Vegetarian Marshmallow with chocolate crackle and Milo = Success!

Every year the food bloggers picnic comes around and I struggle to figure out what to bring, i.e. Sweet VS Savoury. This year, I went with sweet and it was a smart decision. I decided to make vegetarian marshmallow. I have a few vegetarian friends, and I know that marshmallows is one of those things they want to eat but can't due to gelatin. I further decided to add my own twist to it by adding chocolate crackle and milo, which proved to be a great success. 

I left both my marshmallow and chocolate crackle overnight to ensure they were firm to cut through. However, both can be made within a few hours with appropriate cooling time. I apologise for the lack of photos in this post, I didn't expect a complete success. I have a few photos from a previous attempt which I thought was successful, but wasn't compared to this time around. Vegetarian marshmallow attempt 2

The original recipe is guided by http://www.foodmyfriend.com/2012/07/vegetarian-marshmallows/. She was able to reply to comments in a fast and quick manner which allowed for a great result!

Vegetarian Marshmallow

1 1/2 tablespoons of agar agar powder (generallly found in Asian supermarkets)

1 cup of luke warm water

185ml glucose syrup

1 1/2 caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

3 x 59g free range egg whites

1/4 teaspoon of food colouring/paste (optional)

1. Prepare a rectangle baking dish by lining with baking paper and dust with pure icing sugar. (I used a spring form rectangular baking dish e.g.rectangle springform)

2. In a jug, combine agar agar and water. Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring once every minute.

3. In a medium saucepan add glucose syrup, sugar, vanilla paste and agar agar mixture. Stir over a low heat, using a wooden spoon to ensure agar agar has dissolved and forms a thick syrup.

4. Using a candy thermometer, allow the mixture to reach 105 degree celsius, and then continue to simmer for 8 minutes. *maintaining the temperature is important, so DO NOT LEAVE the stove top.

5. Using an electric stand mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks.

6. Keeping the electric mixer on a medium speed, add in the hot syrup in a steady stream and mix on high for 3-8 minutes. DO NOT STOP THE MIXER. At this point you can add colour. 

(The time can vary depending on the mixer you have, I have a KitchenAid and I mixed for 6-7 minutes to ensure it wasn't too runny). You are looking for a thick and glossy mixture that is still moist. 

7. Using a spatula, spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and dust with icing sugar. 

8. Place another sheet of baking paper on top of the marshmallow to press down and create an even and flat marshmallow surface.

9. Set aside to set for a few hours or overnight.

Chocolate Crackle

The chocolate crackle is on the side of most Rice Bubbles packages, but if you are not familiar with the recipe it is:

4 cups Rice Bubbles

1 cup sifted icing sugar

1 cup desiccated coconut

4 Tbsp Cocoa powder

250g Copha (found in the butter section of your supermarket)

1. Line a baking tray with baking paper (that is close to the same size of marshmallow baking dish) and lightly spray with oil.

2. Combine rice bubbles, icing sugar, coconut and cocoa powder in a large bowl.

3. Slowly melt Copha using microwave ( at 1-2 minute intervals) or stove top. Allow to slightly cool.

4. Add melted Copha to rice bubbles mixture until well combined.

5. Spoon the mixture onto the baking tray and spread evenly. 

6. Place another sheet of baking paper on top and press lightly to ensure the chocolate crackle and is evenly spread.

7. Refrigerate until firm or until needed.

Preparing the treat

1.Turn out the marshmallow on a clean baking tray leaving both sheets of baking paper. Or in my case I removed the spring form part of the tray. Remove the top sheet of baking paper.

2.Turn out the chocolate crackle from the baking tray leaving both sheets of baking paper. (The top of the crackle should be the smoother layer of chocolate that had settled at the bottom) and place back on the tray. Remove the now top layer of baking paper.

3. Carefully holding the baking tray, place the chocolate side down on top of the marshmallow allowing them to align as much as they can. (The chocolate crackle should be firm so it shouldn't break)

4. The marshmallow will stick to the chocolate side of the crackle. Carefully hold and flip both baking trays at the same time so the marshmallow ends up being on top. Remove baking paper.

5. Using clean string, fishing line or dental floss, create lines in the marshmallow as cutting guidelines.

6. Using a sharp knife, cut along the lines into the crackle.

7. Finish off by dusting over milo.

8. Marshmallow is now ready to be served! Place out of heat and sunlight and keep covered until ready to eat.

Good food, good times!

Harry Potter Cake + 4th July Birthday Celebrations

Even though I am not American, American culture is a part of my life especially with films and tv shows. One of my closest friends loves the American Culture, and she has always been bugging me to celebrate an American Holiday. Therefore, as a group we decided to take advantage of Independence Day, and threw her a surprise 21st, American Independence Day Party.

