Biscuits, Cookies and Slices: Brown Sugar Sanwiches with Raspberry Icing

Brown Sugar Sanwiches with Raspberry Icing

These are so yummy. They are melting moments (one of my favorite cookies) but instead of being made with icing sugar they are with brown sugar. Try making them but make sure you dissolve the sugar! Mmm fill with raspberry frosting (made using real raspberries!).

Kangaroos in Warrnambool

Dear Foodies,

Believe it or not there are in fact other parts of Australia that are delicious. I found a few on Victoria's Great Ocean Road during my travels in Oz. For example, Warrnambool (population 33,000), a 3.5 hour drive from Melbourne, can boast not one but two McDonald’s, a KFC, a Hungry Jacks and a couple of chippies. Ah, fine dining at its best!

But in all foodie seriousness, Warrnambool and its surrounding towns do feature some divine cuisinal venues. For example, Ramella’s Café in Port Fairy, very formerly an Irish Whaling station. Well worth the drive to Port Fairy, definitely some of the best Mediterranean food I’ve digested recently. My Travelling Companion (my mother, yet again) and I each had a penne dish with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, black olives, fresh basil and parmesan. And it wasn’t an ordinary medium sized dish; Ramella’s presented us with huge bowls of pasta that we struggled to get through. 

Ramella’s also has a Very Large Dessert Cabinet which we stood in front of for a few minutes before deciding on: the classic chocolate mud cake and a raspberry cheesecake; both were extremely delicious. The restaurant is a former 1900s shop complete with original leadlights and fittings that are accompanied by some very interesting decorations of a Mediterranean origin. It contributed to a relaxing vibe despite the increasing busyness. The staff were lovely, quite chatty but also very patient (especially when we were negotiating the Very Large Dessert Cabinet!). Having since done some research, Ramella’s even makes Lonely Planet’s Top 12 things to do in Port Fairy (… at #12… but still!) and #8345 of things to do in the Pacific…. Hm.  

Back in Warrnambool some pretty decent pizza was to be found at Fiesta, Italian owners and over twenty different pizza toppings and calzone dishes all so mouth-watering!

Some of the Remaining Twelve Apostles along Victoria's Great Ocean Road

Continuing along the Great Ocean Road, you’ll want to check out the Twelve Apostles (ha ha, no -not Lonely Planet’s Top 12), large remnants of land that once formed part of the shoreline. But on the way you’re probably thinking that you should try some Australian fish ‘n chips. So you stop in Port Campbell at the famous Frying Nemo –yes, you read that correctly and yes, they do have a Facebook page –and order calamari squid rings, flounder and a good scoop of chips to dine upon at the beach. Unfortunately for us (and for poor Nemo), the chips had been overcooked and there was a long wait for it –two staff members at 6pm is just silly. I must add that this fish ‘n chip shop was recommended to us repeatedly so perhaps it was just a bad night for them.

And there you have it, food on the Great Ocean Road (ha ha, no I’m not counting the kangaroo roadkill -it wasn’t fresh).

Bon appetit!

-Laura

Baking: Coconut Chocolate Cupcakes/Cake

Coconut Chocolate Cupcakes/Cake
This post was from the friday cupcake party...

One of my dear friends and past flatmates was not only dairy-free but soy also. Therefore this made it very difficult when going out to cafes and restaurants, as soy is often used as a replacement for diary (i.e. soy milk instead of normal milk). 

When my current flatmates and I decided to put on a little party at the end of the year I we thought a little about what we could bake that would include everyone.

One of the items we choose were various types of cupcakes, and to make the cheating chocolate cake recipe I often make.

Kath (my dear friend) is dairy-free so we decided to replace the buttermilk with coconut milk. I tried it out as a cake and Heather LOVE LOVE LOVED it. However you will see here it was made in cupcake form (note the icing has salad oil instead of butter substituted in it).

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
1/2 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Water

was substituted for the Quickest Easiest One Bowl and Spoon Chocolate Cake's buttermilk/oil and water

Sneak peak at my Flats Friday Night Drinks Cupcakes

Laura, Myself and Heather

(Quality control)

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Melbourne

Buona sera, my name is Laura and I will be your blogger for the night. 

The delights of Melbourne are many and as varied as there are flavours of ice cream. Amongst the city's beautiful architecture, hidden boutiques and pristine galleries there are also the edible treats that deserve a tasting when one is in town for the week or even just for the day.

