Thermomix

THERMOMIX SOCIALISES ITS WAY TO OVER 3000 IN JUST A FEW WEEKS!

2011-01-05T11:47:00.008+08:00

Its been less than a month, there has been Christmas, New Year and Par-tay season in between and thanks to all of you, the Thermomix social star has risen hugely in the last few weeks...(round of applause would be appropriate here!)
Between the Recipe Community and Forum, our Facebook page and our Twitter stream all full of hints, recipes, tips and pointers, we are the rising star of the Social Networking stratosphere and loving it! Of course it has ended up meaning crazy amounts of new work...but there you go! We still love it!
Thanks to all of you, our Competition entrants, self appointed forum advisers, Facebook friends, twitter followers, customers and consultants for all your positive and upbeat feedback. It is great to be part of something so exciting and to be so well recieved...
So as a little reward, (and on my first day back~another round of applause here please!!) and in response to a query on the Community, I have rustled up this infused oil, a dip and a couple of ways to use said oil!

Herb Infused Oil

Ingredients
50g chives (or other herbs of choice)
250g EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Method
Place herbs into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6.
Add EVOO and cook for 15 minutes at 70ºC on speed 1.

Blend for 30 seconds on speed 7. Allow to cool.
Strain through very fine sieve or nut milk bag and press solids to remove oil.
Keep in sterilised jar until use.

Use infused oil in place of normal oil in salads, mayonnaise or dressings, as a drizzle over steak, chicken or dips, to garnish a plate or use as your oil for stir frying etc.

Smoked Salmon Dip with Chive Infused Oil

Ingredients
15g capers
Zest ½ lemon
150g mascarpone cheese
250g cream cheese
Juice 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
100g smoked salmon
Chive Infused oil to drizzle

Method
Place capers and lemon zest into TM bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 9. Add remaining ingredients except Chive oil and blend for 4-5 seconds on speed 5.
Scrape into serving bowl and garnish with Chive oil and freshly snipped chives.
Serve with sliced cucumber, baby Roma tomatoes and crackers or toasted bread of choice.

And for my next trick...should you at any time ever require Thermomix green toasted bread, brush the infused oil over sliced Turkish Bread, place into preheated 250C oven and toast until turning golden around edges.
Serve with dips of choice.

Now on another topic...a few months back we had an undecided Monthly Mouthful, due to lack of votes, but the scales were tipped in recent polling and Myfanwy Zrinski's Black Forest Cupcakes won the coveted prize! Please contact me Myfanwy for delivery details....Congratulations.
Should you be in the mood for a competition, our Recipe Community competition is still open until January 15th. Please go and enter but remember a pic of your recipe is obligatory. Ten winning recipes will appear in a new International cookbook, with full recipe credit to its originator, your Community user identity and avatar (unless you want something nicer!) and you will no doubt retire off your newly found fame in the future! And there are prizes!

So join in the fun, and share your treasured Thermomix recipes with the world, in several languages! Exciting stuff. Looking forward to seeing what comes in. Happy New Year!

OUR RECIPE COMMUNITY HAS ARRIVED!

2010-12-15T14:45:00.005+08:00

If you have been at all active online in the last week, you may have noticed that traffic re all things Thermomix Australia has ramped up a notch and now we are about to hit full speed! We are proud to announce the launch of our Recipe Community and Forum, officially affiliated Thermomix Australia sites.

Not only that, to launch it with a bang, we are announcing a recipe competition that puts little ole Monthly Mouthful to shame! Head over to the recipe community, log in, have a good read and don't forget to bookmark it so you can create, share and vote all before January 15th. THEN, when I return from much needed lounging around and festive eating, I will select from amongst the highest rated, test them for accuracy and taste and send my 20 finalist recipes to our International Jury, who will then sort through to the very best and those 10 will be the final selection and deemed the winners if all criteria are met! (Phew...that was a sentence or two.)

And just because you are all so wonderful, I have given you a teaser (also to be found on the Community) to get you over there!

Red Lemonade

Ingredients
100g sugar
200-300g ice cubes
2 limes pithy ends removed
2 lemons pithy ends removed, quartered
2 tamarillos, stalk end removed
500-900g sparkling mineral water
Lime slices to garnish

Method
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add ice, and fruits and approximately 3-400g water. With dial set to closed lid position, press Turbo button 2-3 times for 1 second each.
Strain through basket and add water to dilute to taste.
Serve with lots of ice and fresh lime slices.

Catch you on there!

THERMOMIX GOES SOCIAL!

2010-12-09T12:00:00.006+08:00

It was bound to happen; Thermomix has gone social in Australia! YAY! We hope you will all get on board with our brand spanking new Facebook page and all follow us on Twitter! They will be the meeting place for all things Thermomix.
There are more exciting things to follow in the next week, so stay tuned in 'socially' so to speak and in the meantime, here are a couple of Christmas or Entertaining recipes to keep you Thermomixing!

Prosciutto Quiche Cups

Ingredients
8 slices prosciutto
Sprig fresh rosemary foliage only
3 eggs
60g Greek yoghurt
12 black or Kalamata olives, pitted

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180ºC. Butter a 24 hole mini muffin pan.
Cut prosciutto in half and line each hole with prosciutto and set aside.
Place rosemary into TM bowl and mill for 5 seconds on speed 8.
Add eggs and yoghurt and mix for 1 minute on speed 4.
Divide between lined muffin cups. Garnish with chopped olives (1 olive per 2 cups) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs.
Serve hot.

Rolled Pavlova

Pavlova Ingredients
230g castor sugar
6 egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
1½ tsp vanilla
3 heaped tsp cornflour
3 tsp white vinegar
1 tbsp castor sugar (additional)
½ cup slivered almonds
Pavlova Method
Pre-heat oven to 160ºC and line a Swiss Roll Baking Tray (26 x 38cm) with baking paper. Set aside.
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10. Set aside.
Insert Butterfly, add egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla to TM bowl. Whip until very stiff and glossy for 6 minutes at 37ºC on speed 3 before gradually adding the sugar, cornflour and vinegar for a further 2 minutes on speed 3.
Spread onto prepared tray and sprinkle with additional caster sugar and almonds.
Bake for 10-15 minutes. Turn onto another piece of baking paper, tear away base paper and allow to cool for a few minutes. Roll up and leave rolled until cool, before filling.

Filling Ingredients
300g cream
Few mint leaves
Passionfruit pulp
1 punnet strawberries
2 kiwi fruit, sliced

Filling Method
Insert Butterfly. Place cream into TM bowl and whip for 20-40 seconds on speed 3 until very thick. Spread the cream over the Pavlova surface and top with fruit.
Roll up the Pavlova from the long end. Immediately place on serving plate and chill before serving.

Recipe contributed by Ljubica Beretovac, customer WA

SO there you have it folks, spread the word, and keep checking back for even more news leading up to Christmas. And may we add, a Merry Thermomix Christmas to all and best wishes for a great 2011! It WILL be exciting!

PASTA WITH THERMOMIX!

2010-11-22T16:05:00.005+08:00

Just a little midweek note to all our readers who live in Victoria; Divella Pasta, (whose product is only available in Victoria) are giving away a Thermomix in a competition! WOW, we have a come a long way in the 2.5 years I have worked here! So as a heads up, one of our lovely Victorian consultants has developed the recipe below for said pasta...if you are longingly waiting for your Thermomix, funding for your Thermomix or if you would just like another Thermomix...and you can get your hands on some Divella pasta...check out the details HERE!
We want Divella to sell out...so start cooking!
In the meantime, make yourself feel all Italian with this lovely Spaghetti with Artichokes recipe.

Ingredients
60g Parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic peeled
5-10g capers
20g anchovies
30g olive oil
200g marinated artichokes
1200g water
350g Divella Spaghetti
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) for dressing
Parsley
Sea salt and pepper

Method
Place Parmesan cheese into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
Place onion, garlic, capers, and anchovies into TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 6. Add oil and sauté for 2 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 2.
Add artichokes and tsp salt to onion mixture and cook a further 10 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1.
Set aside in ThermoServer.
Place water and a heaped tsp salt into TM bowl and heat for 10 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 3.
Add spaghetti through the hole in the lid and cook for time indicated on the packet at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1.
Carefully check that the pasta is ‘al dente’ before draining and placing in large heated pasta bowl. Drizzle with EVOO and toss through artichoke mixture. Add a few sprigs parsley
Serve immediately sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve with fresh green salad.

Buon Appetito! And thanks to Marg Rossi, lunch never tasted so good at the office!

On another note, we still didn't get enough votes on Monthly Mouthful to make it go either way, so come on kids...cook, eat and vote via comment so we can award the winner in a suitably ostentatious manner!

RASPGREMOLD and ARABIAN LEMONADE

2010-11-17T12:21:00.005+08:00

There's not a lot in common between these two, other than they both appear in the Festive Classes that we have running at the moment, and neither of them appear in the Festive Flavor book that goes with said classes. So to avert a veritable Thermomixing disaster...here they are.
Also included, please find the Oh-So-Delicious-Almond milk recipe that appears in the Rawlicious booklet and is required for the Raspgremold.

Please note that the Arabian Lemonade is the cover shot of our beautiful 2011 Calendar which is brimming with fantastic recipes for every month, plus tips, pics, menu suggestions...etc etc all for the low price of $15. It makes a fantastic gift for the Thermomixer in your life...so get onto your consultant ASAP as they are very nearly sold out.

Arabian Lemonade Ingredients
100g sugar
Handful mint leaves
200-300g ice cubes
2-3 limes with skin, halved
2 lemons with skin, ends removed and quartered
2-3 tsp rosewater
500-900g sparkling mineral water
Rose petals and lime slices to garnish

Method
Place sugar and mint into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add ice and crush for 6 seconds on speed 8.
Add chopped fruit, rosewater and half the water. With dial set to closed lid position, pulse Turbo button 2-3 times.
Strain through basket and add water to dilute to taste. Serve with rose petals and lime slices.

Delicious Almond Milk
Makes approx 3 cups milk

Ingredients
220g whole raw almonds soaked, drained and rinsed
660g water
4 pitted dates
½ tsp vanilla extract

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 1-2 minutes on speed 9 until thick and creamy.
Pour into nut milk bag and squeeze by hand over container. Chill before serving or use ice cold water.
General Tips
Almond milk is a wonderful dairy substitute. Drink it plain, use it as a base for smoothies, or serve it over cereal. To make a richer Almond Cream, use only 440g of water.

Recipe contributed by Trish Edwards Group Leader WA

Raspgremold ~ Raspberry, Spinach and Almond Milk Sorbet
Ingredients
100g organic sugar
Small handful baby spinach
300g almond milk (see above)
300g frozen raspberries
1 egg white
2 x 350g ice cubes

Method
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add spinach and chop for 3 seconds on speed 9.
Add almond milk, raspberries, egg white and 350g ice.
Blend for 20 seconds on speed 9.
Add remaining ice and blend a further 40 seconds on speed 10 until smooth, using the spatula if necessary.

Recipe contributed by Emma Jeffries, Group Leader WA

As for the Monthly Mouthful...its a bust; I am leaving voting open until early December when I trust you will all be cooking treats to get you in the mood for Christmas baking...Myfanwy is the lead at the moment, but it could go either way with another vote...so get cooking and eating and voting here;
http://thermorecipes.blogspot.com/2010/11/nutty-monthly-mouthful.html

NUTTY MONTHLY MOUTHFUL

2010-11-03T12:47:00.006+08:00

It's only a little bit late: first there was (is) the up and coming Asian book, Christmas stuff, then something huge that we can't tell you about yet, but watch this space. We are also still soldiering on with rewrites of the Everyday Cookbook, and now we are upgrading the Lunch Box booklet to be a real book! But more about that later.

It wasn't hard to pick the outstanding recipes that came flooding into the recipes@thermomix in box. (You are clearly glad Monthly Mouthful is back!) The brief was recipes containing nuts and of course, we chose both sweet and savory, though the savory selection was limited.
So here you go; drum roll please....

This is quick and tasty, both of which rate highly in my book! (Figuratively speaking...)

Cashew Parmesan and Spinach Dip

Ingredients
100g roasted and salted cashews
100g Parmesan cheese, cubed
Handful baby spinach or rocket leaves
20g lemon juice (or olive oil)
Pepper to taste

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and blend for 6 seconds on speed 8.
Serve with vegie sticks or your favorite TM crackers.
Recipe contributed by Sally Adair, consultant SA

So folks, that was it; the only savory entry that came in...but we won't get all upset about it, but pull your socks up next time OK?

On to the sweets. Now these were a big hit at the office on a day when a lot of testing was done; which usually means they receive a lower rating than normal, so that is a good indicator of the Yum Factor on this recipe. A little fiddly, but sooo worth the end result, and Gluten Free!

Black Forest Cupcakes
yields 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
Cake;
50g rice
250g almonds or hazelnuts (or combo)
250g dark chocolate in pieces
1tsp GF baking powder
150g butter (softened)
6 eggs
1tbsp cocoa powder
150g raw sugar
Syrup;
170-200g syrup drained from tin or jar of cherries
1tbsp cornflour
Filling;
250g cream cheese
1tbsp raw sugar
1 egg
Few cherries from drained tin or jar
Ganache/Icing;
130g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g cream
Or; 50g cream and 50g cherry syrup

Method
Preheat oven to 160ºC. Line a muffin tin with patty pan papers and set aside.
Place rice into TM bowl and mill for 1 minute on speed 9.
Add nuts and mill for 10 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
Place chocolate into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 6. Add to nuts.
Place remaining cake ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 20 seconds on speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat.
Add nuts and chocolate and mix for a further 10 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
To make syrup place liquid into clean TM bowl with cornflour and cook for 5 minutes at 90ºC on speed 3 with MC off. Set aside.
Place filling ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 20 seconds on speed 5. Set aside.
Assembly;
Dollop some mix in the bottom of each patty pan - approx 2tbsp per cake.
Top with 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture, 2-3 cherries and 1 teaspoon of cherry syrup.
Cover with remaining cake mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, remove and cool before topping with ganache.

Ganache/Icing
Place chocolate and cream into TM bowl and melt for 4 minutes at 50ºC on speed 1. Allow to cool. Add remaining syrup (which will also be cool by now) and blend for 1 minute on speed 4. Spread on cooled cakes.

Recipe contributed by Myfanwy Zrinski customer WA

Last but not least...

Nut Butter Swirl Brownies

Ingredients
Nut Batter;
150g roasted nuts of choice
50g macadamia oil
75g rapadura or raw sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
20g spelt flour
Pinch each baking powder and sea salt
20-30g rice/nut milk
Chocolate Batter;
60g macadamia oil
90g organic coconut oil
100g rapadura or raw sugar
Few drops Stevia juice or pinch Stevia powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
70g spelt flour
30g cacao powder
Pinch each baking powder and sea salt

Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC and line 20cm square baking tin with paper that comes up above the sides for easy removal.
To make Nut Batter, place nuts into TM bowl and mill for 1 minute on speed 6, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. The oil must be released from the nuts and will form a paste.
Add all remaining Nut Batter ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on speed 5. Set aside.
Without cleaning bowl, make Chocolate Batter by placing oils, sugar, Stevia, vanilla and eggs into TM bowl and blending for 20 seconds on speed 6.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for a further 10 seconds on speed 5.
Pour chocolate batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with the spatula.
Place dollops of nut batter evenly across the pan and marble with a skewer or fork.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, and cool in pan. Remove and cut into squares. Serve warm (and gooey!)
Recipe contributed by Jo Whitton, consultant, QLD

So there you go kids, time to Thermomix, eat and comment...Monthly Mouthful is back and we need your votes. Waiting....waiting....(still waiting...hurry up!)

And while we still have your attention, we are vetting recipes for our Lunch Box book as we write. Please forward lunch box friendly, kid friendly, low sugar, easy and quick to make to add to our booklet that is becoming all grown up and going to be a real book! Either send to recipes@thermomix.com.au or to Tenina@thermomix.com.au by the end of November. Please clearly mark them as such. Should your recipe be included in the book, you will receive a copy of the book after it has been published.

(Oh, and still waiting!)

GO NUTS FOR WALNUTS!

2010-10-07T15:18:00.010+08:00

Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of protein.
They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E.
Nuts in general are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, (omega 3 fatty acids - the good fats) that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol.
Walnuts, in particular, have significantly higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids as compared to other nuts.
So to prevent cancer, for your heart, your skin, your energy, your general all over health, you all need to go nuts for walnuts...and of course we have just a couple of things to be helping you with that.

Asparagus, Ricotta and Walnut Tarts
Makes 2-3 tarts

Ingredients
4 sheets ready rolled puff pastry (or make Rough Puff Pastry from EDC)
180g Parmesan cheese, cubed
Handful Italian parsley
250g smooth ricotta cheese
100g walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 asparagus spears per tart
Egg wash

Method
Preheat oven to 220ºC. Line 2 baking trays with paper.
Cut two sheets of pastry in half and place on trays. Cut strips from remaining pastry and place on all edges of the cut tart bases to form sides to the tarts. Alternatively, you can line flan or pie tins with pastry. Dock bases with fork.
Place cheese and parsley into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add ricotta, walnuts and seasoning and mix for 5 seconds on speed 5.
Spread mixture on each tart, ensuring you do not put any mixture on the edges.
Arrange asparagus spears on each tart and brush any exposed pastry with egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve hot sprinkled with a few additional chopped walnuts.

These disappeared in record time...pic was barely taken, turned around and gone...they would be wonderful as a brunch, as a light lunch served with a fresh garden salad or as a stylish appetizer at a dinner party. Make individual tarts, garnish with toasted walnuts and drizzle with Basil Oil (See 'A Taste of Vegetarian'). Very Donna...

Savoury Potato and Walnut Cakes

Ingredients
700-800g potatoes, cubed
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion peeled and halved
20g EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 medium red capsicum, de-seeded and quartered
Handful Italian parsley
180g Greek style or plain yoghurt
2 eggs
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
100g walnuts
Cherry tomatoes for garnish

Method
Preheat oven to 220ºC and butter a 9 hole muffin tin. (You can also use cupcake papers if you like.)
Place prepared potatoes into Varoma dish and fill TM bowl to the 1.5L mark with boiling water. Set Varoma into position and steam potatoes for 15 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 4. Set Varoma aside and drain water.
Place garlic, onion and EVOO into TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 7.
Place capsicum and parsley into TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 4.
Cook for 10 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse + speed 1.5, with MC off.
Add yoghurt, eggs, seasoning, walnuts and cooked potatoes to TM bowl and mix for 5-6 seconds on Reverse + speed 5. (Do not blend potatoes, chunky is good!)
Divide mixture between muffin holes and bake for 20-25 minutes until dry on top.
Garnish each with half a cherry tomato and serve with additional yoghurt.

To all you out there, from all of us in here, go ahead, you have permission to go nuts with Thermomix this month!

