I used to think that crème brûlée was a difficult dessert but after making this recipe time after time, I've realised that it's a super easy way to entertain and impress any guests you may have over for dinner! In fact, it takes less than an hour to make - the most difficult part is waiting for it to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours!
_________________________________________________________________________________

 

Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Ingredients:

          600ml thickened cream
          6 egg yolks
          1/2 cup sugar
          2 tsp. vanilla essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
2. Whisk together egg yolks, vanilla and sugar (until just combined, avoid introducing too much air into mix)
3. Over gentle heat, bring cream to the boil
4. Sieve cream into egg mixture while continuously whisking
5. Divide into ramekins by pouring through a sieve
6. Place a clean tea towel in the base of a baking tray and arrange ramekins
7. Fill baking tray halfway up ramekins with boiling water
8. Carefully place in oven and bake for 30 minutes until set with slight wobble
9. Chill in fridge for at least 4 hours
10. To serve, sprinkle with sugar and torch until caramelised

****Tips: 

- If halving the recipe, reduce the oven temperature to 140-150 degrees Celsius to avoid curdling
- Try not to beat too much air into the mixture, as this can cause the crème brûlée to puff up in the oven and form air bubbles and curdle

Similar Recipes:

- Vanilla Custard (no cream)

Click here for the recipe. Smooth and creamy vanilla custard, everything you would want in a custard without the cream!

_________________________________________________________________________________

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

My vanilla custard recipe is adapted from a butterscotch pudding I saw a while ago on the tele, while I didn't like the flavour of  the pudding I liked the texture and through a few tweaks I created the perfect (I think so anyway, no hard feelings if you don't agree!) consistency custard without cream! I like to use organic free range eggs for simple egg-based recipes as these eggs typically have a more intensely orange-tinged yolk which will give your custard that lovely yellow custard colour. Ever since I started making this custard recipe, we haven't been getting the occasional urge to buy store-bought custard since it's so easy and tastes so much better!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Vanilla Custard (No Cream)

Ingredients:

          3 egg yolks (I used organic free range, but any kind of egg will do)
          1/4 cup sugar
          1 1/2 tbsp. cornflour
          3 cups (750ml) milk (I used skimmed milk, to lower fat content)
          20g unsalted butter (salted is also ok, as some people like to add a pinch of salt to their
          recipes)
          1 tsp. vanilla essence (you can sub for vanilla bean too)

Method:

1. Whisk egg and sugar together until thick and pale
2. Sift and whisk in cornflour until smooth
3. Heat milk over stove until steam is visible above saucepan (not boiling)
4. Pour milk into egg mixture to pan and bring to the boil, continuously stirring until thickened then lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes
5. Cover and refrigerate to cool until serving

****Tips: 

- This makes pouring consistency custard, but if you find it a little too thin reduce the milk and you can adjust the consistency by adding more whilst its cooking to lessen the chance of the custard spoiling too quickly

Similar Recipes:

- Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Click here for the recipe. A decadent dessert with a satisfying caramelised sugar toffee to break through before reaching the smooth and creamy vanilla crème.

_________________________________________________________________________________

My sisters like to eat this as an after-school snack or even fancy it up as a make-believe creme brulee by serving them in ramekins and caramelising some sugar on top of it. They even prefer this over my crème caramel recipe which is a plus for me because it's so quick and easy to make!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

This is a super reliable recipe that I like to use when I have overripe bananas lying around. I usually like to freeze bananas for smoothies if they get too ripe or I make this banana bread. The recipe has very little butter which is great if you like to enjoy your banana bread with a little butter spread over it!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Moist Banana Bread

Ingredients:

          4 overripe bananas, mashed
          50g butter, melted and cooled
          1/4 cup full cream milk
          1/4 cup water
          2 eggs

          2 cups plain flour
          1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
          2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
          1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
          1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celsius
2. Combine bananas, butter, milk, water and eggs in a medium bowl
3. Sift together flour and baking powder and stir in brown sugar
4. Stir both wet and dry mixtures together until just combined
5. Fold in desired additions
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean

