Trending, re- blogging, pins, tweets and notes. If you familiar with social media lingo, you will know what these mean. These are things that we have loved and decided to make viral. In food of course we all know the ideas of confetti, cookie dough and usually hybrid foods (croughnut) are currently hot topics. While I love the trends and it makes it easy for creative juice to flow; I feel that bakers and cooks are being held back from discovering new things for the sake of hits.
While cookie dough is great, there are only so many desserts you can stuff with it before gets… well… annoying. Now do not think I am only attacking this trend, anything can get repetitive. I think I may blow a vein if I see another cauliflower being disguised as pizza base. Sorry but cauliflower is not the same as a pizza base; no matter how many exotic ingredients are added.
Sometimes I understand why some food or food related stories go viral. I am externally grateful for wide use of alternative whole-wheat flours in pastry and desserts as a flavour enhancer. However a majority of the time I am confused on why they are constantly posted. For instance, how many times have you seen the Starbucks cup in photos which are popular on the net. Most of them are those arty, alternative photography shots (which in itself is lovely style) but is it really necessary to have the paper cup there? It is not like star bucks needs anymore help with integrating its mermaid label in to common culture. Also do not get me started on the bowls of oatmeal…. However I am bias on this one because I have a GREAT dislike for the wet stuff.
Maybe we should take trends as a sign that new things need to be developed. We can still be inspired by the humble sprinkle cake but do not just reproduce the same thing over and over again. Wonderful example of this can be seen by Christina Tosi’s desserts, Jenni’s recipe for ice cream, and Zumbo’s extensive range of macaron flavours. Food has such a rich history, filled with wonderful forgotten flavours that are just waiting to be rediscovered by you cooks out there. How about we forget trends for a bit in baking and make something truly different this weekend? We all need a bit of adventure in the kitchen right?
I have been sceptical of no bake desserts especially one which claim to be just as good as the bake thing. No amount of fruit is going to cut it as a brownie for me, but I stumbled upon this recipe on Food52 and I could tell this book will help me change my mind. These are my hack at a no bake Blondie.
Inspired by the triple chocolate no bake brownie by Faith Durand, these simple blondies combine the wonderful properties of the classic baked verison. Through the use of honey, toasted nuts, white chocolate and wafer crumbs; these are the no baked blondies of your dreams. These are no baked honey roasted macadamia nut blondies, as I used the nut butter I made a few post back. The floral sweetness of honey is a perfect complement to the buttery nut and toasted almond meal base. The crush wafers add crunch but also help give it malted flavour. Too simple and easy, you just have to try this at least once this season.
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No bake honey macadamia nut blondies
Adpated from Food 52
200g crush wafer cones or wheat biscuits
80g toasted almond meal
32g malted milk powder
250g Honey roasted macadamia nut butter, warmed (here for the recipe)
110g white chocolate, melted
1tsp pink seas salt
Optional: 100g crushed mixed nuts
In a large bowl mix your wafers, almond meal, pink sea salt and malted milk powder.
Line 24cm by 20cm pan with grease proof paper, make sure the edges come up the sides by 5cm.
Mix your white chocolate, nut butter in to the dry mix bowl. Scrape mix into the pan and press down with oiled hands to smooth out.
OPTIONAL: You may also push 100g crushed roasted, salted mixed nuts into the top like I did
Cover with cling film and fridge for 1 hour.
Lift the bar out of the tin and cut into desired shape. Store in the Fridge up to one week.
"I think I may blow a vein if I see another cauliflower being disguised as pizza base. Sorry but cauliflower is not the same as a pizza base; no matter how many exotic ingredients are added."
ReplyDeleteSo much yes.
These blondies look divine and I really love them nobake!
ReplyDeletethanks Angie, no bake is always great for unexpected visitors
DeleteThese look amazing! Although I have to admit, I love cauliflower pizza crust. ;)
ReplyDeleteHeheh do not get me wrong, I love cauliflower too but maybe we can try a new veggie as a pizza base like broccoli or a mix of a few kinds?
DeleteYou are you are a veggie genius, so I am sure you can convert people like me !
First of all, I love that these are no bake! They look like you slaved over a hot oven for hours ;)
ReplyDelete"Adventure in the kitchen" is pretty much my personal motto. Cooking is all about trying new things, experimenting with flavours...starting your own trend!
P.S. I've never heard of malted milk powder. Where do you get it?
Thanks Em. They are too easy and always turn out fudgey. Malted milk powder is also named holicks, It is a milk mix in. I think in the USA nestle Carnation produces it.
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