FoodieChat

Now it’s not often that Nigella Lawson, domestic goddess, creates a low fat version of something. Not that she called this lower fat, but I certainly think it is, by virtue of being based on condensed milk, rather than cream, as most fudge sauces are. And it can’t be any easier:

1. 200g condensed milk (I even used skim)
2. 100g chocolate
3. 100g peanut butter (Again I used lite).

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, and warm gently until melted together into a lusciously viscous rich sauce.  Add a couple of tablespoons of water to prevent from setting too hard.

Pour over ice cream, sprinkle with chopped nuts, and enjoy – blissful in the knowledge that it’s not as bad as it could have been for you!

I made this cupcake “cake” for my sister Ashley’s birthday using 21 cupcakes (Nigella Lawson’s “How to be a domestic Goddess” recipe).  I stood my 13-cupcake Wilton holder on top of a foil covered pizza tray, with 13 on the stand and 9 on the bottom in alternating colours: lime green with silver cachous, and pink icing with glass-like sprinkles.  The white roses are my first (and potentially last) attempt at sugar paste flowers; and I used some rose leaves wound around the cupcake holder to fill up the gap.  To ice the cupcakes, I used a star shaped nozzle and twirled it around – and careful to sprinkle on the decorations before it dries.  I then carried the cupcakes to the venue inside the muffin tray they were baked in.  And finally – decorate with candles.  Happy birthday Ashley (and Chris!). 

Well it’s that time of year again when Sydney foodies descend upon top restaurants, hotels, bars and even parks to eat and drink their way around town for the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month.  And top of the list for the evenings is the Sugar Hit – the $20 plate of dessert and glass of dessert wine (up from $15 in previous years).  We went to the elegant Cafe Opera at the intercontinental, fully intending to have the Sugar Hit, but instead captivated by the dessert trolley before us, which offered an array of beautiful irresistable patisserie at only $8 each.  Well, there’s the bird in the hand theory – we could see before our eyes what we were going to get (and save $4 each too – since dessert wine is $8 a glass), or get the sugar hit. Well – bird’s good for me.

I’m quite familiar with the quality of the desserts at the Inter Cont as I had done a Hands On cooking class five years back, and returned frequently to have the cakes take away.

A favourite is the tear drop shaped black forest cake – chocolate sponge topped with sour cherry compote, whipped cream and finished off with a layer of cherry jelly.  Tempting tiramisu manifested as a cake – sponge fingers top, bottom and side, and a smooth thick layer of coffee liqueur flavoured marscarpone – and topped with a delicate rolled tuile.

The pavlova slice is deceptively light – filled with raspberries, mango and whipped cream – soft and fluffy with a slightly crispy meringue top.  And… DIY sugar hit hahaha.

But my absolute favourite of all time is the passionfruit mousse cake, which for me takes the cake (literally) for its tangy passionfruit that cuts through the sweetness in a light mousse; wrapped with a dotted sponge collar and a layer of jelly on top.  Butterflies or leaves of chocolate spiked on top, and a shard of speckled white chocolate for good measure.  The staff could have been a bit more generous with the dessert wine, but when you could catch them were attentive and polite.  The large couches are a comfortable way to rest and soak up the atmosphere – but be quick as there are no bookings on a Friday night – and the queue starts well before the 9pm starting time.

www.gfm.smh.com.au for more events.  Sydney Intercontinental Hotel  117 Macquarie Street Sydney 9240 1369 

I thought I could let my birthday pass without anyone from work knowing or at least making a fuss about it, but the girls at work managed to surprise me and made my birthday even more special! They managed to sneak in some cupcakes from a bakery until I walked to the fridge for some milk and saw these cupcakes, and… surprise! I was so touched!  Who can resist pink iced cupcakes, perfectly smooth drizzled with white chocolate over the buttery dense base; or these devilishly delicious chocolate chip and nut cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache,

Or these deceptively healthy looking (I assure you, they are not!) blackberry baked cheesecakes…. and finally, tangy lemon baked cheesecakes!! As if I hadn’t indulged enough already (other birthday blogs to come)…. but cupcakes really are so extra special Thanks for the sweet surprise girls!