Sour Cherry and Cocoa Nib Biscotti

As I mentioned in my previous post, the work/life balance has been eluding me a little of late – too much work, not enough life! What do you do when you’re feeling a little mentally fried? I try to surround myself by my favourite things. I bought myself a big bunch of daisies to brighten up my room, I enjoyed a fabulous dinner with the girls on Friday, bought a rather fabulous red dress and spent Sunday afternoon baking.

I wasn’t in the mood for something fussy or overly complicated. When I saw the little tub of sour cherries I had bought a while back sitting on the shelf, inspiration struck. It had been a long, long time since I had made biscotti (in fact it was one of the very first posts on this blog all those years ago) but it felt right to update the recipe with a few standout flavours.



This time around I stuck with the almonds (you can’t go wrong!) but added the sour cherries, some cocoa nibs and just a touch of coffee liqueur. When they were baked, I dipped the biscotti into some dark chocolate which set off those flavours perfectly. Of course you could get really creative with add ins, using almost any kind of nuts or dried fruit depending on your tastes.

Evidently, I wasn’t the only fan of these biscotti - the huge batch barely lasted a few days in our house! They made the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee, and it was hard to stop at just one. It definitely won't be long before I make another batch.

Have a great week folks!



Sour Cherry and Cocoa Nib Biscotti
Adapted from Donna Hay
Makes about 40 biscuits

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup almonds
• ¼ cup sour cherries*
• 2 tablespoons cocoa nibs*
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
• 120g dark chocolate, melted, for dipping

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F).

Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Add sugar, almonds, cherries and cocoa nibs and stir together. Add the eggs, vanilla, and liqueur and mix well to form a dough. Divide the dough in two. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead each piece until smooth. Shape into logs and flatten slightly.

Place the logs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely. If not completely cool, it will be crumbly when you slice it. Cut the logs into 5mm thick slices with a serrated knife and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the biscotti are crisp. Cool completely.

When biscuits are cooled, dip each about 1/3 into the melted chocolate, drain off the excess and place on a baking paper lined tray until set. If the weather is warm, you may need to refrigerate them briefly. Store in an airtight container and serve with espresso or liqueur.

*You can find sour cherries and cocoa nibs at gourmet stores like Essential Ingredient or the David Jones Food Hall

Boozy Lemonade

Friends, it’s been a lonnnng week. Work has been rather hectic, I can feel the beginnings of a cold starting to sap my energy, and let’s not even start on the weather Sydney’s been having! But you know what they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But some weeks are so trying that lemonade isn’t enough, so I boozed it up. It is Friday, afterall.

The inspiration for this recipe actually came from a bar called Fringe in Paddington that I used to frequent almost every Thursday night after work with my cousin. We’d order pizzas and jugs of the Lynchberg Lemonade, which was everything you’d want lemonade to be – super refreshing, sweet, and deceptively boozy. Until that sad day, when it was taken off the menu, and the cocktail jugs that replaced it were never quite as good.



I recently set about recreating it from memory, and I was pretty happy with how it turned out! Feel free to play around with the ratios of ingredients, and make it as boozy or sweet as you like. I think this would also be great for any BBQ’s or garden parties you may be planning before summer slips away entirely.

Have a lovely weekend, guys! I’ll see you back here with another tasty recipe on Monday!



Boozy Lemonade
Inspired by the Lynchberg Lemonade at The Fringe Bar in Paddington
Makes 2L

• 3 lemons, juiced
• 2 or 3 shots vodka
• 2 or 3 shots whisky (I used Jack Daniels)
• 1 shot Cointreau
• Sugar syrup, to taste (recipe here)
• Ice, lemonade and lemon slices, to serve

Pour lemon juice, vodka, whisky, Cointreau and sugar syrupinto a 2 litre jug and give a little stir with a long spoon. Add ice, lemonade and lemon slices. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if desired. Serve immediately.

PS, thanks Steph for my lovely vintage citrus juicer!

