Christmas means summer to us here in Australia, and in perfect accord with the hot holiday weather is the abundance of fresh summer fruit that accompanies it: mangoes, pineapples and papaya, cherries and raspberries, grapes and guavas, peaches and nectarines, and many more exotic fruits too ….
TRES LECHES CAKE
Trekking in Peru, everything was amazing. The people, the views, the ancient culture, the altitude, the incredible and mysterious stone work everywhere, even the barbecued guinea pig. Their national liquor, pisco, was pretty amazing when made into a Pisco Sour and a dessert, the Tres Leches Cake, of which I became particularly fond ….
YUZU FOR YOU TOO
WALNUT, PRUNE AND COGNAC CAKE
ORANGE AND LEMON POLENTA CAKE
Over the years Rosie, Caren and I, between us, have accumulated lots of wonderful gluten-free cake recipes, many of which are already included in the Sweet Baking category here on our blog. A chance conversation we had recently highlighted the fact that it’s often nut flours that make the best substitute for wheat flour in cake-baking. But what if you want to avoid gluten and nuts? Well, this one’s for you. Or anyone else who doesn’t mind a moist, citrusy cake with a nice texture and a moreish flavour. Anyone? ....
BUTTER CAKE WITH LEMON ICING
CHOCOLATE DREAMING
AN EASY, LUSCIOUS ALMOND CAKE
This is a really quick and easy recipe, making a good all-purpose cake, delicious for the gluten-tolerant as well as intolerant. It can be served plain or iced, topped or bottomed with whatever takes your fancy, split and filled, studded with fresh berries in summer or topped with poached quinces in winter ...
MERRY CHRISTMAS
RICOTTA, CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIO CHRISTMAS TREE CAKE
A TRADITIONAL FINISH
Christmas pudding is a traditional favourite for most of us, even at the end of a big Christmas meal and even in the heat of a Sydney summer. In our house it’s smothered with our ‘Best Ever’ brandy sauce. Jan recommends it served with homemade vanilla ice cream as well. Real diehards may want to add custard to the list ....
KEEP IT IF YOU CAN
CHOP CHOP
Yes, it’s time to get on with the Christmas baking. The koels are waking us at 4 am, the channel-bill cuckoos are causing havoc amongst the local birds and the cicadas are drumming. Tinsel is appearing in the shops and gift catalogues in our letterboxes. All signifiers of summer and the approaching festive and holiday season ....
A REVEALING TART
As our seasons here in Sydney are not absolutely defined, we segue from cool to warm to hot and back again before a new season is in full swing. To be able to declare the change we take our cue from the appearance of new season’s fruit and vegetables in the market. We now know that spring has sprung and summer’s nearly here because our markets and shops are filling up with delicious stone and berry fruits ....
CHOCOLATE PECAN FUDGE SQUARES
LOVELY LEFTOVERS
Most cooks, I’m sure, will always put their leftovers to good use, reinventing them in surprising and imaginative ways but Massimo Bottura, whose restaurant Osteria Francescana in Italy is currently number 1 on The World’s Best 50 Restaurants list, lifted the world of leftovers out of the garbage bins and into true, heart-felt philanthropy ....
PEAR, HAZELNUT AND CHOCOLATE CAKE
AN UNUSUAL PARTNERSHIP
HAZELNUT AND HALVA PLUMPIES
These plump (hence the name) little biscuits are perfect with a cup of tea or a coffee. They are mixed very quickly in the food processor or by hand and although we've filled them with halva you can just as easily and deliciously fill them with jam or bake them empty and, when you're ready to serve, fill with lemon or lime curd, chocolate ganache or even nutella (sshhh).