When cooking queries regarding millet were recently brought up by two separate customers on the same day, we thought it might be a sign to serve our customers up a millet recipe. Or maybe even two!
Millet porridge is a common breakfast in several countries. It's also used as a high protein, nutritious alternative to rice, pearl barley and couscous. One of the conversations we had with a customer was about how to properly cook millet porridge. Some people find that the end result is a little firm, even after cooking thoroughly. After some trial and error, I think I've cracked the code. Huddle up: There are two methods that give you a satisfyingly creamy porridge, albeit with differing textures. The first method involves leaving the millet grains whole, but soaking them overnight before then cooking them for about 20 to 30 mins. It's basically the same method I use for steel cut oats, and the result is similar- a robust bowl of goodness. The second method is quicker and gives you a smoother, silkier porridge. You simply put the raw millet grains in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder and whiz it until the grains are much finer - about halfway to being a flour. Then you cook it in milk and water for 15 minutes. This is my preferred method, and the one I use below, but you might find you prefer the whole grain version.
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Dear Villagers, I was inspired to make this recipe because of TikTok. Before you judge, let me explain, justify and defend my actions. We noticed recently quite an upswing in the number of customers coming in to stock up on medjool dates. Being nosy, we asked why, and learned that there was a recipe trending on TikTok for Snicker Dates. It was a simple recipe that involved stuffing a medjool date with peanut butter before dipping it in melted chocolate.
As a self-proclaimed queen of whole food snacks (I used to make sweet treats for cafes around the Inner West) I decided to make some. There's much to love about this kind of whole food treat, They usually involve a small number of ingredients, they're quick to make, and you don't have to worry too much about exact amounts - it's a more relaxing cooking experience when you can be a little loosey-goosey with weighing and measuring. Me being me, I made a couple of small changes to the recipe. The main one is the addition of cacao butter. While the TikTok recipes all called for dipping the dates in either straight melted chocolate, or adding a little coconut oil to the chocolate. The (small) issue with just melted chocolate on its own is that it sets hard, and you lose a bit of that decadent mouth feel that you get biting into a chocolate bar. And that is why some recipes include adding some coconut oil. The inclusion of coconut oil helps the chocolate melt better and set better, while also preventing it from going super hard and brittle. But coconut oil has a polarising taste, and I know a lot of kids in particular who aren't keen on it. Hence I decided that cacao butter would be a better option. It not only improves the meltability and the texture when set, but the subtle, rich flavour and aroma adds tenfold to the chocolate bar experience we are trying to create. I decided to add a touch of cacao butter to the peanut butter too, to give the peanut butter a creamier, more velvety mouthfeel. Being that there are 6 ingredients, and the recipe is done and dusted in 30 mins, I guess you are wondering why such a simple recipe is so long and wordy… Please don't be alarmed, I promise you that it is indeed very simple and we are not about to put you through a Masterchef Pressure Test! It's just that each simple step is harder to explain in words than video. Feel free to omit using toothpicks - your Snicker Date Bites will be a little wider and a little flatter, but just as delicious. One final thing before we jump in and get cooking: In my opinion, it's the salt and crushed peanuts that make these babies sing. Don't skip them! What better way to kick off 2023 than with a recipe for a delicious treat that meets all the summer holiday requirements: it's a breeze to make, there are minimal ingredients, needs no fancy gadgets, is vegan-friendly, requires no oven and it's perfect for warm weather.
This ice cream recipe is coconut cream based, and there are a few reasons why I chose to go this route:
It's our last recipe for 2022, so we thought why not go out with a bang!
It's rare to see a grazing platter without cheese and charcuterie. So I wanted to make some festive party fare that didn't leave dairy free,vegan or vegetarian folk out in the cold. This Grazing Platter involves 3 recipes - 2 brand new ones and an old favourite - plus a jumble of ingredients you can grab in-store to bring it all together. Now to the two new recipes. We've got a super easy cashew cheese, and a truly yummy mushroom pate. Both are vegan-friendly and can be easily adapted to suit any dietary requirements. Supporting the two stars of the platter is an old favourite that goes with them perfectly - Seed Crackers. The accompanying ingredients are mere suggestions; feel free to replicate what I've used or go rogue and make it your own! If you're new to creating a platter, here's an easy guide to building one: The key to an inviting platter is colour, focal points and a variety of small bowls and ramekins to create height and interest. Firstly assemble your ingredients, platter (or board) and a variety of small bowls. Decide what will be scattered directly onto the platter and what will be put into bowls, ramekins or jars, then arrange them around the platter. Then you can have fun adding your scatter items like nuts, dried fruit and crackers. Voila! It's not often that one of the most universally loved treats is also the easiest and quickest to make. For starters, there's no baking involved. And it's also adaptable, with endless possibilities for variations.
We are talking, of course, about Rocky Road. Did you know that Rocky Road is an Australian creation? Back in the 1850's Plucky confectionery importers found a way of using the sweets that had been broken or spoiled during their arduous journey from Europe down to Australia. Those savvy upcyclers mixed them with local nuts and chocolate offcuts to recover the sweets instead of throwing them out. The name Rocky Road is in reference to the bumpy trails scattered with rocks and potholes that travelers used in order to access the gold fields. Today, their ingenuity has become our decadent treat. There's a simple formula to follow that paves the way (ha!) to good Rocky Road. It should be made up of the following:
With this formula in mind, let's make some Rocky Road. |
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