Puddina (Maltese Bread Pudding)

I found out about this pudding on a TV show called Food Safari and wanted to try it my own. I made several changes with dry fruit ingredients as I used things I had at home. The original recipes needs cherries and almonds and sultanas. 

Ingredients:

1 loaf day-old bread
375g sugar
2 tbsp custard powder
2 tbsp cornflour
4 tbsp cocoa
2 eggs, beaten
200g mixed dried fruit (sulatanas, cashew, raisins, cherries, pea nuts etc)
Vanilla 2tsp
4 tbsp whiskey, brandy or sherry (optional)

Method:

Break bread into small pieces and soak in cold water for 15 minutes until soft.
Place the soaked bread in a colander and mash, draining liquid. Or you can do it by hand by pressing against a strainer to remove the water. Transfer the bread to a mixing bowl and add sugar, cocoa, corn flour and custard powder. Mix well. Add in the beaten eggs and mix well.

Add in the dry fruits and, vanilla and finally brandy (if preferred).

Butter an oven proof dish well and pour the bread mixture into this.

Bake in a moderate to low oven (180C) for some 40 to 50 minutes. You will know your puddina is ready when you can stick a skewer into the middle and it comes out clean.

Serve warm or cold.

Trifle

Trifle is one of my favorite Desserts. Its easy is to make and would make perfect dinner party desert. There is no strict method to follow and the amounts of ingredients will differ according to the size of the bowl you are using.

Ingredients: 7'' diameter bowl

Sponge cake to line the base of the bowl

Strawberry jelly 1-2 packets

1 apple peeled cored and sliced to small pieces

Custard about 1 and 1/2 cups made according to the packet instructions

Whipped cream  or Cream Topping 

Shaves of Semi Sweet Chocolate

Method:

Line the base of the cake with Sponge cake.

Dissolve the Jelly packets in boiling water and pour over the sponge cake.

Lay the cut apples in a layer on top of it and refrigerate till set.

Make custards according to the packets instructions and allow to cool. Pour over the apple layer. and allow to set.

Whip the whipping cream to form stiff peaks with little icing sugar or Whip the cream topping to form stiff peaks according it the packets instructions.

Spread over the custard layer and top with Chocolate shavings. Chill covered in plastic wrap and serve Chilled.

Profiteroles

Profiteroles are simply choux pastry balls. They can be made to a delicious dessert by filling up with whip cream, pastry cream or even ice cream. I made mine filled with Chantilly cream filling which is basically whipped cream.  Profiteroles are often dusted with icing sugar or topped with chocolate sauce. Here is the recipe for this heavenly dessert.

Ingredients: Makes about 12

60g butter cut in to cubes

150ml water

75g self raising flour (or plain flour)

2 eggs lightly beaten

Method:

Put water and butter in a heavy bottom pan and heat over medium heat until butter melts taking string occasionally. Bring it the mixture to a boil, take the pan off heat and immediately add the flour stirring vigorously with a  wooden spoon. Stir until it forms a soft ball. 

Leave it to cool before adding the eggs. (if the mixture is hot the eggs tends to cook and form strings)

Add the eggs gradually and stir to combine to form a smooth, shiny paste.

Grease the baking trays and lightly sprinkle with water. Put 12 tablespoons of pastry on the tray. (Alternatively use a pasty bag and pipe in the dough without a cap, on to the baking trays. )

Bake in a preheated oven of 220C for 10 minutes and reduce the heat to 190C and bake further 20 minutes or until profiteroles are golden in color.

Allow to cool. Slit the profiteroles and fill in with Chantilly cream. Dust the profiteroles with icing sugar on top. Serve!!!

Chantilly Cream:

150ml whipping cream

1 tbsp icing sugar

1/2tsp vanilla essence

With an electric beater whip everything together until it forms stiff peaks.

Chocolate sauce:

50g semi sweet chocolate/ dark chocolate chopped

7.5g butter

3/4  tbsp clear bee honey

30ml full fat milk

Mix everything together in a bowl and microwave on high for 30secs or melt the chocolate on top of a double boiler and stir to mix to make chocolate sauce.
Allow to cool to room temperature and  drizzle over the profiteroles.

