Sweet Sawdust

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Serradura”

It's called sawdust because of the resemblance the cookie crumbs have to sawdust. It's an easy dessert to put together and all you need is patience to let it cool, because it's best eaten very cold.

100g graham crackers

1 can (397g) cooked sweetened condensed milk

400ml heavy cream

Crush cookies to fine crumbs and set aside.

Place the sweetened condensed milk in a bowl and stir until creamy.

In another bowl beat the heavy cream until thick and add to the condensed milk. Mix well to get a smooth and creamy mixture. 

In a serving bowl place layers of cream and cookie crumbs, beginning with cream and ending with the cookie crumbs. 

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Chocolate & Coffee Mousse Duo by Onda

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: "Duo Mousse de Café & Chocolate da Onda"

For the coffee mousse:

400ml/2 cups heavy cream

1 can/397g sweetened condensed milk

4 gelatin sheets (1.8g each)

100ml/ ½ cup cold water

3 tbsp instant coffee granules

For the chocolate mousse:

4 eggs

½ cup sugar

2 tbsp butter

125g chocolate roughly chopped

Whipped cream and chocolate powder for decorating

Prepare the coffee mousse: Whip the cream until stiff. Add the condensed milk and mix well. In a small bowl soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 5 minutes. Place the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds until gelatin is dissolved. Add the coffee granules and mix. Add this mixture to the condensed milk and combine thoroughly. Pour the mixture into goblets filling only half way. Lie the goblets slightly slanted in a tray. Place in the refrigerator to set for about 4 hours.

Prepare the chocolate mousse: Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar until it’s pale in colour. In a double-boiler over medium heat place the chocolate and butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Fold chocolate into egg mixture and combine well. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Take 3 tbsp of the egg whites and add to the chocolate mixing well and vigorously. Then fold remaining egg whites very gently. Finish filling the goblets with the chocolate mousse and return the goblets to the refrigerator for about 4 hours to set.

Before serving top the mousse with some whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate powder. 

Lemon-Lime Cheesecake by Sofia B.

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Cheesecake Lima-Limão da Sofia B.”

I’m not always the one in charge for making dessert. This recipe was kindly shared by Sofia B. Thanks Sofia, I’m looking forward to the next surprise…;)

180g graham crackers

75g butter, melted

400ml heavy cream

1 can (397g) sweetened condensed milk

200g cream cheese

2 lemons, juice and zest

2 limes, juice and zest

5 gelatin sheets (1,8g each)

Crush cookies to fine crumbs. Add butter and mix well. Line a springform pan with parchment paper and spread cookie mixture evenly over bottom. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

In a bowl mix the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add the condensed milk mixing well.

Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for about 10 minutes. When soft, wring sheets gently to remove excess water. Micro-wave for about 20 seconds until dissolved completely. Add the lemon and lime juice, mix and pour into the cheese and milk mixture. Mix in about ⅔ of the lemon and lime zest.

Beat the heavy cream until thick, add to cheese mixture and mix well. Pour onto cookie crust, sprinkle with remaining zest and place in the refrigerator to set for at least 3 hours.

Chestnut Delight

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Delícia de Castanha”

800g chestnuts

500ml/2 cups milk

5 eggs

250g/1 ¼ cups sugar

75g/5 tbsp butter, melted

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp ground fennel seeds

100g chocolate broken into small pieces

100ml heavy cream

1 tbsp Port wine or sherry

Slit the chestnuts on the side lengthwise and place in a pot with cold water. Place on high heat and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove the shells and weigh 500g/3cups of cooked and shelled chestnuts. Return to a clean pan and add milk. Let simmer for 30 minutes until they are soft. 

Mash the chestnuts roughly, then process them to a thick paste. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes or until just warm. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC. Mix egg yolks with sugar, then add butter and mix well. Add this mixture to the chestnut along with baking powder and fennel and mix well.

