Lemon and Blackberry Meringue Pie

Ok so recently I may have been indulging in a little too much reality TV.

I mean I don't watch THAT much TV, but when I do, it usually revolves around cooking shows.

I'm sure it drives Mr B bonkers, but well Saturday nights filled with American reality shows about big factories or mighty structures don't really do it for me either.

For months I watched the ads for Great Australian Bake Off with anticipation and you know when it finally came on, I was not all that impressed. Isn't it always the way?

However, one evening I flicked the channel and something caught my eye. The contestants were all trying to make a lemon meringue pie from the same recipe, but the catch was that each recipe was missing a few bits and pieces. I was absolutely amazed at how different each and every one came out and that was when I decided I was going to have a go at making my very own Lemon Meringue Pie....with a twist!

I decided to make a Lemon and Blackberry Meringue Pie and I will be honest, I did make this in stages. I started making the tart shell on Sunday, made the lemon curd on Monday and on Tuesday I made the meringue, assembled and baked the tart.

I was concerned that I hadn't baked the meringue long enough and that my first attempt at making a tart shell would be a disaster, but I was excited to try my new pie dish and well the end result was that between Mum, Dad, Mr B and I we demolished the entire thing Tuesday night.....it was delicious and I just love the tart lemon filling paired with the sweet blackberry jam, the buttery tart shell and the fluffy meringue - YUM!

I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe for the Great Un-Shrinkable Tart Shell. This was my first time making a tart shell and I decided to try this recipe because it sounded so simple and didn't require the use of weights during baking. I was really pleased with the end result so I think I will definitely keep this as my go to recipe in the future.

Lemon and Blackberry Meringue Pie

To make the tart shell

1.5 cups plain flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
125g cold butter cut into small pieces
1 egg

Using a food processor, pulse the flour and sugar together.

Scatter the butter over the flour mixture and process until combined.

Add the egg and process until dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can leave in the fridge for up to 5 days at this stage which is great if you want to make the dough in advance.

Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface (or between two pieces of lightly greased baking paper) to roughly a 12-inch round. Gently place the dough into the pan and seal any cracks that have formed. Fold any overhang in to strengthen your sides. Pierce the crust all over with a fork.

Freeze the crust for at least 30 mins, preferably longer, before baking.

Pre-heat oven to 190C. Butter the shiny side of a piece of foil and place, buttered side down, tightly against the pie crust, ensuring that the whole surface is covered. As the crust has been frozen, you can bake it without weights - hooray! Place the tart pan on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 mins.

Remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon. Bake for a further 10 mins until firm and golden and allow to cool.

To make the Lemon Curd

1/2 cup cornflour
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1.25 cups water
2 tspns grated lemon rind
3 egg yolks
60g butter
1/2 cup blackberry jam

Combine the cornflour and caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.

Slowly stir in the lemon juice and water, continue to stir until smooth.

Continue to stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to stir for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and working quickly, whisk in the lemon rind, egg yolks and butter. Keep whisking until butter is melted. Cover with cling wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming and allow to cool to room temperature.

Spread the cooled tart base with blackberry jam and pour lemon curd directly over the top.

To make the Meringue

 3 egg whites
1/2 cup caster sugar

Pre-heat oven to 200C

Blend egg whites using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sugar, beating until dissolved and the egg whites form stiff peaks.

Use a fork to gently score the surface of the lemon curd, this will ensure your meringue sticks to it and doesn't slide off.

Spoon the meringue mixture on top of the lemon curd and use a spoon to form peaks.

Bake for 2-3 mins or until meringue starts to brown.

Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Mrs B x

Chocolate Ganache Tart

Today has been a lazy lazy Saturday.

Actually the whole weekend is turning out to be relaxing and lazy.

Yesterday Mr B went to work so I did some baking, visited a friend for her birthday, ran some errands, had tea and cake with another of my friend's in celebration of a very special first birthday, went to the supermarket, went for a jog and still had time to laze on the couch for a few hours - all before Mr B got home! It might have seemed busy and I was definitely buggered by the end of it, but it was a day full of 'me' time and it doesn't get much more relaxing then that!

Today Mr B and I had a lovely sleep in and then seeing as the sun was shining for a change we decided to take the bikes out for a quick run. 

