Kane's Kitchen - 22nd May 2012 - Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Brownies

Serves:  approximately 15 brownies

Prep Time:  10 mins
Cook Time:  35 mins
 

What You’ll Need:

• 250g unsalted butter, cubed
• 200g good quality dark chocolate, cut into pieces
• 50g chopped macadamia nuts
• Zest of ½ orange
• 80g cocoa powder, sifted
• 75g plain flour, sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 360g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• Crème fraiche, for serving

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.            Preheat oven to 180°c.  Line a 25cm square baking tin with baking paper. 

2.            In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix well.  Add the chopped macadamia nuts and orange zest. 

3.            In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa, flour, baking powder and sugar.  Add to the chocolate mixture and mix well.

4.            Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and mix into the chocolate and flour mixture until you get a smooth, silky consistency.

5.            Pour the brownie mix into the baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook – when you insert a skewer, it should come out dirty.  You should have a firm crust on top and a gooey centre.

6.            Allow to cool in the baking tin for at least 30 minutes.  Carefully turn out and cut into squares. 

7.            Serve with macadamia ice cream or crème fraiche. 

Kane's Kitchen - 8th May 2012 - Thai Chicken Balls

Thai Chicken Balls

  Serves 4 (24 balls)

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

What you’ll need:

• 500g chicken mince
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 2 large spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sambal chilli paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tblsp oyster sauce
• 1 tblsp lime juice
• 1 tblsp tamari paste (or soy sauce)
• Peanut oil for shallow frying
• Sweet chilli sauce for dipping

What you’ll need to do:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken mince, breadcrumbs and egg and mix well.  Add ginger, spring onions, sesame oil, sambal chilli paste, fish sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice and tamari paste and mix. 
3. Add the coriander and give the mixture one last stir.  
4. Roll the mixture into balls which are evenly shaped and about the size of a walnut (about 1 tablespoon of mixture each).  If the mixture seems to be too “wet” and is hard to roll, add some more breadcrumbs until the mixture comes together. 
5. Shallow fry the chicken balls in a heavy based frypan for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side or until brown.  Transfer to absorbent paper towel. 
6. Once all the chicken balls have been fried, transfer to a baking tray and finish off the cooking process in the oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your balls.
7. Serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Kane's Kitchen - 1st May 2012 - Blueberry Pancakes With Whipped Lemon Butter

Blueberry Pancakes with Whipped Lemon Butter

Makes:  12   

Prep Time:  10 mins

Cook Time:  15 mins (plus cooking time)

What You’ll Need:

• 2 cups self raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 50g unsalted butter, melted
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 eggs
• Pinch salt
• 250g blueberries, fresh or frozen

Lemon Butter (makes approx. 1 cup)

·         150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         ¼ cup icing sugar

·         Zest of 1 lemon

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        For the lemon butter, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whip with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Refrigerate until set.

2.        Combine the sugar and eggs and mix well in a bowl.  Add the flour, butter, bicarb soda, buttermilk, caster sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean paste, salt and ¾ of the blueberries and mix until combined. 

3.        In a non-stick pan, melt some butter (or you can use an olive oil spray) and heat until the butter is bubbling.  Pour approximately 1/3 cup of the pancake mixture into the pan.  Cook until bubbles form on top of the mixture and it sets around the edges (approx. 2 minutes).  Flip.  Cook for another 1 minute.

4.        Serve with a generous helping of the lemon butter, maple syrup, a dusting of icing sugar and a sprinkle of blueberries.