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Candy Cane Vodka Recipe

A few days ago, on one of my myriad of Facebook groups for Thermomix users, someone asked for a recipe for Candy Cane Vodka, and I thought “What a great idea!” I’ve already made strawberry vodka and Christmas Spiced Vodka for this Christmas, but I love the idea of a candy cane vodka too, so had to give it a go.

There are loads of recipes online for how to make Candy Cane Vodka, and one of the things to keep in mind is that no two candy cane brands are created equal, so the candy cane you use could affect the outcome and whether you need more or less. Also, if you use a more ‘organic’ or ‘healthy’ candy cane, the pink colour won’t show as well, and you’ll need to add some red food colouring.

Vodka
You don’t need the same infusing time as you might with a fruit based vodka, and recipes online suggest anything from a couple of hours to four days and beyond. I can’t see this going bad for months (if ever!) so make it in advance if you can and let it infuse as best you can – but try it after a few hours or days to see how it’s doing.

If you use a Thermomix or a food processor you can pulverise the candy canes into a powder (10 seconds/speed 10), but if you’re not in a hurry to drink it, you can also just break the candy canes to size so that they will fit in a jar, and they will melt within a few hours anyway.Candy cane

I used a jam funnel (just pull the middle bit out) to pour the powder into a different bottle – this is a small 350ml sized vodka, and I used a 500ml bottle so that there’s room for shaking and mixing.

As for ratio, I decided on roughly 15g candy cane per 100ml Vodka, so 40 – 50g candy cane in a 350ml bottle of Vodka, or 85 – 105g in a 750ml bottle. It’s not an exact science though. If you have any undissolved you can filter it out through a coffee filter.

TIP: Pour the candy canes into a dry funnel, then pour the vodka through, otherwise it gets wet and clumps and blocks the funnel.candy crush

Place the bottle of Candy Cane Vodka somewhere you pass by frequently so you can give it a shake as often as you can.

You can serve within about 4 hours, but it’s best left for a few days or even weeks.

Make a cocktail with chocolate liquor, or spike your hot chocolate, or simply drink over ice. It’s been a long time since I was a neat Vodka drinker (Oh how that reminds me of my friend Luis, who’d know my mood by sniffing the contents of my glass whenever he found me sitting at the bar. He was the first to know my (then) boyfriend and I had split up because I was drinking neat Vodka. P.S. Don’t ever tell my children this story!), so I like adding lemonade or something else sweet. But that’s my preference.

Candy Cane Vodka Recipe
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 400ml
This recipe makes enough for a 350ml bottle of Vodka, with a couple of ‘tester’ shots extra. You can easily multiply this recipe
Ingredients
  • 40 – 50g Candy Canes (4 – 6 medium sized)
  • 350ml Vodka (good quality)
Instructions
  1. Crush the Candy Canes in a plastic bag. Use a mallet or rolling pin.
  2. (If using a Thermomix: Add the Candy Canes to the Thermomix and blitz 10 seconds/speed 10)
  3. Pour Candy Cane powder into a jar or bottle and top with the vodka
  4. Close and shake frequently, allowing flavours to combine for at least three days.
  5. Serve (or store in a sealed jar till ready for gifting)

A Very Thermie ChristmasA Very Thermie Christmas has a Christmas Spice Vodka and 50 other recipes for all your Thermomix Christmas needs. With everything from snacks to meals, finger foods to festive drinks and DIY gifts A Very Thermie Christmas has your Christmas covered.  Just £8.99 (excl VAT in EU) this printable PDF can be yours in minutes.

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Chocolate Cranberry Muffins (Egg-Free)

Chocolate Cranberry Muffins

I’ve been making muffins a lot lately, because they’re a really easy way to fill the kids up when they’re hungry thirty-seven million times.a.day. They are pretty quick to make while I’m making breakfast, and then they can snack for the rest of the morning. Of course these have too much sugar for that to be a sustainable idea, but we’re calling it a Christmas treat.

These are really only egg-free because I ran out, but the banana binds it together. If you want to use egg, substitute the banana for two eggs.