We did try to take the bikes out last weekend but both of them had flat batteries which really wasn't surprising seeing as I haven't been on my bike since Easter. I know, it is absolutely disgraceful but the weather hasn't been the best and there always seems to be a million other things going on. Not this weekend though, we were determined to get them out for a short run and it was nice to get back on it after so long. 

We went for a quick ride to visit Mum and Dad and then headed home as the clouds began to roll in. I made a quick supermarket run so that we could have homemade caprese pizza and garlic bread for dinner tonight and then it was home for lunch. After living in our house for 4 years, we have finally figured out how to use the griller on the oven so it was grilled cheese all round......and then because we had obviously had such a hectic morning, we curled up on the couch and had a nap. 

Life is tough.

Do you know what would have made our lazy day even more luxurious and indulgent? Some of this decadent chocolate ganache tart that Mum and Dad made us for dessert last Tuesday night. Be warned, it is very rich and a small slice goes a long way, but it is so worth it.

Chocolate Ganache Tart - Serves 8-10

200g plain sweet biscuits
75g melted butter
300ml thickened cream
1 tspn vanilla paste
100ml full cream milk
1 tbspn custard powder
250g dark chocolate (70%) chopped
Cream, Icecream and fresh raspberries to serve.

Place the biscuits in a food processor and mix until fine. Add the melted butter and process to combine. You may need slightly more butter - to test if it's done, press the mixture firmly and it should hold it's shape.

Firmly press the biscuit base into a 21cm springform tin - I like to use a glass to ensure it's really compacted. Freeze for 20-30 mins or until firm.

In a saucepan over medium heat combine the cream and vanilla paste and heat gently.

In a bowl combine the milk and the custard powder. (The custard powder will give the ganache it's silky texture.) Add the milk mixture to the cream and whisk over medium heat until thickened slightly.

Add the chocolate to the cream mixture and whisk until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. If you wish to substitute normal dark chocolate in this recipe you will need to reduce the amount of cream by 2 tbspns and if you want to use milk chocolate then reduce the cream by half. Unfortunately white chocolate is not suitable for this tart.

Brush a small amount of the ganache over the tart base and leave for 2 mins to set.

Pour over the rest of the ganache and smooth the surface. Place in the fridge overnight to set.

To serve remove the tart from the pan and stand at room temperature for 5 mins. Lightly dust with cocoa and serve thin wedges with whipped cream, ice cream and raspberries.

Enjoy!

Mrs B x

Mushroom and Parmesan Gratin

Last night when we went to Mum and Dad's for dinner I was feeling very proud of myself. You see I had been super organised and lodged our groceries for next week online all ready for collection later in the week.

Imagine my surprise when Mr B and I walked in the door, greeted by the smell of somethign incredible in the oven....and then I noticed the recipe on the bench. The EXACT recipe I was going to cook when Mum and Dad came for dinner next week and the EXACT recipe I had just purchased all the ingredients for.

I mean honestly, what are the chances??

Actually I imagine they are pretty good seeing as Mum and I get the same magazines and often read them together, picking out the things we want to make. We are probably lucky it hasn't happened prior to now!

And do you know what annoys me the most?

It was DEE-LICIOUS!

The crispy parmesan topping paired with the creamy thyme and mushroom filling is just divine, I could have polished off the whole thing without a second thought!

Mushroom Gratin

2 tbspn olive oil
600g button mushrooms, sliced
400g portabello mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 tbspns crushed garlic
1.5 tbspns fresh thyme leaves
2 tbspn red wine vinegar
1/2 cup thickened cream
1 tbspn butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan

Pre-heat oven to 260C or 240C fan forced.

Heat a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and the mushrooms. Cook for 12-15 mins or until mushrooms are tender.

Add the onion and cook for 3 mins or until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further 3 mins. Stir in the vinegar and reduce heat to medium.

Add the cream and butter and heat gently until cream beings to simmer. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a baking dish.

In a bowl combine the eggs and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and whisk well - the mixture should be slightly foamy. Gently pour over the mushroom mixture.

Bake for 10-15 mins or until the egg mixture is just cooked through and golden. Serves 4-6.

It took me a little while to figure out what I was going to create with 1kg of mushrooms next week, but after spending far too much time on Pinterest I think I have it figured out....and in the mean time Mum and I will be coordinating our dinners from now on!

