Creamy Pumpkin Pie

For Mother's Day, I made a pumpkin pie to bring over to celebrate with the in-laws. 
This pie is so creamy and moist. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to make it again. Although next time, I'd like to try and substitute the cream cheese for tofu. Will see how it goes...

Ingredients

• Pie Crust (I used an almond pastry)
• 110g cream cheese
• 490g pumpkin puree
• 80g cream
• 120g raw or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 large eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C 
2. Combine all the filling ingredients in the TM until smooth
3. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake until the filling is almost set and the crust has browned (approx 50-60min). The cente will look slightly loose. Remove pie from the oven and cool to room temperature

For Whipped Cream (topping)

1. Beat 200g whipped cream. As it starts to thicken, add 3 tbsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2. Spread evenly on top of the cooled pie. For best results, chill for a few hours before serving

Great for morning tea or as a dessert

Avocado and Lime cheesecake

Avocados are so delicious. I can have them in everything! On bread, in salads, cakes, shakes, you name it! Recently, it has become a fruit that lies close to my heart as I have decided that it will be the first food I will be introducing to my baby.
So for my first ever mothers day as a mum, I wanted to make something different with this super nutritional fruit and share it with the mums - Happy Mother's Day!

 

A creamy and delicious Avocado Lime Tart.

Ingredients

• 3-4 avocados, flesh (best type: haas)
• 220g cream cheese
• 1 can fat free condensed milk
• 2 limes
• pinch of salt
• Macadamias (optional)
• Whipped cream (optional)

Method

1. Have your (cool) tart crust ready. For this recipe, I used an almond pastry. You can use any dessert pastry.
2. Blend all ingredients (except for macadamias and whipped cream) until smooth
3. Pour the filling into the prepared tart, gladwrap and freeze for 3 hours
4. Decorate with whipped cream and macadamias

I made about 3 mini tarts and 1 big tart. You can reduce the amount of avocados and limes if you want to make a smaller amount. Next time, I'd like to attempt substituting the cream cheese with tofu.

Almond Pastry

Here is a pastry that can be made cheaply with ingredients found in your fridge and pantry at home. It's so tasty as a dessert tart/flan/pie base with a sweet and nutty taste. I sometimes use this in place of shortcrust pastry. 

Ingredients

• 30g raw sugar
• 30g almonds
• 210g bakers flour
• 130g butter, cubed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 3-4 tbsp milk (or water)

Method

1. Add the sugar and almonds in the TM and mill on speed 8 for a few seconds
2. Add all the dry ingredients and mix for 10 sec/sp6 until mixture looks like breadcrumbs
3. Add the egg and milk and knead for 20sec or until it becomes dough like 
4. Turn mixture on Silpat mat/floured surface and knead lightly
5. Place in fridge for about 15mins before rolling out and baking at 200C

Almond and fruit tart

We recently had some interstate family friends visit for a weekend. My sister volunteered to make her delicious Vietnamese Royal noodle soup (Bun bo hue) so I opted to make dessert.
Not being a huge fan of Asian desserts, I thought to bring something everyone would like... something fruity and tarty :p

So I made an Almond and fruit tart. My picky brother really liked it so I can foresee myself making this again... soon...

I wanted to use blueberries for colour and because everyone loves them. But they were $9 :( used grapes instead 

For the delicious pastry:

This mix makes enough pastry for 2 tarts. You only need one for this recipe, so the other can be wrapped securely in gladwrap and frozen for up to 2 months

• 125g icing sugar
• 220g cold butter
• 375g bakers flour (or plain)
• 2 egg yolks, cold

1. Preheat oven to 170C and grease a tart tin
2. Add sugar, butter and flour to TM. Pluse Turbo 4-5 times (or Mix for 10 seconds on speed 6)
3. Scrape down sides of bowl and pulse another 5 tim es (or mix) until mixture is coarse
4. Add egg yolks and pulse Turbo (or mix) again until mixture is smooth and comes together in your fingertips
5. Divide the pastry in half and roll out one half on a lightly floured surface or mat. Gently press into the tart tin and trim off any excess. Keep it in the fridge for 20mins
6. Gladwrap the excess securely in the freezer and start working on the filling 
7. After the 20 minutes, line the pastry with baking paper. I weigh it down with dried lentils/beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes and then remove the beans/lentils and paper
8. Prick pastry with a fork and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown
9. Set pastry aside at room temperature to cool

For the filling:

• 250g butter, softened
• 250g sugar (I use raw or brown)
• 4 eggs
• 250g almond meal
• 50g plain flour
• Fruits and flaked almonds to decorate

1. Beat butter and sugar for 10 sec/sp4. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat again until combined
2. With TM running on sp 4, add eggs one at a time. Leave to mix for 20-30 sec after the last egg, scraping down the sides of bowl if necessary
3. Add almond meal and flour. Beat for 20 sec/sp 4, scrape down sides of bowl and beat again
4. Pour mixture into cooled pastry case. I like to sprinkle a little flaked almonds on top
5. Baked for about 1 hour or until firm in the centre
6. Decorate with fruit and flaked almonds. If you want, you can dust some icing sugar on top