Strawberry Shortcake

Winter has finally kick in and it's this time of the year when I always have the constant craving for dessert. The hardest challenge for me is to resist this temptation after dinner as I always feel the need to complete my meal with something sweet. Tonight, I am torturing myself by (1)not having any dessert, (2)watching & salivating over the MasterChef Australia Celebrity Chef Challenge - Egg and Soldiers by Martin Blunos, and (3)writing this long-overdue dessert entry. Why am I doing this to myself? I am so hungry (greedy to be exact) that I can easily have half of the strawberry shortcake to myself!

Enough with the complains, I have only myself to blame for. This strawberry shortcake recipe is from the Delicious Sweet Magazine that I bought a couple of months ago. So far I have only tried and tested this and the Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes, plenty more for me to indulge in!

This dessert is fairly easy to make, the biggest hurdle for me is getting the right texture/consistency of the sponge. The texture is still too hard for a sponge cake, but I absolutely love the aroma of lemon zest in it.

Serves 8

125g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup (100g) self-raising flour, sifted

2 tbs fine polenta

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60ml) milk

Filling

400g strawberries

200ml thickened cream

1-2 tbs icing sugar, plus extra to dust

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of two 20cm sandwich pans. 

Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until thick and pale. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then gently fold in remaining ingredients. Divide between pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool before turning out of pans.

For filling, hull and quarter berries, reserving 2 to decorate. Whip cream and icing sugar to firm peaks, then gently fold in berries. Spread over 1 cake, then top with remaining cake. Dust with icing sugar. Top with halved reserved berries.

Treat yourself to an afternoon tea (or anytime of the day) with this light and refreshing cake!

Alexanders Restaurant, Hobart

On our last night at the sleepy Hobart town, we decided to dine in at Alexanders restaurant. Alexanders is nestled within the colonial mansion Lenna, which is located at Hobart's historic and trendy area Salamanca Place. I was captivated by the beauty of the mansion that was mostly lit on one side, creating a mysterious image.

As we entered the hotel lobby, we were welcomed by a very relax and elegant old-charm interior. Its colonial style carries through with the decor, from the chandeliers hanging on the ceiling to the furniture. The restaurant itself is dimly lit, perfect for a quiet/romantic dinner.

A quiet Sunday night, we were attended by the only wait staff working that night. She immediately serves us warm bread rolls with butter after taking our order. I have to say the bread roll is one of the best we've had so far; almost crunchy on the outside, soft and warm inside. Then came our entrees: chickpea & vegetable broth and coconut crusted prawns.

Chickpea & Vegetable Broth $11

Tomato based, minestrone like soup that is rich in texture and flavour. A warm and hearty vegetable soup that is perfect for a cold winter night.

Coconut Crusted Prawns $22

The prawns are fresh and the coconut crumbs added a crunchy texture without overpowering the prawns flavour. The refreshing ginger noodles and the crispy beetroot rosti are the perfect pair for completing the dish.

For mains, I choose the Marrawah Eye Fillet and my husband decided to have the Doo Town Venison.

Thick and juicy eye fillet, cooked perfectly on a medium rare as requested. It is layered with crusted black pepper seeds and nuts, adding an intense 'pepperish' flavour and crunchy texture to the meaty dish. To go with this heavy/winter dish, the chef made a wild mushroom and brie pudding. Mild and delicate cheesy flavour, however towards the end it was too creamy for me. $39.5

A towering dish of venison, apple, asparagus and goat cheese lasagne stack on top of another. Rich and tender venison loin, roasted medium rare and seared on the outer layer. The fresh asparagus cooked perfectly, however the green apple was a bit of a distraction; having cooked not long enough to bring out any flavour. $35

Unfortunately, the dessert was a let down. We ordered the Wild Trifle to share and were expecting something that is wild or bursting with flavours. We can barely taste the mango and lychees, and the chocolate cake at the bottom has a really bland flavour. Even the orange liqueur anglaise taste like a normal cream with only a hint of alcohol.

Wild trifle: chocolate cake, mango, lychees, chocolate and chilli jelly, orange liqueur anglaise. $12

Alexanders Restaurant
Cnr Salamanca Place & Runnymede Street
Battery Point 7004
Tasmania
Tel: (03) 6232 3900

The Source Restaurant - Hobart, Tasmania

Recently my husband and I went to Hobart, Tasmania for a mini holiday. On our first night in Hobart city, we escaped the winter chill by taking on an unforgettable culinary journey at The Source restaurant.

The Source restaurant is located at Moorilla Estate Winery, 15 minutes drive from Hobart CBD. Sitting atop the Ether Building, glass-walled, the views (from the restaurant) over the Derwent river and vineyard are magnificent. Unfortunately for us, we arrived after the sun has long set and had a slight difficulty in locating the restaurant as there was barely any visible signs/directions.

