Bistro Lilly degustation - Ouffer deal

The popularity of the daily deal / group buying websites has been fantastic for the hubby and I in trying out lots of fantastic restaurants at a fraction of the price. The hubby called me a few weeks ago very excited that Ouffer was offering a Bistro Lilly degustation deal - $89 for a 5 course seafood degustation menu for 2, including a glass of wine / sparkling each. It was fantastic value when considering that it is normally $89 for a 6 course degustation! As the hubby had, some time ago, read some flattering reviews of Bistro Lilly and had always been eager to give it a shot, this deal was perfect for us, and on a windy Friday night, we went with high hopes for a lovely meal.

First and foremost, the service was very attentive and lovely - the waitstaff did not at all differentiate in how they treated us as a deal buyer and the table next to us who came in off the street and paid for the full price degustation. The restaurant itself is in a bit of a dead location, hidden away at the base of Observatory Tower on Kent St, a very quiet part of town. When we arrived, right on time for our reservation, the restaurant was completely empty. A few tables ambled in later, but it was still very quiet for a Friday evening which affected the ambiance.

Once seated, we were shown the menu listing the dishes that comprised of the degustation. The menu itself contained a number of cross-selling opportunities - offering an extra dish to make it 6 courses, matching wines, side dishes to accompany the main, etc. The hubby and I didn't order the additional course, nor the matching wines as we're non-drinkers, but we did order a side of some vegetables: green beans with preserved lemon, mint and marinated feta.

First course: Amuse bouche - Provencale fish soup with crouton, with sourdough bread and whole roasted garlic

Served in a little tea cup, I found the soup a bit too salty and... dare I say it, fishy, for my liking. This is an unusual reaction for me as I'm not someone who has ever said that before - I am always happy eating seafood of any kind and variety. The bread was lovely - warm and pillowy soft inside. I loved the idea of the whole roasted garlic though - peeled, roasted and then the top sliced off, the garlic was so soft and lovely to spread over the bread.

Second course: Alaskan King Crab Cakes, sweet corn, finger fennel and basil

I was looking forward to this as I love crab and I love crab cakes! Arranged very prettily on the plate, this was lovely to eat - the crab cake was moist and seasoned perfectly, and I really enjoyed the fennel with it.

Third course: House smoked king salmon & ricotta cannelloni, preserved lemon, dill and tomato

This was the dish that I probably enjoyed the least alongside the amuse bouche. Normally a fan of cannelloni, salmon and ricotta, this course should have ticked all of my boxes. The salmon and ricotta was almost mousse-like, and quite delicious but I found the cannelloni casing to be a little rubbery in texture. The tomato sauce that accompanied the dish was very tasty, and if the cannelloni could just be tweaked a little bit, it would have made for a fabulous course.

Fourth course: Port Lincoln pink snapper, prawn and leek rotollo, saffron and orange

When this course arrived, I loved how it looked on the plate! The fish was cooked really well, but I thought it required a little more seasoning. The citrus in the dish perfectly cut through the richness of the prawn and leek rotollo and it made for a satisfying main.

 As a side, the hubby and I had also ordered green beans with marinated feta, mint and preserved lemon - and this was delicious!!!! We ate the whole plate and I would have happily eaten more but for the fact that by this stage I was quite full and glad that it was only dessert next!

Fifth course: Chef's dessert of the day

The menu left the dessert open ended and a bit of a mystery. On arrival the waiter had advised that the dessert was espresso creme brulee, and I was quite disappointed. I rank creme brulee up there with pannacotta when it comes to desserts at restaurants - token, made in advance and easy to dish up with little effort. I found that this dessert was exactly all of those things, and after a spoonful, was content to leave the rest.

Overall, I found that the experience to be really average. The location, the atmosphere, the quality of the dishes - it was all ok but nothing outstanding. As a dessert person, I was really let down by what was served up - yummier things can and have been made at home. In terms of value, it is good value in comparison to the full price degustation, but not good value when I compare it to the daily deal the hubby and I had at Etch last week (see earlier post).

