chocolate heaven

The first Sunday of September is Father's Day here in Australia, which means the restaurant becomes crazy hectic during the week leading up to it. Which means all I want to do when I get home is put my feet up and do nothing... so that means no to making dinner and no to any new blog entries. To make matters worse we've decided to renovate our bathroom and kitchen, so every spare minute we have we are planning, looking at tiles, toilets, sinks, taps, bench tops... etc etc. Before the project has even started I get the feeling its going to be a nightmare...

So anyway, Father's Day ritual at our place is my brother and I do the cooking, it seems to work better than buying dad a pair of socks. I didn't want to make anything complicated but knew the perfect recipe for a dessert that was going to blow everyone's mind and it involved dad's favorite, chocolate. Like father like daughter, I get my sweet tooth from my daddy~

Jeff Campbell rightly calls this dessert 'chocolate heaven', just a word of warning though, this dessert is definitely something only a chocolate lover should try and it's so easy to make!! It's a cross between a fondant and a souffle. I prefer to serve mine in a souffle mould (don't worry you will notice the dessert will sink, that's because the center not quite set hence it has a similarities to a fondant). Top it off with vanilla bean ice cream, the real stuff- none of that 99.9% fat free 'healthy' alternative... PLEASE! And if strawberries are in season even better, the super sweetness will bring out the fruity tang and compliment this dessert very very nicely.

Oh lastly you will have to excuse the quality of the photos, after too many wines and my parents ultra white and the even brighter (nonadjustable) lighting doesn't do this dessert justice... and the fact that my mom didn't have any vanilla ice-cream in her freezer is the only reason it's missing in the photo!!!

Chocolate Heaven
Adapted from Jeff Campbell, Chef at Sydney's Mint Bar & Dining

350g cooking chocolate (66% cocoa or more)
125g unsalted butter
6 eggs, separated
150g caster sugar
200g caster sugar
100g almond meal
100g rice flour

First weigh out all the ingredients and preheat the oven to 200°C .

Melt the butter and chocolate in a small bowl over a pot of simmering water (or you can cheap by putting in the microwave for a minute). Beat egg yolk with the 150g caster sugar until pale in color and almost double in size, then add the melted chocolate mixture to the yolk.

Whisk the egg whites and the 200g caster sugar together. Whisk till light and fluffy or silky peaks form (probably a good idea to use an electric mixer) then gently fold into egg yolk mixture.

Fold in the remaining dry mixture to the chocolate and egg mixture. Grease 10 souffle moulds (approx 8cm x 8cm). If 10 is too many you can freeze the un-cooked mix, make sure to wrap it with glad wrap to stop freezer burn and it will last a couple of weeks. Place in the oven for 12mins, and the center should still be soft.

corned beef

Last night I was lost for inspiration. It's not a regular occurrence but my uninspired mode rears its ugly head once every blue moon. Did I feel like steak? fish? chicken?? Something vegetarian?? I didn't really feel like anything... then John suggested corned beef. Huh- its not something I eat often but when I do I rather enjoy it (especially in a sandwich stacked sooooooooooo high you can barely get your mouth around it!). So corned beef for dinner it was! I didn't really have a recipe as such but there were general instructions on the back of the pack and I followed my instincts and off I went in the kitchen.

Now for some facts on corned beef- it is basically the brisket part of a cow that has been cured in salt. Our friends in North America traditionally eat them in a sandwich while here in Australia we too eat them in our sandwich but we also poach them at home and serve it with white sauce. Anywho enough trivia, back to the recipe... what I love about corned beef is the saltiness, I'm the kind of person who has a bad habit of adding salt to almost any meal without eating it first. I know what you're thinking... and I know salt isn't good for me and I am trying to cut back! But don't worry you are able to purchase a low salt variation at your butchers or supermarket. Usually I would serve this up with a side of carrots and onions (that has been cooking with the meat) and a generous serving of mash potato. But I wasn't in the mood for mash and decided to go with a side of mixed salad leaves. It's not that I was particularly trying to be healthy (clearly as I chose to serve it up with a traditional white sauce), its just that after eating almost all protein, especially red meat, I feel the need to eat greens.

The other exciting thing about this entry is that it's a double recipe!! Mostly because we had so much left overs that I had to think of another way to serve corned beef. So as I was scrolling through articles on corned beef I came across the word "Reuben Sandwich" a number of times... interesting... so my search led me to a recipe. The picture reminded me of the sandwich I had in Montreal (can't for the life of me remember what they were called) but with interesting addition: sauerkraut. So I added that onto my shopping list and was surprised that John wasn't turned off by the idea, that is until he walked into the kitchen as soon as I opened the jar and yelled "Oh! What is that smeeeeeeeeeell??!" The end result was surprisingly good- as I took my first bite I was thinking 'how is it possible our paths have never crossed'... till now that is! I have a good feeling "Reuben" and I will meet again very very soon.