****Tips: 

- You can add 1/2 cup walnuts for extra texture if desired
- Melted butter can be switched out for equal amounts coconut oil or any other oil
- Instead of water and milk, skimmed milk can be used
- To make brown sugar you can use 2/3 cup raw sugar mixed with 2 tsp. golden syrup
- I often freeze slices of the bread and take it out the night before for a nice breakfast or as part of a packed lunch

_________________________________________________________________________________

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

First attempt at 'Mexican' coffee bun that's not really Mexican (originates from Malaysia)

I decided that I wanted to try making the Papparoti type coffee bun after seeing a recipe in the Vietnamese newspaper. By the time I went to make the buns I had lost the recipe from the newspaper (I forgot to cut the page out!). So I went looking online and found recipes citing a bread-making method called 'tang zhong' or 'water roux' which apparently is essential for keeping breads soft and fluffy for longer. Knowing that, I pulled a standard sweet bread recipe for the bun and went looking for a coffee crust recipe that looked good to me (I basically just went through Google images to find the crust that I thought looked most similar to the ones at Papparoti).

The buns smell so good after coming out of the oven, and I think the decision to add extra coffee grounds to the top of the buns just enhances that coffee smell and flavour when you bite into them. The grounds give a bitterness to balance with the sweetness of the bun and the buttery filling. The coffee crust is a lovely crunchy contrast to the soft and fluffy sweet bun which has the same sweet smell and texture as the store-bought sweet buns from Asian bakeries.

Mexican coffee bun: fluffy sweet bun with coffee crust and vanilla butter filling

_________________________________________________________________________________

Mexican Coffee Buns (Papparoti)

Ingredients:

 (water roux):

          25g plain flour
          125ml water

(sweet bread):

          350g plain flour
          8g dry instant yeast
          50g sugar
          1/4 tsp. salt

          1 egg
          125ml milk
          30g butter, room temp. cubed
        

(filling):

          50g butter, room temp.
          1/4 tsp. vanilla essence
          1 tbsp. brown sugar

(coffee crust):

          100g butter, room temp.
          80g icing sugar, sifted
          1 egg, lightly beaten

          1-2 tbsp. strong coffee
          100g plain flour
          Coffee grounds, to sprinkle on top
         

Method:

1. (water roux) Cook flour and water in a saucepan over a low heat while continuously stirring until a thick paste forms. Set aside until needed.
2. (filling) Cream together butter and sugar until pale. Add vanilla and refrigerate until needed.
3. (sweet bread) In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except butter and knead into a rough dough.
4. Add butter and knead for a further 15 minutes when the dough is elastic and no longer sticky
5. Cover dough with cling film and set in a warm place to prove for 1 hour or until dough has doubled
6. Once doubled, knock the air out of the dough, kneading for a few minutes
7. Divide into 12 portions and place 1/2 tsp. filling inside each portion of dough and pinch to seal
8. Prove for a further 15-20 minutes on a lined baking tray, leaving enough room for dough to expand
9. (topping) Cream together butter and sugar until pale.Beat to combine egg. Beat in coffee, then mix in sifted flour. Refrigerate until needed (remove from fridge 5 minutes before use)
10. Preheat oven at 200 degrees Celsius
11. Pipe spirals of topping on each bun and sprinkle coffee grounds on top
12. Bake for 12 minutes or until buns have become golden brown, turning the tray halfway through
13. Serve warm.

****Tips: 

- Coffee amounts in the crust can be adjusted as desired
- Plain butter can be used as a filling to reduce sugar
- If consuming the following day, buns should be toasted in a toaster oven or grilled to warm up bread and crisp up the coffee crust

Related Posts

<<PHOTO>>

- Ingredients Explained: Water Roux

_________________________________________________________________________________

Even though I added more coffee than the recipe stated, I still feel that it needed more. So next time I will probably add 2-3 tablespoons of coffee. Since these buns are best eaten warm, I gave some to my next-door neighbours (I hope they liked them!) I read a few comments online in regards to these buns saying that they went hard the next day and were no longer edible, so I'll put an update as to how these hold up!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

_________________________________________________________________________________

References:

- http://mandysbakingjourney.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/mexican-coffee-buns-roti-boy.html
- http://kraftibakes.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/coffee-buns-aka-roti-buns.html

Read more

<<PHOTO>>

Water roux, otherwise known as Tang zhong (湯種) is a step used in bread-making. This technique was developed in order to increase the water retained by flour used in breads. By cooking the starch it absorbs the water and expands which develops the gluten within the flour. The increased water content and ability for the flour to retain moisture is a key factor in the moistness of breads which will therefore yield a softer bread that will supposedly remain softer for longer than non-water roux based recipes. 

