Max Brenner - Joondalup

My Daughter and I were looking for somewhere new and fun to eat out during the recent school holidays, and it was a no brainer to head to the new Max Brenner Chocolate Store.

Located at Lakeside Joondalup, we walked around the huge complex for a while before spotting the store and taking a seat.

We invited my fellow blogging friend Nini - Eat Drink Travelicious and she arrived not long after.

The menu is mainly sweet treats, from waffles, to crepes, fondues and ice cream. I spotted some fondue's with strawberries being delivered to a nearby table and it wasn't hard to convince my daughter into us sharing one of these.

I also had my usual cappuccino and my daughter had the classic vanilla milkshake which came in a funky ceramic milk carton mug.

 

Nini couldn't go past the Tutti Frutti Waffles served with strawberries, Chocolate Ice cream and Chocolate dipping sauce.

 

 

The store was very busy at one point and the line to order at least 12 people deep but people were being served quickly.

They also have a store where you can buy all types of chocolates, truffles and other tasty chocolate products, but we resisted due to having consumed a decent amount of chocolate already all before lunch time.

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Crepes with Creme Patissiere and Macerated Strawberries

I love the crepes and custard combo, and this recipe makes a lovely dessert for dinner parties or anytime really.

Crepes
2 eggs
1 1/4 Cup Milk
1 TBSP Sugar
1 Cup Plain Flour

Sift dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk in combined wet ingredients until smooth. Rest for 5 mins before using.

Crème Patissiere (microwave version)
1 Egg 1 Egg Yolk
4 TBSP Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2.5 TBSP Cornflour
2.5 Cups Milk

In a Pyrex jug whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, cornflour and Vanilla until thick. Whisk in milk and microwave for 1 minute then whisk.
Then microwave for 30 sec at a time stirring in between until you have a thick custard. Place cling wrap on top of the custard to stop a skin forming, refrigerate until cold before using.

Macerated Strawberries
Half a punnet of strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tsp caster sugar
Juice from 1/4 of a Lemon

Mix everything together and leave at room temp.

Assembly

You can stack the crepes on top of each other with the custard in between or you can spread the custard over and fold then in quarters like I've done in the photo.

Spoon over the strawberries.

Enjoy!

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The Streetswap 2014

This year I participated in The Streetswap 2014. It's where Food/Lifestyle Bloggers register to make 3 handmade sweet treats to send to their 3 'matches'. To participate you need to have a blog/website and a passion for cooking!

I registered my name and my blog and soon received the names of my 3 matches.

I initially decided to make and send some Salted Caramel Popcorn as I've been making it a lot at home just to snack on but I didn't think it would arrive as crisp as I'd want it to so I turned to Plan B.

Plan B was my Hubby's idea and I thought it was great! Rocky Road!

So my recipe for the rocky road is as follows;

Aprils Streetswap 2014 Rocky Road

Half packet of marshmallows (cut in half)
1x Pack of Snakes Alive (chopped)
Half a Pack of Milk Arrowroot Biscuits, crushed roughly
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1x block of Cadbury Milk Baking Chocolate
1x block of Cadbury White Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup coconut

Mix marshmallows, snakes, biscuits, sultanas and nuts in a square baking tin/dish lined with baking paper. Melt milk chocolate in the microwave and pour over mix.

Let cool in the fridge until set. Then Melt the white chocolate and pour on top of the milk chocolate

Sprinkle with coconut and cool in the fridge until set.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

I sent off my 3 parcels express post so my recipients could enjoy them fresh and fast. My 3 matches were Belinda - The Hungry Mum, Kate - Foodies Agenda and Alice - Western Sydney Food Blog.

My 3 Streetswap goodies received were:

Peanut and Gummi Bear Chocolate Fudge from Aleesha who owns Me and The Young Blog. This was soooo yummy and I loved the crunch and chewy combo that the peanuts and gummi bears gave. I also cant remember the last time I ate a Gummi Bear and have bought more since.
Aleesha also was kind enough to leave her recipe for me so I can create it at home now too, and I definitely will. My whole family enjoyed snaking on these!

