{ Mélanger :: to mix }

You know those days that can switch 180° on you in a split second?  One minute you are happy as a clam.  Next minute you are thrown into a spin.

Welcome to my Saturday.

While out and about running errands during a beautifully sunny, Brisbane autumn day, I was in my car on my way home satisfied with what I had accomplished.  Then, before I knew it, someone decides to join me in the lane I am traveling in, quite abruptly.  Next thing you know, two cars have collided, and I am completely stationary.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

All will be repaired, but things like that sure can rattle a person.  I know I was off kilter for the remainder of the weekend.

Despite feeling out of sorts, I was grateful for one thing.  The comfort of baking.  Life can spin out of control but what a reassuring feeling to quietly walk into a kitchen, gather a few ingredients, and create something special.

That is exactly what I did.

For me, there is nothing like chocolate to soothe an unsettled soul.  In this case, a Chinese five spice chocolate mousse.  Inspired by a Belinda Jeffery rich chocolate cake showcasing the same spice (and a cake my husband continues to beg I make again), I whipped together these little aromatic pots of calmness.  The peacefulness in the kitchen during the process went a long way to calm me from the recent events.

How amazing is baking?

{ Chinese five spice chocolate mousse } Original recipe by Julia @ Mélanger

* Ingredients *
200g/7oz dark chocolate
30g/1oz unsalted butter
2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup thickened cream

* Directions *
Gently melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  As the chocolate is melting, add the Chinese five spice powder.  Add the egg yolks and stir to combine well.  Set aside to cool.  In the meantime, beat the egg whites until you form soft peaks.  Whip the thickened cream until almost firm.  Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture.  Lastly, fold in the egg whites trying to keep the mixture as light as possible.  Spoon into serving glasses and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  To serve, top with dollop of cream and a light dusting of Chinese five spice.

Serves 6

He could not pick the flavour.  I gave him a small hint.  “It is from our garden,” I said proudly with a huge grin.  He takes another bite, more slowly this time.  I am transfixed on his reaction, but still no guess was forthcoming.  He then starts to call out all the herbs we have in the garden.  One by one.  He obviously hit on the flavour, eventually, but I was surprised the taste originally eluded him.  Perhaps testament to its delicate infusion.

My key inspiration for this dish was the baby rosemary plant Mr Mélanger had recently planted in our garden.  Already thriving with his solid attention, a few sprigs needed to be tested for the theme this month.

I love rosemary with strong citrus flavours in savoury cooking, so decided to pair the rosemary in this dessert with orange.  A couple of sprigs of rosemary were infused into the cream before making the basic custard for the brûlée.  The zest of one orange was also folded into the final mixture.  The end result was a typical creamy brûlée, with subtle suggestions of pine and some zing.

Will I make this flavour combination again?  I thoroughly enjoyed the injection of a less traditionally sweet flavour to balance the incredibly rich brûlée.  The subtly of the rosemary was surprising, and perhaps could make a repeat appearance in the Mélanger kitchen!

{ Rosemary & orange crème brûlée } Original recipe by Julia @ Mélanger

* Ingredients *
2 cups of heavy cream
6 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 sprigs of rosemary
Zest of 1 orange
Sugar, to finish

* Directions *
Gently boil the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles appear around the edges.  Remove from the heat and add the rosemary.  Allow to infuse for 20 minutes.  In the meantime, mix the yolks and sugar together.  Strain the cream and again gently re-boil.  Once the cream is ready, gently whisk the cream into the yolk sugar mixture until combined.  Transfer the mixture back into the small saucepan and cook gently until you can coat the back of a spoon.  At this point, gently mix in the orange zest.  Divide the mixture into 6 ramekins or moulds.  Place into a roasting dish and fill with water. Bake in a preheated 180 / 350 oven for 20-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Once cool, refrigerate until completely set, ideally overnight.  To finish, sprinkle the top of the baked custard with sugar.  With a blow torch, gently brown the sugar evenly.  Alternatively, place under a pre-heated grill to brown.

A new dessert.  A layered dessert.  A most perfect Daring Baker’s Challenge.  Orange Tian.

This dessert is layered with a multitude of different textures and flavours.  Pâte sablée.  Orange marmalade.  Orange flavoured whipped cream.  Caramel infused orange segments.  Caramel orange sauce.

