Kane's Kitchen - 31st July 2012 - Salted Caramel Chocolate Tarts

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tarts

* Thanks to Ben M for this little gem J *

Makes:  Approx. 24 mini tarts

Prep Time:  15 mins

Cook Time:  20 mins (plus cooling)

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 90g butter, chopped (for tart base)
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 100g dark chocolate, melted
• 395g can condensed milk
• 30g butter, chopped (for caramel filling)
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• ¼ tsp salt

  What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        Preheat oven to 180°C.  Grease a 24-hole mini muffin pan with some butter. 

2.        Sift flour into food processor.  Add 90g butter and the caster sugar and pulse until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  You can rub the butter into the flour by hand if you don’t have a food processor.  Be sure not to over-combine. 

3.        Press 2 tsp (approx.) of the mixture firmly into the greased mini muffin pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. 

4.        Meanwhile, make the caramel filling.  Combine 30g butter, condensed milk, golden syrup and salt in a saucepan.  Stir over a low heat until the butter melts and the mixture is combined and has thickened (about 5 mins). 

5.        Pour the caramel over the bases and return to the oven for 3 minutes.  Allow the tarts to cool for 15 minutes in the pan (or until caramel is set) and then gently remove.  Cool in the fridge if required. 

6.        Top the tarts with some melted chocolate and cool at room temperature or in the fridge if you need them quick! 

Kane's Kitchen - 24th July 2012 - Carbonara Sauce

This recipe calls for a raw egg yolk to finish the pasta sauce.  Don’t be alarmed – the egg will cook due to the heat from the pasta. 

I guarantee this sauce will be a favourite – the bread crumbs give the dish a great texture!

    

Carbonara Sauce

Serves:  4    

Prep Time:  5 mins

Cook Time:  10 mins

What You’ll Need:

• 400ml full cream
• 5 slices prosciutto or pancetta, sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 button mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• 4 egg yolks, whisked
• ¼ cup white wine
• 2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, toasted
• 1tbsp olive oil
• Knob butter
• ¼ cup chopped parsley

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        Combine the olive oil and breadcrumbs on a baking tray.  Season with salt and bake for 180 degrees for 5 minutes or until golden.  Set aside. 

2.        Saute prosciutto/pancetta, garlic, onions and mushroom with the butter until crispy and caramelised.  Set aside. 

3.        Toast the black pepper in a frypan for 30 seconds and add cream and white wine.  Reduce for 5 minutes and then add grated parmesan cheese. 

4.        Add the cream mixture to the pancetta mix and stir.  Remove from the heat.

5.        Cook fresh pasta for 4 minutes or until al dente. 

6.        Arrange pasta in a bowl and add some carbonara sauce.  Add approx. 1 egg yolk per serve to the mix and stir through (this gives the pasta a creamy texture – the egg yolk will cook due to the heat from the pasta and sauce). 

7.        Garnish pasta with grated parmesan, parsley and a good amount of the toasted breadcrumbs.  

Kane's Kitchen - 17th July 2012 - Mushroom Sauce

Mushroom Sauce

Makes approx. 2 cups

Prep Time:  5 minutes
Cook Time:  20 minutes
 

What You’ll Need:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 500g button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ bunch fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup sweet sherry
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 100ml cream
• Salt and pepper to season

 

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        In a heavy based saucepan, heat oil and add onions.  Cook until soft.  Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, or until mushrooms start to brown.

2.        Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes.

3.        Stir in the sherry, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. 

4.        Stir in cream and bring to the boil.

5.        Season with salt and pepper then serve.

6.        For a thicker sauce, add 1 tsp corn flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water.

Kane's Kitchen - 3rd July 2012 - Mulled Wine

Mulled Wine

  

 

Serves:  8    

Prep Time:  10 mins

Cook Time:  20 mins

  

What You’ll Need:

• 2 bottles red wine (merlot seems to take on the flavours the best)
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 vanilla bean, halved
• 1 whole nutmeg, roughly grated
• 1 orange, juiced and rind roughly chopped
• 1 apple, skin on, roughly chopped
• Rind of 1 lemon, roughly chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves

What You’ll Need To Do:

1.        In a heavy based saucepan, add the juice and peel of the orange, apple, lemon rind, bay leaves, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean and grated nutmeg.  Add just enough red wine to cover the mixture and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. 

2.        Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. 

3.        Add the red wine, bring to the boil and then simmer gently for 10 minutes. 

4.        Strain the mulled wine into a large jug and serve immediately.