Corned Beef

1.5kg corned silverside

8 whole cloves
1 tspn of black peppercorn
3 bay leaves

1 brown onion, peeled, root intact

1tbs brown sugar

4 large carrots, you can cut it into thick pieces or wait until serving

1/2 cup malt vinegar
White Sauce
50g butter
2 tsp plain flour
2 cups milk
salt & pepper

Place silverside into a deep saucepan with a lid. Add cold water until the meat is just covered. Add all of the ingredients to the saucepan and place it over low heat. Bring to the boil, uncovered. Use a spoon to skim fat from surface and discard. Once boiling, turn the heat back on low, partially cover saucepan and let it simmer. Simmer for approximately 90 minutes or until the meat it cooked well. General guideline is 40minutes for every kilogram of meat.

White Sauce
Melt the butter in a small but deep saucepan. Add the flour, using a wooden spoon mix the butter and flour (its important that you cook the flour otherwise your sauce will taste floury...). Swap your wooden spoon for a whisk and start gradually adding the milk to the saucepan mixing as you continue to whisk. You must must must continue to whisk if you want to make sure there are no clumps in your sauce. Turn the heat off once the sauce thickens, don't worry if you think it's still too runny as it will continue to thicken as it cools.

~BONUS~

Reuben Sandwich
Adapted from allrecipes.com

rye bread (or in my case sourdough worked quite well too)
corned beef
sauerkraut, drained
mayonnaise or thousand island dressing (traditionally a Russian dressing is used)
Swiss cheese
butter, for the bread

Basically you butter the outside of the bread (so it will go nice and brown when toasted) then spread the mayonnaise. Add the Swiss cheese, then corned beef, then the sauerkraut and if you like top it with another layer of cheese. You can add as much or as little of the ingredients and place in under the sandwich press until golden brown. Don't worry if you don't have a sandwich press you can put it under your oven grill or worse case a non-stick frying pan.

vanilla cupcakes

The very first thing I was going to bake after the accident involving my finger was going to be something special... I had promised a friend who lives in Chicago that I would bake her a Black Forest Cake for her birthday. I had pretty much everything I needed except cherries... you would think this was something most supermarkets kept. Cherries in a jar but apparently not! So the next best thing I could think of whilst pushing my trolley down the supermarket aisle were cupcakes!!

If you scroll down to the recipe you know why these cupcakes are going to be delicious... butter!! My recent arch-nemesis is the reason why these cupcakes are super moist, buttery which is so pleasantly offset by the lemon rind. And the icing? It's like butter~ I did have a few issues with the icing being too runny (even after I added more icing sugar). Plus I have never really used piping to decorate before, how hard can it be right??? It's waaaaaaaaaaaay harder that it looks! I told my husband the cheap piping I purchased at the supermarket was to blame, which I bought so I could practice before I was able to convince him to buy me a set from Wilton as part of my birthday gift. Which then turned into a discussion about the 'list' I had of things I wanted this year... yes there is a list but only because every other year I didn't really want anything. He thinks an apartment in NYC is at the top of my list-HA! Not that I would complain... but he has no idea that I am a lot easier to please than he thinks. Anyway I'm getting sidetracked here... so Kathy this one is for you- I promise I will still make you a Black Forest Cake!!

Vanilla Cupcakes
Adapted from Greg Patent "Baking In America"

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract zest of
1 lemon (optional)
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) plain flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
Buttercream Frosting
2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk or light cream assorted food colors

Preheat oven to 180°C and line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time making sure you beat them well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and beat well.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Evenly fill the cupcake liners with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp knife, before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the frosting with desired food color.

Makes about 12 cupcakes

ouch!! my finger...!!!

There is a good reason to my recent absence ... its called chopping my finger off with a knife (ok so I am exaggerating a little... its was only the top 3mm of my middle left finger). But honest to god I have never felt such pain!!!! Considering my pain tolerance is pretty close to non-existent and I've never broken anything or required stitches (apart from when I got my wisdom teeth out... does that count??). I'm even more embarrassed to admit to how this accident occurred...

Ladies and gentlemen... I was cutting cold butter!! Yes, butter would you believe?!!? The staple of almost all baking recipes... I have learnt a few lessons:
1) don't cut COLD butter using a serrated knife
2) put the butter in the microwave to soften

3) don't attempt to whip up a weekend breakfast for my husband in a rush...(perhaps I should just forget cooking him breakfast all together..)
4) did I mention never trying to cut cold butter with a serrated knife??