Now; (Drum roll please!) Monthly Mouthful is back...please send your recipes that include nuts of any description to recipes@thermomix.com.au no later than October 22nd and we will select, test, and put the finalists on here for you; the cooking, eating, voting public to vote for via comment! The winner will receive a double pass to their nearest Festive Cooking Class valued at $60...so get those nutty ideas coming in!

SUMMER IS COMING!

2010-09-15T10:40:00.008+08:00

It seemed for a while there that it would never happen. Those bleak cold winter days are have disappeared and spring is sprung...which means summer is finally approaching with the promise of beach, salt, surf, and in Australia, al fresco dining around the iconic Aussie Barbie! There are loads of things you can use your Thermomix for in summer, least not being all those smoothies, sorbets and ice creams, but don't forget to make good use of it for salads, meat preparation and dressings, all of which feature on this blog.

Asiago and Beef Burgers

Ingredients
250g Asiago cheese, cubed
180g walnuts
2tsp black peppercorns
Pinch sea salt
1kg beef mince
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Rocket leaves to taste
1 large tomato sliced
100g TM mayonnaise
6 slices cooked bacon
6 hamburger buns or choice

Dressing;
1 tsp seeded mustard
2 tbsp raw honey
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt to taste
100g EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Method
Place cheese into TM bowl and grate for 2 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
Place walnuts, peppercorns and salt into TM bowl and mill for 6 seconds on speed 7.
Add beef mince, sauce and grated cheese to TM bowl and combine for 10 seconds on Reverse + speed 7 with the aid of the spatula.
Form into 6-8 equal burger patties, place onto baking paper and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Clean bowl before making the dressing by placing all ingredients except EVOO into TM bowl and mixing for 10 seconds on speed 6. Add oil and stir through for 4 seconds on speed 6. Drizzle over rocket leaves and set aside.

To assemble burgers; Char grill buns and patties to taste. Cook bacon. Spread mayonnaise on bottom half of bun, add cooked burger patty, top with slice of tomato, dressed rocket leaves and a slice of bacon. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired.
Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients
Zest 1 lemon
Handful Italian parsley
1.2L boiling water
6 eggs
400g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm square cubes
400g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm square cubes
Small bunch baby asparagus (optional)
1/4 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4-5 rashers short cut bacon, roughly chopped
Sea salt to taste
½ quantity TM Mayonnaise mixed with juice 1 Lemon

Method
Place zest and parsley into TM bowl and chop finely for 10 seconds on speed 7. Set aside.
Place water into TM bowl and place eggs into basket, potatoes into the Varoma dish and sweet potato in the tray. Set Varoma into position and steam at Varoma temperature for 15-20 minutes on speed 4 or until potatoes are cooked to your liking. Add asparagus in last 5 minutes of cooking time. Discard water and peel eggs. Remove and set aside to cool.
Place cooled potatoes on a large serving platter. Cut eggs into wedges and add to platter. Arrange asparagus and sliced onion over, top with cooked bacon and parsley mix. Add salt and drizzle with lemon mayonnaise. Serve immediately.

General Tips
Leave the dressing of potato salad until you are ready to serve as warm potatoes start to absorb dressing and become stodgy.

So with summer approaching, what are your cooking plans? Let us know...we're warming up to bring back Monthly Mouthful, and we need to see how you all feel about that! Talk soon!

DAD'S DAY DINNER!

2010-08-31T11:40:00.010+08:00

It's September...can you believe it? Christmas will be here in a minute...but for now, we have Father's Day to celebrate. So to get you all Thermomixing we have a couple of Dad worthy treats to try...not least of which is the big current hit at the office, Banoffee Pie...eat with caution as you will simply just want another piece.

But first, how about some lick-a-licious ribs. We did these both with beef short ribs (pictured) and then just to make sure we really approved of the recipe, again with pork spare ribs. We recommend the latter, less mess, more meat, dare we say; more finger lickin' goodness.

Hot and Sticky Pork Ribs

Ingredients
5 cloves garlic
3cm piece peeled ginger
2 small chillies or to taste
½ red onion peeled
Handful fresh mint leaves
Handful fresh coriander leaves
2tsp coriander seeds
2tsp cumin seeds
2tsp sesame oil
Juice 2 limes
50g soy sauce
150g honey
2kg pork spare ribs or beef short ribs

Method
Place everything except lime, soy sauce, honey and ribs into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
Add juice, soy sauce and honey and mix for a further 8 seconds on speed 10.
Using a large rectangle of foil, place ribs inside and then drizzle with marinade. Wrap extremely well. Repeat with a second piece of foil so the parcel is double wrapped.
Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours, or as long as possible. (Overnight is best.)
Place ribs in foil, (complete with marinade) into pre-heated 150ºC oven and cook for 2-3 hours until fragrant and well browned.
Serve garnished with additional chopped mint and lime wedges.

Whip up a potato salad, coleslaw and toss a green salad, maybe some bread rolls (homemade of course) and dinner is served.

Banoffee Pie

Ingredients
1 batch Shortcrust pastry (EDC)
1 batch Cinnamon Vanilla and Maple Dulce de Leche (see below)
3 large ripe bananas
Maple Syrup to taste
600g cream
Shaved chocolate to garnish

Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Make pastry and form into round flat disc. Place in freezer for 20 minutes.
Roll out and line a large flan dish with removable base. Prick base with fork. Blind bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile make the Dulce de Leche.
Remove pastry from oven and top with Dulce de Leche. Bake a further 10-15 minutes.
Cool completely.
To finish, cut bananas and arrange on top of filling. Drizzle with maple syrup.
Whip cream and either pipe or spread on top of bananas and decorate with shaved chocolate. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Vanilla and Maple Dulce de Leche

Ingredients
800g whole cream milk
250g sugar
1 vanilla bean split and seeds removed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
30g maple syrup
Pinch bicarb soda

Method
Place milk, sugar, vanilla bean and cinnamon into TM bowl and cook for 10 minutes at 90ºC on speed 4-5.
Remove vanilla bean and add maple syrup and bicarb. Cook for a further 30-35 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 4-5. Place basket on top of lid to allow reduction with minimum mess.
Blend for 30 seconds on speed 7.
Store in sterilized glass jar in fridge for up to 1 month.

From all of us, to all the dads out there in Thermomix land, we wish you a great Father's Day, with lots of yum factor!

VANILLA THRILLER AND THERMOMIX

2010-07-30T15:04:00.023+08:00

Well unless you have been under a rock lately you will know that Thermomix has become a superstar on the most popular non sports show in Australia ever...I do of course refer to Master Chef. Whilst we all ooh and ahhh over the contestants finished results, we at Thermomix head office ooh and ahhh with frustration over all the applications for Thermomix that are not utilised...and so, this post; A couple of Master Chef recipes, tizzied up and looking fine, but using TM31 all the way.
We all groaned when the CWA challenge yielded disastrous results...so first up, the Lamingtons. Australian, iconic, chocolatey, a little dressed up with shredded coconut instead of desiccated, but down home country-ish none the less.

Lamingtons

Ingredients
120g sugar
4 eggs
1tsp vanilla bean paste
50g unsalted butter melted
120g SR flour

Icing;
25g unsalted butter
160g milk
500g icing sugar
50g Dutch processed cocoa
Shredded coconut to coat

Method
Preheat oven to 190ºC. Butter and line a 20cm square cake tin and set aside.
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add eggs and insert Butterfly.
Whip eggs for 7 minutes at 50ºC on speed 3. Remove Butterfly.
Add butter and vanilla and stir through for 5 seconds on speed 4.
Add flour and with dial set to closed lid position, incorporate for 10 seconds on Interval speed. Finish mixing with spatula by hand if necessary.
Pour into prepared tin, spin to level and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and springy to touch. Cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto rack to cool completely. Freeze 30 minutes before cutting.

Make icing by putting butter and milk into TM bowl and cooking for 2 minutes at 80ºC on speed 2. Add sugar and cocoa and blend for 20-25 seconds on speed 4.
Trim sides of sponge and cut cake into 16 equal sized cubes. (I used a CWA approved ruler!)
Scatter coconut over a tray.
Pour icing into deep bowl. Using tongs, put each piece of cake into icing and coat liberally. Place onto coconut, push coconut up onto sides and on top to finish and then transfer to flat tray lined with baking paper. Repeat until all are covered. Refresh the coconut as necessary.
Allow icing to set before serving.

Now naturally enough you will have noticed that the pic shows the Vanilla Thriller, Adriano Zumbo's masterful cake of 8 layers (plus plus) which I had the misfortune to attempt....I had to phone a friend on more than one occasion and if there is one thing I can say for Adriano, his cake is far more difficult than he! SOO helpful, willing me to win. He is a pastry genius...and I plan on visiting next time I head to Sydney...however, I will never make that cake again! (NEVER...Never say Never!)
I would like to put a couple of the processes up here for you however, as the flavours were so delicate and amazing, and well suited to perhaps other applications.
We (the royal Thermomix 'we') would like to hear from you if you get to use any of the following in your recipes in the future.

Possibly my favorite layer; This requires three other processes prior to starting and would marry well with cheesecake, caramel or just by itself drizzled with chocolate.

Vanilla Almond Crunch

Ingredients
1 roasted vanilla bean
50g milk couverture chocolate chopped
100g almond praline paste (see below)
100g pure almond paste (see below)
20g unsalted butter
50g brown sugar crumble (see below)
50g crunchy wheat flakes
20g toasted almonds, roughly chopped
pinch sea salt
1tsp vanilla essence

Method
Place vanilla bean into 180ºC oven and roast until crisp and burnt (almost charcoal). Mill with a little sugar to a fine powder for 10-15 seconds on speed 8-9. Set aside.
Place chocolate into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.
Melt for 3 minutes at 37ºC on speed 1.
Add almond praline and pure almond paste and mix for 5 seconds on speed 5.
Melt butter in shallow pan and bring to noisette stage. (Nut brown)
Add vanilla bean powder, brown butter and all remaining ingredients to TM bowl and mix through for 5 seconds on Reverse + speed 1.
Spread into shallow 18-20cm square tin and allow to set before cutting and serving in small pieces.

Almond Praline Paste

Ingredients
100g sugar
100g toasted blanched almonds
2tbsp almond oil (if needed)

Method
Place sugar into shallow pan and on a low to medium heat, cook without stirring until sugar melts and creates a liquid caramel. Pour onto ThermoMat and allow to cool until solid. Break into pieces.
Place toffee and almonds into TM bowl and mill together for 30 seconds on speed 8 until oils are released from almonds and it is starting to form a paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, add almond oil if needed and blend a further 10-15 seconds on speed 7. Set aside until use.

Pure Almond Paste

Ingredients
100g toasted blanched almonds

Method
Place cooled almonds into TM bowl and mill for 25-30 seconds on speed 8 until a smooth paste is formed.

Brown Sugar Crumble

Ingredients
50g blanched almonds, toasted
½ vanilla bean
50g unsalted butter
50g plain flour
50g dark brown sugar

Method
Place almonds and vanilla bean into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10. Add remaining ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Press through a cooling rack with lined baking tray underneath.
Bake for 10-15 minutes in 180ºC oven and allow to cool before adding to Vanilla Almond Crunch recipe as needed.

So there you have it...Thermomix takes on MasterChef! (And I think we get to stay in the kitchen...) For a couple more processes, visit http://tenina.com and keep mixing...we have the best appliance in the world at our fingertips, and The Adriano Experiment, proved it!
Thank you Mr. Zumbo!

SOUPER BOWL!

2010-07-21T10:16:00.010+08:00

It has been a long time between posts, and this is short and sweet; (well savoury actually!) Things are racing along at Thermomix head office as is crazy recipe developer...so to the gals in Avalon, this is your soup recipe...and to everyone else, you will love it too! Add the scrolls and you have a lovely lunch or light dinner.

Seeded Salami Cheese Scrolls

Ingredients
80g Gruyere cheese, cubed
120g Vintage Cheddar cubed
2 spring onions/shallots roughly chopped
100g whole buckwheat
2tsp dried yeast
320g warm water
500g bakers flour
50g oil
Pinch salt
50g assorted seeds of choice
Handful walnut kernels
150g crème fraîche
200g thinly sliced salami of choice
Handful Kalamata olives
Method
Place Gruyere, Cheddar and spring onions into TM bowl and mill for 5 seconds on speed 8. Set aside.
Place buckwheat into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10. Add yeast, water, flour, oil, salt and seeds and mix for 6 seconds on speed 6. (The dough will be quite stiff.)
With dial set to closed lid position, knead for 1 minute on Interval speed.
Add walnuts through hole in lid and knead a further 30 seconds on Interval speed.
Turn out onto floured ThermoMat and knead by hand into a tight ball. Wrap and allow to double in size in draft free room.
Roll dough out to the approximate size of ThermoMat and spread generously with crème fraîche. Arrange salami slices evenly, top with milled cheese mixture and olives.
Roll carefully into a sausage shape and gently cut into rounds, so as not to flatten the scrolls.
Place cut side up into a large baking dish, cover and allow to prove for around 30 minutes. Place into cold oven set to 200ºC (to allow a further rise) and bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden and sounding hollow when tapped.
Serve warm.

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients
Handful fresh basil leaves
Handful fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 eschalots peeled
2-3 cloves garlic
50g Extra Virgin Olive Oil
500g Roma tomatoes halved
500g water
2 tbsp TM stock concentrate
2 tbsp rapadura or raw sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Additional salt to taste

Method
Place herbs into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7. Set aside.
Place eschalots, garlic and oil into TM bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and sauté for 3 minutes on Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Add remaining ingredients and cook for 8 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Puree for 10 seconds by bringing speed up slowly to speed 9.
Adjust seasoning to taste, drizzle with a little extra EVOO and serve.

The Thermomix is the perfect thing to use at this time of year for all your tried and true soup recipes, so get converting and Souper Bowl away!
What is your favorite Thermomix Soup recipe?

FROM THE VAULT! JUNE 2010

2010-06-11T13:03:00.010+08:00

Another expedition into the vault this month has proved fruitful as usual. If only there were more recipe testers in here. (Not that I'm complaining...I do have the best job in the world!)
First up this time we have a dip/spread that is not far removed from the Garlic Herb dip that appears in our Everyday Cookbook. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if this recipe is where it originated from, so thanks Sharmaine, your dip is legendary around the country!

Cottage Cheese Cake

Ingredients
1 clove of garlic
Few sprigs of parsley
Few sprigs of chives, dill or your favourite herb.
Strip of lemon zest
500g smooth cottage cheese
Sea salt to taste
70g sour cream or TM mayonnaise
200g almond flakes, walnut halves, toasted pine nuts or Dukka

Method
Chop garlic, lemon rind and herbs for 5 seconds on speed 7.
Add cottage cheese, sea salt, and sour cream or mayonnaise and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4-5.
Spoon into small ThermoServer or other small bowl of choice and refrigerate. Cover the top of the cake with nuts or Dukka before serving with toasted bread triangles or crackers of choice.

Recipe contributed by Sharmaine Lee Fong, consultant WA

Another recipe from WA, (well we did start here after all!) and this is so easy and tasty, that I made it twice, once at the office and then at home the same night. Trish is a Group Leader in the South West and lived in Asia for quite some time, so the flavors are authentic and fragrant as Thai food always should be.

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

Ingredients
3cm piece peeled ginger
1 medium sized red chilli
6 Kaffir Lime leaves
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only
2 cans coconut milk
1tbsp palm or brown sugar
20g fish sauce
500g boneless chicken breast fillet, cubed
Juice 1 lime
Handful fresh coriander leaves
Handful fresh Thai basil leaves

Method
Place ginger and chilli into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7.
Scrape down sides of bowl and add lime leaves and stalk of lemon grass, coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar and cook for 10 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.
Add cubed chicken and cook for 6 minutes at 100°C on Reverse + soft speed.
Add lime juice and stir through for 3 seconds on Reverse + soft speed. Remove lime leaves and lemon grass before serving.
Transfer to large serving bowl or individual soup bowls and garnish with coriander and basil leaves to taste. Serve with a side of jasmine rice.

Recipe contributed by Trish Edwards, Group Leader WA

Last but not least, the Polenta Pizza base actually appears in our Gluten Free book and as we have been focusing on pizza a little with a recent incentive for consultants being a pizza stone, this was a natural selection for the blog. I have tweaked it a little, but the original recipe is from another WA consultant, Lesley Klem. Remember with polenta that it is almost completely tasteless without the addition of flavors from your imagination, so don't be afraid to add garlic, other herbs or cheeses of choice when cooking, prior to using as the base for additional flavor.
I have just thrown in for good measure and from SA this time around, a little Parsley Salsa that has been used as a base as opposed to traditional pizza sauce. Go wild on the pizza sauce...go any dip, whip up pesto, or simply chop up as many raw veggies as you have in the bottom drawer of your fridge, add onion, oil and garlic and cook away. It will make a tasty and nutritious flavor base on your pizzas.

Polenta Pizza

Base Ingredients
100g Parmesan cubed
2 cloves garlic
Handful fresh herbs of choice
1500g water
300g polenta
Salt to taste

Base Method
Preheat pizza stone in hottest oven possible. (At least 220ºC.)
Place Parmesan, garlic and herbs into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10. Set aside.
Place water, polenta and salt into TM bowl and cook for 20-25 minutes at 100ºC on speed 3.
Add milled cheese mixture and stir through for 10 seconds on speed 5.
Divide between 2 large pie dishes that have been lined and well oiled. Allow to cool until set. Once solid and holding a shape, top with pesto, salsa, sauce and or toppings of choice.
Lift from dishes and place (on baking paper) onto pizza stone and cook until well browned and bubbling. Serve in wedges immediately.

Pine Nut and Parsley Salsa

Ingredients
110g pine nuts
Handful basil leaves
Handful Italian parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
Sea salt to taste
Juice 1 lemon
35g Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
35g water (if needed)

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat.
This may be stirred through cooked pasta, used as a topping for baked potatoes or as in this case, as a pizza topping.

Recipe by Aileen Sforcina consultant SA

A DONUT BY ANY OTHER NAME...

2010-05-20T17:35:00.008+08:00

Well it's official; There are donuts (Or is it 'doughnuts'?) in almost every cuisine. There are beignets, fritters, churros, sopaipillas, vetkoeks, etc etc. The list really does go on and on. Master Chef addressed the donut issue recently as well and being Mad on Master Chef, we decided to shamelessly jump on the bandwagon!

Of course, for the uninitiated in Thermomix land, deep frying is not something we recommend on a daily basis. However; Doing the Dough in Thermomix is a dream for anyone who has ever attempted any of these treats. With that view in mind, and armed with a thermometer and therefore the correct deep frying temperature, (which will eliminate any fat absorption by the fried food) you can be opening a donut shop in no time!
And may I just say, please enjoy responsibly!

This original recipe comes from a dear Dutch friend of mine who managed to actually sell these from her home to raise funds for various causes. This is the far easier Thermomix version, nonetheless absolutely delicious and with my own Aussie twist of a dipping sauce that should be illegal because it tastes so good!

