Archive for June 2014 | Monthly archive page
Traditional pink and white coconut ice has been replaced by our instant sprinkle-rich version. This satisfying sweet treat is quick and easy to make and promises to use up that desiccated coconut (which we all have) lying about the pantry. The recipe is so simple and ideal for the “little ones” getting hands in the kitchen as the ingredients are mixed together at room temperature and require no heating or baking!
Ingredients
1 can Condensed Milk 600g Icing Sugar 390g Coconut, desiccated SprinklesMix the condensed milk, icing sugar and coconut well. Divide the mixture in half; press one half into a tray/dish, and mix the other half with colourful sprinkles (we used Nicoletta Cake Confetti Stars), press the next layer down, place in the fridge and leave to set. Cut into blocks.
While adopting the Noakes/Banting lifestyle, we came up with this very velvety chocolate fudge recipe to satisfy the after dinner chocolate cravings. This recipe makes approx. 10 sizable fudge bars, and can be kept in the fridge for a sweet snack when the need arises.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. Coconut Oil 2 Tbs. Butter 2 Tbs. Macadamia Nut Butter (or any nut butter) 100g Dates, pitted and finely chopped 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder (good quality) 2 tsp. Honey (optional for extra sweetness) 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract Pinch of Salt 1 Egg, lightly beaten 2 Tbs. Flaked AlmondsHeat the dates with a small amount of the butter (approximately a teaspoon) in a saucepan until the dates are gooey and melted – this will take some time, don’t be hasty. Mix in the oil, butter and nut butter. Take the mixture off the heat and mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla, honey and salt. Combine the lightly beaten egg into the warm mixture (make sure the mixture is not too hot or the egg will scramble). Stir the mixture on a low heat until it is smooth and velvety, and the oil has become incorporated. Stir in any inclusions – we added flaked almonds for crunch.
Spoon the mixture into a small baking tray (or similar) and place in the fridge for 3-6 hours to set (it will not set hard).
We opted to sprinkle our brownie flavoured fudge with Nicoletta Nonpareils (and although made from sugar, added a good crunch to the smooth fudgy bars). These sprinkles are obviously not ‘Banting’ and are optional extras for decoration, but we think they are totally worth it as they offer that finishing touch. For a non-dairy version – the dairy component of the recipe (butter) can be replaced with cocoa butter or nut butter.
We love our sprinkles! We added colourful Nicoletta Cake Confetti Stars to a vanilla cake batter before baking. Each confetti star became a delightful splash of polka-dot colour inside our mini cakes. These cakes practically sing ‘happy birthday’.
Ingredients:
2 cups Castor Sugar 4 Eggs 1 cup Butter, melted 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract 3 cups Flour, sifted 1 Tbs. Baking Powder 2/3 cup Milk 1/3 cup CreamWhisk the castor sugar and eggs in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the butter and vanilla essence, and mix well. Add the sifted flour and baking powder to the mixture alternating it with the milk and cream. Pour the creamed mixture into mini cake tray and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for approx. 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
We iced our cakes with white buttercream frosting.
Birthday parties can be stressful enough, without having to worry about baking cakes, cupcakes and organising creative birthday treats. We took a few store-bought classics and updated them to ‘birthday status’ – just add a few sprinkles and they are birthday-ready!
We used an assortment of Nicoletta Sprinkles – Cake Confetti, Cake Crystals, Nonpareils and Sprinkle Crunch to embellish and add texture to our birthday bites.
Mini Sandwich Cookies: You will need a few packets of mini cookies (we used Cinnamon + Ginger cookies), buttercream icing and sprinkles. Pipe or spread the buttercream on one cookie and sandwich it with another; roll in sprinkles to coat the visible icing layer between.
Doughnut Holes: You will need mini doughnuts, icing sugar, boiling water and sprinkles. Make glace icing by mixing icing sugar with few teaspoons of boiling water; pour over the doughnuts and sprinkle with decorations.
Party Marshmallows: You will need 1 x packet marshmallows, 1 x chocolate slab and sprinkles. Melt the chocolate; wait until it is not too runny, and then dip the marshmallows into the melted chocolate. Before the chocolate hardens dip the coated end of the marshmallow in to assorted bowls of sprinkles. Insert mini candles into the marshmallows before the chocolate coating dries completely. Even on “non-birthdays” these are great to keep kids busy. Colour your white chocolate with a splash of food colour for extra fun!
“Et Voila” instant party bites.