Alix Carey - The Tropical Cookbook

THE TROPICAL COOKBOOK Copyright Alix Carey, 2020 Marble background tofutyklein/Shutterstock.com; pineapples vectornetwork/Shutterstock.com; photos Alix Carey All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, nor transmitted, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publishers. Alix Carey has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Condition of Sale
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. An Hachette UK Company
www.hachette.co.uk Summersdale Publishers Ltd
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UK www.summersdale.com eISBN: 978-1-78783-764-5 Substantial discounts on bulk quantities of Summersdale books are available to corporations, professional associations and other organizations. For Nan About the author Alix Carey is a baking enthusiast from Surrey, UK, who combined her passions for baking and writing when she launched her food blog and Instagram account My Kitchen Drawer in 2015. For Nan About the author Alix Carey is a baking enthusiast from Surrey, UK, who combined her passions for baking and writing when she launched her food blog and Instagram account My Kitchen Drawer in 2015.

Carey is a self-confessed dreamer who is also the bestselling author of The Unicorn Cookbook (Summersdale, 2017) The Mermaid Cookbook (Summersdale, 2018). Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @mykitchendrawer. INTRODUCTION Welcome to The Tropical Cookbook, where all your visions of paradise are guaranteed to come true in the form of delicious treats. Inside this vibrant book youll find 44 fun-filled recipes, ready to help you bring the secrets of the tropics out of the rainforests and into the kitchen. But before you begin Operation Hula, you need to find your Tropicana name. So, what are you waiting for? On the next page, youll be able to identify your tropical alter ego and begin your baking adventure into the world of the stylish flamingos, cheeky monkeys and playful toucans.

WHAT IS YOUR TROPICANA NAME? To discover your Tropicana name, find the initial of your first name and the month you were born in the lists below. Combine the two and state your new alias aloud as you don your colourful apron and get ready to hula your way into the kitchen and create a hotter-than-the-tropics feast. A - COCO B - EXOTIC C - ALOHA D - GLOWING E - LEI F - BLOSSOM G - HULA H - CALYPSO I - TIKI J - RADIANT K - OCEANIC L - STORM M - REEF N - MANGO O - SUNRISE P - TIDE Q - PARADISE R - PINA S - BLISS T - WATERFALL U - CORAL V - LOTUS W - RAINFOREST X - HURRICANE Y - SURF Z - ISLAND JANUARY - FLAMINGO FEBRUARY - ORCHID MARCH - TOUCAN APRIL - PALM MAY - TROPICS JUNE - SAMBA JULY - HAMMOCK AUGUST - MONKEY SEPTEMBER - JELLYFISH OCTOBER - MONSOON NOVEMBER - FEATHER DECEMBER - THUNDER CONVERSIONS AND MEASUREMENTS All the conversions in the tables below are close approximates which have been rounded up or down. When using a recipe, always stick to one unit of measurement and do not alternate between them. LIQUID MEASUREMENTS 5ml = 1 tsp
15ml = 1 tbsp
30ml = / cup
60ml = % cup
120ml = / cup
240ml = 1 cup
2 tbsp liquid egg white = 1 large egg white BUTTER MEASUREMENTS 30g = / cup
55g = % cup
75g = 1/3 cup
115g = 1/2 cup
150g = 2/3 cup
170g = 3/4 cup
225g = 1 cup KITCHEN ESSENTIALS 5g = 1 tsp
15g = 1 tbsp
150g flour = 1 cup
225g caster sugar = 1 cup
115g icing sugar = 1 cup
175g brown sugar = 1 cup
200g sprinkles = 1 cup Oven temperatures

C	F	Gas mark
140	275	1
150	300	2
170	325	3
180	350	4
190	375	5
200	400	6
220	425	7
230	450	8
240	475	9

KITCHEN ESSENTIALS Before we get started, lets take a look at all the essential ingredients and equipment youll need. Flour Most of these recipes call for regular plain flour, but occasionally, when baking cakes, I advise using self-raising flour. Sugar The most important types of sugar for the recipes in this book are caster sugar,icing sugar and brown sugar. Fondant icing Whether its for coating cakes, topping cupcakes or adorning biscuits, vibrant coloured fondant is a popular ingredient in this book. Flavour extracts A number of recipes in this book require vanilla extract, but there are several others that call for more tropical flavourings such as pineapple, banana, passion fruit and coconut and these can be found on Amazon or on the website www.foodieflavours.com. Eggs Always use large eggs, unless otherwise specified. Gel food colouring These are preferred over liquid food colouring because, most importantly, they do not dilute any mixtures and, secondly, you only need to add a few drops to make rich, vibrant colours. White chocolate Whether it be for dipping, coating, drizzling or even baking, white chocolate is a big part of many of these recipes. White chocolate Whether it be for dipping, coating, drizzling or even baking, white chocolate is a big part of many of these recipes.

Of course you are welcome to use dark or milk chocolate as a replacement, but white chocolate is used widely as its colour and appearance can be changed easily with food colouring. Desiccated and flaked coconut To add that tropical touch to many recipes in this book, its worth making sure your cupboard is well stocked with these two ingredients. Dried fruits Youll want to get your cupboard stocked up with plenty of dried tropical fruit such as papaya, pineapple and mango. Lemon and lime zest To help add some fresh flavours to your delicious sweet treats. Cream cheese This is used in a couple of recipes in the book. Dont worry if youre dairy-free as you can simply replace dairy cream cheese with soya or other non-dairy options.

Equipment Baking trays/tins You will need at least three flat sheet baking trays, a Swiss roll tin and a 20cm (8in.) square cake tin. Cake/cupcake tray All the cakes in this book are baked in round 15cm (6in.) or 20cm (8in.) cake tins and you will need at least two of each (maximum of six). All cupcakes are baked in batches of 12 so you will need a 12-hole cupcake tray. Baking paper The majority of recipes will ask you to line a baking tray or cake tin so baking paper is a necessity. Note: this is not to be confused with greaseproof paper, which is not heat resistant and can cause baked goods to stick to it like glue. Piping bags Piping bags are used throughout this book for piping buttercream, meringues and batter. Piping bags Piping bags are used throughout this book for piping buttercream, meringues and batter.

You could make your own out of sandwich bags but youll never achieve the perfectly piped cupcake that way. Piping bags, especially those with a grip, allow you to pipe with absolute accuracy and precision so I would always recommend having a large stash in your kitchen drawer.