My Review on Pizza Miltonio & What happened when I had a craving for anchovies but didn't want to Carb Load

I've decided that it is time for a career change & tomorrow is my last day at my work. I've just been to another staff member's farewell drinks and I came home a little bit tipsy and with the worst cravings for anchovies. I looked around the cupboard and couldn't even find anything remotely close to them to try and substitute and I didn't want to carb load after eating some wedges as a snack..

Result? Having Miltonio only around the corner on Baroona Rd Milton deliver me 2 large pizzas :).

Since moving to our new house we have become regular customers of this place. The pizza is fantastic! Even our housemate claims that the pizza is better than what he has tried in Italy. I wouldn't go that far, but they do come close.

When the delivery man arrived at the door I pretty much threw my money at him, grabbed the pizzas, slammed the door shut and ran to eat it in bed to watch Iron Chef America :).

The pizzas were thin, but not too thin and have just the right amount of toppings on them. I'd ordered the seafood to combat the anchovies cravings and a BBQ Chicken which is one of my favourites, but I'd ordered that to keep seafood hating Mr. BB at bay when he comes home from his Car Owners Club.


BBQ Chicken

The seafood pizza had only prawns, clams, anchovies and garlic as a topping. I was a little bit let down from the mini shrimp on the pizza and tiny clams, but the anchovies were sufficent. I didn't get a photo until slightly more sober BB realized that I should blog about this..

I was pretty full after devouring an entire pizza, but I still did sneak a piece of the BBQ chicken. I already knew what it would taste like but I had to have it, it's just sooo tasty.. and I had to ensure that I wasn't telling my readers lies.. :) The toppings were chicken and bbq sauce but they were both great on their own.

I bet you're still wondering about the non-carb-loading? Well here is what happened :)



No offence to Miltonio, but as tasty as your pizza in it's entirety is, I really didn't want to put on any weight eating this at 9pm at night.

Recommend this Pizzeria!

Miltonio
Shop 17, Centro Shopping Centre
36 Baroona Rd
Milton, QLD
4064
Ph: 07 3368 2144


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Ferrero Rocher Rich Fudge Brownies

As you can tell, I have been a bit over cupcakes. I was hankering for something a little bit sweet to take on a picnic at Mt. Cootha today and had an excess of Ferrero Rocher's after stocking up at a clearance sale at Target.



So, I made brownies! I used my favourite brownie recipe from www.taste.com.au
They always turn out rich, tasty, fudgy and sooo good! Definitely my go to recipe that I can adapt to suit any flavour I want to add.

They went down a treat. Made the walk down to the gold mine harder. They made me tired! But here are a couple snaps I took on the way..



Skitso Magpie what was insistent that it was going to have some of our risoni salad



Mr. BB racing ahead.. Apparently whilst taking in the scenery, I was going too slowly

Bridge used to cart over gold



Mine Shaft.. had no gold lol

Fererro Rocher Brownies
Adapted from taste.com.au

200g unsalted butter, chopped
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup gluten-free plain flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
12 Ferrero Rocher chocolates
4- Ferrero Rocher's chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts.


Method

Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a 5cm deep, 18cm (base) square cake pan with non-stick baking paper.

Prep your chopped Ferrero Rochers and walnuts.

Heat butter, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

Add eggs and vanilla to chocolate mixture. Mix well. Sift flour and cocoa over chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Mix in chopped Ferrero Rochers and walnuts.



Pour brownie mixture into pan. I have added the Fererro Rochers into the batter just before baking

Bake for 20 minutes or until just set. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, lift out. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place into an airtight container. Stand for 1 day. Cut into pieces. Serve.

Fauxtess Cupcakes

So I'd mentioned in my last post that I was home to take my kitten to the vet to be desexed.. Well whilst at home I was almost sick with worry.

Since the vet mentioned that for her it is major surgery I was nervous for her. So to keep myself busy at home I decided to make some fauxtess cupcakes.. They seemed to be a bit more tricky than regular cupcakes so I gave them a go.

