Bride-to-be 'Charlotte'

Question:What do you make two brides-to-be that are (supposed to be) watching their wasteline for dessert? Answer: A student 'charlotte'. Thanks to Elizabeth Bard's Lunch in Paris for the easiest of easy ideas. So simple and lovely and (relatively) guilt free. Putting them in some very pretty china somehow makes them taste even lovelier.

Layer savoiardi biscuit (or biscuits if using a bigger container), canned apricots (complete with spoonfuls of the syrup and greek yoghurt) in a container. Refrigerate overnight to let the syrup soak in. Serve.
Enjoy!

Cat x

Mid weekend update including choc-hazelnut cake

Firstly, thank you for all your lovely comments. I hope my work situation improves soon too or at least my attitude to it. Anyway, onto more interesting things. My weekend has been pretty manic - painting, my cousin's 16th birthday dinner, an unfruitful search for a lounge and a visit to a very special little boy. I'm having a quiet night tonight in preparation for another mammoth day tomorrow.

Here are my photos for my June photo challenge:

Day 12, photo 12 Chocolate & Hazelnut Ice Cream Cake

This is such an easy cake to make and an all round crowd pleaser. I've included the recipe if you're interested. It's from Recipes+ magazine (Jan/Feb 2008).

250g packet (6) mini chocolate rolls
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup caster sugar
220g Nutella (or other choc-hazelnut spread)
600ml thickened cream
1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped

1. Line a 22cm springform pan with plastic food wrap, extending it 5cm above the rim. Cut each roll into 6 slices. Stand a row of slices upright inside of pan at bottom edge. Use remainder to completely cover base, breaking cake as need to fill spaces.
2. Place yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until thick and creamy. Add Nutella; beat until just combined. Beat in cream, then beat mixture for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly (mixture will still be runny).
3. Pour the mixture into pan. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Cover with more plastic wrap, making sure it does not touch filling. Freeze overnight until firm.
*Serves 10-12* *Stand dessert 15 minutes at room temperature before serving* *Refrigerate egg whites airtight up to 4 days or freeze up to 6 months* *Enjoy!*

Day 12, photo 13 Sweet Sixteen

Day 13, photo 14 Potential Dining Room Light from Freedom

Not entirely sure about this yet but it is very pretty. Think I'll wait til my dining table is actually in the house though before I make a decision.

Hope you're enjoying this beautiful long weekend and let me know if you're getting up tomorrow morning for the World Cup game. It will be nice to know I have some company! Go Australia!!!

Love,
Cat x

Day 1 Photo Challenge + Almond, Cranberry & Coconut Florentines

Day 1, Photo 1...a delicious Almond, Cranberry & Coconut Florentine

Day 1 of my June photo challenge and my first photo is, of course, of food. Not just any food either. A very yummy homemade almond, cranberry and coconut Florentine. I know the styling isn't great but just imagine the crunch as you bite into it, then you get the sweet surprise of a juicy cranberry and the decadent taste of dark chocolate....mmm... If only I could eat them all but I actually made them for work tomorrow. We're celebrating the Festa Della Republica, i.e. National Italian Day!! Wait til you see the shoes I'm wearing tomorrow. I haven't worn them yet as they're a bit far out but if I'm going to break them in, tomorrow's the perfect day. You'll see what I mean ;-)

Here's the recipe for the Florentine's, adapted from SMH, Good Living (Tuesday May 11, 2010)

Almond, cranberry and coconut Florentines

vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1/3 cup caster sugar
230g flaked almonds
50g shredded coconut
50g dried cranberries
200g dark chocolate

Heat oven to 160 degrees celsius. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper and brush lightly with vegetable oil. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg whites lightly then whisk in caster sugar. Add flaked almonds, coconut and cranberries and gently mix until combined. Place by the tablespoonful on the trays and flatten with moistened fingers to flat discs of about 6cm diameter. Bake for 10 minutes then turn each tray 180 degrees and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Leave to cool on the tray (they will harden as they cool) then arrange flat-side up on a wire rack set over paper (to catch the chocolate drips - I re-used the baking paper). Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot water, stirring. Pour a spoonful of chocolate on each Florentine and spread over the base. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set then store in an airtight container between layers of baking paper. Keep in a cool place or in the fridge.

Makes 18.

Enjoy!

Love,
Cat x

Proud as pie...Beef, onion and red wine pie

So the rainy weather I was hoping for didn't come to fruition. But I'm not letting that stop me from my relaxing weekend.

One thing I love to do is look through cookbooks, dream about all the things I can cook and then settle on something a little more practical. We had about 1 kilo of chuck steak at home and I found the perfect recipe to use it. A beef, onion and red wine pie from Seasons by Donna Hay, the Best of Donna Hay Magazine.

The picture doesn't look so great but trust me this is a beautiful recipe. Definitely worth the wait! Mum and I are sitting here with full and happy bellies and I'm happy to make this a recurring dish. I adapted it a little bit by using only shortcrust pastry (the original recipe calls for a puff pastry top) and by making it an 'open' pie.

Enjoy! :)

Beef, onion and red wine pie
adapted from Seasons by Donna Hay, the Best of Donna Hay Magazine

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 kg beef chuck steak, chopped 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 1/2 cups beef stock 1 1/2 cups water 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon thyme leaves 2 tablespoons cornflour 1/4 cup water, extra 2 sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry, thawed 1 egg, lightly beaten
Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add the oil and beef and cook in batches for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and re-add the meat to the pan. Add the stock, water, wine, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is tender. Combine the cornflour and extra water, add to the beef mixture and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Line a 22cm pie dish with the shortcrust pastry. Spoon the beef mixture into the dish. Fold in the extra pastry towards the centre of the pie. Brush the pastry with the egg. Bake for 40 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and golden. Serves 4.

Shall I bring dessert?...almond cake

Tonight I'm heading over to a friend's house for a birthday BBQ. A casual, BYO grog affair, it will be good to catch up with people I haven't seen in awhile. It's also a terrific excuse to whip out my cooking apron, crank up the oven and pull out my favourite cake book for inspiration.

Did I mention I love baking? I say you can never go too wrong with butter, sugar and flour!

We have about a kilo of almond meal at home (a result of miscalculation on an earlier biscuit recipe) so I though I'd make this simple almond cake. Unfortunately I can't tell you what the final result tastes like til after the party but I can tell you the raw mixture was delicious!

Here's the recipe if you're interested. It's adapted from the Cake Bible.

Almond Cake

150g butter
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
70g almond meal
3/4 cup milk
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Lightly grease and flour a 20 cm cake tin.

Cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and almond extract. Add sifted flour and baking powder and almond meal alternatively with milk. Mix well.

Pour into cake tin and bake for 50 minutes. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before removing. Dust with icing sugar.

Edit: the final product tasted delicious too! Moist and very almondy :-)