Sweet New Zealand #31 Recap

Thank you all who took part in Sweet New Zealand this February, and welcome to the recap! I am pleased to tell you also that you all won these products, courtesy of Fresh As, so please send me an email with your postal address. I look forward to see how you will use them! Also remember that next edition of Sweet New Zealand will be hosted by Frances from Bake Club.

Watermelon juice with lemon grass and mint

I posted my first entry with the announcement for Sweet New Zealand, and because these days I am really into juices it had to be one!

Amaretti macaroons

But then I also posted something a bit more decadent… still, these Italian macaroons are dairy and gluten free, so I almost feel saintly!

Banana & chocolate chip loaf

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Frances from the Bake Club

After many raw entries Frances has baked again, and a yummy banana loaf with walnuts and chocolate chips. Frances is also going to be the host for the next Sweet NZ, so look out for her announcement!

Boysenberry and Whisky Trifle

Me again, this had to go in, it was so delicious, a real summer trifle, and I used agar agar for the boysenberry jelly (as well as my husband's good - but not the most prized, whisky)

Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream

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Marnelli and Christienne from Sweets and Brains

Marnelli seems to be the creative mind behind this one, and after disposing of her old mulfunctioning freezer she now has a new one and can make ice creams like this one. Good one! It looks delicious!

Some of my Favourite Green Smoothies

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Allison from Pease Pudding

Well, you know how I feel about smoothies and juices, so you can imagine how I love these, and the pic of the first green smoothie is so pretty!

Date & Walnut Loaf

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Lesley from eat, etc…

In her post Lesley is talking about being able to eat nuts again since her allergic child (boy or girl Lesley?) has grown up and left the nest. And what a start! I love a nutty loaf.

Boysenberry and whisky trifle and win Fresh As Products!

 I made this a month ago for my husband's birthday (he likes boysenberries). For the first layer I made a vegetarian jelly with agar agar, you can follow the recipe here, but instead of pineapple powder I used a handful of frozen boysenberries. When the agar agar was set I added a layer of sponge soaked in whisky (up to you how much, but don't use cheap whisky unless you want a cheap dessert!). Then I made a vanilla creme like this one and covered the sponge. Finally I added whipped cream and boysenberries. 

WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN   WIN

This recipe is for Sweet New Zealand #31, the blogging event open to all Kiwi bloggers (living in NZ or overseas) and expats blogging from NZ. I am the host for February, so if you like to enter a sweet recipe please contact me, or click here for the instructions. As a bonus if you enter this month you will be in the draw to win two delicious packs of Fresh As products: Raspberry Powder and Strawberries slices. You can enter old recipes as long as you add the SNZ logo. You can enter as many times as you like, winners will be chosen with Random.org, so you just need to be lucky!

 Photos and recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Special Fresh As Give Away for Sweet New Zealand, and amaretti macaroons.

Attention all food bloggers and friends of Sweet New Zealand:

Remember to enter your sweet recipes this month (info here - I am hosting so you will need to email me the entries) by February 27th and you will be in the draw to win two delicious packs of Fresh As products: Raspberry Powder and Strawberries slices. You can enter old recipes as long as you add the SNZ logo. You can enter as many times as you like, winners will be chosen with Random.org, so you just need to be lucky!

Amaretti Macarons 

After the marzipan here are some amaretti, also made using apricot kernels together with almonds. These are the perfect gluten free biscuits, maybe next time I will make them without blanching the almonds (for a darker colour) except for the apricot kernels: these must be blanched and skin removed as it is poisonous. I add apricot kernels because they taste and smell delicious, like Amaretto liqueur.

Ingredients:

200 g almonds

A few Apricot kernels (up to 20)

200 g raw sugar

3 egg whites

Blanch the almonds and apricot kernels in boiling water to remove the skins, then grind in a food processor with half of the sugar (100 g). Whip the egg white until foamy with the remaining sugar (adding one spoon at the time). Fold in the almonds. Spoon on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 100°C for an hour or until the bottom of the amaretti comes off easily from the baking paper. Let them dry for a night before eating. They last a long time (if you don't eat them first!).

This recipe is for Sweet New Zealand #31, the blogging event open to all Kiwi bloggers (living in NZ or overseas) and expats blogging from NZ. I am the host for February, so if you like to enter a sweet recipe please contact me, or click here for the instructions. Also let me know if you are keen to be a host in 2014, and book a month!