The New Thermomix TM5 v HMP Gastro

I have to admit, I have been out of the loop so to speak about all of this drama over the brand new Thermomix model that has recently hit the party plan circle. It has taken a day of lying in bed sick to catch up on all the drama. Yes, I have to say drama and I do apologise for the overuse of this word, the teacher in me is going crazy, because with Thermomix there is never anything but drama. You are either being abused for saying anything against their blessed Thermi or criticised for saying anything else is comparably better....believe me I know!  Now they have presented Australia with the new model TM5 but they have gone about it all the wrong way - wow no surprises for me!! Now I had heard rumours since I started blogging about my HotMix Pro (HMP), that a new model was going to be released within a year that would be better than the HMP - and I thought they weren't bothered by competition! I do hope all the people who have been mislead about the release of the new model are being looked after. I don't see how something like this can be considered good business ethics, regardless of whether it is legal or not.

From what I can tell, all the new functions of the TM5 are interestingly similar to what the HMP Gastro has and yes, I do find this rather ironic. All the back lash and comments I have received over the years from blinded lemming followers of the Thermomix Cult attacked me about how the TMX 31 was set to the best healthy cooking temperature. Anything higher would destroy the food molecules and I would be feeding my kids dead food - yes again, rather ironic! How then, are you going to explain why Vorwerk decided that the TM5 needed an increased temp range to 120C? Is there new scientific proof that 10C more is now better for our food molecules? Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think everyone thinks like this, but this is for the people who don't think for themselves and believe everything they hear.  Other than the cookbook chip, the slightly higher temp, and the slightly faster motor - which again the HMP was criticised for and now they are competing with - again, the irony over floweth! There is also a larger Varoma, but can we really tell how much larger it is? At the end of the day, if I was going to consider this new machine the only thing that would make me think for 10 seconds longer would be a larger bowl. This is the one thing that most woman want, and yet they still can't deliver. Who cares about a new design measuring cup and butterfly - whoopy whoo!  However, the biggest thing on most people's lips is, "tell them the price son"!  They currently have an introductory price of $1939, but what will it be when this is over? Who knows? I wish I did because if its the same price as the HMP I will laugh until I pass out.

At the end of the day, the TM5 is an attractive machine and the cookbook chip is clever. But is it still the absolute best machine on the market that is deserving of what I can only guess will be a price tag above $2000? I recommend you take a look at my previous posts of the HMP. See what is on offer, compare the two and see what the HMP offers for their price tag and compare to what the TM 5 is offering. Personally, and yes of course there is bias in this, as there is bias in every Thermomix owner's mind too, I highly recommend you try the HMP Gastro. The HMP Easy comes at a lower price tag, but for a little more, the Gastro offers a faster motor and higher temp range. I use my HMP Gastro almost every day. It does all the things a TM 5 or TM 31 can do, though it doesn't come with a Varoma, but a steaming function can still be achieved. Do the homework people, don't always settle for what you know or what your friends have. Thermomixers are a lot like Dyson vacuums. Its the in thing to purchase, and you aren't a good vacuumer unless you are using the "Dyson" - give me a brake!  Thermomix shermomix and Dyson shmyson! Buy what you like and what works for you, even if you don't purchase an HMP, please oh please do the research on all the available thermal cooking machines that are currently on the market. Buy what suits your circumstances and especially your budget.

Okay Thermomix lovers bring it on, I'm ready!!

** apparently the bowl is a little larger, 2.2L to be precise - not a deal breaker for me personally and the introductory price is $1989 not the above mentioned price of $1939 - sorry to get you excited over saving $50. ;-p*****

Almond Butter in the HotMix Pro

My mother is Canadian and I swear I have more Canadian in me than Australian sometimes, well at least in my taste buds!  I love peanut butter and maple syrup in and on almost anything!! I love bacon, but not any kind of bacon. I prefer Aussie to American and interestingly enough Canadian bacon is better than American - in my humble opinion, but I'm still happy to crunch on American bacon when its on offer. I could go on about how much the North American cuisine attracts me more than my homeland sometimes, but I need to stay on track. My fav website, Pinterest has tempted me once again to make the overly popular almond butter and since I love peanut butter so much, I had to give it a go. Since I have my HotMix Pro handy, I knew this would be a breeze to make. This was my first attempt and I am happy with my results.

Almond Butter
400g roasted almonds - I took raw almonds and dry roasted them in my oven

In HMP on speed 9 for 1-1.5mins. Scraping down the sides helps at intervals with blades off. I found that the consistency was not coming together so the only oil I had on hand was sunflower oil. I splashed a small amount in and the butter came together quite nicely. I also added a small amount of brown sugar - about a table spoon.

 Maybe next time, I'll use raw almonds and see what kind of flavour I prefer and maybe add some other nuts too.

Pancake Cupcakes....is it possible?? My copy of Profitjes

I grew up going to second hand markets and garage sales. Every second Saturday of the month I was woken up by my mother at 6am to get ready and head off to North Sydney Markets. Every 4th Saturday ( I think?) was the same ritual for Kirribilli Markets. I loved how each time we went, we came home with curious and thrifty treasures. It was an experience I richly enjoyed. I think my love of ethnic food was born from attending markets. As we would leave so early in the morning we would normally have a mid-morning brunch to fuel our rumbling bellies so we could continue our treasure hunt. As a child I enjoyed the cake stall run by the preschool parents at the North Sydney Markets.I would have 50c to spend on a sweet treat of my choice, which was usually devoured after my savoury brunch which could either be; Korean dumplings, a sausage +bacon+egg roll, or Malaysian noodles. Thinking back on  North Sydney Markets, I don't think there was as much to choose from as there was at Kirribilli.  At Kirribilli, there was the same sausage+bacon+egg rolls, but you could also have these amazing satay skewers with salad on a pita roll, or with rice which were so scrumptious. I also liked a particular Asian food stall which were run by a husband and wife team. Their specialties (at least to me) were their homemade (for a while anyway) spring rolls and dim sims. As for a sweet treat, well this is the true reason why I am writing this post. Have you heard do Profitjes? I was introduced to these amazingly irresistible pancake-like treats at Kirribilli Markets about 20 odd years ago!! It was the mere thought of this stall that helped me get out of bed on freezing cold mornings to go to the markets. Sometimes I didn't care if there was bargains to be had, I just wanted some steaming hot Profitjes with maple syrup, or chocolate or caramel fudge sauce, coupled with banana or strawberries and married with real whipped cream and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. It was so delicious and I am literally drooling as we speak. Oops! Please excuse me a moment, while I wipe up my dribble.