Traditionally, you build the dessert upside down and then unmould the dessert so that the bottom layer (the orange segments) becomes the top layer.

The dish provided great flexibility in creating the components in stages.  I deviated slightly from the instructions by creating a tart-like tian.  Instead of assembling the components upside-down with the top layer first, I stacked each layer starting with a shallow lipped pastry shell.

I selected my favourite pâte sablée recipe as the base of this dessert (recipe from Strawberry and Pistachio Tarts).  This nutty pistachio pastry holds up well to fruit flavours, in particular the bold, citrus orange.

As a bonus to this challenge, I am proud to now have a couple of homemade jars on hand.  It will not last long, I am sure!

Thank you Jennifer for a great selection.

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

{ Orange Tian } Daring Baker’s Challenge by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings

For the Pâte sablée:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients
2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature
granulated sugar 6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon; 2.8 oz; 80 grams
vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon; 2 grams
All-purpose flour 1.5 cup + 2 tablespoons; 7 oz; 200 grams
baking powder 1 teaspoon ; 4 grams

Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.

Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a ¼ inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Marmalade:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients
Freshly pressed orange juice ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams
1 large orange used to make orange slices
cold water to cook the orange slices
pectin 5 grams
granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked

Finely slice the orange. Place the orange slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.

Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.

Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).

Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar . If you don’t have a scale, you can place the slices in a cup measurer and use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:

For this step you will need 8 oranges.

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.

For the Caramel:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients
granulated sugar 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
orange juice 1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons; 14 oz; 400 grams

Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.

Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.

Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.

[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]

For the Whipped Cream:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients
heavy whipping cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
3 tablespoons of hot water
1 tsp Gelatine
1 tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar
orange marmalade (see recipe above) 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Add the confectioner sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly while beating continuously. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.
[Tip: Use an ice cold bowl to make the whipped cream in. You can do this by putting your mixing bowl, cream and beater in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to whipping the cream.]

Assembling the Dessert:

Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.

Should every budding amateur patisserie chef have a signature petits fours plate? After a recent injection of inspiration, I enthusiastically say, yes.

Petits fours are dainty biscuits, tiny decorated cakes, and miniature confections traditionally served with dessert or with coffee at the end of the meal. They are also popular at luncheons and high teas, and growing in popularity. These small treats are designed to be light and nibbled in almost one mouthful.

Dry (sec) and fresh (frais), the selection of petits fours seems limited only by imagination. Madeleines, tuiles, friands, macarons, langues de chat, palmiers, truffles are a selection of petits fours sec, and mini choux éclairs, glacé fruits, iced or glazed cakes, tartlets some examples of petits fours frais.

Small, however, does not equal simple. Petits fours are delicate and often fiddly, and demand much patience. According to the French Culinary Institute, it is estimated that one quarter to one third of a pastry kitchen’s time is dedicated to preparing petits fours. That fact alone impressed me enough to investigate them further — and quickly conclude they were more than worthy of a full month of sweet study and hungry exploration on Mélanger.

What prompted all this interest initially? My inspiration was delivered on a white plate at Aria Brisbane at the end of the meal.

{ Images ::  Rich Valrhona chocolate délice with chocolate sorbet – Aria’s signature chocolate dessert – selection of truffles and Turkish delight petits fours @ Aria Brisbane }

After happily grazing on an amuse bouche of soy marinated tuna with daikon cucumber and truffle vinaigrette, then a starter of twice cooked Bangalow sweet pork belly with apple puree and black pudding, a main course of roasted lamb rack with cumin, labna and egg plant, and a dessert of rich Valrhona chocolate délice with chocolate sorbet (Aria’s signature chocolate dessert), the table was presented with coffee and petits fours – a selection of truffles and Turkish delight.

With satisfied, full bellies around the entire table, it did not take long for hands to reach, not so shyly, into the small treats.

{ Images :: Matt Preston’s book, Cravat-a-licious and Julia & Matt Preston @ book launch at Aria Brisbane }

The entire restaurant was there to celebrate the launch of Matt Preston’s book, Cravat-a-licious. Matt Preston’s larger than life personality left an indelible mark, but for me, so did the final course.

So this month, I will investigate a range of my own petits fours. I hope you enjoy the small taste I will showcase. Perhaps it will include a new favourite for you, too?

