Fennel Seed Olive Oil Crackers
These crisp crackers make a gorgeous accompaniment to a cheese or antipasto platter. While delicious with a creamy soft cheese like a brie, I am also known to just munch on them as is. 1½ cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp salt ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ⅓ […]
Marinated Mushroom Tart
This tart is a little bit special and a really lovely way to enjoy antipasto ingredients as a meal. A flaky pastry base is topped with caramelised onion and mustard cashew cream, then baked until golden. This is the blank canvas, ready to have all the good stuff stacked on top. Marinated mushrooms are a […]
Snickers Bites
Perfect for the mid-afternoon slump, these bite-sized treats are reminiscent of the classic Snickers bar. 15x Medjool dates ¼ cup peanut butter ½ cup dark chocolate, chopped 1 tsp coconut oil flaky sea salt – optional (I used Opito Bay Sea Salt) Cut a slit in each date and remove the pit. Fill each date […]
Date and Orange Pinwheels
Makes 36 A cross between a pastry and cookie, these date and orange pinwheels will be a hit with anyone partial to a date and orange scone. Date and Orange Puree 2 cups dried dates, chopped zest and juice of an orange ½ cup water Pastry 2½ cups flour 220g cold butter, cut into cubes 250g […]
Chocolate Spheres
Some chocolate, a pastry brush and a silicon mould are all you need for some hands-on fun in the school holidays, homemade Easter treats or a special way to plate a dessert, like Harriet’s Chocolate Mousse. You will need: Chocolate, broken into pieces (200g will make 12, 70mm molds) Silicon moulds (Sweet Pea Parties has […]
Harriet’s How To – Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse holds a very special place in my heart, or should I say, stomach. I have fond memories of Mum serving up chocolate mousse in her tall sundae glasses with a few berries on top and if we were lucky, a crushed flake. It has consistently been one of my favourite desserts my […]
Hot Cross Buns
I have to confess hot cross buns are my weakness. I can’t wait each year for the Christmas decorations to disappear as it means hot cross buns will start popping up in the supermarket. I know these, often mass-produced versions, are not the best specimens, but they tide me over until Easter and local artisan […]
Baked Pancake w/ Vanilla Custard and Apple Compote
Bring on Brunch with Hayes Common Brunch, possibly the best innovation in mealtimes! And what better way to spend a leisurely weekend brunch than with some friends at a great spot like Hayes Common. These guys know how to brunch! For the traditionalists who love a big breakfast, their Commoner has free range eggs, thick […]
What a Waste
Every year the average Kiwi household sends 89kgs of edible food to landfill. This figure does not include food scraps that can’t be eaten, like egg shells and banana peels. It also doesn’t include food wasted at the source or through our supply chain i.e. what producers, distributors, supermarkets and restaurants throw away. The problem […]
Summer Fruit Cake
I love this cake! It appeared in our first cookbook and I still get feedback on it. In fact my Mum brings it out regularly for Sunday night dinners. It’s popularity boils down to a few key points – one because it is so simple and two, because it makes the most of all the […]