So with this memory in mind and sometimes haunting me from time to time, I came up with the idea of possibly making pancakes in a cupcake pan to try desperately to recreate my child-teen-young adulthood memories of the infamous Profitjes - dutch pancakes.  So I made my own pancake recipe, which I am sure we all have our own favourite one. I whizzed up the ingredients in under a minute in my HotMix Pro Gastro. Using well greased cupcake pan, I pour a large soup spoonful of the mixture into each cupcake pan and placed them into a pre-heated oven of 180C.  This is what I got.


Super delicious with ice cream and maple syrup. These are also a good idea if you need to feed a lot of people at once and don't want to be flipping pancakes half the morning or night!  You could easily add fillings to the batter before they go in the oven too.

HotMix Pro Recipe: Healthy Chocolate Energy Bites

Can chocolate really be healthy? Of course it can and I am not just saying to eat in moderation! What makes these energy bites with chocolate just amazing is the chocolate goodness of Crio Bru. You can find out all you need to know about what Crio Bru is here.

I came across energy bites first on Pinterest. I made some up and I liked them but found them a little bland. So I made some more with Crio Bru and dates and found that they were much better. The HotMix Pro makes these in a breeze, but of course if you don't have a HMP, you can use a blender, food processor, or if you have a thermal cooking machine, like a TM 31 or Thermo Chef that works well too.

Energy Bites

250g rolled oats
50g coconut flakes
50 g Crio Bru
5 dates - seeds removed and roughly chopped
20g LSA

Add ingredients to HMP bowl and blend on speed 6 for 20 seconds.

Then add:
10g Chia seeds - I used black and white mix
150g peanut butter

Blend again on speed 5, adding runny honey or maple syrup until it clumps together, about 15-20 seconds.

You will know when it is ready you have added enough honey or syrup, when you can make a ball that stays together. Roll mixture into balls until all mixture is used and refrigerate.

 

 

 I have kept mine in an air tight container for up to a month in the fridge. I eat two or three of these for breakfast when I am in a hurry - which means most mornings!! I also like them when I am feeling pekish and would like to eat something sweet - these are a much better choice and can fill you up. Just make sure you drink plenty of fluids after you eat them. 

** I want to add that I pre-blended the Crio Bru in my HMP on speed 10, so that it would be finer than its usually consistency, so keep this in mind if you add it to the mix, that you should pre-blend it, then have it blended down again in the mixture...if that makes sense!!**

HMP Recipe : Coriander or Cilantro Lime Chicken with Salsa Salad

This is a really great summer salad. I came across a discount bucket of limes recently and I had to buy them. I've seen some recipes of cilantro/coriander lime chicken on Pinterest, so I thought I would grab a bunch of  coriander too and make up a yummy marinade for some chicken breast fillets. This is what I did.



2 limes skin removed and cut in half
A good handful of coriander/cilantro roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of Teriyaki soy marinade
A splash of white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of brown sugar - palm sugar can also be used
Season with salt and pepper
1 long green chilli seeds removed and cut in a couple of pieces

Add all ingredients to HMP on speed 6. Pour onto chicken and marinate in fridge for at least 30mins- hour but a couple of hours if you can.

Cook on BBQ, frying pan or Teppinyaki pan (what I used). Brown both sides and make sure its cooked through. Then shred, or slice.

Salsa Salad

4 Roma tomatoes  diced into small pieces
1 Lebanese cucumber seeds removed and diced into small pieces
1/2 large red onion chopped
1 capsicum - whatever colour you have, I used orange
1 lime juiced
A handful of fresh coriander/cilantro chopped
dash of salt and pepper

Mix altogether in a bowl.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocadoes
juice of half a lime
1/2 a green chilli well diced

Mash avocadoes, add lime and chilli and mix well but gently.

You can make either burrito style like this, I actually used corn Mountain bread.

The other option is to build a salad, and as a guide, this is how I built mine.

Avocado first:

Then Lettuce:

Then salsa and chicken

Enjoy:)

Mamma's Nachos in the HotMix Pro

If there is something I could say that I love about my HotMix Pro, that would be that I can add vegetables to a dish and my kids are none the wiser!! I have already posted about adding veges to my bolognese, but I felt I didn't have to limit myself to one dish of disguise. My kids love nachos and generally when we have them, its just a quick 'back-up' meal and I just melt cheese on corn chips and add salsa. Now and then I do the real deal with mince with lettuce and fresh tomato. I have before added a taco seasoning mix, but I haven't done this for ages because it usually leaves me with a stomach ache, flavour enhancer 621 is not a friend of mine! I moved onto to adding cumin, paprika, and a dash of chilli, which the kids would um and ah over. Sometimes I just added salsa from the jar to the mince, and this was acceptable to them. So with this last success in mind, I went about recreating the same thing with fresher ingredients, well up until the tomato puree, but mainly fresh ingredients and I came up with Mamma's nachos! So this is what I did.

Ingredients

 1 large carrot cut into 2-3 three pieces

One whole capsicum, I used red as that is what I had. Cut into a couple of pieces.

Half a medium sized onion chopped into 2-3 pieces

2 roma tomatoes cut in half.

450g lean beef mince

1 tin tomato puree

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

You can adapt this to cooking in your own frying pan, but I made this in my HMP.

1. Chop onion on speed 4, for about 15 secs.
2. Cook on 51C, on speed 1 for about two minutes in a drizzle of oil, or I used a teaspoon of coconut oil.
3. Add other vegetables and chop on speed 4 for 20secs, press stop and scrape down sides.  Then cook together at 51C for about 3 mins on speed 1.

