Prep 20min (+20min cooling time)Bake 18-20minMakes about 40

These crackers have a lovely nuttiness (thanks to both the wholemeal flour and walnuts) to them, perfect to serve with a creamy blue-vein cheese. They would also make a great gift, sealed in an airtight jar and accompanied by some cheese and a good bottle of red.

Prep 2hr (+ cooling time)Bake 8-10minMakes 18 serves

Created by Make Me a Baker student, Karthika Biju for her graduation, this stunning cake brings together numerous techniques learnt throughout the 6-month course. A real challenge, this dessert is an exquisite combination of chocolate and coffee-infused layers of almond sponge, ganache, chocolate croustillant, hazelnut praline and Swiss meringue buttercream. Karthika finished each portion of cake with gold dust and leaf and also personalised them with a chocolate disc monogramed with her initials. Not for the faint-hearted baker, this recipe is nothing short of a challenge but the results will definitely reflect the effort.

Ingredients

Edible gold leaf and dust, to decorate

Joconde (Almond Sponge)

Melted butter, to grease
5 eggs, at room temperature
140g almond meal
140g soft icing sugar mixture
30g plain flour
5 egg whites
30g caster sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
30g unsalted butter, melted

Coffee Syrup

160ml (2/3 cup) water
100g caster sugar
3 teaspoons instant coffee powder

Hazelnut Praline Paste

125g whole raw hazelnuts
75g caster white sugar
2 teaspoons water
¼ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Croustillant

40g good-quality dark chocolate (45% cocoa), chopped or callets
30g Hazelnut Praline Paste
70g Paillette Feuilletine (see Baker’s Tips)

Chocolate Ganache

160g good-quality dark chocolate (45% cocoa), chopped or callets
160ml (2/3 cup) thickened cream

Swiss Meringue Coffee Buttercream

4 egg whites, at room temperature
200g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Coffee extract, to taste

Chocolate Glaze

6.6g gelatine leaves 
250ml (1 cup) chilled water
125ml  (1/2 cup) room temperature water
225g caster sugar
150g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa), callets or chopped
30g cocoa powder, sifted
65ml pure cream (35% butterfat)

Monogramed Chocolate Discs

70g good-quality dark chocolate (45% cocoa), callets or chopped
Edible gold lustre paint (See Baker’s Tips)
Wax seal (kept in freezer for at least 45 minutes)

Joconde (Almond Sponge Cake)

1. To make the Joconde, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Brush two 23cm x 33cm shallow baking trays with melted butter and line the base and sides of each with one piece of non-stick baking paper, cutting into the corners to fit.
2. Sift the almond meal and icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the whole 5 eggs and use an electric hand mixer to mix until the mixture is creamy. Stir in the flour until just combined.
3. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed to whisk the egg whites and salt in a large clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula or large metal spoon to fold the egg whites through the almond mixture. Add the melted butter and fold gently together.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through. Cool in the tins.
5. Carefully turn the cooled cakes onto a cutting board and cut each into one 20cm square and one 10cm x 20cm rectangle.

Coffee Syrup

1. To make the Coffee Syrup, place the water, sugar and coffee into a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil then remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Caramel

1. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Leave it to heat until the sugar has melted. Do not stir. Continue cooking until it has turned a golden caramel.
2. Meanwhile, fill your sink with cold water. Once the caramel is ready, dip the base of the saucepan in the cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking process. Set the pan on a towel on the bench.

Hazelnut Praline Paste

1. To Make the Hazelnut Praline Paste, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C  (160°C fan-forced) and roast the hazelnuts for 10-15 minutes, stirring them every 5 minutes, or until aromatic and the skins start to crackle.
2. Wrap the warm hazelnuts in a tea towel and set aside to steam for 10 minutes. Use the tea towel to rub to hazelnuts against it and each other to remove the skins.
3. Line an oven tray with non-stick baking paper or a silicone mat. Place the sugar and water in a small heavy-based saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and simmer over medium heat, brushing down the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan, until a deep golden toffee forms. Remove from the heat add the toasted skinned hazelnuts but don’t stir. Pour immediately onto the lined tray and set aside to cool completely.
4. When the toffee is cool, break into small pieces. Add about a quarter of the toffee shards to a food processor bowl and process until ground. With the motor running, add the remining toffee shards and process until ground. Add the salt and continue to process until a smooth paste with a peanut butter consistency forms (see Baker’s Tips).