Semolina Pudding

''Very easy to make Indian style pudding which is nice served either warm or cold''.

Ingredients: makes 4-5 servings

1 cup semolina

2 cups boiling water

1 cup brown sugar (or more if u like it more sweeter)

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 cup dessicated coconut

handful raisins

 

Method:

In a skillet melt the butter and roast the dessicated coconut and raisins till golden. 

Remove the dessicated coconut from the skillets draining excess oil in to the skillet.

In the same pan, add in the semolina and lightly roast in low heat for 2-3 minutes until the rawness goes away.

Then add boiling water to the semolina and keep stirring to make sure to avoid lumps from forming. 

Cook the semolina for 2-3 minutes while stirring. You can check whether its cooked by touching the semolina with finger tips to make sure its soft. Also semolina will not stick to the walls of the skillet but will gather in a mass when cooked.

Add this moment add in the sugar by sprinkling all over. Keep stirring to mix well until sugar dissolves in to the semolina.

Add in vanilla and roasted coconut and raisins. Mix well. 

Transfer the mixture to a pie dish or individual ramekins and smooth the semolina mixture over with a back of a spoon. Garnish with roasted nuts if u like.

Serve warm or keep refrigerated and serve cold.

Banana and Chocolate Muffins

 Ingredients: make 12 muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar
80g margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 banana, mashed
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Divide the mix in two and pour into separate bowls. 

Add cocoa powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon to one bowl and vanilla to another.

Add approximately 40g margarine to the first bowl and 40g to the other bowl.

Mix and lightly beat  milk and eggs with a fork and divide equally between two bowls.

Add mashed banana to the second bowl.

Stir batter in both bowls with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. You now should have a bowl of chocolate batter with spices and a bowl of banana batter with vanilla.

Spoon two kinds of batter into muffin liners, alternating spoonfuls of chocolate and banana batter. Make swirls on top of each muffin.

Bake for 20 -25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Rice Pudding

''I always wanted to try out a nice rice pudding. But to be honest I never thought it would be this delicious. I adapted this recipe from DedeMeds. This pudding is very creamy tastse great.''

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
2 cups raw long grain rice
4 cups non-fat milk
2 cups water
1 cup fresh cream
1 cup sugar (or to taste)
3 tbs corn starch dissolved in 3 tbs of water
1 tbs vanilla

Raisins 1/2 cup

Toppings: cinnamon, ground roasted nuts of your choice, toasted coconut, raisins

Method:

In a large pot or pan, on medium/low heat, add the rice, milk and water and cover let cook until for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the of the liquid and rice is almost cooked. If necessary add more milk if the rice has dried out while cooking (depending on the rice used)

Next add the cream, sugar and vanilla, stir in well and let cook for another 10 minutes.  Next, while on low heat, stir in the dissolved corn starch and let cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the raisins. 

Let pudding sit for 5 minutes before pouring in to serving bowl .  I topped my pudding with raisins and with toasted grated coconuts. 

Let the pudding cool completely before serving. You can serve at room temperature or cold.  You can make this ahead of time and store in the refrigerator, make sure to cover with plastic wrap, keep for up to 1 week.

I prefer the pudding served cold. :) 

Date and Nut Tofee

Ingredients:

Milkmaid tin (small) 397g 

Water 1 tin

Sugar 700g

Dates 400g (seedless and chopped)

Cashew nuts 200g (chopped)

Butter 100g

Vanilla 1tsp

Method:

Place sugar and water in a heavy bottom pan. Bring to boil and skim.

Add milkmaid and butter. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until mixture turns in to a soft ball.

Remove from heat and add the dates and nuts gradually and mixing well. 

Pour the mixture on to a buttered board or a greased flat baking tray and level with a buttered spatula or with help of banana leaf. 

Leave to set and cut into desired pieces while still warm. Allow the piece to cool completely before removing from the board or tray.

Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Avacado

This was an experimental cake but turned out so soft and moist. Really lovely and my family and friends loved it!!! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sunflower oil

2 large eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 or 1 cup sugar ( i used 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 Avocado mashed till smooth

Method:

Pre heat oven to 180C.

Grease a 6'' baking tin and line with grease proof paper.