What it's made of

A very simple part of soft bread-making techniques, water roux is made of just two ingredients: flour and water, used in a 1:5 ratio of flour:water.

Origins

This bread-making technique was developed in Japanese bakeries and popularised throughout Asia in the 1990s following the release of Yvonne Chen's book "The 65° Bread Doctor". Although the use of this technique still exists, the introduction of additives and preservatives has allowed breads to last longer than they would using the technique alone.

Reasons for use

The addition of water roux works similarly to preservatives and additives typically added to breads to increase their shelf-life and to create a softer texture. Activating some of the flour used in a bread recipe allows water to be introduced and retained in the starches and for gluten to be activated within the dough.

Recipe: Water Roux

       Ingredients

                    50g plain flour
                    250ml water

       Method

1. Stir water and flour continuously over a low heat until mixture thickens and becomes slightly translucent (mixture should be consistency of baby food/smooth oat porridge)
2. Cover with cling wrap touching the roux to prevent a skin forming
3. Set in the fridge to cool. Roux will last up to 3 days
4. Bring back to room temperature when using in recipes

Reccommended recipes

- Mexican Coffee Buns (Papparoti):

Click here for the recipe. A fluffy sweet bun with a crunchy coffee topping and vanilla butter filling. It's like a pre-buttered bun! Very popular in Malaysia (where it originates, not sure where the 'Mexican' part came from!)

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

_________________________________________________________________________________

References:

- http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Tang_zhong

Read more

Cottage Pie dinner with creamy mash and a crispy golden-brown crust

I had a look around online for cottage pie recipes and the ones that stood out most were Laura Vitale's from Laura In The Kitchen on YouTube and Curtis Stone's root vegetable cottage pie for Coles (recipes clickable through italicised text). Not many in my family are fans of celery so I decided to omit it and replace with extra carrots, which I think turned out great! This is the type of recipe that you can add extra vegetables to or omit the ones you like freely.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Cottage Pie (Potato Topped Pie)

(serves 12)

Ingredients

(filling):

          1.5kg beef mince
          2 large onions, diced
          6 carrots, diced
          4 cloves garlic, minced
          4 tbsp. plain flour
          1 x 140g can tomato paste

          2 beef stock cubes
          2 cups water
          3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
          2 tsp. rosemary, finely minced
          1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
          Salt and pepper, to season

(potato top):

          2kg potatoes
          1 cup milk
          1 cup cream

          90g butter
          Salt (to season)

Method:

1. (For filling) In a heavy-based pan on high heat, cook the mince (without oil, as it will cook in its own fat). Season the beef with salt as it cooks and break up the larger chunks using a wooden spoon. Transfer the beef to a bowl with a slotted spoon
2. In the same pan, use the liquid from cooking the beef to fry off onions and carrots until tender and lightly brown. Season with salt and pepper
3. Add garlic, stir through and cook lightly until fragrant
4. Add beef back into the pan and stir ingredients together
5. Sprinkle in flour and stir continuously to cook and prevent lumps from forming
6. Add the tomato paste until colour deepens slightly
7. Crumble in stock cube, then pour in water, Worcestershire sauce and rosemary stir ingredients together and allow to come to the boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes
8. Add peas and stir through, allow to cook enough for ingredients to come to the same temperature
9. Divide filling into individual dishes or into casserole dish and set aside
10. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius
11. (For potato top) Boil potatoes in salted water, drain then mash and set aside
12. Warm milk, cream and butter in a saucepan and pour into potatoes and combine to create a slightly wet mash (this prevents a dry potato top, the some of the liquid will evaporate in the oven)
13. Season mash with salt
14. Spread over the top of filling, creating peaks with the back of a spoon (the more surface area created, the more texture and crunch achieved with the potato top in the oven)
15. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
16. Serve with fresh salad or steamed green beans

