Tag Archives: baking

EAT: Bourke St Bakery Cookbook

7 Dec

Bourke Street Bakery has earned its place in many a Sydney foodie’s heart and gained a reputation as somewhat of an institution. Having moved close to BSB recently I have had to resist the temptation to go here daily for a sweet and/or savoury fix.

For those not lucky enough to live so close or those wanting to avoid the inevitable queue of pastry addicts there is another way- Bourke Street Bakery: The Ultimate Baking Companion. The book is described as having “clear and concise instructions, aimed at the novice home baker while remaining an inspirational and technical reference for professionals of the crust and crumb world”. A friend of a friend who happens to be an experienced pastry chef has tried many of the recipes in the book and has confirmed that they are legitimate. Whether a person lacking in  professional baking experience would be able to replicate BSB treats with the same success remains to be seen. I intent to give it my best shop as soon as I get my paws on a copy of the book.

The book is a tome of considerable size, coming in at 368 pages and includes recipes for such BSB favourites as white chocolate and raspberry muffins and sourdough breads. It is available to buy from the ABC shop for $69.95. For those of you who are strapped for cash and/or patient it can be pre-ordered from Book Depository for only $20.25 including postage but will not be available until March 2010.

SIX weeks freedom + FIVE things for my dream home

20 Jun

I am temporarily free of the shackles of lectures, tutorials, readings and essays after submitting my final paper this afternoon. I was delighted to finally be able to rip open the plastic and crack the spine on my copy of Vogue Living which came in the mail over a week ago. Actually, I’m amazed that I managed to resist the temptation to read it earlier as assignment-induced procrastination is one of my major vices.

I have been inspired to make a list of things I’ve always wanted to have if I ever manage to scrape enough money together to buy my own place.

1. Fireplace: There is something inherently comforting about the idea of curling up in front of a fireplace on a chilly winter night and enjoying a glass of red and a good book. We have a fireplace in my current house but ever since we got air conditioning the fireplace has been relegated to being purely decorative. Call me a traditionalist but I prefer the warmth (literal and metaphorical) of an open fire!

I have always been particularly keen on double fireplaces. I’m not sure if this is the correct terminology but when I typed it into google plenty of images came up so I am going to assume that it the proper name for what I have in mind. For a more modern house I would prefer something along the lines of this.

Conmoto_Fireplace_Floating

2. Built-in Bookshelves: As a person who thoroughly enjoys curling up in bed with a good book, the idea of having built-in bookshelves in my bedroom is one that definitely appeals to me.

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3. Bathtub: Although I am a bit of a sucker for the traditional claw foot bathtub, I could be tempted by this absurdly cool bath.

Teuco-Seaside-Bathtub--

4. Four Poster Bed: I am not talking some sort of wrought iron or turned wood affair with frilly curtains. None of that. Think more along the lines of four reclaimed railway sleepers or raw trees.

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5. Bay Window: Yet another great place to curl up with a book and a cuppa. Alternatively, a comfortable place to enjoy the view.

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Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

10 May

I found this recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and finally had a good excuse to make a batch (I had people come over last night). The recipe comes from a new(ish) book called “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking”, written by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, owners of Baked in NYC. Next time I am in NYC I will definitely be visiting this place!

bakedopener

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups of plain flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
150 grams of good milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used a bag of milk chop chips)

  1. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy.
  3. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated (the mixture should look light and fluffy).
  4. Add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.
  5. Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds.
  6. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
  7. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate.
  8. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  9. Preheat the oven to 190o degrees celcius.
  10. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
  11. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
  12. With the palm of your hand, very gently press each cookie down so it forms a very tall disk shape.
  13. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown.

Here is how mine turned out. DISCLAIMER: Please keep in mind that I have no intentions of quitting my day job to become a food photographer.

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