The Tea Room, Gunners' Barracks

Officially, Mother's Day is next weekend but I feel like I have been celebrating for a few weeks. 

Before, during and now after the arrival of my precious little Master O, it has felt a bit like a festival of Mother's Day around here - sleep deprivation aside.

As any sensible woman does before having a baby (and definitely before the second one), I crammed in as much indulgent Mummy time as I could, mainly by eating out as much as possible.

My last weekend of independence went like this: Friday afternoon at the hairdresser, Friday night with Mr LP at Pony for our babymoon dinner, Saturday night at Gold Class with Mum and high tea on Sunday with my family ladies at The Tea Room, Gunners' Barracks. Because I needed to get fatter.

High tea by the harbour was my idea of a pared back second time baby shower and it was fabulous. If you're stuck for ideas this Mother's Day, I can't think of a more beautiful way to treat the Mums in your family this weekend, or whenever really.

I booked for The Tea Room a little late and forgot to ask for a balcony table, so we were seated inside the large elegant main room under a couple of gorgeous chandeliers. It's lovely, but it doesn't compare to the views of Sydney Harbour from the balcony tables, so when you're booking it pays to ask for an outside table.

There are a number of afternoon tea options to choose from, including gluten-free and champagne but in honour of my bump we went with traditional. Sparkling next time!

The tea list alone is impressive. I wanted to try about six of them just from the descriptions but I settled on a green tea with traces of kiwi, strawberry and Japanese Sencha called Heaven and Earth. I loved it. If tea isn't your thing, espresso coffee is also available.

Three white-coated waiters brought out the treats on Royal Albert "Country Roses" china. We began with flaky savoury pumpkin quiches and samosas with minted yoghurt.

Our plate of assorted crustless finger sandwiches included a creamy egg and mayonnaise, smoked salmon and a tasty smoked chicken.

Then the scones. Puffed, golden and fluffy inside, they were served with a rich blackberry jam and thick clotted cream. So. Good. And reason enough to go back.

Lastly, we turned our attention to the plate of beautiful patisserie goodies.

Ours had a raspberry macaron, moist and tangy orange and almond cake, a rich sliver of chocolate coffee torte, a light mango cheesecake and a vanilla pannacotta topped with berry jelly.

I gave it my best shot but I couldn't finish it all. I couldn't even will myself to try it all so luckily they packed our leftovers in a takeaway container. So very not posh, but extremely practical for over-stuffed Mummies.

They lasted all of minus five seconds when Mr LP spied them on the kitchen bench!

Happy Mother's Day for this Sunday, however you choose to celebrate. I'm hoping for a tiny sleep-in, a sunny morning and a Mr LP brekkie on the deck with my boys. Perfection!

Larissa x

The Tea Room, Gunners' Barracks
End of Suakin Drive
George's Heights (Mosman)
Ph: 02 8962 5900

Master O

Lately:

Unlimited cuddles
Introducing brothers
2am SATC re-runs, Cupcake Wars, Seinfeld, Fashion Police
Afternoons in the park
Button nose
Tiny clothes and those damn press studs
Scrunchy face
Noisy yawns
Perfect hairy little ears
Long, strange fingers
Peppermint tea and painkillers
Walking slowly
Happy tears
Beautiful surprises
Dark blue eyes that I think will turn brown, like his Daddy's
And baking still, somewhere in the background

Larissa x

Hot Cross Buns for Grown Ups

How good is Easter??

This is me making the most of being 34 weeks' pregnant at Easter.

I was thinking of making a batch of my own hot cross buns this year, so this Donna Hay recipe in last Sunday's Tele was perfectly timed.

As usual, I have put my own spin on the base recipe, adding dark choc chips, raisins and a decadent orange liqueur glaze. Yum!

Wishing you all a happy, safe and indulgent Easter,

Larissa x

Hot Cross Buns for Grown Ups
(Recipe based on Donna Hay's Classic Hot Cross Buns)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
4 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
50g butter, melted
1 egg
1 cup raisins
1/2 cups sultanas
1/4 cup candied mixed peel
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup plain flour, extra
1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup water

Glaze
1 gold gelatine leaf
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur

Place yeast, 2 teaspoons of the caster sugar and milk into a large bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. The mixture will start to foam, indicating the yeast is active.
Add the flour, remaining sugar, spices, butter, egg, raisins, sultanas, peel, and choc chipsto yeast mixture and mix until a sticky dough forms.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes or until elastic.
Place in a lightly oiled large bow, cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside Ian warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.
Divide dough into 12 even pieces and roll into balls. Arrange the balls in a lightly greased 22cm square cake tin lined with non stick baking paper.
Preheat oven to 200C.
Place extra flour, cocoa and water in a bowl and stir to combine into a thick paste.
Place into a small piping bag or plastic bag with the end snipped off (tip: an easy way to do this is by placing a sandwich bag into a mug and folding the edges over the top to keep the bag in place, then pour in the paste).
Pipe crosses on buns and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and springy to touch.
While buns are baking, make the glaze.
Soak gelatine leaf in cold water for 2-3 minutes.
Place caster sugar, water and Grand Marnier into a saucepan and stir gently over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Use a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals from the side of the pot.
Squeeze out gelatine leaf and add to the sugar mixture. Cook without stirring for 1-2 minutes until gelatine is dissolved.
Brush hot buns with the sticky glaze.
Serve warm with butter and try to stop at one :)

Lemon polenta cakes

Everyone has a favourite cafe treat. In the lead up to Easter, I can't resist a hot cross bun with my latte - especially the ones with hidden melty chocolate chips inside.

More restrained types, like my big sister Bec, prefer a moderate indulgence.

She has been asking me for a while to have a go at copy-catting her favourite gluten free lemon polenta cakes from Sydney bakery Manna from Heaven.

I found a recipe for them on Wholesome Cook, and with some tweaks, I think I have come pretty close to achieving the lovely lemony-coconut flavour of the originals.

Here is my take on these yummy little cafe classics.

Enjoy them guilt-free ahead of the chocolate onslaught coming in a couple of weeks!!

Larissa x

Lemon Polenta Cakes

160g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
80g instant polenta (must be instant)
70g almond meal
50g desiccated coconut
1/4 cup lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Lemon Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 160C.
Grease a 24-hole mini-muffin tin with non-stick baking spray.
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat until just combined.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just combined.
Spoon into prepared tin, filling almost to the top, and bake for 20 mins or until golden on top.
Cool for five minutes in tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For icing, place icing sugar in a bowl and gradually add lemon juice, stirring until you have a thick and glossy icing. Top the cakes with it by dropping a small dollop on top of each with a teaspoon and letting it spread out on its own. If you try to spread it with a knife, it will gather crumbs and won't be smooth and even.
These bite-sized morsels will last up to a week in an airtight container.

Strawberry and Vanilla Cream Cheesecake

Strawberries and cream, chocolate and cherries, champagne and me. Some things in life are made for each other.

On this most mooshy of days, I am adding my dash of sweetness with this cheesecake recipe.

If you live in Sydney, you can sample this week at Thelma & Louise, Neutral Bay, along with these cute mini heart cupcakes.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Larissa x

Strawberry and Vanilla Cream Cheesecake
(Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's vanilla cheesecake in his book, "Cook with Jamie," 2006)
** To make 12 small cheesecakes as I did, halve the quantities

Base:
250g plain sweet biscuits (I used Digestives)
150g butter, melted

Cheesecake:
115g caster sugar
3 tablespoons cornflour
900g cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 large eggs
120ml double cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Zest of 1 lemon

Strawberry topping:
400g strawberries, sliced
3 tablespoons caster sugar
2 gold grade gelatine leaves

Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease a 24cm springform cake tin with non-stick spray and line the base with non-stick baking paper. (If making 12 small cheesecakes, grease 12 small loose bottomed quiche tins. Don't bother with lining the bases.)
Crush biscuits in a food processor and mix with melted butter.
Press mixture into the base of prepared tin (or small tins) and bake for 10 mins. Allow to cool.
For filling, place sugar and cornflour in bowl of electric mixer and stir to combine.
Add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
Add the eggs and beat until combined, followed by the cream, vanilla and zest, beating until smooth and creamy.
Spoon mixture into the biscuit base (or bases) and then gently shake to even out the surface.
Place cake tin(s) in the centre of the oven and, if making a large cake, bake for 40 to 45 mins until top is golden brown and filling has set around the edges. If making small cakes, bake for 18 minutes.
Allow cake(s) to cool in the tin before placing in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
For topping, place strawberries and sugar in a saucepan with a dash of water and bring to a simmer on a medium heat. Simmer gently for about 10 mins.
When strawberries are done, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 mins.
Squeeze the leaves out gently and add them to the strawberries, stirring until combined.
Spoon the berry mixture onto the top of the cheesecake(s) and put back in the fridge until set (2-3 hours.)
Serve with a dollop of double cream.

A French Fig Tart

Last year in Nice, my well-travelled mum had a moment with a slice of fig tart.

