I will admit I have never been a big microwave user. I use it to cook my veggies for weeknight meals, melt butter and chocolate, and to reheat leftovers. That’s really about it folks.
In fact I am presently going through the motions of designing a new kitchen, and I posed the question to the boys, “Do we need a microwave?”
When I threw that question at them I was met with a very loud and unified “Yes”.
It seems they use it far more than I thought they did. All sorts of things get thrown in there that I am not aware of. Apparently it gets used quite regularly to reheat coffee, the odd Maccas takeaway cheeseburger and anything else they don’t want to wait on reheating in the oven. Think soggy quiche, soggy pies, soggy pastry of any kind. They are an impatient pair, whereas I will wait for the conventional oven to do its job to eat something crisp.
Therefore it was quite timely when I was asked by Breville to have a play around with their newest Quick Touch Microwave to hit the market, the Quick Touch Crisp. Definitely a nice little bit of innovation, which delivers brown and crispy food. It is the Quick Touch Crisp’s crisper pan, which works in conjunction with the microwave and integrated grill that achieves an oven like result. No more soggy reheated microwave fare, no more soggy reheated quiche.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that a microwave really is a kitchen aid. It makes your life in the kitchen easier and saves you precious time.
It would come to no surprise to you that I love playing around in the kitchen, getting creative and pushing flavour boundaries. I love it even more when my cooking life is simplified. Guessing games eliminated and the art of timing taken care of for me. This is exactly what the new Breville Quick Touch Crisp does.
The guys at Breville have spent countless hours coming up with programs to simplify your life. Want to reheat some leftover pizza? It is as simple as weighing the slice, preheating your crisper pan, and then pressing the pizza button on the Quick Touch Crisp. Want to make a grilled cheese sandwich? There is even a program for that too.
It really comes into play for me with its smart technology. Defrosting food perfectly, bringing butter to room temperature without making it a puddle, melting chocolate and roasting nuts without burning.
One feature that I really wanted to try out was the drying herb function. It was that particular feature which was the building block in creating this dessert. When you can make basil powder, why wouldn’t you want to create something magical with it?
I also used the Quick Touch Crisp to make toffee. Yes, it makes toffee! No need for thermometers, just load the ingredients, advise quantity, press a button, walk away and let it do all the work for you. Making toffee strawberries has never been easier. I truly could never go back to stovetop toffee ever again.
Now that I have rabbited on about easy toffee, un-soggy pastry and drying herbs, its time to tell you about this fun little dessert I have created.
The nature of a adding a herb, which is normally associated with savoury dishes, to a dessert is just plain fun and a conversation starter around the dinner table. There is a slight basil kick in the meringue, but it isn’t overpowering. Plus there are gorgeous little green flecks throughout. It is a really pretty dessert and brilliant for spring and summer.
The toffee strawberries couldn’t be any simpler to make and taste amazing. Light crisp toffee shells encasing luscious ripe strawberries. These are worth making by themselves just for the sake of making them. I think they would be wonderful served at the end of a meal with coffee.
Rose cream adds a little fragrance and lovingly marries the meringue and strawberry together.
Printable Recipe
Basil Meringues with Rose Cream and Strawberries
Ingredients
Basil Meringue
- 4 egg whites | room temperature
- 250 grams caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 3 grams basil powder
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
Basil Powder
- 30 basil leaves
Rose Cream
- 1 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 tablespoon of icing sugar
Toffee Strawberries
- 10 large strawberries
- 1 cup caster sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Basil Meringe
- Preheat oven at 160°C (320°F). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Place eggwhite in a large bowl (your stand mixer bowl if using one) and beat until stiff peaks form. Add sugar a little at a time, beating well in between each addition. Keep beating until the mixture is thick and glossy and the sugar has dissolved.
- Add cream of tartar, cornflour, basil powder and vinegar. Beat for an additional minute, until well incorporated.
- Spoon large dessertspoon sized portions onto your baking sheets. Using a spoon indent the middle of the mounds of meringue.
- Bake for around 45 minutes until crisp. Turn oven off and leave the door ajar. Let meringues cool in the oven.
Basil Powder
- Breville Quick Touch Crisp Instructions
- Select the cook/grill setting. Turn time/food dial to select dried herbs. Press start to confirm.
- Line crisper pan with 2 layers of paper towel and place basil onto lined crisper pan in a single layer. Place inside microwave in the lowered position.
- Turn amount dial to 1 cup and press start to begin.
- Half way through the cook cycle the oven will beep and flash stir/turn food.
- Pause and turn the basil leaves over, and press start to resume cooking.
- Once cooking has finished carefully remove hot crisper pan from microwave using an overproof mitt.
- If the basil is crisp remove to a cold plate. If some leaves still require more heating, remove the paper towel and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes in the hot crisper pan. I found that I also had to use the “A Bit More Button” on some of the larger leaves, this will give you a little more cooking time, and then I left them to crisp up further in the crisper pan.