After we try somewhere new, the hubby and I always engage in a post mortem. Would we come back? No. Why not? Although solid in quality, we believe that we are quite spoilt for choice in dining options in Sydney. Restaurant patrons could get better quality food, with a better atmosphere, elsewhere for the same price - even with the deal. It may not be a 5 course degustation, but then it begs the question - quality or quantity?

For us, the answer to that one is easy...
thesuzchef x

Apple and cinnamon jalousie

I love spontaneous baking, and I love it when I create things from the top of my head with whatever I have around the house. This happened to me today - for some reason, I spent all day thinking of the home-made apple sauce that I had left over from the roast pork lunch that I had made yesterday. It wasn't particularly delicious or difficult to make, but I was determined to convert it into a lovely dessert - and that I did!

Using the left over apple sauce and some other bits and pieces in the kitchen, I whipped together this super simple and incredibly delicious apple and cinnamon jalousie:

Served fresh out of the oven, with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice-cream = YUM!

Ingredients

1 small tub of apple puree, or to make from scratch, see my separate recipe below
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed and cut in half
1 apple, peeled, cored and cubed
Milk to brush
Cinnamon sugar to dust on top

Apple sauce 
2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1/3 cup water

Method

1. If making the apple sauce from scratch, stick all the ingredients in a pot, cover and let it simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and then mash with potato masher or a fork.
2. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a tray with baking paper.
3. Spread the apple sauce / puree on one half of the puff pastry, leaving a 2cm border.
4. On top of the apple sauce / puree, place the cubes of apple.
5. On the other top sheet of puff pastry, using a small sharp knife, make slits in the pastry, leaving a border around the edges.
6. Place the top layer of puff pastry on the top of the apples and using your fingers, press together the edges to seal together the top and bottom pastry.
7. Using a fork, crimp the edges of the pastry for prettiness value!
8. Brush the top lightly with some milk, and then sprinkle the top with some cinnamon sugar, before popping into the oven.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius until the pastry is puffed up nicely and golden brown.
10. Remove from oven, let it cool for a few minutes and then cut and serve with ice cream or whipped cream!

Fresh out of the oven

Delicious!

For an impromptu dessert using leftovers and staple items in the kitchen, I was really pleased with how it turned out. Next time, I'll throw in some frozen blueberries. I've always had a soft spot for apple pie or apple turnover, so it's nice to know that I can replicate it really quickly at home!

Off to sneak another slice...
thesuzchef x

Etch restaurant - Travelzoo daily deal

Having dined at Etch previously, and knowing it to be a quality establishment, I was more than happy when the hubby told me that he had purchased a daily deal for the restaurant. The deal was fantastic - $80 for 2 people to enjoy 3 courses - and we were quick to book in for a Friday night after the deal closed.

Part of the Justin North Becasse umbrella, Etch is tucked away in the Intercontinental Hotel block and wonderfully decorated. It's a warm dining area that isn't pretentious. A handful of very friendly and efficient floor staff are briskly whipping around and I was surprised to see that on a Friday night, there were only a handful of occupied tables, and more than a few of them were also on this daily deal. I knew the daily deal buyers as we received different menus - we received a one page menu that offered three different choices for the entree, main and dessert.

The hubby and I quickly made our choices and before long, our meals were in front of us. It was wonderful to see that there was no compromise on quality, presentation or quantity just because we were there on a daily deal - this was completely incongruent with all the other dining deals that I have purchased! Each dish was exquisite and we ate every bite, agreeing that the quality of the food was top notch and true to Justin North standard (the hubby and I had also recently dined at Quarter 21 - see previous post).

We started with the entree of confit of ocean trout for me and caramelised pork belly for him. My ocean trout dish was almost too pretty to eat, but the pork belly was absolutely divine and the standout entree dish out of the two. The crackling (the most important part of course!) was perfect, and we saved it for last!

This was DELICIOUS!

See what I mean by too pretty to eat?

