HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!  I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful first day of 2012

YIPPEE it’s a brand new year and how fantastic that Thermomix in Australia are kickstarting it with DOUBLE REWARDS!!!  Yep, purchase a Thermomix in January 2012 and host a qualifying demo on or before 29 February 2012 and you will receive double rewards….that’s TWO 2.2L ThermoServers   The ThermoServers are exclusive to Thermomix and cannot be purchased (not even by consultants!) and are an amazing dish, keeping food hot or cold for up to two hours.  If you haven’t already got a Thermomix, this month is a great time to purchase!

To kick start the new year we have put together a new-look team newsletter….I hope you like it!  The recipe is a Caramel Coconut Macroon Slice which is a recipe featured in the AWW April 2011 edition and has been converted Thermomix style!  This is an easy slice to make (aren’t they all in the Thermomix?!!) and would be good for an afternoon tea / snack or to take on a picnic to share with friends.  Either way, enjoy!

Newsletter – January 2012

Thank you for all the Thermomix love and support you have all given me….I am looking forward to all the excitement that a new year holds and sharing more Thermomix adventures with you!

I wish you all your best year yet filled with much love, happiness and Thermomixing!

Here’s to 2012!!!

This recipe is from our gorgeous Elise who also has a blog (http://happyhinksthermomix.blogspot.com/) … we have such a talented team!!  Elise was very kind and made me some of her shortbreads for Christmas so I know first hand these are a fantastic treat for yourself or to give as presents.

Two Tone (Chocolate/Hazelnut) Christmas Shortbread

200 g butter
40 g hazelnut meal (make in TM – refer EDC)
100 g icing sugar (make in TM – refer EDC)
180 g plain flour
50 g rice flour (make in TM – refer EDC)
30 g cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 180^o

Add butter and flours to sugar – mix together on Speed 6 for 10 seconds.

Remove shortbread mixture from TM bowl, divide in half and place half back in bowl.  Place hazelnut meal and knead on interval speed for 20 seconds.  Roll hazelnut dough out between 2 sheets of baking paper to form a 22 cm x 32 cm rectangle.

Place second half of the shortbread dough back into the bowl with cocoa powder and knead on interval speed for 20 seconds.

Roll out chocolate dough as you have done for hazelnut dough.

Place hazelnut dough on top of chocolate dough.

Roll dough up like Swiss roll, starting from long side.  Wrap in baking paper.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Cut log into 8 mm thick rounds.  Place onto trays.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake shortbread for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.  Allow to cool on trays.  Have a nibble on them yourself or give to someone who deserves a delicious Christmas treat!

Tips

Bake your shortbread on the upper shelf of your oven (too much bottom heat will cause the bottom to overcook before the top is done).  The surface of the shortbread should be a toasty light brown when its baked.

Many thanks to fellow team member Chris for sharing this recipe after she adapted from one she had seen in The West Australian Newspaper.

KICK-BUTT HOT BEER MUSTARD

4 TBLS BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS
1 TEAS CELERY SEEDS
12 TBLS MUSTARD POWDER
2 TEAS GARLIC POWDER
2 TEAS ONION POWDER
2 TEAS CAYENNE PEPPER
1 TEAS TUMERIC
1 TEAS SEA SALT
2 TBLS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
4 TBLS SOFT BROWN SUGAR
180 ML COOPERS SPARKLING ALE

PUT MUSTARD SEEDS AND CELERY SEEDS INTO BOWL, MILL 10 SECONDS SPEED 10

ADD SPICES, SALT, AND SUGAR MIX 3 SECONDS SPEED 3

ADD VINEGAR AND ALE MIX 3 SECONDS SPEED 3

COOK 8 MINUTES  70C SPEED 3.  SCRAPE DOWN SIDES OF BOWL AND COOK AGAIN 3 MINUTES 70C SPEED 3.

POUR INTO STERILISED JARS.  MAKES TWO SMALL JARS – ABOUT 1 ½ CUPS.  KEEP IN REFRIGERATOR

A note about the beer:  the article in the paper recommended Coopers Sparkling Ale or Wood Pacific Ale  or Wicked Elf Pale Ale though different types of beer have been successful used so feel free to simply use your favourite!

The feedback from this recipe is that it is VERY hot but very delicious!!!

Traditional Steamed Christmas Pudding

Ingredients:

130 g each dried cherries, currants, blueberries, red plumbs, Australian apricots
130 g Brandy
130 g toasted almonds
1 vanilla bean
½ cinnamon stick
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
Zest 1 lemon
70 g butter
130 g brown sugar
20 g treacle
2 eggs
70 g cornflour
70 g flour

Method:

Place dried fruit into non-reactive bowl and drizzle with brandy.  Cover and set aside at room temperature for up to a week.  Stir occasionally.

Place almonds, vanilla, spices and zest into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on Speed 10.

Add remaining ingredients except fruit and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 6.

Add soaked fruit and stir for 6 seconds on  Reverse and Speed 6.

Line basket with a double layer of Chux or pudding cloth (e.g. muslin, calico).

Pour mixture into cloth and wrap tightly at the neck, twisting the cloth.  Secure with a rubber band.

Rinse TM bowl and add approximately 700 g water.  Insert basket and steam for 60 minutes at 100°C on Speed 2.  Remove pudding and either serve warm or allow to cool completely before hanging in dark dry conditions to keep until Christmas.  To reheat, insert pudding back into basket and add water to TM bowl as directed above.  Steam for 30 minutes at 100°C on Speed 2.

Best served warm, with whipped cream and Brandy Cream Sauce.