- Your basil leaves need to be crisp enough to be able to grind in to a powder. I used a mortar and pestle to do this.
- Conventional Basil Powder: Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and place basil leaves on a lined baking sheet. Bake until basil leaves become crisp. You need to keep a constant eye on them, check after 5 minutes, and then continue to check so they don’t burn.
Rose Cream
- Place cream, icing sugar, rose water in a large bowl. Using electric beaters beat cream mixture until thick and whipped.
Toffee Strawberries
- Breville Quick Touch Crisp Instructions
- Choose a clear Pyrex bowl that is large enough to contain the hot sugar mixture when boiling. Wash the bowl well to remove any residue oil or grit that will cause the toffee to crystallise.
- Place sugar and water into the bowl and mix well with a metal spoon. Wash down any stray sugar grains from the side of the bowl using a pastry brush dipped in clean water. Stray sugar grains will cause the caramel to crystallise if not properly incorporated
- Place the bowl in the centre of the turntable.
- Press the Caramel button on the shortcuts panel inside the door
- Turn the amount dial 1 cup and press start to begin cooking.
- Using the cook program the oven will beep and will flash “stir/turn food”. Pause and carefully remove the cooking bowl from the microwave using ovenproof mitts.
- Swirl the bowl gently to dissolve any remaining sugar. Wash down any stray sugar grains from the side of the bowl using a pastry brush dipped in clean water.
- Return bowl to the microwave and press start to continue.
- At the end of the cooking cycle, if toffee is not to your desired colour, press the "A Bit More" button to continue cooking. Repeat until toffee is to the desired colour.
- Once toffee is ready, carefully remove the cooking bowl from the microwave using ovenproof mitts.
- Conventional Toffee: Place sugar and water in a heavy based saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Once sugar has dissolved brush down sides of saucepan with a pastry brush and water to remove any sugar granules. Then increase the heat so the sugar mixture is at a rapid boil. Use a candy thermometer and when the sugar mixture reaches 150°C (300°F) remove from heat.
- Leave to cool slightly then dip the strawberries in the toffee. Place strawberries on non stick baking paper until the toffee has hardened.
- Strawberries are best consumed within a few hours of making.
Assemble
- To assemble the Basil Meringues with Rose Cream and Toffee Strawberries, place a good dollop of cream on top of the meringue and then top with a toffee strawberry or two. You could give the dessert a very light dusting of any basil powder you may have left over.
Oven Temperatures
All oven temperatures are fan forced.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
As mentioned earlier, the Breville Quick Touch Crisp has definitely changed a few things for me in the kitchen. Making toffee without a candy thermometer is something I can’t live without, as well as heating food, which turns out crisp quickly in a microwave.
{COMPETITION CLOSED} One lucky Belly Rumbles reader has a chance to win one of these very handy Breville Quick Touch Crisp microwaves of their very own. It is very easy be in the running, all you need to do is leave a comment below and tell me how the Breville Quick Touch Crisp will make your life easier in the kitchen. The most creative answer will be chosen.
To help you with your answer head over to the Breville website to see what else the Quick Touch Crisp can do for you in the kitchen. There is even a great little cookbook that you can download from their website for inspiration and recipe ideas.
Entries will close on Monday 5th October 2015 (midnight Sydney time), and winner will be announced on Belly Rumbles Facebook page on Monday 12th October 2015. Good luck everyone!
Sara xxx
Belly Rumbles would like to acknowledge its partnership Breville for this post. This recipe was created, developed and photographed by Sara McCleary.
Giveaway T&Cs: Competition is open to Australian residents only. Competition closes 5/10/15, and winner will be announced 12/10/15. The comment that Belly Rumbles feels is the most creative will win a Breville Quick Touch Crisp microwave valued at $449.95. Winner must provide a valid email address to be contacted. If winner cannot be contacted or does not respond to Belly Rumbles email advice within 5 days of being contacted a new winner will be chosen.
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JIN
You have an amazing blog Sara, I couldn't do my list without yours! I just nominated you for the 'Versatile blogger award'. You can find out more about it here - https://spicycandiedlife.com/versatile-blogger-award/ Happy Blogging!
Lesley Cameron
My microwave is ancient & takes forever to heat anything, then Presto! I see you post on Facebook! This looks perfect for all my needs. I just need to be able to cook as well as you!
Simon @ the heart of food
OMG! This device can be the thing to help with improving the microwave mug cakes that I've been working on, particularly with a bread and butter version. Also grilled cheese toasties with the perfectly caramelised outer surfaces and a thick slab of cheese given enough love to properly melt through. Why this hasn't been made before, I don't know.
Flick
Reheating donuts, a crisp outer and fluffy inside. Means I'll need to buy more so I can reheat for later
Im guessing the breville microwave doesnt include a fancy way to nuke the calories
Jacqui
All help with my bad cooking is appreciated by my familt
catrina murray
A Quick Touch Crisp would help me reduce those seemingly constant belly rumbles and related complaints that one must endlessly endure from two teenage, eating machine boys! With the brilliantly included shortcuts inside the door, they will undoubtedly expand their cooking repertoire and they can stop asking me for 'A Bit More'!