4. Add mince and cook on speed 1, at temp 90C for 20 mins.

5. Drain some of the juices out with a spoon, then add can of tomato puree, tomato paste and season with salt and pepper and mix on speed 2, for 1 minute.

Enjoy with corn chips, sour cream, lettuce, salsa or however you want to enjoy it!! Personally, I love spice and I add jalapenos or a few splashes of green Tabasco sauce. Mamma knows that spices, herbs, and flavour enhancer is not good, so this is a great alternative, if I do say so my self, and well I'm mamma so I can!!   Its also got the veges and most importantly, you don't have to stand over the frying pan cooking it!!

You can add all sorts of veges to this recipe, but I would not go too over board with how many you add, or your cover will be blown!!

Mastering Caramel in the HotMix Pro

One of the main differences between a HMP and TM 31, Kenwood Cooking Chef, a ThermoChef, and other thermal cooking machines, is that the HMP can reach 130C for the Easy model and 190C for the Gastro model. The others just can't do this. Its as simple as that.  I know some comments have been made that the TM 31 can make nougat for example, but the whole recipe from start to end, can't be made in the TM 31, you have to transfer ingredients to a saucepan. With an HMP from beginning to end its in the one machine. If you have ever made caramel on the stove top then you will know what it takes. It's not a simple task and there is more than 1 piece of cooking equipment required. With the HMP, all you need is the machine and the paddle attachment, it is that simple and once the ingredients are in, you simply walk away! It's just so good, its hard to believe. Well, you have to believe it people, because I have done it!  I have to admit, it took two attempts to get this recipe right. With my first attempt I used honey as my sweetener and my critics family were not impressed with the honey flavour, they wanted the real stuff!! That being said, if you like honey I recommend you try making caramel with honey its a healthier option than the one I went with.

So this evening, I took on my challenge of making better caramel that would make my critics family happy. I used this recipe,  at AmberLee's blog, giverslog. The only thing I replaced was glucose syrup for the light corn syrup and as this is a really hard substance I didn't really measure exactly 1 cup, it could have been a little less. If the glucose syrup has been sitting in your cupboard for a while and its winter (as it is for me) you will need to sit it in some very hot or boiled water to make it runny. I find measuring it and then pouring the measured amount a waste of time, so I just estimate it as I pour it from the container. Its up to you how you want to do it, but if you do measure it sit the measuring cup in the same water for a little bit before adding to the HMP so it comes out easily.  I also used 300g of butter.

This is what I did.

Add chopped butter to HMP and set on speed 1 and temp to 130C and allow the butter to melt, which should only take a minute or so, but the machine won't reach 130C.

When butter is melted, press stop and lift whole lid to add the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar and glucose syrup, and attach paddle. Close lid and allow to continue to cook on speed 1 until it reaches 130C, this can take 15-20 minutes, but it doesn't matter too much what the time is the HMP will stop when it reaches 130C. Make sure the lid stopper is in place during the whole process. Once it reaches 130C and beeps, add the vanilla extract and let cook for a further 1 minute. The caramel will look like this:

Actually, I overcooked this just a little, so yours might be a little lighter perhaps or at least not as thick as mine ended up. I cooked it until 134C, but I think stopping at 130C is the best temp, as this is what I did on my previous attempt.

Pour this onto a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper and allow to cool before you pre-cut or put into fridge. Or, you can mix things up a little and do what I did. I know its very fashionable to add salt to your caramel. Personally, I have never consider this an attractive option, but today, I thought I would take the idea on but in my own way.

While the caramel was cooking I broke up some pretzels with my hands and scattered them over the bottom of the lined baking tray. I also broke up some milk chocolate Cadbury melts, and I also had some Nestle Caramel chips so I spread some of those in as well. I poured the caramel on top of this layer and while the caramel was still hot I scattered more milk choc melts on top. The heat of the caramel melts the chocolate.

After about 1/2-1 hour, the chocolate is nicely melted and you can start to cut the caramel up into small pieces, but still be careful as it is still quite hot, particularly in the middle. Allow the caramel to continue to cool completely preferably outside of the fridge. Store in an airtight container in your cupboard or fridge.

My critics family have praised me on this latest effort and because I have my HMP doing all the hard work for me, I know I can only get better from here.  I also can't wait to use this recipe for caramel apples. Rest assured, as soon as I do this, a post will soon follow, because come Halloween and Christmas, I will be doing this in a big way! I haven't been able to master the art, but now I know I can make it work!

**This does make a slightly harder caramel. A change of temp for example, 125C or so could create a slightly softer caramel. A few more attempts and I am sure I have it down pat!!**

All the indgredients used in this recipe can be stored easily in your pantry, making it a perfect food storage recipe. The butter can be fresh and stored in your fridge or you can also use canned butter.

Crio Bru, I love you!! Giveaway

I have recently discovered a great drinking chocolate by the name of Crio Bru. This is a 100% cocoa drink that brews just like coffee, but without the caffeine hit! I was lucky enough to receive some to try out. I was sent Coca River, and Vegal Real, but there is also Cavalla in the range.  Vegal Real, which means 'Royal Meadow' has notes of strawberry and citrus which are actually found naturally in the cocoa bean. Coca River has notes of green banana and blackberries and has more of a chocolaty smell than fruity Vegal Real. Cavalla, which I am yet to try, has hints of dark spice, cinnamon, and coconut, now doesn't that sound yum!

I have to admit, when I made my first cup of Crio Bru, I was a little taken back. Not necessarily in a good way. I followed the instructions on the package and I brewed the cocoa in my HMP in water. I took a taste and while it was powerful, it wasn't particularly pleasant and I felt it had to be an acquired taste. However, this is 100% cocoa, so no added anything! Its nothing like your store bought drinking chocolate and there is no PHENYLALANINE(just google that for an idea on what it can do to your body!), no glucose solids or fake sugars, no gums, and no colours or flavours that are easily found in your low calorie and low fat chocolate drinking mixtures.   Its all natural, so the taste is going to be nothing like what you expect it to be. Since then I have done what all good cooks do and experiment with the production methods.