I will eventually get to the recipe that I was attempting to make but I'm still trying to fish for sympathy (considering I got none from my staff... the chefs all laughed at me and said 'that's nothing' then continued to tell me about the numerous time they had to place a colleagues finger in an icebox...blah blah blah). People I got 3 stitches!! And I was in a bandage!?!? My finger is never going to look the same!!! My doctor so kindly offered to refer me to a plastic surgeon... surely that is sympathy worthy?!?!?

(this picture is from the Sunday Magazine and is not made by me)

Now to the recipe, I'm not sure I am game enough to tell you... because you may lose faith in me as a 'wannabe' cook. Not only did I cut my finger cutting COLD butter (the word cold must be bolded and underlined for effect) but I was trying to make Ricotta & Honey Pancakes (to use up the left over ricotta cheese from the baked ricotta cheese cake I made the night before)!!! These are so much better than regular pancakes, they are moist with a hint of ricotta, lemon and honey.Fabulous for that special weekend breakfast or brunch... and PLEASE don't be put off by making this just because you are going to miss the tip of my finger just as much as I will!


Ricotta and Honey Hotcakes
Adapted from Sunday Magazine (recipe by Donna Hay)

3/4 cup plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
11/2 tbs caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
11/2 tbs honey
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup milk
butter, for greasing
honey, extra to serve
icing sugar, to serve
lemon wedge, to serve


Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the egg yolks, ricotta, honey, lemon rind and milk and mix to combine. Place the eggwhites in another bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold through the flour mixture. Heat a large, lightly greased, non-stick frying pan over low heat. Cook 2 tablespoonfuls of the mixture for 2 -3mins on each side or until puffed and golden. Repeat with the remaining mixutre. Drizzle with extra honey and dust with icing sugar. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 8.

baked ricotta cheesecake with marsala raisins

The best baked ricotta cheesecake in Sydney is without doubt at Pasticceria Papa in Haberfield. I know many of you will agree with me that there is nothing that beats their ricotta cake, for me it's almost worth traveling the odd 20km distance just to have a slice. But every so often you just can't afford that luxury of being stuck in traffic for over an hour, just so you can have a slice that will only cost you $4.50... (I end up paying more than double just in tolls!!). I have tried the power of persuasion and a lot of charm to get the waiter to spill the beans on this secret recipe, he just laughed and told me I was one in hundreds if not thousands that have tried. I am also too scared to try any imitation recipe out there only to be disappointed by the end result so I stick to ordering it off a dessert menu when I'm out only to be met by a 'cheap' imitations (and I use that word loosely, there aren't too many places in Sydney that charge you less than $5.00 for a slice of cake these days).

Then I came across this recipe, yes it was a baked ricotta cheesecake but there was a twist! Raisins soaked it Marsala wine- it excited me so much that I emailed myself the recipe and scribble the ingredients on paper and off I went to the shops after the restaurant had closed, at 10:30pm... call me crazy but I love to bake late at night, I enjoy going to bed when the whole house smells like a patisserie. But one word of warning... just to give you an idea how long this cake took without scaring you too much, I ended up going to bed just before 4am (that's my own fault entirely). These cakes were a hit with everyone, even those who aren't fans of raisins. The cream cheese gives the cake a smoother texture (as you'll find many ricotta only cakes are a little grainy) and the marsala wine definitely makes this cake for adults only.

So replace the marsala with OJ if making this to suit the kids and don't forget to give yourself enough time if you plan to impress your dinner guests with this cake, I highly recommend you bake it the night before.

Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

with Marsala Raisins
Adapted from taste.com

260g (1 1/2 cups) raisins
80ml (1/3 cup) marsala or port
120g sponge finger biscuits, coarsely chopped
800g fresh ricotta

500g cream cheese, at room temperature
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
icing sugar, to dust

Combine the raisins and marsala or port in a small bowl and set aside for 1 hour to macerate. Preheat oven to 160°C. Release the base from a 24cm (base measurement) spring form pan and invert. Line the base with non-stick baking paper, allowing the edges to overhang (I know this looks strange but trust me, it will make it so much easier to transfer the cake from the tin onto a plate). Secure the base back in the pan. Spread the biscuit evenly over the base.

Use an electric beater to beat the ricotta, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and well combined. Add the raisin mixture and eggs, and beat until well combined. Pour the ricotta mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Tap the pan on the bench top several times to settle the mixture to get rid of any air bubbles.

Place the pan on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the cheesecake is just set in the centre and light golden. Turn the oven off.