Beat sugar and oil till combined and add in the eggs one by one beating well with an electric beater.

Add in milk and avocado puree. Beat well until smooth.

Sift cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, flour, salt in to the wet mixture.

Mix with a spatula until just combined. 

Pour the mixture in the baking tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean.

Allow to cool on the tin completely. 

Spread with chocolate icing and top with chocolate flakes. Serve.

Sweet Potato Pie

This is a delicious, very easy to make pie. Most of the sweet potato pie and made with a pie crust but i just made is simple and with out a crust. Makes 1.1L dish


Ingredients
300g sweet potatoes
3/4 can sweet condensed milk
1eggs
1tbsp butter
pinch of  cinnamon powder
1/4tsp salt 

Method:
Boil the sweet potatoes, remove skin and mash them finely.Remove stringy parts.
Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Preheat oven at 180C.
Lightly grease a 1.1L baking dish or u can double these amounts for a 9'' pie pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes clean. (for a 9'' inch pie pan it might take big longer to bake)
When baked let it stand for 30minutes and Serve slightly warmed or cold.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 6-10 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Semi sweet chocolate 150g (I used Ritzbury Caters Dark Chocolate)

Butter 70g

Sugar 80g

Plain flour 80g

Baking powder 1 tsp

2 large eggs

Method:

Line muffin tray with muffin cases. Pre heat oven to 170C.

Melt butter and chocolate together in microwave or in double boiler method. Mix well and keep aside.

Beat eggs lightly till creamy and stir in sugar and mix until dissolved.

Pour the egg mixture in to the chocolate mixture and stir well to combine.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture in to muffin cases in the tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Once baked remove from tray and let it cool on wire rack.

CUPCAKES

This is a recipe from Nigella Lawson. The cake came out soft and moist but her suggested baking temperature was not agreeable so I adjusted the baking time and temperature.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

125g all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
125g caster sugar
125g soft butter
2 eggs
Half a teaspoon vanilla extract
Approximately 2 tablespoons milk 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line the tin with the muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour.
3. Then add the vanilla extract and fold in the rest of the flour, adding the milk to get the dropping consistency. 
4. Spoon the mixture on to the cupcake cases trying to fill each case equally, judging by eye.
5. Put in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cup cakes are cooked and golden on top. As soon as bearable, take the cup cakes in their cases out of the tin and let cool, right way up, on a wire rack.
6. Once they're cool, spread the top with royal icing.

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:
Makes about 3 cups

2 large (60 grams) egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until combined. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/RoyalIcing.html#ixzz19m30TPhs

Strawberry Mousse Pudding

''This is lovely light dessert''

Serve 4-6

Ingredients:

Strawberry flavored Jelly Packet

Sponge Cake to line the base of the Pudding dish (optional)

Whipping cream or Cream Topping about yielding about 1 L

(I used a Cream Topping : a brand called Supersun)

Strawberries 200g

Some dark/ milk chocolate grated

Some sugar 

Milk

Method:

-Get a large bowl and line the base with sponge cake broken down to pieces.

-Make strawberry jelly according to packet instructions and keep in the fridge to set in a different bowl.

-Once its set lightly cut the jelly in to cubes and line on top of the sponge cake layer.

-Making the mousse:

In a blender, puree 1/2 of the strawberries with sugar to taste.( 1tbsp sugar)

Whip the whipping cream until forming peaks and mix with the pureed strawberries and whip with an electric beater again to make the mousse. (Adjust sugar taste by adding icing sugar when whipping)

Alternatively if using Cream Topping mixture: mix strawberry puree with ice cold milk making 2 cups of strawberry milk.Chill until very cold then whip the cream topping mixture with the ice cold strawberry milk until it forms peaks with the help of a electric beater to make mousse.

-Then pour the mousse on top of the jelly layer.

-Cut 1/4 of strawberries in to quarters and line them on the mousse.

-mash the remaining strawberries (1/4) with sugar and heat in under low flame to make a strawberry sauce.

Let it cool and pour on top of the mousse.

-Top the pudding with grated chocolate flakes

- Chill overnight and Serve!!!

