Merry Pineapples!

Festive Hospitality: The easy way to entertaining: Christmas, edited by Jackie Cunningham-Craig 1977 London

Spice Island punch

For 10-15 glasses mix together 750ml/30fl oz of fresh orange juice, 250ml/10fl oz of canned pineapple juice, the juice and pared rind of 1 lemon, ½ level tspn each of grated nutmeg and mixed spice and 6 cloves in a big jug. Strain, chill well, and ad 1 litre/40fl oz of ginger ale, putting crushed ice into individual glasses just before serving to your family and friends.

My mother-in-law, Joan, sipping the Spice Island Punch on her 

100th Christmas Eve!!!

The Australian Christmas Book: Decorations, Gift Ideas, Festive Food, Kay Fairfax 1994 Sydney

Christmas Plum Pudding Ice-Cream

Ice-cream: 1 cup white sugar; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 blsp cornflour; 2 cups hot milk; 100g/3 ½ oz dark chocolate; 2 cups thickened cream, whipped; 3 tsp vanilla essence

Filling: 2 cups mixed dried fruits, raisins, currants, sultanas and mixed peel; ½ cup chopped mixed glacé fruit, red and green cherries, apricots and pineapple; ¼ cup rum; ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted; ½ cup fresh cream

Make the ice-cream: mix the sugar, cornflour and eggs in the top of a double-boiler. Heat the milk and slowly melt the chocolate into it. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Stir over hot water until the mixture thickens. Strain and set aside to cool. When cool, fold in the whipped cream and vanilla essence and freeze according to your ice-cream machine’s instructions.

Make the filling: combine all the fruit, add the rum, and soak overnight

Mix together the fruits, almonds, cream and 1 litre/35 fl oz of the softened chocolate ice-cream

Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof, bowl shaped container and freeze until set

Immerse in hot water to loosen the ice-cream around the edges, and turn out onto a flat serving plate and decorate with holly

Ella and Rob helped.

No Bake Fruit Cake

http://unusualcoleslaw.blogspot.com.au/

Source: contributed by Shirley Rohrlach in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.33.

16 weetbix, 3/4 cup orange juice (I used pineapple juice instead), 2 tbspn jam, 2 cups mixed fruit (including dried pineapple), 1/2 cup nuts, 4 oz butter or margarine, 1 tspn cinnamon, 1/4 tspn nutmeg, 1 tspn vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tbspn cocoa.

Method: Combined crushed weetbix with orange juice and jam in large bowl, set aside. Prepare other ingredients. Combined all except butter or margarine and mix thoroughly, add melted butter, mix well and turn into tin lined with paper. Press down firm, leave overnight. Ice if desired, cut into small squares or fingers. Will keep for months in refrigerator.

Merry Christmas from Anne and Ann

Layered pineapple

Layered = diced pineapple, tapioca cooked in milk and raspberries,  

then topped with passionfruit and refrigerated. Delicious!

Pineapple and taro

https://www.food.com/recipe/taro-pineapple-sweet-potato-and-bacon-chips-455175

TARO, PINEAPPLE, SWEET POTATO AND BACON CHIPS

Recipe by Annacia

INGREDIENTS:

1lb taro root, peeled; 1 lb sweet potato, peeled; 6-8 fresh pineapple slices; 4-6 bacon, rashers; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 6-8 green onions, chopped; fresh ground pepper; sliced lemon and salt (to garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut taro and sweet potato into 1/2" thick slices and steam or boil until tender but still firm.

Drain, spread to cool, then cut into chips about 1" x 1/2".

Cut pineapple slices into similar size and bacon into 1/2" wide strips (The gammon style bacon is best for this or get bacon ends from a good butcher shop).

Heat oil and butter in a heavy frypan and fry taro/sweet potato chips until golden and brown.

Remove, drain and place on absorbent towel then keep hot in oven at 200 deg. F. In the same pan saute pineapple.

Then fry bacon until crisp. In a bowl quickly combine the hot chips, pineapple and bacon and toss lightly with green onions.

Sprinkle with pepper, salt transfer to serving dish and garnish with lemon slices.

Serve immediately.