Chocolate Hazelnut Croustillant

1. To make the Chocolate Croustillant, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
2. Add Pailleté Feuilletine and Hazelnut Praline Paste to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Spread the croustillant over the 20cm square layer of sponge cake on the board. Place in the fridge to set

Chocolate Ganache

1. To make the Chocolate Ganache, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring just to the boil.
2. Pour the cream over the chocolate and set aside for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a peanut butter consistency (see Baker’s Tips).

Coffee Buttercream

1. To make the Coffee Buttercream, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water). Use a balloon whisk to stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to stir until the mixture reaches 70°C on a thermometer.
2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high speed with the whisk attachment until the mixture is very thick and glossy and has cooled completely to room temperature.
3. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment and gradually add the room temperature butter a tablespoon at a time, beating well on medium-high speed after each addition, before adding the next lot. Once all the butter has been incorporated, beat in the coffee extract.

Cake Assembly

1. Remove the croustillant-coated sponge cake layer from the fridge and carefully flip it onto a on a another cutting board with chocolate croustillant facing down. Brush the sponge with about a third of the coffee syrup and then spread with half of the coffee buttercream. Place the two 10cm x 20cm sponge layers side by side on top to cover and brush with half of the remaining coffee syrup.
2. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the ganache and spread the sponge evenly with the remaining chocolate ganache. Top with the remaining layer of sponge cake and brush well with the remining coffee syrup. Spread with the remaining buttercream to cover and even the surface using an offset spatula or cake scraper. Cover and refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Monogramed Chocolate Discs

1. Line a tray with non-stick baking paper. Remove the wax seal from the freezer and place in a bowl of ice.
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 10 seconds bursts on high, stirring well after each burst until the chocolate is completely melted. Spoon the chocolate into a zip-lock bag and cut a small hole in one corner. Working quickly, pipe the chocolate onto the lined try to form three discs, each about the size of a dollar coin. Immediately use the chilled wax seal to imprint the chocolate discs, holding on each for 5 seconds. Place the seal back in the ice (see Baker’s Tips) and repeat with the remaining chocolate making and imprinting three discs at a time. Set aside at room temperature to set and firm.
3. Once set use a small paintbrush to paint each disc with edible lustre gold paint to coat.

Chocolate Glaze

1. When ready to glaze the cake, carefully transfer the cake to a rack over a tray lined with baking paper. Return to the fridge.
2. To make the Chocolate Glaze. Place the gelatine sheets in a bowl and add 250ml (1 cup) of the chilled water to cover. Set aside.
3. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Combine the remaining 125ml (1/2 cup) water in a small saucepan with the sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and boil gently, brushing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to dissolve any sugar crystals, until the syrup reaches 104°C on a thermometer.
4. Remove the syrup from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.  Sift the cocoa powder over the chocolate mixture and use a balloon whisk to stir until combined and smooth. Add the cream and stir until the mixture cools to 60°C on a thermometer.
5. Use your hands to squeeze as much water as possible from the gelatine sheets and add to the warm chocolate mixture. Stir until dissolved.
6. Transfer the mixture to a jug anduse a stick blender to blend until the mixture is emulsified and smooth. Strain the glaze through a fine mesh sieve.
7. Once the glaze cools to 32°C on a thermometer pour it immediately over the chilled cake to create a smooth surface, allowing any excess to drip down the sides. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the glaze is set.

To Serve

1. Use a hot, dry knife trim the edges of the cake and then cut into 18 pieces (each about 7cm x 3cm). Transfer to a serving plate. Soften the reserved Chocolate Ganache by heating in 10 second bursts on high and stirring between each burst until smooth. Cool until almost a piping consistency. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle. Pipe a rosette of ganache at the end of each cake portion and rest a Monogramed Chocolate Disc against the rosette to hold it. Decorate with gold leave and dust as desired.

 

Karthika based this recipe on one from https://www.homecookingadventure.com.

Prep 15min (+20min chilling time)Makes 8-10 serves

This pastry is rich, flavoursome and dead easy to make. It has a tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture, adding a beautiful richness to fruit-based pies. Avoid using with custard-based pies, as it will be too rich, and it's too fragile to use in free-form pies.