For the mains, I had ordered the baked snapper and the hubby had ordered the veal. Both dishes were very generous in size, and I absolutely adored my main: baked snapper, scallop and squid with cauliflower bhaji and a curry emulsion - it was just so delicate in texture but packed huge flavour! The hubby loved his chargrilled veal rump, served with Salardaise potato and a malt vinegar jus. I had a bite and it was very hearty in flavour in comparison to the delicacy of my dish, but very tasty nonetheless!

A knockout main meal. Loved it!

Hubby's veal dish. Strong robust flavours - he loved it!

By this stage, I was getting pretty full but dessert was yet to come. We had ordered the caramel date tart, with earl grey tea syrup and burnt butter ice-cream, alongside the Brillat Savarin cheesecake, champagne and mandarin sorbet. The cheesecake was beautifully deconstructed in its presentation and very refreshing with the mandarin sorbet. The caramel date tart was very heavy, but balanced with the burnt butter ice-cream beautifully. If I had a bowl of burnt butter ice-cream and mandarin sorbet I would've been a very happy girl!

Caramel date tart with the amazing burnt butter ice cream

Look at the very cool presentation of the cheesecake!

Following the three course dinner, the deal also included tea / coffee and petit fours which was an unexpected bonus. By the time we left dinner, we were very full and very satisfied. This was a fantastic group buying deal - a rarity in all the ones that are up on offer everyday. It seems though that Etch really does need the influx of customers as the restaurant was half full at best on a Friday night, and a large proportion of patrons would've been on the daily deal as we were.

Finally, a good daily deal!

thesuzchef x

High Tea, Top Tea House - Jump On It deal

I just adore high tea - what is there not to like about it? It has me written all over it - pretty dress, sipping tea that has been poured from beautiful china, selecting delicacies from a tower of goodies in front of me... I used to be a high tea addict, indulging very frequently in locations all over Sydney, but hadn't been in awhile. That's why, when I saw a high tea deal on Jump On It, I jumped on it!

The deal was $49 for two people to have high tea at Top Tea House in Sydney. It included a glass of bubbles each, and with high tea prices usually $40+ per person in Sydney, I thought that it was a fantastic deal! I had not heard of Top Tea House before, but wasn't too fussed about looking it up online. I purchased the deal, booked myself and Consuela in and just this very weekend we went.

On arrival, the venue itself doesn't create the sort of ambiance that one usually has when having high tea. Top Tea House is located pretty much on the corner of George and Hunter St in the city, very close to Wynyard Station. A small space, there was probably only room for about 12-15 tables, and every single table was booked out for this deal. The owner / manager of Top Tea House stood zealously at the door, checking off everyone's vouchers before we were each escorted to our respective tables.

It was once we were inside that Consuela and I realised just where Top Tea House would be making money from this deal... with glasses of bubbly quickly dispensed, we were told by our waitress that we could only order one pot of tea between us, with refills to cost extra. The range of tea itself was quite extensive, and we settled on the Yorkshire Delight - a blend of black tea with a subtle floral arrangement. In the menu it stated that the tea went will with milk and sugar - yet when the tea arrived, no milk was offered.

All the groups were seated at the same time, and soon the venue was bustling with activity and chatter, but no food. We waited about half an hour before the food arrived - and only after seeing staff rush in and out carrying tupperware containers and foil covered plates. From my seat, I had a view of the preparation area, and could see the staff whip off the foil to plate up quiches, pastries, etc. I also saw the staff handle cans of whipped cream, which was then dispensed alongside the scones. Having seen this, I was forewarned as to the quality of the food.

Presented on a three tier stand, the Top Tea House experience started with some quiches (one spinach, one bacon) and two spinach and ricotta puff pastries. Consuela and I eagerly tucked into these as we were starving and quite light-headed from the bubbly, but were very disappointed to find the food cold. Not warm, but cold. We then moved onto the sandwiches which were standard fare - turkey, smoked salmon, poached chicken and roast beef - before digging into the scones.

