Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Super Sprout, Super Foods

I just have to share these amazing products with you, my readers. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into our diet. It's not always easy when the local store only had fresh fruit and veg fresh in once a week. I do envy those with access to fresh produce markets.


A bit of googling came up with this wonderful website: www.supersprout.com.au where powdered whole fruits, vegetables and sprouts can be purchase online. I ordered beetroot powder, strawberry powder and wheatgrass powder, thinking I could add some to my shakes. I also ordered the recipe book.

My products arrived today and I'm impressed. The beetroot powder is dark and gorgeous and tastes delicious as does the strawberry powder. I've not tried the wheatgrass yet, but will add it to my shake tomorrow morning. I also received a complimentary sample of ginger powder and broccoli sprout powder with a little pamphlet outlining information about the products.

The recipe book is lovely with some great ideas on using the powders. I look forward to experimenting on the weekend!
(I have not been paid to endorse these products)

Megan

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Real Jelly

Real Passionfruit Jelly, Peaches and 'light' Banana Ice Cream

I recently made a trifle with some of my left over Thermomix Sponge Cake. I make an English Trifle, sponge on the bottom, spread with strawberry jam, sprinkled heavily with sherry, pour warm custard over the top, then broken up set jelly on top when cold. Optional toasted slivered almonds on top and served with whipped cream.
When I added the jelly, I licked the spoon (as one does) and the jelly tasted horrible! It had a gross, sickly sweet artificial flavour. Since I didn't have enough jelly to cover two Trifles, I began a search for  Real Jelly, made with Real Fruit.

The folks on forumthermomix.com helped me out with some recipes. The first one I made was a Raspberry Jelly. I was amazed at the wonderful flavour of fresh raspberries and will be making this one again and again.
Next, a Mandarin Jelly which was simply divine. Today, I'm making Passionfruit Jelly as I have masses of whole passionfruit in the freezer picked from our vine last summer.

These jellies are well worth the effort, which really is minimal anyway. My dear husband is in heaven. For the last few nights he's had jelly for dessert. First, Trifle with Raspberry Jelly, then Raspberry Jelly with tinned pears and whipped cream, then Mandarin Jelly and home made 'light' Vanilla Ice Cream. Tonight it'll be Passionfruit Jelly with tinned peaches and 'light' Banana Ice Cream.

I used Gelatine Sheets to make my Raspberry Jelly, but since I've run out of those, I'll be using regular powdered gelatine. There's not a lot of difference, the sheets are just easier to use. If you want to make a moulded jelly, you'll need to add more gelatine, probably half as much again.

I halved the following recipe:

Real Raspberry Jelly
550g Sugar
Juice 2 lemons
1 litre water
750g frozen raspberrries
6 sheets gelatine or 30g powdered gelatine

1. Place sugar into TM bowl and blitz on speed 9 for 30 seconds. Scrape down and add lemon juice and water to bowl.
2. Cook for 5 minutes/100/speed 2.
3. Add raspberries and cook for 4 minutes/90/speed 2.
4. Place into a bowl and allow to cool.
5. Place a sieve over a bowl and line with muslin or cheesecloth. Pour liquid into sieve and allow to drain. This may take about 4 or 5 hours. Reserve the left over raspberry flesh to make Raspberry Apple Jam.
6. Place half of the liquid back into the TM bowl and reheat for 5 minutes/90/speed 1. Meanwhile, soak gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water until soft. Squeeze out. Or, if using powdered gelatine, place in a small glass dish with a tiny bit of water and stir over a container of hot water until melted.
7. While still mixing on speed 2, add gelatine through hole in TM lid. Continue to mix for 1 minute on speed 2 until it's all dissolved.
8. Add remaining liquid and mix lightly.
9. Pour into a glass dish to set in the fridge.

Real Mandarin (or Orange) Jelly
110g sugar
500g freshly squeezed mandarin juice (about 7 mandarins)
Thinly peeled skin of one mandarin
½ sheets gelatine or 15g powdered gelatine

1. Place sugar into TM bowl and blitz on speed 9 for 20 seconds.
2. Add juice and peel and cook for 5 minutes/90/speed 2. Strain to remove peel and place juice back into TM bowl. Meanwhile, soak or dissolve gelatine as above.
3. Set TM for 1 minute/speed 2 and add gelatine through hole in the lid.
4. Pour into a bowl to set in fridge.

Real Passionfruit Jelly
150g sugar
16 - 20 passionfruit
Juice of ½ an orange - around 35g
Around 2 ½ powdered gelatine or 3 sheets


1. Blitz sugar on speed 9 for 20 seconds. Scrape down.
2. Place passionfruit pulp and orange juice in TM bowl and heat for 3 minutes/70/speed 1 - 2.
3. Strain seeds out using a sieve.
4. Weigh liquid back into bowl and add about 20g water per 100g juice. Take note of new weight.
5. Measure out 1 tsp powdered gelatine per 100g liquid and sponge over hot water.
6. Set TM for 1 minute/70/speed 2 and add liquefied gelatine through the hole. 
7. Pour into a dish and set in the fridge.