I was lucky enough to be in Melbourne for two days and the city did much for all my senses; the general atmosphere was buzzing with life and excitement for the region's Spring Racing Carnival and the Rugby World Cup (ha ha, suckers). Arriving after a three and a half hour train journey, my travelling companion and I scoped out Grill'd, a burger joint for a late dinner. We both chose the "Front Bar" steak sandwich and our needs were quickly and deliciously fulfilled. Free range eggs, rocket, tomato, spanish onion, mustard, beetroot and mayo on a fresh and large loaf of ciabatta. The staff at the Degraves Street (one of the city's hidden lanes) location were jovial and the atmosphere was... shall we say "hopping?" My only gripe for Grill'd was a lack of stable tables. Hm. A lot of seat swapping occurred as a result.

Tiamo

Breakfast Day One: brioche and a hot chocolate from one of the many, many bakeries at the Queen Victoria Market. Buzzing like a hornet's nest and filled with the scents of various foods and flavours, we stumbled through the crowds just to find something to sit on, but the experience was still vastly enjoyable and full of many people-watching opportunities. Inside the main building are sections of stalls that sell just about anything that you can think of and more! Needless to say, with our empty stomachs, we didn't linger around the fresh meat section for long! A whole day could easily be spent there and I look forward to exploring the market further when I'm there next.

Featuring in my lunch was another of the aforementioned brioche loaves and a couple of litres of water -walking around Melbourne on a hot Spring day sure has its perks!

Dinner and everything that follows: Lygon Street, Carlton, North Melbourne. A precinct unlike any other. Italian restaurant after Italian restaurant lines the street and it's difficult to choose where to spend your money. We settled for Tiamo and despite a twenty minute wait, it was so worth it. I scoffed down a mushroom, Spanish olive, parmesan and ham pizza while my erstwhile companion (a.k.a. my mother) opted for carbonara. The service, while stretched to the limit and running around like headless chickens, was fine -all part of the experience in my view and providing some Italian authenticity!

View from Brunetti's, City Square [do excuse the tents =the Wall Street protests]

One of Tiamo's attractions is its delightful neighbour, Readings, a bookshop which is open until 11pm most nights and after spending more money here, we hoofed it across the road to Brunetti's for some coffee. My mother had told me that we were just going to have coffee and as such, I was expecting a low-key cafe with mellow music and relaxed staff. Brunetti's is not like that, at all. When you first enter you are in the bar, a long room that serves every kind of coffee and hot and cold beverage you can think of. Next is the room of the macarons, pastries and gelatos (or should that be gelati?). Finally, there is the room of cakes, tarts and chocolates. The picture that these sections produce is sensational -needless to say, I did not want to leave. Every table was full, customers and staff seemed to be having a ball and of course, the food and drinks were splendid. 

Brunetti's is a Melbourne institution, where you can go for a shot of chilli hot chocolate or a tiramisu tart and a fresh danish. They conveniently have a cute wee branch in Melbourne's City Square (Flinders Lane) and in the city's Myer store.

It is easy to get carried away in ordering dessert here, one must have standards after all -we selected two of five different treats and took a chilli hot chocolate with us.

Afternoon tea at Brunetti's, City Sq.

Brunetti's Lygon St. Precint

Breakfast Day Two: was late. We decided to go to the National Gallery of Victoria, hoping like crazy that there was a cafe there. We had tea and coffee with our breakfast at NGV's Gallery Kitchen: museli and a tomato, ham and cheese toasted sandwich -average but edible. Unfortunately for this "new look" cafe, it was deathly quiet and the staff not so welcoming. The cafe itself is filling a random space in the gallery near the ground floor's plaza so it felt a little lost. Some music would not be out of place, nor would an improved breakfast menu.

Macarons at Lindt

Lunch: Brunetti's in City Square. Delicious! Velvety Italian hot chocolates, a blackcurrent macaron, and filled croissant.

Afternoon tea: the Lindt cafe. Lovely and rather posh-nosh (compared to Brunetti's anyway) but still worth a visit.

And so, that was what, how and where I ate in Melbourne. I look forward to my next trip there when I hope to explore the Chinatown and Greek precincts and write all about it on Chloe's wonderful blog.

Ciao!

Baking: Nanny's Chocolate Cake

Nanny's Chocolate Cake

This is a fabulously easy recipe!

Ingredients:
115g Butter
1 Teascup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Dessertspoons Cocoa
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
1 Teacup and 1 Tablespoon Flour
Pinch Salt
1/2 Cup Boiling Water

1. Preheat oven to 160C

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add each egg one at a time, beating after each addition.

4. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.

5. Add water and beat well, before turning out into a greased cake pan.

6. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until when a skewer is put in, it comes out clean.

I heart you

I made this cake for my flatmate Laura. In fact i am waiting right now, to go and pick her up from the airport from her first overseas trip ever (to Melbourne). This is her welcome home cake.

I was given the tin from a dear friend of mine Lisa for my birthday and I have been yet to really utilise it, however I must say it is amazing! The cake I made was using my Nanny's (my mother's mother) Chocolate Cake recipe. It brought back many memories, as it was perhaps the first recipe (after scrambled eggs and corn fritters) I ever mastered.

My school friends will be particularly well acquainted with this chocolate cake recipe as it was my fallback recipe throughout high school. I will post the recipe tomorrow!

Carter told me that the heart shaped cake was so cool and that he wanted one when he was in NZ at Christmas!

Cake Wreaks

I am loving this website! Not that I saying I am much better than most of these... but these are suppose to be mostly professional! Have a look!

http://www.cakewrecks.com/

Baking: More Southern Craving Red Velvet Cupcakettes

More Sourthern Craving Red Velvet Cupcakettes

I fear I maybe missing Carter, as this is the second "southern" delicacy I have made in a week! This time instead of using my usual Red Velvet Cake recipe I used the following Red Velvet Cupcakette recipe which works perfectly for 24 little mouthfuls of heaven.

Ingredients:

2.5 Cup Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

2 Teaspoons Red Food Colouring

1/2 Cup Butter, Softened, Chopped

1.5 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence

1 Cup Buttermilk - If I don't have buttermilk I use 1 Cup milk and 2 Teaspoons Vinegar left to sit for half an hour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1. Preheat oven to 180C

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition.

4. Beat in vanilla and food colouring, then dry ingredients (minus baking soda) until just combined.

5. In a separate jug mix baking soda into buttermilk, then pour buttermilk mix into other ingredients and stir until just combined.

6. Put teaspoonfuls of mixture into greased mini muffin tins and bake for 10 minutes.

7. Pipe on cream-cheese butter cream icing to finish.

Yes I decided to make the icing pink for a few...I thought was kinda cute

Baking: Southern Biscuits

Southern Biscuits

After being corrected by Carter every time I offered him a Ginger Biscuit when we were in NZ or Aust, I finally got to try a Southern Biscuit. They are traditionally served with gravy, however I tried them for breakfast filled with Southern Fried Chicken. I will be honest it was delish, however possibly not so good for my waistline! It tasted like a cross between scone and dinner bread roll. I decided to try and make these myself, after a good half hour of googling. 

Ingredients:
2.5 Cups Flour
2 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Egg

1. Preheat oven to 200C.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl, the grate in cold butter. 

3. In a separate bowl whisk together egg and milk.

4. Add the milk mix to the dry ingredients anmix untill just combined.

5. Turn out on a floured bench and roll or pat out untilis about 1.5cm thick.

6. Cut out rounds and place on a baking paper lined tray.

7. Brush with milk or a milk/egg mix and bake for approximately 10 minutes until risen and golden brown.  

Baking:Jaffa Cupcakes

Jaffa Cupcakes

I love the fact that cupcakes are so fast, easy to make and you can easily experiment with them. Below I made jaffa cupcakes (they would be perfect I think if they were topped each with a Jaffa, but oh well).

To make them, I used the rosewater teacake recipe, however i subtracted the rosewater from the cake recipe and added 2 tablespoons of Cointreau and 2 dessertspoons of dutched cocoa. Also to the icing i substituted a few tablespoons of water for orange juice and 2 for Cointreau (oh and I also use a little food colouring...).

Baking: Break-Up Cake

Break-up Cake

Most people claim their "break-up" cake (or comfort food) is a heavy chocolate torte, however I love this lemon curd cake. A fat wedge warmed and accompanied with some low fat natural yogurts and a dollop of lemon curd it is delish!

Ingredients:
250g Butter
3 Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Heaped Teaspoons Lemon Curd
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Water
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1. Preheat oven to 170C.

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in an electric mixer.

3. Add eggs one at time to butter mixture, then lemon curd and golden syrup and mix well. 

4. Add flour and baking powder and mix until almost combined, then add water and mix until combined.

5. Pour mixture into a 20cm tin (which is greased and the bottom is baking paper lined).

6. Bake for 40 -50 mins until a cake tester comes out clean. 

Heather's Pretty Little Cupcakes

My flatmate Heather has recently become a cupcake godness. These were her most recent attempt for the recent "crush" (not that she will admit it). Aren' they cute!