The hot items on the high tea menu that were cold :-(

The scones were the biggest disappointment of all. I think it essential that high tea has quality scones - big fluffy ones, preferably warm, that you can slather with jam and (freshly whipped please!) cream. These were tiny in size - I have seen macarons bigger than these - and rock hard. I found it difficult to cut them in half to be able to spread the jam and cream. And to have cream that isn't freshly whipped but instead from a can!!!

Rock hard scones & whipped cream from a can

Following the cold quiche, the standard sandwiches and the rock hard scones, I was really hoping that there would be something that would save this experience. Consuela and I were beginning to remark on why the deal seemed too good to be true... and wondering if we had paid the full price of $55 per person (as it said in the Top Tea House blackboard) our experience would have been better. Like an answer to our prayers the final plate came out and Consuela and I thought it was very promising indeed! 

This almost made up for it!

The sweets plate had mini-baked cheesecakes, macarons, chocolate truffles and strawberries. The cheesecakes were the highlight of the plate - although covered by that blasted instant whipped cream, they were delicious and I could have happily eaten more of it!

This $49 deal seemed like a good idea at the time, but like most of these daily group buying deals, they usually are too good to be true. I can't say whether the high tea would be better on a normal day, paying the normal price - I hope that the quality of the food would be better. That said, the location and decor of the venue is not at all of the same standard of other high tea venues in Sydney... next time, I'll be going back to my old favourites of Gunners Barracks, Tea Room, Victoria Room, etc. Although they are expensive, you definitely do get what you pay for.

Top Tea House
3b/5 Hunter Street, Sydney

thesuzchef x

Green tea (matcha) ice cream

On Sunday morning, I found myself watching SBS Pop Asia from the kitchen whilst making green tea ice-cream. At that moment, I felt my Asian roots like I have only once before - when making fried rice for the first time a few weeks ago! Anyone who knows me knows that I am probably more Aussie than some Aussies. I am unashamedly ABC (Australian Born Chinese) and don't speak Cantonese, nor Mandarin, and don't often cook Asian food at home. However, over the past few years - probably thanks to the influence of The Hubby - I have evolved to be more in touch with my heritage... especially in the food stakes!

Last week I made black sesame ice-cream and this week I was determined to make green tea ice-cream from scratch. A few weeks ago I had found an instant green-tea ice-cream sachet at the Japanese supermarket - all I had to do was beat it with milk, chill and then churn... and it was delicious but didn't yield anywhere near enough for the hubby and I! Determined to make a large batch from scratch, off I went to purchase matcha - a green tea powder that is quite expensive... a little tin for $6.70, but it goes a long way!

The finished product is amazing as well as incredibly easy - I won't ever make it from the sachet again! I found the recipe online but adjusted it to yield a bigger batch, and to make it low fat.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup light thickened cream
3/4 cup skim milk
1 1/2 tablespoon matcha, green tea powder
5 tablespoons hot water
7 tablespoons caster sugar, with some extra spare
2 egg yolks

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix the matcha with the hot water to dissolve, leave to cool.
2. In a saucepan, lightly whisk the egg yolks. Add the sugar and lightly whisk together until pale.
3. Pour in the milk and the cream, whisk to combine and then put on low heat on the stove. Be careful to not let it come to a boil.
4. When the mixture has thickened so that it coats the back of a wooden spoon (about 7-10 minutes), turn off the heat and mix in the matcha. Stir the ice-cream base to combine.
5. At this point, taste the ice-cream base. The matcha can be quite bitter and neutralise the sugar that you've put in - if you want it sweeter, add another tablespoon or two or caster sugar and stir in the warm cream to dissolve.
6. Put the entire saucepan into a cold water bath in the sink and leave to cool to room temperature. When done, transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, the longer the better.
7. When completely chilled, remove from the fridge and churn in accordance with your ice-cream maker's instructions. I prefer to work with a cold cream base as I find it churns better and provides a creamier ice-cream.
8. Spoon out of the ice-cream maker and enjoy!

