Red Room Slice

I was asked to make a signature slice for the Red Room Company and this is what i came up with:

Red Room Slice

For the base:
150 g Nuttelex
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Seeds from a Vanilla bean pod

For the filling:
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp caster sugar
1/4 tsp agar agar powder
1/2 cup coconut cream
250 g raspberries
the Vanilla bean pod from the base
2 tbsp Brandy
2 and a half cups dessicated coconut (I used half shredded coconut for texture)

For the topping
150 g dark vegan chocolate
3 tbsp Nuttelex

Base:
In a big mixing bowl, blend the nuttelex and sugar together with a fork, and make sure all the clumps of sugar are not clumps anymore.
Sift the flour and baking powder over the top of the butter/sugar, as well as the Vanilla bean seeds, give it a good mix.
Mix this together well (I started off mixing with my fork but ended up having to use my fingers). Once it’s mixed together it will be very crumbly not hold together much. That’s good!
Press the mixture very firmly and evenly into slice tin lined with baking paper.
Bake at 180 for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Filling:
In the smallest saucepan you have, put the water, sugar and agar powder. Leave while you get the rest of the filling ready.
Cook the Raspberries in a separate saucepan with the Vanilla pod and Brandy. Mix in a big mixing bowl together with the coconut cream and coconut.
Put the saucepan with the agar and water and sugar on the stove, and bring to the boil, covered. Simmer for about 5 minutes, covered, stirring every now and then to incorporate the sugar and agar from the sides of the pan.
Pour over the glace cherry mixture and mix well.
With slightly wet hands pack this mix firmly and evenly onto the biscuit base.
place in the refrigerator while you prepare the topping.

Topping:
Melt the chocolate gently in a double boiler. Carefully and slowly stir in Nuttelex.
Pour evenly over the top of the slice, and spread with a spatula.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before slicing into small pieces.

Lentil Soup - Lentil as Anything

My housemate, Travis was starving for a Lentil soup this weekend, and I was happy to oblige.
This is how it rolled:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 brown onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cubes vege bullion
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1tpsp dried mixes herbs
2 tsp mustard
300g French green lentils, rinsed
3 carrots, peeled and cubed
4 potatoes cubed
2 cups spinach chopped
5 medium tomatoes diced
salt and pepper to taste
Water (probably 2 litres)
1 1/2 cups minced parsley

to dress: minced shallots and a drizzle of balsamic


Fry onions until soft, add garlic and herbs/mustard and saute for a minute.
add in bullion and lentils, dry fry for a couple of minutes with all the vegies and salt and pepper and add water.
simmer for 40 minutes to an hour, adding more water if needed.
stir in parsley just before serving.

...and that's it! basic.
Luckily, Trav loves basic stuff, I'm pretty sure he loved the soup.

If you don't have an obliging house-mate, or, if you're out and about, Matthew, at Cafe Guilia in Chippendale makes an awesome lentil soup. It's so good, I eat it 3 times a week, and I feel confident that I'll never, ever get sick of it.