High Tea at home and other (non)baking sweets

I had the opportunity to use my cake stand a few weeks ago =D I had some relatives over from Malaysia so wanted to make something special :) I've also always wanted to go to high tea ... but its always been so $$... so why not do it at home ^_^"

I made chocolate macarons and berry and nut brownies. Glad that my relatives liked them~ I even had to "replenish" the levels xD hahaha!!

Other non baking sweets I've made are Tiramisu and Blackforest cheesecake. The weather had been so hot lately to actually use the oven.. but thank God it cooled down and I could use it today for catering!

I've also just recently come back from Sydney for a friends wedding but also took a day off to explore and eat around Sydney! And I finally got to go to ADRIANO ZUMBO PATISSERIE: Balmain lab! YAY!!!! got to try Adriano Zumbo's yummy pastries and cakes!!! However I didn't get to meet him or see inside the kitchen because th glass was frosted due to renovations :(... next time next time... So I'll end off with some of his yummy pastries, cakes and ZUMBARONS!!!!

The famous graffiti!!! =D outside the zumbo lab~

delicious crossiants!

CAKES!

PEPTIO: Puff pasty filled with raspberry and white chocolate.. a healthy brekky =p

Mocha, almond crossiant and peach ice tea macaron

Berry brioche! Just exploding with berries!

Assortment of ZUMBARONS

CAKES!!!! so many choices~~

fancy tarts

Mr Tom Brown - milk chocolate coconut mousse, mango compote, milk chocolate ginger cremeaux, coconut ginger cake & milk chocolate glaze

Jun and Jill - pistachio & mint creme chantilly, apricot compote, apricot & saffron creme, pistachio dacquoise, pistachio crunch & pistachio glaze 

Eric is a bananaman3 -chocobanana mousse, lemon & banana creme, flourless chocolate cake, caramelised almonds, salted dark caramel plaque

Work Catering Week 2: BROWNIES!

Week 2 of catering and I decided to make BROWNIES =D I didn't have heaps of time to bake so these brownies were a one pot wonder (and also less dishes to wash =p). I've made these berry and nut brownies before but this time they were thicker =D I also added pecans for a nice crunch :) 

Big tray of brownies! yum yum!! I ate the edges =p

You can find the recipe here. I just doubled it for a thicker brownie. These were definitely a HIT and got many nice comments (thanks everyone ^^).

Trying out some food photography xD

Ready for catering~

To cater for non-chocolate lovers and to balance out the sweetness I also made Lemon and Coconut "brownies"... that's what the recipe called them but I would rather call them a slice because they weren't "brown" and didn't contain chocolate =p I guess they use the same method as brownies e.g. melting butter in pot and stirring in eggs... 

anyways! I halved the amount of sugar (as per the comments made) and added more lemon zest and juice. I think you can increase the lemon for a tangier flavour.

LEMON and COCONUT SLICE
Recipe adapted from Taste.com.au

Ingredients
250g butter
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
zest of 3 lemons
70ml fresh lemon juice
icing sugar, to dust

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Line a 20 x 30cm pan with baking paper.
2. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar. 
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time and stir until mixture is thick and glossy.
4. Sift in the flour and stir till well combined. Stir in coconut, lemon zest and juice. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool then dust with icing sugar.

Close up of lemon and coconut slice.. lovely and golden~~

I love hearing all the comments and seeing all my food gone =D Can't wait for next week... still thinking about what to make.. hmmmm~~

Not just your normal brownies~

I had a craving for something chocolatey and also needed it fast XD So i decided to make some brownies! They are really simple and don't take long at all~ I think the thing that takes the longest is the baking in the oven!!

You can find the recipe for my brownies here.

I just modified it by adding around 1/2 cup frozen berries ^_____^ It cuts the sweetness and is a nice surprise =p

Delicious brownies with bits of berries =D YUM!

So when you need a chocolate fix... you can make this! Enjoy ^___^