 I continued for a while brewing in water and then adding milk and stevia/sweetner which I tended to enjoy. I then went to the Crio Bru website and discovered some interesting recipes on how to make good use of my Crio Bru, other than for drinking purposes. As I went through some of these, I was realising I should pursue the production method in another way. I felt that milk ( I always use and prefer low fat) was needed to brew from beginning to end. This to me, has made all the difference. I also used almond milk this morning and it was so amazing! If you are using a thermal mixer to brew, I recommend that after brewing, strain it and then put it back in the thermal mixer, adding your sweetener of choice, for another 10 secs on speed 6. This will whip it into submission and create a frothy mixture as good, if not better than what the barristas create.

Other than the taste, there are some other benefits of Crio Bru:

• Rich in antioxidants - by weight cocoa has more than almost any food in the world!
• Low in calories and carbs
• Little to no caffeine
• No fat, sugar or sodium

When I drink this in the morning, I feel a lot sparkier and focused by mid morning and I don't feel hungry so no more need for grazing or eating not so good snacks. I've discovered that cocoa is a natural super food and is an appetite suppressant and increases your energy! Woo Hoo!! Now I can enjoy a delicious and natural drink that fills me up and doesn't make me want to nibble at anything in between!!

Now for all the Dr Oz fans out there, I found out that he recognises that cocoa is a great super food that can aid in your weight loss goals. In a recent show he said:

"This is a really cool idea. I think this is something really worth trying. Here's what I love about it. It's why it can help you burn fat faster. It has a natural stimulant, not caffeine, called theobromine that can boost your metabolism. It's very safe. It also has a fat blocker. It helps get rid of the fat in your body by blocking an enzyme you need to digest fat, so you never absorb the fat into your body." - Dr. Oz

So there are some really great benefits to drinking Crio Bru, how about cooking or baking with it? If you head to the website, you'll find some amazing recipes to help you make use of this great product, but as for me I had something else in mind! I straight away thought of a chocolaty version of Tiramasu! I call it, Crio Bru- Masu!!

Crio Bru - Masu

1.Aftter brewing the Crio Bru in milk in the Hotmix Pro, add some stevia so it has a light sweetness to it.
2.Soak the biscuits and line the base of the deep medium sized rectangular dish
3.Whip 600mls of thickened cream in HMP with paddle attachment a teaspoon of sugar and seeds scraped from one large vanilla bean. Use speed 3 for 45 secs. Check consistency and if not thick and stiff peaks, do 10 secs at a time. Divide cream into thirds and add sifted cocoa powder to one third and mix through.
4. Spread one lot of vanilla cream on first layer of soaked biscuits.
5. Layer soaked biscuits on top of vanilla cream.
6. Spread chocolate cream on biscuits.
7. Add another layer of  soaked biscuits.
8. Finally spread remaining vanilla cream and sprinkle with sifted with quality cocoa powder.

This was a delicious recipe and well received by family and friends.

So if you are intrigued by Crio Bru and want to give it a try, you can head over to the Crio Bru Australian website to find out more and order your own. Otherwise you can try your luck by entering my giveaway. All you have to do is:

•  'Like' Crio Bru Oz Facebook page and COMMENT that "FoodMuster sent me" and you will be in the draw for a small pack of Crio Bru.

• **If you don't comment you won't be in the draw**

• If you are already a fan, leave a comment saying, "FoodMuster is awesome"! Haha!! Just joking!! If you leave a comment saying you wish to enter 'FoodMuster's Crio Bru Giveaway' that will be fine.

• This giveaway is open to Australian addresses only and please only leave one comment, multiples will not be included.

• There are 3 bags of Crio Bru to giveaway. Winners will be announced here and on the Crio Bru Facebook page. Good Luck

Giveaway starts, Monday June 11 and will end Monday 18th June 8pm AEST. GOOD LUCK!

Almost Vege Burgers - Bacon Added!!

I call these almost vege burgers because, while the majority of the ingredients are vegetables, there is a small amount of bacon in them. I had to add the bacon, so that my kids would give them a go. Unfortunately, not all my kids thought that was enough:(. One of my sons felt there was far to much green in them, so would not go anywhere near them. My daughter and my youngest son ate them and gave them a thumbs up, my other son, felt there was not enough meat in them, so again wouldn't go near them! Well, you win some, you lose some! Personally, I love them and my HMP came in handy to make them in a short period of time.

1 Carrot chopped in three
1 Capsicum roughly chopped
1/2 large red onion roughly chopped
1 broccoli
1 handful of baby spinach
5 mushrooms
1/2 tablespoon of chopped/minced garlic
5 pieces short cut bacon chopped, cooked and cooled
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste


1. In HMP add above vegetables and chop on speed 6 for 10 secs.
2. Add egg, flour, crumbs, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. Speed 1 for 15-20 secs. Make sure you check consistency, you may need to add a little more flour should the mixture not keep together.  Add to a clean bowl.

3. Roll mixture into palm size balls (or bigger if you like) pat out into patties and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat frying pan to med/high or Teppenyaki pan if you have one. Spray with oil and cook until brown, turn and cook other side until brown.Repeat with remaining burgers.

Serve with salad or on burger buns. These are really good the next on a sandwich or even on their own. For the chilli fans, you could add a fresh red or green chilli in step one or dried chilli to taste in step one.

HotMix Pro Recipes: Kingston Truffles, perfect for Mother's Day

One of my most favouritist and easiest sweets I like to make that is always a crowd pleaser is Oreo truffles. Everyone loves them and I so wish that I invented them, but alas its a borrowed idea and basically I make them over and over using my favourite cream biscuits, because naturally I unfortunately have many of them!

I particularly enjoy the Arnott's Kingston. This chocolate cream is sandwiched with what can only be described as mini butternut biscuits. Many of us know that butternuts are perfect for a no bake base for cheesecakes and other slices. So why not use them for a truffle?

