Chocolate, Banana and Honeycomb Roll from the MasterChef Magazine

Yiheee the MasterChef Magazine is finally here. I was so excited and got myself a copy as soon as it hit shelves. I saw a preview of the magazine from a lift out and the first thing I said to myself was that I would make a dessert from it. As I sat on the train reading the mag, the photo of the Chocolate, Banana and Honeycomb Roll instantly caught my eye. I’ve never attempted to make a Swiss Roll before.

The dessert was surprisingly easy to make. So long as you roll the cake while its still warm you shouldn’t have any problems making the roll with the filling once its cooled. Mine only cracked when I dropped it on the kitchen bench as I was about to take some photos.

Chocolate, Banana and Honeycomb Roll from the MasterChef Magazine

Ingredients (serves 8)

6 eggs, separated
110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
25g (1/4 cup) Dutch cocoa (see note), plus extra, to dust
2 tbs potato starch (flour) (see note) or plain flour
125g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted
250g (1 cup) mascarpone
160g dulce de leche or Nestle Caramel Top 'n' Fill (see note)
3 x 50g Crunchie chocolate bars, roughly chopped
1 small, just-ripe banana, diced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 28cm x 32cm Swiss roll pan and line with baking paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg yolks and sugar on high speed until thick and pale. Sift over cocoa and potato starch, and fold in gently. Add chocolate and 2 tbs boiling water and stir gently to combine.

3. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites to soft peaks, then fold into the chocolate mixture.

4. Spoon batter into prepared pan and level with the back of a spoon. Bake for 12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.

5. Dust generously with cocoa, then cover with a sheet of baking paper. Invert cake with baking paper onto a work surface, then gently peel paper from the bottom of the cake.

6. While the cake is still hot, use the baking paper to gently roll up the cake from its long side, rolling paper with the cake. Cool for 20 minutes only.

7. Place mascarpone, dulce de leche, 100g Crunchie and banana in a bowl and stir until partially combined.

8. Gently unroll the cake, then spread with filling, leaving a 2cm border. Re-roll the cake (it may crack a little, but don't worry). Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until filling is firm. Dust with extra cocoa and scatter with remaining chopped Crunchie to serve.

It's a delicious and rich dessert that I will definitely be making again. The MasterChef Magazine is in News Agencies for $4.95. I got a copy and subscribed for 11 months for $38.00.

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Homemade Tahô - It's Comfort in Every Bowl

Have you ever had an off week? The kind of week where you just want to turn back the hands of time and do it all again. Well the past few weeks have been off weeks for me. The only thing that saves me during an off week is comfort food. Food that brings me back to my child hood.

Tahô with sago is one of those foods. It brings me back to those mornings in the Philippines where I would hear the Magtatahô (Tahô vendor) shouting for people to come and buy a bowl.



Tahô is a snack that is common in the Philippines. Most people eat this for breakfast but I can eat it at anytime of the day. It’s made with silken tofu topped with tapioca pearls and brown sugar syrup. It’s simple, but screams comfort to me

Here is a simple way of making homemade Tahô.

Tahô with Sago and Brown Sugar Syrup – recipe adapted from http://panlasangpinoy.com/

Sago (tapioca pearls)

¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup uncooked sago (tapioca pearls)
4½ cups water

Method

1. Bring 4½ cups of water to the boil. Put the tapioca pearls into the pot and cook for 40 minutes on a medium heat.

2. Add ¼ cup brown sugar and mix well.

3. Turn off the heat and let the sago cool for a few minutes.

Tahô

1 box tofu mix (85g)
5 cups water

Method

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve tofu mix in 5 cups of water.

2. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer for a further 2 minutes.

3. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the coagulant which comes with the Tofu mix. Quickly stir and cover with foil.

4. Allow the tofu to set while you make the sugar syrup.

Brown Sugar Syrup (Arnibal)

½ cup water
1 cup brown sugar

Method

1. Heat ½ cup of water in a saucepan.

2. Once the water boils add 1 cup of brown sugar. Mix until all the sugar is dissolved.

How to assemble the Tahô

1. With a wide spoon scoop the soft tofu with a sliding motion and put it in a bowl. Make sure that you drain the excess water that goes into the bowl.

2. Add the sago and top with a few spoonfuls of sugar syrup.




Tahô is best served warm. Tofu mix is available at all Asian markets. If you can't find the tofu powder, pre packaged silken tofu will also work with this.

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Express Apple Crumble using Be Natural Berry Trail Bars

Having a full time job means that I don’t always have the time to prepare a nice meal or a dessert. I have always been a big fan of all things simple. This express apple crumble is just that. It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, and lower on calories than your average apple crumble.




Express Apple Crumble

2 Be Natural Berry Trail Bars
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
385 grams canned apple slices

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180C fan forced.

2. In a bowl mix canned apples, cinnamon and sugar until well combined.

3. Pour the apple mixture into 4 small ramekins

4. Crumble trail bars evenly over the top of each filled ramekin.

5. Baked for 7 minutes or until slightly golden.

Be Natural Trail Bars are full of nutritious ingredients. Its made of 5 natural wholegrains and comes in 3 different flavours. It's a great snack that doesn't contain any artificial flavours, preservatives or flavours.

A Cupcake Or Two received samples from Be Natural and Darcy from Zing PR.

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