A cold white day in Christchurch

Last weekend I was in the US and was experiencing temperatures 30C +. This weekend I am in NZ and have been experiencing temperatures of 0C -. I think when its cold outside some simple food defiantly serves as comfort food.

Heather, my flatmate and I decided our comfort food was marshmallows, hot chocolate and afghans. The following depicts our cold Sunday evening, plus I threw in some pictures of my snowman which I made (as Uni was closed for the day).

10.30pm Heather roasting Marshmallows in our fire, while watch The Good Wife (a perfect chilly Sunday night in)

Our letterbox, a little snowed under

11.45pm Sunday night - Heather came and got me out of bed to see the pretty powder outside

The street covered in snow (was much thicker the next morning when we woke up).

After a lazy day inside in front of the fire, I decided to clear off the deck and make a snowman.

Note: His mouth = a wedge of onion, his eyes = rasins and his nose = a garlic clove

Baking: Brioche

Brioche

After coming back from the States I craved some homemade bread. The bread in the US seemed sweet no matter if it was a white dinner roll or burger bun. Ironically enough this brioche recipe has very little sugar, despite being what I think of as a dessert bread. To be honest I quite enjoyed the less sweet verison.

This is my favourite bread to make french toast from, so that is excatly what I did with mine!

Ingredients:
2 Heaped Teaspoons Sugar
2 Teaspoons Dried Activated Yeast
1/4 Cup Water, Warm
4 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Milk, Warm
3 Eggs, Lightly Beaten
150g Butter, Softened
1 Egg Yolk, Beaten

1. Place sugar, yeast and water in a large bowl and leave for five to ten minutes.

2. Add milk, eggs and salt to water mixture, then half mix in flour.

3. Add butter and mix until just combined.

4. Turn out onto floured surface and  kneed until fully butter combined into mixture.

5. Place in a oiled (I use baking spray) glass/cermanic bowl and leave in a warm place for at least an hour.

6. Lightly knock down the dough and place in a oiled loaf tin to bake (or you can divide recipe by 12 and place into individual brioche moulds).

7. Allow to rise again, for at least 30 minutes in a warm place.

8. Brush the top with egg yolk.

9. Bake in a 180C oven for approximately 30 minutes, until just firm and a crust has formed (if making individual brioche bake for approximately 15 minutes).

Mains: Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

When I was in Tampa, Florida. Carter's Mum, Sylvia, bought the largest pizza I think I have ever seen home for a late night dinner (after an exhaustive day of shopping (I had lots of fun, however I am not sure Carter felt quite the same way)).

After getting home I decided I wanted to replicate it (however at a smaller scale, as the pizza she brought home wouldn't even fit in our oven!). I found this recipe for pizza dough in Julie Le Clerc's Simple Cafe Food. Usually I would use a bread maker however at the flat we don't have that luxury. It was a fabulous recipe, however I would recommed rolling it out thin, so you can fold it while eating it (like we did in Tampa). Also don't add to much topping as this detracts from the magic of a pizza.

The photo shows the dough just before I rolled it out thinner.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Water, Warm
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Active Yeast
4 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1. Place water, sugar and yeast in a bowl and place in a warm place for five to ten minutes.

2. Mix flour, salt and olive oil into water mixture, then turn out onto a floured surface.

3. Knead dough for approximately five minutes until a frim dough is established.

4. Place dough in an oiled (I use baking spray) glass/ceramic bowl and leave in a warm place for at least 30 minutes.

5. Knead/roll out into pizza bases and place your choice of toppings on top.

6. Bake at 200C for approximately 20 minutes until the crust is golden.

Capitol, Wellington

Yesterday Lucinda and I enjoyed an early Sunday brunch at 9.30am at Capitol (this is when Capitol opens on a Sunday). We were their first customers!

I had a delish french toast with salmon, cream fraish and capers and Lucinda baked eggs with white beans and chorizo. We both finished with a second strong coffee and a Florentine.

A perfect early Sunday morning!

I have been to Capitol often for brunch and dinner. I believe that it defiantly boosts the best brunch and perhaps the best casual dinner in Wellington.

The photo is not my friend and won't post the correct way up!

Mains: Osso Bucco

Osso Bucco

I will be honest, I had never heard of this until Carter requested it (it is a famous Italian dish).

