Chow Down To Eurovision 2014 - Estonia

Tere õhtust Saucers we have arrived in Estonia!

In Chow Down to Eurovision 2013 Estonia brought us Kyle the pigs head jelly so while this year's dish is still as interesting there are no body parts.

I have never been a fan of bread and butter pudding, or summer pudding with bread but had to try this mousse using rye bread.

After all discovering new cuisines is partly what Chow Down to Eurovision is all about, so with some tweaks this is the my take on an Estonian rye bread mousse.

Estonia managed to place 10th last year in Malmö but unfortunately Kyle was unable to qualify for the finals of Chow Down to Eurovision.

With today's Estonian Rye Bread Mousse being served in martini glass it's only fitting that Eighties Coming Back by Ruffus in 2003 is our hit for the day. They placed 21st.

  

 

Estonian Rye Bread Mousse

Ingredients

• 100g rye bread (I used a ciabatta I didn't bake it....shameful I know!)
• 90g butter
• 90g caster sugar
• 1 tsps. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon
• 300ml thickened cream
• 3-4 slices rye bread extra optional
• Blackberry jam

Method

• Dry rye bread out in a 180ºC oven for about 10 minutes
• Grate bread, some larger bits are ok
• In a fry pan on medium heat add 80g butter and 80g caster sugar, cinnamon and bread
• Stir and fry till crisp but not burnt
• Transfer to a tray and pop in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool
• Melt the 10g of butter and brush the slices of rye bread, cut however you like them
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to the 10g sugar and sprinkle over the slices
• Bake at 180ºC for approx. 10 minutes till crisp
• In a mixing bowl add the cream, vanilla and cooled breadcrumbs
• Whip together till firm
• Serve in wine/martini glasses topped with jam and crisp bread
• Serve immediately as it gets quite firm if chilled in the fridge
• There should be enough for about 4 glasses 
• I love the nutty flavour and the breadcrumbs give the illusion of a praline which could be great for people with nut allergies

 

In Copenhagen Tanja with perform Amazing for Estonia and I'm sure she will be! 

  Õnne!

 

The ending is bitter sweet...

 

 

No one was harmed in the development of this dessert but I won't lie a bloody lot of parfait was consumed!

 

That is one of the fun parts of the testing phase, all the different variations and possibilities.

 

AB and I worked our way through many versions, slightly reduced juice vs. heavily reduced juice, with white chocolate vs. more white chocolate vs. no white chocolate.

 

In the end the blood orange should be the star so why not chuck the whole thing in??

Eureka! By George I think I'd got it!

 

This is my favourite of all the versions as it has that bitter sweet orange flavour than reminds me of Campari.

 

The parfait adventure is no where near over yet as I'm now thinking about a milk chocolate version where the cream is infused with the blood orange zest.

 

Bitter Blood Orange Parfait
Ingredients

• 3 blood oranges*
• 600ml thickened cream
• 2 eggs
• 150g caster sugar 

Garnish

• 2 blood oranges*
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Method

• Gently boil the oranges in a saucepan of water for about 1 hour till tender
• Puree the oranges and pass through a fine sieve
• Allow to cool
• In a mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar with electric beaters till thick and fluffy
• Heat 250ml of the cream in a saucepan to just below boiling
• Slowly add the heated cream to the mix while beating
• Add the remaining cream and beat through 
• Add the orange puree and stir through
• Pour into a thin loaf tin (23cmx8cm) lined with cling wrap
• Freeze over night or at least 6-7 hours

• Make the garnish
• Zest 1 orange in long strips
• Segment both oranges
• Add sugar and water to a saucepan and bring to the boil so the sugar dissolves
• Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes so the syrup thickens slightly
• Take off the heat
• Add the zest and orange segments, taking care not to break them up
• Allow to chill in the fridge
• Remove parfait from freezer for about 10-15 mins prior to serving to help get out of the tin
• Place on a serving plate and top with the blood orange segments, zest and as much syrup as you like. Any left over can be served in a jug.

 

Perfect zester to get long thin strips, best $2 ever!

 

*Redbelly Citrus supplied the blood oranges for this recipe.

Forget soggy bread......Let them eat cake!

The thought of soggy bread makes me physically sick.

It may be the trauma of all day school holiday excursions that involved lunching on  tomato sandwiches fished out of my grandmother's handbag. (Not the cream of chicken soup grandmother, those days were more of a fine dining expedition.)

It's the slimly layer of gum like paste between the bread and the filling that is the real nauseator.

Whenever I would see an amazing looking summer pudding I would just think of the soggy bread but that Maria Antoinette was really onto something, forget the bread, let them eat cake.

With that minor ingredient change from the original recipe summer pudding is my go to dessert, especially if I have to take a dessert to a party.

The best thing is with the range of frozen berries available it is a summer, spring, winter and fall dessert, all you gotta do is call......into the shops and grab a box.

Summer Pudding
Ingredients

• 1 kg frozen mixed berries
• Juice of 3 small limes
• 1- 1 1/2 cups sugar (depending on how tart you like it)
• 2 sponge cakes
• Icing sugar to dust
• Dried rose petals to garnish (optional but they smell pretty)
• Thick cream to serve

Method

• Place berries and lime juice in a large saucepan and heat on medium
• When the berries have thawed add the sugar
• Heat for about 10-15 minutes till the berries have softened and the sugar has dissolved
• Take off the heat.
• Spray a cake tin with oil (spring form or removable base)
• Slice cakes into approx. 1cm thick slices
• It doesn't really matter if it is round or square cake it will all mould together.
• Trim most of the crust from the cake as this can stop the colour soaking into the cake
• Line the cake tin with cake
• Put the cake tin onto a plate and add the berries and juice
• Add a layer of cake on top of the berries to enclose
• Press gently to even out the berries and start the spread of juice
• Cover with plastic wrap and add a weight such as a plate and a can
• Refrigerate over night
• Flip upside down onto a serving plate and unmould the pudding
• Serve dusted with icing sugar, roses and cream
• The colour of this pudding is so beautiful it just makes me happy.

Note: I wouldn't use fresh berries unless you have them growing, frozen are a much better budget option and perfect for this. Also some lime zest can be added for extra zing.

 I bought the sponge this time.

 

 

 

 

 

 Ahhhh that colour, and the cream helps cut the tartness

I'm turning violet, Violet.

Another in the 60 second gelato range, blueberry cheesecake. With summer on the way and a predicted 38 degrees in Melbourne tomorrow, I am dreaming about anything that's frozen. Oh how I can relate to pastry, I hate the heat!!
Because this is so time consuming at 60 seconds you can spend another couple of minutes and go fancy pants with the plating. The base adds a yummy crunchy crumb, but is optional if you do have the time.

Blueberry cheesecake gelato

• 500 grams frozen blueberries
• 250 grams cottage cheese (or ricotta)
• 100 grams icing sugar
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence (optional)

Method

• Blend all together in a food processor till smooth.

Biscuit base

• 60grams plain biscuits
• 30grams almonds
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of golden syrup

Method

• Melt butter and golden syrup together (about 45 second in a microwave)
• Add all ingredients to food processor and blend to fine crumb
• To save on wash up you can make the crumb first, wipe out the processor and then make the ice cream. Use commonsense as if people have nut allergies, that could be an awkward end to a dinner party.
• This recipe is enough for about 6 bases and gelato to spare.

You can plate fancy in a ring mold, put it in a bowl, or just go straight from the processor bowl. I am too embrassased to admit my normal plating scenario, but I'm sure you can figure it out.

I probably need to see someone about my purple obsession.