These have dried cranberries in, but you can substitute that as you wish – raisins or choc chips, both work well.

With the banana in these do have a little bit of a banana taste, but chocolate and banana work well anyway.Chocolate Cranberry Muffins

Chocolate Cranberry Muffins (Egg-Free)
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Breakfast, Snacks
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 280g self-raising flour
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 70g olive oil
  • 1 banana
  • 200g milk
  • handful of dried cranberries – more or less depending on taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C
  2. Add all the ingredients to the Thermomix bowl, except the cranberries
  3. Mix speed 4/ 60 seconds
  4. Add the cranberries
  5. Scoop out into 12 large or 36 small muffin cases and bake for 10 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of the muffins.
  6. Find the largest muffin and stick a knife into it. If it comes out clean, it’s ready.

 

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30 Second Yoghurt With The Easiyo Yoghurt Maker

Easiyo

I’ve been using the Easiyo for a number of years now and last year I posted about how I use the Easiyo along with the Thermomix to make yoghurt for breakfast, and yoghurt pouches for the girls snacks too. I posted a recipe for stewed fruit to have with my daily yoghurt as well as one for a fruit bottom compote, so you can see – yoghurt makes up a huge part of our day to day diet.

When Easiyo got in touch to ask if I’d like to review the yoghurt maker I declined, since, well I have one already! But when they invited me to an event I had to oblige – I’m a sucker for a good event! – and boy was I surprised! The new Easiyo is totally different to the old one!

How is the new Easiyo different to the old Easiyo?

Easiyo
There are plenty differences. The first is in appearance.

  • The new Easiyo is slicker, and will fit right into the modern kitchen

It’s a lovely red, with rounded edges. It looks very stylish.

  • The new Easiyo is shorter and will fit on at least one of the shelves in kitchen*

The old Easiyo was really tall and didn’t fit on any of the shelves in my kitchen, so I stored it on top of the boiler, which isn’t the ideal spot to store anything, really. It was a bit ‘clutter’-ish. This new one is shorter, and fits nicely on the shelf when not in use.

*Unless you have a really off-speck kitchen

  • The new Easiyo has sticky feet underneath

This is great as it’s less likely to move around the counter and crash onto the f loor when your washing machine is on the spin cycle!

  • The new Easiyo is filled with New Zealand Lambs Wool

Inside the Easiyo, between the red external and white internal walls is a square of New Zealand lambs wool, rather than the polystyrene that used to fill the old version. Apparently this makes for better insulation, but I’m pretty sure it’s better for the environment too, should the time come to recycle.

  • There’s an Easiyo mini maker too

I think this is a great addition for smaller families or individuals. It’s a 500g maker in green and does the same thing, but in half the quantity.

So what’s the same then?

Easiyo

You still get the freeze dried milk starters that you can use to make your yoghurt. It still takes about 30 seconds to make the yoghurt, which you then set aside for 8 – 12 hours depending how thick you want your yoghurt, and then chill and enjoy.

There are 35 flavours of starter, and contrary to what you might think of something that comes out of a bag, there’s no preservatives, no added sugars and there’s still a live acidophilus culture in each bag. So it’s really all good stuff. The plain yoghurt will last for two weeks in the fridge, those with ‘bits’ in them for about a week. If your family is anything like mine, however, it won’t last more than a couple of days.

Of course you can use the yoghurt in a variety of other recipes too, and at £2 a kg of yoghurt it’s cheaper than other luxury brands, even if not as cheap as the cheapest brands – (but if you use some of the current batch to make your next batch, it costs you the price of milk. Then just make up a new batch from the powder when you need it/have run out and so on.) But the pouches are really convenient and fantastic for when you are short on time. Over the next few weeks I’ll be trailing some of the flavours and will let you know what I think of them!

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South African Lamb Bunny Chow

Well, that’s a mouth full, isn’t it? And for those who don’t know, don’t worry – no bunnies are harmed in the making of this South African Lamb Bunny Chow curry. Why it’s called a bunnychow I couldn’t tell you, but since it’s #NationaCurryWeek, I wanted to share a delicious curry recipe with you, made with succulent, tender Welsh lamb.

