Recipe Ideas

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This is a quick chocolate hack that looks as gorgeous as it tastes!

Chocolate bark with freeze dried raspberry and blue butterfly pea flowers

200g eating chocolate (Lindt or your favourite)

1 tablespoon freeze-dried raspberry crumble*

1 teaspoon freeze-dried blue butterfly pea flowers*

Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Melt the chocolate in a double bowl over low heat until evenly melted. Pour over the baking paper on tray, making sure it isn't too thick, or too thin - aim for 6mm. Sprinkle over the raspberry crumble and the blue butterfly pea flowers while the chocolate is still hot and liquid. Make sure the raspberry and flowers are slightly pressed into the chocolate, use a wooden skewer to arrange, if needed. Store in the refrigerator.  

A dukkah that has a unique bush food flavour profile while keeping the traditional spices of your conventional mix. The lemon aspen provides a delicious earthy lemon flavour, complementing the richness of the macadamia nuts and olive oil.

An Aussie Dukkah

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon freeze-dried lemon aspen powder*

1/2 teaspoon of salt

In a large frying pan over medium heat, combine macadamia nuts and coriander seeds. When mix has started to colour, add the sesame seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds and continue to lightly roast until fragrant. Put this mix in food processor (I prefer a mortar and pestle) and grind/blend together. Add the salt and the lemon aspen powder and mix thoroughly. Serve with lightly toasted sour dough bread and extra virgin olive oil and if there is any left, leave to cool before putting in an air tight jar.

All natural fruit jellies using raspberry powder and berry bliss powder. Super simple to make, a treat that satisfies those afternoon cravings and is actually good for you! These yummie gummies strengthen your hair, skin and nails and are chock full of vitamins, phytonutrients, antioxidants and fibre!

Yummie Gummies 

2 tablespoons freeze dried raspberry or berry bliss powder*

1 cup raw apple juice (not long life)

3 1/2 tablespoons gelatine

In a small saucepan, mix the juice and freeze dried powder over medium heat. Don't allow to boil. Whisk the gelatine into the juice and mix until smooth. Pour into silicone or chocolate moulds and refrigerate until set - about 30 minutes.

The wonderful thing about using the freeze-dried powders is that all the taste, colour, nutrition and fibre of the fresh fruit is captured in a convenient powder!

The tart and intense freeze-dried raspberries complement perfectly the sweetness of the honey. I cut the nougat into strips and wrapped them in clear cellophane for a pretty and delicious gift. 

Raspberry and Pistachio Nougat  

You will need a thermometer to make the nougat. Prepare the tin by lining a 23cm square cake tin with plastic wrap and cut rice paper sheets (the white confectionery ones, I bought from IGA) over the wrap on the bottom of the tin.

300g chopped pistachios

380g sugar

230g honey

120g liquid glucose

2 egg whites

30g freeze-dried raspberry crumble or whole freeze-dried raspberries*

2 - 4 sheets rice paper

Edible rose petals for decoration (optional)

Turn on oven to 100C and put in chopped pistachios on tray in oven.

Heat sugar, honey and glucose in saucepan and cook until temperature reaches 135C.

Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form and then trickle the hot honey mixture into the egg whites. Whisk til smooth and glossy.

Stir in warm pistachios and freeze-dried raspberries and scoop into the prepared tin and press mixture firmly. Do this quickly as the nougat firms up as it cools.

Sprinkle the top with more nuts and freeze-dried raspberries and rose petals (just because they looks so pretty!) if you have them. Alternatively, you can put on another layer of rice paper on the top, and press down firmly. Cut into strips 3 - 4 cm wide or any shape you prefer. In the tropics, I keep the nougat in the fridge.