However, once inside the building and making our way up the stairs (to the restaurant) I cannot help but to admire the stunning 6m long painting on the ceiling. Apparently the restaurant is named after this painting by John Olsen.

The setting of the restaurant is very simple and contemporary, with an open kitchen near the entrance. This open kitchen concept allows us to take pleasure in watching the chef and his team work effortlessly and harmoniously together. The staff are very friendly and helpful, with one of them voluntarily baby-sitting a crying baby while the parents were having their meals.

We start by having the fresh oysters as an appetizer. These succulent oysters are served in two ways, natural and with wine & ginger. I much prefer the natural oyster as I can really taste the freshness of it. However, having the oyster infused with wine and ginger certainly enhances the oyster flavour.

Moving on to the entrees: (i) Crab, crab jelly, corn custard, almond, sauce verte and (ii) Lobster, herb and zest cous cous, almond milk, perfumed tomato.

The crab dish is served in a martini glass, with only the crab meat visible from the top and the smooth corn custard at the bottom. The dish is rich in sweet crab jus with cotton-soft crab meat and creamy corn custard.

The herb and zest (probably orange zest) cous cous beautifully partnered the fresh lobster. However, I have to admit it is the perfumed tomato that brings the dish to a whole new level of dining experience. As I bite through the tomato, it is bursting with sweet cherry tomato and mild perfume flavours.

For the main course, I ordered the Turbot fish, truffled macaroni, foie gras emulsion, jus. The turbot fish was flown from Spain for the Hobart Winter Festival which was to be held the next night at The Source. Turbot is highly prized for its delicate flavour, it has a firm and lean texture. To complement the mild fish flavour, the Chef introduces the intense flavour of truffle and foie gras. For someone who prefers truffle over fish, this dish is a delightful treat for me.

My husband ordered the Roasted duck, Belgian endive, salted caramelised apple, coffee sauce. The duck is very tender and the salted caramelised apple has a texture similar to creamy mash potato. The only thing that my husband struggled to finish from the dish was the Belgian endive; it got bitter with every single bite.

To end our lovely night at The Source, we order two(2) desserts to share.

Chocolate, olive oil, salt

Dark smooth chocolate ganache, drizzle with light olive oil and sprinkle of salt. What you get out of this unique dessert is a dark bitter chocolate, a nutty olive oil flavour and a salty taste towards the end. My kind of dessert!

Brioche pain perdu, perfumed egg nog, milk ice cream

Rich and tender brioche, sitting on a cream of perfumed egg nog and topped with milk ice cream. A stark contrast to the chocolate dessert, it is very rich, sweet and creamy.

The Source Restaurant
655  Main Road Berriedale
Tasmania Australia 7011
Tel: 03 6277 9900

Apple & Ricotta Pastry Squares - MasterChef Australia

Lately I have been following MasterChef Australia Session 2. This show has inspired me to be more creative in my cooking and baking. Unfortunately the long hours at work has been keeping me away from pursuing that creativity.

I found this Apple & Ricotta Pastry Squares recipe from the official MasterChef website. A quick and easy dessert which only takes 30 minutes to prepare. I have slightly improvised the recipe by replacing a few of the ingredients. Instead of using mixed spice, I use cinnamon as it goes really well with apple and covers the honey taste which I dislike. The ricotta cheese itself taste very bland and only provides an added texture to the dessert. As for the jam, feel free to use any flavoured jam or you can even replace it with cream/vanilla ice-cream/yogurt. 

Makes 4

Ingredients
125g Ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 4 squares
1 pink lady apple, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon mango, passionfruit & paw paw jam (can be replaced with your own favourite jam)

Method
1. Combine ricotta cheese, honey and cinnamon.
2. Divide between each pastry square.
3. Place the ricotta mix in the centre of each pastry square.
4. Top with thin slices of apple and brush with jam.
5. Bake at 190 degree C for 10-15 minutes until golden.

Black Star Pastry, Newtown

Newtown, a funky & lively suburb filled with a lot of hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Black Star Pastry is definitely on that list. The owner, Christopher Thé is a former pastry chef at Woollahra's award winning restaurant Claude's. This tiny pâtisserie is bustling with the locals enjoying their Saturday morning coffee and breakfast, sitting on one of the stools scattered outside on the footpath. As I enter the cafe there is a short queue, however within less than three(3) minutes I am immediately served by one of the friendly staff.

While waiting for my cakes to be carefully packed in a box, I take the opportunity to snap some pictures of the cafe. To my surprise, this friendly barista suddenly turn towards me and put on his best smile for my camera.

The hardest part after buying cakes is always the journey home. I will carefully put the box of cakes on my lap, open the lid every once in while and salivate over them! To torture myself even further, I seem to take the longest time ever to photograph each of the individual cake. I guess I'm just building up the momentum for my sweet indulgence. 