 

We created a last minute American themed setting by all things red, blue and white. 

Hagrid Harry Potter Cake

The Feast

Independence Day Menu

- Mexican styled corn

- Fried Chicken

- Candied Yams (Sweet potato)

- Garden Salad

- Hagrid Harry Potter Cake with passion fruit ganache layers

Mexican Styled Corn

Corn on a cob

Japaneses Mayonnaise (Kewpie Mayonnaise)

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Lime

Chilli Powder

Chopped coriander

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. 

2. Peel the skin off the corn and wrap in aluminium foil.

3. Place on a tray in the oven for 15-20. (on the middle to top rack)

4. Allow to cool for 2 minutes, and peel off aluminium foil.

5. Apply a drizzle of mayonnaise, pinches of parmesan cheese, coriander, squeeze of lime and sprinkle of chilli powder. 

Fried Chicken

1kg chicken tenderloins

2 cups Panko crumbs

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

2 cups of flour

salt

pepper

cayenne pepper

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan enough for a shallow fry, to 350 degree Celsius.

2. Combine flour, salt and peppers in a large bowl.

3. Mix eggs in a separate medium bowl.

4. Combine panko crumbs and parmesan cheese.

5. Coat a piece of chicken in the flour mix, then the egg mixture and then the crumb mixture.

6. Once oil is heated, place chicken in the pan (no more than 3 pieces at a time). Allow one side to brown, once browned, flip the chicken and cook. 

7. Place the cooked chicken on a paper towel.

Candied Yams (Sweet potato)

3 medium to large sweet potatoes

50g butter

1 packet of mini marshmallows

Method:

1. Boil a pot of water on the stove with a pinch of salt.

2. Peel sweet potato and cut into even sized chunks.

3. Once water is boiled, at the potatoes and place on the lid. Leave until potatoes are cooked through. They are cooked through when a fork or a chopstick can go through the centre of the potato.

4. Drain the water and begin to mash the potatoes and add the butter.

5. Preheat oven to 200 degree celsius.

6. Place mashed potatoes into an oven proof dish, evenly spread out. 

7. Evenly spread the packet of mini marshmallows.

8. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until marshmallows have browned

Hagrid Harry Potter Cake

The Harry Potter Cake was made because the birthday girl loves Harry Potter. I first came across the Harry Potter Cake on Diamonds for Dessert. When I showed her, she said that one day I would have to make it for her, and that day had finally came.

I used the Thunder Cake Recipe for two 20cm round cake tins for the cake. As for the buttercream frosting, I followed Diamonds for Dessert recipe. 

To take advantage of the lovely passionfruit that are currently in season, in between the cakes was passionfruit ganache. The recipe was guided by Heston Blumenthal's chocolate gateau recipe

Passionfruit Ganache

175g thickened cream

Pinch of salt

Pulp from 6 passion fruits

110g of dark chocolate (broken into pieces)

50g milk chocolate (broken into pieces)

Method:

1. Combine cream, salt and passionfruit in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

2. Place the chocolate in a bowl and melt until smooth. (I used microwave at 15 second intervals)

3. Strain the infused cream and add to the bowl of melted chocolate a third at a time. Making sure to completely incorporate the cream with the chocolate after each addition.

4. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature and refrigerate until read to use.

Processes

- Split the butter cream to a majority in one bowl (colour pink), and a few spoonfuls in another bowl (colour green).  

- When the two cakes were cooled, I levelled them and then cut them in half. 

- I filled each layer with the passionfruit ganache (the levels weren't as uneven as the picture looks haha)

- Applied a crumb coat of vanilla butter cream

- Top coat of vanilla buttercream. The top coat doesn't have to be that neat since it is supposed to be made by Hagrid =D

- Final touches

The HAPPEE BIRTHDAE HARRY was supposed to be written with green tinted buttercream, however too much red food colouring was added to the split batch, therefore the rest of the white was used for the pink. I then tried to use white chocolate, and tint it with green food colouring which DIDN'T work at all.

Therefore, I ended up using white writing fudge from the tube, which I coloured green. I put that in a ziplock bag, and created a make shift piping bag for the writing. 

This became an issue when presenting the cake, as I did the piping several hours before consumption, the colour began to separate from the writing fudge. However, if you plan to serve the cake straight away, this way of colouring will work.

Just another birthday message for M. Happy 21st Birthday M! I hope that you and the girls enjoyed the dinner and dessert!

Good food, good times! 