Do you already have a repertoire of miniature delights that you fall back on time and time again? Please share!

A small handful of cookbooks in my collection have dedicated sections on petits fours. I will be heavily referencing the following this month:

The Roux Brothers on Patisserie, Michel and Albert Roux
Indulge, Claire Clark
The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts, The French Culinary Institute
Ripailles, Stéphane Reynaud
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2, Simone Beck & Julia Child

Thank you to Vogue Entertaining and Travel and News Magazine for my invitation to join the book launch at Aria Brisbane – and a big thank you for not being mortified at the table (and in fact being fully encouraging!) as I whipped out my camera to take snaps of Matt Preston and the dishes throughout the meal.

Pineapple, mango, passion fruit, pawpaw and payapa, coconut, banana, lychees.

This month on Mélanger, it was 100% tropical fruits.

Here in Queensland, we are blessed with a climate that produces fresh, sweet fruit.  Many native fruits and fruits from around the world are grown effortlessly in this tropical state.

Tropical fruit is at the heart of growing up in this part of Australia.  Mango trees at your school.  Banana trees in your own backyard.  Pawpaw that you can pick from your own back deck.  Passion fruit on a vine intertwined between neighbouring properties.  Summer is incomplete without them.

Here is a round up of the recipes from this month.  What tropical fruit dessert favourite would you add to this list?

Caramelised banana crêpes with roasted macadamia and caramel sauce :: Simple caramelised  banana paired with macadamia and caramel is simple to prepare and a delight to savour. { More … }

Pawpaw & lime sorbet with coconut tuiles :: A thirst-quenching homemade sorbet teamed with crispy, coconut tuiles.  The combination is more than a wink to summer.  { More … }

Pavlova roll with mango and passion fruit :: In this quintessential summer dessert, the succulent, buttery flesh of the mango is cloaked by a soft pavlova roll, and finished with cream and passion fruit. { More … }

Lychees in mint syrup with coconut milk ice cream :: Mint syrup soaked lychees, served with coconut milk ice-cream. Using a blend of cream and coconut milk as the base for the ice-cream, the overall flavour is not exaggeratedly sweet, perfect for the sugar rich lychees.  { More … }

Vanilla panna cotta with pineapple champagne granita :: The creamy texture of the panna cotta is a perfect complement to the cold, icy granita.  And extraordinarily simple.  Perfect for those slow, hot days.  { More … }

Banana pudding ice cream :: A creamy and rich ice cream base injected with custard powder and cinnamon, along with a healthy dose of tropical bananas, produces a refreshing dessert reminiscent of banana pudding.  A winter pudding, with a summer twist. { More … }

Thank you to my father working tirelessly in his much-loved garden who gave me so many memories.

Is there such a thing as too many mangoes?  Apparently so.

Mangoes are one of the most popular summer fruits in Queensland.  Home in scores of backyards, and craved by many as summer months loom near.

My high school years were rich in mango memories.  The school, perched high on a hill and overlooking the Brisbane river, was already an attractive position.  But it was made even more appealing by the addition of an enormous mango tree royally positioned in one of the main throughfares.

Many students casually grazed on the sweet, ripe fruit during lunch time.  Quite a messy affair, often requiring a liberal washing of the face before returning to class!

As Australia Day fast approaches, the fragrant mango, king of fruit (in my opinion!), justly takes centre stage.  In this quintessential summer dessert, the succulent, buttery flesh of the mango is cloaked by a soft pavlova roll, and finished with cream and passion fruit.

Now, this is summer!

{ Pavlova roll with mango and passion fruit } original recipe by Julia @ Mélanger

* Ingredients *
4 eggs
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup (160g) sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Double thick cream
1 mango, sliced
2 passionfruits, pulp removed
Icing sugar / confectioner’s sugar

* Directions *
Pre-heat the oven to 160C / 320F.  Line a Swiss roll pan with baking paper.  Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  Slowly add the sugar until incorporated and you reach firm peaks.  Fold in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla gently.

With an offset spatula, spread the mixture into the Swiss roll pan.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, being careful it does not brown too quickly.