When I decided I was going to make a bunny chow for my #NationalCurryWeek contribution, I Googled Bunny chow recipes, and one of the first that came to my attention was this one, from my countryman Jeanne from Cooksister, on whose blog you can also read all about the origins and intricacies of this street food dish, while Lavender & Lovage has a different origin story with her chicken bunny recipe here.

Lamb Bunny Chow

One thing I know for sure about curries is that everyone’s tastes differ, even within our own family, so I’ve made a few adaptations, and Thermified the recipe too.

I would definitely recommend that you start this dish off by making your own Garam Masala. I think a fresh batch makes all the difference.  Adjust the curry depending on how hot you like it – I feed two small children, so we don’t make it hot at all. You can even add chillies.

Traditionally you would use a square unsliced bread for the ‘bowl’, but we use whatever bread we have. In the photos we’ve used French bread sticks for smaller meals, and individual giant rolls for bigger meals. I don’t think the bread matters too much, in reality.

If memory serves, you can make a bunny with chicken, lamb, pork or rabbit, as well as beans or root vegetables.

South African (Welsh) Lamb Bunny Chow
Recipe Type: Curry
Cuisine: South African, Street Food
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 servings
The amount of curry you use in this will depend on how hot you like it. I feed two small children so we only add just about a teaspoon, but you can add more or less. My dad also adds chillies from his garden.
Ingredients
  • 10g ginger
  • 10g garlic
  • 1 medium onion
  • 15g vegetable oil
  • 5 – 20g curry powder, depending on how hot you like it
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 4 green cardamom pods, seeded
  • 5g ground turmeric
  • 200g water
  • 1x400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 3-4 potatoes (1 per person, basically)
  • 1kg lamb, cubed
  • 15g Garam Masala
  • Salt
  • a small loaf of bread per 2 people
  • Fresh coriander
Instructions
  1. Lightly brown lamb on the hob if you like
  2. Dice the lamb and the potatoes
  3. Add garlic and ginger to the Thermomix bowl 10 seconds/ speed 5
  4. Add onion 5 seconds/speed 4
  5. Add 15g vegetable oil and sauté 3 mins/90C/speed 2
  6. Add the curry powder, cinnamon, cardamom pods, and turmeric and saute for a further 1 min/90C/speed 2
  7. Add tomato, water and potatoes and cook for 20 mins/Varoma/REVERSE speed 2
  8. Add lamb and garam masala and cook for a further 10 mins/100C/ REVERSE speed 2
  9. While the curry is cooking, cut the bread in half, and scoop out the soft centre
  10. Butter it if you want to – this is contestable, some of our family swear by it, some say it’s sacrilege
  11. When the curry is cooked, taste and season if required
  12. Scoop the curry into the hollowed out bread, scatter fresh coriander, and replace the bread on top
  13. Serve while still warm

The Welsh Lamb in this Lamb Bunny Chow was provided to me as part of a promotion to promote Welsh Lamb

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DIY Garam Masala

For Garam Masala, I’ve discovered, there are about as many recipes as their are people making it. There isn’t one authentic, or one original recipe, but rather it seems to be a matter of personal choice.DIY Garam Masala Spices

For a long time I would say that I didn’t like curries. I think this was because every curry I ever had from a takeaway was just an overkill of hot and I didn’t find that very pleasant. It was only when a friend served me a curry she made that I realised that there was a world of flavour out there that I knew very little about.  Over the recent years I’ve learned to enjoy curries – but only those I make, so that I manage the heat!DIY Garam Masala Spice Mix

Garam Masala is the foundation for many North Indian and South Asian dishes, but I’ve also learned that it can add amazing flavour to any meat dish without specifically making it a curry. Garam Masala actually means ‘warm spices’ and that’s precisely what these spices do – they add a warm depth of flavour to the meal.DIY Garam Masala