What you will need:

2 packets Kingstons
125g Philly cream cheese
200g quality chocolate ( I used Cadbury melts)

Method

1. Put Kingstons in HMP with blades on speed 8 for 20 secs.
2. Add cream cheese and mix with blades on speed 5 for 20 secs. Scrape sides and mix a further 15-20 secs or until mixture is smooth and creamy.
3. Leave mixture in bowl if you want and refrigerate for 20 minutes or freezer for about 10mins.
4. Using a spoon roll mixture in balls and put into either mini muffin trays or on baking tray. Put back into fridge or freezer while you melt chocolate.

5. I use mini muffin trays as I find these easy to keep the truffle where I want it and its easy to cover them with chocolate. I use a spoon to drop chocolate over the biscuit balls. Otherwise you can use a skewer and dip balls in chocolate. Refrigerate until set.

Store truffles in a container with a lid in refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze.

These are easy to make and would make a perfect treat for your mum! Best of all, you can make these truffles with any kind of biscuit, but cream biscuits are best:) Enjoy!

HotMix Pro Recipes: PB n Caramel Choc Cream Pie

One thing that I particularly like about this recipe is that I didn't clean out the bowl once after each step. Each layer of this pie has flavours that marry well, so I didn't feel the need to concern myself with cleaning the bowl. Its up to you, but try it out if you like.

Ever since watching "The Help" I have been a little obsessed with searching for pie recipes and making pies. If you have seen the movie or read the book, you can smile with me as you remember the classic line of Minnie's, "Eat, my, Sh*$!!". I crack up each time I picture it in my head. I suppose you could say I was inspired by the chocolate pie fiasco a little with this recipe I concocted. I actually mixed up a lot of things that I have discovered along the way of my pie searching. Of course you can make this recipe without a HMP, but the HMP just makes it that much easier and quicker. You also get an amazing consistency with the HMP. So here is what I did.

Base Ingredients
1 packet digestive biscuits
1 cup pretzels
130g butter melted
1 tbsp peanut butter

Filling
1 can caramel top and fill
100g cream cheese
1-2 tbsp peanut butter ( peanut butter is optional but is a great flavour)
1 tbsp gelatin or 1 packet
400ml hot water to dissolve gelatin

Topping
200ml cream
1tbsp quality cocoa
1 tbsp icing sugar

Method

1. Biscuits and pretzels on speed 5 for 20 secs
2. Add melted butter and peanut butter and mix on speed 2 for 30 secs
3. Press into pie dish and refrigerate.
4. Mix can caramel, cream cheese with paddle attachment on speed 2 for 20 secs. Scrape sides and remove paddle attachment. Add peanut butter and mix on speed 3 for 30 seconds
5. Mix gelatin in hot water with a fork and mix well.
6. Add gelatin to caramel mix and mix on speed 1 for 20 secs
7. Pour caramel mixture into pie dish and put back in fridge for at least 2 hours.
8. When caramel layer is set mix cream, cocoa, and icing sugar using paddle attachment on speed 3 for  around 1 minute or until it has stiff peaks.
9. Spread over pie.

The pretzels and peanut butter add the right amount of salt to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients. Its a really great dessert that can be made in the morning or afternoon and be ready for the evening. All ingredients can be stored in your pantry, even the cream! Yes you can get UHT cream, but make sure you refrigerate the cream for at least 1 hour before you whip it or it won't whip.

HotMixPro Review Part 3, The Recipes

Hi to all! I have finally organised some time to get some recipes up. As I mentioned in my last post, I will gradually add recipes so please check back often. Now you will have to forgive me for some of the photos I will be posting. Not too long ago, I took a drink from my water bottle and put it back in my handbag, to discover a couple of minutes later that I hadn't screwed the lid back on properly and a good 400ml of water was trapped in my bag and pretty much everything except my purse got destroyed, including my much loved digital camera:( So I was very upset about that but more so because I could only blame myself, which was upsetting!!! Anyway, I have been taking some pictures on my Iphone 3 which isn't the best, until I either get a new one or borrow my mums, which ever comes first!!

I have really got used to using my HMP and it really is an amazing machine. There are some appliances that I haven't touch since I started using my HMP, which really goes to show how versatile the machine is.

The first recipe I want to share with you really shows how amazing the HMP Gastro model really is. A lot of people ask me why I would want a cooking machine that goes up to 190C, what is the point? Well, if you have ever stood at stove stirring constantly to make caramels, or toffee, or caramel for caramel popcorn, or praline for that matter, you will love what you can achieve with the HMP Gastro. Not only do you not have to stand at your stove top stirring consistantly and constantly, you also don't have to concern yourself with a cany thermometer or if you don't use one of those, you don't have to worry about when you reach soft, or hard crack stage or worry about burning anything because its all done for you in the machine. Set the temp, the speed and then walk away, its that simple!

Honey Comb

1 1/2 cups (335g) white sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) honey
1/3 cup (80ml) water
2 tbs golden syrup
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g dark chocolate, chopped Line deep dish tray with baking paper 1. Add sugar, honey, water, and golden syrup to machine. Mix on speed 1( or no speed) and set to 154C wait temp. Make sure the stopper/centre lid is in place, if its not in place for the full cooking time the toffee won't crystalise properly and it will be useless. * 'Wait temp' basically means that you set the tempature you want the mixture to reach and the machine will gradually reach that tempature and then the machine will stop. 2. Pour mixture into a stainless steel bowl and add the bicarb of soda and mix with a wooden spoon and make sure it is mixed well but quickly. 3. Pour into the prepared tray and leave to cool which can take up to a couple of hours. 4. Melt chocolate and pour over honey comb and smooth over top. Once it sets, break honey comb into pieces and enjoy. I personally didn't add chocolate, our family love it without:) Its so simple to do and takes very little time. Its perfect for a treat or to make up for a gift:) The next recipe is the answer to a lot of mum's prayers on how to get the kids to eat veges. I have made this for my kids several times now and not once have they asked me what I put in it. So for me its a winner!! Vegeful Spaghetti Bologanese 1 carrot  1 capsicum 1/2 red onion 1/2 tbs minced garlic 1 zuccini 1 tomato 250g lean minced beef, or pork, or chicken 1 jar tomato pasta sauce salt and pepper to taste 500g pasta cooked seperately to packet directions grated cheese Directions 1. Chop each of the vegetables into a couple of pieces and add to machine with garlic and chop on speed 4 for 10 secs. You can cook the pasta at this stage. 2. Add a small amount of oil and cook on 70C using speed 1 for about 2 mins. 3. Break up mince and add to machine and cook on speed 1, 85C for about 15mins. 4. Add jar of tomato pasta, salt and pepper, and mix through on speed 2 for 2 minutes on 85C. 3. Add bologanse to pasta and top with cheese and serve. Its a winner and you can clean up while it cooks! You can add any kind of vegetables you like. For our big family, I actually make this up with 400-500g of mince and it makes enough for the meal and left overs. That's it for now, but stay tuned for more recipes:)