Meanwhile, place a clean tea towel on a cooling rack.  Liberally sprinkle with icing sugar.  When the Pavlova is cooked, remove from the oven and invert onto the tea towel.  Carefully remove the baking paper and allow to cool.  The Pavlova at this stage can be stored in an air tight container for up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, spread a thick layer of cream across the Pavlova.  Top with mango and passion fruit.  Using the tea towel as a guide, roll up the Pavlova gently in a similar fashion to a Swiss roll.  Sprinkle generously with icing sugar, and serve sliced.

Serves 8-10

Want more marshmallow-ey light dessert? See Strawberry Pavlova.

On a regular daily jaunt, why is your level of perception heightened one day, and virtually non-existent another?  Perhaps I was not as pre-occupied with my thoughts (as I typically am).  On this particular day, while strolling to my bus stop one morning, I was taken aback by a small flock of crimson Rosellas. 

I paused for a moment to soak up their vibrant splendour.  The bright, colourful, iconic native bird, once a common sight in my childhood, but less so recently.  As I continue to walk, I am overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia.

Not long ago, the customary afternoon summer thunderstorm in Queensland gave way to a practically rain free existence.  A drought.  But now, a few years on, the rain has returned (at least for now), and along with it a few old familiar sights.  The lush, fluorescent green grass (replacing the recent dusty, burnt brown ground covering).  Plants in full bloom, heavily perfumed and majestic in appearance (no longer scratchy and struggling).  And it looks like the birds may have returned, too.

You never know when the rain will disappear again, officially labelling the area in drought once more.  Until then, I will be on alert for all the small pleasures that have returned.  Like the regal Rosella birds.

Inspired by their colourful plumage, comes a bold tropical dessert.  Mint syrup soaked lychees, served with coconut milk ice-cream.  Using a blend of cream and coconut milk as the base for the ice-cream, the overall flavour is not exaggeratedly sweet, perfect for the sugar rich lychees.

{ Lychees in mint syrup with coconut milk ice cream } original recipe by Julia @ Mélanger

This dessert is not only simple to make, but all the components can be prepared ahead – the ideal dessert menu selection for easy summer entertaining! 

{ Mint syrup soaked lychees }

* Ingredients *
500g / 1 lb lychees
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup loosely packed mint leaves

* Directions *
Peel all the lychees and set aside.  Bring the sugar and water to the boil.  Add half the mint leaves.  Stir until the sugar has dissolved.  Continue to boil for 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat.  Cool and then pour mixture through sieve discarding the mint.  Once the mixture is completely cooled, add the lychees.  Finely chop the remaining mint, and add to the fruit and sugar syrup.  To serve, ladle a few lychees in a bowl or cup and top with syrup.

{ Coconut milk ice cream }

* Ingredients *
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

* 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 coconut 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. Freeze for a further 1-2 hours to firm up the texture. 

Makes 1 1/2 litres/quarts

It was a day of thrills, fun and excitement…and dessert inspiration.

This weekend, Mr Mélanger and I journeyed with my nieces to the Gold Coast.  To Dreamworld.  One of the most popular theme parks in Queensland – and the highly anticipated Christmas present destination for my two nieces (ages 9 & 6).

The day was an adventure enthusiast’s delight.  Jam packed of rides (counting a few heart stoppers that Mr Mélanger enjoyed solo!), up close animal capers (including some overwhelmingly large 180kg/400lb White Tigers), and acres of wave pools and slides, eliciting a steady stream of laughter and screaming from us all.
 
At the end of the day, I am not sure who was most exhausted.  I think it was me!  We shuffled out of the park with sustenance in hand.  A cold, strawberry sno kone.  It was the perfect respite to the long, muggy, hot day (35C/95F).
 
As we drive back to Brisbane, with the two young thrill seekers happily chatting in the back seat, my mind wanders to the sno kone.  My mouth still cold from the mounds of crushed ice.  I pondered a tropical frosty creation of my own.  A pineapple granita.
 
Later, in my kitchen, with heat exhaustion setting in — and feeling somewhat slow in movement — I paired a fresh pineapple and champagne granita with, conceivably, the easiest dessert in the world.  The panna cotta. 
 
The creamy texture of the panna cotta is a perfect complement to the cold, icy granita.  And extraordinarily simple.  Perfect for those slow, hot days.