****Tips: 

- Try not to over-mix your mash, as this can make it gluey
- You can add or omit any vegetables you like
- For a curry pie, add curry powder when cooking the mince

_________________________________________________________________________________

This recipe was a hit with everyone and is such an easy way to feed a lot of people with one dish! Leftovers are also great the next day!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

_________________________________________________________________________________

References:

- http://www.laurainthekitchen.com/recipes/shepards-pie/
- http://recipes.coles.com.au/recipes/3008/root-vegetable-cottage-pie/

Read more

I was looking for a quick and easy dessert to make using nectarines since I had a whole bag of them in my fridge. Then I came across this recipe! As usual, I tweaked it, adding cinnamon and using Greek yogurt + milk instead of regular unsweetened yogurt, but it turned out beautifully! I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out so I made just 3 small ramekins worth, but I will make this again in the future for sure!

It's such an easy baked dessert. Essentially, it's just baked fruit with a rock cake type biscuity topping. The addition of cinnamon just emphasises the warm feel of the cobbler, but the real satisfaction comes when you go for your first spoonful as the lovely juices from the fruit overflow over the sides of the ramekin. Beautiful nectarine syrup turned purple from the few blueberries that have burst under the heat of the oven. Those blueberries that still hold their shape by the time you delve into your cobbler provide extra bursts of scalding flavour - so be careful when you're eating this, it's best served hot, but be cautious! The textures of this dessert are just perfect, with the crunch of the topping which then transforms into a syrup soaked cakey texture where it meets the fruit; then that beautifully tender hot baked nectarine.

I served these with my baked cinnamon apple chips to further bring through that cinnamon flavour, but you can choose to serve these with cream or even ice cream!
_________________________________________________________________________________

White Nectarine & Blueberry Cobbler

(for two...or three)

Ingredients 

(fruit):

          3 nectarines
          1/4 punnet blueberries (frozen is fine)
          1-2 tbsp. lemon juice

          Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
          3 tbsp. sugar
          1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

(topping):

          75g plain flour
          1/4 tsp. baking soda
          1 tsp. baking powder
          1 tbsp. sugar
          38g butter, softened

          1 tbsp. unsweetened Greek yogurt
          1 tbsp. milk
          Demerara sugar (to sprinkle on top)
          Cinnamon sugar (to sprinkle on top)
         

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 160 degrees Celsius
2. Blanch nectarines in a pot to allow for easy peeling (I usually blanch then peel mine with a butter knife) and roughly dice nectarines.
3. In a small bowl, combine nectarines, blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon and set aside
4. For topping, sift together dry ingredients and rub in butter with your fingertips until a breadcrumb consistency is achieved (you can also choose to do this in a food processor)
5. Then, fold in yogurt and milk to achieve a wet dough, be sure not to over mix the dough as it can become tough
6. Divide the fruit mixture into the ramekins
7. Top with teaspoonfuls of the dough, being as rustic as possible (the more surface area you create through peaks in the dough, the more crunch you will achieve)
8. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and a pinch of cinnamon
9. Set ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until topping is golden brown and dough is cooked through

****Tips: 

- You can, of course, make a large cobbler to serve at the table just bake for twice the time
- Replace Greek yogurt and milk for regular unsweetened yogurt (just use what you have at hand)
- Cinnamon can be omitted if desired
- Any fruit can be substituted in this recipe
- Use orange juice and zest at Christmas to bring a more festive flavour to the dessert

Complementing Recipes:

- Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips:

Click here for the recipe. Lovely way to use up apples to create a light, crunchy snack for work or school.

_________________________________________________________________________________

This dessert would be perfect to make with frozen stone fruits that I may have from the summer for guests at a dinner party in the winter or just on cold, rainy days.

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

(Once again, please excuse the poor-quality photo. I will upload a clearer image soon!)

