{ Mélanger :: to mix }

I tiptoe backwards out the room while watching for any hint of movement.  For now, she appears asleep.  I pull the door slightly closed and check the time.  My mind starts to race as I quickly plan out the next few minutes.  That may be all I have.  Maybe more.  And possibly maybe less.

I make a mental checklist of the things I need to do.  Shower.  Eat.  Laundry.  I choose the order wisely as only one item may be checked off.   As I quickly try to knock off these tasks, I listen out at the same time for any whimpers from the bassinet.   Any hint of movement and I will quickly find myself next to her softly patting and shhhhhing.  Trying to settle baby Nina.  Parents everywhere are probably knowingly nodding recollecting similar events with their children when they were newborns.

How different life is.  One significant change is the value I place on time.  I always appreciated what spare time I had before, but now, I acknowledge how precious it really is.  So when I do have a few minutes to myself — usually thanks to my Mum or Mr Mélanger — no prizes for guessing what I want to do.  No, it is not catching up on my sleep and having a nap.  That is the last thing on my mind.  It is baking!

I remember a few months back when I was pregnant and having trouble sleeping.  Mr Mélanger caught me early one morning in the kitchen baking bread.  When I am stressed, need a distraction, or cheering up, baking is my solution.  For me, it is a guaranteed cure to any emotional stress – particularly the stress of a feisty and energetic newborn!!  The waft of something homemade baking in the oven, permeating throughout the house, seems to temporarily evaporate any anxiety.  What an amazing thing!

This little nutty fruity sweet was the very first thing I baked after bringing Nina home from the hospital.  Chosen for its speed of assembly (only minutes to prepare!), and simplicity of ingredients.  There is nothing fancy or chic about this humble slice but it sure is wholesome and soul feeding – particularly knowing it is very likely to grace the lunchbox my baby daughter in years to come.  In the meantime, this was a regular snack for ‘mum’ with milk in the middle of the night!

{ Almond berry slice } Recipe from The Australian Women’s Weekly

* Ingredients *
90g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour
1/2 cup (160g) berry jam, warmed slightly
Topping
2 eggs
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
1 cups (160g) desiccated coconut
1 cup ground almonds

* Directions *
Preheat oven to 180C.  Line base of a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan with baking paper.  In a small bowl cream butter then gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg thoroughly.  Fold in sifted flours until combined.  Spread mixture into base of prepared pan, smoothing top as much as possible.  Spread with warmed jam. To make Topping, beat egg lightly just with a fork and whisk in sugar, coconut and ground almodns. Spread over jam as evenly as possible. Bake for about 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and leave to cool in pan. Cut into fingers when thoroughly cooled.

When I started crying, I almost thought I would not stop.  Baby Nina was beside me in hospital.  She was four days old.  I was reading the card Mr Mélanger had just handed me for our 1st wedding anniversary.  It was touching, moving and stirred up plenty of emotion.  Next came the gift.  After electing to go down the traditional route of presents for our anniversaries, I wondered what paper item would lie within the wrapping.  Once opened, the tears once more were instant.  But this time with more force.  A black and white framed photograph of me holding our 36-hour old baby girl was my gift.  I was dumbstruck at how Mr Mélanger was able to organise such a precious present.  I was completely unaware of his intention when he took the photograph originally.  What a special piece of paper indeed.

So tonight, we celebrate our belated wedding anniversary.  Actually, on a day of another two anniversaries.  Our baby daughter is now one month old today.  How quickly that time has flown – and how quickly she is growing!  It is also a sad 14 years today since my father passed away.  I cannot believe it has been that long.  The middle names we gave baby Nina are in honour of my father.  We used the same initials, so she will have some connection to the only grandparent that will never meet her.

My father loved strawberries.  Particularly growing them.  I have fond memories of him in his garden tending to rows upon rows of strawberries.  So it is only fitting that I post this homemade strawberry ice cream today, on this anniversary.

{ Strawberry Ice Cream with Lemon Coconut Macaroons } Original recipe by Julia @ Mélanger

Despite the high cream content, this is a refreshing ice cream with the addition of the sweet fruit of the strawberry.  I wanted to pair this with a little zesty biscuit and it was quite some time until I thought of the simple coconut macaroon.  A little grating of lemon rind cuts some of the sweetness and is a nice little tasty treat with the ice cream.

{ Strawberry Ice Cream  }

* Ingredients *
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups full cream milk
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
500g / 1 pint strawberries, hulled

* Directions *
Beat the egg yolks together with the sugar.  In a saucepan, gently heat the cream until bubbles appear around the edges.  Remove from heat.  Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath and set aside.  Slowly whisk the heated cream in a steady stream into the yolk mixture to temper.  Once it has been completely mixed, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and mix in the milk.  Pour mixture through sieve, and set into an ice-water bath.  Chill mixture overnight in the fridge.  The following day, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Coarsely chop the strawberries and add to the mixture at the final stages of churning.*  Freeze for a further 1-2 hours to firm up the texture.