If you don't have an ice-cream maker - invest in one! Until you do, follow this recipe up to step 6, but freeze instead of refrigerating. Every hour or two, take the tub out and mix by hand, before returning to the freezer. Do this two or three times and you'll have a very yummy product at the end!

My ice-cream recipe is not as creamy as the ones you'd find in restaurants / cafes. This is due to the low fat content with the skim milk and light cream. If you'd like the full fat version, please feel free to substitute!

Am loving this ice-cream and can see that I'll be eating lots of this all through spring and summer!

thesuzchef x

Guilt free and non-mysterious sausage rolls!

C'mon, you can admit it. Everyone loves a sausage roll, with its unidentified meat and flaky pastry. When warm and lavishly dipped in tomato sauce, there is just something about it that hits the spot.

I admit that I grew up eating copious amounts of sausage rolls. I had them for breakfast, for lunch, as snacks throughout the day. That was the 1980s when obesity and nutritional content was not yet on the radar, and to this day I have a big soft spot for the humble sausage roll. However, these days, the fact that the meat is unidentified does play on my conscience and I have a more refined palate, so I thought that I'd make my own version!

Ingredients - makes 6 sausage rolls

500g turkey mince
1/2 small onion, chopped finely
1/2 small tub of tomato paste
1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
2 springs of rosemary, stripped and chopped finely
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 egg, lightly whisked
3 sheets of puff pastry, thawed

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius, and line a baking tray with baking paper
2. In a bowl, place the turkey mince, onion, tomato paste, breadcrumbs, rosemary, curry powder and some lashings of tabasco or chili flakes (optional). Mix by hand until well combined.
3. Cut the puff pastry in half so you have 6 strips. Put spoonfuls of the mixture on each strip and roll to create the sausage roll. When rolled, you can stuff more of the mixture into each end to fill the puff pastry.
4. Place onto the baking tray and brush with the egg. Sprinkle with poppyseeds or sesame seeds if you have any (I had none!) for decorative value.
5. Bake in oven for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden and flaked up. The aroma will make your tummy rumble, I promise!
6. Remove from oven, cool slightly and enjoy with lots of tomato sauce!

I found this to be incredibly tasty and easy, and it was nice to know that the meat was quality and also that the sausage roll was lean - not a bit of oil or fat was used, and as turkey is very lean anyhow, it is a healthy lunch option when served with a salad on the side. The hubby gobbled them all up and I will definitely be making this again. Next time I'd probably add more chili to the meat mixture to give it a definite kick! I think this recipe could also be adapted to use pork and crushed fennel seeds, or even lamb mince with rosemary and garlic - the possibilities are endless!

thesuzchef x

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

What do you do when you have 1.6kg of Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups?

It's an interesting dilemma. When Costco first opened and my best friend bought me my first 1.6kg bag of Reese's, I distributed it amongst my brothers and we ate it all in no time. I went to Costco myself weeks and weeks ago, and purchased another bag and it's been sitting there unopened ever since. I had already made cookies with them (which were amazing, check out my earlier post with the recipe), and so this time around, I thought I'd make some super indulgent cupcakes. My plan was to make a chocolate cupcake with a peanut butter cup hidden inside, topped with choc-peanut butter icing. My teeth hurt and my arteries have clenched in anticipation!

Look at these gorgeous babies!

Ingredients - makes 18 cupcakes

Devil's Food Cake - Magnolia Bakery recipe
2 cups plain flour
1 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Other items
18 Reese's mini peanut butter cups
1/2 cup softened, unsalted butter
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons milk - I used skim

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line cupcake tins with cupcake wrappers.
2. Unwrap the Reese's mini peanut butter cups in advance.
3. To make the cake: in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Add all the other ingredients and beat on high for 3 minutes.
4. Spoon the cake mix into each cupcake wrapper until halfway, and then drop one Reese's mini peanut butter cup into each, making sure it's in the middle. The peanut butter cup will sink into the mix.

