Tiramisu Cookies

You will need:
Unsalted butter – 50g (at room temperature and diced)
Caster sugar – 90g
Egg – 1, beaten
Plain all purpose flour – 50g

For the filling
Mascarpone cheese – 150g (check here for substitutes in case you don’t find it http://www.heavenlytiramisu.com/mascarpo.htm)
Dark rum – 15ml
Instant coffee powder – ½ tsp
Molasses – 15 ml (or use light muscovado sugar)

For the topping:
White chocolate: 75g
Milk – 15ml
Crushed chocolate flakes – 2 tbsp


Preparation method:

For the filling:
1. Mix the rum and coffee powder well, stirring till the powder is completely dissolved

2. To this, add the cheese and muscovado sugar

3. Combine well

4. Cover with a plastic wrap and chill until required

For the cookie:
5. Now pre-heat the over too 400 degree Fahrenheit

6. Line two or three baking sheets with baking parchment

7. Cream together butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy

8. Add the beaten egg and mix

9. Stir in the flour slowly

10. Combine well

11. Put the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm nozzle.

12. Pipe small blobs on the baking sheet (remember to space them well as the dough expands)

13. Bake for 6-8 minutes until the centers are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown

14. Remove from oven and set aside to cool

To assemble:
15. Spread a little filling on half of the cookies and places the other halves on top to create cookie sandwiches

16. Combine the chocolate and milk in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of hot water

17. When the chocolate is completey melted, stir to make a smooth paste of spreadable consistency

18. Spread the topping evenly over the cookies

19. Sprinkle with the chocolate flakes

Cheese And Onion Bread

You will need:

Onion – 1, finely chopped
Unsalted butter – 3 ½ tbsp
Unbleached white bread flour – 4 cups
Dried yeast – ¼ ounce
Mustard powder – 1 teaspoon
Grated aged cheddar cheese – 1 ½ cups
Lukewarm milk – 2/3 cup
Lukewarm water – 2/3 cup
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper – to taste


Peparation method:

1. Lightly grease a 10x4-inch loaf pan

2. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a frying pan

3. Sauté the onion in the butter until its light and golden

4. Set aside to cool

5. Sift flour into a large bowl

6. Stir in the yeast, mustard, salt and pepper

7. Mix well

8. Stir in three quarters of the cheese and the onion

9. Make a well in the centre and add milk and water

10. Blend to a soft dough

11. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until its smooth and elastic

12. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let in rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes (or until it has doubled in bulk)

13. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, punch down and knead gently

14. Divide into 20 equal pieces and shape into small rounds

15. Place half in the prepared pan (you will have two rows)

16. Brush with some melted butter

17. Top with the remaining rounds of dough and brush with the remaining butter

18. Cover with an oiled plastic wrap and let it rise again for 45 minutes (or until the dough reaches the top of the pan)

19. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit

20. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top on the dough

21. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until risen and golden brown

22. Cool on a wire rack

Stir Fried Vegetables

You will need:

Beans – 4-5, cut diagonally and blanched
Carrots – I, cut diagonally and blanched
Cauliflower – 5-6 florets
Onion – 1, cubed
Capsicum – 1 cubed
Cashew nuts – 25-50 gm
Ginger – ½ tbsp, chopped fine
Garlic – ½ tbsp, chopped fine
Spring onions – 2 tbsp, chopped fine
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Soya sauce – ½ tbsp
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2-3 tbsp
Cornflour – 1 ½ tbsp dissolved in water

Preparation method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil

2. Sauté the cashew nuts till light brown

3. Remove and keep aside

4. Add more oil if required and sauté the onions and capsicums for

3 minutes

5. Add the blanched beans, carrots and cauliflowers and sauté for another 3 minutes

6. Remove and keep aside

7. Heat 1 tbsp oil

8. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and stir fry for two minutes

9. Add the soy sauce, salt, sugar and pepper

10. Mix well

11. Add 1 ½ cups of water and when it begins to boil, add the cornflour

12. Cook till the sauce thickens

13. Add the sautéed vegetables and cashew nuts

14. Cook for 2-3 minutes

15. Serve hot

Green Chilly Mushrooms

You will need:
Mushrooms – 200 gm (sliced into two)
Spring onions – 2 tbsp, chopped fine
Ginger – ¾ tbsp finely chopped
Garlic – ¾ tbsp, finely chopped
Soy sauce – 1 ½ tbsp, finely chopped
Vinegar – 1 tbsp
Onion – 1, cubed
Capsicum – 1, cubed
Salt to taste
Oil – 2-3 tbsp
Green chillies – 2


Preparation method:

1. Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil in a pan

2. Sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes

3. Remove and keep aside

4. To the same oil, add the onions and capsicum

5. Sauté for 3 minutes

6. Remove and keep aside

7. Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil and add the green chillies, ginger and garlic

8. Stir fry for a minute

9. Add the spring onions and sauté for a minute

10. Then add the soy sauce, vinegar and salt

11. Mix well

12. Add 1 ½ cups of water

13. When it begins to boil, add the cornflour add the cornflour

14. Cook till the sauce thickens

15. Add the mushroom, onions and capsicum and cook for 2 minutes

16. Serve hot