Enjoy!

Mrs B xx

Beef and Ricotta Meatballs

A few weeks ago after one of our cheese making extravaganzas, Mr B and I found ourselves with a heap of ricotta and absolutely no idea what to do with it.

You see when you make cheese you are left with all of this gorgeous whey and you can use that to make ricotta, which we always do because it would be a shame to see it go to waste.

But then we are left with about 250g of ricotta that we need to use up within a week or so and normally that is not a problem but last week I drew a serious mental blank.

Eventually I kind of just gave in and thought it might be nice kind of dolloped on top of our meatballs....and then the penny dropped.....it would be out of this world awesome IN the meatballs!!

And out of this world awesome it was, hands down best meatballs ever...

Beef and Ricotta Meatballs - Serves 2 

250g beef mince
250g ricotta
1 tbspn crushed garlic
1 tbspn Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs
1.5 cups pasta sauce of your choice (we used tomato and basil)
1/2 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together well with your hands.

Shape tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up.

Heat a lightly greased fry pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until just browned. Remove meatballs from the pan.

Add the pasta sauce and water to the pan and allow to simmer for 5-7 mins. Return the meatballs to the pan and cook for a further 10 mins or until cooked through.

Serve with spaghetti and enjoy!

Mrs B xx

Meringue Roulade with Yoghurt Filling

Over the last 12 months, I have conquered many of my baking fears.

Mr B and I have taken to making our own english muffins, crumpets, cheeses, breads and fondant, not to mention the constant rotation of baking creations.

Despite all of this, roulades and swiss rolls are something I just have not been able to bring myself to try.

Whilst I would love to attempt one, I just can not comprehend how a cake....or a meringue for that matter, can be rolled and curled and manipulated without crumbling and falling apart. So in an attempt to avoid the horrible frustration that comes with failure, I have been more than content to just avoid them altogether.

Mr B on the other hand is not phased by anything and when he set his sights on making a Meringue Roulade with Yoghurt Filling for dessert this week I declared that he was on his own.

He was not even remotely phased by this and proceeded to whip up an amazing and delicious meringue roulade with next to no effort. He even had the cheek to make it look easy!!

 To make this Meringue Roulade with Yoghurt Filling you will need

2 tablespoons icing sugar mixture, sifted
4 egg whites (Don't get rid of the egg yolks though, use them to make a delicious pastry cream or custard!)
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
700g Gippsland Blood Orange and Mango Yoghurt (you could use any thick yoghurt though)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbspn caster sugar

Preheat oven to 150°C/130°C fan-forced and grease and line a baking tray with baking paper. Make sure to extend the paper 2cm from edge of pan on all sides.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat for 4 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.

Add cornflour and vinegar. Beat until just combined.

Spread mixture over prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden and firm. Ours only took 17 mins so just keep an eye on it.

Place a large piece of baking paper on a flat surface and dust with 1 tablespoon icing sugar.

Turn meringue onto baking paper. Remove lining paper. Cool for 5 minutes.

Spread the half of the yoghurt over the meringue, leaving a 3cm border down 1 of the long sides. Starting at the opposite side to the border and using the paper as a guide, roll up meringue to enclose filling. Gently wrap with a clean dry tea towel and gently place on a plate. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.

Combine orange juice and remaining caster sugar. Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is syrupy.

Serve topped with remaining yoghurt and drizzled with orange syrup.

 

Enjoy!

 Mrs B xx

Homemade Crumpets

It has rained pretty much all weekend here. In the morning we wake up, it looks beautiful, we get dressed, we head out and it's dark and gloomy and within minutes the rain comes and it settles in for the day. Sometimes it does have it's perks though because yesterday when Mr B headed off to a BBQ, I opted to stay home where it was dry and warm, turn the stereo up and bake my little heart out.

Several batches of brownies, a batch of pikelets and some homemade paneer cheese later I was running out of room in the fridge so I had to assess my next move carefully.

Option a) was eat a whole batch of fresh triple chocolate jersey caramel brownies to make room for something else in the fridge

 or Option b) was make homemade crumpets and store them in the freezer.

Option B won out because whilst option a was tempting it did have the potential to leave me writhing on the floor in a chocolate coma and well there was no reason I couldn't eat brownies and make crumpets at the same time. Win Win.