Ingredients

250g (1⅔ cups) plain flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
good pinch of salt
180g cold unsalted butter, cubed
125 ml (½ cup) sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

 

Method

1. Place the flour, sugar, salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the sour cream and vanilla bean paste and use the pulse button to process briefly until the mixture just forms a ball.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured, cool benchtop and shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest. Use as directed in this Rhubarb and Apple Pie.

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Pies.
CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Prep 20minBake 20minMakes about 30

Reminiscent of the traditional and timeless Anzac biscuits, these morish treats have the addition of almond and sesame (for extra crunch) and mandarin (for a surprising flavour twist). This variation is not intended to be disrespectful of the ANZAC spirit – just a modern variation to enjoy with a cuppa and to reflect on the legacy left and sacrifice made by our service men and women.

Ingredients

95g (1 cup) rolled oats
150g (1 cup) plain flour
90g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
220g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
95g (¾ cup) slivered almonds
40g (¼ cup) sesame seeds
Finely grated rind 1 mandarin
125g butter, cubed
2 tablespoons treacle
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.
2. Put the rolled oats, flour, coconut, brown sugar, almonds, sesame seeds and mandarin rind in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
3. Put the butter, treacle and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat, add the bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine – the mixture will foam. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with the wooden spoon until evenly combined.
4. Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place about 5cm apart on the lined trays. Use your fingers or the bottom of a glass to flatten the balls until about 1cm thick. 
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, swapping the trays after 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Remove the biscuits from the oven and cool on the trays. Repeat with any remaining biscuit mixture.

Prep 20min (+ 2-3hr standing time)Bake 10-12min (per batch)Makes about 14

These individual morsels exit the oven with a slight crispiness and then take a sponge-like texture once filled with jam and cream – mini sponge cakes, just for one.

Ingredients

2 eggs, at room temperature, separated
75g (⅓ cup) caster sugar 
½ teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
35g (¼ cup) plain flour
30g (¼ cup) cornflour
½ teaspoon baking powder
115g (⅓ cup) raspberry jam
100ml thickened cream
Icing sugar, to dust

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Line three large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With the motor running, gradually add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, and whisk until the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture is thick and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the egg yolks one at a time, whisking between each addition until well combined.
3. Sift together the flour, cornflour and baking powder over the egg mixture and then immediately whisk on low speed until just combined (make sure no flour is left at the bottom of the bowl and be careful not to over whisk).
4. Spoon heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the trays about 3cm apart, allowing room for spreading, to make about 28. Use the back of the teaspoon to flatten each spoonful slightly to a round about 5cm in diameter and 1cm thick.
5. Bake one tray of powder puffs in the centre of the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the rounds are pale golden and slightly puffed. Remove from the oven and cool on the tray. Bake the remaining two trays of mixture in two more batches.
6. Use a clean whisk attachment or balloon whisk to whisk the cream until firm peaks form. Spread the underside of half the sponge rounds with a little jam, dividing evenly. Spread the remaining sponge rounds with the whipped cream, dividing evenly, and then sandwich the jam rounds with the cream rounds.
7. Serve immediately, or set aside for 2-3 hours or until the sponge rounds soften slightly, dusted with icing sugar.

Prep 30min (+ 1hr 30min proving time)Bake 25-30minMakes 16

There is nothing quite like a really good, simple white bread roll. These ones have a lovely soft crumb and a thin crust, perfect (as their name suggests) for dinner or as the Italians do, for breakfast with lashings of butter and jam or cheese.

Ingredients

500g (3⅓ cups) strong bread or pizza flour, plus extra to dust
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 x 7g sachet instant dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
375ml (1½ cups) lukewarm water
40g butter, melted and cooled, plus extra to grease
1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon milk, to glaze
Sesame and/or poppy seeds, to sprinkle

 

Method

1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Combine the water and butter, then add to the flour mixture. Use a wooden spoon and then your hands to mix to a soft dough.

2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic and springs back when you push your finger into it.

3. Brush a large bowl with melted butter to grease. Add the dough turning it to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line two oven trays with non-stick baking paper.

5. Knock back the dough by punching it in the centre with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball by rolling it on the bench and place on the lined trays leaving about 5cm between each. Cover with a slightly damp tea towel and set aside in a warm draught-free place for 30 minutes or until well risen.