Leave the cheesecake in the oven, do not open the door until cooled completely (you will notice a slight crack in my cake, that is because the original recipe said to leave the oven door ajar whilst the cake is cooling- I knew better than to listen to what they said from previous cheesecakes I have made. I blame it on the fact that it was well after midnight by the time the cake was ready. So to avoid cracks in your cake don't be tempted to open the oven door). Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-5 hours or overnight to chill. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a serving platter. Dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges to serve.

chocolate and raspberry macaroon tarts

For some reason the first thing that comes to mind when I think coconut is summer... maybe I relate the smell to the days I used to spend all day by the beach sunbaking with coconut tanning oil (that is a big NO NO these days!!). Come to think of it, I'm always lathering myself with coconut body butter in summer, sometimes I sneak it on in winter in anticipation of the warmer months ahead.

So it's no wonder the amazing Sydney winter is to blame, the 20Cº plus weather, the sun shining everyday or the fact that we're already nearing the end of August which means summer is not too far around the corner, that has inspired me to bake something using coconut.

I have to say this tart is a lot of fun to make- you will find out why later! These pictures don't do them justice, perhaps that's to do more with my lack of photography skills but for me to try and describe the taste won't just do either... heck I'm not a writer but I will give it a shot: It's a beautiful combination of subtle coconut fragrance with the texture which adds another depth to the smooth dark chocolate that's not too sweet yet sweet enough to compliment the fruitiness of the raspberry (how was that??). If that hasn't convinced you take my word for it- you gotta give this recipe a go, your friends will love you for it... that is if you can stop yourself from devouring them all!

Chocolate & Raspberry Macaroon Tarts
Adapted from Donna Hay"off the shelf: cooking from the pantry"

3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups desiccated coconut
filling
1/2 cup (4 fl oz) cream125g (4 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
2 tbsp self raising flour, sifted
200g (7 oz) raspberries * you can use frozen raspberries

Preheat the oven to 140Cº (280Fº). Combine the egg whites, sugar and coconut to make the macaroon mixture (the best way to do this I think is by hand- grab a big enough bowl and get your hands dirty. The texture and the smell of the coconut will bring a smile to your face, followed by uncontrollable giggling... just means you're having fun!!) and divide between 6 x 8cm (31/4 in) well oiled tart tins with a removable bases. Press firmly over the base and sides. Bake for 25 - 30mins or until the macaroon is firm (note: just be careful that you don't burn the macaroons, a little color is ok but once they're filled they need to go back into the oven so you don't want to burn them. Time will vary too if you choose a smaller tart tin).

To make the filling, place the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until smooth. Set aside. In the meantime place the eggs, sugar in a bowl and using an electric mixer beat until light and creamy. Fold through the flour and chocolate mixture. Spoon the mixture into the macaroon shells and top with the raspberries. Bake at 160Cº (325Fº) for 25mins or until the filling is just firm (note: again this will vary so keep an eye out- the mixture will raise a little). Cool in the tin. Serves 6.

*Note: I made some extra batch in a muffin tray and I have to admit even though I didn't bother to take a photo of them, aesthetically they looked better made in a muffin tray. It gives the tart a more modern touch rather than the traditional ridged edges of a tart tin... if you know what I mean.

my barista's biscotti

My barista (yes I have my own baristas-that's right more than one, jealous???) not only does he make the best coffee in the world and I will stand by that comment, he also makes delicious biscottis to go with my coffee... I know I'm spoilt!! Nothing beats the crunchy texture of these twice baked Italian cookies. Beautiful on its own... even better dunked in your espresso. So when I was looking for a recipe I knew the guy to go to.

Almond Biscotti
Kindly donated by my barista

1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup whole raw almonds
3 eggs
3 tsp honey/golden syrup
1 tsp mixed spice (I didn't have any in my cupboard so I replaced it with cinnamon)
40g melted butter



Preheat oven to 170Cº. Sift the flours into bowl, add everything else and mix.

Shape into two logs, roughly 10 x 20cm on baking tray (you can make them any size you want). Be sure to wet your hands when you make the logs - it's quite a dry/sticky mixture and otherwise becomes annoying to handle.

Bake for 30-35mins (I found that my logs *see image above* were a little too big, as I wanted mine to be bite size so I cut them in half after they were baked). Let it cool completely and reduce oven to 150Cº. Once the log has cooled slice them as thin as you like. If they are still warm the log are going to be too soft and crumbly and will fall apart when you try to cut it.

Put cut biscotti back onto tray and cook another 15mins or until crisp.


*Suggestions: you can do a chocolate and pistachio version, just swap the almonds for pistachios and the 1 cup plain flour for 3/4 cup plain flour + 1/4 cup good cocoa (and remove the mixed spice).