Orange, Passion Fruit, & Champagne Jelly desserts {product review}

After being at home with my girls for the last 7 years, I have jumped back into the working world. At the moment I currently have 2 ½ jobs. It seems like I have found myself with a lot on my plate.

I am finding out what it really means to time manage. So, I was pretty proud of myself for making these jellies’s in the morning so they would be set for after dinner!

It’s pretty impressive if I even have dinner on the table on time these days!

Jelly is one of those things that everyone loves. It doesn't matter how old you are. As we get older our tastes buds change and sometimes our favorite childhood treats just don't taste the same. This Taste the Difference range of jellies from Sainsbury's is full of flavor and has fun flavor combinations! 

These jellies can be made according to the instructions and therefore will be suitable for the whole family, but making it with the suggestions I listed below make it a bit more adult.... then again maybe not?

I was sent Orange, Passion Fruit, and Champagne Jelly and Blackcurrant, Elderflower, and Cassis Jelly to try out.

First I made the Orange, Passion Fruit, and Champagne Jelly with half orange juice and half prosecco. I added in some canned mandarin’s for texture and topped with whipped cream and passion fruit seeds/juice.

Then I made the Blackcurrant one in champagne flutes to add a bit of festive fun and topped that one with some whipped cream as well.

There are so many ways to be creative with this range, such as:

• Use prosecco in place of water, as suggested on the bottle
• Use your favorite fizzy drink, lemonade or an orange soda
• Different juices to match the flavors of the chosen jelly (ex: elderflower juice in the blackcurrent or orange juice in the orange etc…) if you do use half water half juice sometimes it is a little too soft when setting if you use just juice.
• Add in matching fruits, canned usually works best because the fruit will be soft.
• Make it a jelly terrine!
• Make it in a flat baking tray and once it’s set use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes
• Make it in a trifle (my husband wanted me to do this and I just don’t like trifles that much…. I know I know we’ll talk about this later!)
• Make it in fun shapes using jelly moulds
• Top with whipped cream or meringues or ice cream
• Drizzle with all sorts of fruit syrups

Jelly is fun for all ages and these Taste the Difference ones from Sainsbury’s were super easy to make and they make a great treat for any time of the day! Especially during the holiday season that is full of rich and heavy foods. Why not lighten the load a bit with a jelly dessert! My favorite part is that they are made in advance and takes some of the stress away from the big day! See my time management is already getting better! 

notes: in association with Sainsbury's they sent me the jelly to try all opinions are my own please see my contact/policy tab above. 

Mango & Passion fruit Panna Cotta!! (Slimming World)

Earlier in January I said how I was starting to watch what I ate and so far it’s going okay. Slowly, but then isn't that the trick to keeping it off for good?? I have been following Slimming World off and on for a couple years and have a stack of dessert recipes that I have been humming and hawing over. This Mango and Passion fruit Panna Cotta was one that I couldn't get out of my head. It was very yummy. Sauce was a bit tart, so when I make it again I think I would add a syn or too to make it a bit sweeter. Everyone has his or her own tastes so it might be perfect just the way it is!

If you saw my last post, you’ll remember I said I have been a bit lazy when recording my baking adventures. So, like the last post there is only one picture! Sorry! I hope to share more “healthy” or “not-so-bad-for-you” desserts in the future! But for now…. enjoy! 

Mango & Passion Fruit Panna Cotta

4 sheets leaf gelatine

200ml skimmed milk

2 tbsp artificial sweetener

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 x 175g pots Mullerlight Mango & Passion fruit yogurt

4 passion fruits

Syns per serving: All Choices 1 

1. Put the gelatine in a bowl and just cover it with cold water. Leave for 10-12 minutes to soften. Meanwhile put the milk and 1 tbsp of the sweetener in a heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, remove from the heat and set aside. Squeeze the water from the gelatine, and then stir into the milk until dissolved. Add the vanilla extract and stir well. Leave to cool.
2. Put the yogurt into a large bowl and gradually whisk in the milk mixture until well combined. Pour the mixture into 4 ramekins or individual pudding basins, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 6-8 hours (overnight) or until set.
3. The sauce doesn't have to be made immediately – if the panna cotta is for after dinner, make the sauce before you make dinner so it’s ready, as you will need some time to cool.
4. To make the sauce, halve the passion fruits, scoop out the seeds and pulp and put in a pan. Add 100ml water and the remaining sweetener. Cook over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and then leave to cool.
5. When ready to serve, slide a palette knife around the edge of each ramekin or pudding basin and dip very briefly in hot water to loosen each panna cotta. I didn't have to dip mine I just slide a knife around the edges and they slide right out. Tip each on a dessert dish and spoon over the passion fruit sauce. Decorate with a few mint leaves and serve! I choose to leave the mint leaves off.

notes: Slimming World UK; Slimming Work USA; panna cotta; easy light lemon cupcakes

Passion Fruit Meringue Cupcakes!! (semi-fail)

Once again my frosting didn’t turn out as I expected. Egg whites and me don’t mix (pun intended) very well. I don’t seem to have much luck with them weather they are in a curd or a frosting…

I couldn’t deicide what I wanted to make for my birthday. Honestly it’s a bit awkward making your own birthday cake. Anyhow I finally decided on these cupcakes from Making Cupcakes with Lola-it meant I got another chance at making a curd and it satisfied one of my favorite flavors at the moment passion fruit!!