As with all spices, if you’re able to blend it fresh when you need it, the flavours are stronger and richer, but I make a small amount at a time so that I make a fresh batch every month or so. You can freeze this and take it out as you need it, or just store in an airtight container. DIY Garam Masala Gift

DIY Garam Masala
Recipe Type: Seasoning, Spicemix
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 200g
Since I prefer to make this mix up fresh as often as possible, I keep the quantities small, meaning the Thermomix scales aren’t useful here, so this recipe uses a 5ml teaspoon and a 15ml tablespoon.
Ingredients
  • 1 Whole nutmeg
  • 10 Whole cloves
  • 1 Cassia Stick (sold as cinnamon sticks in supermarkets)
  • 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
  • 2 tbs Coriander seeds
  • 1 tbs Cumin seeds
  • 1 tbs Fennel seeds
  • 1 tbs Cardamom pods (about 6 pods)
  • 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (add more if you prefer a hotter spice, or substitute for dried chillies)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
Instructions
  1. If you’re using a Thermomix, you can add all the ingredients to the bowl and whizz at[b] speed 10 / 20 seconds[/b]. Check inside to confirm, but everything should be a fine powder.
  2. If you’re not using a Thermomix or similar high powered blender, add the first four ingredients, and blend for 30 seconds or until broken into pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a further 30 – 60 seconds depending on your blender, until all the spices are crushed.
  3. Store in an airtight container and use within a month for the best flavours.

 

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Thick Chocolate Mousse & Basil Cream

thick chocolate mousse and basil cream

I love Basil. It’s such a sensory herb, with the ability to transport you to just about anywhere – usually in Italy.

I also love chocolate, and one of my favourite memories is from my honeymoon, some 10 and a bit years ago, where we spent time backpacking through Italy, from Sorento through to Bergamo. Our last night was in a  hotel in Turin, and by the time we got there we were pretty worn out. The 4-star hotel had an amazing jacuzzi in the bathroom, and with promises to return one day, we didn’t venture further than the cafe on the corner.

This particular cafe, however, had a delicious selection of home made chocolates and ice cream, and I fell in love with the combination of Basil and Chocolate. No, it’s not one you come across often, but it works – trust me, it works.

I recently agreed to participate in a challenge where I had to come up with a recipe that speaks to the taste of Italy, and I can’t think of much that speaks of Italy like Basil does, so here is my contribution: Chocolate Mousse with Basil Cream – and here is my advice: don’t knock it till you try it!
thick chocolate mousse and basil cream

This is an incredibly rich mousse. We had two people (including two children) sharing the two ice cream bowls of mousse & cream in the pictures, and it was still a lot. So it’s a great sharers dish.

Thick Chocolate Mousse with Basil Cream

We hope you love the Chocolate Mousse & Basil Cream as much as we do!

