White chocolate parfait with Kahlua

image @http://www.taste.com.au

Ingredients:
Serves 4

• 50g caster sugar
• 120g good-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 3 egg yolks
• 300ml thick cream
• 80ml (1/3 cup) Kahlua

Method:

1. Place the sugar and 4 tablespoons water in a pan over medium heat and boil for about 4 minutes.
2. Place the chocolate in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the syrup and egg yolks and process until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, lightly whip the thick cream, then fold into the chocolate. Divide the mixture between 4 freezer-proof serving dishes, leaving room for the topping. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving. Serve with white chocolate parfaits with about a tablespoon of kahlua poured over the top.

Mojito Cheesecake Parfaits with Finger Lime Caviar

image @http://www.yummly.com

Ingredients

• 20 grams unsalted butter (melted)
• 150 grams biscuits (crushed)
• 150 grams white chocolate
• 150 grams caster sugar (raw)
• 60 mls water
• 3 limes (plus 1 extra lime, sliced, to garnish)
• 100 mls white rum
• 1 cup mint leaves (plus extra to garnish)
• 400 grams cream cheese
• 250 grams mascarpone cheese
• 1 lime (finger, split)

Method:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring to the boil before reducing the heat to low and simmering for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the mint leaves, lime juice and zest, and rum and cover and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain and set aside.
2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until melted.
3. Place the cream cheese and mascarpone in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the strained syrup and melted chocolate and process to combine.
4. Combine the crushed biscuits and melted butter and stir to combine. Divide half the mixture between 6 glasses and press into the base. Top with half the cheesecake mixture. Top this with the remaining biscuit mixture and then layer with the remaining cheesecake mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
5. When ready to serve top with a dollop of cream, mint leaves and finger lime caviar.

Brandy Snaps

Yields: 16-20

image & recipe @gabo.ninemsn.com.au

Ingredients

For the snaps

• 50g butter
• 60g brown sugar
• 60ml (¼ cup) golden syrup
• 50g (⅓ cup) plain flour mixed with 1 teaspoon ground ginger

For the filling

• 1 vanilla pod
• 160ml (⅔ cup) thickened cream, whipped until firm
• 1 teaspoon brandy (optional)

Utensils

• baking tray, lined with baking paper

Preparation Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170—180°C. Place the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a small, heavy-based pan, and heat over a low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved (be careful not to boil the mixture as it may crystallise).
2. Cool the mixture slightly, then add the flour and ginger mixture. Mix until well combined.
3. On a prepared baking tray, drop 4 large teaspoonfuls of mixture to make neat circles. Leave ample room to spread.
4. Bake for around 8 minutes or until they are bubbling, lacy looking and dark golden in colour (they should spread to around 10—12cm in diameter).
5. Remove from the oven and slide the baking paper onto a wire rack. Allow the snaps to cool until firm enough to move yet still pliable enough to shape. (A wide spatula and palette knife are helpful.)
6. Roll the snaps around a lightly oiled wooden spoon handle to form a cylinder shape, then slip them off the handle and cool on a wire rack.
7. You will need to work quickly at this point so your snaps are shaped prior to them cooling and setting. (If the snaps cool too quickly on the tray prior to shaping, you can place them back in the warm oven to soften again.) Repeat with the remaining mixture.
8. To make the filling, split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream (and brandy, if using). Place the cream in a piping bag. When the snaps are totally cold, fill them with the vanilla bean cream to serve. Note: once filled, serve immediately as they will soften quickly.

Tip

If you want to shape a basket, lay the biscuit over an inverted Chinese tea cup or similar and allow it to droop downwards. To make a cone, twist the biscuit to come together at one end only.