This cake doesn’t rise much but the crumb is so soft and rich (I guess this is what happens when you throw in an extra egg and more butter). It’s one of those every-day, not overly sweet cakes you can make from ingredients you’d have around, like frozen berries and Greek yoghurt. It’s super easy to[read more…]
I often make sweet baked loaves, in fact, they’re a staple in our freezer for morning teas and things. But the other day I thought about making a savoury loaf, a type of quick bread, something spicy and warm to have on cold mornings with butter or with a bowl of steamy hot soup. So because[read more…]
Galettes are a super easy, delicious way to make pie, basically. A few years back I made a cherry and peach galette which turned out to be one of my favourites desserts. However. Ahem. This is what happens when you use too many raspberries. I had 400g of raspberries left over in the freezer and thought I’d just throw them[read more…]
I suppose this would be called a coffee cake in the US; I love that name actually, coffee cake always brings to mind sunny, friendly mornings with friends. In this case, it’s a morning tea cake, rustic, plump and soft, perfect to freeze if you prefer, to take to work buttered for morning breaks or to have at home when you[read more…]
These little savoury tarts are so fresh, easy and light, they’re perfect for a summer day, lunch with a girlfriend or a romantic starter with a glass of wine (and I know it’s winter here but I make them all the time and anyway, El Niño).
Nutella and banana on toast is a no-brainer but in baked French toast is even better. You’ll need about an hour’s advance planning to make this but it’s so worth it. Rather than the crispy, pan cooked French toast I’m used to (which is fabulous by the way), this lush, gorgeous dish ends up pleasantly crunchy[read more…]
I’ve heard a lot of negative remarks about the humble little muesli bar lately … too much sugar! Additives! You may as well drink a can of coke! etc etc. Poor muesli bars, being a child of the 80s I’ve always liked them and if you buy a brand which is quite healthy and lower[read more…]
Tim Tams. Are they available in lots of other countries other than Australia? You’re missing out if they’re not! Tim Tams have gotten me through many a break-up and Swotvac week in my teens and 20s and I’ll always be fond of them. There are all sorts of fancy flavours these days but my favourite is the[read more…]
I spotted these lemon crème crumb bars from Cooking Classy via Pinterest the other day, and thought how delicious they looked (and sounded! There’s just something about the word crème). This slice is really gorgeous. A creamy, decadent filling with crunchy, sweet topping and a base which is reminiscent of ANZAC bikkies and also, so so easy to make. It’s very hard[read more…]
So I made a cake a while back. I am very fond of cake however don’t make them that often because I tend to go overboard and have two pieces in one go. The spices in this cake are lovely and reminiscent of Chai flavours with fresh strawberries and a crunchy topping. This cake is really nice on its own; fluffy[read more…]
I make muffins quite often to freeze for morning teas and such, so thought I’d use some blackberries I had in the freezer and a few limes left over from gin and tonics on a recent weekend to bake some summer inspired, vegan little cakes. There really isn’t any difference between these and muffins using eggs and dairy; they[read more…]
In honour of Australia Day on Sunday, 26th January 2014, I thought I’d make two Australian traditional baked goods in one; lamingtons and butterfly cakes. These soft little cakes are filled with thick cream and sweet jam and topped with fudgy chocolate icing and flakes of coconut. I’m not sure if lamingtons are just one of[read more…]
Jelly beans aren’t usually an addition to baked goods however I bought some Christmas jelly beans (red, green and white obv) and thought they’d look pretty studded into some white chocolate blondies for the season. You could, of course, add whichever candy you prefer if jelly beans aren’t your thing (they’re my lollies of choice usually ) but[read more…]
In support of Nigella, whom I love (and I won’t hear a bad word about her, or read it for that matter), I thought I’d make one of her classics on the weekend. I really enjoyed the combination of chocolate and lime in this! Also, this recipe is pretty basic in that there’s no flour or sour cream[read more…]
Guess who purchased a fancy new madeleine tin?! I’m a sucker for cake tins and when I spotted this one I decided I had to have it. I’d never tried madeleines before but their description here of “elegant cakes shaped like scallop shells are the perfect thing with a cup of light, floral French tea” really appealed[read more…]
