Challenge Book #23 - Chocolate Melting Moments and Passionfruit Butter YoYo Bites

Like the rest of the world I have been watching the Olympics. Australia is coming third on the per capita medal tally (medals per head of population). Yaaaay us!!!! This is, I am sure, a peculiarly Australian way of looking at things. We will always find a way to win.



One thing that has become crystal clear is that there is no sport I would rather play less than water polo. Let's look at the pros and cons.

Cons

1) You're out there in a swimsuit. I mean enough said!!! You do have some consolation in that, unlike beach volleyball, most of you is underwater for a good bit of the match. But still. No!

2) It's just sheer hard work. Treading water for that length of time would just be an exercise in survival. There's not even a prospect of a breather. Let alone worrying about the ball and stuff. I would be outraged that anyone would expect me to score goals as well.

3) People are actively trying to drown you. Not to mention the kicking, clawing and jabbing. I am a delicate little flower. Why not just beat me with a stick on dry land and be done with it!!!

Pros

[...a clock ticks........crickets chirp.........another angel gets its wings]


I rest my case. Not that there is any real option for me to become a world class water polo player or anything. The only chance I have for Olympic glory is if I uncover some long hidden genius for shooting or archery.

At this point, you are no doubt wondering what all this has to do with the biscuits you see before you. Absolutely nothing. I just wanted to get it off my chest. My disdain for rigorous aquatic sports was really weighing me down.

These biscuits are Chocolate Melting Moments. They are well named as they are very soft and light. They are also deeply chocolately without being particularly sweet. Sandwiching them together with nutella adds a nice nuttiness as well.



Whereas these are Passionfruit Butter YoYo bites. Again these are lovely short biscuits. I love anything with passionfruit so these will always be a winner with me.

Both are very quick biscuits with simple and minimal ingredients. You can whip them up at a moments notice and they look so lovely and elegant. At least I think so.

Both recipes are from this book - The Australian Women's Weekly Wicked Sweet Indulgences. This is Challenge Book #23 in the KJ wants a Kitchen Aid Challenge. It's aptly named this book. Every page is mouthwatering. There is a particularly wicked cherry ripe mud cake in here that I have been known to make on occassions.

Chocolate Melting Moments
(adapted from Wicked)

125 gm butter
2 tbspn (8 tspn) icing sugar*
3/4 cup plain flour
2 tbspn (8 tspn) cornflour
2 tbspn (8 tspn) cocoa powder
nutella

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the dry ingredients and stir in.

Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a fluted tube. Pipe rosettes of mixture onto a lined baking tray.

Bake in 180C oven for 10 minutes. Allow biscuits to cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Lift onto a wire rack to cool.

Sandwich with nutella to serve.


Passionfruit Butter YoYo Bites
(adapted from Wicked)

250gm butter
1 tspn vanilla extract
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cornflour

Beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted dry ingredients.

Roll round teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place on lined baking trays. Dust a fork with a little flour and gently press into the top of each biscuit to flatten slightly.

Bake in a 170C oven for 12 minutes. Allow biscuits to cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Lift onto a wire rack to cool.

Sandwich with passionfruit butter to serve.

Passionfruit Butter

Beat 80gm butter with 2/3 cup icing sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 tbspn (8tspn) of passionfruit pulp.

* This is an Australian recipe. 1 Australian tablespoon = 4 teaspoons. 1 US tablespoon = 3 teaspoons.