Vegetarian Marshmallow

This was my second attempt at making vegetarian marshmallow (my first attempt resulted in a pile of goo). My first attempt failed because I used a hand held mixer, for marshmallow to succeed to definitely need a stand mixer. I would still consider this attempt a success as it was edible, however next time I attempt this I will make sure to keep a few things in mind:

1. Add less vanilla. (I found them to have a strong vanilla flavour)

2. Try a lot harder to dissolve the agar powder with the sugar.

3. Mix the marshmallow mixture for longer, for a more stiff marshmallow. 

Recipe guided by http://www.foodmyfriend.com/2012/07/vegetarian-marshmallows/

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons agar agar powder

1 cup water

185ml glucose syrup

1 1/2 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

3 x 59g egg whites

Method

1. Prepare a rectangle baking dish with non stick spray and baking paper. Dust with icing sugar.

2. Combine agar agar powder and water in separate bowl or jug and whisk. Set aside for 5 minutes.

3. In a medium saucepan add glucose syrup, sugar, vanilla essence, vanilla paste and agar agar mixture. Stir over a low heat, using a whisk to ensure agar agar has dissolved and forms a thick syrup.

4. Using a candy thermometer, allow the mixture to reach 105 degrees Celsius and continue to simmer for 8 minutes (ensuring temperature doesn't exceed 105 degrees Celsius).

5. Using an electric STAND mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks and then add the hot sugar syrup in a steady stream.
*At this point, the mixer should be turned on at medium speed while the sugar syrup is added, and leave to mix. DO NOT STOP THE MIXER.

6. Turn mixer to high and mix for at least 8 minutes. (The original recipe said 3, but I found that not long enough). At this stage you can add colour to the mixture (1/4 tsp should be sufficient).

7. Using a spatula, evenly spread the mixture in prepared tin and dust with icing sugar.

8. Leave a side to completely cool. (This can range from 20 min to a few hours). I let it set a side for a few hours, just to be make sure it was completely cooled.

9. Turn out onto bench top or cutting mat and cut to desired size, further coating all sides in icing sugar. 

When it comes to cutting the marshmallow, you can use different cookie cutters if you want different sizes or it is for a certain themed event or you can stick to traditional cubes. Furthermore, I used a combination of corn flour and icing sugar, to make the outside not so sticky and the marshmallow less sweet.

In the end, it was a great recipe for Vegetarian Marshmallows. I was making these marshmallow for a a couple of vegetarian friends, so I put them in a jar. 

Thanks to Cassandra from http://www.foodmyfriend.com/ for the great recipe. When asking questions about her recipe she was fast to reply and provided great feedback. Thank you!

Good food, good times!

BEWARE! Halloween Cupcakes

I know this post is a few days late, and Halloween is over, but for anyone who needs some ideas for next year, details are now here to read and see! =D. Halloween is slowly becoming a popular celebration in Australia (mainly due to American TV show influences), but it is definitely a fun new way to creatively bake. Last year my sister hosted a Halloween Party, but this year with no party, I still wanted to experiment with some Halloween themed cupcakes.

The Halloween cupcakes were inspired by one of my new favourite YouTube channels; MyCupcakeaddiction. The best thing about this channel is that it is Australian based, so all the products she uses in her tutorials are generally available at a local Woolworths or Coles. She posted up a few Halloween themed desserts, but I chose the cupcakes.

Jack-o-Lantern cupcakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSx1cRQLI74&feature=BFa&list=PLQ27MnDUZPYbtxS67cKLcnk7BeTtLD2NK

Ghost Cupcakes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vP4bP1IT4&feature=BFa&list=PLQ27MnDUZPYbtxS67cKLcnk7BeTtLD2NK

Buttercream Recipe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_xqvYCfrpU

The tutorials were simple and straight forward. I did slightly alter what she did by using black fondant for the pumpkins facial features instead of black liquorice. Furthermore, I used a WHITE writing fudge tube instead of chocolate to stick on the ghostly eyes (aka mini m&ms). To colour the buttercream I used orange, and a bit of red colour paste to get a lovely pumpkin/blood orange colour.

For the cupcake recipe, I used my NEW go to Vanilla Cupcake Recipe. The recipe makes 24 large cupcakes, so you have to tweak it a little. I made 36 standard cupcakes which was  1.25 of the recipe. If you make one batch of the batter, you get roughly 30 standard cupcakes.

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Guided by (http://magdelinelum.com/i-like-to-bake/)

Ingredients
4 eggs
200g softened butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups of self raising flour (sifted)
1 1/2 cups of caster sugar (2 cups MAX)
250ml full cream milk

Method:
1. Preheat over to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Using an electric mixer (or hand held mixer) cream the butter and sugar together until dissolved.
3. Add the eggs in one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully combined before adding in the next.
4. Add the flour and milk alternately and gently fold into the batter using a spatula.
5. Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners (filling each about half - 2/3 of the way)
6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Sorry, bad quality iPod touch

Underneath the ghost sheets

OoOoOo Ghostsssss

Jack-o-lanterns

I received a lot of positive feedback from the cupcakes, and to all those who tried them I am glad you enjoyed them. 

Good food, good times!