I've made this recipe a couple of times and it turns out perfectly every time, admittedly there isn't anything difficult about it - it's just a little time consuming! So long as you leave a time on your oven then it's pretty much a set and forget (for 2 hours) kind of recipe. It's a perfect crunchy snack to take to work and school, especially when you're craving something with that type of texture of snack on! Although it's got added sugar (which can, of course, be omitted or replaced with stevia) it's a much healthier snack than store bought dried fruits, as they aren't drenched in sugar to preserve - just simply dehydrated!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips

Ingredients:

          1.5-2kg apples (I used Royal Gala, but any will do - I've used Granny Smith in the past)
          3 tbsp. sugar
          1 tsp. cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 110 degrees Celsius 
2. Slice the apples as thinly as possible (you can use a mandoline for consistency)
3. Arrange slices in a single layer on a lined baking tray 
   
4. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apple slices
5. Bake to dehydrate for 2 hours, overturning the slices halfway through
6. Like cookies, chips will be a little soft while warm. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
7. Store in an airtight container to prevent chips from going stale
   
   

****Tips: 

- If you have a dehydrator, feel free to use it, that will make the recipe raw and vegan!
- You can core the apples beforehand if you wish, but the 'core' of an apple is really a myth, the only inedible part is the seeds and stalk
- This dehydration method can be done with pears or other fruits
- Spices can also be substituted, you don't have to use cinnamon
- Sugar can be omitted or replaced with stevia

Complementing Recipes:

- White Nectarine & Blueberry Cobbler:

Click here for the recipe. Perfect way to use up fruits that doesn't involve making pie pastry and rolling it out! Beautiful end to a meal  that's sure to impress!

_________________________________________________________________________________

I tend to make small batches of this at a time since, really, I can only fit this many in my oven at any one time and would prefer not to have apple slices sitting on my bench for 2 hours and browning (which doesn't affect the recipe, of course!). Also, making a few at a time ensures that the chips won't stale before you get the chance to enjoy them - this is especially an issue in the humid Australian weather!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

My take on spaghetti alla carbonara with bacon and specs of blue cheese

Adapted from Chef Antonio Carluccio's recipe, my version of carbonara that is not quite traditional yet not quite the cream-based American-Italian version either. It's a really satisfyingly creamy dish that comprises of minimal ingredients and minimal wash-up afterwards, so it really is the perfect mid-week meal! And carbonara is always a people pleaser!

Traditionally, instead of bacon, Guanciale (pork cheek cured similar to pancetta) would be used but I generally use bacon for its easy accessibility. Parmesan or pecorino is also the original go-to but, like all of my recipes, where I can, I will offer substitutes and since sharp cheddar and tasty cheese are most commonly found in Australian households this will be perfect.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Spaghetti alla Carbonara (no cream)

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

          250g spaghetti
          30g bacon (I use middle rasher)
          1 tbsp. olive oil (or any cooking oil)
          2 eggs, lightly beaten
          50g any sharp hard cheese, grated (I used sharp cheddar, tasty and blue cheese)
          Black pepper
          Salt (to season, I used approx. 1/2 tsp.)

Method:

1.  Cook the pasta in a medium pot to al dente
2. When the pasta's almost done, fry the bacon and oil in a large heavy-based pan
3. In a medium bowl, lightly beat together eggs, cheese, pepper and salt
4. Transfer pasta directly from the pot to the pan and toss in bacon
5. Remove the pan from heat
6. Pour egg mixture into the pan and mix well (the residual heat will be enough to cook the egg through)
7. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese and pepper

****Tips: 

- Any hard cheese be substituted for the traditional parmesan and pecorino
- The better quality bacon, the better flavour it will impart on your carbonara (particularly since it's a dish that has so few ingredients). Lower grade bacon will only just add saltiness to your dish and not a full flavour

_________________________________________________________________________________

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

_________________________________________________________________________________

References:

- http://www.antonio-carluccio.com/Spaghetti_alla_Carbonara 

Read more

Dark chocolate oozing out of a warm Pain au Chocolate fresh out of the oven!

Sometimes I just feel like a nice, warm, flaky croissant to bite into and what's even better than a warm croissant is one filled with oozing dark chocolate! It's the perfect after dinner treat with a fancy name that's so easy you'll wonder why you haven't made it before - and the leftovers are perfect to enjoy with your coffee the next morning!