Easy French Chocolate Mousse – Kids In The Kitchen
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-3
Serve with home made clotted cream, strawberries & mint leaves!
Ingredients
  • 335g double cream
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • 15g icing sugar
  • 150g chocolate
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Basil Cream
  1. In a sealable container, add 200g cream and whole basil leaves together.
  2. Cover and put in the fridge for 5 hours. After that time, remove the basil leaves and discard
  3. Add the icing sugar to the cream and whisk to stiff peaks. (I find it easiest here to transfer into a piping bag, and set aside.
Regular Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, on a double boiler, in a bowl nestled inside a pot on the stove top (making sure not to get any water in) or however you normally melt chocolate.
  2. While it’s melting, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the sugar slowly as you whisk, then put the egg whites in the fridge.
  3. Next, whisk the cream to stiff peaks, and place in the fridge.
  4. Finally, in a large bowl add the vanilla extract to the egg yolks and mix until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate slowly in to the egg yolks, stirring all the time.
  5. Next, add the cream to the egg and chocolate mix, and stir till it’s all combined.
  6. Finally fold in the egg whites. Do not beat, whisk or over stir this as doing so will cause the mousse to collapse. Follow instructions below for combining.
Thermomix Instructions
  1. These instructions are for one bowl. If you have two, melt the chocolate in one and do the whisking in the other.
  2. Place the egg whites and sugar in the Thermomix bowl and whisk with the butterfly speed 4 about 1 minute. Keep an eye on it – the freshness of your eggs and the temperature will affect how long you need to whisk this for, and you don’t want it to collapse again, so just stop when you reach stiff peaks.
  3. Scoop into a bowl and set aside in the fridge
  4. Wash out the bowl and dry thoroughly.
  5. Pour the cream in and add the butterfly again. Whisk the cream for about 30 seconds/speed 4. Again, keep an eye on it – freshness of cream and starting temperature of cream will affect how long it needs to be whisked for. You don’t want butter!
  6. Set aside the cream, and wash and dry the bowl.
  7. Add the chocolate to the Thermomix bowl and chop speed 5, 10 seconds.
  8. Heat to 50C/Speed 2/ 3 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix the egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir to combine. When the chocolate is melted pour in a thin stream whisking together. (Don’t pour the egg into the hot chocolate or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.)
  9. Add the cream to the bowl, whisking to combine.
  10. Finally, add the egg whites and gently fold them in. If you whisk or stir too vigorously you’ll knock all the air out of the egg whites and your mousse will fall flat.
To Finish
  1. Smaller ramekins or glasses are better for this desert as it is very rich.
  2. Place a layer of chocolate mousse in your serving dish and flatten out.
  3. Next you need a layer of basil. I find piping it around the edges first then in through the centre the easiest, before adding a final layer of chocolate. If you’re confident in your piping skills, pipe a pattern of the basil cream on top – I messed it up first time, so scooped it up again, hence mine looks a bit chocolatey.
  4. You can serve it immediately for a light and fluffy mousse, but it’s equally delicious, if a bit denser and less airy a few hours later.

 

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DIY Clotted Cream In The Slowcooker Or Crockpot

Clotted Cream

My brother and sister-in-law came to visit from Australia a few weeks ago, and as you do when people come to visit from not-England, you do the very English thing  of taking them for afternoon tea… although I advise that you should first find out if they wanted a high tea or cream tea because they are very different. If you’re expecting a three-tiered tray of triangled sandwiches, pretty dainties and sparkles, getting a plate with two flat scones and a dollop of jam and/or cream is somewhat disappointing, delicious as it is when you were expecting it.

Clotted Cream Anyway, I digress. We got to discussing clotted cream, as you do, and how it’s made and my brother set me the challenge of making clotted cream in the Thermomix. It turns out you can’t in a TM31 because you can’t switch the movement of the blades off. I have someone testing it on the yoghurt function of the T5 at the moment, so we’ll see how that works out, and let you know.

In the meantime however, this incredibly simple recipe – can you call it a recipe if it’s one ingredient? – can be easily adapted whether for a slow cooker or an iPot or whatever you use. The important thing, really, is that you need to put it in something that can be kept still for three hours, and the greater the surface area, the better. Also realise that a 600ml pot of double cream only gives you about 100ml of clotted cream, so have some ideas on hand for what to do with the remaining cream that is similar to buttermilk, and make it sooner rather than later as it won’t last long.

The clotted cream itself will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.

Homemade clotted creamI’ve seen recipes online for clotted cream that I’m pretty sure are actually sour cream – cream and lemon juice – that is not traditional clotted cream. Clotted cream is thick cream obtained by heating milk slowly and then allowing it to cool while the cream content rises to the top in coagulated lumps.

You can also use clotted cream instead of butter on toast, perfect with jam, or instead of ice cream on hot puddings – or with ice cream if you’re so inclined. I have used it to top chocolate mousse and steamed puddings, as in the pictures.

