Recipe revamps

I'm going to apologize in advance for the lack of photos this week.  I've been a bit slack!

This week I decided to use some recipes that I had, and change them up a bit - yes I know I do this a lot, but that's the point of this!

I made some yummy Raspberry, Chocolate and Banana cupcakes/muffins, my Pav with Chocolate Mousse, and a Cheesey Leek, Onion and Potato Bake.

Raspberry, Chocolate and Banana Cupcakes

2C self raising flour
1/2C caster sugar
1/2C choc chips - I used dark but white would be good too
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

1/4C Prenzel butter rice bran oil
1 egg
1/2C milk
1/2C yoghurt
1/2 tsp vanilla paste - or you could use extract, but probably 1tsp
2 bananas mashed
1/2C raspberries - I used frozen ones

Firstly you want to preheat the oven to 180C fanbake

Sift the first lot of ingredients into a large bowl

In a separate bowl combine all the liquid ingredients

Pour liquid into dry ingredients and fold together, adding the raspberries when almost combined.

Spoon into cupcake tins - I got 18 out of this recipe.  Bake for 15mins or until golden.

*I also sprinkled a little demerera sugar over the top before baking

Very tasty cupcakes, nice and moist - only lasted a few days in the pantry!

My pav, delicious as it was, didn't quite work as it normally does - mainly due to impatience I think, or the fact that I didn't actually measure my ingredients this time!

So basically, I use the good old Edmonds Cookbook recipe for the pav.  I don't alter any ingredients, the only difference is that I am splitting it into two smaller pavs instead of one larger one.  Because of this, I reduce the cooking time slightly.  Just keep an eye on them, you get a feel for when they are ready.

The mousse is where my issues were.  I have made this recipe several times, and it has always worked perfectly.  Now that I have decided to share it with y'all, it goes pear shaped!  I may have been a little hasty in putting the whole thing together and the mousse didn't quite have the time it needed to thicken.  I also may have added a touch more cream than necessary ...

The main thing is, it tastes amazing!!  Like it would be anything less than that anyways - I mean, what more could you want??  Pav, Chocolate Mousse, Whipped Cream and Chocolate Drops!!

I will share with you the mousse recipe, just make sure you follow the measurements and times better than I did.  *This works with both white and dark chocolate.

Chocolate Mousse

200g chocolate in pieces (I use melts or choc drops etc from baking aisle)
3 egg yolks (the leftover from the pav - no wastage here!)
2Tbsp sugar
1/4C cream plus 1C

In a large bowl, place the chocolate and set aside.

In a separate small bowl beat egg yolks with sugar until pale in colour

Heat 1/4C cream in saucepan over low heat, slowly add to the egg mix, whisking as you go.
Pour back into saucepan and continue to heat and stir until it coats the back of wooden spoon.

Pour through a sieve over the bowl of chocolate and stir until smooth.

In another bowl, whip the 1C cream to almost stiff peaks.  Fold half into the choc mix to lighten and then fold in remaining cream.

Cover and refridgerate until set, approx 1hour.

It is such a wonderfully, creamy mousse.  Such a treat to have, and so many ways you can use it.  Obviously I sandwich it between two pavs, and last blog I suggested using it in the chocolate lasagne, but even just in a bowl with some fruit salad.


Onto another meal I mentioned a few blogs ago - nachoes.  I made them with mince, garlic butter oil, tin tomatoes, tin salsa chilli beans, and a generous tablespoon of BBQ sauce.  While making that, I cooked up some streaky bacon ... mmmmmm ... bacon ...
I assembled the nachoes as per usual - chips, with mince mix in centre, sprinkle of cheese on top and put under the grill.  I then sprinkled the crumbled up bacon on top and served with sour cream and guacamole.  It was oh so good!

And the last recipe to share with you is Cheesey Leek, Onion and Potato bake.  Again, I adapted a recipe, and when I make it again, I will adjust the cooking times also.  I found that even though it tasted great, some of the potato was still not as cooked through as I would have liked.
Now you will have to use your imagination for this one, as I clean forgot to take a pic of this when it was ready.  I know my awesome way with words will enable you to get a clear picture in your head though :)

Cheesey Leek, Onion and Potato Bake

4 potatoes
1 leek
1 onion
butter
1tsp mustard seeds
cream cheese
cheese
3/4C cream

Preheat oven to 180C

Slice and dice leek and onion.  Cook until tender in pan with butter.  Add mustard seeds and continue  heating for a little longer. Season.

Wash and slice potatoes - I leave skin on, and you want thin slices.

In a greased baking dish, layer potato with leek mix, seasoning each layer and dolloping some blobs of cream cheese around.  Finish with a potato layer.

Pour cream over top - you could also beat a little cream cheese into this.  Sprinkle cheese over top and bake for approx 1 hour until golden on top and cooked through.  I think this would also be nice with bacon added :)


So there you have it. Four new recipes - aren't you glad you decided to click on my blog?  :)  I'll have to put my thinking cap on and come up with something new and exciting for next week!

Happy experimenting!