I found that these cupcakes were nice and dense. The batter wasn't as good as my faithful devils food cupcake recipe, but I think the rich cake is a nice change.

Fauxtess Cupcakes
Sourced from Beantown Baker

For the cupcakes - I doubled the recipe and got about 17 instead of 24.
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons cake flour
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2/3 cup canola oil
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons water

For the cream filling (Seven Minute Frosting):
This made more than enough to greedily fill the cupcakes and top them.
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract- I used vanilla bean paste as I ran out of extract

For the ganache- I doubled this
1/2 cup cream
200 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 180 and line 2x 12 capacity muffin pans with paper liners. I love these polka dot ones. I got them from ebay a few months back and have been dying to use them.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together egg yolks, canola oil, 1/2 cup sugar and water until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand just until combined.


It looked like it wasn't going to come together, but just needed a bit of elbow grease


In a clean medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat one quarter of the whites into the batter to lighten the mixture. Add remaining whites and gently fold the mixture together until no streaks remain.

Evenly divide the batter between the wells of a 12 cup muffin tin coated with nonstick spray (they will be about one-half full). Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center, about 13 to 16 minutes. Remove and let the cupcakes cool slightly before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.



While waiting for cupcakes to cool, combine filling ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled. Reserve 1/2 cup of the filling to use for piping the swirls on top of the cupcakes at the end.



Once cupcakes are completely cooled, use the cone method (reserve tops and cut off excess cake) to fill with filling.



Once all cupcakes are filled, make the ganache.



In a small saucepan, heat cream until steaming. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Transfer the frosting to a small bowl and dip the top of each cupcake to thoroughly coat.

Spoon the reserved filling into a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain tip and pipe swirls across the center of each cupcake. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes to set the frosting.

Sari Sari- Filipino Fish Soup

I know, you sound a bit freaked out right? Fish soup? Well in my family your mouth would water knowing that it is going to be cooked soon. I'm home from work today as I had to take Miss Lola to the vet to be desexed. As fish hating Mr. BB wont be home, I used this opportunity to cook up something good!

Sari Sari is any kind of Filipino Soup, it can contain prawns, squid, pork belly fish and seasonal stewed vegetables. I have added my favorites in there. Mum would chuck a nana knowing that I have added beans, but she doesn't have to know :D.

I have such love for this food that I had to share it. Even though my Sari Sari is ok, it would never be as good as my Mums version. Every time I would come home for the holidays Mum, would have a batch made and as soon as I would walk in, she would say "Halo Lub, I have made Pish Soup. Come, you sit, you eat. Pish is good por your skin, make you beautipul!". She is so cute! :D

Sari Sari- Filipino Fish Soup
From memories of Mums Kitchen

Ingredients

1 large fillet of white fish. (I have used barramundi. Basa is fine to use, but mum would usually use fish wings)
1 Large brown onion
6 Cloves of garlic, peeled and bruised
1 Large knob of ginger, peeled, sliced and bruised.
1/2 of 1 large Eggplant
1/2 Red Capsicum
1 Tomato
As Many Beans as you like
1 Bunch of Pak Choy
3 tbs Brown vinegar or as needed
3 tsp sugar
Salt and peppercorns to season- enough salt to make it quite salty.

Amounts of ingredients are usually forgiving. You and add extra or less of any ingredients to get the taste to your liking. I had to add extra vinegar and sugar today.

Method

Fry your ginger, garlic, onion until aromatic or slightly browned


add your fish fillets. Do not be tempted to stir as this will break up the fish. Seal fish.


I used this opportunity to also cut my vegetables into chunks.


Add Eggplant, capsicum and tomato. Add Boiling water to cover. Add Vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.


Simmer until vegetables are soft. Add other ingredients, Pak Choy, beans and anything else you would like to add e.g non traditional broccoli. Simmer until water has reduced to 1/3 of original size and all ingredients have stewed and are soft.