Newmarket Hotel, St Kilda

I have a new favourite restaurant.

Unfortunately for me, it’s in Melbourne, because the Newmarket Hotel in St Kilda would be one place I’d love to have in my neighbourhood. On a quick weekend trip with my sister to my second-favourite city, we hopped on a tram and were greeted at the restaurant by truly lovely smiling staff. The décor has a retro feel with a little whimsy thrown in via the wallpaper – I loved it!

We started with a pitcher of the ‘Back to the Future’ cocktail. I may have been tipped over the edge by the name, but the combination of grapefruit vodka, rhubarb liqueur, mango puree, lemon juice and sparkling pink grapefruit seemed irresistible. It was refreshing, and not too sweet. The perfect foil for the humid weather outside. Next time I’m going for the Garden Punch, which sounded lovely with gin, apple, elderflower and honey. Mmmm.



We perused the menu for a good 20 minutes before we narrowed down our order. This would be a fab place to go with a big group of friends since the whole menu is designed to be shareable. The menu is inspired by Mexican and Latin food, as are so many others these days, but far from being bored by the trend, I'm so excited when restaurants just nail it, and Newmarket have. We started with the BBQ corn on the cob with chilli and queso fresco, a messy but absolutely delicious affair.



Tacos were a must. Remember when you couldn’t find a decent taco to save your life? Oh how times have changed. While these are on the more expensive end of the taco spectrum, you can’t deny that the fillings make them unique and totally worth the dosh. First up, we tried the Soft Shell Crab tacos with guacamole, shaved fennel, spicy corn and tomatillo salsa. The generous portion of crab was crisp but meaty, and the accompaniments worked so well with it, both in terms of flavour and texture.

The pork carnitas taco (pictured in the collage above) was served with baby gem lettuce, pickled pineapple and hot adobe sauce. They were spicy, saucy, and pretty much awesome. Remembering this amazing dinner now, I’m filled with regret that I didn’t try the brisket taco with wood roasted bone marrow and chimichurri. But that’s what frequent flyer points are for. Melbourne, I'll be back soon!



The menu didn’t come close to describing how well presented or well balanced this stunning dish was, simply Grilled Buffalo milk haloumi with spiced melon gazpacho salad. I don’t say this lightly, but this dish is one of the prettiest I think I’ve ever seen, and ranks up there as one of the best things I’ve eaten so far this year! I loved the creamy haloumi with sweet melon and pops of colour and flavour from the cherry tomatoes.



From the “Low and Slow” category, we ordered the XL St Louis style pork ribs with Mr Wilson’s BBQ sauce and summer slaw. Wow. The meat was fall-apart-tender, as you would hope, and the sauce packed a walloping punch of flavour and heat. The slaw was the perfect accompaniment, a little bit tangy with a nice crunch.



Dessert was also a tough decision, between the likes of a coffee and tequila flan, or the pina colada baked alaska. In the end, we decided to try the Latin style Chocolate Pot with Bananas and Dulce de Leche, because you can never go wrong with dulce de leche. But even though it was delicious, I only made it a few spoonfuls before I was defeated by the richness of the chocolate.

I love this kind of playful food that mixes influences, presents things just a little differently to how you would expect, and definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s laid back fine-dining at it’s best, in an environment where you feel comfortable picking up a giant rib and getting your hands dirty, but where the food and service are so polished. And it must be working, because the restaurant was full on a drizzly Monday night! Did we leave happy? A resounding yes.

And as a side note, has anyone tried the brisket tacos? Are they are as amazing as they sound?



Newmarket Hotel, 34 Inkerman St, St Kilda (03) 9537 1777

Rum & Ginger Flan with Caramelised Figs + 13 Ways with Figs!

I would be in a world of trouble if someone asked me to name my favourite fruit. Could I do a top 10 perhaps? Don't tell the peaches and the strawberries but figs are right up there. I look forward to fig season every year, and I love that they go so well in both sweet and savoury recipes. So this month I thought I would share 13 interesting ways to use figs while their short season lasts!