HotMix Pro Part 3

I just wanted to let you all know, that I am still working on my part 3 installment and hope to get some recipes up soon. I will be on a well deserved trip away with my family for Easter and upon my return, since its school holidays, I will have some free time. This time will allow me to get some recipes up for you all to see the versatility of what the HMP can do. If you are familar with the Thermomix TM 31, you can pretty much make the same recipes in the HMP, with a few tweeks. So if you aren't sure what the HMP is capable of and if you are wanting to know what kind of recipe books are available, at this stage the HMP website is your best resource to get you started. You can by all means use the Thermomix recipe books to give you an idea on what else you can achieve once you get used to using the HMP but you can also incorporate your own recipes aswell, which is what I like to do. To tempt you into returning, the recipes that I will post will include my version of Tex Mex Chicken salad, risotto, vege quinoa salad, spaghetti bol - that is full of veges and your kids will never know! For the sweet tooth I will post macarons, custard, sugared almonds, honey comb, and caramel popcorn, to name but a few. They won't come out all in the one post, I will add recipes a little bit at time. Thanks to all who read my reviews and I hope these recipes will give you more reasons to consider the HMP Easy or Gastro.

HotMix Pro vs Thermomix TM 31 part 2

So in my last post I farewelled the Kenwood Cooking Chef as an option. I do use the HotMix Pro Gastro machine and I want to share some comparisons of the Vorwerk Thermomix TM31  and why I think the HotMix Pro at the end of the day is the winner for me.

I will say first and foremost. All the thermal cooking machines that I have mentioned in all my posts are good machines. What I assume a lot of you are here for is what is the best machine. There is a lot of things I need to tick boxes for when looking for the best cooking machine. I have been researching this topic for quite sometime now and I am very critical. I ask a lot of questions and have drilled thermomix reps like crazy and likewise for HotMix Pro. The price of these machines are not everyday pricing. You have to know what you are spending your money on and you have to know why you need to spend the money. So, naturally your choice has to be the best choice.

Here are is what the Thermomix TM 31 looks like:

Here is the HotMix Pro Gastro:

With your TM 31 machine you get a 2L bowl, the Varoma, which for steaming, you get a spatula, a paddle for things like whipping cream. You also to my understanding, if you hold a party for your friends a bowl that keeps foods either hot or cold for up to 4hours. There might be other things I am missing, but my critique today is purely about the machine.

One thing I do like about the TM 31 is the bowl is that is has a wide base. I like wide base bowls and glasses in general, because I think they are easier to clean. That being said, its not the be all and end all! Its just a good feature.

The HM Pro bowl looks like this:

What I don't like about the TM 31 bowl is the bottom attachment.

There is a lot to get off to take out the blades to clean the bowl out. On the HotMix Pro there is no bottom attachment or heating prongs. All you have to do is take the button 'nut' off by unscrewing it, remove blades and you can clean bowl or pop it into the dishwasher, its easy as!

I want to show you what you will see on the front of the TM 31 machine. The temperatures and the other dials etc.

As you can see, there is a lot going on here!! It's a bit busy, and I have heard it takes some time getting use to working it. In comparison to the HotMix Pro Gastro, there is one LCD screen, with easy push buttons for speed, temperature, time, up and down, menu program (will explain later), start/stop, pulse/turbo.

The highlighted screen is a welcome bonus with the Gastro model.

A few things that I like about the HotMix Pro Gastro, is the fact that the bowl can be fitted either in a left hand position of a right hand position.

You will also notice in this last picture, that the lid clips on either side of the bowl and can be lifted up if you wish to add more items quickly. I really like this feature. I like that you don't have to take the lid off completely if you want to check something that can't be done through the lid hole.

You will notice from any of the above pictures that there is no 'Varoma' style add-on for the HotMix Pro machines. Thermomix pride themselves on this feature. I do have to admit, its a good feature. Its a healthier cooking option. However, if you have never had a TM 31 machine and already steam your food in another way, then you can keep doing this. Its just an added bonus for the TM 31 but I don't believe it should be your deciding factor between the two machines.  You can cook sous vide in the HotMix Pro which is just as healthy as steaming. If you are unsure of what sous vide is check it out here.  You can cook prawns using the sous vide method in a HotMix Pro machine on 51C within 30mins, which is amazing! This is also why cooking using 1C increments is so useful and important in making amazing food and dishes at home.

One feature that the HotMix Pro machines do not have, is the inbuilt scales. Again, this is a feature that Thermomix pride themselves on. It's a good feature. For a novice in the kitchen that either never used scales or doesn't like using them, I can understand why you like this feature. However, I don't personally like the inbuilt scale option, and its a personal thing. I like to measure my ingredients separately and I like to make any measurement mistakes outside the bowl where it can be easily corrected. I have discussed this point with other foodie friends who don't own either machines and they have surprisingly agreed, that measuring the ingredients separately would be the better way to go.  That being said, my TM 31 using friends swear that the in built feature is one of the best things about their machine. Again, its personal and I really don't think it should be the reason why you make a decision over one machine or the other.