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salads should make fresh 'coz when adding sugar the fruit pieces becomes fragile and mashy. So best way to make yummy fruit salad is to mix in the fruits/ nuts/custards/ sugar or syrups just before serving. What I prefer to do is cut the fruits and store them separately in air tight containers in the fridge to ensure the freshness. But certain fruits like banana or apple can not be stored like this and better use fresh.

Serve 4 

Ingredients:

Mango pieces 1 cup

Papaya pieces 1cup

Pineapple pieces 1 cup

Strawberry pieces 1 cup

Some Chopped Cashew Nuts

Sugar dissolved in some fresh orange juice 4 tbsp

Raisins handful

Method:

Cut fruits in to desired bite size pieces and store in fridge separately in air tight contains till chilled.

Mix the fruits in  large bowl and then add in the sugar orange syrup and mix lightly ensuring not to mash the fruits.

Add in the cashew nuts and raisins.

Serve.

Sponge Cake with Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting and Chocolate Flakes

I really like this cake recipe as the sponge cake came out perfect. It was soft and bouncy too. I only did top icing as my mom doesn't like much sweetness but i think this cake is better cut in half and filled with Butter Cream Frosting in the middle too.

Makes 9'' cake tin

Ingredients:

5 Eggs 

120g Flour

1 1/4tsp Baking Powder

150g Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Essence

80g Butter melted

Method:

Grease and line a 9'' baking tin with oil paper.

Pre heat the oven at 180C.

Separate the egg whites from egg yolks.

Beat the egg white with a electric beater until it forms peaks and when the bowl turned upside down the egg whites doesn't fall out.

Beat in the sugar, vanilla essence and egg yolks until sugar dissolves and forms a creamy texture.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix with a help of a spatula, writing the figure 8 in the mixture.

Do not over mix as the cake will be heavy.

Pour the melted butter and mix until well incorporated ensuring he bottom is well mixed as the oil tends to seep to the bottom.

Pour the cake mixture to the prepared tin.

Tap lightly to the table to spread even and air bubbles to escape.

Bake in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake is golden brown and bouncy to touch.

(Make sure u watch the cake by time to time to ensure perfect baking 'coz oven heats varies. )

Remove from the tin after baking and allow to cool on wire rack completely before icing.

Make decorations and icing to your likings. 

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting:

Mix butter and icing sugar 1:3 portions with little vanilla essence and bit of milk. Beat well with hand mixture or electric beater until it gives a creamy texture which is easy to spread on the cake. I used rough equations to suit my liking. Here is a tip:

To make 2 1/2 cups frosting use:  450g icing sugar with 1/2 cup butter softened with 2 tsp vanilla and 3 tbsp milk

I then topped the cake with grated dark chocolate flakes to finish off the decoration.

Cashew and Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs

100g sugar

125g butter at room temperature

100g plain flour

Baking powder 2 generous teaspoons 

100g semi sweet chocolates (Ritzbury Caters)

2tbsp of milk

50g cashew nuts chopped

Method:

Pre heat a oven to 180C.

Beat butter and sugar till creamy and add eggs one by one beating well with an electric hand  beater

Heat half of the chocolates with milk in a microwave for 1minute and stir well until dissolved.

Add the chocolate sauce in to the wet cake mixture and beat to mix well.

Sift flour and baking powder in the wet mixture and combine well with a spatula. 

Pour the cake mixture in to a 8'' cake tin lined with grease proof paper. 

Lightly pat the cake tin in to the table so the cake mixture evenly spread. Top the cake with remaining chocolate cut in to desired cubes and cashew nuts.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before taking it out.

Enjoy!!!

Fancy Butter Cake

'' I made my cake with half the ingredients from the recipe thus my baking time was much less. So make sure you keep an eye on the cake while its baking!! I also added one grated rind of an orange to give it a tangy flavor and topped the cake with raisins and cashew nuts''

Ingredients:
250g  butter, at room temperature
200g plain flour/ all purpose flour
2 full tsp double action baking powder

200g caster sugar
4 eggs (large)

4 tbsp fresh milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

grated orange rind from 1 orange (optional)

Cashew nuts and raisins to top the cake (optional)

