Luxury

the cook and the baker

Sensational Recipes from Mark McDonough and Dean Brettschneider. Mark is the Cook, he can be found at Zarbo Deli and Cafe in Newmarket Auckland. Dean is the Baker, known all around the world as the Global Baker and known locally as one of the judges on televisions Nestle New Zealands Hottest Home Baker.

I gave this book to Emma for Christmas and it is full of delicious recipes that are just that little bit different with the odd difficult twist that makes everything taste so much nicer.

I am making the Luxury milo fruit and nut slice this week.

Starting with a baked shortcrust base, the dried fruit and nuts give the topping a little kick and the ganache and toasted-coconut icing provides contrast. Its a very rich slice ideal for serving with coffee.

I was not going to bother with the shortcrust base, but I think that would be the most challenging part as I don't normally 'do' pastry!

Also, my history on ganache making is rough, so will see how this one goes.

Well, it is made and maturing in the fridge. The proof will be in the slicing and tasting.

Family should all arrive home from various parts of the country tonight so I am looking forward to sharing it with them all.

Naiomi Bars

I am sampling this weeks baking as I write this and the laptop is now smothered in sticky chocolatey muck! It is absolutely delicious and I just know it is not going to last long in the fridge.

The weekend was a busy one and a hot one. Yesterday nothing was done around the place as the mercury reached 35 in the shade. So the plan today, was to attack the mountain of ironing and washing that was neglected over the weekend. This hasn't been done yet and its 4pm. It has been raining very hard today so it is the perfect conditions for baking.

Brother-in-law Eddy reaches my age today so I thought I would put together a large lunch box of baking for him. I made the usual choc chip biscuits and a yummy fudge with cranberries and walnuts. Then I saw a recipe for a slice called Nainoma Bars, sometimes referred to as Continental Fudge. It is a custard flavoured, chocolate covered, malt biscuit based, fudge.

The book I found the recipe in is the Ladies, A Plate , on page 47. The recipe is from Bev Burgess back in 1963.

I will be giving this away. It is far too delicious to have in my house!

Happy Birthday John

It is that time of year again when hubby gets another year older.

Which means that I will attempt a sponge for the second time in my life......will let you know how that goes!

In the meantime I thought I would make him some cornflake cookies, a recipe that Richard Till put in the Sunday paper this weekend just gone. They look really cute and the mixture is quite firm, but there is absolutely no taste to them at all. Bland boring biscuits!! ha ha

So I made some fudge as well only to realise that John really is not a fudge fan! Oh well, more for any visitors that may come by this week.

A chilly day today as the wind blows in from the South, so a good day to fill the house with baking smells.

Biscuits and Rhubarb

We have had a few days in Melbourne at the tennis and while we were away, my brother in law turned another year older. So what does one give the man with nearly everything, for his birthday? Why biscuits of course!

His favourite biscuit is cookie time cookies that come out at Christmas time in a large red bucket. So I made him some good old chocolate chippies from a recipe I hadn't made before. Just to make the present a little more exciting, I threw together a rocky road made with Kremelta and marshmellows, cranberries and pistachios. No good at all for his waist line or heart, but he assured me he would share.

I think that if I made a different biscuit each week that I would bore you all to tears as they are not the most exciting things to blog and read about.

So, with much thought, I am going to make a different 'something' each week. Could be a casserole, slice, dessert, jam or preserves etc. Options are Yuge!

2011...Cookies are made of butter and love...Norwegian proverb

This year, 2011, will be the year I make biscuits. Every week a 'new' biscuit. The plan is to try and make a different, unusual, slightly challenging biscuit. Instead of the good ol faithfuls (sante biscuits, peanut brownies and afghans) I thought that maybe I could take a little time and make something never produced in this Greers Rd kitchen before.

I have a million recipe books brimming with biscuit recipes, but if you have a favourite, then please feel free to forward the recipe on.

The first one to try is the first one in the Allyson Gofton book 'BAKE'. Lemon Biscuits. Tart, sweet and luscious - all in one delicious mouthful!

They don't sound at all exotic or challenging, but at least its new to this kitchen and will give them a go.

Allyson always throws in the odd tip and this tip is to keep coconut in the freezer as like other nuts it will go rancid if kept in a warm kitchen cupboard. Bet you didn't know that!

There is the photo of the biscuits. Made about 42 of them so plenty to share!

60th Post.....Year of the Cake is finished

Well what a year of cake making, 2010 was.

It has been a very enjoyable challenge, making a different cake each week of 2010 and writing a blog about its successes and failures. So much so, that I am looking for a new challenge.

It has been suggested I watch a different movie (at the movies) each week and share my opinions of it.

It has been suggested I make a different 'pie' each week, savoury or sweet. But I think I would gain even more weight sampling them all.

I thought maybe I could bake a different biscuit each week. I like this one so far.

Have you any ideas? I would love to hear them.

The New Year was a real treat, receiving text messages from all of my Christmas cake recipients as they cut into their cake. I have had a 99 percent success rate with only one person not enjoying their cake.......I am happy with that score and I really appreciated everyones honesty.

The mixture of reactions to being given a cake during the year has been rewarding. The pleasure people receive in being handed a cake for birthday, anniversary or just because, was immense. Just about as much as the pleasure in baking and giving.

Thank you to you all for taking an interest in my blog during the past year. I hope it provided you with a little laugh and light relief.

Watch this space for this years idea on what to make. I look forward to any ideas you have.

Cheers Mother Maderia

Tis the Week of Christmas.....

After a hot and busy social weekend, I have left the baking of this weeks cake to the cooler temperature of last evening.

Nigella in her 'Nigella Christmas' book, makes a stunning looking cake for Christmas that looks like a bunch of Christmas trees lightly covered in fresh powdered snow. The secret is the fir tree shaped bundt cake tin she uses. I have scoured the countries kitchen shops looking for a tin like this, I even emailed her supplier in England and they are currently out of stock! So I popped down to the Homestore in Merivale and found a bundt tin that looks more like a cathedral dome than a bunch of trees!

The cake is a spruced up vanilla cake. It is rich in ingredients.....quite a bit of butter, 6 eggs, and a good cup of yoghurt go together to make a lovely light textured cake.

I will take it with me this morning to Look Good Feel Better and shout for the Cancer society staff.

Over the past three months, I have been making a variety of Christmas cakes that I have given to friends for Christmas. I will blog about them next and let you know how they turned out and how they tasted.

So Merry Christmas, relax and stay cool in these days leading to the big day. Remember to take 5 minutes among the hecticness of these days to breathe, and reflect on the reason for this fun festive season.