Pineapple with added Charcoal

Always ready to experiment with unusual ingredients I couldn't resist trying charcoal flour.

                      We cooked pancakes, waffles and muffins using a regular recipe with the addition of 2 tablespoons of charcoal flour in each.  

And pineapple of course! 

All delicious. Health benefits? I have no idea!

Pancakes, grilled pineapple triangles, blueberries, yoghurt  and a drizzle of golden syrup

Waffles, grilled pineapple triangles and more golden syrup

Muffins with pineapple and rhubarb jam mmmmm

Upside Down Pineapples

Thanks John for this delicious recipe spotted in the Weekend Australian, the cardamon is an inspired addition.

The Weekend Australian Magazine, 22 March 2014

Recipe from David Herbert http://davidherbertfood.com/

Pineapple and Cardamom Upside-Down Cake . . . the taste of the '70s

For the topping: 50g softened butter; 50g brown sugar; 6 pineapple rings; natural glace cherries, optional

For the cake: 125g softened butter; 125g caster sugar; 125g self-raising flour; 1 tspn baking powder; seeds from 3 cardamom pods, crushed; 2 large free-range eggs; 2 tblspn milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm round cake tin. For topping, beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Spread over base and a quarter of the way up sides of tin, and arrange pineapple rings on top; place cherries (if using) inside pineapple rings. Place cake ingredients in a bowl and beat, using an electric beater, until combined (don’t overdo it). Spoon into tin, smoothing evenly over pineapple. Place cake tin on a baking tray, bake for 40-45 minutes, or until firm to touch. Remove and leave to stand for 5 minutes, turn out onto a plate.

I'm lucky to live in an area, Bandon Grove NSW, known for its fabulous cooks. Our neighbour, Patty, recently made some delicious individual pineapple upside down cakes, Anne.

Gooey pineapple

Gooey Desserts: The Joy of Decadence, Elaine Corn, 1994 California

Five Minutes and Counting

Makes 6 servings

1 cup whatever fruit you have on hand – strawberries, peaches, or pineapple; 3 cups low-fat sour cream; 1 tblsp pure vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; brown sugar, about ¾ cup

Line 6 ramekins or a baking dish with the fruit. Mix sour cream with vanilla and cinnamon. Spoon over fruit. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Chill until serving, then run under broiler until sugar is mostly melted. Serve immediately.

Tropical Tapioca

1X 3 ½ oz can coconut milk, well shake; 2 ½ cups whole milk, approx.; 3 tblspn quick-cooking tapioca; 1/3 cup sugar; 1 egg, lightly beaten; extras: sliced strawberries, drained; pineapple bits; banana slices; shredded coconut; raisins

Pour coconut milk into a jug. Add whole milk to make 3 cups.

Pour milk into a saucepan and add tapioca, sugar, and egg. Stir gently just to combine, then let sit 5 minutes.

Over medium heat, bring tapioca mixture to a full boil, stirring constantly with a rubber or wooden spatula.

At the boil, remove from heat. Fold in fruit of choice. Pour into ramekins, dessert bowls or lidded containers. Cool 20 minutes. 

Stir tapioca well in each container, then chill. Tapioca will thicken as it cools. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

“Adding pineapple and shredded coconut can make Piña Colada Tapioca. “

Pineapple muesli bars

Pineapple Muesli bars

3 ½ cups muesli; ¾ cup desiccated coconut; ¾ cup crystallised pineapple; ½ cup dried goji berries; 1 ½ tsp cinnamon; 1 ¼ cups honey; ¾ cup grapeseed oil

Gently warm honey and oil together in a saucepan over medium heat. In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients, then stir in warm honey/oil mix.

Lightly grease a shallow 20 x 30cm baking tin, line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper. Press muesli mixture firmly into the baking tin.

Cook at 150°C for approx. 45 minutes or until the surface is dark golden brown.

Cool in tray, then lift out and cut into 24 bars.

These muesli bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Pineapple Fudge

This delicious fudge was easy to make, thanks for the recipe Cassie.