A while back I made scones using cream which worked out really well and yesterday, a breezy, sunny Saturday morning which was marred only slightly by having to vote in our federal election, I thought I’d use some leftover Greek yoghurt to make some scones. Happily it had the same effect as the cream did;[read more…]
It seemed like a chocolate day so I made some chocolate cupcakes for absolutely no reason at all. Is there anything better than biting into a soft, squidgy cupcake and getting icing all over your face? I don’t think so! The batter in this recipe is very thick but it somehow results in a soft crumbed, tender,[read more…]
I felt like something super lemony the other day, you know? So these little cakes are fluffy, soft and citrusy with a buttery streusel topping; they’re perfect with a cup of coffee. I just love lemon desserts with coffee, it seems a perfect match. Of course, I couldn’t leave well enough alone so I made lemon butter to go with[read more…]
I love these tasty little pastries – if you make them for a group of people, as I have, watch them disappear. There’s just something about sweet and spicy minced meat, melted cheese and flaky pastry which appeals to party people and adding some mango chutney was a perfect combination. The great thing is that you can[read more…]
I realise a lot, if not most people, wouldn’t have nut roll tins in their cupboards. I also realise that this traditional Australian recipe is really old fashioned, in fact my grandmother used to make these when I was a kid. Despite that, I love this cake precisely because of it’s lack of foodie coolness, and[read more…]
I’m on a bit of a Bill Granger kick at the moment. So I spotted Bill’s rather tropical sounding cake online a while back and was keen to try it, as most of the dry ingredients are from ground macadamia nuts and there’s no dairy, including butter. The fat comes from beaten egg yolks and you[read more…]
I baked this pretty, tender-crumbed, berry studded, lemon scented bundt cake a few weeks months ago and loved it. Let’s face it, lemon is the new chocolate; chocolate will always be my first love however lemon has become so much a part of my cooking repertoire, it’s hard to imagine life without it. The first time I made[read more…]
The toasted walnut crunch combined with soft little sweet berries is a delicious, if unusual combination in this loaf cake. It tastes fantastic toasted under the grill and served with butter (but doesn’t everything really?) and it has a lovely soft texture. I toasted the walnuts after tossing them through a little maple syrup for some added crunch and sweetness,[read more…]
I love fig season! It’s so short but they’re such a luxurious treat at a time when most fruit and vegies are available year round. It’s worth hunting them down and I always use them as an opportunity to whip up some lovely treats. And while figs are pretty special raw, caramelised down slowly, they become soft[read more…]
Hee hee. I’ve always wanted to bake a giant cookie. A few years ago, in lieu of a birthday cake for a good friend from uni, I purchased a giant chocolate chip cookie with Happy Birthday iced over the top. I remember sitting on the steps outside a bookstore in the city waiting to meet up with him holding the[read more…]
Blackberries are my new favourite berry; I just love their lush darkness and how purply sweet they become after baking. Sprinkled over this soft, fluffy cake with a crunchy streusel topping they were lovely. When I first made this cake, I was all about the full fat sour cream (and it is a sour cream[read more…]
The other day I spotted Alexandra Nea, The Art of Afternoon Tea, a delightful space with gorgeously creative illustrations and delicious recipes. Alex is a fashion designer, collector of beautiful things, an illustrator of food, fashion, bridal and still life, and her work has been published in many high profile magazines and websites (who doesn’t love a bit of Downton Abbey-style[read more…]
I love this combination of cookie – little tart yet sweet dried cranberries and a burst of candy sweetness from white chocolate. I prefer these cookies chewy with chunks of white chocolate because there’s just something really messily decadent about those uneven chocolate pieces. No neat little cookies for me, I’m a giant cookie girl. Not that[read more…]
Rustic, spicy and pear studded describes this winter inspired loaf perfectly although it’s far from perfect looking. I’m not the neatest cook ever! Despite this, I love the soft, fragrant crumb and crunchy crust combined with fresh pieces of pear and toasted pecans. It’s delicious with butter and is best on the day it’s baked however is also lovely toasted[read more…]
I’m really very enamored with brioche pudding these days. This one’s full of squishy blueberries and crunchy almonds and was gorgeous with a drizzle of cream. I’m amazed actually, that a tiny bit of effort with a bit of bread; albeit lovely and luxurious brioche (I used a frozen one I made previously but you could always buy it from a[read more…]
