Recipes
Croquembouche Dessert
For the Pastry Puffs:
1 ½ cups water
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring 1 1/2 cups water, the butter, sugar and salt to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to melt the butter.
Remove from the heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste is shiny and pulls away from the pan, 6 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly.
Transfer the dough to a large pastry bag with a 1/2-inch tip. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, dabbing a bit of dough under the corners to keep the paper in place. Pipe 1 1/2-inch balls of dough onto the paper (about 48 total).
Smooth the dough peaks with a wet finger. Bake until puffed, 15 to 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake until golden, 15 minutes. Turn off the oven; keep the puffs inside 10 minutes to dry out. Pierce each puff with a dry piping tip; transfer to a rack to cool.
To Assemble:
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
Fill half of the puffs with chocolate cream and half with vanilla: Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the hole and squeeze until full. Chill the filled puffs 30 minutes before assembling the tower.
Make the caramel: Mix the sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup water in a saucepan, cover and bring to a boil over high heat; don’t stir. Uncover and boil, swirling the pan, until the syrup turns deep amber, 20 minutes.
Homemade Coconut Crusted Shrimp
Ingredients:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornstarch
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 cup grated fresh coconut
1 cup ice-cold soda water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail on1 tablespoon finely chopped
fresh cilantro leaves
Directions:
Preheat a fryer to 350 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, egg, coconut and soda water. Mix well to make a smooth batter. Season with salt. Season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of Essence. Holding the tail of the shrimp, dip in the batter, coating completely and shaking off the excess. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Asian Dressing
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Sambal to taste
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp soya sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
METHOD
Combine and bring to a boil to thicken.
Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Soup
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tblsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 large can of pumpkin puree
- 500 ml of Chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
METHOD
In the oils sauté your diced onion add your garlic and ginger as well as your Chinese 5 spice, then add your pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and coconut milk and stock bring to a boil, let simmer. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Green Thai Banana Lime Curry
- 1 lime leaf
- 1 small onion
- 1 tblsp of green Thai curry paste
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 litre water
- 2 tblsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1tsp minced ginger
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup of chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp of fish sauce
- To thicken corn starch
METHOD
Sautee diced onion and lime leaf in the oils, adds your garlic and ginger, then add your green Thai curry paste, coconut milk and water, bring to a boil and let simmer. Add the banana in last