I LOVE waffles. In fact it’s usually by birthday meal – Waffles with Ice  cream, chocolate sauce and berries.
Belgium is one of my favourite places. Some of my all time favourite memories is having waffles in Belgium and the amazing chocolate sauce I would have with it. Â Usually waffles were eaten simply dusted with powdered sugar, but I love mine with ice cream and chocolate.. OMG the chocolate sauce. Belgian chocolate of course, but I digress..
I overslept this morning and was going to make smoothies for breakfast, but as we were discussing what kind of smoothies to have, smoothies turned into scrambled eggs, then omelets, then pancakes, and before I knew it, I was getting the waffle iron out. Traditional Belgian waffles is usually made with yeast and requires some planning ahead.. but who’s got time for that! I most certainly didn’t this morning.
I didn’t have any buttermilk, and I didn’t feel like making any (Milk + Vinegar). Â This recipe was so quick and easy and most importantly DELICIOUS! Crisp on the outside and soft and light on the inside. These were the best waffles I’ve made since buying a waffle iron a few months ago. (And that includes the decadent cake mix waffles!)
Hubby likes his with butter and syrup.Â
And of course I had mine with ice cream, actually gelato, and strawberries. No chocolate sauce for me this morning, but these waffles were so yummy not only did I not need or miss the chocolate sauce, but I could have eaten these waffles naked. Of course I mean nothing on the waffle, not me wearing nothing. Which co-incidentally is how I ended up after I ate these. Thats how good these waffles were!Â
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Chocolate Mousse was one of the very first gourmet recipes I made, the first recipe I followed that didn’t come from my mums handwritten recipe book. I think I was 15 at the time, and I thought anything with whipped egg whites was technical. Cream and chocolate were expensive ingredients we only used on special occasions. And there I was just making it for a middle of the week dinner. I felt so fancy. Melting chocolate, separating and beating eggs and then piping whipped cream on top, I had never made anything so pretty. Â I was so proud of myself.
It’s been years since I made a chocolate mousse. I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to make something classic. No new version or the quicker mousse recipes I’ve sometimes used. And the farm fresh eggs I had just bought seemed like perfect excuse to make a classic French mousse.
Rich creamy velvety decadent chocolatey mousse.
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup (60ml) dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup (170g), plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
I love bread. Â I would happily pass up a steak or lobster or any other amazing food for good bread with butter and cup of tea. Bread is 80% of the reason I like going to eat out at fancy restaurants. Â Sometimes after I get bread and a drink, I don’t really care about ordering food.
Bread is one of the few things I haven’t been making from scratch. Â I’ve decided its time to change that. Â I thought a good place to start is the easy, no knead artisan bread recipe thats been floating around for the past few years.
No knead bread is exactly that, no need for kneading. Â Simply mix ingredients together until combined. If you’re using instant yeast theres no need to proof yeast or use warm water, simply mix it all together and let the yeast do the work. Â The hardest part of this recipe is planning ahead, the dough needs at least 12 hours to proof and make bread magic happen.
Once the dough is ready for baking, most recipes call for baking it in a preheated lidded pot or covered dish. Most recipes call for a cast iron or enamel pot. I used a stainless steel pot and lid. But you can use just about any oven safe dish –
You’re essentially creating an oven in your oven. This creates steam as it bakes which gives the bread a crusty exterior. Â Some recipes use an uncovered baking dish and a container of water in the oven to create steam.
3 cups flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water
Theres just nothing like freshly baked bread out of the oven. It has to be one of the most comforting aromas to come out of your kitchen. We could not stop eating this bread. Even hubby who doesn’t like bread ate four slices! Â After eating half a bread in record time, I had to remove this from sight to save us from ourselves!
There are so many options with artisan bread. I added fresh corn to the next batch.
O.M.G.
It tasted like home – the South African cornbread, known as farm bread, I remember from my childhood.
Next time I’ll try some of my favourite Artisan bread flavours like olive or onions or cheese. Â And costing just pennies to make, its so much cheaper than the $6.95 Artisan olive bread I buy at the farmers market.
Cashew nuts are not only delicious, they are one of the healthiest nuts you can eat.
Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts. Over 80% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids and nearly 70% of that unsaturated fatty acid content is heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to olive oil.  And with no cholesterol, a rarity for such a tasty, crunchy treat, cashew nuts are a healthy fat food for heart patients.
High in magnesium, cashews help promote healthy bone and muscle development. Â Cashews and other nuts are also beneficial to diabetics and people at risk for diabetes.
Basically, cashews are good for you! Â Just remember avoid buying salted or flavoured nuts.
Instead just make you own. Its not only easy and cheaper than store bought varieties, it’s better for your body and the taste is far superior.
1 lb Roasted, unsalted Cashews (if using raw cashews toast them first)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon curry powder (I used Roasted Curry Masala)
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice powder (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
I think this Italian donut recipe is quite possibly be the easiest quickest donut recipe ever.