*Although delicious, some of the fruit was a little too firm to the bite in this ice cream.  Next time I will make a strawberry coulis and churn in at the end.

Makes 1 1/2 litres/quarts

{ Lemon Coconut Macaroons }

* Ingredients *
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 large egg whites
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

* Directions *
Preheat oven to 350F / 180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine sugar, coconut, egg whites, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Use your hands to mix well, completely combining ingredients.  Dampen hands with cold water. Form 1 1/2 tablespoons of mixture into a loose haystack shape, and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, placing macaroons about 1 inch apart.  Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven to a wire rack, and let macaroons cool slightly on baking sheet. These are best served warm from the oven, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes 20

It feels like autumn here in Brisbane even though it is technically spring.  It is cold and wet, and to be perfectly honest, downright miserable really.  But what is the silver lining to this unseasonably rainy and cool weather?  It creates the perfect conditions for the oven to be popped on, the house to be warmed up, and to enjoy the aroma of a freshly baked cake wafting from the kitchen.

I must confess I baked this little fruit speckled cake prior to Nina being born.  In fact, back when figs were in season and I knew they would a perfect hue for my ‘Pink’ month.

I enjoy being guided by seasonal produce with my baking, so after seeing these figs in my local fruit store earlier in the year, I returned home and scoured my baking books for inspiration.  I stumbled on an idea when flicking through Dorie Greenspan’s well thumbed Baking: From my home to yours.  She features a Fig cake for fall. It looked simple and rustic and just the ticket to showcase the beautiful fresh figs.

Some interesting ingredients in Dorie’s recipe included port, honey and cornmeal alongside the standard butter, flour, sugar and eggs.  I opted to play around with the recipe a little and included a few omissions, substitutions and additions of my own.  The port and honey was omitted, the cornmeal was substituted for ground hazelnuts, and the figs were matched with a handful of raspberries.

The overall result was a very easy to make, moist and flavoursome cake that is perfect not only for autumn, but any day of the year really.

P.S.  Thank you to everyone for all your lovely well wishes for baby Nina.  Life as three in the Mélanger household is a bit of a roller coaster at times, but the always turbulent journey is magnificent.  (And I say that functioning on minimal sleep, too!)  I slowly manage to sneak a few minutes here and there for myself, for some very quick baking adventures in the kitchen, and for quickly catching up on some of my favourite blogs.  Well, big emphasis on slowly….

{ Fig and raspberry hazelnut cake } Inspired by “A fig cake for fall” by Dorie Greenspan

* Ingredients *
125g / 1 stick unsalted butter
¾ cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ cup milk
½ cup ground hazelnuts
8 figs, halved
½ cup raspberries

* Directions *
Preheat oven to 180C/350F.  Grease a 20cm/8 inch cake tin.   Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs separately beating well after each addition.  Sift the flour and baking powder.  Add half the flour to the mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour.  Finally, fold in the ground hazelnuts.  Spoon the mixture into the tin, and arrange the figs, cut side up on top of the cake.  Sprinkle the raspberries between the fig halves.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.  Leave to rest for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

My maternal grandmother.  My friend RB.  My friend JH’s mother.  My friend KE.  Twice.  My friend KD’s mother.  My friend KR’s mother.

Without even having to think too hard, these are just a few women I know who have battled breast cancer.  And while typing this, I quickly conclude this is really too many women to know.  I am certain there are more women in my life that are not registering in my (currently sleep deprived!) brain right now, and others who have privately battled this cancer.

So earlier in the year, I wanted to celebrate a ‘pink’ month on my blog to commemorate breast cancer awareness month this October.  I wanted to acknowledge the strength, courage and determination of all the women around the world who have battled breast cancer.

This decision is now even more significant for me as I celebrate the arrival of my baby daughter, Nina – just 2 ½ weeks old at the time of this post.  A little baby girl that I hope also displays fortitude, bravery and grace through any challenge – big or small – that life may throw at her in her future.

This month, call the colour blush, coral, fuchsia, rose, or even salmon, I will showcase a month of pink-hued inspired sweet treats.

P.S.  And to another amazing woman in my life – big thanks to my mother who is helping me out today with baby Nina, so I can sneak in some ‘me’ time for this update!

Speaking of Nina, just a few photographs taken since coming home from hospital.

{ Top Images :: Nina 7 days old “pretty in pink” having a rare nap.  Bottom Images :: Nina 13 days old “eyes on the prize” swiping her play mat rattles }