Picture Credits: The Kitchn & The Party Dress

1. The Old Fashioned has made a comeback in recent times, thanks in part to shows like Mad Men. I love the sound of this version with figs from The Kitchn. It looks like the perfect drink for autumn!

2. This fancy Fizzy Fig Cocktail from The Party Dress is about as festive as you can get, not to mention that it's absolutely beautiful! Plus I lovelovelove the idea of homemade flavoured sugar cubes. Imagine all the flavour possibilities! Plus they would make lovely little gifts for your foodie friends.


Picture Credits: Eat Boutique & Donna Hay

3. I've recently been interested in infusing my own vodka but ive been a little intimidated by the whole process. This Fig and Vanilla Vodka from Eat Boutique shows how easy peasy it can be. And just think of all the delicious ways you could use your fig-infused vodka! Mmmm...

4. An oldie but a goodie, I remember when I first saw the recipe for this Fig Martini in Donna Hay magazine and thought it sounded so grown up and sophisticated. I’m looking forward to impressing the girls with this one at our next lunch.

Picture Credits: Bakers Royale & Inspiring The Everyday

5. This list wouldn’t be complete without some kind of boozed up iced treat, and thse Fig and Port Popsicles from Bakers Royale are just beautiful. That colour is so striking and I bet they would taste absolutely delicious!

6. Another classy and stylish dessert is this Coconut Panna Cotta with Fig Syrup from Inspring the Everyday (a blog that I discovered recently but have fallen in love with!) that would be perfect for your next dinner party! I love the sound of a dairy-free coconut panna cotta for delicious twist on such a classic dessert.

Picture Credits: Tartelette & Spicy Icecream

7. Tartelette does it again with a gorgeous French dessert, Gateau au Riz, or a baked rice pudding studded with figs. It looks absolutely delicious, and this is definitely a recipe I want to try very soon.

8. One of the easiest and most delicious things you could do with figs is a Galette. No fiddly pie crusts here! This Honeyed Ricotta, Fig and Lavender Galette from my archives was a favourite last summer, and one that I'll definitely be making again soon! You could even add some prosciutto and a few sprigs of thyme for a savoury lunchtime version.

Picture Credits: Cilantropist & Gourmet Traveller

9. As I mentioned before, figs are delicious in both sweet and savoury recipes, and this Sausage Goats Cheese Pizza with fresh figs from Cilantropist looks completely delicious!

10. I love this adaptable recipe for 'Whatever' Upside Down Cake from Gourmet Traveller. Their version uses figs (and looks amazing!) but you could use almost any fruit that is in season, making it a great one to add to your repertoire.

Picture Credits: Burnt Carrots & Cannelle et Vanille

11. I can’t believe that I never thought of this before, since the flavours go so beautifully together, but this Fig Balsamic Jam from Burnt Carrots sounds absolutely delicious! I can imagine how awesome it would be as part of a cheese platter, or even just spread on hot toast for breakfast. This recipe is definitely going on my long list of things to make!

12. I always get excited when Aran from Cannelle et Vanille updates her blog, because her writing and photos are stunning. This post actually has two delicious recipes - Fig Hazelnut Financiers, which look delicious and this stunning Fig and Champagne Sabayon. Isn’t it just beautiful!



13. One of my favourite combinations in the world is fig and ginger (well, if we’re being honest – almost anything and ginger!) so when trying to come up with a great recipe with figs, of course it was this that I thought of! And what a great recipe it is! Creamy, rich, caramelly, gingery, boozy, it ticks all the boxes and is a perfect match for the caramelised figs. It’s the perfect dessert for this time of year, straddling the line between summer and autumn.