Dare I say foolproof? That is in no way a challenge for fools to prove me wrong! This recipe is so easy, hubby usually mixes this batter (he isn’t allowed to fry anything since burning down a kitchen, a story for another day)
Usually donuts or light pastries require a delicate touch and care when making them, not these, he usually beats the poor batter to death, but it always still turns out beautifully. Again, not a challenge!
I adapted LaDolce Dolls Zeppole recipe. This time I omitted the yogurt and used ricotta cheese and cream cheese. I think I might prefer this version without yogurt.
I used room temp cream cheese, ricotta and eggs.
1 cup whipped cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla, or vanilla pod scraped
oil for frying
Zeppole are Italian donuts. Like a cross between a donut and a fritter. Often made with ricotta cheese, or a choux-like pastry. Fried and dusted with sugar.
The lovely chefs from La Dolce Dolls shared their recipe with me. Their clever twist on the traditional recipe uses cream cheese and yogurt. So light and moist. Just perfect.
I had to Americanize the original UK recipe because of differences in ingredients like cream cheese and flour. English cream cheese softer than the dense block of cream cheese that is most commonly used here. So I used whipped cream cheese. You can buy ready whipped, or whip your own.
I used room temp cream cheese, yogurt and eggs.
ingredients
1 cup whipped cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla, or vanilla pod scraped
oil for frying
These donuts had a mild delicate flavour. Remember there is no sugar in the batter. I would like to play around with flavouring next time I make these.
I want to invite friends over just so I can make this again.
Old fashioned toffee sauce, or as the kids are calling it these days, Salted Caramel Sauce.
The key to caramel making is melting the sugar to just the right colour. The caramel should be a deep amber color.  If you don’t cook it long enough it will be too sweet with little caramel flavour, but cook it too long and it will be burnt and bitter.
If its your first time making caramel here are a few tips:
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Water
1 cup Heavy Cream
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine:
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup water
Over medium-low heat, until the sugar dissolves. You can stir to help the sugar dissolve, if needed.
Increase heat and bring to a boil, without stirring.
If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the saucepan.
Boil until the syrup is a deep amber colour, about 5 minutes.
Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter. Be careful, The mixture will bubble up quite violently.
Whisk in the cream.
Add salt.
Transfer to a dish to cool. Caramel sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
The Panna Cotta I made was so delicious and since I still had cream left I thought I’d make more Panna Cotta. I had chocolate brown sugar shortbread cookies in the freezer so I thought why not make Panna Cotta Pie. I crumbled up the cookies and made a crust, top and bottom.
I used this recipe. Just add 1-2 tsp of coffee or espresso powder when you add the vanilla.
Press crumbled cookies into a pie pan, pour Panna Cotta mixture into pan. Let the Panna Cotta set in the fridge for about 20-30 mins, till its slightly more set so the cookie crumbs won’t sink. Then add the rest of the crumb topping. Set till firm.
This is one of those desserts that taste even better the next day.
Panna Cotta is one of those desserts that sound so fancy, but so simple and easy to make.
Panna Cotta is basically creamy jello. I used half milk and half cream to cut down on fat. And Agave instead of sugar.
This Panna Cotta tastes even better the next day. Â I topped it stewed strawberries. I simply cooked down fresh berries from the market until they were soft and syrupy and finished it off with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Self Rising Flour is one of those ingredients I never seem to have on hand. Making my own has  saved many cakes and scones.
1. Combine all of the ingredients. Then, use a whisk or sieve to mix thoroughly.
Baking powder is a combination of potassium bitartrate (cream of tartar) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Usually cornstarch is added to prevent clumping.
Not only is making your own baking powder cheap and easy, it’s also free of unnecessary additives and aluminum free.
Oh Sweet Holy Mother of Chocolate Deliciousness, this dessert right here.
Brownie. Batter. Dip.
Let that sink in for a second.
Have you ever enjoyed licking a bowl of chocolate cake batter or brownie batter?
Have you ever wished that there was just a little bit more velvety batter on the spoon?
Have you ever wished you could have the whole bowl of batter?
Have you ever wished you could sit in a tub of cake batter while surfing the internet?
Do you like brownies?
Do you like cake?
Do you like chocolate?
(If you don’t like cake batter or chocolate, my heart goes out to you and whatever childhood trauma you have you suffered that left you so sad and without a soul.)
Do you like to be happy?
Do you like to make others happy?
Do you like puppies?
Do you like sex?
If the answer to any one of the above is yes then you have to try this recipe. At least once.
Brownie. Batter. Dip.
A bowl of brownie batter.
And you can put stuff in it if you like!! I added chopped snickers bar, because it’s his favourite. Â I’m still giddy with happiness about this. Â Such a fun and delicious desert. I served it with shortbread cookies and strawberries.
You’ll want to invite friends over just so you can make this!
O.M.G! Chips!
Next time I made this we tried it with chips. Â I LOVED it with potato chips. It was so good that I was expecting a knock on the door and at any moment someone would confiscate it because chips and brownie dip was so good its illegal.
Eat responsibly.
Friends don’t let friends eat brownie batter dip by themselves.