Dutch Donuts with Raspberry Cream Cheese Dipping Sauce

Donut Ingredients
100g sugar
1tsp dried yeast
2 eggs
½ tsp ground nutmeg
260g warm water
50g butter
Pinch salt
600g bakers flour
Oil for deep frying
Icing sugar to dust

Donut Method
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add yeast, eggs nutmeg, water, butter and salt and blend for 1 minute at 37ºC on speed 5.
Add flour and mix for 6 seconds on speed 8. Knead for 2 minutes at Interval speed. Set aside in floured ThermoMat and allow to double in size.
Roll out into large rectangle and using scone cutter, cut into rounds and set aside to double again.
Heat oil to 165-170ºC (use a thermometer for accuracy) before placing donut (balls) into hot oil. When they are golden and puffed, remove quickly and place onto paper towels to cool slightly.
Dust generously with icing sugar whilst still warm.
Serve with a bowl of dipping sauce if desired.

Raspberry Dipping Sauce Ingredients
180g sugar
110g cream cheese
95g butter
20g raspberries

Raspberry Dipping Sauce Method
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add remaining ingredient and mix for 1 minute on speed 7-9 depending on how blended you require the raspberries. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat. Serve drizzled on hot donuts or as a side dish with donuts.

For anyone who is in the know, we have a South African contingent at head office and when I mentioned Vetkoek, there were knowing nods of approval all round. Having never heard of them I was fascinated and knew immediately they were up for a test run. Must say, roaring success and these will definitely get another go at my house!

Vetkoek, (pronounced 'Feht-cook') are sometimes called 'Curry Bunnys' and are often served filled with cheese or simply the donut is fried and served with syrup. Happy to say this recipe makes enough dough to try all three, and there were no shortage of takers.

Curry Filled Vetkoek

Donut Ingredients

2 eggs

1tsp dried yeast granules

1tsp salt

1tsp sugar

260g warm water or buttermilk

65g butter

600g bakers flour

oil for frying

Donut Method

Place all ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 6 seconds on speed 7.

Knead for 3 minutes at Interval speed. Tip onto ThermoMat and form into tight ball. Wrap and refrigerate for a slow rise for 6-7 hours. (Do this in the morning, leave it and make at night for a dinner.) If you prefer, or forget, you can still do this with a more traditional quick risen dough, simply leave out of fridge to rise and proceed with recipe once dough has doubled.

Roll dough out into large rectangle around the thickness of your finger. Cut into smaller rectangles, either long hot dog bun size or smaller more square shapes.

Heat oil to 165-170C and fry 1 or 2 vetkoeks at a time until golden on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Whilst still hot, slice in half, fill with curry or fillings of choice. Wrap in paper or a sturdy napkin and eat immediately. (No knives and forks allowed!)

Curry Filling

Ingredients

1 medium onion peeled and halved

1 dried chilli

2 cloves garlic

20g oil

2 small carrots roughly chopped

1 small apple quartered

1/2 small zucchini roughly chopped

1 tbsp curry powder

400g beef mince

400g tin chopped tomatoes

Handful frozen peas

Salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Method

Place onion, chilli and garlic into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7. Add oil and saute for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed soft.

Add vegetables and chop for 5 seconds on speed 4.

Add curry powder, meat and tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes at 100C on Reverse + speed soft.

Add peas and seasoning to taste and stir through for 10 seconds on Reverse + speed soft. Allow to rest in TM for at least 10 minutes (while you cook your donuts) before scooping into Vetkoeks!

So go and do! Looking forward to hearing how you all fare with our fare! Monthly Mouthful is on hiatus until further notice, but keep coming back for new and interesting news, views and of course recipes from The Vault as well as our salutes to Master Chef, the phenomenon that is only slightly bigger than the phenomenon that is Thermomix!

GNOCCHI, GNOCCHI, WHO'S THERE?

2010-05-05T12:33:00.010+08:00

Today's episode of From the Vault is proudly brought to you by Mother's Day...we hope you are all planning something spectacular from your kitchen (and Thermomix) for Mum this Sunday! I have a few suggestions, naturally and yes, all new, all tested and all delicious. First up the easiest gnocchi ever, and frankly soooo delicious. I have officially become a gnocchi-ophile! Keep an eye out for more gnocchi recipes and sauces to match here in the next few weeks!

Ricotta Gnocchi

Ingredients
80g Parmesan cheese cubed
230g bakers flour
450g drained ricotta cheese
Pinch salt
Pinch nutmeg

Method
Place Parmesan into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.
Add remaining ingredients to TM bowl and with dial set to closed lid position, knead for 1 minute on Interval speed.
Turn out onto floured ThermoMat and divide into 5 equal portions.
Roll each portion into a long ‘snake’ and cut into equal sized pieces. You can cook them at this point, or roll them down a gnocchi board to create ridges.
Cook gnocchi in a pot of salted boiling water. (Do not add gnocchi until water has reached a rolling boil.)
When they rise to the surface, they are cooked. Remove, drain and add sauce of choice.

While the gnocchi is cooking, make the following sauce, or simply serve with some minced garlic sauteed in a little melted butter, chopped fresh herbs of choice and plenty of freshly milled Parmesan.

Fresh Pasta Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
60g Parmesan cheese cubed
½ onion peeled
1-2 cloves garlic
20g butter
Few sage leaves
450g Roma tomatoes halved
Sea salt to taste
1tbsp rapadura sugar
Freshly cracked black pepper

Method
Place Parmesan into TM bowl and mill for 10-15 seconds on speed 10 until really fine. Set aside.
Place onion, garlic, butter and sage to TM bowl and chop for 3-4 seconds on speed 6. Scrape down sides of bowl and sauté for 3 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Add tomatoes, and seasoning and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7. Cook for 8 minutes at 100ºC on speed 2.
Puree if desired for a few seconds on speed 7. Serve over gnocchi, sprinkled with Parmesan.

Now for the really daring, Master Chef qualifiers out there, how about surprising mum with a Croquembouche? We did one with Nico Moretti earlier in the year (pictured) and have subsequently whipped up a couple for one event or another...NO SWEAT! If you have never tried Choux pastry, this is your chance to see if the Choux fits! So simple with Thermomix, even the most basic cook can achieve a Croquembouche with relative ease!

Basic Profiteroles

Ingredients
250g water
Pinch salt
100g butter
150g plain flour
4 eggs

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180-200ºC. Line 2 baking trays with paper and set aside.
Place water, salt and butter into TM bowl and cook for 10 minutes at 100ºC on speed 2.
Add flour and mix for 30 seconds on speed 4, or until you see the pastry coming away from the sides of the bowl. Cool for approximately 10 minutes.
Add eggs to the mixture by dropping one egg at a time through hole in lid as you mix for 30-40 seconds on speed 5.
Spoon mixture into piping bag or Ziploc bag with corner snipped off or use ice cream scoop to dollop pastry onto prepared trays. (Should make approximately 15-16 profiteroles.)
Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden. Leave in oven with door ajar to cool. When cool enough to handle, pierce side of profiterole with sharp knife and return to oven. This helps ‘dry out’ the interior of the profiterole and makes it easier to fill.

You can of course fill these with Creme Patisserie as found in your EDC, but here is a lovely Chocolate version.

Chocolate Pastry Crème

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
45g sugar
3tbsp cornflour
3tbsp cocoa
Pinch salt
250g milk
75g chocolate in chunks
25g unsalted butter

Method
Place yolks, sugar, cornflour, cocoa, salt and milk into TM bowl and cook for 7 minutes at 80ºC on speed 4.
Scrape down and add chocolate and butter and melt together for 1 minute on speed 4.
Place into heat proof bowl, cover with a cartouche of baking paper and refrigerate until use.
To pipe pastry crème, the crème must be completely cold.
This is enough crème to fill approximately 20 puffs.

And to finish it off? The toffee of course.

Caramel for Profiteroles

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
½ cup water

Method
Place sugar and water into saucepan and stir together. Heat on medium high heat until granules are dissolved. Stir once, bring mixture up to a simmer and brush down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and allow sugar to boil until it reaches 130ºC (approximately). It should be a lovely caramel colour and have the consistency of syrup. If you don’t have a thermometer use the hard ball test, that is; Drop a tsp of cooked caramel into a bowl of cold water. It should immediately form a hard ball of caramel that is still pliable.
Turn heat down to as low as it can go to keep caramel liquid until use.

To assemble Croquembouche;
Dip profiteroles, one at a time, into caramel and arrange in a circle on a parchment-lined serving platter or baking sheet, using the caramel to glue them together. Continue building the Croquembouche by dipping and “glueing” another, smaller ring of profiteroles on top of the first one. Continue the process until the classic cone or tower shape has been achieved. Lightly drizzle the remaining caramel over the Croquembouche to form a cobweb of spun sugar. Affix sugared almonds, metallic dragées, or flowers for decoration.

So dear reader..(s) please send us your pics. We are expecting great things from you all. Would love to have a croquembouche competition...what do you think?

PS...thanks and congratulations to Judy Edwards (the one from SA!) for her amazing recipe in Monthly Mouthful. You have won Judy, hands down, so please get in touch with us about prize selection! (Commenters will go into the draw for a maintenance pack, you will know you won, when it arrives on your doorstep! Bribery in the form of chocolate will be considered.)

MONTHLY MOUTHFUL GOES OUT TO DINNER

2010-03-25T15:02:00.009+08:00

Not sure about you, but things have gone crazy at HQ. SO much is happening, so hold on to your hats and stick around for the ride. Keep an eye out for lots of exciting things all over Australia and if you haven't already wrapped your laughing gear around one, look out for the new Meat on the Menu cookbook available to order from April 1st.
We have some terrific recipes as usual for you to COOK, EAT and VOTE for; Looking forward to lots of votes this month as all voters will go into the draw for a maintenance pack (MC, spatula, Butterfly, basket).

First up (and Jeff pipped my post here), from South Australia. Amanda McInerney sent this to me quite some time ago and I was looking through my dusty files and found it. Easy, quick and tasty hot or cold, it was a winner for dinner for me!

Iced Pea and Mint Soup

Ingredients
6 spring onions/shallots
20g olive oil
1L stock or equivalent water and 1tbsp TM stock concentrate
500g fresh or frozen peas
Generous handful mint leaves
Method
Cut spring onions/shallots into 2 or 3 pieces and place into TM bowl with olive oil.
Chop for 3 seconds on speed 6.
Add stock and peas and cook for 8 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Add mint and cook a further 3 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Puree for 1 minute by bringing speed up slowly to speed 10.
Chill for 4 hours before serving. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, or drizzle of cream and sprigs of mint to garnish.

Secondly a main to write home about: Thanks again to South Australia, and consultant Laura Kempt, clearly the foodie culture is amongst our TM users.

Moroccan Chicken Curry

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic
1 onion peeled and quartered
Zest 1 lemon
¼ tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, allspice, turmeric and coriander
40g olive oil
900g stock or equivalent water and 1 tbsp TM stock concentrate
Salt and pepper to taste
250g basmati rice
30g currants
30g toasted pine nuts
400g chicken thigh fillet cubed
100-150g pumpkin peeled and cubed
1 red capsicum sliced
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 tin chick peas drained or equivalent dried, soaked and cooked
1tbsp cornflour mixed to a paste with a little water

Method
Place garlic, ½ the onion and ½ the lemon zest into TM bowl and chop for 3-4 seconds on speed 6.
Scrape down sides of bowl and spices and oil. Sauté for 4 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Add stock and season to taste.
Place rice into basket and rinse under running water. Place basket into TM and stir through currants, pine nuts and remaining lemon zest.
Place cubed chicken, pumpkin, capsicum and remaining thinly sliced onion into Varoma dish and tray and set Varoma into position. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper, stir through.
Cook for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Remove rice, fluff with a fork and place into ThermoServer.
Add spinach and chick peas to Varoma and cook a further 5-10 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1 until chicken and pumpkin are fully cooked.
Keep warm whilst you make the sauce by adding cornflour paste to TM bowl and cook for a further 4-5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3 with MC off.
Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables and serve with rice immediately.

Another stunning, restaurant quality main (or could be adapted as an entree) comes from South Australia as well...thanks to our customer, Judy Edwards!

Savoury Prawn Crepes

Ingredients
1 batch crepes (see February 2010 Calendar)
100g fresh bread
60g cheddar cheese cubed
500g green prawns
220g water
110g white wine
1 small onion peeled and quartered
90g butter
5-6 spring onions, shallots cut into 3 pieces each
3tbsp flour
110g cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Place bread and cheese into TM bowl and mill together for 10 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
Shell and de-vein prawns, reserving shells. Rinse well and place with heads into TM bowl with water, wine and onion. Cook for 10 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1. Drain through basket and keep stock, discarding the shells.
In clean dry TM bowl, place 30g butter, spring onions/shallots and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and cook for 2 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Add prawns and cook for 4 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1. Place all into ThermoServer and set aside. (Mixture will continue to cook in ThermoServer. Don’t be tempted to overcook the prawns if they are not quite done.)
To make sauce place remaining butter into TM bowl with flour and cook for 1 minute at 100ºC on speed 2. Add 200g reserved prawn stock, cream and seasoning and cook a further 4 minutes at 90ºC on speed 4. Add to prawns in ThermoServer until use.
Lay crepes out and spoon filling into the center of each one. Roll up and place into baking tray or dish, seam side down.
Sprinkle with breadcrumb, cheese mixture and bake in hot oven for 5-10 minutes until heated through. Serve with fresh salad and a jacket potato or chunky fries.

This recipe is ideal for a dinner party as you can make it ahead, refrigerate and simply heat in the hot oven for around 20 minutes before service.
Last but not least, and to give SA a break, this time from NSW, a consultant, Emma Mount has provided us with a delicious tid bit to go with coffee, Burnt Butter Biscuits...and no, the butter is not 'burnt'. The name refers to the method of browning butter to enhance the flavor of the end result...to great effect I must say!

Burnt Butter Biscuits

Ingredients
130g butter
100g castor sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla essence
300g SR flour
Almonds, walnuts, jam, chocolate drops, to decorate (optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line a baking tray with paper and set aside.
Place butter into TM bowl and cook for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Cool slightly.
Add sugar and egg and beat together for 20 seconds on speed 4.
Add vanilla and flour and with dial set to closed lid position, mix for 5 seconds on Interval speed.
Use damp hands to roll small balls of dough and place onto prepared tray. Press nut (if using) into center of each ball and bake 5-7 minutes until golden.

There you have it...another great selection to COOK, EAT and VOTE for...please get your replies in ASAP and we will take it from there. Watch for another issue of 'From the Vault' coming to your inbox soon.

In the meantime, happy Thermomixing!

TIPPLING CLUB GETS OUR NOD!

2010-03-17T10:22:00.015+08:00

Well unless you have been hidden under a rock lately, you would know that the annual Thermomix Australia conference Thermofest was held in Singapore recently. With 80 plus consultants, a team of staff, Management, guests from Vorwerk and a partridge in a pear tree, we were 110 foodies let loose in possibly the food capital of the world!

The stunning Mandarin Oriental was our home for one luxurious week, and I would not be alone in saying that the meals in their Melt cafe were more than outstanding!

A highlight of the conference was our visit from newly celebrated chef and proud Thermomix owner, Ryan Clift of T he Tippling Club. Ryan is a charming English born (though Australian) chef who has recently opened his unique restaurant in Singapore with his partner Matthew Bax. The pair have unique ideas in both food and drink pairings, as well as presentation. A few of us managed to go to the restaurant which hosts a degustation style choice of menus...yours truly reluctantly limited herself to the five course option only to find that most courses had more than one dish...thank goodness I limited early! Ryan added a couple of dishes for us especially, his version of Singapore Chilli Crab, and a raw ethical foie gras. (Email me about the ethical part and I will happily fill you in!) Needless to say, between frog, pigeon, jamon, confit duck, endless 'foams and fluff', (as described by Ryan himself) the most awesome truffle I have ever eaten, an ice cream shell with pistachio moss...oh the list goes on...I was totally stuffed.

Please find below the dish created by Ryan especially for Thermofest...aptly named, 'In Shades of Green.' It is not your average recipe in that there are four different processes before assembly and presentation as well as the use of the hydrocolloid, soy lecithin. We are missing the home distilled moss spray used by Ryan to enhance the whole visceral experience, but we are pretty sure you won't miss it...much! The flavors were succinct and intense, and despite it only being a mouthful, very satisfying to the palate.

Thermo Steamed Razor Clams or 'In Shades of Green'.

Clams;

Ingredients
2 live razor clam
450ml chicken stock
1 bunch chopped chives
8g soy lecithin

Method
Wash and purge razor clams in lightly salted cold mineral water.
Place chicken stock into TM bowl. Cook for 5 minutes at 90oC on speed 8.
Place razor clams into Varoma dish and set into position. Cook for 10 minutes at 90oC on speed 8 or until just opened.
Remove and cut into pasta shaped pieces, place into covered bowl to keep warm until required.
Place chives and lecithin into TM bowl and blend for 2 minutes on speed 10. Remove and strain through chinoise into tall container and use stick blender to obtain light aerated emulsion.

Basil Jelly;

Ingredients
400g water
5g (less than 1/2 tsp) kappa carrageenan
pinch salt
generous handful fresh basil leaves

Method
Place water into TM bowl, add salt and kappa and blend for 1 minute on speed 10.
Add basil leaves and cook for 6 minutes at 80oC on speed 10.
Remove and pour mix into tray or container and set in fridge.
Cut into desired shapes to serve. (Ryan simply cubed the jelly.)

Herb Moss;

Ingredients
150g breadcrumbs
30g Italian parsley
20g chives
Salt and white pepper to taste

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl, mill for 2 minutes on speed 10. Set aside.

Basil Oil;

Ingredients
150g basil leaves
300g olive oil

Method
Blanche basil in hot water and refresh in cold water.
Place basil and oil into TM bowl and cook for 8 minutes at 80oC on speed 9.
Remove and bottle until use. (You may strain through a coffee filter if desired to have an even more refined end result.)

Assembly;

For final presentation, scatter clams over warm plate.
Dust clams with herb moss.
Place 5 cubes of jelly around the plate.
Finish with spoonfuls of sauce foam and droplets of herb oil.
Distillation of smoked yogurt, fresh shallot and tahoon cress garnish is optional.

Also a drink recipe from Matthew, done in the traditional way, but if you would like to Thermomix it up, go ahead...you may even get a better foam!

Aperol Sour

Ingredients
60ml Aperol (Italian Bitter/Aperitif, slightly sweeter than Campari with a lighter kick)
10g freshly squeezed lemon juice
10g freshly squeezed lime juice
20g gomme (1 part hot mineral water:1 part white sugar)
1 fresh egg white
Dash Bittermans Grapefruit Bitters (Exclusively available at The Tippling Club Members Store)

Method
Shake hard without ice (called a "dry shake", this will help give your sour a really nice foamy top)
Then add block ice and shake again.
Strain over fresh block ice into your favorite cocktail glass.
Garnish with a dash of bitters and a flamed orange zest.
Flamed Orange Zest;
You will need a match, knife and orange for this one. Carefully cut a 50 cent sized piece of orange peel. Be sure not to squeeze it during the process. Hold it over the top of the drink, outer zest facing a open flame (match). Then with a quick squeeze, spritz the oils over a naked flame, they will ignite in a flash and give a lovely aroma to your foam (and should impress your friends).