Beat the egg whites until fluffy. Add a third of the egg whites to the chestnut batter and mix well. Fold in remaining egg whites gently. Grease and line a 23 centimeters in diameter pan and pour in the batter. Place in the oven for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Let it cool and remove from pan.

Prepare the ganache: in a double-boiler melt the chocolate with cream and Port wine stirring until creamy and shiny. Pour over the cake.

You can also line muffin tins with paper cups and make cupcakes. 

Lemon Pie

 Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Tarte de Limão”

Crust:

1 recipe “Biscuit Pastry” (click on link or check blog archive)

Filling:

150ml/¾ cup lemon juice, about 3 lemons

300g/1 ⅓ cups sugar

250ml/1 ¼ cups heavy cream

8 eggs (separate 1 egg white to brush crust)

Crust:

Prepare “Biscuit Pastry” as indicated. After removing the beans, brush the crust with the egg white. It will create a protective seal to keep the crust crispy when the filling is added. Place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove, and lower the heat to 130ºC.

Filling:

Place all the ingredients into a pan on low heat mixing constantly just until it heats without boiling. Pour the filling onto the crust through a sieve and place in the oven for 35 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Tarte de Limão e Merengue”

Crust:

One “Biscuit Pastry” recipe (click on link or check blog archive)

Filling:

1 ¼ cups/250g sugar

8 tbsp/60g cornstarch

½ tsp salt

2 cups/430g water

4 egg yolks

1 tbsp lemon zest

½ cup/110g lemon juice

3 tbsp/45g butter

Meringue:

4 egg whites

¼ cup/50g sugar

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC.

Crust:

Prepare crust as indicated in the "Biscuit Pastry" recipe.

Filling:

Place all ingredients for filling into thermomix bowl and set 10min/90º/speed 4. Let cool covered with plastic film.

Meringue:

Beat egg whites. When foamy, add sugar and continue beating until thick but not hard.

Pour filling onto crust and spread meringue. Begin at the edges and work your way to the center spreading meringue evenly. Be sure to seal meringue against crust. This way it will hold its place and not shrink. With the back of a spoon create small peaks in the merengue. Place in the oven for about 6 minutes until meringue is golden.

Apple Pie with Pecan Crumble

 Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Tarte de Maçã com Crumble de Nozes Pecan”

This recipe is enough for two crusts, but only one is used for the pie. Freeze the other until you need it, then thaw for about 30 minutes before using.

Spicy Pie Crust:

3 ⅔ cups/550g flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup/180g butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup/160g lard
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp cold water

Pie Filling:
6 to 7 cups apples, peeled and sliced (about 8 apples)
juice of ½ lemon
½ cup/110g sugar
¼ cup/40g flour
¼ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

Crumble Topping:
½ cup/120g butter
½ cup/80g flour
1 cup packed/200g brown sugar
½ cup/60g oats
¼ tsp salt
½ cup pecans, chopped

Pie crust: 

Mix the flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the butter and lard. Work the butter and lard into the flour using a pastry cutter or rub it between your fingertips until the mixture resembles thick breadcrumbs. Add the white vinegar, egg and water and stir until just combined. Form 2 equal-sized balls. Place each in a large plastic bag and slightly flatten them. After flattening, seal the bag tightly. Place in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to chill.

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

Remove 1 bag of dough from the freezer (save the other for another day), remove the dough from the bag and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough starting at the center and working outward. Be gentle and patient; it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out. If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below while rolling, use a metal spatula to loosen it. When fully rolled out, loosen again with a spatula and lift the pie crust into a 9-inch/23-centimeters diameter pie pan. Gently press the dough against the sides of the pan and tear off any excess dough. Crimp the edges.

Pie filling:

In a bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour and salt. Set aside.

Crumble topping:

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, or rub it between your fingertips, then add in brown sugar, oats and salt.

Place the apples in pie shell and top with crumble. 