Recipe from Thermomix Food Lovers Calendar 2001 – December 2011

Enjoy xx

Below is the link to this month’s newsletter which has a fantastic recipe for Corned Beef (or Corned Silverside if you prefer!).  It is an easy recipe which will make getting the family dinner organised that much easier.  As an added bonus if you flavour the water with all your favourite herbs and spices or even fruit (orange is a great one), you will be left with a beautiful sauce at the end of it all.

Enjoy x

Newsletter – November 2011

It also has  the following fantastic recipes from “In The Mix” -

* Sour Orange Curry

* Chilli Lime Crumb

* Beetroot, Pomegranate adn Pistachio Salad

* Tomato Shots

* Chocolate Honey Truffles

I also love the comments from the chefs about the Thermomix (Stephen Clarke, Giampaolo Maffini and Russell Blaikie).

Fresh, West Australian

Spot of tea, anyone? To celebrate the reigning monarch’s visit, bake some scones! There is nothing better than freshly baked scones served with jam and whipped cream, accompanied by a pot of your favourite tea.

Buttermilk Scones

Ingredients
440g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp caster sugar
Pinch salt
60g butter, chopped
380g buttermilk
Jam and whipped cream to serve

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 220°C. Grease and flour an 8cm x 19cm (base) cake pan.

2. Place flour, sugar, salt and butter into mixing bowl and mix for 5 sec/speed 8, or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add buttermilk and mix for 5 sec/speed 5 or until dough almost comes together.

4. Mix for 20 sec/closed lid position/Interval speed to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.

5. Place mixture on a lightly floured surface and press out to a 3cm thick round.

6. Dip a 5cm round cutter into flour to prevent dough sticking.

7. Cu t scones out and gently press leftover dough pieces together and repeat to make a total of 12-14 scones.

8. Place scones, touching, in prepared pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on top.

9. Serve with jam and whipped cream.

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients
500g strawberries, washed and hulled
Zest and flesh of 1 lemon
250-300g sugar

Preparation
1. Place all ingredients into mixing bowl and cook for 35 min/100°C/speed 1 or until desired consistency is achieved.

2. Pour into sterilised jars and seal immediately.

General tips
1. If a thicker consistency is desired, use jam setter or natural pectin obtainable
from health food shops.

2. Sprinkle some sugar over the strawberries and leave them in the refrigerator
overnight. Drain off the liquid the next day and proceed with the recipe above.

From the Thermomix in Australia Customer Newsletter October 2011

“After conducting some blind taste tests of several different Bolognaise Sauce recipes, the results were in… The original recipe in the EDC was the most preferred. However, there are definitely some things you need to consider if following this recipe.

* You must mince your own meat, this gives the sauce more texture and depth. Processed mince tends to become too fine and thin however, this thinner sauce would work well in a lasagne.

* You can add more tomato puree (or tinned tomatoes) into the sauce.  This helps to prevent the pasta from absorbing all of the sauce and drying out, particularly when cooking lasagne. I would suggest using fresh lasagne sheets but if you are using dried, then you need to be particularly careful to stop the pasta from drying out.

* You can substitute the puree with tinned tomatoes if you are in a rush – but I would check the consistency this gives the sauce and add more if you need to.

* You should only cook the sauce at 100 C not the Varoma setting; the Varoma temperature causes the sauce to boil too much.

* Try adding fresh (or dried) herbs.  I would suggest trying Oregano, Basil or Thyme for a little added flavour and to make the sauce more “authentic Italiano”

You must add Tomato Paste – this is not optional – it is a must!”

We are huge fans of the EDC Bolognaise Sauce in our household and these tips will only make it more popular   Enjoy xx

“We get so many recipe requests for lemon based recipes, thanks in large part to
their abundance at this time of year on backyard trees. Here is a fantastic
lemon recipe for all of those left-over lemons. Enjoy!”

Ingredients  

2 lemons, zest and juice
230g raw sugar
1 tbsp ginger (optional) for an extra twist
130g butter
4 eggs, separated
60g plain flour
260g milk

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced.

Place zest, sugar and ginger (if using) into mixing bowl and mill 20 sec/speed
9.

Add butter and mix 20 sec/speed 4-5.

Insert Butterfly and beat 10-20 sec/speed 3. Remove Butterfly.

Add lemon juice and mix 10 sec/speed 3.

Add egg yolks, flour and milk and combine 15-20 sec/speed 3 or until combined.

Pour mixture into a shallow greased casserole dish. Rinse and dry mixing bowl
thoroughly.

Insert Butterfly. Place egg whites into mixing bowl and whisk 2-3
min/50°C/speed 4 or until soft peaks form.

Gently fold egg whites through lemo n mixture, place casserole dish into a
baking dish and fill baking dish with enough boiling water to reach halfway up
edges of casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until set. Dust with sifted
icing sugar if desired.

From Thermomix Australia: Cooking Class Update
19 August 2011

I hope your Spring has gotten off to a lovely start.  Here in Perth we have seen splashes of spring weather and I’m looking forward to more to come!

Below is our September 2011 newsletter to keep you up to date with all the Thermomix news in Perth.  I love the recipe that is in the newsletter….I love that it includes a dip you can make from scratch easily and quickly.  It is also an extra special recipe for me as my sister-in-law made these as an appetiser for guests at our wedding as part of her wedding present to us.  Our wedding was many years ago now but it is still a favourite finger food of mine.

As you will see from the newsletter, if you a purchase a Thermomix this month you will also receive the hard copy cookbook “My Way of Cooking”.  Some of you may be aware that this offer was also made last month – the offer has been repeated due to
popular demand!  Don’t miss out on your opportunity this time around.

Also below are details of our team’s next cooking class which is being held on Thursday night at the Duncraig Community Centre.  Please come along and join us for a fun night full of information, tips and inspiration!

Have a wonderful, wonderful month everybody and a Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads.     xx

Newsletter – September 2011

September 2011 Duncraig Cooking Class (WA)