Nigella Lemon Meringue Cake

I stumbled across this Nigella recipe for Lemon Meringue Cake and was so intrigued by it I had to give it a go.

It really is quite strange as you bake the meringue and cake layered together.

The lemony rich egg yolk cake is spread on the bottom of two tins, I don't actually have two the same size hence my interesting shaped cake.

And the glossy thick meringue layer spread on top.

It is then baked. 

Mine browned very quickly, so I turned the heat down a bit and loosely covered with foil.

After cooling in the tins you put one cake meringue side down.

Generously cover with lemon curd (make your own - its easy).

Top with some freshly whipped cream.

Then pop your next layer of cake on top.

Quite an ugly cake really but at the same time so impressive.

 I really liked it though next time I'll add extra lemon curd and take more care with the cake - make it softer and lighter.

Pandan and Coconut Macarons and a special Froggy Cake

My dear Aunty turned 80! and she asked if I could bring some cupcakes to her party.

Well plain cupcakes to be more specific but I wanted to add some 'wow'. So I decided to attempt green macarons to match the very special Frog cake I had ordered for her from the wonderful Dea at 3D Cakes.

And what more inspiration do I need.....one of my amazing friends bought the Zumbo recipe book especially for me.

Well my macarons were not perfect, consistency too thick and zero gloss but they were still so pretty.

I was really pleased.

I used pandan paste in the macaron mix and filled them with a coconut white chocolate ganache.

Made pretty much the same as a regular ganache except with coconut cream.

And yes I added extra green food colouring to try and thin out the macaron mix.....

They were so delicious, and beautiful perched atop a vanilla cupcake.

Why a frog cake you may ask? well when I was young my Aunty Joy had a wonderful collection of cute little frogs that I loved and would often contribute to.

So I thought I would once again give her a frog! just an edible one this time.

It went down a treat, everyone loved the froggy cake, and it was delicious (even the icing! - picture those legs getting eaten).

Do check out the 3D cakes website and on facebook (regular giveaways) to check out Dea's incredible creations.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

I hope you all had a lovely christmas that was filled with lots of love and food!

And I'm hoping you are looking forward to the new year to come.

If you feel anything like me and have over-indulged the past two weeks you probably should look away.

This was a delicious chocolate cake I made for one of the many christmas celebrations we went to this year.

A fudgy dark chocolate cake topped with delicious milk and white chocolate mousse.

I was inspired by this recipe I found at Annie Eats where the bottom layer of the mousse cake was indeed cake rather then a classic mousse.

Egg whites are beaten with brown sugar.

Egg yolks are whisked with vanilla and then the melted chocolate and butter.

The eggs are from my parents chooks - such yellow yolks!

The thick ganache is folded with the egg whites and a little flour.

The cake once removed from the oven looked glorious, but way too big for my bottom layer.

It didn't take long to sink to a thick fudgy chocolate cake.

Once it was cooled I prepared the mousse layers.

For the mousse I based it on a recipe found at Fiona Likes Food.

A custard is prepared with egg yolks, cream and a little sugar.

You also dissolve some gelatin that is mixed through the completed custard which is then poured over the chocolates. They are stirred until smooth.

Meanwhile some cream is whipped and folded through the cooled smooth chocolate mixes.

The milk chocolate mousse was poured over the cake and popped in the freezer for fifteen minutes. Then the white chocolate mousse is poured on top. 

I refrigerated overnight making it a great prepare ahead dessert. 

A delicious chocolate cake for any chocolate lover.

The mousse was beautiful and soft, the fudgy chocolate cake on the bottom a perfect platform.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Dark Chocolate Cake Base (adapted from Annie Eats)

6 tbsp butter

150g dark chocolate

4 large eggs separated

1 tsp vanilla paste

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 23cm springform tin.

Melt butter and chocolate gently in bowl over saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

Partially beat the egg whites and slowly incorporate the brown sugar before beating to stiff peaks.

Whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla, then whisk in the melted chocolate and butter.

Whisk through about a 1/3 of the stiff egg whites and the carefully fold through the remainder with the flour.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 20 minutes or until springs back when gently touched in the centre.

Leave cake to cool in the tin.

Mousse Layers (adapted from Fiona Likes Food)

2 tsp gelatin powder + 1 tbsp hot water

100g white chocolate, broken

100g milk chocolate, broken

4 egg yolks 

2 tbsp castor sugar

500 ml thickened cream

Dissolve gelatin in the water.

Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale and thick.

Heat half the cream in a saucepan until hot and then remove from heat and whisk in egg yolk mixture.

Return saucepan to low heat and whisk the custard until it just starts to thicken. 

Remove from heat, whisk in gelatin and then strain the custard. Pour half the custard over the white chocolate and half over the milk chocolate.

Mix until smooth.

Beat the remaining cream until thick and then divide evenly between the chocolates, carefully folding through.

Pour the milk chocolate custard over the dark chocolate base. 

Put in freezer for fifteen minutes or until firm.

Pour the white chocolate mousse over the top, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Orange Cake

This recipe is from the lovely Ellie at Gourmand Recipes.

I was totally convinced to try the recipe and I was not disappointed.

I love finding an excuse to bake so when we had guests over for dinner this was one recipe close to the top of my list.

The cake came out beautifully.

It is covered with icing tinted with orange juice.

It was delicious, the cake so soft and delicate yet robust!

Perfect for an afternoon tea treat.

Chocolate Quinoa Cake with Rosewater Ganache

Can you believe it - we had another birthday in my household, this time my husband.

I decided to cook him this rich gluten free chocolate cake made with quinoa, the recipe from the Better Homes and Garden magazine. It is covered in a rosewater chocolate ganache.

Birthdays become such a special occasion again when you have children, the joy it brings having a beautiful cake with candles.

I filled the cake with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

The cake itself was so rich and yummy. It was quite dense and sticky yet soft. 

The strawberries worked well with the rich cake.

I wasn't sure about the rosewater ganache but tasting when freshly made I was very impressed, it was gorgeous with the subtle background of rose.

But I poured it over and refrigerated the cake overnight and the next day the ganache was much stronger in rose flavour and although still nice it was not as good as when first made.

I would suggest pouring the warm ganache over the cake just before serving. 

Rich Chocolate Quinoa Cake with Rosewater Ganache

Ingredients

Cake

3/4 cup quinoa

1/2 cup milk

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla paste

3/4 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups raw sugar

1 cup almond meal

1 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb. soda

pinch salt

Filling

1 cup cream

sliced strawberries

Ganache

1/2 cup cream

1 tbsp glucose syrup

1 tsp rosewater

100g 85% dark chocolate

100g milk chocolate

Topping

halved strawberries

Grease and line two cake tins . Preheat oven to 180C.

Put quinoa in saucepan on high heat and add 1 1/3 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Remove from heat leaving covered for a further 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Combine milk, eggs and vanilla and use a stick blender briefly to combine. 

Add quinoa and butter and puree mixture until smooth.

Combine sugar, almond meal, cocoa, baking powder, bi-carb soda and salt in a separate bowl.

Pour in the quinoa mixture and combine well.

Divide mix into the two prepared tins and bake for 45 minutes. Should be cooked when skewer is clean.

Leave to cool in tins.

Once cakes are cool whip cream. 

Spread over one cake, add the sliced strawberries and top with second cake.

Finely chop the chocolates. 

Combine cream, glucose syrup and rosewater over heat and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Leave for twenty seconds before whisking until smooth and thick.

Pour and spread over cake, top with halved strawberries and serve.