I have been meaning to try homemade crumpets for ages now and last week I finally remembered to borrow Mum and Dad's egg rings so I was all out of excuses and given it was starting to get dark and Mr B still wasn't home, apparently I had plenty of time!

I was so pleased with the way these came out, I think the only thing I would change next time is to make sure the egg rings are full to the brim with the batter because our crumpets were a little thin, not that it mattered though, they still tasted like the real thing, only better! No more shop brought crumpets in this house!

This photo shows the various stages of the cooking, the back row are done, the middle row are nearly done and the bottom row shows the batter once it's been poured into the egg rings.

Homemade Crumpets

250ml warm water
7g dried yeast
2 teaspoons caster sugar
125 ml warm milk
225g plain flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda

In a small bowl or jug, combine half the warm water with the yeast, sugar and milk. Make sure the liquid ingredients are not too hot or they could kill the yeast. Set the bowl aside in a warm place until foamy (about 10 minutes).

In a large bowl combine the sifted flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and slowly pour in the yeast mixture. Stir until combined with a wooden spoon. The dough will be quite runny at this stage. Set aside somewhere warm until doubled in size. This could take one to two hours depending on the temperature.

Combine the remaining water and bicarb soda. Use a whisk to deflate the dough and slowly work in the bicarb mixture until smooth. Set aside for 30 mins to rest.

Lightly grease a non-stick fry pan and four egg rings. Place the egg rings into the pan and heat to medium-low.

Fill the egg rings with the crumpet mixture. Allow the crumpets to cook until bubbles come to the surface and the egg rings are easily removed. Once the base is golden brown and the top is set, flip them over for just a few seconds to crisp up the top side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve toasted with butter, jam and honey and a hot cuppa!

Enjoy!

Mrs B xx

Mushroom, Capsicum and Goats Cheese Tart

I was going to start this post by saying my Mum has always been the master of all things tart related.....

But then I could already feel the clip up the ear I would get for that so what I'm actually going to say is my Mum has always been the master of all things quiche / tart / egg pie related.

When I was younger Mum could dish up quiche for dinner 5 nights in a row (not that she ever did) and each and every single one would be different. Some are tried and true recipes, some are a combination of what's in the fridge at the time, but each and every one would be delicious.

This Mushroom, Capsicum and Goats Cheese Tart is a new addition, but definitely one that will make it's way onto regular rotation in both our households! The goats cheese is a lovely addition to the tart and paired with the roasted capsicum and the mushrooms, just provides a fantastic balance of flavours.

And I can't write about this dish without mentioning the asparagus.

Every time I cook asparagus I drop it in boiling water, check on it and think oh that looks great and when I go back to get it out of the pot 30 seconds later it's turned to mush. But Mum and Dad had it down to a fine art, they served this perfectly cooked asparagus drizzled with lemon oil and parmesan and I'm not ashamed to say I had inhaled mine before the plate even warmed the table!

Mushroom, Capsicum and Goats Cheese Tart

1 tbspn oil
300g large portobello mushrooms cut into 1cm thick slices
3 tspns fresh thyme
1 garlic clove thinly sliced
2 tbspns balsamic vinegar
10 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 spring onions thinly sliced
6 sheets fillo pastry
 2 tbspns butter, melted
150g chargrilled capsicum cut into 1cm thick strips
120g goats cheese cut into 2cm cubes

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 20cm x 30cm baking dish with greased baking paper allowing for overhang on the long sides.

Heat the oil in a frypan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, 2 tspns thyme and garlic, stirring occasionally for 3-4 mins or until mushrooms are browned. Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute or until liquid has evaporated.

Whisk the eggs, milk and spring onions in a bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine melted butter and thyme. Place the fillo on a clean work surface. Brush one sheet of fillo with butter mixture. Place another piece on top, overlapping to form a rectangle. Brush with more butter. Repeat with remaining fillo sheets and butter to form a stack. Place the fillo stack into the prepared pan.

Place half the mushroom mixture in the pan. Add the egg mixture and top with the capsicum, goats cheese and remaining mushroom mixture. Season with pepper. Scrunch in the fillo edges to make it look pretty and bake for 15mins or until pastry is golden and crisp. Cover with foil and bake for a further 10 mins or until just set. Cool in pan for 10 mins prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Mrs B xx