So there you have it...almost an ode to The Tippling Club...if you're ever in the neighborhood, go visit.

On another completely unrelated topic; Not many entries for Monthly Mouthful this month, and in light of all the excess verbage about Tippling Club, (did I over do it??) and Thermofest, we have a little time up our collective sleeves, so feel free to keep sending me your no fail, winners every time, entertaining the masses recipes and they will be selected, cooked, tested and posted for your own judgment...and BTW, with no clear winner in January's outstanding Mouthful, we have decided to send you all a little something...just as soon as I can catch my breath!

DINNER PARTY FROM THE VAULT

2010-02-03T14:06:00.012+08:00

Well here we go with a few more from the vault! You could get lost in there! The most amazing recipes are coming to light and we're loving it! We thought we would put together a dinner party menu for you, and then you can include your friends in all the fun, if not the eating! Pics are in no particular order (as you may have noticed!)
Our first selection is this refreshing drink can be tizzied up to act like a grown up with clear liquor of choice...but is beautiful just as it is.

Fruit Fantasy (non-alcoholic)

Ingredients
480g fresh orange juice
240g pineapple juice
1 small punnet of strawberries (washed & hulled)
280g honeydew melon
280g rockmelon
320g ice

Method
Place all ingredients into the bowl and blend for 2 minutes on speed 9 or until smooth.

Pour into highball glasses, garnish and serve with a straw.

Contributed by Neroli Beeton, customer WA

Here is a side dish that would go really well with most roasted or BBQed meats. No names on this one...is it yours?

Pesto Rice

Ingredients
300g Italian Arborio rice
1 qty Basil and Spinach Pesto (see Everyday cookbook)
500g stock, or equivalent water with 1 tbsp TM Stock Concentrate
20g EVOO
Salt and Pepper to taste
Juice of 1 Lemon
100ml White Wine

Garnish
30g Parmesan Cheese - shaved with potato peeler
4 Spring Onions (finely chopped)
Fennel leaves (optional)

Method
Insert Butterfly, add oil, rice, wine and ¼ of the pesto sauce. Cook for 2 minutes at 100oC on speed 1.
Add stock and cook for 14 minutes at 100oC on speed 1.
Place cooked rice into a serving bowl and add lemon juice, the remaining pesto and combine with all other ingredients, then toss.
Decorate with garnishes to taste.

A main which is fragrant and unique. I cooked it individual ramekins, but I suggest a rectangular dish would be easier. You may need a few more raisins and pine nuts accordingly. This would be great cold as lunch the next day. Or pre-make and serve it cold...we all agreed the flavor improved with time.

Moroccan Chicken and Pumpkin Slice

Ingredients
Handful Italian parsley
250-350g pre cooked chicken breast fillet
500-600g peeled pumpkin cut in pieces
3 cloves garlic
1tsp cardamom seeds
1tsp curry powder
1tsp hot paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes or to taste
½ tsp peppercorns
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp fennel seeds
100g milk
100g water
100g cream
Zest and juice 1 lemon
5 eggs
50g almonds
Handful raisins
Handful pine nuts to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Oil a large rectangular ceramic dish and set aside.
Place parsley into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7. Add chicken and chop a further 3 seconds on speed 5. Set aside in large bowl.
Place pumpkin into TM bowl and chop for 8 seconds on speed 7. Add to chicken.
In clean dry bowl, place garlic and all dry spices and dry roast for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1. Mill for 20 seconds by bringing speed up slowly to speed 10.
Add milk, water, cream and zest and juice of lemon. Cook for 10 minutes at 90ºC on speed 3.
Place chicken and pumpkin mixture back into TM bowl and add eggs and almonds. Mix for 10 seconds on speed 5. Pour into prepared dish and top with raisins and pine nuts.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until set in center and golden on top. Serve with crusty bread and fresh salad.

Finally, dessert, the Spanish version of Crème Brulee, this is just as easy and delicious! Serve warm or cold...but we loved it cold sprinkled with a little cinnamon to finish.

Catalan Cream

Ingredients
750g milk
200g sugar
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp cornflour
Rind of 1 lemon
1 stick cinnamon

Method
Insert Butterfly into TM bowl and add 100g of sugar and the remaining ingredients. Cook for 8 minutes at 90oC on speed 1½.
Continue to stir for a further 1 minute on speed 1½ without heat.
Remove the lemon rind and cinnamon stick and pour into small ramekin bowls and allow to cool.
(Optional; Before serving sprinkle remaining sugar over the top and cook under a hot grill until bubbly and caramelized.)

Last but not least, for a little after dinner treat with coffee, (should you have a wee bit of room left at all!) these lovely little kisses. Also a do ahead model, so you have time to enjoy the whole evening.

Baci da Dama (Kisses)

Biscuit Ingredients
100g almonds
100g sugar
120g butter
150g plain flour
20g vanillin sugar or vanilla essence
Pinch salt

Biscuit Method
Preheat oven to 160ºC. Line a baking tray with paper and set aside.
Place the almonds and sugar into the bowl and pulverise for 30 seconds on speed 10.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6.
Take a teaspoon full of mixture and roll to form little balls, place them on tray, and cook for 20 minutes.
Allow biscuits to cool.

Topping Ingredients;
150g chocolate

Topping Method
Place the chocolate into the bowl and pulverize for 20 seconds on speed 10.
Melt chocolate at 37oC for 5 minutes on speed 4 (to make a fondant).
Put a teaspoonful of chocolate mixture between 2 biscuits and place them in the fridge or freezer to set.

This recipe was contributed by Anne Tesconi Group Leader WA and if you would like to see more of Anne's recipes, you can check them out on our website here!

There you have it! Practically an entire menu done in no time in your Thermomix. What do you like to cook for guests? Let us know in the next Monthly Mouthful.

We want your favorites, your no fails, your most popular, 'yes they love it' dinner party or entertaining recipes for Monthly Mouthful March. Get all recipes in by Monday March 15th and we will take it from there!
In the meantime I am joining the crew in Singapore for Thermofest. Stay tuned for future updates by following Tenina on Twitter. You will see photos, food pics and lots of updates in real time. You can even send messages back to us!

A MOUTHFUL OF BREAKFAST

2010-01-27T12:27:00.010+08:00

And I thought January's Monthly Mouthful Challenge was going to be easy! With a dearth of entries and needing a few more than just ONE, I sneakily headed over to the Thermomix Forum to meekly ask for brekky recipes...and what a wealth of ideas I was greeted with! SO once again we have more than the promised TWO to choose from and I am leaving it up to you dear Thermomixers, cook, eat and vote via comment. Remember the lucky winner can choose between a 'maintenance' pack (MC, spatula, butterfly, basket) or a current recipe book from our range.

First up from Sunny Queensland and from one of our many food bloggers, Jo Whitton, a lovely fresh and healthy breakfast that can be prepared in literally seconds.

Raw Fruit Cereal

Ingredients
10g linseed
40g raw almonds
15g raw pepitas
10g sunflower seeds
2 apples quartered
1 large banana halved
1tsp ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1tbsp pure maple syrup
50g raisins or currants

Method
Place linseed into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9. Add nuts and seeds to TM bowl and roughly chop on speed 7 for 2 seconds.
Add all remaining ingredients except raisins and chop for a further 3 seconds on speed 5.
Stir raisins through for 5 seconds on Reverse + speed 1. Serve immediately with almond or rice milk or yogurt of choice.

For something completely different; Thanks to Cathy Benson, also from Queensland, not quite as quick, but delicious and easy, and with a salute to Dr Seuss;

Green Eggs and Ham

Ingredients
200g cheddar cheese cubed
8 eggs
3 cloves peeled garlic
1/3 medium sweet onion
1/3 bag fresh baby spinach (2-3 cups packed)
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
dash cayenne
½ block cream cheese
handful fresh basil, plus a sprig or two more for garnish
1 ripe tomato thinly sliced
1 salad onion thinly sliced

Method
Preheat oven to 200ºC.
Place cheese into TM bowl and grate for 8 seconds on speed 8. Set aside.
Place all ingredients except tomato, onion and grated cheese into TM bowl and blend for 20 seconds on speed 9. Pour mixture into a well oiled baking dish.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and puffed up.
When frittata begins to set, remove from oven. Sprinkle liberally with grated cheese. Arrange tomato slices and thin slices of onion. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
Crack a little additional pepper on top. Finish baking in oven until firm, perhaps another 5 minutes.
Serve with grilled chipolatas and homemade toast to adoring toddlers explaining that it's specially made for them by Dr Seuss.
Of course, if you must have the ham of Green Eggs and Ham fame, slice it in strips and add to the frittata at the same time as the tomatoes and eggs.

Now from Lara Zheng, a customer from Perth, something both speedy and easy as well as nutritious and delicious;

Honeyed Breakfast Couscous (not pictured)

Ingredients
Zest 1 orange
3tbsp raw almonds
100g dried dates
650g milk
3tbsp honey
1tsp cinnamon
200g couscous
1tsp vanilla essence
Method
Place zest into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 8.
Add almonds and dates and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
Place couscous into ThermoServer and set aside.
Place all remaining ingredients into TM bowl and cook for 5 minutes at 80ºC on speed 2. Pour onto couscous, stir with a fork, cover and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving with fresh sliced fruit of choice and a dollop of yogurt if desired.

Last but not least from Karen Hedley, another of our blogger Thermomix consultants, Cranberry Maple Breakfast Scones...or with an apology to Karen, our version as pictured, Raspberry Honey Breakfast Scones...its a long story, but alight with enthusiasm, I got down to the demo kitchen to find I would have to go shopping to make these beauties, so I subbed all sorts of stuff, largely raw honey for maple syrup, frozen raspberries for cranberries and mascarpone cheese for yogurt, with no ill affects. Karen's original recipe appears here.

Cranberry Maple Breakfast Scones

Ingredients
70g almonds
85g oats
140g wholemeal flour
100g plain flour
1tbsp baking powder
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp cardamom
100g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
65g milk
140g yoghurt
25g maple syrup
50-80g dried or frozen cranberries
Glaze;
1-2 tspn each of maple syrup and milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC and line a baking tray with paper. Set aside.
Place almonds and oats into TM bowl and mill for 8 seconds on speed 8.
Add remaining dry ingredients and butter, set dial to closed lid position and pulse using the Turbo button 3 times.
Add wet ingredients.
With dial set to closed lid position, knead for 20 seconds on Interval speed until the dough is well mixed. Add cranberries and just combine for a further 10 seconds on Interval speed. (If using frozen fruit, the fruit should not be thawed first.)
Tip out onto ThermoMat and gently knead the dough a little by hand, adding more flour as needed. Shape into a circle and flatten until it's about 4cm thick. Using a butter knife cut into 6-8 pie shaped wedges.
Use your MC to mix the extra syrup and milk and brush over the top of the scones. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Serve with butter, marmalade or jam or additional maple syrup. Honey butter would be a lovely accompaniment as well.

Well kids, there you have it; plenty to be eating! Don't forget the rules of Monthly Mouthful, cook, eat and vote with your stomach via comment on here. We will award the prize after the next post which ideally should be mid month, but with the way this year is shaping up, could be a tad later than that. Looking forward to hearing from you all now, y'hear?

MAKING IT SIMPLE IN 2010

2010-01-04T09:51:00.013+08:00

Welcome back to a New Year of Thermomixing! Breaking News!! The marketing team at Thermomix Australia have decided to simplify the blog somewhat, as well as take the pressure off our beleaguered recipe developer! (So many recipes, so little time...but she loves it!)
This year our recipes will all come from the vault! Yes, we have a recipe vault, isn't that fantastic? Mostly untested, hundreds and hundreds of recipes sit on our data base, hoping to see the light of day eventually, and to simplify, we shall trot a few out each month, test them, format them and get them out to you.
Some of the recipes are anonymous, not deliberately so, but by accident of record keeping, so please if your Great Aunt Mildred's secret recipe that she left you in her will ends up on here without a credit, let us know!
Monthly Mouthful will alter as well, in that the winning recipe each month will have the option to win an accessories pack (Butterfly, MC and spatula) or the Thermomix cook book of your choice, of which there will be an ever increasing number to choose from...(she says hopefully!) Those who vote (comment) regularly on the Monthly Mouthful will also get a look in by going in to a draw quarterly for a yet to be determined (but awesome) prize. This may change again further into the year as there are many additional surprises afoot.
Whilst on the topic of Monthly Mouthful, the clear winners for December were Glace Choc Dream and Wicked Celebration Fruit Salad...and as our young Thermomixer has cleaned up on Monthly Mouthful for quite a few months in 2009, I have made a judges decision and the book will go to Catherine Day for her Wicked Celebration Fruit Salad. Congratulations.
Without further ado (and in no particular order as will become apparent)...let's get on with the opening of the vault!

DIM SUM
Wrapper Ingredients
20g oil
170g bakers flour
130g Tapioca starch
Pinch sea salt
170g boiling water
Wrapper Method
Place oil, flour, starch and salt into TM bowl and mix together for 5 seconds on speed 6.
Add boiling water through hole in lid and combine for 10 seconds on speed 6.
With dial set to closed lid position, knead for 30 seconds on Interval speed. Allow dough to rest, wrapped in floured ThermoMat, for at least 10 minutes.
Roll out into to almost fill size of ThermoMat (approximately) and cut circles of dough using MC as cutter.

Filling Ingredients
2 leeks, washed and chopped in chunks
2 eschalots peeled
2-3 cloves garlic
Piece of peeled ginger to taste
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp cornflour
15g sesame oil
250g pork mince
Mushrooms or bamboo shoots to taste (optional)

Filling Method
Place leeks, eschalots, garlic and ginger into TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 7.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4.

Assemble Dim Sum by rolling each cut round of dough a little thinner with a rolling pin. Spoon approximately 1 tsp of filling into the centre of each round. Bring edges together and pinch dough to seal in a little ‘purse’. Place each dumpling on its own square of baking paper and place into Varoma dish and tray, so that they do not touch each other.
Place 1 litre of boiling water into TM bowl and set Varoma into position. Cook for 15 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3. Serve whilst hot with a dipping sauce of choice.

For something completely different if not a little seasonally late! A traditional Christmas treat from Greece, please enjoy;

Kourabiedes

Ingredients
100g almonds
330g unsalted butter
60g icing sugar (plus approx 400-500g additional for dusting)
25g ouzo
1 egg yolk
100g cornstarch
500g plain flour
Method
Preheat fan forced oven to 180ºC. Line 2 large baking trays with paper and set aside.
Place almonds into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
Place butter, icing sugar, ouzo and egg yolk into TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Add almonds and cornstarch and approximately half the flour. Mix for 15 seconds on speed 7.
Add remaining flour and with dial set to closed lid position, knead for 30 seconds on Interval speed or until dough comes together. Use spatula if necessary to assist in bringing the dough together. It should hold its shape when you squeeze it in the palm of your hand. Do not over mix.
Roll into half moon shapes and space evenly on the prepared trays. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Whilst still warm dredge with icing sugar. Cool, and repeat with another coating of icing sugar.

NOW to more serious business...Monthly Mouthful for January twenty ten!
At this time of year our minds and hips turn to healthy options and I don't know about you, but easy breakfasts were always a challenge until the arrival of Thermomix in my kitchen...so YOUR challenge is this;

Looking at the recipe below, send us your version of a quick instant breakfast that can replace all those nasty boxed cereal options that are widely advertised as 'healthy'. This recipe appears in A Taste of Vegetarian and is a favorite of our good friend Cyndi O'Meara. It was devised by her colleague in health Fleur Whellingan and truly answers all our criteria of quick, healthy and delicious! Go on, let your taste buds do the inventing and get it into recipes@thermomix.com.au before January 22nd. I can hardly wait to start my engine...(testing that is)!

CADA

Ingredients
Handful each;
Coconut
Almonds
Pitted dates
1 apple quartered

Method
With dial set to closed lid position press Turbo button 2 or 3 times for 1 second each.
Serve with fresh yoghurt, and additional sliced fruit as desired.

COOK YOURSELF A MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-07T16:27:00.005+08:00

We hate to mention it again, but yes, if you haven't already noticed, it IS that time of year and your Thermomix is probably working overtime.

Some wonderful recipes came in for December's Monthly Mouthful, and seriously, the hip measurement couldn't stand another such bounteous month. Rather than cook everything that sounded fantastic (which was virtually every recipe that came in!) we have tested a couple, added one of Grace Mazur's excellent recipes (not up for a prize) and then put up a couple more untested, for you to try! So cooking is compulsory, voting is optional and eating is a must. The recipe with the most votes will win their own copy of George Calombaris' The Press Club recipe book.

Firstly from Grace, the very easy yet decadent, (don't get breath tested after this one!);

Mascarpone Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients
150g dark chocolate broken into pieces
45g milk
500g mascarpone cheese
2tbsp icing sugar
2tbsp plum jam (or any jam of choice)
30-40g brandy
few mint leaves to garnish
Fresh or frozen berries of choice for garnish

Method
Place chocolate and milk into TM bowl and melt together for 4 minutes at 80oC on speed 3. Cool down slightly.
Add remaining ingredients (except garnishes) to TM bowl and combine for 30 seconds on speed 5-6.
Refrigerate for at least 1/2 an hour before serving in individual glasses or bowls with garnishes of choice.

Thanks to Catherine Day for this one who has been sending in awesome recipes all year long, and honestly Catherine, they were all competition worthy! This has been receiving the big thumbs up from all the office staff, in their eyes the clear winner so far!

Wicked Celebration Fruit Salad

Ingredients
130g pink and white marshmallows (1/2 pkg)
300g cream
30g butter
60g sugar
2 large eggs
425g tin pineapple pieces with juice
2tbsp sherry, Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 jar Morello pitted cherries drained
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
Method
Use a pair of scissors to half marshmallows. Set aside.
Insert Butterfly into TM bowl and add cream. Whip until holding stiff peaks, between 20-30 seconds on speed 4. Add to marshmallows.
Place butter, sugar, eggs and juice from pineapple (approximately 160g, add cherry juice if under that amount) and cook for 6 minutes at 90C on speed 4. Add alcohol and allow to cool.
Prepare oranges, and fold all together. Allow to chill overnight if possible.
To really impress: Collect a few violet or rose petals, dip in beaten eggwhite and allow to dry. Dust with caster sugar and scatter over top of salad prior to serving.

This is from a mystery contestant, and the reason they are a mystery is because we cannot find who sent it in! (So if it was you, please claim it and possibly the prize as well!) Moist, chocolatey, homey and all gone at the office!