Methods:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. (Best to preheat for 15 mins)
2. Lightly grease a 22cm square baking tin with melted butter or oil and line it with grease-proof paper.
3. Mix plain flour and baking powder together and sieve.  Set aside.
4. Use low speed to mix butter and sugar until well combined. Change to medium speed and beat until light and pale in yellow. (Note: Sugar has not dissolved yet).
5. Add in the first egg. Beat well after each addition of egg until creamy.
6. Scrape down the sides for even mixing.
7. Add in vanilla essence and mix well. Add orange at this stage if desired.
8. Divide flour into three portions, use lowest speed to mix in flour. Scrape down sides for even mixing.
9. Finally, add milk bit by bit.
10. Pour the mixture into the greased baking tin. Shake it lightly to distribute cake mixture evenly. Top with raisins and cashew nuts if desired.
11. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. If a toothpick/skewer comes out clean, it is done.
12. Remove it from the oven and leave the cake in the tin to cool on the wire rack for another 5 minutes.
13. Best to serve warm.

Notes:

1. When adding egg, use low speed to mix until well combined and then change to medium speed.
2. If the eggs are added to the sugar-fat mixture too quickly, it will cause the mixture to curdle (or separate). If this happens, add 1-2 tbsp of plain flour and mix well.
3. Break egg into a bowl before adding into the cake mixture. This is to prevent any spoil egg from ruining the whole cake mixture.
4. If the cake turns brown too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil towards the last 15 minutes.

Eclairs

Serve 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1 cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

FILLING:

400ml cups milk

3 egg yolks

100g sugar

4tbsp plain flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream

CHOCOLATE ICING:

60g semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup icing sugar or to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons hot water

(I used only melted semi sweet chocolate in melted butter mixed avoiding extra sugar)

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine butter and water. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring until the butter melts. Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a stiff ball. Remove from the heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

With a tablespoon, spoon in the mixture in a shape you like or with a  pastry tube fitting with a no. 10 or larger tip pipe dough into 4-in.-long x 1-1/2-in.-wide strips on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 450°F (230C)for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F(160C) bake 20 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, in a large bowl, whisk milk little milk with egg yonks, sugar and flour. Add remaining milk and stir under low heat on a stove until the mixture is starchy. Remove from heat and add vanilla essence. slice the cooled puffs and fill with cream.

In another large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Fill cooled shells on top of the cream mixture.

For icing, melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar. Add hot water until icing is smooth and reaches desired consistency. Cool slightly. Spread over eclairs. Chill Eclairs until serving.

Orange Souffle'

Makes 2-3

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons flour
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier (I used 2tsp of sugar dissolved in 2tbsp of fresh orange juice)
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
pinch salt
pinch cream of tartar

Directions
Heat oven to 375° F. Grease one 16-ounce or two 8-ounce ramekins with 1 tablespoon of butter. Coat with 1 tablespoon sugar, then tap out the excess. Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Blend in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Blend in the liqueur and zest. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time. Set aside. (Recipe can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) 

 
Beat the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.

Pour the sauce into the whites; gently fold together. Spoon into ramekins.
Bake until puffed and browned, 40 minutes for a 16-ounce soufflé, 20 minutes for two smaller ones.
Serve immediately. 

Queen of Puddings

Makes 2

Ingredients:
280 ml milk
5 grams butter
50 grams white breadcrumbs (I made them from leftover normal bread- no crusts)
15 grams caster sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
2 egg whites
15 grams caster sugar, extra

Method:

Bring the milk to boiling point - take off the heat and then stir in the breadcrumbs, butter, caster sugar and lemon zest.
Allow this to cool before proceeding.
Beat the egg yolks until creamy and then stir it through the milk mixture.
Spoon out into 4 small souffle dishes.
Bake in a preheated 160°C/320°F for about 20-30 minutes or until just set.
Place the jam into a small pan and place over a low heat - stir until the jam has melted. Spoon the melted jam onto the cooked puddings.



Place the egg whites into a bowl and whisk. Slowly incorporate the extra caster sugar ensuring it is well dissolved into the meringue.
Spoon the meringue over each pudding - no need to be precise, just dome the meringue roughly over the top.



Return to the oven and bake until the meringue is golden - about 10 - 15 minutes.
Serve chilled or warm.