This recipe isn't mine, but from FrenchGuyCooking on YouTube (click here to see his recipe video!). He really makes French cooking and just cooking in general seem like such a fun and easy thing to do, rather than a chore, which is exactly how I see cooking should be viewed! Cooking should be something that you look forward to and enjoy...with the added perk of having a meal or a snack at the end of it!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants)

Ingredients:

          4 sheets puff pastry
          220g block of good quality dark chocolate
          Butter, melted
          3-4 tbsp. icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Cut your chocolate into sticks, breadth-wise, halving the indented squares

   

   Chocolate sticks cut for Pain au Chocolat (I only ended up using 3 squares per croissant)

3. Cut your puff pastry sheet into thirds
4. Brush to cover surface with melted butter
5. Dust with icing sugar
6. Stack 2 strips on top of one another (leave the other strip for the next pastry sheet)
7. Cut the stack in half
8. Place the chocolate stick approx. 1 cm from the right hand side of the stack and roll (like you would sushi) once
9. Place a second chocolate stick along the seam where you rolled your first chocolate stick and roll again to secure the chocolate
10. Cut and discard excess pastry
11. Arrange all croissants on a lined baking tray
12. Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp. water per egg)
13. Bake until golden brown, rotating the tray half way through cooking if you oven doesn't distribute even heat

****Tips: 

This is the perfect recipe for you to use up leftover store bought pastry, as I had when I bought pastry to make my quiche Lorraine with spinach! So delicious and it also makes for a French themed mid-week dinner when paired with quiche.

Complementing Recipes:

- Quiche Lorraine (+ Spinach)

Click here for the recipe! Great egg-based savoury tart that is sure to be a crowd pleaser with its onion, bacon, cheese and spinach filling!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Like I said earlier, I love to enjoy these pastries with my coffee the next morning for breakfast! All you need to do is warm it up in a mini toaster oven and the chocolate will go back to its oozy consistency and the pastry will give a beautifully flaky crunch to every bite!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

_________________________________________________________________________________

References:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tNRLcJAtSw 

Read more

A favourite for Australians, this French savoury, egg-based tart is flavoured with onions, bacon and cheese. An easy way to get kids to eat veggies is to put it in something that they already like, you really taste the spinach in the quiche but it adds some extra veg to the recipe! Traditionally made with shortcrust pastry, however, I like the flakiness that puff pastry adds. As a meal, I normally serve this dish with a simple side salad made with a mixed salad bag, avocado and dressed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fleur de sel (sea salt) and finished off with a balsamic glaze.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Quiche Lorraine (+ Spinach)

Ingredients:

          1 sheet puff pastry (you may need to 'stitch' on extra depending on the size of your tart
          tin)
          1 tbsp. cooking oil
          1 large onion
          200g bacon, diced (I used short cut)
          125g chopped frozen spinach, drained
          3/4 cup grated tasty cheese (substitute for your preferred hard cheese)
          3 eggs
          1/2 cup milk
          300ml thickened cream
          Salt (to season, I used approx. 2 pinches)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. In a frypan, cook the onion until translucent and slightly brown
3. Add in the bacon and cook until fragrant. Set aside to cool
4. Microwave the spinach for 1 minute to thaw and drain thoroughly
5. Whisk egg, milk and cream and season with salt (remembering that the bacon and cheese will add some saltiness to the quiche)
6. Line your tart tin with the pastry making sure to push it in the corners gently to create a nice edge to your crust and cut off the excess (keeping in mind that the pastry may shrink a little in the oven so perhaps leave 0.5-1cm above the tart tin)
7. Place the onion, bacon and spinach into the base of the tart, ensuring that there is an even distribution the ingredients
8. Top with the grated cheese
9. Pour in the egg mixture
10. Bake until the top is golden brown
11. Remove from oven and cool until ready to serve
12. Serve with a side salad

    

    Quiche served with an avocado mixed salad with balsamic dressing

****Tips: 

- Leftover grated cheese can be stored in the freezer for use in your next recipe!
- I found that quiche doesn't cook in the oven for long enough for the base to get soggy so blind baking is not necessary.
- If you have remaining egg mixture, just use it for scrambled eggs the next day! It makes a lovely creamy breakfast dish.
- You can also choose to make the quiches in muffin pans for a picnic or to take as a packed lunch!
- Leftover puff pastry can be used to make an after dinner treat like Pain au Chocolat - the recipe is linked below

Complementing Recipes:

- Pain au Chocolat (Chocolate Croissants)

Click here for the recipe! This beautifully flaky pastry filled with oozy dark chocolate is the perfect after dinner treat or early morning accompaniment for your coffee, recipe by FrenchGuyCooking on  YouTube.