Sugar alert!! (I also made peanut butter fudge hmmm)

Being an American recipe a couple of the ingredients were new to me, I hunted the Marshmallow Crème down in the International section of a Coles supermarket. Half and half turns out to be a milk/ cream product but as I couldn’t get any I used milk, apparently single cream is a good substitute. Milk worked fine. I used rice bran syrup instead of corn syrup, Anne

http://www.momontimeout.com/2016/10/perfect-pineapple-fudge/

Perfect Pineapple Fudge

“If you love pineapple OR fudge, you're going to go crazy for this PERFECT PINEAPPLE FUDGE! It's my new favorite thing and it's going to be yours too!” Trish - Mom On Timeout

Ingredients: 3 cups granulated sugar; ½ cup half and half; 2 tbsp light corn syrup; 1X 440g (8.25 oz) can Dole crushed pineapple (juice and all); 3 tbsp butter; 1 tsp pineapple extract or clear vanilla extract; 1 cup white chocolate chips; 1X 7 oz jar marshmallow crème

Instructions:

1. Line a 13 X 23cm (9 x 5 inch) loaf pan with non-stick foil. Lightly butter.

2. In a heavy bottomed 3 litre (3 quart) saucepan, combine sugar, half and half, corn syrup, pineapple, and butter.

Bring contents to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

4. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the contents reach 113°C (236°F) or soft ball stage. I use a digital candy thermometer.

5. Remove from heat and stir in extract.

6. Stir for 3 minutes until the candy starts to thicken slightly.

7. Stir in chips until fully melted and combined.

8. Stir in marshmallow creme.

9. Pour into the prepared pan and let cool to room temperature.

10. Refrigerate until fudge is completely set, at least 2 hours.

11. Cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container. For firmer fudge, refrigerate.

Pineapple Loaf

Family Circle Favourite Bakery Recipes, Sydney 1986

Pineapple Loaf

2 ½ cups plain flour; 4 tsp baking powder; pinch salt; ¼ cup sugar; 1 X 450g can crushed pineapple, drained; 1 egg; grated rind 1 lemon; 60g (2oz) butter or margarine, melted; ¼ cup evaporated milk

1. Sift together in a bowl, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in sugar. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined

2. Place in a greased loaf tine 2X12cm (9X5in) with the base lined with greased, greaseproof paper and bake in a moderate oven 55-60 minutes until cooked. Test with a fine skewer before removing from oven. If skewer is clean, the loaf is cooked. Serve sliced with butter. Freezes well.

Ann's new pineapple glass cake stand

Pineapple Turkish Delight

Roasted Pineapple Turkish Delight based on this recipe:

https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/recipes/roast-pineapple-turkish-delight-10035

Ingredients: 1 medium pineapple; 2 cup (440g) caster sugar; 1 1/2 cup (240g) icing sugar; 2/3 cup (100g) cornflour; 1/4 teaspoon tartaric acid; juice of 1 lemon; 10 leaves gold-strength gelatin; 2 dried pineapple rings, cut into small pieces; white sugar, for dusting

Makes about 24 pieces

Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line a 10x20cm lamington tray or 23cm square cake tin with plastic wrap. Place pineapple on a roasting tray and roast until skin is black, about 90mins. when cool, remove skin with a seated knife. Remove and discard core, then use a stick blender to puree flesh until smooth. Set aside.

Place caster sugar and ½ cup water in a large saucepan. Stir to dissolve and bring to the boil, brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush from time to time. Simmer until mixture reaches 115°C on a confectionery thermometer then add tartaric acid and lemon juice.

Meanwhile, place icing sugar, cornflour and ½ cup cold tap water in a bowl and stir to combine. Add cornflour mixture and 2 cups boiling water to hot sugar syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a whisk, until thick and translucent, about 15 mins.

Soak gelatin in cold water until soft, about 2 mins. Squeeze out excess water then stir gelatin through mixture.

Add pineapple puree and stir until combined.

Pour into lined tray and refrigerate 2 hrs or until set.

Turn onto a board and cut into squares with a slightly wet knife.

Dust with extra caster sugar and decorate with pieces of dried pineapple ring or crystallised pineapple.

Pineapple and Kirsch Fruit Salad

 Another old favourite from:
The Best of Mrs Beeton’s Easy Entertaining, updated in 2007 London
(Thanks for the recipe Amanda!)

