By Meg White – Cooking 4 Kids
Chocolate pear puddings
Ingredients:
3 tinned pear halves, drained
50g butter
200g dark chocolate buttons
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1.5 Tbsp cocoa powder
6 extra slivers of tinned pear, drained
Method:
1. Preheat oven at 160 degrees Celsius. Line six muffin trays with patty papers.
2. Place pear halves into a food processor and puree until smooth. Measure 1/2 cup of puree.
3. Place the butter and chocolate into a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until butter and chocolate have melted, stir gently with a metal spoon to combine well.
4. Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve into the mixture.
5. Add the 1/2 cup of pear puree and stir well.
6. Add the egg and stir until well incorporated.
7. Sift flour and cocoa powder into the mixture, fold through.
8. Spoon the mixture between the patty papers, ensuring there is an even amount in each.
9. Place a sliver of pear on top of each patty paper. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until firm when gently pressed on top.
Quinoa and seed damper
Ingredients:
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup boiling water
1.25 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup LSA meal
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp chia seeds
30g butter
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp pepita seeds
Method:
1. Place quinoa into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes then drain well.
2. Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a baking tray with canola spray, then lightly dust with flour.
3. Combine the flour, LSA meal, chia seeds and salt in a large bowl.
4. Using your fingertips, rub butter in until well combined. Make a well in the centre of the mixture.
5. Pour the milk and quinoa into the well. Use a knife to combine the mixture until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
6. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a large ball, being careful not to over work the dough.
7. Cut dough into three pieces, shape each piece into a ball and place onto prepared tray.
8. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until damper makes a hollow sound when tapped.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Pear tarte tatin
Ingredients:
1 large pear
Splash of lemon juice
1 Tbsp sultanas
Pinch of cinnamon
70g caster sugar
20g butter
Puff pastry
Milk
Method:
1. Preheat oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a baking tray with canola spray and line with baking paper.
2. Cut pear into quarters and remove core. Slice pear into thin slices, place into a medium bowl. Add a splash of lemon juice and carefully coat pear pieces to prevent them from browning.
3. Add sultanas, cinnamon and 35g of caster sugar, stir until well combined.
4. Place the other 35g of sugar into a frying pan over a low heat. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves and begins to caramelise.
5. Add the cut pears and butter. Cook for a few more minutes until pears are tender. Remove from heat.
6. Carefully arrange pears in the bottom of your baking tray.
7. Lightly flour your work bench. Roll pastry out until 3mm in thickness. Using a bowl as a guide, cut pastry into a circle, 2cm larger than your baking dish.
8. Place pastry circle over your pears. Tuck excess pastry under the pears.
9. Using a pastry brush, brush pastry lightly with milk.
10. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden. Allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before turning out of baking dish to serve.
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