5. Spoon the rest of the cake batter on top of peanut butter cups until completely covered.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes. You will know it's done when you gently tap the top of the cupcakes - if it bounces back, the cakes are done. If your finger makes an indent, leave it in the oven for a few more minutes.
7. Remove from oven, let cool for 10 mins in pan before turning out onto a wire rack.
8. Whilst cakes are cooling, make the icing by sifting the icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the butter, cocoa and milk and beat with an electric mixer until combined.
9. In the microwave, heat the peanut butter for 20 seconds until it is soft. Add to the icing and beat until combined. If the mixture is too dry and not spreadable, add an extra tablespoon or so or milk until it is the right consistency.
10. When cupcakes are completely cooled, ice with the choc-peanut butter frosting and enjoy!

I wish the peanut butter cups were in the middle but they sink unfortunately!

These are very indulgent and best consumed with a glass of cold milk - but they are incredibly popular with the crowds!

Now, just 1.5kg of Reese's to go...
thesuzchef x

Cookies Lounge Bar, North Strathfield

North Strathfield has really developed into a pretty cool area over the past few years. The old Arnotts biscuits factory site has now been converted into a street full of restaurants, cafes, a Harris Farm, an Aldi, Fitness First, etc. This has been added in recent months with the opening of Pancakes at the Rocks, Cheeky Chocolate cafe and Cookies Lounge Bar, completing the strip of shops and restaurants along George St, North Strathfield.

I first noticed Cookies when walking past to visit Cheeky Chocolate, I stopped by the window to read the menu and was suitably impressed. Cookies has the usual pub fare of chicken schnitzel, fish and chips, pie and mash but it also has options that run along the lines of twice cooked pork belly or roasted duck and porcini risotto. I had a peek inside and was further impressed - the decor of the pub / lounge / restaurant itself has a bit of a James Squire Brewhouse-esque feel and it's open space is perfect for groups of friends getting together in a relaxed environment.

Concrete floors, open spaces, tables & benches - great space

Open doors to the street, seating outside, exposed original brick from the Arnotts factory

 The lounge bar is a big open space, very inviting and quite busy for a quiet Thursday evening. There is also an upstairs area of where I didn't venture, but I see from the website that there is live music on Saturday evenings. Service at Cookies is fantastic - table service if you wish it, or get drinks from the bar.

When I had first spied the menu a few weeks ago, I was immediately drawn to the twice cooked pork belly. Served with endive, cabbage, bacon and half of an apple that was caramelised, the serving size was surprisingly huge - but I suppose warranted for the cost ($26.00). The pork belly was amazing - tender and juicy, perfectly complimented by the sides that came with the dish, especially the caramlised apple. The only disappointing aspect of the dish was the crackling - it was nowhere near crispy and perfectly done as I would have liked... but I still really enjoyed the dish nevertheless!

Some seriously awesome twice cooked roast pork belly!

My best friend and I also ordered the fish and chips to share - she was tempted by the sound of the Yak Fat beer batter, and I by the chips. After eating the pork belly first, and then delving into the fish and chips, I found this dish to be nowhere near as good as the first. It was, I am sure, a perfectly good fish and chips dish - the chips crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, the fish was definitely quality with the batter light and fluffy... but compared to the outstanding pork belly, it was just average.

Fat Yak Beer battered fish + chips, with crushed peas

I would definitely come back to Cookies - for the atmosphere and for the pork belly. Beyond the standard menu, which can be found on their website (see below), there are also a short list of specials and a couple of desserts. The desserts were nothing inspiring but that didn't bother my best friend and  I as we wandered down to Cheeky Chocolate for the goodies below!

Ice-cream profiteroles with orange sauce

Chocolate caramel tart

Cookie's Lounge Bar: www.cookiesloungebar.com.au
Bakehouse Quarter, 7 George St North Strathfield

Go and order the pork belly - you won't regret it!
thesuzchef x

Black sesame ice-cream

Now that winter is officially over, I thought it the perfect time to bring out the ice-cream maker for its next heavy duty summer shift! Although I've had the ice-cream maker for over 7 years, it was only really last year where I started to use it in earnest, and I was churning out at least a batch every week for months!