Rum and Ginger Flan with Caramelised Figs
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller
Serves 4

Caramel
• 90g caster sugar
• 65ml water
• 2 tablespoons rum

Flan
• 1 cup milk
• 160g caster sugar
• 1 thumb size knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• To serve, 4 figs, brown sugar


Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Combine 90g caster sugar and 65ml water in a saucepan and stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil, and cook until sugar turns deep caramel in colour. Add rum, stir to combine (being careful as mixture may spit). Pour caramel evenly between 4 ovenproof ramekins.

Meanwhile, bring milk, remaining caster sugar and ginger to the boil in a separate saucepan, for 5 minutes or to reduce mixture slightly. Remove from the heat and cover, allowing to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Whisk egg yolks, egg and vanilla in a heatproof bowl. Strain milk mixture over (discard ginger) and whisk to combine. Pour evenly between caramel filled ramekins. Place them in a roasting pan, fill with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins and bake until set (30-40 minutes depending on the size of your ramekins) Remove from pan, cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until cool.

To serve, cut figs in half and dip cut sides into brown sugar. Preheat a fry pan or BBQ plate, and place figs cut side down. Cook until caramelised. Serve flans in the ramekins, or dip bases into a pan of hot water and invert onto plates. Serve with caramelised figs.

Barrio Chino, Kings Cross

“We have to go there!” my cousin Ros exclaimed upon reading a review of Barrio Chino. I had been meaning to check out the new Mexican place that had opened up around the corner from my office so immediately I agreed, and so plans were made to have her upcoming birthday dinner there. Because we were in a group, we were given three menus to choose from, which all seemed like excellent value. We had the $35 menu and there was sooo much food, we all left very satisfied.

A pitcher of Margaritas was a must. A second pitcher of Margaritas is also a must. We got stuck into the Guacamole, Salsa and Chips while we waited for the rest of the group to arrive. The guac is made to order, and is one of the better versions I’ve had, though El Capo still takes the cake on this one. The roasted tomato and mint salsa was great too, but it was the guac that I kept going back for. Our chips were replenished when we ran out.



One of my (and birthday girl Roslyn’s) favourite dishes of the night was the Albondigas, which are pork and beef meatballs with an insanely delicious smoky tomato and chipotle sauce. I still think about these, months later!



One of my favourite things on any Mexican restaurant menu is BBQ corn. Charry and sweet, Barrio Chino’s version was served with chipotle mayo, queso and lime, and was everything you would expect from this dish.



And now let the tacos begin! We were served platters of five different varieties, with sides of refritos (pureed pinto beans), Mexican rice and three types of hot sauce. The tacos themselves are small, but they’re definitely not short of fillings. First up was the Chicken borracho with chipotle-beer braised chicken, crema, avocado, lettuce. While this was great, I always feel that chicken tacos are simply less impressive by default than beef or pork.



And the Beef Barbacoa tacos are particularly awesome at Barrio Chino. The brisket is smoky and fall-apart tender, served with red chilli sauce, lime cured red onion and oregano. A must order!



Next was the Baja Market Fish with lightly battered blue eye, cumin-lime crema, cabbage and coriander. I didn’t manage to try these but the consensus was that they were very good, with a great variety of textures. I didn’t manage to get a photo of the Vegetarian tacos with roasted pumpkin, capsicum, cactus and toasted pepitas. These were unexpectedly spicy!



Saving the best til last? The Carnitas tacos were the final ones to arrive and I was struggling for stomach space by this point but of course I had to try them! Chock full of braised pork, onion and cilantro, I think they tied with the brisket tacos as my favourites of the night. And unlike Mamasita and La Cholita, where the tacos needed help from the condiments to save them from being a little bland, these didn’t. But that smoky chipotle sauce was awesome!

As a side note, Barrio Chino also does taco specials, and on my second visit (alas without my camera this time) we had an absolutely freaking awesome Duck and Pomegranate taco. The a la carte menu also includes other delicious sounding shared dishes including tostadas and quesadillas. We skipped dessert in favour of birthday cake, though the churros and the traditional Mexican flan both sound delicious and I’ll have to remember to leave room to try them on my next visit.