So what should your decision making be based on? I believe it should be performance. Both machines perform well, to a certain extent. On an even playing field you can only compare the two machines when their features are equal. The HotMix Pro excels beyond the TM 31 in speed and temperature.  It is a faster machine, and because you can increase the temperature by 1C increments and the fact that the temperature cooks as a max temp of 190C, it beats the TM 31 hands down! It is a superior machine and if you are serious about your cooking its the better machine. Its kinda like comparing  the top 10 fastest sports cars. They all look and sound good, but you have to know or research the specs to know the what the best really is!

The higher cooking temperature allows you to make things like candied nuts, nougats, pralines, toffees etc. If any of you know what its like to stand at a hot stove stirring constantly for up to 20minutes to achieve caramels or nougat, then you will be able to celebrate with me know that this machine does this for you! How bliss!!

In my opinion the HotMix Pro machines are the better machines. If you are serious about your cooking and would love to be able to cook dishes in a variety of ways, just like the top chefs do, then you need to choose the best machine, which is the HotMix Pro Gastro.  If you are not as serious but still want the best machine the meets your cooking level, then the HotMix Pro Easy is your machine. The price of the HotMix Pro Easy is not much different to the Thermomix TM 31. The HotMix Pro Gastro model more expensive, but you are paying for a quality machine.

In my next instalment, I will share with you some recipes that you can achieve with the HotMix Pro Gastro machine.  If you have any questions, or comments, please don't be shy in sharing your thoughts below.

HotMix Pro vs Thermomix TM31 vs Kenwood Cooking Chef Part 1

I will be writing some posts about the comparisons of the above machines. Since I started using the HotMix Pro, I have discovered some interesting comparsions that I desire to share with you all. I have decided to do this in parts, because there is a lot of information I would like to share with you and I don't want to overwhelm you in one post. I will begin this review with basic comparisons of the the three machines. The second part will be are more intense comparison of the Thermomixer TM31 vs the HotMix Pro machine. I will show you photos of what each machine looks like and my pros and cons for each machine. Lastly and most importantly, as I have a HotMix Pro  I will show you what you can achieve with it and why I think its the better machine than the Thermomixer TM 31

It seems from the response on my posts and the talk else where that the above three cooking machines are the ones that most people are talking about. Naturally, for those that care to know, TM 31 gets a lot of recognition and discussion because it targets the mum-chef market via party plan. The demonstration party shows you how to make an entree, main, salad, bread rolls, and dessert all in the one machine within the hour. Its rather impressive and most women are in awe of the machine by the end of the demonstration and impulsively begin thinking or rationalising how and why they need the machine day/night or when they will hold their own party to take advantage of the gifts they supply if you do so. However, one should be conscious of whether this truly is the only machine like this available in the market. Once upon a time Thermomix was loving the attention and sales because there was nothing else really like it on the market, either in party plan or commercially. However I am please to inform you all, that Thermomix needs to worry because they are no longer lone rangers on the market. There are more machines popping up that compare and even are better than the TM 31. I have written a few blog posts already about thermal cooking machines so please feel free to take a look at those. Once you have done that sit down with your cuppa and read on to see what else is available.

I have had the pleasure of using the HotMix Pro and I love it!! HotMix Pro is fairly new to the Australian market. The Hotmix Pro machines are designed and made in Italy, so you can be assured of quality. The TM 31, is German designed, but made in France. Since using this machine I have discovered there are many great features that make HotMix Pro better than the TM 31 and the Kenwood Cooking Chef.

I won't harp on too much about the fact that you don't have to have a party to purchase a HotMix Pro machine. Just contact them(in your own country) and they will get you in contact with your local state rep. The NSW rep is Ralph Goodwin, who is lovely and will help you out with no worries at all. Stewart Fruhwald is the Natioanl/Victoria contact and you can also purchase HotMix pro in New Zealand. All other countries can make enquiries via the worldwide page at www.hotmixpro.com.

HotMix Pro provide two different machines depending on your needs. The two models are HotMix Pro Easy, and HotMix Pro Gastro. To get an idea of the difference between the two Hotmix models you need to work what you need it for.  If you are a home chef and are considering a Kenwood Cooking Chef or a Thermomixer TM 31, then the HotMix Easy model is for you. However, if you own a restaurant, catering business etc then the Gastro model is more on your end of the market. That being said, there is nothing stopping the home chef purchasing the Gastro. If cooking is your passion, there are some great features on the Gastro that would benefit you, however it is a little more expensive.  I have done a basic comparison checklist to give you an idea on what each machine offers and for what price.

Hotmix Pro Easy Max Temp: 25-130C Motor: 1200W RPM: 10000 Bowl Capacity: 2 Litres Price : $1895 + GST	TM 31 Max Temp: 37-100C Motor: 500W RPM: 10200 Price: $1939
HotMix Pro Gastro Max Temp: 25-190C Motor: 1500W RPM: 12500 Bowl Capacity: 2 Litres Price: $2395 + GST	Kenwood Cooking Chef Max Temp: 20 - 140C Motor: 1500W (1100W induction cooking system) Bowl Capacity: 6.7 Litres (3 L for cooking) Price: $1999

From first glance, they all seem fairly comparable except for the fact that the HotMix Pro machines and the Kenwood Cooking Chef have a more powerful motor in comparison to the TM31. To truly compare the HotMix Pro machine with the TM 31 I used a TM 31 recipe book and I discovered I was using lower speeds on the HotMix pro and getting the same results and in some cases mixing or grinding in shorter time and cooking on lower temperatures because I can change the temperatures by 1C.  You will also notice that the maximum temperatures are much higher in the HotMix Pro machines compared to the TM 31. I feel it very important to emphasize that the increments of temperature on the HotMix Pro machines go up by 1C which is important in achieving results for some recipes such as caramelising sugars. Textures and tastes of meals can be enhanced if you have control over how your food is cooked and this is something that the TM 31 can not do. 