I am not a huge fan of slabs of meat however I have made this various times for Carter and other guests (including my brother, mother and father). I will say the saucy vegetable mix which the meat is cooked in is delish (and even though I am not a meat fan it was pretty good too). My favourite part is the risotto, however Carter will argue that the risotto does not even compete with the meaty goodness. Have a try and you decide!

 

Chop Roughly

3 Medium Onion

½ Green Pepper

½ Red Pepper
3 Carrots, Peeled
3 Stalks Celery
6 Cloves Garlic


50g  Butter
1/3 Cup White Wine 
1/3 Cup Brandy
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
2 Cans of Crushed Italian Tomatoes
1 Sprig Rosemary

4 Sprigs Thyme

2 Bay Leaves

1 Teaspoon Mixed Herbs

2 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Cloves Garlic
Good Squeeze Lemon
Handful Parsley

1. Preheat oven to 160C.

2. Place chopped vegetables into a fry pan with the butter and sautee.

3. Add rest of ingredients minus the meat to pan and heat until warm.

4. Place meat in a casserole dish with a lid and pour liquid and vegetables over the top.

5. Cook in the oven for about 2.5 - 3 hours until the meat is almost falling off the bone

6. Chop parsley up very finely with garlic then combine with lemon juice.

7. Serve with a white wine and fennel risotto and a small serve of parsley mix on top

Gingercrunch Bread

Something a little strange.


I love both gingerbread and gingercrunch so I thought I might mix it up and try it out.

The gingerbread is the bottom layer, then the base of the ginger crunch was crumbled on top and baked. Then the icing was drizzled over. 

Perhaps these would be better if they were in muffin tins instead of a large cake pan. Either way the taste and mix of textures are fantasic.

Playing with Powder

I had another play with the Fresh As freeze dried fruit powder. I can tell you it is delicious in the butter cream filling of these melting moments. I tried both strawberry and passionfruit. Both were fabulous! I only used approx 1.5 teaspoons for a double batch of cookies.

Other ideas of how to use freeze dried fruit powder:

- I have used it in meringue mixture (I used black current), however this I find makes them a little chewy. I prefer to sprinkle it on top before cooking to add a hint of flavour

- Use it to flavour cream

- Restaurants often add a dusting or sprinkle of powder to either decorate the plate or add a hint of flavour.

- Use it to flavour cream etc.

- I have experimented with it in cupcake mix. The passionfruit didn't really work, however the strawberry was nice. Make sure you add enough (more than you would in icing as it is going to rise and cook) and I would reccomend using only flavours with strong tastes i.e. passionfruit did not have a very strong flavour.

Baking + Exhausted = Happier Tired

Last week I came home very late at night (i.e. 1am) off an International Flight. I was starving and exhausted, however these little beauties that my flatmate Heather had made cheered me right up. Look at the fabulous icing squeezey thing.

Mains: Leg of Lamb

Roast Leg of Lamb

I will be honest. I am not a lamb fan, however this is the one easy lamb dish I pull out when my visitors do enjoy a NZ roast lamb  (and are not going to settle for chicken). Despite this, I always always taste test the gravy before serving. This can make or break the dish. It can be served as it would traditionally with roast or mashed vegetable, however I often like to make a roast vegetable salad to go with it (Dads favourite).

Ingredients:

1 Largish Leg of Lamb

5 - 6 Sprigs Rosemary

6 Cloves Garlic

2 Teaspoons Rock Salt

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Large Knob Butter

1 Tablespoon Flour

3 Teaspoons Capers

2 Teaspoons Cranberry Jelly

1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

Approx 1 Cup Chicken Stock

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Using a mortar and pestle bash up a sprig of rosemary with salt and garlic.

3. Rub olive olive oil over the lamb, then rub in the salt mix.

4. Place meet in a large roasting dish on top of the remaining Rosemary sprigs.

5. Roast for about 2 hours.

6. Remove lamb from the roasting dish and set aside.

7. Remove rosemary from the dish and discard, then sieve left over fluid into a jug.

8. Place a knob of butter into the roasting dish to melt.

9. Add flour mix to create a rue.

10. Cook for about a 30 - 40 secs stirring all the time, so it does not burn but cooks flour a little.

11. Pour in sieved liquid, and whisk making sure the gravy is smooth with no lumps in it.

12. Add capers, cranberry jelly, vinegar and chicken stock if necessary to make gravy a thinner. When you add capers, mash them up a little with your stirring spoon or whisk, this will release more favour throughout the sauce.