{  Vanilla panna cotta }
 
* Ingredients *
1 ½ cups of cream
½ cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean, or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons of gelatine
 
* Directions *
Prepare 4 pudding moulds about ½ cup capacity with a light brush of oil.  Gently warm the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan.  When the sugar dissolves, and bubbles start to appear around the edges, stir in the vanilla.  Separately, sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water and stir until dissolved.  Then mix into the cream.  Pour the mixture into the prepared moulds and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.  To un-mould, fill a bowl with hot water.  Dip the moulds immediately in and then out of the bowl, being careful not to allow water to reach inside.  Turn the mould onto a plate, slowly jiggle to loosen.

{ Pineapple champagne granita }
The champagne in the granita flatters the vanilla overtones in the panna cotta.  But feel free to substitute sparkling water for your liquid if you choose.
 
* Ingredients *
1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 cup Champagne / sparkling wine
¾ cup sugar
Salt, optional
 
* Directions *
Puree the pineapple in a food processor until smooth but still with some texture.  In a saucepan, heat the Champagne and sugar.  When the sugar dissolves, and bubbles start to appear around the edges remove from the heat.  Let cool for a few minutes.  Mix the champagne into the prepared pineapple.  Add salt to taste.   Pour the mixture into a shallow container and place in the freezer.  After 30-40 minutes, remove from the freezer, and break up the mixture with a fork.  Repeat until the entire container is frozen.

Imagine it is a warm, summer day and you crave something refreshing to eat.  You wander out your back door, walk a few short paces across your deck, and pick a ripe piece of fruit from a nearby tree.

Growing up, there was always an abundance of tropical fruit available in our garden.  Pawpaw was one such fruit — and within arms length of our back deck!

Served simply cut into wedges and a sprinkling of sugar, with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice-cream, or as part of a tropical fruit salad, pawpaw was a regular on the dessert menu at home.  When fresh produce was this close to hand — literally! — there was really no excuse to not eat well in our family.

For Tropical fruit month, I wanted to create a twist on an old favourite.  A thirst-quenching homemade sorbet teamed with crispy, coconut tuiles.  The combination is more than a wink to summer!

{ Pawpaw & lime sorbet }
A sorbet can be made from nearly any fruit, or combination of fruits.  It is simple, too.  A basic sugar syrup is mixed with a fruit puree, then churned to reach the desired consistency.  When experimenting with flavours and fruits, however, the only trick is to ‘measure’ the sugar content.  Too little or too much sugar and your sorbet will not set to the right consistency (not freeze enough or freeze too much).  But you can test this, with the humble egg.

* Ingredients *
1 kg / 2.2 lbs pawpaw (de-seeded and peeled), yields about 800g or 1.75lb
1/4 cup lime juice
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 egg, cleaned (for sugar test only)

* Directions *
Bring the water and sugar to a simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Puree the pawpaw with the lime juice.  Strain to produce a smooth consistency.  In a deep container, mix three quarters of the sugar syrup with three quarters of the fruit puree.  Stir well. Drop an egg into the mixture.  You want the egg to float to the surface and reveal enough shell equivalent to a 10 cent piece/US nickel/5 pence piece.  If the egg is floating too much, add more fruit.  If the egg is sinking too much, add more simple syrup.  Add the remainder of your fruit puree and simple syrup until you get the right consistency.  Remove the egg and then chill the mixture overnight.  Churn the sorbet mixture in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s directions.  Pack the sorbet into a freezer container and store in freezer for at least 2 hours.

{ Coconut tuiles }
From Desserts by Pierre Hermé written by Dorie Greenspan

* Ingredients *
1 1/4 cups dessicated coconut / sweetened coconut
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature slightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter, melted and still hot

* Directions *
Process the coconut and the sugar until you achieve a find powder.  Transfer to a bowl and mix in the eggs and melted butter until just mixed.  Cover the bowl and chill overnight.  (Can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.)

Prepare a baking tray with non-stick paper.  Gently re-stir the mixture. Drop 1/2 teaspoon measure of dough onto the baking tray leaving 6cm (2 1/2 inches) space between each drop.  Aim for about 8-10 cookies on the tray.

Chill for 15 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 150C or 300F.

Run cool water over the heel of your hand, and tap the cookies into round shapes.  (Their shape will not be perfect.)  It is important the dough be flattened very thin and that the thinness is uniform.