The Sunday just past was a perfect spring today - sunny, blue skies, pretty clouds - and with that perfect backdrop, I thought that the day could only get better with ice cream... black sesame ice cream to be precise!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons black sesame seeds
2 cups thickened cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 cups milk - I used skim for personal perference
4 eggs - yolks only

Method

1. In a dry sauce pan on medium heat, roast the black sesame seeds, giving a shake every now and then. After 3-4 minutes, take it off the heat and crush in the mortar & pestle.
2. In a saucepan, put the cream, milk and half the sugar - bring to a boil, stirring, and then turn off the heat.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remnants of the sugar until creamy. Slowly stir it into the cream mixture and stir to combine.
4. Turn the heat on again to low for the custard mixture and stir continually for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the wooden spoon.
5. Take the saucepan off the heat, and put in a water bath to bring it down to room temperature.
6. When mixture cooled, pour into a container and chill. If you don't have an ice-cream machine, freeze it.
7. If operating without a machine, take it out after 3 hours and stir before re-freezing. If using a machine, leave the mixture for a minimum of 3 hours in the fridge, before taking out and churning as per the machine's instructions. I prefer to chill the mixture before mixing as I find it makes the ice-cream a better consistency!
8. Churn and enjoy!

Now a couple of things about this recipe...

• I was disappointed that I didn't get that lovely dark grey colour that you see in the shops... it's a light grey, flecked with bits of the black sesame instead... but the taste is still there! 
• Be careful not to cook the egg when you add it into the cream mixture - prevent this by letting the cream mixture cool off the heat before you add the egg, and add the egg slowly to the cream, stirring the whole time.
• I was also worried that the ice-cream wouldn't be sweet enough with only 1/2 cup of sugar... but it's the perfect amount actually, and any sweeter would overpower the nuttiness that comes from the crushed roasted black sesame. 

The ice-cream is lovely... the nuttiness is so unlike anything that you can purchase from the local supermarket. I see a long and fruitful future for black sesame and my ice-cream machine this spring and summer!!

thesuzchef x

An orange cake like no other!

I had a lapse in judgment last week when I volunteered to bake a surprise birthday treat for a girl at work. I have no issue with making goodies for people, I actually love nothing better than to whip up something nice to put a smile on someone's face, but this was a completely different situation altogether. The girl who would be the recipient of the cake eats no wheat, no sugar, and has a huge love and affinity for animals... therefore the eggs have to be free range (which is a given in all my recipes anyhow) and the butter and milk organic and certified (I am told Dairy Farmers is suitable!).

So... what do I bake for someone with all these specific dietary requirements? Here is what I came up with:

Ingredients

3 small navel oranges
3 cups of almond meal
3 free range eggs
1 cup caster sugar - or, in my case, I used Stevia - a natural sugar substitute
1 teaspoon baking powder - or, in my case, gluten free baking powder

Method

1. In a saucepan, boil the three small oranges for 1.5 hours, topping up the water as it boils away. Turn off the heat, take the oranges out of the water and let cool.
2. Grease and line cake tin, pre-heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
3. Coarsely chop the oranges and then whiz in the food processor until smooth.
4. Add the eggs, almond meal, baking powder and sugar to the food processor and let it combine.
5. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool completely in the tin.

Be very careful removing the cake from the tin - it will be very moist and without all the flour to bind the ingredients together, it is wont to crumble!

The cake comes out with this gorgeous orange aroma - it smells absolutely delicious. Upon cooling, the cake is still wonderfully moist but it is dense due to the almond meal and orange puree. A small slice for this cake is more than enough, and goes perfectly with an afternoon cup of tea. 

The birthday girl loved the cake - it had been so long since she had been able to enjoy cake, so it was a nice treat. Some normal eaters had the cake as well, and said that it was also delicious - so that was an unexpected bonus!

thesuzchef x