The restaurant filled up quickly after we arrived (evidently popular with the hipster crowd), the atmosphere was boisterous and fun and there was a line out the door when we left. They don’t take bookings for groups under ten, but there’s a great little bar inside where you can have a drink while you wait for your table. Barrio Chino ticked all the boxes for me, especially those amazing meatballs and brisket tacos.

Happy Birthday Ros (sorry that this post is several months after the fact!) xox



Barrio Chino, 28-30 Bayswater Rd, Kings Cross (02) 8021 9750

Mango and Saffron Swirl Ice Cream

Just consider this blog an ode to how much I love summer fruit. I’ve resolved to make as many delicious things as I possible can with my favourites before the season is over, and so far that has included berries (a few times), peaches, plums and today we’re talking mangoes.

It was brought to my attention recently that I didn’t have a single mango recipe here at all, though that kind of makes sense, since we all love them, so mangoes don’t last long in this house! I thought I’d rectify that glaring omission and spent the entire week thinking about what I could make.



I had a heap of ideas, but I kept coming back to the idea of pairing mango and saffron together. I thought it sounded interesting so decided to give it a try in a swirled ice cream. Since my fancy new ice cream maker lives on the other side of the country, I made my favourite no churn recipe, which seriously couldn’t be easier.

I added a pinch of saffron to a homemade mango puree, but unfortunately the saffron taste was a little bit subtle in the finished product, and most wouldn’t even know it was there. It was still totally delicious though, so I’ve added the saffron as optional in the recipe below.



The ice cream tastes just like a Mango Weis bar, one of my favourite Australian summer treats. The humble ice block has been immortalised into a gorgeous dessert at Sepia restaurant in Sydney. And while my take is much more simple, it’s still a winning flavour combination that can’t go wrong.



Mango and Saffron Swirl Ice Cream
Makes about 1L
Adapted from Vanilla Bean Blog

Mango Saffron Puree
• 2 ripe mangoes
• Large pinch of saffron
• 1 tablespoon boiling water

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• 1 can condensed milk
• Seeds of ½ vanilla bean, scraped
• 2 cups cold heavy cream

To make the mango puree, cut mangoes in half and scoop out as much flesh as you can into the bowl of a food processor. Stir saffron into boiling water and add to the mango. Pulse food processor until no chunks of mango remain and pass mixture through a fine sieve. Set aside until required.

To make the ice cream, place condensed milk and vanilla bean together in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture. Pour one quarter of the mixture into a regular size loaf pan or cake tin and swirl through some of the mango puree. Repeat three more times, alternating the ice cream mixture with mango puree. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm. Mixture will keep up to one week in the freezer.

Plum and Pedro Ximénez Crumble

I’ve always thought of plums as more of an autumn fruit than a summer one, but with this uncharacteristically cool and wet summer that we’ve been having, this sort of dessert has never seemed more appropriate! If you’re in Sydney you’ll know what I mean, and the long range forecast doesn’t look much better with rain predicted almost every day in the next month. I made this crumble on Sunday afternoon, just before we got a gusty southerly change and a huge summer storm swept through.



But while the weather has been average, the plums have been just gorgeous this year. When thinking about what to pair them with in a dessert, I kept coming back to Pedro Ximénez sherry. I had a little leftover from Karen’s cake, so I thought I’d give it a try in a crumble. And, happily, it was delicious.

Just look at that colour! So gorgeous. If you don’t have PX handy, a nice Port would also work well I think. I used a combination of black plums and sweet dainty sugarplums, but feel free to use whatever you find at the market. There are some beautiful varieties available, some sweet and others a little more tart.



For the crumble itself, I was inspired to try one using pecans as in the beautiful plum feature from the latest Donna Hay magazine. I had never tried using pecans in a crumble before but they were gorgeous with the plums!