I made the curd the night before my birthday, success! Then I made the cupcakes on my birthday, but after a very indulgent meal I wasn’t really in the mood for cake. So, the following day I filled the cupcakes, but again I wasn’t in the mood for cake at all. Weird. I was just going to leave it, but I had hunted down a kitchen blowtorch for the meringue topping and felt I had no choice. Then on top of it I had both my mini bakers on at me about cake!

I made the frosting and everything seemed to go well. It was making soft peaks and it says to refrigerate it to further firm it up. I don’t think my soft peaks were peak enough and when it didn’t pipe right I was like right **** it!! I should have listened to my mood; I didn’t want to make them so it didn’t turn out. It shows me that I am really only a recreational baker. I could never do this for a living! Of course when you work in a bakery you have tried and tested recipes that don’t change day to day.

Here is the recipe maybe you’ll have better luck then me! Enjoy!!

This is actually a scone with cream and the passionfruit curd on top!
A nice way to use up the extra curd! Yummy!!

passion fruit curd: Make this in the morning or a day ahead!

3 eggs

1 egg yolk- Save the white for the meringue

100ml (1/2 cup) passion fruit juice, sifted (about 6 fruits)

175g (3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp) caster/superfine sugar

125g (1 stick) butter, cubed

Mix the eggs together in a heatproof bowl.

Boil the juice and sugar together in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.

Slowly pour the hot fruit syrup into the eggs stirring briskly and constantly so not to scramble the eggs.

Set the bowl of egg mixture onto a pan of simmering water, as you would if you were melting chocolate, and whisk gently for 20-30 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Let cool then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, over night if possible.

cupcake:

125g (1 cup) self-rising flour

1 tsp baking powder

75g (1/2 cup) ground almonds

100g (6 ½ tbsp) butter, cubed and soft

150g (3/4 cup) caster/superfine sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

grated zest of ½ lemon

2 eggs

75ml (1/3) cup plain yogurt

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas4

Sift the flour and baking powder and stir in almonds.

Beat/cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Add the lemon zest then add the eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition.

Add the dry ingredients and yogurt and beat on low until combined.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool completely before frosting.

frosting fail I didn't even get to use my new kitchen blowtorch :0(

meringue:

3 egg whites

180g (1 cup) caster/superfine sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar together in a heatproof bowl. Same as with the curd set on top of a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and a sugar thermometer reads 60C/140F.

Remove from the heat and with a hand mixer on low whisk the mixture. Gradually increase the speed to high until stiff, glossy (but not dry) peaks have formed. (It’s here I think I went wrong, patience has never been one of my virtues and I think I sped up my mixer to quick.) Whisk in the vanilla. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until firm enough to pipe.

to finish:

When the cupcakes are cool, make a hole in them with a tsp and fill with a dollop of curd.

Spread the meringue on top or fill a piping bag with a star nozzle to pipe the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.

Hold a kitchen blowtorch about 10cm/4 in from the meringue and scorch evenly.

Even though the frosting/merinque didn't turn out exactly right they still tasted good! My mini-bakers didn’t care that it wasn't exactly right and ate them up! I just find it frustrating when I spent the time to make something and it didn’t work!

My sister recently had a similar sort of problem as me. Janet made salted caramel cupcakes form Martha Stewarts Cupcake book and nothing turned out except the frosting!

She too wasn’t in the mood, but had bought all the ingredients and to make sure some of them didn’t go off made them anyway.

Carla Hall from season 5 of Top Chef became known for her philosophy of "cooking with love", which she defined as putting one's own care and warmth into food. She believes that if one is happy and calm while cooking, then this will show in the food, making it much better, whereas if one feels otherwise, it will degrade their cuisine. For this reason, she says that, “If you’re not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation.” (wikipedia) I compeletely agree with her!! I think baking is the same! You must be "in the mood!"

GU Mango & Passion Fruit Cheesecakes!!

3 After Noon Mango & Passion Fruit Cheesecakes

They are just little, but oh so yummy!!

I normally don't buy this brand because it's generally expensive. However this time I couldn't resist. I love mango and more so passion fruit! I couldn't say no to a cheesecake with these two ingredients! I think I may have to have a go at making a big one!! ;0)

Cookie Pizza!!

When I was little my parents moved us from Wisconsin to Indiana and away from our extended family and friends.

During a visit from our cousins, Julia and Victoria, we not only had a great time at Bible Vacation, but a great time making and eating Cookie Pizza.

Here's how to make your very own Cookie Pizza:

• Use any cookie dough you want. Sugar Cookies are the most versatile. I used a Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie mix. Peanut butter cookies would be a good choice too. If your in the USA just buy cookie dough if you're not making it from scratch!
• Cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp of vanilla (In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.) or clotted cream. I used vanilla cream, my favourite from Sainsbury's that I always use for scones.
• Fruit: I used raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches (canned), and passion fruit.
• or Any other topping you would want: kiwi, pineapple, blackberries, bananas; chocolate, caramel, strawberry sauce? Jam? Candy? Sweets? Seriously anything! Let your imagination go wild!!

Take your cookie dough and roll it out in a circle or square or whatever shape takes your fancy. Then spread your cream cheese mixture (cream) over cooled crust. Arrange fruit on top! Done!
This is a fun recipe for kids and adults! It's so good and you can pretend it's good for you with all the fruit!! :0) Enjoy!!

For a more specific recipe you can try here or here or here.