For me the major draw card for the Kenwood Cooking Chef was the capacity bowl and the fact that you can cook a larger sized meal in the one bowl and make 6L of ice cream in the one bowl at the one time. However the main draw back for the Kenwood is that you are limited to what you can achieve with the machine by what attachments you do or don't have. If you want to juice your fruit, you have to buy an attachment. If you want to grind, that's another attachment, if you want to make a smoothie or milkshake, again its another attachment. The point of the other machines is that you have it all in the one machine.  I am not sure that the Kenwood's blender attachment could achieve grinding ice , wheat or,  sugar in the same speed and fineness like the other machines could either. So this is where I must say adieu to the Kenwood Cooking Chef! I am sure you are a great and fascinating machine, but you can't compare in as many ways as the others do.

So now I am down to the Thermomixer TM 31 and the HotMix Pro machines. This is where it gets intense and specific. My next installment will have photos and because I have used both machines, I can tell you what the pros and cons are for each.

THERMOCHEF vs Thermomix TM31 vs HotMix PRO

I was just reading through some recent comments on my blog and noticed some new names popping of new machines that appears to be in the market to compete with the Thermomixer. I was so excited because, for me now there is more to choose from with machines that are comparable. Without anothre thought, I quickly order take out for dinner and began researching!! Kids love it when I am researching {wink}.

So from what I can gather, not seeing a Thermochef in the flesh as yet and limited, for now, and not having near as many demos on Youtube compared to Thermomixer. I am intrigued. It think the biggest draw card at this stage is definately the price. Its around $800AUD with a 2 year warranty. Wow! What a delight to be able to have an amazing cooking machine for less than $1000. The moment I laid eyes on this machine, I straight away thought of the Thermomixer TM21. Yes, they seemed to have copied this model fairly well, although the Thermochef is stainless steel in apprearance. The thermomixer has a stainless steel jug but the rest of it is a hard plastic. The size of the jug is the same as the thermomix, so for me, still not a bonus. I would love a 3 or 4 L jug please! It weighs your food, to the side. The Thermomix does it in the jug. Does it matter? Not sure really, I would say it would come down to a personal preference. If you have not had a thermomixer before you would not no the difference.  The controls are a touch pad, not a dial. Not thinking this a big issue in the long run. The Thermochef has a steamer much like the thermomixer, but not is stainless steel and not plastic like the one on the Thermomixer. Could this be a safety issue? Youtube has a few demonstrations, one in particular is for pumpkin soup, and for me, it was not too bad. My only thought was that perhaps the Thermomixer would have made the soup silky smooth, but this is only a minor thing and as I don't actually own a thermomixer can't comment on this outcome.  The more I read, the more I wanted to know. So I decided to head over to the Thermomix forums to see what the guys and gals over there think of this. Naturally, there are some fairly defensive comparisons. I have to wonder, are they a little annoyed that there is something available at the fraction of the cost? There are some differences, for sure. Only one could assume it would not be exactly the same for that price. A lot of comments on the forums were, " You can what you pay for" and " I am worried because its made in China".
Let's think for a moment about what the price of a Thermomixer would actually be if it was sold in a mainstream department store or other large outlets? Would it actually be the same price? I personally, think it would not. I would say it would be more like $1200-$1500. The price you are paying for a Thermomix also includes the demonstrators commission. Generally speaking if something is being sold via party plan, it generally is much more expensive than if it was sold in the shops. The point I am making here, is that the cost of $800 is what it is, because it needs to appeal to all consumers, so it doesn't necessarily mean, that you are getting an inferior product. The machine is also assembled in China, but it has been designed in Switzerland. Who doesn't have things made and assembled in China? There are many machines,appliances, whitegoods etc that are designed in European, American, and Australasian countries but assembled in China.Just because something is assembled in China, doesn't mean it is less valuable, or not good. They assemble to the design.  I also understood that the TC(Thermochef) is a little slower and doesn't reverse.I'm not to worried about it being a little slower. It still grinds, crushes ice, and mills. In regards to the reverse action, for an avid and loyal Thermomixer user, I could see why this would be an issue. However, for someone that doesn't know any better, I couldn't see it being a problem. Why do you NEED to have the reverse action?  What I got from reading the forum thread, was basically the Thermomixer lovers will stay true to their machines. Why not, they paid a bundle for them, I would too. I would be a little shocked if you turned your back on this great machine for the TC. I think the market for the TC are for those (like me) that have struggled to purchase a Thermomixer because of the price. The TC will do almost everything a TM31 can do. The TC from what I can gather from the internet would be a better purchase than a Viatmix and even a Kenwood Cooking Chef as its a bit smaller and more compact than the Kenwood Cooking Chef.  If I could have the capacity bowl of the Kenwood Cooking Chef and the machine of a Thermomixer for the ThermoChef price, all the boxes would be ticked and I would sing its praises!!!

I am very keen to see a ThermoChef in action. For the kinds of things I would like to make, I think it would suit me very well. I still prefer to use my slow cooker because it has a capacity for my family. But the TC will make things like custards, sorbets, sauces, breads, drinks, mill, spice mixes, cook rice, steam and so on. It makes sense to me to check it out for that price, I can definately justify it. My husband once said, " If the Thermomixer was under $1000 it would be ok." I wonder if he will remember this conversation??!!!

Check out the ThermoChef and see what you think. At the end of the day, its up to you, you are paying for it.

A comment was left mentioning a HotMix Pro. Natutally, curiousity got the better of me and I Googled it. This machine looks and sounds amazing. Like a Thermomixer, but perosnally I thought it looked a lot sleeker in style and definately better in function. I read the details on the website and basically realised that his is a commerical product with a commercial price. A site that I found was selling them for 1850GBP, which for us aussies is approx $2500AUD. So a little more expensive than a Thermomixer but a much better machine in my opinion. I'm curious to know if they will have a domestic version soon? It wouldn't take much to make a domestic version, and provide this market with more competition. Check out some of the demos on youtube, but word of warning use "HotMix Pro System" as your search request!!
If anyone knows more about the HotMix Pro system, would love to hear from you.

Well, there you go, what I know about the ThermoChef, Thermomixer TM31, and the HotMix Pro System. Three great cooking machines and I hope you consider my opinion and research yourself or tell me your own experiences with any of these machines. I am still yet to decide on and purchase a cooking system, but I will definately blog about it when I do!