And while the season lasts, here are a few of my favourite plum recipes from the archives
- Little Plum and Brown Butter Cakes
- Honey Parfait with Grilled Plums
- Plum, Brown Sugar and Lime Sorbet



Plum and Pedro Ximénez Crumble
Serves 2-3

• 5-6 plums, depending on their size (I used a mixture of black plums and sugarplums)
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
• Seeds of half a vanilla bean, scraped
• ¼ cup Pedro Ximénez sherry, or Port

Crumble (adapted from Donna Hay)
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar
• ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 30g butter, melted
• ¼ cup plain flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Cut plums into eighths (or halves if using sugar plums) and stir to combine in a bowl with raw sugar, cinnamon, vanilla seeds and PX. Place into an ovenproof baking dish.

To make the crumble, place the sugar, pecans, melted butter, flour and cinnamon in a bowl and mix well to combine. Scatter crumble over plum mixture and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until mixture is bubbling and crumble is golden. Serve warm, with ice cream.

Saké, The Rocks

I’m not sure why it has taken so long for me to write this post, considering this was actually my birthday dinner with two of my favourite people, Steve and Denéa. Yes, this was June last year! Since then, I have been back to Saké quite a few times, and each time has been flawless. An unassuming entrance near the Argyle Steps in the Rocks leads into a cosy dining room, which quickly filled up on that chilly Friday night.

We were seated at the sushi bar, which surrounds the kitchen and is probably the best seat in the house. It’s fascinating to watch the chefs work under the watchful eye of Chef Shaun Presland, wielding sharp knives with the utmost precision. We order a bottle of Rosé and started with some Edamame, served simply with salt. It was Steve’s first time eating edamame, but he quickly got the hang of popping open the pods!



With friends in the kitchen, Denéa tells the chefs to send us whatever they’d like, and I just knew we were in for a treat. First up there was this beautiful dish – slices of snapper fanned out with white sesame, yuzu and shredded daikon. I loved this delicate, fresh dish that set a high standard for the things to come!



One of Saké’s most famous signature dishes is the Kingfish Jalapeno Sashimi, served with yuzu soy, jalapeno slices and coriander. The flavour combination was phenomenal! The dressing was citrussy and salty, and the jalapeno gave a punchy flavour that worked so well with the fresh, firm fish slices. It was one of my favourite dishes of the whole night!



The Beef Tataki was a surprise from the kitchen, seared tenderloin was sliced paper thin, with garlic crisps for texture, snow pea sprouts and tataki sauce. The cherry tomato on the side was a lovely addition too.



A must order at Saké is the Popcorn Shrimp. I would be happy with a bowl of this all to myself and a nice cold beer for my last meal, it really is that good! Bite size pieces of shrimp in a tempura batter, fried until crispy and served with a spicy mayonnaise. We may or may not have fought over the last one. Don’t miss this dish folks, it’s a winner.



Another standout of the evening was the Steamed Prawn Dumplings, which looked different to any dumplings I had ever seen before! Inspired by Chinese shumai dumplings and covered with what look like thin noodles. They were generously filled with prawn and served with a spicy ponzu sauce. Seriously delicious.



Up until a few months ago, I wouldn’t have called myself a sushi fan, but this dinner changed my mind about it. The S Express is to this day some of the best sushi I’ve ever had, with scallops, spicy mayo, cucumber, seared salmon, witlof and sweet sauce. What a fabulous combination of tastes and textures! It’s not cheap, coming in at $22 and making it by far the most expensive sushi roll I’ve ever eaten, but it’s worth every cent!


Photo bomb!

We were defeated by this point and couldn’t fit in dessert, but this had been an amazing meal and we were all very happy. Since this very first visit, Saké has become one of my favourite Sydney restaurants that I love to go back to every chance I get! There are so many unique, fabulous dishes on the menu, but it’s hard to go past your favourites.

Saké Restaurant, 12 Argyle St, The Rocks (02) 9259 5656