Almond/Hazelnut Choc Muffins with Ganache

Ingredients
100g almonds or hazelnuts
140g sugar
150g chopped butter
80g brown sugar
1tbsp strawberry jam
230g water
60g cocoa
1tsp baking soda
2 eggs

Method
Preheat oven to 160C.
Generously butter or line a 12 hole muffin pan. Set aside.
Place almonds/hazelnuts into TM bowl and mill for 8 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add butter, brown sugar, strawberry jam and water and cook for 3 minutes at 100C on speed 1. Allow to cool.
Add remaining ingredients to TM bowl (including milled nuts) and blend together for 20-30 seconds on speed 6.
Divide between muffin pans and bake for 15-20 minutes until springy when touched in the center.
Cool completely before icing with ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients
200g dark chocolate broken into pieces
120g cream

Method
Place chocolate and cream into the TM bowl and cook for 3 minutes at 90C on speed 1. Beat for 5-6 seconds on speed 8. Refrigerate uncovered, spread ganache on top of muffins and garnish with a toasted almond or hazelnut.

An untested (by me) recipe from the ever resourceful and accurate Jeff Brady, so we are confident this will work exactly as expected. (As I have a penchant for anything frozen, this is on my personal list Mr. B!)

Glace Choc Dream

Ingredients

130g sugar
4 eggs, separated
400g cream
2tbsp liqueur of your choice (Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Frangelico, etc)
150g mixed candied peel or glace fruit of choice
90g chocolate, dark, milk or white roughly chopped
Optional – 60g honeycomb or a Violet Crumble bar, roughly chopped

Method
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 30 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
Insert Butterfly. Place egg whites into TM bowl and whip for 3 minutes at 37C on speed 4, adding the sugar gradually, one teaspoon at a time through the hole in the lid.
Remove meringue from bowl and set aside.
Without cleaning bowl, and with Butterfly still in place, add yolks, cream and liqueur to TM bowl and whip for about 30-40 seconds on speed 4. Gently fold this through the meringue mixture using the spatula.
Again without cleaning the bowl but without the Butterfly, add chocolate to TM bowl and melt for 3 minutes at 50C on speed 1. Add fruits to TM bowl and mix through for 5 seconds on Reverse + speed 5. (If adding honeycomb, do so now with the fruit.) Spread mixture onto ThermoMat to cool slightly before adding to meringue and cream mixture. Stir through.
Line a pudding bowl with plastic wrap, pour mixture into bowl and freeze overnight.
To serve, dip bowl briefly into hot water, slide a knife around the edge and tip out onto serving plate.
Garnish with berries, additional glace fruit, chocolate curls, more whipped cream or all of the above!

And last but not least, also untested by the TM test kitchen, from Laura Kempt, another excellent Thermomixer;

Grenadine and Pistachio Souffle

Ingredients
15g gelatine granules
60g warm water
4 eggs, separated
Pinch cream of tartar
130g sugar
250g double cream
150g raw pistachio kernals
130g grenadine syrup

Method
Butter and sugar a 1L pudding bowl or ring mould and set aside.
Place pistachios into the TM bowl and coarsely chop for 4 seconds on speed 3. Set aside.
Place grenadine into TM bowl and heat at 50ºC for 2 minutes on speed 1 . Sprinkle gelatine on top and beat for 20 seconds on speed 6 .
Pour into a small heatproof bowl and set aside.
Insert the Butterfly into clean and dry TM bowl and add the egg whites and cream of tartar.
Beat without MC in place for 3-5 minutes at 50ºC on speed 3 until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Rinse and dry TM bowl and reinsert clean Butterfly.
Place cream into the TM bowl and beat on speed 4 until stiff. (Between 20-40 seconds depending on freshness of cream). Set aside.
Add egg yolks and sugar to the TM bowl with Butterfly and whisk for approx. 40 seconds on speed 3 until light and fluffy.
Remove Butterfly and return all other ingredients to the TM bowl. Fold together for 10 seconds on speed soft.
Finish folding through with spatula if necessary.
Pour mixture into prepared mould and place in the refrigerator. Leave to set for 2-3 hours.
When firm, turn mould out onto a decorative plate. Garnish with fresh or glace fruit of choice.

There you have it, plenty to be getting on with! Cook, Eat and Vote via comment on here by around the 2nd week of January and we will have that terrific book winging its way to the lucky contributor before you even can think, 'Happy New Year'. We will start up our Monthly Mouthful again in the New Year, so stay posted. In the meantime, from all of us here at Head Office, please enjoy and have a safe and Happy Christmas.

PORTUGESE ADVENTURE

2009-11-17T11:14:00.008+08:00

As Grace flew out the door (again) this morning, she mentioned that she wanted the blog this month to mention the recent trip to Portugal, which she made, along with the ever intrepid Witek, Jules from Head Office, Maria, Branch Manager in WA and Janine Branch Manager in Victoria.

Not a European junket, but a hard working trip...they all came back full of inspiration, ideas and news so stay tuned as lots of what they learned will filter through in the next couple of months and early new year. The Portugal Thermomix Distributor sells approximately 30,000 TM's a year with a population of approximately 12 million people! (SO we have a looong way to catch up and twice the population!)

Grace of course brought back recipes, which is one of the joys of working for Thermomix! She arrived yesterday with a bag full of ingredients, a Portugese recipe and a request for me to quickly make it for all to try. (It needs to be said, I LOVE my job!!)

First up, the Fish Soup of yesterday;

Fish Soup

Ingredients
Handful fresh coriander
100g each red and green capsicum
1 onion peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic
70g olive oil
400g tin crushed tomatoes
800g fish stock
freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste
1-2 fresh bay leaves
60g rice
2-4 eggs
500g mussels or to taste
250g peeled and de-veined prawns
300g white fish fillets cubed

Method
Place coriander into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7. Set aside.
Place capsicum, onion, garlic and oil into TM bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 5. Saute for 3 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.

Add tomatoes, stock and seasoning and blend for 8 seconds on speed 9.
Place rice into 'soup' and prepare Varoma dish.
Wash eggs and mussels and place into Varoma dish. Add prawns and fish and set Varoma into position.

Cook for 15-18 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse + speed 3. Place eggs into Thermoserver until ready to serve. (This will help them finish cooking)
Peel and chop eggs. Serve soup over eggs, and seafood of choice. Garnish with chopped coriander.

(As a side note from the recipe developer extraordinaire...a squeeze of lemon juice is the finishing touch!)

We also have a traditional Portugese Custard Tart recipe, that (hint hint) will be available in a lovely new hard cover, full color, recipe book that is not yet available in Australia, but you didn't hear that from me! (Watch this space)

Portuguese Cream Tartlets

Ingredients
250g milk
250g cream
170g sugar
50g flour
5 egg yolks
1 cinnamon stick
Lemon peel of half an organic lemon
500g puff pastry

Method
Insert Butterfly. Place milk, cream, sugar, flour and egg yolks into mixing bowl, mix for
10 seconds on speed 4.

Add cinnamon stick and lemon peel, cook for 18 minutes at 90ºC on speed 2. While cooking, pre-heat oven to 200ºC. If necessary, roll out puff pastry on a non-stick surface to 3mm thick layer. Cut out 12 round shapes (10cm in diameter) large enough to cover the inside of the muffin tray cups. Place a round shape into each cup.

Remove and discard cinnamon stick and lemon peel. Pour filling into the cups, do not fill right to the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the custard is set and browned on the top. Cool in the muffin tray for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or cold.

Last but not least we have a beautiful recipe from Grace's personal kitchen. Moist, fragrant and easy, this recipe will become a family favorite very quickly!
This cake is also called “salceson” in Poland because of its reddy brown color.
Try to use good quality Dutch or organic cacao, you can also cut back on the sugar if desired.

Spiced Apple Cake

Ingredients
1 kg of apples
5 eggs seperated
300g raw sugar or rapedura sugar
50g of grape seed oil or organic safflower oil
250g of plain flour
1.5 tsp bicarb soda
1tbsp cinnamon
2tbsp cacao

Method
Preheat oven to 180oC and line a large lamington tin with baking paper.
Peel apples and core them, dice them into small cubes or chop roughly in TM for 2-5 seconds on speed 4-5. Set aside.

Clean and dry the bowl, insert Butterfly.
Add egg whites and beat for 3-4 minutes on speed 3 till stiff and add sugar gradually and beat for further minute till dissolved.

Remove Butterfly and add all ingredients except apples and mix for 15-20 seconds on speed 5 until well combined. Do not over mix.
Add apples and mix to combine for 10 seconds on Reverse + speed 5. If not all combined finish it with the spatula .

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes till skewer comes out clean.
Cool down before serving dusted with icing sugar.

Hopefully this month's trio of recipes will keep everyone happy AND guessing! Stay tuned for updates.

Now to the Monthly Mouthful for December...Earlier there was something about a cookie round up! But no, we have gone one better. The Monthly Mouthful for December is to be a Favorite Family Christmas recipe...it could have been handed down through generations, or perhaps is a new thing concocted recently that has become a 'must' for Christmas in your house!
Of course the recipe will be in Thermomix format and you need to send it to;
recipes@thermomix.com.au before Friday December 4th. I will post the best and keep the rest for future or personal reference (haha). It will then be up to you, the Thermomixers of Australia, to make, taste and vote via comment. A terrific prize worthy of a trip from the Thermomix Elves will wing its way to your door prior to Christmas, so the lucky winner can be cooking even more fantastic recipes or alternatively have a wonderful book to re-gift!
~oh OK, OK, I'll tell you, it is a copy of the lovely George Calombaris book, the aptly named, The Press Club. I know...worth baking for, so start your engines and get emailing!

MONTHLY MOUTHFUL SUMMER DRINKS SERIES

2009-11-04T12:40:00.009+08:00

Well folks, it says 'series' and 'series' is shall be. Drinks recipes are so short, so I can fit so many more on the page. The testing and tasting I shall leave to all as usual, but you have so many more choices this time...I just couldn't pare it down any further!
First cab off the rank, from Karen Headley of Canberra, something for breakfast and so much healthier than all those nasty powdered breakfast shakes, but just as quick!

Divine Smoothie

Ingredients
150g cashews
2 bananas cut into chunks and frozen
3-4 dates
1tbsp cocoa
ice to taste
rice milk to desired amount

Method
Place everything except milk into TM bowl and blend for 30-40 seconds on speed 8. Add milk and blend a further 30 seconds on speed 8.

Karen's naughty note is that this is far too yummy for breakfast and should be frozen into ice cube trays, then re blended until you have a stunning creamy soft serve ice cream. Let me tell you it didn't get that far in the test kitchen...so you will have to take Karen's word for it!

Not unlike a recipe that is coming in the now available Festive Flavour book ($15 ~ ask your friendly TM consultant!) is Jeff Brady's;

Watermelon and Ginger Cooler

Ingredients
2cm piece peeled ginger
50g sugar
1 kg watermelon cut into chunks

Method
Place ginger and sugar into TM bowl and mince for 15 seconds on speed 8.
Add watermelon and blend for 1 minute on speed 6. Serve with or without additional ice as desired. For a bit of a hot hit, add a little more ginger! So refreshing!

Next we have Steph Bergs';

Blue Pine Smash

Ingredients
300g frozen blueberries
400-450g fresh or tinned pineapple
500g pineapple juice

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and 'blitz' for 20-30 seconds on speed 8.
Enjoy with or without ice as desired.

My personal fave so far is Jo Whittons' chocolate offering...but then chocolate does release serotonin in the brain, so it might just be the very happy hormones talking!

Chocolate Almond Smoothie

Ingredients
Handful of dates
Handful of raw almonds
Handful of your choice of pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds
2 trays ice (or to taste)
600g water
40g cocoa or carob powder
80g Rapadura sugar or 50g honey/pure maple syrup

Method
Place dates, nuts and seed into TM bowl and mill for 20 seconds on speed 9.
Add all other ingredients to TM bowl and blend for 1 minute on speed 9.

Jo's notes; Add a frozen banana instead of ice and less sweetener for a chocolate banana smoothie!

Last but not least, (disclaimer to this recipe is that is to be taken at your own risk and no correspondence will be entered into if you find yourself addicted to, compromised by or should you suffer from any other side effects relating to the consuming of this product), is something you should certainly save for Christmas entertaining. It comes from Joelene Jenkins another Thermomix blogger and new to the blog list on the right of screen.

Cocktail Milkshake

Ingredients
500g milk
2 scoops ice cream
60g Bailey's Irish Cream
60g Kahlua
60g Amaroola
60g Butternut Schnapps

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and blend for 1 minute on speed 8. T0 aerate the drink more, remove MC and replace with basket on top of lid.
Serves 2 (but probably should serve 8!)

I hope you agree, quite the Summer Drinks Series. As is the case with all our Monthly Mouthful contests, please make, taste and vote back here via comment. We shall be sending out the TM book of choice to the lucky winner...and by the way, the 2010 Calendars arrived today, so they are a prize option as well....and in case you're wondering, you don't have to be a Thermomix blogger to get a recipe on here, (just ask Steph) but clearly it helps!

SUMMER DRINKS SERIES

2009-10-14T12:35:00.008+08:00

It's icy drinks season...well almost. I am happy to report that we have a couple of hot days looming in the west and so apart from the obvious summer mantra (I will order the salad, I will order the salad) our thoughts turn to quick, healthy, refreshing drinks for guests, the kids or even ourselves. With that in mind, I have happily been playing bartender to the office to come up with some interesting blends that you can use throughout the next few months of summer heat. The Thermomix is so powerful that it can blend almost anything; (I recently milled an avocado pit in just 3 seconds!) which means the possibilities are endless!
Gluten Free, Vegetarian, nutritious, refreshing, delicious, sweet, fruity or all of the above. Here comes summer 2009-2010!

Cucumber Mint Granita

Ingredients
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped (approx 130g flesh)
3 tablespoons mint leaves
350g apple juice or cider
250g lemon or lime sorbet (See Everyday Cooking for Every Family)
250g ice cubes

Method
Place the cucumber, mint, apple juice or cider, sorbet and ice into TM bowl, and blend until smooth. Garnish with mint, and serve. An optional dash of vodka would work well in this on a hot day!

Tropical Blend

Ingredients
1 very ripe banana peeled, sliced, then frozen
1 small mango, pitted, peeled, sliced and frozen
300g sliced fresh pineapple frozen
300g Delicious Almond Milk (see Rawlicious booklet)
300g unsweetened pineapple juice
Juice 1 lime
1 small tin coconut cream (140g)

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and blend for 30 seconds on speed 9. Add ice if you want a thicker granita style drink, or add more pineapple juice for a thinner blend.

Brownie Milk

Ingredients
140g sugar
40g cocoa
120g water
1 tbsp vanilla essence
pinch sea salt

Method
Place all ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 3 seconds on speed 5. Cook for 5 minutes at 80oC on speed 2. Cool before pouring into sterilized jar. Keep refrigerated until use.
To use, drizzle around a chilled glass, fill with cold milk and serve with a straw and dollop of Creamy Traditional Ice Cream. (see Everyday Cooking for Every Family)
To make Coffee Chill, replace cocoa with 60g instant coffee granules. This will keep in the fridge for at least a month and the quantity can be doubled quite easily.

So bottoms up! The Thermomix brings a whole new meaning to the term 'power broker'! SO for the Monthly Mouthful for the month of October, how about you send in your favorite summer drink recipes? Non alcoholic, alcoholic, smoothies, shakes, slushies, granitas, iced blendeds, etc etc etc! We want them all, weird and wonderful.
All entries need to reach recipes@thermomix.com.au by October 30th and results will be posted on Monday November 2nd. I am heading off to Canberra and Sydney next week and the week after, so hope to catch up with a few of you at the Home Show or a cooking class. Until November though, keep those engines running (at 10300 rpm!)

A MOUTHFUL OF HONEY

2009-09-21T12:18:00.012+08:00

A few honey facts to devour...Five hundred grams of honey is the result of millions of beautiful flowers from hundreds of different species of plants, shrubs, and trees. Each variety of nectar producing flower yields its own unique honey. Each variety of honey also has its own unique taste and often its own delicate aroma. Used in recipes, varieties of honey may produce ever so slightly different flavors. It is no wonder that chefs and bakers the world over love to cook with honey. Honey is natural; honey is always pure; indeed, honey is a sweetener the way nature intended. If I haven't mentioned it before, we have our own beehive in the back yard and I must say that fresh honey defies description! We are about to harvest again, the first for the season and I estimate we will have around 25 kilos of honey from just one little hive! So I am delighted to present to you just 2 of the sensational recipes that came in using honey as an ingredient...go, cook, enjoy and then don't forget to vote!

Firstly a savory option which the office has given the big thumbs up!

Sweet Tuna Curry

Ingredients
1 onion peeled and halved
1 apple quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp curry powder
Pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp corn flour
400g chicken stock
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Large can flaked tuna drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Steamed rice to serve
Sliced red chillies to garnish (optional)

Method
Place onion, apple, olive oil, curry powder and cinnamon into TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 5. Sauté for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse + speed 1.
Mix cornflour with a little of the stock, add to TM bowl with the remaining stock, honey and vinegar.
Cook for 7 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed soft.
Add tuna and cook a further 2 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed soft.
Adjust seasoning and place into Thermo Server while you steam rice. Serve hot garnished with fresh chillies if desired.

You have Judy Edwards to thank for that tasty recipe all the way from lovely South Australia... and for your sweet option (why not make it a honey meal tonight?) we have a fantastic recipe from Jo Whitton, a recipe blogger in her own right and now a Thermomix consultant in sunny Queensland.

Rice and Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
350g raw brown rice
260g rice or almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
50g olive oil
280g raw honey
2 eggs
Pinch sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
200g fresh or frozen blueberries (or berries of choice)
Handful raw almonds
Handful rolled oats
2 tbsp rapadura sugar
2 tbsp macadamia oil

Method
Preheat oven to 170ºC. Line the base of baking dish and set aside.
Place rice, milk, vinegar, olive oil and honey into TM bowl and blend for 2 minutes on speed 9.
Scrape down lid and sides of bowl and allow batter to soak for a few hours. (To avoid this step, blend a further minute on speed 9.)
Add eggs, salt, baking soda and powder and spices and blend for 5 seconds on speed 5.
Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with blueberries.
Without rinsing, place almonds into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5. Add oats, rapadura and oil as well as a little extra cinnamon to taste and mix for 3 seconds on speed 3.
Sprinkle over cake and bake for 45 minutes until skewer comes out clean.

Remember that voting is crucial. I have an appointment with a pool and deck chair at the end of this week, so the results may be a little delayed, but look for a posting on or around October 12th. In the meantime; start your engines and get cooking!

THAT DARN SOUP!

2009-09-02T16:05:00.007+08:00

Well Melbournites, you have been waiting a while now, but here it is finally! The much touted soup from Nico Moretti's class, made by the lovely Marg Rossi.