Aussie mum
Wow.
I remember making my first chocolate cake in a micro as a teenager in the early 80s.
5 mins cooking time.
Result was a stone hard chocolate cake.
Engineering and innovation has cone a long way, and breville seem to always be the forerunner with style, methods and most importantly price.
As a working mum and feeding two young kids, cooking with a fast and reliable micro, tasty simple recipes is like getting the Holy graille 😉
Lovely recipes here and with the assistance of a good micro, brilliant. Thanks.
NickiGirlStar
Well, not soggy pastry is always a winner for me. Love heating up those pastry treats quickly but need that crispyness as well. Scrambled eggs in the microwave is also a bonus for me as I have never perfected it on a stovetop and as I recently blew my microwave up and almost burnt down my flat in the process I am missing out on scrambled eggs and non soggy quickly heated up pastry. And yes, there were flames and loud noises emanating from the microwave when I opened my flat door. Lucky to be here but need scrambled eggs with my bacon and toast instead of jumping up at the crack of dawn chasing brekky specials. So a new microwave would be cool 🙂
Jacqui
I am a terrible cook and any advance technology to help me. Would be Greaty appreciated by my family
Benjamin Travia
My life in the kitchen is best described as non-existent. I have few moves, an uninspiring arsenal of go to dishes consisting pasta and steak. I'm the anti-Jamie. Therefore, the Quick Touch will help me get a life.
Sarah @ Live Eat Learn
Wow, these are gorgeous! I NEED!
Liz (Good Things)
A microwave certainly helps with shortcuts in my busy kitchen.... loving your recipe here... and this new age microwave. Good on the lucky reader who wins this! xxx
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Like you, I use my microwave to melt butter, reheat leftover stir-fry or thaw bread so I can pull it apart enough to make toast. Only yesterday I heard about the new crispy maker that's out now and thought, "Can John put a frozen pizza in there and I wouldn't have to cook??" Then I read your post and maybe that could happen.
I want to make that toffee! (check step #34?)
Michelle
Wow! If you can dry herbs in it, and toast nuts and seeds, I am thinking about drying out fruit slices in it too...
Maybe toasted coconut curls, toasted almond toffee, dried strawberry slices, with a pinch of dried lemon time powder ...
I could eat this with some fresh Greek yoghurt for dessert mmmmm
Michelle
*thyme
Paula Morgan
I have a teenage daughter that has little interest in cooking but a lot of interest in eating and technology so I am thinking that a classy new microwave like this with so many great features might just increase the odds of cooking the occasional dinner. If that fails at least her reheated pizza will taste better when I steal a slice!
Christine @ Cooking Crusade
I love new kitchen technology and this looks very exciting! I think I'd try brûléeing all manner of things - custards but also fruits, tarts and slices as well! Yum!
Martine @ Chompchomp
This is a super cool idea. I am similar to you and only use my microwave to defrost meat when I have forgotten to take it out of the freezer in time, and to quickly reheat the occasional pizza slice. I hate how the microwave makes the food soggy and blobby , and the thought that it could still give that wonderful crispness sounds too good to be true! I am forever time starved working full time, owning and running three (soon to be four) veterinary practices, running a blog, sitting on professional association Boards....gah! The thought that I can speed up my meal preparation without sacrificing on texture and flavour seems like a fantasy come true.
Sally
gorgeous, love strawberries and basil!
I'm definitely in the "cook veggies pop corn" camp, would love a microwave with interesting functions. Although not sure we can be trusted; our eldest at the age of 6 put a muffin on to defrost for half an hour, it was still cold after 30 secs. I found it after about 7 minutes, it was a blue flaming black
coal, there were flames leaping out the vent and kitchen was hung with smoke like a bad 80's nightclub. Replace popcorn for muffin and twenty minutes for thirty, that's the middle child. One to go...
Micaela C
Meringue in a microwave. Mind blown.
I seriously considered getting rid of our microwave because of it's lack of use, but if I can have leftovers that aren't soggy, this machine will be getting a workout!
Michelle V
WOW. That is definitely impressive!!!!
I would love to own this Breville Quick Touch Crisp microwave!!
Our current microwave is very old, and very basic, and only gets used for re-heating meals because it simply doesn't have the features to do much more than that.
As a busy mum of three young kids, I really need all the help I can get in the kitchen. I very rarely resort to buying take-away, but I do struggle with coming up with new dishes and new flavours. This wonderful appliance will be a great help in that regard, as it cuts out a lot of preparation and time. I could see by your example of making toffee, just how simple something like that, which would usually require a lot more effort, can be. And being able to re-heat food that doesn't go soggy sounds so amazing too. But being able to dry herbs, nuts, etc?! So very clever. I need this microwave in my life!!