DIY Clotted Cream In The Slowcooker Or Crockpot
Author: Luschka
Ingredients
  • 600ml cream (also 600g)
Instructions
  1. Pour the double cream into your slow cooker and put it on the lowest setting. On mine this is warm (as compared to low or high). It’s roughly 70C.
  2. Leave the lid off to allow air exposure and leave for 3 – 4 hours.
  3. Switch the heat off and leave for another hour.
  4. Move the pot of cream very gently to the fridge making sure not to break the surface or shake it in any way.
  5. Keep in the fridge overnight, then scoop the top thick layer off carefully, putting that in an airtight container and use the remainder as buttermilk in bread or scones which you can then top with your clotted cream!

Don’t have a slow cooker? Pick one up from just over £10!

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Easy French Chocolate Mousse – Kids In The Kitchen

Easy French Chocolate Mousse

We’re still learning about France this week, and another recipe from the France: Food and Celebrations* book that we’ve been using that we just had to try is the Chocolate Mousse. According to the Frenchling in this book, this dessert is only for special ocassions, but a great thing about it is that it’s really simple to make.

I think if you have two Thermomix bowls this is the simplest recipe in the world. I just have the one and it’s still dead simple, just requires a bit of a wash inbetween.Easy French Chocolate Mousse

Of course I am trying to teach the kids to cook without the Thermomix too, so there’s a bit of ‘elbow grease’ required in three sets of whisking, but that’s good for them too. They used the Annabel Karmel Casdon Baking Set which has a fabulous bowl and whisk, perfectly child sized and very effective in whisking.

I had each girl responsible for her own whisking ingredients while I did the chocolate, but managing kids whisking liquids doesn’t leave much time for photo taking!Easy French Chocolate Mousse

The original recipe calls for three hours in the fridge, but I’m not convinced by that. After an hour the mouse was almost more of a pudding, whereas initially upon finishing it, I couldn’t resist tucking in a little had to perform a taste test and it was very light and airy.

You can add flavoured chocolate to this to make a flavoured mousse – mint, orange, strawberry, whatever you  like. I used dark chocolate in this recipe.

Easy French Chocolate Mousse – Kids In The Kitchen
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 3
Serve with home made clotted cream, strawberries & mint leaves!
Ingredients
  • 150g chocolate
  • 2 large eggs, seperated
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 125g (125ml) whipping cream or double cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • fruit and cream to serve
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, on a double boiler, in a bowl nestled inside a pot on the stove top (making sure not to get any water in) or however you normally melt chocolate.
  2. While it’s melting, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the sugar slowly as you whisk, then put the egg whites in the fridge.
  3. Next, whisk the cream to stiff peaks, and place in the fridge.
  4. Finally, in a large bowl add the vanilla extract to the egg yolks and mix until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate slowly in to the egg yolks, stirring all the time.
  5. Next, add the cream to the egg and chocolate mix, and stir till it’s all combined.
  6. Finally fold in the egg whites. Do not beat, whisk or over stir this as doing so will cause the mousse to collapse.
  7. Once combined, dish into serving dishes and place in the fridge for 1 – 3 hours to set.
  8. Top with strawberries, mint leaves and cream for a luxurious finish.
Thermomix Instructions
  1. These instructions are for one bowl. If you have two, melt the chocolate in one and do the whisking in the other.
  2. Place the egg whites and sugar in the Thermomix bowl and whisk with the butterfly speed 4 about 1 minute. Keep an eye on it – the freshness of your eggs and the temperature will affect how long you need to whisk this for, and you don’t want it to collapse again, so just stop when you reach stiff peaks.
  3. Scoop into a bowl and set aside in the fridge
  4. Wash out the bowl and dry thoroughly.
  5. Pour the cream in and add the butterfly again. Whisk the cream for about 30 seconds/speed 4. Again, keep an eye on it – freshness of cream and starting temperature of cream will affect how long it needs to be whisked for. You don’t want butter!
  6. Set aside the cream, and wash and dry the bowl.
  7. Add the chocolate to the Thermomix bowl and chop speed 5, 10 seconds.
  8. Heat to 50C/Speed 2/ 3 minutes. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix the egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir to combine. When the chocolate is melted pour in a thin stream whisking together. (Don’t pour the egg into the hot chocolate or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs.)
  9. Add the cream to the bowl, whisking to combine.
  10. Finally, add the egg whites and gently fold them in. If you whisk or stir too vigorously you’ll knock all the air out of the egg whites and your mousse will fall flat.
  11. Once combined, move to your serving dishes and refrigerate for 1 – 3 hours.
  12. Top with strawberries, mint leaves and cream for a luxurious finish.