Taste for seasoning, add more vinegar or sugar if needed. Serve with rice.

Rocklea Cupcake Adventure.. Mission COMPLETE!

My stall

Well from the millions of posts updating my progress with the upcoming Rocklea Markets, 12 hours of baking and a hectic start after sleeping in, I have finally been to Rocklea Markets to sell my cupcakes!

My stall was a lot more successful than I thought it would be! Out of the 520 cupcakes I had made, I had sold just over 450.. leaving mostly the extra vanilla vanilla cupcakes for my housemates to devour.



Mr. Sanders (who is a diabetic) polishing off the left overs

I was aiming to make a few different types of cupcakes but it was touch and go. I was selling -

• Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes (with chocolate Ganache Frosting as I forgot my buttercream)
• Strawberry Oreo Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
• Martha's super light Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
• Martha's Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Banana cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting
• Elvis Cupcakes
• Devils Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting
• Devils Food Cupcakes with Dulce De Leche Frosting.

There were a few ups and downs from working so hard, but I'm definitely doing this again soon! As I was so busy, I forgot to take photos. But here is what I did take.

My first batch of Carrot Cake Cupcakes


Spontaneous Strawberry Oreo Cupcakes


Near the end.. 12 hrs of baking already and wanna go to sleep!!


Icing station, pretty messy.. every time I would ice one, I would sell it!

It it also great to finally meet an Empty Stomach s the Best Cook!

Not only did I make a killing, I also scored a few jobs for kids parties! Yay!

Thanks for Reading!

Spontaneous Rude Birthday Sponge- Not something to make for your mother-in-law :S

Yay! Not a cupcake related post!

Tomorrow is our house mate's 22nd Birthday and our other housemate Keen Bean was adamant that he was going to make a sponge. After lurking around the kitchen just waiting for him to ask for help, he didn't realize that the amount of batter he made would only make one layer.

I stepped in to make the second layer. I think that I proved that my top component of the cake was of better quality as it didn't fall, had a nice crust and was twice the size :P. Pretty good considering that I haven't made a sponge since my late dad taught me how when I was 9 years old.

I also had to help out with piping out the writing. I had to hide the swears on this cake as this is how to boys talk to each other.. and HAD to quote Trent from Punchbowl. I know.. crude right? But a tasty cake, none the less.

Layered Sponge Cake with Jam and Cream Filling, Strawberries and Cream Topping and left over Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Soured from the back of Fielders Corn Flour Packet

Ingredients
3 Eggs Seperated
Pinch Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/2 Cup Castor Sugar
2/3 Cup Corn Flour
1 Rounded Tbs of Plain Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder

Method

• Preheat Oven to 190 C, beat egg whites to soft peaks then gradually add sugar, a little at a time, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.

• Add egg yolks and vanilla essence, beat until combined.

• Sift 3 times the corn flour, plain flour and baking powder, add to egg mixture. Folding gently to incorporate. Do not stir!..

• Divide in two and add to 2x greased and lined 20 cm sandwich pans (I used a 21cm springform pan and made 2 batches). Bake for 18-29 Minutes.

• Turn off and leave oven ajar for 5 minutes. Pull out and cool on racks in pan for 5 mins, remove from pan and cool completely before decorating.

• After cutting off the crust, Keen Bean smothered in chanterelle cream, strawberries and I wrote in some left over strawberry flavoured swiss meringue buttercream with additional red food colouring.

Comparison Mine still has the crust on it

Proud of my contribution

Layered Sponge Cake with Jam and Cream Filling, Strawberries and Cream Topping and writing in some left over Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting with some extra red food colouring added.

Happy Reading!

Vanilla Vanilla's - A winning Vanilla Cupcake recipe to be sold at Rocklea Markets.. All cupcaked out!

I feel as though I am all cupcaked out. For the past 2 weeks, all I have been doing is trialing recipes and I am really growing sick of making, tasting and even looking at cupcakes for the time being. So here is my last cupcake related post for the next week :p.