My second parcel was Salted Caramels with Fennel and Chilli sent by Katherine of A Cupcake or 2.
These soft buttery caramels were presented so beautifully in a cute small wooden box and were individually wrapped. A surprising flavour combo with the subtle heat from the chilli and the aniseed crunch of the fennel seeds hidden in salted caramel buttery goodness. I'd love to try and make these, they reminded me much like a soft toffee I used to eat as a kid.

Last but definitely not least my final Streetswap treat received were beautiful handmade chocolates by Sandra who owns the informative blog $120 Food Challenge. Choc Chilli 'Bombs' and Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate Hearts. They smelt amazing when I opened the box.  2 of the hearts had leaked a bit of the caramel but it no way affected my daughter and I both eating them! I had to put these away to make them last and have since bought some more chocolate moulds to give 'filled chocolates' a go!

I hope my Rocky Road Parcels were received well and didn't melt or crumble. I've never sent treats via Post so this was a learning curve for me also .Seeing the beautiful way the treats were packaged up and how much effort the ladies went though to post, it's amazing and I will definitely do better next year!

Thanks to the organisers of the Streetswap and the ladies who sent me my treats too!

The Streetswap 2014......so much fun!!

April xx

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Chocolate Lava Cake

I have adapted this recipe from The Healthy Food Guide Magazine, though I cannot find the original recipe, so I have just gone from memory of what I think the recipe was.

This recipe makes 4 small ramekin sized cakes.

Chocolate Lava Cake

100gm Dark Chocolate (I used 70% Lindt)
1/2 cup Lite Evaporated Milk
1 egg
3 TBSP Raw Caster Sugar
4 TBSP Plain Flour

Preheat oven to 200C.

Scald milk in microwave/saucepan and pour over chocolate in a heatproof jug. Stir until smooth, let cool slightly.

Whisk egg and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Add cooled chocolate mixture and plain flour and whisk a few times until combined.

Pour into greased and sugar lined ramekins or dariole moulds and bake for about 10 mins.

You want the edges to be risen slightly and the middle still slightly undercooked, for it to be molten in the middle.

Invert onto serving plates and serve with all things dessert, being custard, cream, ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, I could go on and on... :-)

Enjoy.


*This recipe can be made gluten free by using GF flour or almond meal.

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Dark Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
200G Dark Chocolate
25G unsalted butter
120G raw caster sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking powder
35G Plain flour

Method

Oven at 180C. Melt chocolate & butter together. I use a pyrex jug in the microwave.

Beat eggs & sugar until thick and pale.

Pour chocolate into egg mixture and add flour and baking powder, stir gently, don't overmix.

Scoop big tablespoons full onto baking paper. Mixture will be very wet like cake batter, but its all good! Just leave enough space for spreading.

Cook for 10-15 mins.

These taste like a brownie!

makes about 12.

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Jelly Cheesecake Slice

Had this recipe given to me recently by a foodie friend and its amazing!!

It makes a lot! so is great for parties, picnics etc.

I've made 2 in the last few weeks, one with red jelly the other with yellow jelly......I like the yellow on better and the passionfruit jelly goes well with the lemon cheesecake filling.

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/cwfs-jelly-slice-L669.html

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Chocolate Crackles - No Copha (vegetable shortening)

 

A classic childhood favourite, but made without the unhealthy copha (vegetable shortening)!!

1x pack fun size mars bars (216grms approx.)
1/4 cup cream
1 tbsp. cocoa
3 cups rice bubbles

Melt mars bars and cream in a pyrex dish in the microwave in 30 sec bursts and then pour into a mixing bowl with rice bubbles and cocoa. stir until combined and spoon into patty cases. Cool in fridge for 30 mins.
Sprinkle with 100's and 1000's, coconut or edible glitter :-)

Not just for kids parties!! ;-)

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Italian Almond Cherry Biscuits

 

200 gm Almond meal
170Gm caster sugar
2 Egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup plain flour
Glace cherries, halved

Preheat oven to 190C. In a food processor mix all ingredients except cherries, spoon into a piping bag and pipe small rounds on a baking sheet, top with cherry, bake for 15-20 mins. Dust with icing sugar before or after baking optional.

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Honey Joys

I love Honey Joys, they are so easy and simple to make. Try making them with kids. They are also great for kids parties and cake stalls.

I got the recipe from the Kelloggs website below! YUM!

http://www.kelloggs.com.au/en_AU/honey-joys.html




 

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