_________________________________________________________________________________

My family loves to eat quiche lorraine and used to buy frozen mini quiches, but I noticed that when they do so the quiches are rarely eaten with any veg. So I decided to add some extra spinach into the recipe which turned out to be a great idea, my sister already loves quiche so even seeing the spinach didn't stop her from trying my quiche and to my surprise she loved it! She said that it tasted so much better than the frozen quiches and that the bacon flavour masked the taste of the spinach!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

Perfect for a cold winter's day or rainy day or a lazy day (or even when you just feel like it), chicken sweet corn soup is a favourite restaurant-style soup of mine. With my family being from the South of Vietnam, we often have a sweeter palate when it comes to seasoning our food (opposite to the North who are overall more reserved with their seasoning), so I really enjoy this soup as it satisfies the tastes that I've grown up on being that sweeter-savoury dish. It's pretty much what I live on when I get too lazy to cook other things because it's that simple!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Lazy Chicken Sweet Corn Soup

Ingredients:

          3-4 litres 'Lazy Chicken Stock' (of course any type of stock is fine too)
          1 chicken breast
          2 cans cream of corn
          1 can sweet corn kernels
          3 eggs, lightly beaten
          Sugar & salt (to season)
          8 level tsp. corn flour (to thicken)
          Spring onion and coriander, finely sliced (to serve)
          White pepper (to serve)

Method:

1. Dice breast into small cubes
2. In a medium-sized pot, boil some water to cook the chicken. Scoop out and set aside
3. Bring the stock to a simmer
4. Add corn cans and chicken pieces
5. Test if soup is hot enough to hold ribbons by dropping some egg into the broth, if it sets immediately then it's ready. Whilst stirring, pour in egg in thin ribbons
6. Taste and season soup again (the stock should already be seasoned) to make sure the flavours balance out
7. Mix cornflour with equal quantities cold water (this prevents clumps of flour forming in soup)
8. Bring the soup to the boil and stir in cornflour (add the cornflour slowly to adjust the thickness as required, if you like your soup a little thinner, hold back on the quantity of cornflour)
9. Serve hot topped with spring onion, coriander and white pepper

****Tips: 

You can choose to use just egg whites for the egg ribbons (like in restaurants), but I like to use the whole egg to avoid having leftovers accumulating in my fridge. (To use leftover eggs, you can make my steamed creme caramel recipe - click here)

Complementing Recipes:

- Lazy Chicken Stock

Click here for the recipe. The perfect lazy base stock for any soup recipe you're going to make, that takes only 20 minutes!

_________________________________________________________________________________

I like to use Malaysian white pepper as an addition to any soup-based dishes when I serve them as it adds an extra dimension of heat to the dish (I think it's called Sarawak, not too sure but I'll have a check).

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

A bowl of my lazy stock (apologies for the yellow cast, took this photo at night and not sure how to fix it)

Super quick and simple recipe for chicken stock when you're in a rush or just hungry and need a soup base for a recipe!
_________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lazy Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

          Bones from 1kg chicken thighs (after flesh removed, you can sub for 2 chicken frames)
          3-4 litres water
          Sugar & salt (to season)
          1 onion, peeled (optional)

Method:

1. Simmer bones and remove froth and impurities with a ladle. Simmer for 20-30 minutes (the longer the better when it comes to making stock - the longer the soup is simmering, the more flavour extracted from the bones)

Stock froth: Gross, I know, but that's why we scoop it out!