Chick Pea and Spinach Soup
Ingredients
300g fresh spinach leaves
120g dried chick peas
1 L water
pinch sea salt
2 medium onions, peeled and halved
50g olive oil
200g carrots, cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic
150g turnips cut into pieces (optional)
pepper to taste

Method
Place spinach into Varoma dish and set aside.
Place chick peas into TM bowl and mill for 1 minute on speed 9. Set aside.
Add water, salt, onions, olive oil, carrots, garlic, turnips (if using) lastly pulverized chick peas.
Close lid and set Varoma into position.
Cook for 25 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Remove Varoma and replace MC. Slowly blend for 30 seconds by bringing dial up to speed 8-9.
Divide steamed spinach into serving bowls and pour soup over.
A little crumbled feta or goats cheese is a delicious accompaniment to this soup.
Serve immediately.

The other well received recipe of the day was from Janine Babauskis and as beetroots are very much in season at present, perfect for this time of year. This recipe can be stretched to fit as many guests as you may have at any given time, by adding more beetroot, more cheese and more greens. The dressing will go quite a long way...perhaps this might show up on your Father's Day Table this weekend??

Steamed Beetroot Salad

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
50g pecans
Zest ½ orange
2 tbsp of walnut oil
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp cider vinegar
800g boiling water
1.3 kg of beetroots (preferably baby) peeled and cubed
250g of baby green beans cut and trimmed
120g of watercress or rocket
50 to 200g of blue cheese or brie finely sliced or cubed
2-3 sliced brown pears (optional)

Method
Add butter and pecans to TM bowl and roast for 8 minutes at Varoma temperature on Reverse + speed soft.
Clean bowl and grate zest for 10-15 seconds on speed 8. Add walnut oil, honey and vinegar. Mix for 4 seconds on speed 4. Set aside.
Place water into TM bowl beetroot into Varoma dish and steam for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3. Add beans to Varoma and continue to steam for a further 5 minutes on speed 3.
Place watercress into mixing bowl, add cooled beetroot and beans and toss with dressing. Spread onto serving platter and add cheese, pecans and thinly sliced pears to garnish.

Those of you hoping to score the cinnamon ice cream recipe on here will have to either beg your consultant for a copy, or simply purchase the Budget Busters book in which it appeared...$7 and cheap at the half the price, chock full of hints, tips and fantastic recipes to save you time, money and effort in the kitchen every day!

Just a reminder, that honey is the theme of the September Monthly Mouthful, so knock yourselves out and send me your recipes that include honey....sweet or savory, I already have a few to look at. All entries must be in no later than 5pm WST on Friday September 18th...a good couple of weeks, and yes, another reminder to those who need it, (not mentioning any names, but his initials are Jeff Brady!) only two recipes per person permitted!
Looking forward to it...

8th September ~ I realized over the weekend that I had not put up the winner of the last Monthly Mouthful...too much going on in my head I'm afraid, so in case you didn't know, Jeff Brady gets ANOTHER book...on it's way soon Mr. Brady! :)

SEASONAL MONTHLY MOUTHFUL

2009-08-19T12:38:00.009+08:00

Well after much soul searching, a lot of cooking, and more than a little craziness around the office, I have two finalist recipes for you to cook, eat and vote by comment on! Luckily I have many willing office tasters who happily demolished what arrived today (from my own kitchen, the training of new consultants is underway in great numbers downstairs in the work kitchen!)

Chelsea Duncan has obviously learned that the way to this Recipe Developers heart is with citrus and so may I present;

Citrus Mascarpone Flan

Ingredients
Base:
120g plain flour
40g SR flour
20g shredded coconut
100g unsalted butter cubed and chilled
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
1 egg
60g caster sugar
Filling:
Zest and juice 2 large limes
Zest and juice 1 lemon
200g caster sugar
200g mascarpone cheese
4 eggs

Method
Butter a 30cm flan tin with removable base and set aside.
Place flours, coconut and butter into TM bowl and mix for 6 seconds on speed 6.
Add vanilla, egg and sugar and mix for 5 seconds on speed 5.
Set dial to closed lid position and knead for 10-15 seconds on Interval speed.
Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
Roll out thinly between layers of floured baking paper. Gently line the flan tin, prick base with a fork and freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200ºC.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and cool completely.
Reduce oven temperature to 160ºC.
To make filling place zests and sugar into clean TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9.
Add cheese and whisk for 10 seconds on speed 4.
Reduce blades to speed 3 and add the juices through the hole in lid and eggs, 1 at a time until blended for around 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix again for 10 seconds on speed 4.
Pour into cooled pastry base and bake for 30-40 minutes until just set in centre.

General Tips
Dust with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of mascarpone cheese.

And your other lucky contestant, from my favorite 'pain'...from Thermoland out there,(and I mean that in the nicest possible pastry way!) the one, the only Jeff Brady from Victoria has done it again folks, does his creative genius never stop???
You can almost persuade yourself these are healthy, so do a double batch while you're at it;

Pain au Chocolat (or Pain au Velour Rouge)

Ingredients
200g beetroot peeled and quartered
100g water
Pinch sea salt
60g sugar
100g dark chocolate
100g walnuts
4 puff pastry sheets (or 2 batches puff pastry from Everyday Cooking from Every Family)
Egg wash

Method
Place beetroot into TM bowl and finely grate for 20 seconds on speed 6.
Add water and salt and cook for 20-30 minutes at 90ºC on speed 1 with MC off. The beetroot needs to be completely soft.
Add sugar, chocolate and walnuts and blend for 20 seconds on speed 5. Scrape down lid and sides of bowl with spatula and puree for 10 seconds on speed 9.
Cool mixture completely.
Preheat oven to 200ºC.
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Cut pastry sheets into 3 strips per sheet.
Place about 2 tbsp of mix across the narrow end of the pastry strip and roll over to wrap. Place seam side down on the prepared tray and brush with egg wash before baking for 15-20 minutes until golden.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.

There you have it...go and do! Eat, then come back and comment and the lucky winner will add to their arsenal of Thermomix cookbooks! Meat Book is on the way I promise and there a few other little tricks up our Thermomix sleeve that will excite the lot of you, so stay tuned!
'Next Month's Mouthful?' I hear you scream!
How about honey...now how does that link? Come on; spring, flowers, pollination, bees, new life, hayfever...woops, I digress! Send your honey recipes to; recipes@thermomix.com.au 2 recipes per person maximum...(yes that means you Mr. Brady!) on or before Friday September 18th by 5pm WA time!

GEORGE AND SAUERKRAUT

2009-08-03T10:30:00.010+08:00

This post is really about Sauerkraut, but in light of recent events at Thermomix HQ, I cannot let it go unnoticed that we had the lovely George Calombaris on the premises on Friday July 31st to officially open our demonstration kitchen/showroom, which as the pics will demonstrate, looked pretty terrific. George was charming, funny and easy to get along with and now its official, the kitchen is open for all the fun to come!
So on to more pressing matters, (food of course)! In honor of Georges visit, we organized some lovely Greek themed nibbles, and this was a firm favorite amongst the staff and press alike. In fact there were none left after the event, much to my disappointment!

Tyropitakia

Ingredients
Handful Italian parsley
180g Swiss cheese cubed
180g feta cubed
2 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt to taste
9 filo sheets thawed
Melted unsalted butter for pastry (approx 250g)

Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line 2-3 baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
Place parsley into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
Add Swiss cheese and grate for 5 seconds on speed 6.
Place parsley back into TM bowl, add feta, eggs and seasoning. Gently blend for a 5-6 seconds on Reverse + speed 3.
Prepare filo by laying on clean bench top; cover with dry tea towel and then wet tea towel to prevent pastry from drying.
Brush each sheet with melted butter, layer another sheet on top, repeat, and then cut each sheet into four lengthways, then turn cut sides to face you.
Dollop a little of the cheese mixture onto the corner of each strip, fold over and form a triangle. Brush with more butter and fold again. Repeat two more times. You will have a neat little triangle with no open edges. Cut and set onto lined baking tray. Repeat until all mixture is used. Brush each triangle again with any remaining butter.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy. Serve hot if possible, but they taste equally delicious cold.

General Tips
To make cocktail size, cut your pastry into 5 strips. This recipe will make about 50-60.
Using ghee instead of butter will yield a prettier result, as sometimes the milk solids in butter brown faster and leave little marks on the pastry.

Initially the next blog was going to be all about Sauerkraut and the health advantages of fermented foods, because after Jude Bleareau's successful seminars recently, much ado was made about the Sauerkraut Salad and so here is the recipe for all those who missed out. Life just caught up with us here at HQ, so better late than never right?

Sauerkraut Salad

Ingredients
¼ white onion
1 clove garlic
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 green apple, skin on and cut into quarters
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of rapadura or raw sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of ½ orange
400g sauerkraut (see method below)

Method
Place onion, garlic, carrot and apple into the TM Bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine for 5 seconds on Reverse + speed 3-4.

Iza’s Sauerkraut
Chop a small fresh cabbage and shred a carrot and place together into large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt, cover loosely and allow to sit for several hours.
Once the liquid from the vegetables has started to gather, layer them into sterilized jars and pack as tightly as possible, filling the jars up with drained liquid. Seal jars and leave out at room temperature for several days until fermentation occurs. (Winter 5-6 days, Summer 3-4 days) Place in the fridge and use as needed.

I'm afraid Monthly Mouthful took a back seat in July, so for all you would be recipe developers out there, we're back and interested in your take on seasonal ingredients. Send us your best tested recipe using your favorite seasonal fruit or vegetables and I will test, eliminate and put up the best two recipes for your perusal. The winner by vote off will get the Thermomix recipe book of their choice, so warm up your TM engines and send your recipes to recipes@thermomix.com.au before Friday August 14th.

CHANNELING YOUR INNER MASTER CHEF

2009-07-13T12:31:00.005+08:00

WELL...wasn't it fantastic? Thanks George Calombaris for the vote of confidence in Friday July 10ths Master Chef Master Class!

Not too hard to follow that up with the Thermomix version of Clarified Butter, the Chocolate Cigar Filling and of course the Sabayon! Hold onto your chefs hats, and start your engines! We are cooking with Thermomix!

Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Ingredients
1x batch TM31 Butter (Everyday Cookbook)
1 Curry Leaf

Method
Make your own butter in the TM then cook for 7-10 minutes at 60ºC on speed 1. The butter should boil and become a clear golden liquid. Add a curry leaf in the last minute of cooking. Leave to cool, then sieve it, and throw away the solids.

Tips/Notes
• Does not need refrigeration
• Ghee is lactose free
• Often used in Indian cooking

Obviously you will leave the curry leaf out for the Chocolate Cigars! PLEASE do not forget this important step! (Leaf it out!!)

Chocolate Cigars with Sabayon a la Master Chef

Chocolate Cigars Ingredients
200g shelled and roasted pistachios
200g unsalted roasted peanuts
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
1 tbsp warmed honey
15 sheets filo pastry
125g clarified butter (Ghee)
Icing sugar for dusting

Chocolate Cigars Method
Place nuts into TM bowl and chop briefly for 3 seconds on speed 7. Set aside.
Place chocolate into TM bowl and mill for 8 seconds on speed 8. Melt for 3-4 minutes at 37ºC on speed 1. Scrape down side of bowl and add warmed honey and nuts.
Mix through for 4 seconds on Reverse + speed 3.
Pre heat oven to 180ºC and line baking tray with paper.
Prepare filo by laying on clean bench top; cover with dry tea towel and then wet tea towel to prevent pastry from drying.
Brush 1 filo sheet with clarified butter then top with second sheet. Repeat process so you have three sheets. Cut pastry in half crossways, turn so that the longer edge is facing you.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of chocolate filling along the edge leaving approx 3cm on either end. Brush exposed pastry with butter and roll over the filling. Fold in edges and brush with more butter, rolling over again to secure filling. Repeat to make 10 cigars.
Place on baking tray and bake 8-10 minutes or until golden. Dust with icing sugar.

Sabayon Ingredients
1 whole nutmeg
5 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
2-3 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tbsp dark rum

Sabayon Method
Place nutmeg into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 9. Remove from bowl.
Place 1 tsp ground nutmeg with egg yolks and all remaining ingredients into TM bowl and cook for 8 minutes at 80ºC on speed 4. (You may insert the Butterfly before cooking if desired.)
Serve immediately with Chocolate Cigars.

SOURDOUGH the whole story!

2009-06-29T14:18:00.006+08:00

First things first;
Jean Misko you are our Budget Buster Queen of the Month!! Congratulations and please call the office to arrange delivery of your fantastic box of organic fruit and vegies! (Plus brace yourself for a photograph with your colorful prize for this blog as well as endless other public appearances!) Thanks to all others who contributed and a special mention to Trudy Olive whose amazing use of the Thermomix for all things is blog worthy all by itself. (We should talk Trudy!!)

After a fantastic class with Jude Blereau (see http://www.wholefoodcooking.com.au/)in Perth on Sunday and after much resulting interest in the lovely Sourdough demonstrated by Elisabeth Higgins, here is the whole enchilada on Sour Dough making from head to toe! You could call this a tutorial, and thanks to all who have contributed to this great array of sour knowledge!

Starters are easy to make, easy to maintain and easy to use. Your sourdough 'pet', once successful, should be lovingly looked after and like one of our consultants in WA (Izabela Marach) you could be enjoying sour dough bread for literally years to come from this one starter!

Sourdough culture is a yeast living symbiotically with a friendly lacto-bacteria. Starters can be made many ways and from varying ingredients. Our starter recipe is easy, but feel free to vary this recipe as you explore this amazing bread making method.

Step One:
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup rye flour, with 1/2 cup warm water. Stir until no lumps are visible. This will be the beginning of your starter. Leave it for several days at room temperature covered loosely with a tea towel or paper towel. Stir twice a day and after around 3 days start 'feeding' your plant with additional flour and water. The ratio of flour and water should always remain equal at this stage. Stir 1 or 2 tablespoons of each into your mixture ensuring there are no lumps. Cover and allow to ferment at room temperature. (Temperature is all important at this stage as should the starter drop below 21oC it will instantly halve the activity of the yeast!) This now becomes your starter. A few tips for adding fermentation would be either to add a little honey or sugar to the mixture. You could also use water from cooking potatoes that has been cooled until tepid instead of tap or filtered water. The starchy sugars will speed up the fermentation process for you, but remember, you cannot 'quickly' make sourdough!

OK...so you have a healthy, yeasty smelling and bubbling starter...now what?
Over to Izabela for her not so secret Thermomix recipe;

Step Two:
50g Sourdough Starter
220-230g Rye flour
480g warm water

Place all ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 30 seconds on Interval setting. At this stage it should have the consistency of very thick cream. Pour into separate bowl, cover and leave to rise for 8-9 hours or overnight, in warm place. This is what is known as a 'sponge', or 'poolish' the pre-ferment to the sourdough itself. When it is ready to be used, it will be bubbly and sponge like to touch. Reserve your remaining starter and continue to feed as directed in Step One to keep it happy for the next time. (It can be put to 'sleep' in the fridge if this is all getting too much for you!)

Step Three:
Now to the loaf;
500g flour of choice or mix 470g flour with 30g seeds milled in TM
620g sponge from Step Two
1 tsp salt
120g tepid water

Place all ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 2-3 seconds on speed 6.
Set dial to closed lid position and knead for 3 minutes on Interval speed.
Transfer dough to bread tin and allow to prove for at least 3-4 hours or until doubled. Slash the top of the risen dough with a sharp knife in pattern of choice...this will aid appearance and give a lovely crust. Brush with water, cream or egg wash, sprinkle with seeds of choice for different finishes.
Preheat oven to 200oC+ oven and bake for 50 minutes until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Congratulations you have made your first sourdough and I am confident that once you start on this exciting journey (for indeed it is a long journey!) you will be very excited to do it all again. Bread making is so rewarding and starting with sourdough is even more so. Can you imagine, you never need buy yeast again? Now there's a budget busting tip!

BUDGET BUSTERS ROUND UP FOUR

2009-06-19T16:03:00.003+08:00

So many entries, so little time! I have not edited these at all (well, barely) and so am throwing them out to you in Thermomix land to cook, taste and save with! Jean as usual gets to my heart with her sweet treat great for these cold nights.
Anotonia with a great 'congee' recipe...(look that up for homework please!) and Jo Whitton has been extremely busy and sent me three, two of which I am saving for later. Catherine Day, a Thermomixer of great talent has also entered the fray, so please enjoy and keep sending me your tips and recipes until the end of June to recipes@thermomix.com.au
They will all appear here and go into the running for a fantastic box of organic produce delivered to your door to the value of $100!

Steamed Pudding

Ingredients:
120g self raising flour
60g raw sugar
60g butter or substitute
2 tablespoons jam
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons milk
grated lemon rind

Method:
Place the flour, sugar, butter,and lemon rind into the bowl.
Mix for 4 seconds on speed 5 until mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and 2 tablespoons milk.
Mix at speed 3 for approximately 10 seconds. If mixture is too thick add the extra milk.
Place jam into each of 4 small greased ramekins.
Carefully place the mixture over the jam.
Place in varoma.
Use 1 litre of water and steam at Varoma temperature for 25-30 minutes. Check with a skewer to see if they are cooked.
Serve with custard, cream and or icecream.

Jean Misko

Chinese Savory Rice Porridge

Ingredients:
Jasmin rice 1.5 thermomix cupfuls
2 pieces of ham (around 10g, I guess), chopped to small pieces
Oil 3 teaspoonfuls, 1 tbsp of chicken stock powder
Salt small amount
Water to 1.8L

Method:
Place rice in thermomix rice basket, wash starch off thoroughly.
Put washed rice in thermomix, add also 3 teanspoonfuls of oil and small amount of salt to TM bowl.
Put on reverse spin at soft stir, stir for 10 seconds.
Then add ham pieces, and chicken stock powder
Now add water to 1.8L.
Put on reverse at soft stir and cook at 100oC for 20 minutes.
(If boiling over, cook at 100oC for 10 minutes and the rest of the time at 90oC)

Then reduce temperature to 90oC and cook for a further 20 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
*If porridge is too thick, transfer porridge to another cookware and add extrawater. Bring it to boil, add salt and pepper to taste.*

Antonia Wong

And a teaser from Jo Whitton who sent me THREE in one hit!

Gemüse Eintopf (one-pot vegetable meal)

Everyone seems to have lots of pumpkins at this time of year, so this is a great cheap meal to use it up! This is an Algerian dish and can be served chunky, or pureed. (I like it chunky.) You could add some peas towards the end of the cooking time, or some chopped leafy greens (a lot of us have heaps of silverbeet right now as well!). Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread for a complete meal. Tasty and easy!

Place in bowl and chop on speed 7 for 5 seconds:
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 2 TBS fresh parsley

2. Chop on speed 5 for 3 secs:
- 1 stalk celery, quartered
- 1 carrot, quartered

3. Add and cook for 15 mins, 100˚, reverse speed soft:
- 500g potatoes, chopped in 1 inch pieces
- 500g pumpkin, chopped in 1 inch pieces (or carrots or turnips or a mixture)
- chopped celery and carrot if not already added (see above)
- 2 TBS vegetable stock concentrate
- 30g (2 TBS) olive oil or butter
- 50g water
- salt and pepper to taste

* Add some peas or sliced silverbeet or baby spinach after 10 mins if you like.