Bake for 40 minutes, sprinkle the chopped pecans over the pie, then bake for a further 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Squares

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Quadrados de Abóbora”

Layer 1

½ cup butter at room temperature

½ cup walnuts/pecans,chopped

1 cup flour

Layer 2

1 cup icing sugar

200g cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup whipped cream*

Layer 3

500ml/2 ½ cups milk

1 vanilla instant pudding mix (be sure it uses 2 ½ cups milk, if not buy accordingly)

4 sheets gelatin

1 ¾ cups pumpkin puree (click here for recipe or check blog archive)

2 tsp pumpkin spice (click here for recipe or check blog archive)

1 cup whipped cream*

* I take a carton of 200ml heavy cream and whip until thick, then measure out as needed for the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.

Layer 1:

Mix the flour, butter and nuts.

Press into 9x9in/23x23cm pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Layer 2:

Mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and 1 cup of the whipped cream and pour over cooled crust.

Layer 3:

Make vanilla pudding according to instructions. Place a plastic film on top and let cool. Soak gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes. Strain and place in microwave for a few seconds, just until melted. When pudding is cool, add gelatin, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and 1 cup whipped cream and mix well until it becomes smooth. Pour it over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Cut into squares before serving.

Eyeball Soup

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: "Sopa de Olhos"

1 can lychees, 567g including liquid

2 packages strawberry jelly, 2 x 85g

Small green grape, preferably with no seeds, about 18 (the same number as lychees)

Black licorice/jelly beans

Red food colouring

Strain the lychees and keep the liquid to make the jelly.

Cut the jelly beans/black licorice in small pieces and place in the grape where the stem used to be. Place the grape inside the lychee. With a toothpick or small brush wet in food colouring, make small lines along the lychees’ natural creases. Make the jelly according to the instructions on the package and also using the strained liquid from the lychees.

Pour a little jelly into a glass bowl and place a few lychees on the bottom. Refrigerate for about an 1 ½ hours. Add most of the jelly leaving just a small quantity. Refrigerate again. When firm place remaining lychees on top and pour remaining jelly. Return to refrigerator for a few more hours to set completely.

Apple in Puff Pastry Braid

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: Trança de Maçã Folhada

3 cups apples cut in small cubes

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 nut butter

2 tbsp flour

1 round sheet of puff pastry

Milk for brushing

Sugar for sprinkling

Place the apple, sugar, cinnamon and butter in a small pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, just to soften the apples. Remove from heat. Sprinkle flour over the apples and mix well. Pre-heat oven to 190ºC. 

Spread the puff pastry and place apple mixture in the middle in a rectangular shape. Using a sharp knife, cut the sides of the pastry into strips in equal number on both sides. Beginning from the tips, fold the pastry over the apple mixture. Then, taking one strip at a time, give it a twist and place it over to the other side. 

Continue with the other strips overlapping them to make a braid. Brush braid with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy.

The Onda Gooseberry Jelly Dessert

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: Physalis em Gelatina às Ondas

Layers of jelly holding the gooseberries in place makes this a pretty dessert to look at and also pleasurable to eat. We have quite alot of gooseberries in our garden so sometimes I have to come up with new ideas in order to clear them. This one is made of store bought jelly of different flavours in order to give it the layered effect. During the following days I’ll post more recipes for gooseberries. Well... I do have to clear my garden!

Gooseberries, as many as you like

1 package/85g peach jelly

1 package/85g orange jelly

1 package/85g strawberry jelly

½ can condensed milk

Arrange the gooseberries in a mould. Prepare first package of jelly according to instructions on the package.

^*Pour half of the liquid jelly into the mould and place in the freezer for about 60 minutes or until it sets. Into the other half put 3 tbsp of condensed milk and stir well. When the jelly in the freezer is set, very gently pour the remaining jelly with the condensed milk over the set jelly and return to freezer for 30 minutes.**

Prepare the second package of jelly and repeat steps between asterisks (*…**). Prepare the third package and repeat steps between asterisks except for the last 30 minutes in the freezer. Instead, place it in the fridge for about three hours to set. To unmould the jelly place it in a large basin with hot water for a few seconds and turn onto a serving platter.