It must have been quite a moment because she has been talking about it ever since, and as I'm her nearest thing to a personal baker, she has been in my ear to make one.

I had my first go at a recent family lunch, using beautiful late harvest fruit and a frangipane filling spiked with Grand Marnier.

This photo, taken by Mum at La Rotonde at the Hotel Negresco in Nice, was my brief. 

While nowhere near as sophisticated in its presentation, the taste and texture of my tart were bang on according to mum, aka chief judge and fig tart connoisseur.

I pressed thick slices of figs into my filling, but I think I would use halves next time. In the very wise words of Mae West, too much of a good thing can be wonderful.

If figs are out of season, this tart would work just as well with other fruit like pears, apricots, frozen berries or plums. Roast the stone fruits with a little sugar for about 10 minutes first if they're a bit hard.

Have you ever tried to recreate a recipe tasted overseas? How did you go?

Larissa x

Fig and Grand Marnier Tart

Pastry:

250g plain flour

50g icing sugar

125g cold butter, cubed

1 egg

Dash of milk

Frangipane Filling:

125g butter, softened

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

325g almond meal

1 tablespoon self-raising flour

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur (or liqueur of your choice)

6-8 ripe figs, halved

2 heaped tablespoons apricot jam, warmed (for glazing)

For pastry, blitz the plain flour and icing sugar together in a food processor.

Add the cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Whisk together the egg and milk. Add to the food processor with the motor running and then pulse until the mixture forms a dough. Form the dough loosely into the shape of your tin (I used a rectangular tart tin) then wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to an even 1.5ml thickness and line your tart tin with it.

Blind bake it using non-stick baking paper filled with baking weights or dried rice for 10 mins.

Remove the baking paper and weights and fill with frangipane.

Press fig halves into the frangipane in whatever pattern you like.

Bake the tart for 30-35 mins, or until the frangipane is golden brown and the figs are caramelised.

While the tart is warm, brush the top with warmed apricot jam to glaze.

Serve warm or cooled with vanilla bean ice cream, double cream or honeyed yoghurt and a glass of dessert wine or a strong espresso.

Frangipane:

Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.

Add the eggs and beat until just combined.

Add the flour, orange zest and almond meal and mix again until just combined.

Stir through the vanilla and Grand Marnier.

Master N getting to know Nana's new puppy, Nellie. She's a 10-week-old Groodle. What a couple of cuties!

Peach, raspberry and ricotta crumble cake

Nothing inspires baking quite like a rainy day.

In the middle of summer, with a bowl of ripening peaches on the bench and raspberries in the freezer, I took advantage of a turn in the weather to make this divine crumble cake which I found in the latest edition of Australian Gourmet Traveller (Feb 2013).

It's part cake, part crumble, part pudding, and served warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, it will bring sunshine to the soggiest of days.

What's your favourite rainy day recipe?

Larissa

Peach, Raspberry and Ricotta Crumble Cake

(Recipe from Australian Gourmet Traveller Feb 2013)

220g sour cream

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

300g plain flour

220g raw caster sugar

160g softened butter

30g almond meal

Finely grated rind of 2 limes

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

3 ripe peaches, halved and thinly sliced

125g raspberries, plus extra to serve

200g firm ricotta, coarsely crumbled

Pure icing sugar, for dusting

Vanilla lime syrup:

330g caster sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Juice of 3 limes and finely grated rind of 11/2

Method:

Stir sour cream and bicarbonate of soda in a jug to combine and set aside to foam (2-3 minutes).

Preheat oven to 180C.

Pulse flour, sugar, butter, almond meal, lime rind, vanilla, baking powder and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a food processor until crumbly.

Transfer 1 cup of mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.

Add eggs and sour cream mixture to food processor and pulse until just smooth then spread half in the base of a 20cm square cake tin, greased and lined with non-stick baking paper.

Scatter with half the peaches, half the raspberries, half the ricotta and one third of the reserved crumb mixture.

Spread remaining sour cream over and smooth top. Scatter with remaining peaches, raspberries, ricotta and crumb mixture and bake until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean (1-1 1/4 hours; cover with foil if cake begins to brown too much).

Set aside to cool in tin for 15 mins then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve dusted with icing sugar, with vanilla lime syrup and extra raspberries. (For good measure, I added a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream).

For syrup, stir sugar, vanilla and 200ml water Ian saucepan over medium high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook to infuse (5 mins). Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice and rind, transfer to a jar, set aside to cool and refrigerate to chill.