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French Onion Soup – Kids In The Kitchen

French Onion Soup For Kids

This week my home schooled kids are learning about France, because we’re heading off to Disneyland Paris in a few weeks. They don’t know this though – they think we’re going to Paris to learn about ‘old stuff’. We will spend a day in Paris too though, just to make sure their learning wasn’t for nothing.

One of the things you learn when learning about France, beyond capital city and population size, is food, and since we have very little by way of groceries at the moment (someone left the car door open, leaving the light on over night and us with a flat battery today. RAC finally reached us well after bed time tonight, so grocery shopping tomorrow!) I was quite literally faced with four onions, two day old bread and some cheese to come up with a dinner idea… you can see where I’m going with this, I’m sure.French Onion Soup For Kids

One of the books we’re using for our studies at the moment is called France: Food and Celebrations* by Sylvia Goulding, with a bunch of recipes for kids to make, so while I could do this with so much more ease in the Thermomix in 15 minutes, I still feel it’s really important for my kids to learn to cook traditionally first, so that they can understand the basics of cooking – and from there the sky is the limit.

For this French Onion Soup, I didn’t add the traditional Gruyere, so the kids’ just had a strong cheddar on theirs. I added some Chaource to mine. Chaource is a French cheese, originally manufactured in the village of Chaource in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Chaource is a cow’s milk cheese, cylindrical in shape at around 10 cm in diameter and 6 cm in height. It has a soft inside, like an already baked Camembert, and has a beautiful very mild blue cheesy tang to it. It’s really lush, a very unknown cheese in the UK and easily available from Tesco and just works in this soup. (Sorry French traditionalists!)French Onion Soup For Kids

I had my 5 year old slice the onions (we use this ‘safe’ Pampered Chef slicer) and then stir them on the stove till they were translucent. Meanwhile my 3 year old layered bread and grated cheese in soup dishes. I poured the water in to make the soup, transferred everything to the grill and removed it from there again.

I should add here that this is probably a meal for two, but for one adult and two children it’s ample. Considering you’re eating a slice of bread and an onion with some cheese, it’s incredibly filling, and very rich.

French Onion Soup – Kids In The Kitchen
Author: Recipe adapted from France: Food And Celebrations
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3 soups
The original recipe calls for duck or goose fat. I used regular salted butter.
Ingredients
  • 2 large or 4 small brown onions
  • large dollop butter (20g)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1.5 litres beef stock (reduce to1000g if using TM31 Thermomix and cook without MC)
  • 4 – 8 slices day old bread
  • 100g shredded cheddar cheese
  • 100g other cheese (for kids I leave this one out and use just cheddar as that’s rich enough for them) Gruyere or Chaource
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Regular Recipe
  1. Peel and thinly slice onions.
  2. Add butter and onion to a pan and sauté till they are translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 – 8 minutes.
  3. Add stock and simmer for 25 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, grate the cheese, and layer cheese and bread in an oven proof soup bowl (Individual bowls are better than one serving dish) Start with a thin layer of cheese, top with bread, another layer of cheese, and end with a layer of bread, reserving some cheese for later.
  5. When the soup is cooked, spoon onion and soup into soup bowls and top with remaining cheese.
  6. Place under grill for 5 – 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it till the cheese is browned. The dishes will be hot, so transfer carefully to a counter.
For the Thermomix
  1. Add one or both cheeses to the Thermomix (drop over running blades) speed 5, 10 – 15 seconds.
  2. Clean the bowl and set the cheese aside.
  3. Add the onions and butter to the Thermomix and blend 10 seconds speed 4.
  4. Sauté for 8 mins/100C/spoon speed. (If you can, do this on the stove, I do prefer the flavour)
  5. Add the stock (remember to keep to the limits in the Thermomix, so 2000g for TM31)
  6. Cook reverse speed, Varoma/15 mins, without the MC
  7. Meanwhile in the soup dishes, start with a thin layer of cheese, top with bread, another layer of cheese, and end with a layer of bread, reserving some cheese for later.
  8. When the soup is cooked, spoon onion and soup into soup bowls and top with remaining cheese.
  9. Place under grill for 5 – 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it till the cheese is browned. The dishes will be hot, so transfer carefully to a counter.
  10. Enjoy