Desserts: Pineapple and Kirsch Salad

2 small pineapples; 100g / 4 oz black grapes; 1 banana; 1 pear; 15ml / 1 tblsp lemon juice; 30 – 45 / 2 – 3 tblsp kirsch; sugar

Cut the pineapples in half lengthways. Cut out the core from each, then scoop out the flesh, using first a knife, then a spoon, but taking care to keep the pineapple shells intact. Discard the core, and working over a bowl to catch the juice, chop the flesh.

Add the pineapple flesh to the bowl. Halve the grapes and remove the pips. Add to the pineapple mixture. Peel and slice the banana; peel, core, and slice the pear. Put the lemon juice in a shallow bowl, add the pear and banana slices and toss both fruits before adding to the pineapple and grapes.

Mix all the fruit together, pout the kirsch over and sweeten to taste with the sugar. Pile the fruit back into the pineapple shells and chill until required.

Serves four.

An old favourite

Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book, Ruby Borrowdale 1960s Queensland 

Scandinavian Ice-Box Cake

440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, ½ cup castor sugar, 110g each butter and brown sugar, ¼ tspn nutmeg, ½ tspn cinnamon, 1 pkt wheatmeal biscuits, 1 tspn grated lemon rind, 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tblspn castor sugar, ½ tspn vanilla essence.

Empty contents of pineapple can into saucepan, add the ½ cup sugar and bring to boiling point, stirring to dissolve sugar. Set aside to cool. Stir in lemon rind. Crush biscuits finely. Melt butter in saucepan, add brown sugar and spices, stir over low heat until blended, then pour over biscuits crumbs. Stir to blend. Make layers of crumbs and pineapple in a 20cm square cake pan, starting and ending with crumbs. Whip the chilled cream, adding the tblspn sugar and vanilla during beating. When thick and fluffy spread over top of dessert. Chill two or more hours before serving.

Pineapples everywhere !!!!

Thanks to our ever vigilant pineapple spotting families and friends for these little beauties !

This delicious (especially when cold) pineapple tea and sweet smelling soap 

were found in Bangkok by Ella.

Greg found this pineapple stair post while exploring the historic houses of England.

And Greg spotted these festive shop window decorations in Prague, Czechoslovakia. 

And Greg also found this tropical drinks menu in a bar in Prague.

Lorraine and Mark noticed this very expressive pineapple plant pot in the Gili Islands, I'm not sure if it was welcoming them or . . .

 Rob spotted this pink pineapple in Singapore.

And Bronnagh photographed this one in her Poppy George's garden 

in Redland Bay, Queensland.

Thanks to Marisa, Isami and Sue for giving our lounge a tropical touch!!!

 Lucky Ann was given these cutters and chocolates by her niece Sofie.

Alice and Clinton brought this stunning fabric work home from Kenya.

Les enjoyed this tropical (ie it has pineapple!) seafood pizza 

at the Z bar, Collaroy Plateau, Sydney.

Anna spotted this gem on Instagram !

Jessica and James enjoyed this beautifully presented dish at the 

Hum Restaurant in Saigon, Vietnam.

Leonie found this inspiring artwork while exploring Nambucca Heads, NSW.

Jane found this dubious example of New York interior design 

while perusing a Vogue Living magazine (date upspecified!!!)

Jane also found these two, terribly hard to resist, items of furniture while surfing online! 

Alex shouted Jess this delicious breakfast in Canberra 

before a visit to the dentist, I'm sure it was worth it!!! 

It's a combo of French toast with coconut custard, pineapple butter, 

pandan gel and toasted coconut.

My cousin Robert found these on the shelves at Costco, 

note to self . . . when visiting Costco next . . .

 Donna splashed out with a chocolate fountain at Sydney Airport, 

hmmm looks like strawberries and marshmallows are the main favourite!

I bought an eco friendly Pina Colada scented solid shampoo bar 

at The Magpie in Dungog, can't wait to try it.

 And this pineapple vendor was waiting for me at an Op Shop in Singleton NSW

It's already on my bucket list - to visit Sarah in Cornwell 

- but now that she's sent me this photo, I'm halfway to buying my ticket!!! Anne