4. Serve as is, or puree and serve as side dish.

Last but not least from the talented Catherine Day;

Seeded Mustard

When I make the TM31 mayonnaise, I like to include a clove of garlic and a tsp of french style mustard.

I make my own French style seed mustard as follows:
60g mustard seeds
60g apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, cut in half
45g raw honey
45g water

Soak the mustard seeds in the vinegar with the halved garlic clove for 36 hrs in the fridge.
Discard the garlic.
Add honey and water and blend 1 min speed 9.

Variations:
Herby mustard: add 1/2 tsp dried herbs of choice- eg. oregano, tarragon, dill, basil, thyme
Peppercorn mustard: Add 3 tsp green peppercorns
Horseradish mustard Add 3 tsp horseradish
Dijonaise mustard Add 45g mayonnaise

BUDGET BUSTERS ROUND UP THREE

2009-06-15T15:21:00.003+08:00

The tips are coming in slowly but surely. Remember folks, we only have until the end of the month and I hate to mention this in polite company, but the end of this month is halfway through the year and will be here before you know it! So get on your laptops, whiz up your Thermomix and send me all your best budget busting tips to be in the running for a beautiful box of fresh organic fruit and veggies delivered to your door valued at $100!

First up today from Gemma Coumbe, who can't go past the trademark Thermomix vegetable stock;

Vegetable Stock - as suggested this is an excellent way of using up vegetables that are almost past their use by date! I have found since having the TM there is often not a lot of vegies that get to this point, however have found that I have put the thick stalks (which I would usually throw out) from the cauliflower and broccoli in when making the stock. Its a way of using all of the vegetable and getting your value for money!!

And now a recipe from a couple of happy consultants in South Australia, Brad and Kerry Mundt;

Here's a great budget conscious dessert recipe for your competition. Great way to use up slightly stale bread and the last piece of brownie slice (optional). My husband and I love this!

Raspberry & Chocolate Bread Pudding

4 slices of white bread

Butter

Raspberry Jam

50g homebrand choc chips

100g Frozen raspberries (optional)

1 piece of brownie slice

2 eggs

350g milk

1 teaspoon sugar

Cinnamon

Cream

1. Cut the bread into squares and spread with butter and raspberry jam.

2. Put a layer of the bread squares in the bottom of a ceramic dish (15cm x 20cm dish works well)

3. Sprinkle with choc chips, frozen raspberries and broken up brownie slice

4. Put another layer of bread and repeat the process

5. Put milk into TM and heat for 2 minutes on speed 4 at 60 degrees (just so that's it's slightly warm)

6. Add the eggs and sugar and mix on speed 5 for 5 seconds

7. Pour mixture over the bread

8. Sprinkle with cinnamon and extra sugar

9. Leave to stand for 30 minutes (optional)

10. Bake for 1 hour at 180 degrees.

11. Serve with cream or ice-cream.

BUDGET BUSTERS ROUND UP TWO

2009-06-10T15:07:00.005+08:00

A couple of tips and a recipe tweek for you today!

"I like to avoid waste, and find TM lends itself to using what would usually be discarded. After I've make the lemon drink from the Everyday cookbook, I use the residual chopped lemon as the basis of a marmalade. Can add a bit of shredded ginger to make a lovely ginger marmalade too."

Catherine Day Consultant VIC

Jean Misko, a customer from WA has this to add;

"The batter mixture in the Caramel Chomeur is lovely poured over cooked fruit to have as a fruit sponge with custard."

Then quick as a flash, she adapted the Chomeur into this morphed version below...great work Jean!

Brown Sugar Pudding

180g hot water

180g brown sugar

Mix these and place into the bottom of a oven proof dish. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

2 eggs

60g raw sugar

3 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

120g SR flour

100g milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup sultanas

Place eggs, vanilla and sugar into bowl and beat for 2 minutes on speed 5.

Add melted butter. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 5.

Add remaining ingredients, except sultanas and mix for 10 seconds on speed 5.

Add the sultanas. Mix on reverse for 5 seconds speed 2.

Pour over the sugar mixture and bake at 180 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

This forms a sauce under the batter with sultanas in it and is nice with custard, cream or ice-cream.

So folks, remember what is on offer here until the end of the month! Your best Budget Busting tip or recipe could win you a lovely box of Organic produce to the value of $100. Send all entries to recipes@thermomix.com.au and don't forget we want to know how much Thermomix is helping you save in your day to day life!

BUDGET BUSTERS ROUND UP BEGINS

2009-06-09T11:13:00.004+08:00

FIRST ROUND UP contribution comes from Karen Headley, (who now that she is our latest Monthly Mouthful Winner, clearly has plenty to say! (haha) She has sent in this recipe, which features on the Thermomix Forum and actually comes from Bron who lives in Spain...but we won't hold that against her. The recipe is a great way to use up left over vegies! Karen says;
I love all the ways the Thermomix saves me money, from making my own takeaway favorites to reducing the number of snack foods I have to buy my kids.

Brons' Minestrone:
serves 4-5:
Ingredients:
500g veg (I use up all leftovers, carrot, small turnip, courgette, parsnip, artichoke hearts, fresh green asparagus, peas, green beans, peppers, celery)
50g olive oil
50g onion
20g tomato pure or tomato pizza sauce (I always have in the fridge!)
1 clove garlic
50g bacon or serrano ham (in bits, can be chopped in THX in a few short turbo blasts)
1000g TM chicken or equivalent water and 1 tbsp veg stock concentrate (I use veg)
pepper
50g round grain rice
50g grated Parmesan cheese
50g butter
Chopped flat parsley
Method:
Grate cheese.
Place all the veg in TM bowl and chop 5 seconds Speed 4. (Except peas, artichoke and asparagus as these look nice hand chopped/whole) Keep aside.
Place garlic & onion in TM bowl, blitz 2 seconds Speed 5.
Add oil and bacon/ham, program 5 mins 100º speed 2.
Add stock and program 8 mins 100º speed 2. (I skip this step by adding boiling water from kettle!) Wink
Add remaining vegetables, tomato, black pepper and rice and program 15 mins 100º reverse, speed 1.
Pour into serving bowl, add parsley, Parmesan and butter. Stir.

General Tips/Hints:
I find it doesn't need salt, as I use TM stock and of course the bacon/ham is quite salty.
You can use small pasta shapes instead of rice. Both are lovely!
Wonderful recipe to clear out fridge! I make it every couple of weeks...

So next on the agenda and hot on Karen's heels, is Trudy Olive with not one, but two (of her own recipes...!!) Trudy says;

My tortillas are saving me over $2 each packet and are so easy to make with the Thermomix (not to mention no additives) and they freeze really well if there's leftovers. Also great for making tortilla chips in the oven with any leftovers.

Tortillas

Ingredients
320g plain flour
1tsp salt
3tbspn olive oil
1tsp baking powder
180g water (warm)

Method
Put all ingredients into Thermomix bowl.
Mix for 10 seconds on speed 7 to combine. Set to locked position and knead for 3 minutes.
Put dough onto breadmat and rest for 5-10 minutes.
Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each flat into rounds.
Fry in oiled hot frying pan until they start to brown. Turn them over and cook other side.

The condensed milk I also make in the Thermomix with very little effort and in addition to the money savings of the
actual condensed milk, when I'm cooking something that requires it, I don't need to make a special trip to the shop
if there's none in the cupboard. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks - ready to be used whenever necessary.

Ingredients
100g water
220g powdered milk
80g sugar.

Method
Blitz the sugar for a 8 seconds on speed 9. Then add water.
Cook 5 minutes at 80 degrees on speed 1 until sugar dissolves.
Add the powdered milk and cook another 3 minutes at 50 degrees on speed 4.

So people, your first Round Up entries, brace yourselves (and prepare your in box) I feel a whole swag of great ideas coming on!

Send Round Up posts to; recipes@thermomix.com.au and they will be up before you can put 5 cents in your piggy bank!

BUDGET BUSTERS

2009-06-04T16:39:00.008+08:00

We have so much to tell you all!

Firstly, congratulations go to Karen Brazen for her clear majority in the Monthly Mouthful competition. So name your book Karen and it will be winging its way to you shortly! (I have a suggestion; see below!)

Also, please check out the links to the right of this page and you will find a link to a fantastic video of Chef Mark Best with a to die for recipe for Pear Souffle, so we are expecting you all to cook and report on that one!

The big news is that we are launching our Budget Busters recipe booklet on here NOW and it is available either from your friendly neighborhood consultant, or by phoning the office with a credit card handy! We are confident in promising you it will be the best $7 you ever spend as it will save you HEAPS of $ for years to come! Loaded with not only 26 recipes that come in at around the $2 mark per serving, it has oodles of tips and hints that you will love to implement in your kitchens! (If I do say so myself!)
As a teaser, why not try this recipe from the book this weekend and let me know how it goes. You probably won't even have to buy anything for it at all!

Caramel Chomêur
This dessert is from the Great Depression Era and is named for the French word for ‘unemployed’. Still delicious though, as cheap as it is!
Approximately $2.50 for entire cake!

Ingredients
300g whole milk divided
230g brown sugar
2 tbsp chilled unsalted butter
2 large eggs
60g sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
120g SR flour
1tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

Method
Pre heat oven to 175ºC.
Place 180g milk with brown sugar and unsalted butter into TM bowl and mix for 6 seconds on speed 7. Pour into deep pie dish and set aside.
Without cleaning bowl add eggs and sugar to TM and beat for 2 minutes on speed 5.
Add melted butter and vanilla and incorporate for 5 seconds on speed 5.
Add remaining ingredients plus extra milk and mix for 10 seconds on speed 5.
Pour batter over brown sugar mixture and bake about 40 minutes until skewer comes out clean and syrup is bubbling at edges. Serve with cream or ice cream.

Now in order to make the most of this Budget Busters booklet, we would like to run a little Round Up on here...a Round Up, in blog terms, is a collection of recipes, thoughts or ideas that are posted as they come in and all on a singular topic...SO, dear reader (s)! We are looking for fabulous tips, hints, recipes, ideas and ways to save more money using your Thermomix. If you have saved money with your TM up until now, we want to know how! If you have saved money using the very exciting Budget Busters Book, we want to know on what...you get the idea?

At the end of the Round Up, we will send the best 'tippee' (as voted by a completely biased Thermomix office panel!!) a beautiful box of organic fruits, vegetables and other goodies to the value of $100! Hows that for a saving?
So keep those Thermomixes humming away and send us your ideas. They will be edited and posted here over the next couple of weeks. We look forward to hearing from you at recipes@thermomix.com.au Don't be shy now!

LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS

2009-05-21T14:24:00.005+08:00

Well in some states Winter is making itself known and of course that makes it an ideal time to stock up on the Vitamin C in your diet and no better way to do that than with these two fantastic recipes in our Monthly Mouthful.

We'll start with dinner and an easy yummy recipe that has our required ingredient, lemons for Vitamin C as well as plenty of Vitamin C in the tomatoes...with the added bonus of lycopene. You really couldn't go wrong with this one on the table tonight.
So thanks to Sue from WA for this fantastic Lemony Vitamin C hit.

Lemon Chicken Pancakes with Tomato Chilli Jam

2 cloves garlic
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
3 medium or 2 large fresh tomatoes
1 long red chillies
100g dark brown sugar
Juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp soy or tamari sauce
Sea salt to taste

Tomato Chilli Jam Method

Place garlic, ginger and chillies into TM bowl and chop for 6 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients and process for 20 seconds on speed 9.
Cook for 30 minutes at 100ºC on speed 3 until jam thickens. Set aside to cool.

Lemon Chicken Pancakes Ingredients

Zest 1-2 lemons
2cm piece ginger peeled
2 cloves garlic

Handful fresh coriander
1 tsp ground coriander
120g lemon juice
1 tbsp soy or tamari sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken breast fillets sliced in 4 large pieces each
3 eggs
200g milk
150g plain flour
1 tbsp oil
Fresh salad or choice to serve

Lemon Chicken Pancakes Method

Place lemon zest and ginger into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10. Add coriander's, lemon juice, tamari and seasoning. Process for 20 seconds on speed 7.
Pour over sliced chicken fillets in ceramic bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, without cleaning the bowl, place eggs, milk and flour into TM bowl and mix for 30 seconds on speed 5.

Make pancakes by drizzling oil into large flat frypan and pouring tin coating of batter into pan. Set aside on plate with a damp paper towel covering until use.

Place marinated chicken into TM bowl and cook for 7 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed soft. Allow to rest either in ThermoServer or in TM for around 5 minutes.

Shred chicken with a fork before wrapping in pancakes with a little fresh salad, and a dollop of Tomato Chilli Jam.

Recipe contributed by Sue Cheff

And now, (drumroll please) for dessert; This is a combination of two lovely recipes sent in by Karen from ACT and I must say, we demolished this cake in double quick time. Karen very good naturedly allowed me to 'meddle' with her two recipes and combine the cake with the topping from a slice, so don't hesitate to use the topping recipe on a shortbread base if so desired. The fantastic thing about this recipe is that it almost started out with a lemon 'mayonnaise'. It is to be seen to be believed. So moist and so lemony, you will definitely make this one again and again!

Lemony Cake with Passionfruit Icing

Cake Ingredients
2 large lemons
2 eggs
190g grapeseed or other flavourless oil
270g plain flour
350g sugar
2 tsp baking powder

Cake Method
Pre heat oven to 175ºC and line the base of a buttered 23cm spring form cake tin.
Wash lemons carefully and remove pithy ends. Cut into eighths and removed white centre and as many pips as possible.
Place into TM bowl with eggs and oil and blend together for 30 seconds on speed 10.
Add remaining ingredients and mix for 15 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and then mix a further 15 seconds on Interval setting.
Scrape into prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes until skewer comes out clean. Cool.

Icing Ingredients
Zest and flesh 1 small lemon (pith and seeds removed)
1 x 400g tin condensed milk
Pulp 2 passionfruit or 1 tin passionfruit pulp

Icing Method
Place zest into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add condensed milk and lemon flesh and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
Insert Butterfly and add passionfruit and cook for 8 minutes at 90ºC on Reverse + speed 2.
Pour over cake while still in tin and allow to set before serving.

Recipe contributed by Karen Hedley customer ACT

Remember, cook, eat and vote via Comment. (see below) We are eager to hear what you all have to say about these recipes.
In the meantime, stay well by keeping your Vitamin C levels up...we're just trying to help with these...really!

LOVE YOUR MUM!

2009-05-01T14:48:00.001+08:00

We have two treats again for you today, if only one picture! First up, originally the secret of famous restaurant on the Sunshine Coast, 'Qom', a Middle Eastern themed dining spot, this recipe is quick, easy, gluten free and so impressive! Thanks to the renowned Gerard Yaxley for this stunning recipe and to the team in Melbourne for their Thermomix adaptation of this recipe.

Persian Love Cake

Ingredients
1 whole nutmeg
45g pistachios
360g almonds
200g raw sugar
200g brown sugar
120g unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
250g Greek style yoghurt

Method
Preheat oven to 160ºC.
Line and butter a 20cm spring form pan.
Place nutmeg into TM bowl and grind for 10 seconds on speed 10. Set aside.
Coarsely chop pistachios with dial set to closed lid position by pressing Turbo button 2 times. Set aside.
Place almonds into TM bowl and mill for 6 seconds on speed 9.
Add sugars, butter and salt and mix for 15 seconds on speed 5, using spatula to assist if necessary.
Put half of the mixture into prepared pan and press in to form a base.
Bake for 15 minutes and cool slightly.
Add eggs, yoghurt and nutmeg to remaining mixture and mix on speed 5 for 15 seconds. Pour into base.
Scatter edges with pistachios and bake until set in the centre, about 50 minutes.
Serve cold with extra yoghurt.

If the nutty, almost healthy thing doesn't float your Mother's Day boat, then take a quick look at this one, developed for breakfasts all over Australia on Sunday the 10th of May. Make this the day before for a great start to the obligatory breakfast in bed.

Apricot and Chocolate Scone Ring
Ingredients
160g Turkish or dried apricots
200g choc chips
85g sugar
55g butter
560g SR flour
2 large eggs
120g milk + 2 tbsp milk, to glaze

Method
Pre heat oven to 185ºC and line the base of a 23cm spring form tin with baking paper.
Place apricots into TM bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 6. Set aside with chocolate chips in separate bowl.
Place sugar into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Add butter and cream for 10 seconds on speed 6.
Add remaining ingredients and knead for 20-25 seconds on Interval speed or until dough comes together.
The dough should be quite soft.
Roll dough out on lightly floured Thermo Mat to a rectangle 45 x 30 cm.
Top with apricots and choc chips then roll up like a Swiss roll, bringing the last piece of dough up and over on itself to seal the edge.
Cut into 3cm thick slices.
Layer the slices partially on top of each other around the edges of the prepared tin.
Brush with milk to glaze and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Cool in pan slightly before drizzling topping over.
To Make Topping;
Place 160g dark chocolate and 1 tbsp butter into TM bowl and chop for 7 seconds on speed 9.
Scrape down before melting for 3 minutes at 37ºC on speed 2.
Drizzle over cooled scone ring.

So there you have it folks, not one great recipe, two and both perfect for a fuss free, fabulous Mother's Day treat at either end of the day! Frankly this blog is looking up!

COME ON CHOOKY!

2009-04-22T13:09:00.006+08:00

Well I thought it might come to this;

Thousands of recipes to choose from, but all from Jeff Brady! (You little gourmet superstar you!)
SO; I am presenting you with an awesome recipe from the lovely Jeff, no need to vote, but commenting is acceptable and hopefully all you closet recipe developers out there will get a wriggle on for next month. Name your book Jeff and it will be winging its way to you soon.

Chicken Chermoula

Lemon Chermoula Ingredients

60g cumin seeds
30g coriander seeds
2cm piece ginger peeled
2 cloves garlic
1 small red chilli
small handful coriander leaves and roots
1 tbsp preserved lemon peel (use lemon zest if none available)
juice 1 lemon
100g olive oil
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Lemon Chermoula Method

Place cumin and coriander seeds into TM bowl and dry roast for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.
Remove lid and allow to cool. Set dial to closed lid position and pulse a few times on Turbo until powdered. Cool slightly.
Add ginger, garlic, chilli , coriander roots to TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Place remaining ingredients into TM bowl and chop for 20 seconds on speed 7.
Set aside in screw top jar and will keep in fridge for up to two weeks or until use.

Chicken Ingredients

8 boneless skinned thighs
few tbsp lemon chermoula (above)
2 tbsp olive oil
700g water
2-3 slices spring onions (shallots)
1-2 sliced fresh chillies

Chicken Method

Mix chermoula with olive oil and rub onto chicken.
Leave to marinate up to several hours. (Not overnight)
Place water into TM bowl and place marinated chicken into Varoma.
With dial set to closed lid position, cook for 20-25 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 2.
Check 'done-ness' after 15 minutes, remove when cooked and allow to rest before serving with sliced spring onions (shallots) and fresh chillies.

You can steam rice in the steamer basket whilst you are cooking the chicken if desired which is what I did and you can see what a lovely color (therefore flavor) the rice has been infused with!

