Vanilla PannaCotta (vegetarian)

Every Masterchef season, my little one and I get very inspired to create some of our own Masterchef magic in the kitchen! We created our own twist on the good old Panna Cotta.

Panna Cotta is a traditional Italian dessert famous for its creamy, jelly like deliciousness. Traditionally gelatin is used to allow the creamy mixture to set into desired shape. In my vegetarian kitchen, it's corn flour which does the same trick to make a wobbly firm Panna Cotta!

Here it is, VANILLA PANNA COTTA with crunchy rice bubbles, fresh fruit and choc flakes :)

Ingredients (for two): 1 cup full cream milk, 3 tablespoons caster sugar, 1 teaspoons vanilla essence, 1 tablespoon cornflour, chocolate bar and fruit of your choice of decoration.

Make: Heat milk and caster sugar with vanilla essence (do not boil). In a separate small bowl, add the cornflour with some of this hot milk and stir until smooth. Add this mixture back into the pan, stirring continuously to ensure lumps don't form. Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken to a custard kind of texture - it should take around 8 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into cups or moulds. Place in fridge immediately and allow to set for an hour. Once set and jelly like, take out and flip upside down on serving plate. Decorate fresh fruits, crunchy elements or whatever you like!

Enjoy your smooth, delicious, egg and gelatin free Panna Cotta, Masterchef style!

Choc Banana Muffins (eggless)

When your little one is huge fan of bananas in baked treats, how can you not combine the two yummiest ingredients into one yummy treat! 

Presenting my egg-less vegetarian version of CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS. With loads of sweet mashed banana it's fluffy, soft and simply delicious :)

Here it is :)

Ingredients: One very ripe banana, 1 cup self raising flour, quarter cup brown sugar, half cup milk, 1 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, handful of choc chips. 

Make: In a bowl mash the banana well with a spoon, should be well mashed but not a smooth paste. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, butter, oil, cocoa powder, choc chips and vanilla essence. Mix well with a fork (to ensure the cake will be light and fluffy not thick and heavy). Add the mashed banana and mix lightly. Pour into your lined muffin tray and bake in a preheated fan forced oven at 160 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, when baked, it will bounce back when lightly pressed in the middle. Dust icing sugar on top if desired.

Enjoy your freshly baked CHOC BANANA MUFFINS :)

Choc Milk Barfi/Fudge

Who has a sweet tooth that comes out from time to time?? Actually who doesn't?! Although not a huge fan of sweets, I have to admit there are times when I enjoy a nice bite of sweetness but love to have less guilt about it. It's great to have fresh homemade treats to munch on too!

The famous Milk Barfi/Doodh Peda/Milk fudge is very well known and I have taken the recipe for that and added my own little twist, to make a gluten free sweet treat that let's you feel a little less guilty.

Here it is, my quick and easy CHOCOLATE MILK BARFI :)

Ingredients: 2 cups full cream milk powder, 1/2 cup ghee/clarified butter, 2/3 cup caster sugar, 1/2 cup fresh milk, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder.

Make: In a wide base non stick pan, add the ghee, milk and sugar and mix well on medium flame. Add in the milk powder bit by bit while stirring continuously to avoid any lumps forming. Finally add the cocoa powder and cardamom powder. Keep stirring for about 6 minutes until the whole mixture leaves the sides of the pan and is a firm dough texture. Line a small try with baking paper and pat the mixture flat. Sprinkle toppings as desired. Let it cool completely, cut into pieces and serve your yummy Choc Milk Barfi!