Pineapple, white chocolate and macadamia slice

 

Adapted from https://everydaygourmet.tv/recipes/white-chocolate-pineapple-and-coconut-slice

1½ cups self raising flour; ¾ cup sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon; 125g butter, melted and cooled slightly; 2 eggs, beaten; ½ cup white chocolate, chopped; 440g can pineapple pieces in juice, well drained; ½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the butter and eggs until just combined, then stir through the chocolate and pineapple. Spoon into a greased and paper lined 28cm x 18cm slice pan (ensure paper extends 5cm above the top of the pan), and scatter the nuts over the top.

Bake in a moderate oven 180°C for 35-40 minutes or until cooked and golden. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container until required. Cut into pieces and serve.

Fruity pineapple and chocolate no bake slice

Adapted from https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/fruity-chocolate-no-bake-slice/

250g pkt milk arrowroot biscuits; 200g dried pineapple; 200g dried apricots; 400g dark chocolate, broken up; 1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream; 170g craisins

Line a 20cm x 30cm slab pan with non-stick baking paper. Place biscuits into a large sealable plastic bag and close. Wrap in a tea towel and use a rolling pin to roughly crush biscuits.

Cut up the apricots and pineapple into small pieces.

Melt the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. (Alternatively, melt in the microwave on medium/50 per cent power, stirring every minute.)

Add the crushed biscuits, apricots, pineapple and craisins to the melted chocolate mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon into the pan and use the back of the spoon to smooth the surface. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or until set. Cut into squares to serve.

Nut Butter Easter Eggs

Of course we made some pineapple ones at a recent family gathering!!! Anne

 

Nut Butter Egg Filling:    1¼ cup natural, runny peanut butter (no sugar added) or substitute with almond or cashew butter; ¼ cup maple syrup; ¼ cup icing sugar; ⅓ cup almond flour; ½ tsp vanilla extract; pinch of salt

Chocolate Coating:    1½ cups white chocolate melts; 2 tsp coconut oil; ½ tsp food colouring or for a natural bird’s egg look ½ tsp blue spirulina + ¼ tsp matcha powder (or use a 2:1 ratio of any blue and green food dye)

In a mixing bowl, beat together the nut butter, maple syrup, icing sugar, almond flour, vanilla extract & salt until well combined. Portion the nut butter filling into 2 tblsp portions. Roll each one into a ball using your hands, then use your hands to shape the ball into an egg shape. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet & cool in the freezer while you prepare the coating. 

Add the white chocolate & coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until fully melted. Whisk in the food colouring (or spirulina & matcha) & adjust colours as desired. Pour into a short drinking glass or a similar vessel.

Coating the eggs works best when they are semi-frozen. This helps the chocolate coating firm up quickly. Stick a toothpick in the bottom of an egg, then dip into the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Wait until the white chocolate is mostly hardened, then return to the parchment paper & immediately remove the toothpick. Happy Easter.

Have a Sweet Pineapple Christmas

Thank you for these delicious Haig pineapple chocolates Yuka!!

I made two versions of this sweeeeeet slice, one with chopped red berry lollies instead of the ginger, and green and red m&ms for decoration. But the recipe below was easily my favourite! Anne

White Christmas slice

450g white chocolate, chopped; 3 cups rice bubbles; 80g almonds, toasted; 140g chopped crystallised ginger; 1 cup desiccated coconut; 1 tbsp yellow mini m&m's; 1 tblsp crushed pineapple candy (if you can get it); 3 tsp Christmas (or silver) cachous

Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above edges of pan on all sides.

Place white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 1 minute 30 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds. Cool 10 minutes.

Add rice bubbles, almonds, ginger and coconut. Stir until well combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, pressing with the back of a large spoon to compact. Sprinkle with m&m’s, crushed pineapple candy and cachous. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

Remove slice from fridge. Stand 5 minutes. Using a hot knife, cut into bars. Serve.

 

Chocolate fudge with caramelised pineapple

This recipe answered all fudge requirements – rich and chocolaty, crunchy, sweet and sticky ! 

I made slice, and also a cake which transformed itself into a birthday cake!!

First of all – dice ½ fresh pineapple and sauté in butter and brown sugar, save for decoration! Anne 

Note: Brookies are rich, fudgy and decadent bars made with half brownie and half chocolate chip cookies.

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/flourless-fudge-brookies-recipe/lofgywo5

Flourless Fudge Brookies

3 cups icing sugar mixture; 3/4 cup cocoa powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 4 egg whites; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup choc chips

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Line a shallow rectangular lamington pan or similar with baking paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in the vanilla and egg whites.

Whisk until the batter is just moistened then stir in the choc chips.

Pour the batter into the lamington pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the top is glossy and cracked.

Let your brookie cool before lifting it out of the pan and cutting it into squares. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent mid-week dessert.

Banana/Pineapple Splits

The Star Wars Cookbook: Ice Sabers, 30 Chilled Treats Using the Force of your Freezer, Lara Starr, photography by Matthew Carden 2013 San Francisco

  

Bananakin Splits  makes 4 splits

Strawberry Sauce: 350g frozen strawberries (I used fresh); ¼ cup caster sugar; 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Chocolate sauce: ½ cup thickened cream; ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate

Roasted bananas: 4 ripe bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise; 2 tblsp brown sugar

Splits: 500m each of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream; ½ cup crushed pineapple; whipped cream; 12 maraschino cherries 

1. To make the strawberry sauce: Set the strawberries in a fine strainer over a bowl and thaw for several hour or in the refrigerator overnight. Reserve the juice in a small bowl and set aside. Force the berries through the strainer with a wooden spoon, mashing and stirring as much of the berry puree as possible is passed through the strainer. Discard the seeds. Add the reserved juice, caster sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. (I put the strawberries into the blender with the caster sugar and lemon juice and used all the puree)

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C

3. To make the roasted bananas: Line a baking tray with baking paper or a nonstick liner. Place the bananas on the prepared sheet, cut-side up. Sprinkle the tops with the brown sugar. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the bananas are soft when tested with a fork and the topping is golden and bubbly. Cool for 15 minutes.

4. To make the chocolate sauce: melt the cream and chocolate together in a microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Set aside. It will thicken as it cools.

5. To make the splits: Put one scoop each of the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream into four long ice cream split bowls.

6. Top the vanilla ice ceam with the chocolate sauce, the strawberry ice cream with the crushed pineapple and the chocolate ice ceam with the strawberry sauce. Add two banana slices to each split and top with the whipped cream and cherries.

"Go forth, young Jedi! May your Ice Sabers and other frozen treats delight your appetite, and may the Force always be with you! " Lara Starr, cookbook author.

Pineapple Protein Balls and some seriously cool pinapalia

This recipe was adapted from several different online sources:

Soak 15 pitted dates in boiling water until softened. Drain away water, puree in a blender, scoop into a medium mixing bowl.

To the dates add 2 cups almond meal, 2 tblspn cocoa powder and 3/4 cup finely chopped crystallised pineapple. Mix well, roll into balls. Toss the balls in 1/2 cup desiccated coconut and refrigerate. 

Makes about 12 protein balls.

My new favourite T towel, thanks Alex

Ann's pretty new Op Shop doiley 

A lovely vase/candle holder found by Ann

Ann's friend Brad wearing what could only be his very favourite shirt!

Delicious looking pineapples grown by Robyn's Dad, 

George, at Redland Bay, Queensland

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