Bake one sheet at a time for 12- 15 minutes (watch as they brown very quickly).  The cookies need to be removed from the baking sheet as soon as they come out from the oven.  Working quickly, gently slide a plastic scraper until each and to a cooling rack.  To mold the cookies in the tradition shape, press the over a rolling pin or bottle instead of transferring to a cooling rack.

Repeat with the remaining mixture, or as required.

Makes 40 cookies.

I almost could not endure the anticipation.  Clutching a roadmap, I eagerly keep track of our journey.  Reaching the last turn, I see the tourist sign and (glad I have successfully navigated the way), start to cheer silently in eagerness for the approaching lavender.  Rows upon rows of fragrant lavender at The Bridestowe Estate Lavender Farm – one of the largest commercial lavender farms in the world.

Mr Mélanger and I were aware it was too early for the full blooms, but hoping at least for some dramatic visual of the great expanse of lavender on offer at the farm.  Slowly driving in, you could see the disappointment on my face immediately.  The lavender certainly was not in full bloom, and from a distance, you could not see any flowers at all. 

I look around, admiring the vastness of the lavender that had been planted in this glorious farm.  I pause and squint hoping to squeeze a little more colour into focus.  It was not to be.  Slightly disenchanted, I decide to soak up my sadness by marching straight into the gift store and seek some type of compensation by purchasing an array of lavender based products.  (You certainly cannot have enough.)

Back in Brisbane, I am inspired by our two-week honeymoon in Tasmania and look to combine the unique floral flavour of lavender into caramel month.  I have baked with lavender earlier in the year when I created my lavender macarons.

I wanted to pair the lavender this time with a complementary flavour.  After only a little thinking, I quickly decided that flavour to be honey.  But not any honey.  Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey.  This honey is exclusively native to the world heritage area of Tasmanian West coast wilderness.  It has a distinctive spicy flavour. 

So it was decided.  Lavender + Honey.  And the vessel for this combination?  Crème caramel.

I have been meaning to bake crème caramel beyond the standard (but still delicious) variety.  I could also picture me and Mr Mélanger tucking into one of these sweet and creamy desserts in a cosy little bistro overlooking some of the most spectacular landscapes that Tasmania offers.

Crème caramel is not a difficult dessert to make.  Caramel is cooked and poured into ramekins, and then a simple custard is added.  Chilled and then served, it guarantees a moment of anticipation as you invert the dessert onto a plate – hoping it easily releases from the mould – and then when it does, a smile as you watch the caramel eagerly run down the custard to the plate.

If you are comfortable with making caramel and custard the only area to really watch is the baking time.  You want the end product to jiggle a little.  Baked too long, and you risk scrambled eggs.  Delicious for breakfast, but not for dessert.

I experimented with both of these flavours carefully.  I did not want to overpower the delicate crème caramel.  I must say, the sweet floral of the lavender was a quite a match for the spicy, sweet honey.  I am now scheming in my head all the other flavour combinations I want to try!

{ Images } Busy Tasmanian Bee

{ Images } Rows of fragrant lavender at The Bridestowe Estate Lavender Farm

{ Lavender Honey Crème Caramel }

* Ingredients *
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup (250ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon lavender
3 egg yolks
3 eggs
1 tablespoon leatherwood honey
¼ cup sugar

Caramel
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

* Directions *
Grease 4 moulds / ramekins.  Place into a roasting tin, and keep close to hand.  For the caramel, put the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat.  Cook until the sugar has melted and reached a golden caramel colour.  Immediately pour or spoon the caramel into the prepared moulds.  You must do this quickly as the caramel soon starts to harden.  Set the moulds aside.  Preheat the oven to 160C or 320F.  For the custard, bring the milk and cream to a boil.  In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks and eggs with the sugar and honey.  Pour the boiled milk and cream over the eggs slowly, stirring well.  Pass through a very fine sieve, or double sieve if you prefer (particularly to ensure you remove ingredients such as lavender buds).  Pour the custard into the moulds.  Fill the roasting tin about half way with hot water.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the centre jiggles slightly.  Cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  To serve, run a knife around the edge of the custard, and carefully invert the mould on to a plate.

Serves 4

{ Notes } For a standard crème caramel :: replace the lavender with vanilla, and omit the honey increasing the sugar from ¼ cup to 1/3 cup.