Lemon Meringue with Basil Jelly

The lemon meringue with basil jelly is my cake of the day. A beautiful pentagonal pyramid shaped like cake with a solid and crunchy pastry base. It is topped with a smooth, creamy and citrusy lemon meringue. Once you get to the middle of the cake, you'll find the partially transparent basil jelly. Like any jelly, its texture is soft with a resilient consistency and full of basil flavour.

Strawberry, Rose & Watermelon Cake

An interesting layered sponge cake with a slice of fresh and juicy watermelon, strawberries and cream. Unlike the typical vanilla sponge cake with strawberries, this cake is layered with almond dacquoise sponge. The nutty almond dacquoise sponge is light and the crunchiness compliments the juicy watermelon. A refreshing cake that is neither too sweet nor heavy, perfect for your lazy afternoon tea-time indulgence. 

Hazelnut & Chocolate Cake

Nothing can ever go wrong with a hazelnut and chocolate cake. To me, these two ingredients combined together is like a match made in heaven. This cake is layered with rich chocolate sponge and hazelnut-crunch mix, and topped with a thick layer of chocolate plaque and gold leaf. 

Chocolate Gingerbread Ninja

My last treat of the day is the chocolate gingerbread ninja. A cute and almost crazy-like gingerbread looking ninja coated in rich chocolate. It is gingery and just the right consistency of crumbliness as you bite through it. 

Black Star Pastry

277 Australia Street, Newtown
Tel: (02) 9557 8656
0700 - 1700 Tues-Sun

Bills, Darlinghurst

After a long, tiring and endless week at work, all I want is a simple and hearty breakfast to start my weekend.

My husband & I finally decided to try Bills after years of living & calling Sydney 'our home'. Bills is located on a quite, trendy suburb Darlinghurst. It is a bright, open-space and stylish dining place; a place that feels like home to me.

We start by ordering the regular size Sunrise drink of orange juice, banana, yoghurt and berries to share. A refreshing drink that is rich in banana & berries flavour and just a hint of the orange juice.

We decided on the two(2) of Bills Classics breakfast: Scrambled organic eggs with sourdough toast $13.50 and Ricotta hotcakes, fresh banana and honeycomb butter $17.50.

The scrambled eggs look so ordinary yet the taste is extraordinary. I have never taste scrambled eggs so smooth, light and creamy until this morning. You only need a simple sourdough toast to go with this exceptional eggs.

Another one of Bills reputed breakfast, the ricotta hotcakes that is amazingly delicious. Soft & fluffy in texture and it comes with a generous serving of honeycomb butter & fresh banana. The hotcakes will not be complete without pouring some of the maple syrup that comes on the side.

Do try and get there early to secure yourself a table as it starts to get busy by 9am!

Bills

433 Liverpool Street

Darlinghurst NSW

2000 Australia 

T: (02) 9360 9631

0730 - 1500 Mon-Sat

0830 - 1500 Sun

Apple Tart for Our Beloved Mom

Happy Mother's Day!

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever." Anonymous

A special day dedicated to all moms for their unconditional love, who never ask for anything in return. Thanks for being through the tears, laughter and sleepless nights.

My mom and I live in a different country, so every mother's day all I can do is wish her Happy Mother's Day over the phone. However, I am fortunate enough to have my mom-in-law here in Australia with us. Today we made her breakfast and I baked this apple tart (recipe from here) as it is one of her favourite all-time dessert.

The recipe is quite easy to follow and I fancy the idea of using cream cheese as the filling. A touch of cinnamon adds a spicy-sweet taste to the sliced apples. A delicious apple tart topped with almond flakes that will leave you wanting more with every single bite.

Recipe

Crust:
1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (35 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
12 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:
One 8-ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:
1/4 cup (grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
4 cups (50 ml) Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch (.6 cm) slices (about 3-4 large apples)
1/3 cup (35 grams) sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grease (or spray with Pam) a 9 inch (22 cm) springform pan.

Crust: In the bowl of your food processor place the flour and sugar. Pulse to blend together. Add butter and pulse until dough just begins to come together. Pat the dough onto the bottom and once inch (2.5 cm) up the sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator while you make the filling.

Filling: In a food processor process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix well. Blend in the egg and vanilla extract and process until smooth. Remove the crust from the fridge and pour in the filling. Return to refrigerator while you prepare the topping.

Topping: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss the sliced apples in the sugar mixture. Spoon the apples evenly over the cream cheese layer and sprinkle with almonds. Place the springform pan on a larger baking sheet to catch the drips.

Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown (apples are soft when pierced with a fork), and filling is almost set. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve at room temperature. Leftovers can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.