalf of Sugar and Salt.

 

Photo from The Star website

Balla is Stefano Manfredi's baby and he has said that it is probably the most Italian restaurant he has opened. He overlooked the entire design of the food menu as well as the wholly Italian wine collection and the space in which it is all housed.

I think he did an amazing job putting everything together - Balla has a wonderful Sydney seaside ambiance and I still love it. The very first time we visited Balla, we were seated at one of the bench seats and at first I thought I was a bit too close to neighbouring patrons but this is in keeping with Manfredi's vision of shared tables as in an authentic Milanese osteria. Besides, I quickly overcame my reservations as the restaurant started to fill and the food arrived without delay. The decor is wonderfully fresh and unique, and the views are beautiful. I cannot believe The Star was previously not making good use of that particular side of the building!

If you want to see some gorgeous photos of the interior, along with some special dishes served at a private dinner when Balla first opened, head on over to the blog Not Quite Nigella. Blogger Lorraine Elliot, as you can probably guess, is a food enthusiast and writer who was lucky enough to attend this private dinner! I believe her husband may have taken the photos of the restaurant which are simply gorgeous. She got all the inside goss on the design of the restaurant and how much everything cost - I was intrigued reading about the lighting and the mosaic tiles.

We have eaten at Balla a number of times, particularly before heading to The Lyric Theatre for a show, as it is so close. On our latest visit we were seated at a small table nestled in the corner with great views. One of our favourite things about Balla is that they are spot on with their portion sizes. Following is a pictorial journey of our last visit.



Roasted Quail with radicchio, figs and balsamic.

Grilled Cauliflower with truffle pecorino, cured egg yolk and macadamia.

Tagliatelle with slipper lobster, tomato, capers and oregano.

Potato Gnocchi with pork shoulder ragu.

Scampi with shaved Autumn vegetables and Tuscan oil.

Pan Roasted Duck Breast with sautéed parsnip, radicchio and mustard plum.



Coffee Brulee with chocolate biscuit, raspberry and almond praline.

As usual, Balla got it right with all their flavours marrying perfectly. The standout dish for me were the gnocchi. I've had gnocchi there in various ways and each time they seem to nail the dish!

The dessert was also gorgeous. The biscuit base was a little thick and hard to crack but we successfully got to it without a scene. I would definitely order it again because it was delicious.

You can view the current dinner menu here and the dessert menu here. Definitely worth a visit, particularly if you're in Sydney and looking for a pre-show dinner.

Brownie Cookies

Who doesn't love a great cookie? This one was certainly a big hit with everyone who tried it, from young children to adults. With a crunchy outer layer and a chewy, soft centre it's no surprise that they were snapped up and devoured quickly. You can find this Donna Hay recipe here. Ms Hay actually sandwiches two cookies together with peanut butter frosting and I had the same intention when I began to bake them. However, some misadventure in the kitchen resulted in burned fingers that day and I had to abandon that plan. Instead, I served the cookies on their own and discovered they were wonderful just as they were.

 

My recipe below gives instructions for making the cookies using a Thermomix. However, as always, you can follow the original recipe from the link above if you don't own a Thermomix.

 

 

Brownie Cookies

Makes approx. 24 cookies

350g dark chocolate
40g butter
2 eggs
150g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
35g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced.

2. Place 150g of the dark chocolate into Thermomix bowl, roughly broken up. Grate for 10 seconds/speed 9 and then set aside.

3. Place the remaining 200g of chocolate in the bowl, also roughly broken up and grate for 10 seconds/speed 9. Scrape down sides if necessary.

4. Add butter to chocolate in bowl and melt for 3 minutes/50 degrees/speed 3. Then set aside and clean bowl.

5. Place eggs, sugar and vanilla into cleaned Thermomix bowl and beat for 20 seconds/speed 5-6 or until mixture is pale and creamy.

6. Add flour, baking powder and both lots of chocolate previously set aside. Mix for 20 seconds/speed 5.

7. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes - it will be almost firm in its consistency. Then spoon onto a lined baking tray using a tablespoon for an approximate measurement of each cookie. I've included a photo of the raw dough below so that you can see how it is meant to look. As the cookies bake, they will spread out and rise.

8. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and cracked. Then remove from oven and allow them to cool completely. As they cool, they will "collapse" so you get a rustic, cracked cookie - this is exactly what they are meant to do.