     2.  Season to taste

     3.  Remove bones and use in any recipe you please (try my lazy chicken sweet corn soup!)

****Tips: 

You can add a whole peeled onion to the stock to create a naturally sweeter flavoured stock if you like - this is just my base (lazy) recipe for stock - so feel free to add extra flavours like bay leaves and carrots.

Complementary Recipes:

- Lazy Chicken Sweet Corn Soup:

Click here for the recipe. Deliciously quick and easy hearty soup to satisfy your 'restaurant soup' cravings or to enjoy on a cold, rainy day!
_________________________________________________________________________________

This is the stock recipe I use when I'm craving chicken sweet corn soup and can't wait to simmer a 4 hour stock (which would be delicious, by the way, I'm just usually hungry -hehe-). Using this recipe combined with my chicken sweet corn soup recipe it takes me under an hour to create a hearty soup with enough servings for the rest of my family plus leftovers for me to enjoy the day after!

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more

Tôm Cuốn Hành (Spring Onion Wrapped Prawn and Pork Belly)

This dish is great when you want something lighter than the typical rice paper rolls, but want to enjoy similar flavours. It's really difficult to stop after you start, as they give an explosion of flavours and textures all in one...(or two) bites! These little wraps are usually served with mắm tôm, a shrimp paste-based dipping sauce which I've also posted a recipe for (click here). 

If you're not accustomed to the pungency of shrimp paste, you can switch out the mắm tôm for tương chấm gỏi cuốn which is a hoisin-based sauce typically served with gỏi cuốn (rice paper rolls); or nước chấm, the standard Vietnamese fish sauce-based dipping sauce.

Tôm Cuốn Hành is a dish that originates from North Vietnam and is often served at weddings in 
the countryside with mắm tôm, which is known as mắm nêm in northern Vietnam. It is a great recipe to prepare as an entree for any occasion, as you can prepare it a few hours in advance and refrigerate it until ready to serve. These wraps can also be served on individual plates or placed on a large plate in the middle of the table to encourage mingling and interaction at the dinner table (a common practice in Vietnamese culture, as meal times are a family time and should be a time for interaction).

_________________________________________________________________________________

Tôm Cuô'n Hành (Spring Onion Wrapped Prawn and Pork Belly)

Ingredients:

          800g cooked prawns (I used frozen prawns and thawed before use)
          1.5kg pork belly
          Sugar & salt (I typically use 1 tsp. salt to 3 tbsp sugar, to season pork belly as it cooks)
          2 bunches young spring onions (younger onions are less pungent and aren't as tough)
          1 tray bánh hỏi (vermicelli sheets - you can sub for 1/2 bag vermicelli noodles)
          1 lettuce head (I like to use Butterhead)
          1 bunch Vietnamese mint (rau răm)

Method:

1. In a pot, place pork belly, sugar and salt and cover with water. Remove pork when it is cooked (you'll know when there is some resistance when you push the pork with chopsticks). Set aside to cool
2. Peel, devein  prawns and halve lengthwise. Place into bowl and set aside
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch spring onions. Submerge in bowl of iced water
4. Wash and tear lettuce into pieces large enough to hold your prawn, pork and vermicelli noodles
5. Once pork is cooled, thinly slice
6. Separate spring onion bunches into individual lengths
7. Arrange ingredients: lettuce, vermicelli, pork, Vietnamese mint then prawn and wrap using spring onion as a tie, tucking the loose end back into the loop
8. Serve with mắm tôm or any dipping sauce of your choice

Close up of a single spring onion wrap (this was my dinner for the night!-yum-)

****Tips: 

You can add or omit any other fresh herbs as you please. This is just a base recipe so feel free to make it your own (chạo tôm, prawn cake, would be a great variation!)

Complementing Recipes:

- Mắm Tôm (Shrimp Paste Dipping Sauce) Recipe

Click here for the recipe. A strong, satisfyingly spicy shrimp paste-based sauce that is used as a condiment for various Vietnamese dishes.
_________________________________________________________________________________

I'd love to see your versions of my recipes if you try them! Feel free to send them through to my email address; on Instagram with the tag (@unadornedeats) and/or hash-tag (#unadornedeats); or attach them to a comment below!

Love and luck in your cooking!

- Unadorned Eats

Read more