Peter is our first official male baker on Bake Club! Not only is he a baker, he is also a musician,
and these melting moments are not only delicious, but they also contribute to a special
sound art piece. On Mon Feb 28 Peter is conducting the Melting Moments (7 other likeminded
improv likers) at the first Vitamin-S event of 2011, at the Wine Cellar, St Kevin's Arcade,
K' Rd, from 8.30pm, $5.
The Melting Moments (of which I am one) will be performing Peter's Ritual Recipe, a
meditative improvi...
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Gazpacho! You need to say it several times in a Spanish accent. GazPAcho! Not baked, but that’s why it’s so easy and quick to make.

 

Chuck in a blender or food processor:
about 1/2 kilo peeled and chopped tomatoes, a variety if you like
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1/2 onion chopped if you like, brown or red
1/3 c olive oil or thereabouts
2 tbs vinegar, any kind

1-2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs wate...

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Carly initiates her new silicon muffin tray with one of those made in heaven combinations - banana and chocolate.

Makes 12.

125g softened butter

¾ cups sugar

2 eggs

1teaspoon vanilla essence

1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (4 medium bananas)

¾ cup dark chocolate buttons roughly chopped

1 teapsoon baking soda

2 tablespoons hot milk

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease muffin tray or line with patty pans.

Cream butter and ...

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Stewed apricots are a winner in freshly baked bread!
Apricot filling:
Stew 1 cup dried apricots wiht 1/2 c water and 1/4 sugar until mushy and soft. Cool.
Chocolate filling:
Melt 300 g chocolate with some icing sugar, 1/2 c ground almonds, vanilla essence, dessicated coconut if you like. The mixture should have a peanut butter consistency so it's easily spreadable.
For 2 loaves:
1 c milk
3/4 - 1 c water
125g butter
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
3-4 level tsp yeast
2 eggs
6 1/2 c flour
Make the dough and knead u...
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Well, I only call them 'perfect' cos that's what the recipe was called. But they did come out really, really well. Thanks to Jo from Dublin who gave me her jar of peanut butter before she left Auckland. I've used less sugar than the recipe I found.

1 1/2 cups flour (I used rice and spelt)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar or raw sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl sift to combine flour, baking powd...
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Welcome to Bake Club, Carly! Here is her cookie recipe.

Makes 24.

200g softened butter plus extra for greasing

200g caster sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

1 large egg

225grams flour

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

200grams dark chocolate buttons roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease two baking trays with butter.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence together until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and beat well. Sift the flour, salt and bakin...

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Oh Nigella you do a scrumptious moist gingerbread! Even my partner Justin thought it was one of the best things I've made. No wonder, it's got butter, sour cream and stout in it!
melt in pot:
150 g butter
200 g golden syrup
200 g dark muscovado sugar
take it off the heat and add:
250 ml stout (I used Guinness)
whisk in 300 g flour (I used rice, buckwheat and spelt)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
300 ml sour cream
2 eggs
Pour into tin lined with baking paper. Bak...
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I bought two fantastic chocolate moulds in Venice - rose shapes and leaf shapes. No baking involved, but I thought I'd include my first batch to show you how easy it is.
Just melt dark and white chocolate. Filled the moulds halfway then added a toasted hazelnut or pistachio, and topped with more chocolate. For the leaves I mixed in chopped pistachios and dried cranberries.
Lately I've also made some batches of Annabel Langbein's espresso hazelnut chocolate ripple  - pouring dark and white choc...
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I was inspired by the most delicious ones in Dizengoff, Ponsonby Rd (which they spoil by incuding sultanas!)...
I used this recipe at Taste but adapted it thus, for no particular reason other than that I wanted to use up some different ingredients:

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Mama Chan used Annabel Langbein's crumble topping from her Free Range Cook book.

Line pie dish with store-bought puff pastry. Blind bake at 170C for 20-30 mins.
Mix tin stewed apples or stew 3 apples yourself. Add a cup or so of fresh or frozen berries, 1/2 c sugar and 2 Tbs cornflour. Pour into pie dish.
Make crumble topping by mixing:

2 c flour
1 c ground almonds
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 c rolled oats
1 c almonds, chopped or slivered
2 tsp mixed spice
together with 250 g melted butter
Put the topping on ...
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This is the first recipe I have tried from my latest Amazon purchase, Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson. Mine were a little misshapen as I didn't have a muffin tray at the time. That subtle coffee flavour is very nice. Lovely with a cuppa.

2 c flour ( I used rice and buckwheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/4 c chopped nuts (I used hazels and pistachios, Heidi used walnuts)
1 Tbs fine espresso powder
6 Tbs unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 c natural cane sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla...
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This lentil loaf was easy to make. I actually made two to feed 10 people. Start with 2 c of cooked lentils (I used puy).

Saute:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Mix in:
1 c carrot, grated
2 Tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley (or any herbs you like)
black pepper
salt

Put everything in a bowl with the lentils. Mix in 2 eggs, 1 c dried breadcrumbs, some chopped nuts (I used hazels). If you need more moisture add water or vege stock.
Pour into loaf tin and whack in an oven at...
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Damn! Somehow, a ghost in the machine has wiped my whole Melbourne blog! I can't for the life of me remember what I wrote but I do have the pics...
Here are some enjoyable food moments:

Lindt Cafe hot chocolate and salt caramel macaons


Friends of Mine cafe, Richmond


Cacao cafe, GPO centre


Longrain desserts


Yarra Valley Dairy

Also recommended: Bar Lourinha, Little Collins St, for tapas, Cafe Segovia in Block Place, Hellenic Republic in Lygon St, Yering Station vineyard, Stokehouse in St Kilda

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