This is my winning Vanilla Cupcake Recipe. Billy Reece from Billy's Bakery in NY, as featured on Martha's website. I thought they would be perfect as they have a double dose of vanilla.

If you are coming to see me next weekend the 18th of April at the Rocklea Markets, these Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes will be sold for only $1.50 EA.


Please don't forget to point out to me that you are one of my blog readers as I will offer mates rates :)

Ingredients

Makes about 30 cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature. I frosted this cupcake with some left over Swiss Meringue Buttercream, coloured purple of course.

Thanks for reading!



P.S Apologise about the crappy photo!

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream on top of Vanilla Bean Yellow Cake Cupcakes

For my upcoming cupcake event at the Rocklea Markets- April 18th.. Stall #235.. sorry to sound like a broken record.. I will also be showcasing my Vanilla cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting. I used the same yellow cake recipe as my last post. Here is my recipe!

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

1/2 cup egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Pinch of salt

1. Combine the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and place over simmering water.

2. Continuously beating with a whisk, heat until egg whites are hot and all the sugar is dissolved (60 degrees). If the sugar is not completely melted, your final product will be grainy, so make sure!

3. Remove from the heat and place on the mixer. Whisk on medium speed until meringue is stiff, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. The meringue will be white with a bright sheen, and very sticky!

4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and on medium speed add the butter a few cubes at a time. Please note, if the meringue is not completely cool, the butter will melt instead of combining evenly.

5. Continue beating until all the butter is incorporated. At one point it may appear as if the mixture has “broken”, looking watery and separated like curdled milk. Continue mixing…it will all come together, I promise!

6. Increase speed to high, and beat until smooth.

7. Add flavorings of your choice and tint with coloring paste, I just used some strawberry essence and pink food colouring. You can also use strawberry oil.

All wrapped up for morning tea!

Mini Vanilla Bean Yellow Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.. Lonely Cupcake Stall

Hello again my dear readers!

Hope you are all still nice and rested after your long weekend.. After heading back home to visit my Family and Friends, then to come home and have a brawl with the our housemates, I am utterly pooped! I may be near dead by the end of this month from all of this cupcake making and to top it off, I found out that I am now alone on this venture due clashing dates but it will be well worth it in the end!

Anyways I have been needing to test drive another recipe before I start selling my gazillion cupcakes at Rocklea Sunday Markets on the 18th April. So here are my Yellow Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting. These are a great one bowl recipe as you have to be careful not to overbeat the mixture.

Don't forget to stop by and meet me Rocklea Markets 18th April at stall #235!

I will offer great mates rates to my faithful readers and not to forget yummy free samples! :)

Yellow Cake Cupcakes


Ingredients


3 ½ cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, diced, at room temperature
1 c whole or low-fat milk (divided use)
4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and ½ cup of the milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

3. In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, egg whites, the remaining ½ cup milk and the vanilla extract. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the bowl between additions.

4. Place into pans line with patty pans and cook for 20-25 mins

5. Remove the from the oven and cool completely in their pans on wire racks.

Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

1/2 cup egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Pinch of salt

1. Combine the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and place over simmering water.

2. Continuously beating with a whisk, heat until egg whites are hot and all the sugar is dissolved (60 degrees). If the sugar is not completely melted, your final product will be grainy, so make sure!

3. Remove from the heat and place on the mixer. Whisk on medium speed until meringue is stiff, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. The meringue will be white with a bright sheen, and very sticky!

4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and on medium speed add the butter a few cubes at a time. Please note, if the meringue is not completely cool, the butter will melt instead of combining evenly.

5. Continue beating until all the butter is incorporated. At one point it may appear as if the mixture has “broken”, looking watery and separated like curdled milk. Continue mixing…it will all come together, I promise!

6. Increase speed to high, and beat until smooth.

7. Add flavorings of your choice and tint with coloring paste, I just used some vanilla bean paste here.

You should totally join my Facebook group www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com !

Thanks for reading!