 

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Casdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range And No-Cook Coconut Ice Recipe

My children have always been fond of spending time in the kitchen with me, so when we were offered a review of the Casdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range, I said yes – we have a  ton of play kitchen stuff, but real kitchen goodies made for kids? Well, what’s not to love?

My brother has been visiting from Australia this week, and he mentioned wanting coconut ice, so I pulled up an old recipe from the Disney Cakes and Sweets series that’s fantastic to makes with kids, since it doesn’t require any boiling or cooking.

Disney Cakes and Sweets is a really fantastic magazine to subscribe to, and along with fantastic quality bakeware and silicone moulds there are step by step instructions and recipes for every Disney character you could imagine. It’s something else. You can find out more about what’s available in the Disney Cakes & Sweets Magazine subscription by clicking hereCasdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range

Most of our equipment came from the Casdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range and while it’s supposed to be for pastries and cakes, it worked really well for coconut ice.

We used the mixing bowl and mixing spoons to mix our ingredients together, and then we used the cupcake tray and silicone mini cupcake cases to add a layer of white and then a layer of pink coconut ice.
Casdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range

The kit is really great for little hands, strong and well made. It doesn’t feel at all flimsy or weak – in fact the opposite – it’s really well made and conveniently designed, down to the silicone ‘handles’ on the tray to make it better to hold out of the oven (that we didn’t use this time).

Casdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range

I am really impressed with the quality of this set – honestly I’ve had ‘real’ pans and silicone that haven’t been as good.

The ‘My Perfect Pastry Set’ contains 10 cookie cutters, a round baking tin, six measuring spoons, a silicone spatula, a measuring jug, a mixing bowl with an anti-slip base, a silicone handle whisk, a rolling pin, a mini tart pan and 10 recipes from Annabel Karmel – we’ll try those next!

No cook Coconut Ice

Casdon Annabel Karmel Baking Range And No-Cook Coconut Ice
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 kg
Ingredients
  • 397g can condensed milk
  • 300g (11oz) icing sugar
  • 300g (11oz) desiccated coconut (we used organic)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • food colouring of choice
Instructions
Instructions
  1. Set out silicone cupcake cases or a baking tray, ready for use.
  2. I use an awesome brownie pan for most things, and the cupcake cases work well too.
  3. Pour condensed milk into a large mixing bowl and sift in the icing sugar. – I opened the tin of condensed milk and poured it out into the bowl to avoid the sharp edges.
  4. Add the coconut and vanilla essence or extract and mix together until well combined.
  5. Spoon half the mix into your baking tray and flatten out pressing down tightly. Add a few drops of food colouring, and mix well to combine. This is such a messy, fun job, the kids love it.
  6. If you’re having two coloured layers, add the required colour to the other bowl.
  7. Mix well and add to pan, flattening till all the first layer is covered, and it’s all flattened.
  8. Place pan in the fridge for six hours or overnight to set.
  9. Once set, turn out and cut the coconut ice into squares.
  10. If you use the brownie pan, cut it while still in the pan. This will make huge slices though, so use a knife to cut again.
For the Thermomix:
  1. Make your icing sugar first, if you’re making your own.
  2. Add all but the colouring and mix on speed 2 for 30 seconds.
  3. Split the mixture into two, put one layer in the pan and flatten it with a spoon or with your hand, then add the food colouring to the other one.
  4. Layer the next into the pan and leave to set in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
  5. Cut the set coconut ice into squares and enjoy.