Congrats to Jeff once again.

HOPPY EASTER!

2009-04-02T16:28:00.017+08:00

I know I'm quick on the tooth, but how is this for fast posting? Two in one week, it's got to be a record!
But first things first. Clearly Chocolate won over Lime, and I think from the absolute flurry of cookie activity that followed the recipes, we must have a Festive Cookie Round up around December, so watch this space...and yes folks, that will be here before you can say 'Hoppy Easter' 3 times whilst hopping on one foot and eating a marshmallow!
So congratulations go to Jean Misko for her winning recipe, a book will be winging it's way to her as soon as she tells me which one!

Due to the wonderful recipes that are flooding my in box, I just had to put these up instead of a recipe of my own. So much Thermomix fun needs to be shared by all!
Firstly from Nicola Galea, a consultant in Tasmania, a Russian Easter Bread, which borders on cake. The texture is amazing, and of course, it's totally traditional. Add lashings of home made butter and Hot Cross Buns can take a back seat this Easter!

Russian Easter Bread (Kulich)

Ingredients
300g dried fruit of choice
2 tbsp brandy
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 tbsp butter
160g milk
55g warm water
1 tbsp dry yeast
50g sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
500-530g bakers flour
Handful slivered or flaked almonds
Icing:
100g sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method
Soak the fruit and citrus zest in the brandy for a few hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C.
Place the butter, milk, warm water, yeast, sugar, vanilla and eggs into TM bowl and cook for 2 minutes at 37ºC on speed 2.
Add the flour and mix for 5 seconds on speed 6.
Set dial to closed lid position and knead for 2 minutes on Interval speed.
Wrap the dough in a Thermomix Bread Mat and rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Add the almonds to the dried fruit mix and sprinkle with a little extra flour.
Flatten the dough on the Bread Mat and spread the fruit mix on the top.
Roll the dough into a sausage shape with the fruit inside. Cut in half to make two small loaves or make one large one.
Place into a well greased round tin or two smaller ones and cover the top loosely with foil to prevent the top becoming too dark. Bake for around 35 minutes removing the foil after 10 minutes.
Cool bread before spreading the icing on top and allowing it to run down the sides to look like snow.

To make icing, mill sugar for 10 seconds on speed 9 and add other ingredients and blend for 20 seconds on speed 4.

Then from Sharon Weidenbach in South Australia, a fantastic recipe for an eggless marshmallow, which naturally is soooo appropriate for Easter that it had to show up here as well...

Marshmallows

Ingredients
220g sugar
1 tbsp powdered gelatin or 5 gelatin sheets soaked in cold water till soft
250g boiling water
Colourings and flavourings of choice
Decorations of choice

Method
Insert Butterfly, place sugar and gelatin in TM Bowl. Ensure dry ingredients are below the top of the blades to ensure full coverage with the water. Add boiling water. Cook for 22 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Remove lid from TM and dry upper edges of bowl with paper towel. Allow uncovered liquid to cool to room temperature until a very thick syrup consistency and almost at setting stage.
Replace TM Bowl and lid – leave MC off. Whip syrup 3-4 minutes at speed 4 until thickened.
Add desired color and flavor and whip to combine.
Pour into moulds or tray and refrigerate 15 minutes to set shape.
Dust with a cornflour/icing sugar mix before unmoulding and cutting.

General Tips
Marshmallow Royales; Pour mallow into greased tartlet trays, spread jam of choice on round wafer and set on the top of the mallow. Allow to set in fridge before dipping completely in chocolate.
Easter Eggs; Use Easter egg mould and hide a small piece of chocolate or marzipan inside before filling mould with marshmallow. Coat with melted chocolate.
Plain Marshmallows: Use a mini muffin silicone pan as a mould. Color ever so slightly with pink or green colouring. Add a drop of strawberry or crème de menthe essence to each batch.
Rocky Road; Chop a Turkish delight and/pr Cherry Ripe bar into a tin. Add a few pistachios or nuts of choice. Melt some chocolate in your TM, add enough shredded coconut to thicken up, stir through chopped marshmallows and spread over chopped candy bars before refrigerating. Drizzle with additional melted white chocolate if desired.

So there you have it folks, plenty to be going on with, and most inpirational I think! I loved making the marshmallow royales, they looked fantastic and everyone was impressed, so impress yourself this Easter and give them a go! Send me a pic if you get a good result, and I may just put them up here!
If you are wondering about the Monthly Mouthful for April we have determined your VERY BEST meat recipe using the Thermomix...it could be steamed chicken with an amazing dressing, a curry to die for, or a pate that transports you to the South of France just by making it...we want those kind of recipes...so start your chefs hats and, Ready Steady, Thermomix!
(Deadline will be April 17th to recipes@thermomix.com.au)

LIME MEETS CHOCOLATE HEAD ON!

2009-03-27T14:18:00.006+09:00

Well folks, they're not particularly green, but certainly can come under Easter Treats...so I let it slide!
We had a lot of last minute entries once Forum Thermomix jumped on board...so thanks guys! There seemed to be a lot of cookie/slice recipes, so after narrowing the field, here they are;
Lime and Coconut Cookies, from Natalee Mahoney, (which at a stretch could classify as pale green!)
and Decadent Chocolate Biscuits from Jean Misko.
Remember; Cook, Eat and Vote!

Lime and Coconut Cookies
Ingredients
Zest and juice 2 limes
120g cold butter
170g brown sugar
120g plain flour
60g SR flour
90g rolled oats
45g shredded coconut
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
80-100g white chocolate
Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Place zest into TM bowl and mill for 15 seconds on speed 8. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat if necessary.
Add butter and sugar and blend for 10 seconds on speed 6.
Add remaining ingredients except for chocolate and mix a further 10 seconds on Reverse + speed 4.
Place heaped teaspoons of mix onto lined baking trays and cook for 12-15 minutes until golden around edges.
Remove from oven and cool completely.
To prepare chocolate, place into clean dry TM bowl and mill for 5 seconds on speed 8. Scrape down and melt for 2½ minutes at 50ºC on speed 1. Scrape into Ziploc plastic bag, snip corner off to drizzle over lined up cookies.

and

Decadent Chocolate Biscuits
Ingredients
Juice 1 orange
1 cup raisins or sultanas
100g Orange Intense Lindt chocolate
200g brown sugar
110g caster sugar
150g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
310g plain flour
1tbsp cocoa
Almond slivers or chopped macadamias to taste
Method
Soak raisins/sultanas in orange juice (or rum) for a few hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 180ºC.
Place broken chocolate into TM bowl and mill for 4 seconds on speed 7. If you prefer chunkier chocolate check the chop earlier. Set aside.
Place butter, sugars, vanilla and egg into TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 5.
Add flour, cocoa and 2 tbsps orange juice from soaked raisins, and with dial set to closed lid position, mix for 10-15 seconds on Interval setting until blended.
Add raisins/sultanas, chopped chocolate and nuts of choice, and blend a further 7 seconds on Reverse + speed 4.
Place spoonfuls onto lined baking trays and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Allow to cool on trays, they will become firm as they cool.

SO...as this is late, the next posting will seem early, so don't take too long...make this weekend a Cookie-a-thon and let me know your vote soon! And just to be going on with, for April, I think we will go your VERY BEST 'meat in the Thermomix' recipes! We are trying to collate our meat book now...which to date remains nameless, so any good ideas on that score would be appreciated as well!
Don't be strangers now!

FLAVOR OF NEW ZEALAND

2009-03-05T12:04:00.008+09:00

Having just returned from a wonderful week of wining and dining in beautiful Queenstown, I am completely sold on the idea of moving to a colder climate. The views were so spectacular that you could imagine you were in Norway with it's fjords and lakes.

BUT no, little old NZ...and so in an attempt at Polynesian flavors, this pie was concocted, for you all to imagine a little taste of New Zealand whilst you eat it...but then to really get the idea, you must go jump off a bridge attached only by a large elastic band!

Macadamia Choc Coconut Pie

Ingredients
50g macadamia nuts
20g dark brown sugar
200g caster sugar
80g cubed cold butter
140g plain flour
45g rolled oats
400g coconut cream
230g milk
70g corn flour
70g water
160g dark coverture chocolate
Topping:
1 vanilla bean
30g sugar
250g mascarpone cheese
60g shredded coconut flakes toasted in oven for 5 minutes

Method
Preheat oven to 170ºC and butter 20cm pie plate.
Place nuts into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
Place brown sugar, 20g of the caster sugar, butter and flour into TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on speed 6 until resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add chopped nuts and oats and combine for a further 3 seconds on speed 6.
Push into prepared pie plate using the back of the MC to pack the mix down firmly. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown then cool.
To make filling, place remaining caster sugar, coconut cream, milk, corn flour and water into TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Cook for 12 minutes at 90ºC on speed 4 until thickened.
Set aside half of custard and place chocolate into TM bowl with remaining custard.
Stir for 1 minute on speed 3 until chocolate has melted. Turn dial slowly until you reach speed 8. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. When fully combined and smooth, pour into cooled crust.
Top with white custard and refrigerate.
Topping:
To prepare topping, place vanilla bean and sugar into clean, dry, TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 10.
Insert Butterfly and add mascarpone to the bowl. Beat together for 10-20 seconds on speed 4 until colour of mascarpone changes slightly and the mixture thickens. Do not over beat as the cheese will separate. Spread on top of chilled filling and sprinkle with toasted coconut to finish.

General Tips
Replace mascarpone with whipping cream if desired.
It is not necessary to separate the coconut custard and chocolate layers unless using a smaller pie dish.

A quick note to let you know that although the Monthly Mouthful Competition has gone a little quiet, we are back on deck and January's winner had to be chosen by the office because we didn't get much response on the blog, (I know, I know, holiday's, the Victorian fires and of course, our high achievers jetting off to NZ, all had an impact...) SO, the big announcement; January's book will go to Kathryn Antony of Dallwalinu in WA. Let us know which book you want Kathryn and it will be on it's way ASAP.
In January I announced all things green for this month's competition, but with Easter only weeks away, we would like to see what amazing recipes you are coming up with for Easter. If you can combine the green with Easter, all the better! So get those chef hats on and send me what does it for you! Remember to try and keep the recipe in 'Thermomix' format and finalists will be chosen by me before being placed on the blog after Friday 20th...our deadline!
Can't wait, curser poised over the 'recipes@thermomix.com.au' inbox, so get cracking. (I know, an oldie, but a goldie, Easter egg joke!!)

February - Wicked Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake & Cauliflower and Date Curry

2009-02-04T19:00:00.010+09:00

Wicked Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake

This month’s recipe is for a delicious Wicked Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake. Perfect to spoil that special someone this Valentine’s Day, try out this yummy cheesecake that no one can refuse!

Experiment different ways of decorating the top or stick with the crunchy chocolate coated honeycomb, either way this one is sure to be a winner!

Ingredients
270g chocolate sandwich biscuits (Oreos)
55g butter
125g block Lindt milk chocolate
60g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
750g cream cheese
5 eggs
160g sour cream
2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa mixed with a little warm water
1 family pack Violet Crumble mini pieces

Method
Place biscuits and 40g butter into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Press into large spring form pan and bake in 160°C oven for 10 minutes. Set aside.
In clean TM bowl chop chocolate with remaining 15g butter for 5 seconds on speed 4. Melt for 4 minutes at 37°C on speed soft.
Add sugar, essence and cream cheese and beat for 30 seconds on speed 8.
Add remaining ingredients and blend for 1 minute on speed 9.
Wrap a double layer of foil around the outside of the springform pan.
Pour cheesecake mix into spring form pan and place in a water bath in 160°C oven.
Cook for 1 hour or until set in centre.
Cool.
Layer honeycomb pieces on top of cheesecake, drizzle with a little additional chocolate melted with 1 tbsp copha or butter for 2-3 minutes at 37°C on speed soft. Allow the chocolate to ‘glue’ the honeycomb to the top of the cake.

Recipe contributed by Tenina for Carol’s birthday.

Cauliflower and Date Curry

Try this delicious recipe for Cauliflower and Date Curry. This recipe featured at one of our recent Cooking Classes in Canberra and was a big hit so we decided to share it with everyone!

Contributed by our Consultant, Lynette MacDonald from NSW, try this beautiful recipe and let us know what you think!

Curry Ingredients
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
Good pinch ground turmeric
1 tbsp plain flour
1 clove garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large cauliflower cut into florets
1 can peeled tomatoes, chopped
½ cup pitted dates
1 ¼ - ½ good vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Curry Method
Place spices and flour into TM bowl and dry roast for 4 minutes at 100ºC on
speed 1. Blend into a powder for 3 seconds on speed 9.
Add garlic and onion into bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 4.
Add oil and sauté for 4 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Add remaining ingredients except the coriander and mint and cook for 18 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1.
Garnish with coriander and mint and serve with serve with Tunisian Pilaff or rice.

Tunisian Pilaff Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
¼ cup whole blanched almonds
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup currents
¾ cup long-grain rice
2 cups good vegetable broth, hot
Zest 1 orange

Tunisian Pilaff Method
Place onion, almonds, oil, currants and cinnamon into TM bowl and cook for 4-5 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1.
Add rice and stock and cook for 15 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed 1.
Stir in orange zest.

Recipe contributed by Lynette MacDonald, Consultant NSW

JANUARY MONTHLY MOUTHFUL COMPETITION

2009-01-19T11:58:00.006+09:00

Well my little Thermomixer's you have done it again and so well! We have some fantastic recipes happening out there and I am pleased to say that I am going to present to you not one, not two, but three recipes for your Cruisy January cook off!

I hope you like BBQ sauce, because I have been cooking a lot of it and to truly appreciate the finer subtleties of BBQ sauce (a product not normally known for subtlety!) you will have to try them both. My household is undecided, and I have brought tastes into HO today to see what the consensus is...close, so close!

Firstly and all the way from Dalwallinu; Kathryn Anthony's (Marked with an faint x above!)

BEST EVER BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic
1 brown onion peeled and halved
1 red apple cored and halved
400g ripe tomatoes halved
3 ripe plums, washed and de-stoned
100g brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoky paprika
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
100g apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons treacle
1 bay leaf

Method
Place garlic, onion and apple into TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 7.
Add tomatoes and plums and mix for 30 seconds on speed 7.
Add all other ingredients and cook for 30 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1 with MC in place.
To thicken sauce cook for another 14 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1. To reduce spatter, but allow reduction of liquid, replace MC with steamer basket.
Remove bay leaf, and blend for 1 minute on speed 8. Pour into hot sterilized jars.

Our next entry hails from somewhere on the east coast of the USA from Thermofan Warren Prince! His BBQ sauce has a nice kick to it and although I might have been a little heavy handed with the chili, it didn't detract from the recipe at all!

Not sure why the name, but here is;

BOCCI'S BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients
4-5 cloves garlic
2 onions peeled and halved
45g butter
500g ketchup (or tomato sauce from Everyday Cooking for Every Family)
80g dark brown sugar
100g Teriyaki Marinade
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp mustard powder

Method
Place garlic and onion into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
Add butter and cook for 15 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Insert Butterfly and add remaining ingredients. Blend ingredients for 5 seconds on speed 3 and then cook for 45 minutes at 100ºC on speed soft.

Now, because you have been so supportive of the Monthly Mouthful, a third recipe which has nothing to do with BBQ Sauce, but was so delicious and easy, I have spent some thought planning the next time I will cook this!

PRAWNS IN SPICY GRAVY by Medlyn Lee

Ingredients
1 onion peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic
20g oil
100g red curry paste (see Everyday Cooking for Every Family)
1-2 tbsp tamarind puree*
500g peeled prawns
3 tomatoes halved

Method
Place onion and garlic into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
Add oil and curry paste and sauté for 3 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.
Add tamarind puree and prawns and cook for 10 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed soft.
Add tomatoes and cook a further 5 minutes at 100ºC on Reverse + speed soft.
Serve with steamed rice and sprigs of fresh coriander or mint.

*Tamarind puree is available in most Asian supermarkets. Tamarind juice can also be used but increase the quantity to 55g.
Don’t be tempted to use a commercial red curry paste, you will not get the same fragrant result.

SO PLEASE, Cook, Eat and Vote via Comment...we look forward to the result!
I am off to the USA for the month of February, so unfortunately the Monthly Mouthful will be put off until March, though I plan to post a decadent Valentine's Treat for you all to try. But heads up for March and St. Patrick's Day...(which conveniently brings all things green to mind...very Thermomix!) we are calling for your best green creations! Sweet, savory, main meal, appetizer, yours is the option.
Send all entries to recipes@thermomix.com.au and the lucky winner will be able to choose a Thermomix recipe book not yet in their collection!

CRUISY JANUARY

2009-01-09T13:05:00.008+09:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our blog followers, and if you are new to the whole blog thing, stay watching this space as we have lots in store for you in 2009.

This year promises to be VERY exciting for Thermomix and it's customers, so we hope you will jump in and enjoy the ride.
We have at least three new books on the table at the moment with the Vegetarian book very close to completion, thanks to many of you and your terrific input!
Another quick little project that was born this week (after some feedback from many consultants around the country) and which will be available by the end of the month, is a booklet with about 15-20 recipes in it for Lunch Box and After School Snacks.
We will continue to run the Monthly Mouthful competition this year which earns you a day in the sun on the blog as a finalist, a book of your choice (options which are clearly increasing!) and of course all the fame and fortune that goes with the territory!
SO although late, here are two quick recipes for you to try this month, not forgetting we are looking forward to some of your relaxed summer food ideas by the end of next week.

Firstly a little sneak peek from the Vegetarian Book ~ A Taste of Vegetarian ~

Purple Anti-Aging Breakfast Shake

Ingredients
2 tbsp rolled oats
2 tbsp linseed
2 peeled and frozen bananas, cut into ice cube sizes
80g frozen blueberries
240g orange juice
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp vanilla bean extract

Method
Place oats and seeds into TM bowl and mill for 8 seconds on speed 8.
Add remaining ingredients and process for 30 seconds on speed 8.
Serve immediately.

And from the Lunch Box and School Snack booklet, our version of the well known (and over the top expensive) cereal bar;

LTM’s

Ingredients
110g butter
100g sugar
2 tbsp honey
Tsp vanilla
4 cups Rice Bubbles
50g coconut

Method
Place butter, sugar and honey into TM bowl and cook for 6 minutes at 100ºC on speed 3.
Towards the end of the cooking time, add vanilla through hole in lid and allow to incorporate.
Add Rice Bubbles and coconut to bowl and mix for 10-15 seconds on Reverse + speed 3-4.
Press into paper lined baking tray and refrigerate until firm.
Cut into slices to serve.
Push choc chips into the top before placing in fridge if desired.

Don't forget:
Send recipes to; recipes@thermomix.com.au
For updates to hit your in box, subscribe in the right hand column and each posting on here will automatically be sent to you with a hyperlink...what could be easier than that?
Looking forward to hearing from a lot more of you in 2009. Happy Thermomixing!