6. Brush the rolls with the egg wash to glaze, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds and then bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through baking, or until golden and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Prep 4hrs (+ cooling time)Bake 35-50minsServes 8

This jaw-dropping Passionfruit Gâteau Saint Honoré was created by Lisa Turner, one of our Make Me a Baker students for her graduation. Named after the French patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs, this delicious creation is a real test of skill, using several French techniques that Lisa learnt over the course of her 6-month baking journey. Challenge yourself and give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

• 1 quantity Puff Pastry, chilled as directed
• 1 quantity

  Pâte à 

  Choux

• 1 quantity Passionfruit Crème Diplomat (recipe below), chilled
• 1 quantity Vanilla Crème Diplomat (recipe below), chilled
• Passionfruit pulp, to drizzle

Caramel

• 200g sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Crème Diplomat

• 200ml pouring (thin) cream
• 200ml thickened cream

Passionfruit Crème Diplomat

• ½ vanilla bean
• 250ml (1 cup) strained passionfruit pulp
• 50g caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 1½ tablespoons custard powder
• 1 tablespoon butter

Vanilla Crème Diplomat

• 1 vanilla bean
• 500ml (2 cups) milk
• 100g caster sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons cornflour
• 3 tablespoons custard powder
• 2 tablespoon butter

Method Puff Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 220°C or 200°C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Take the puff pastry from the fridge and keeping the rectangular shape, roll out to 35cm x 13cm and 4-5mm thick. Carefully place on the baking tray. Cover the top of the pastry with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the plastic wrap and cover pastry with a sheet of baking paper and then place an empty baking tray on top of the pastry. 4 Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven to cool.

Method Pâte à Choux

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Spoon the Pâte à Choux into a large piping bag fitted with a 1.7mm round nozzle and pipe rounds, 3cm in diameter trying to keep a uniform size. Use your fingertip dipped in water to smooth the top of the choux. Sprinkle the tray with a little water.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and bake for another 5 minutes until golden and puffed. Turn off the oven.
4. Remove from the oven and put a small hole in the base of the choux with a sharp knife or piping tip. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until dry.
5. Remove from the oven and cool on a cake rake.

Method Caramel

1. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Leave it to heat until the sugar has melted. Do not stir. Continue cooking until it has turned a golden caramel.
2. Meanwhile, fill your sink with cold water. Once the caramel is ready, dip the base of the saucepan in the cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking process. Set the pan on a towel on the bench.

Method Crème Diplomat

Make the passionfruit and vanilla Crème Diplomat in separate batches. Both are made in the same way (repeat steps 1-5 for each).

1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise using a small sharp knife and scrape the seeds into a large saucepan. Drop the bean in too and add the passionfruit pulp or milk. Bring to the boil over low heat.
2. Meanwhile whisk sugar & egg yolks in a bowl until creamy and then add cornflour and custard powder whisking until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour half the passionfruit pulp or milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk together. Now return the egg and passionfuit or milk mixture to the remaining passionfruit or milk mixture in the saucepan. Remove the vanilla bean.
4. Over low heat, whisk the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble. Continue whisking for about 2-3 minutes until the custard is thick and rich.
5. Add the butter and whisk until melted – the custard should now be glossy. Remove from the heat.
6. Pour the custard into a bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool completely.
7. Place the pure and thickened cream into a stand or hand mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk until peaks hold their form, being careful not to over whisk.
8. Gently fold a third of a cup of the whipped cream into the passionfruit Crème Diplomat. The final crème needs to be thick enough to hold its shape so if any extra cream is required add it a tablespoon at a time. Repeat this process for the vanilla Crème Diplomat.
9. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Assembly

1. Working quickly carefully dip the top of each choux bun in the caramel and set it caramel side down on a silicone mat. Allow to cool completely.
2. Spoon the passionfruit Crème Diplomat into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm round nozzle. Stick the tip of the nozzle in the hole in the base of the choux and fill with the crème (don’t over fill).
3. Trim the puff pastry with a sharp knife to tidy up the edges and place on a serving plate.
4. Position the choux buns, bottom side down, closely together along one long edge of the puff pastry, securing with a small dab of Crème Diplomat if necessary.
5. Still using the passionfruit Crème Diplomat with the round tip, pipe a thin layer of the Crème Diplomat over the entire base of the puff pastry within the choux pastry border, being careful not to go over the edge.
6. Fill a piping bag with the vanilla Crème Diplomat. Using the piping tip of your choice, pipe on top of the passionfruit Crème Diplomat to decorate.
7. Drizzle with passionfruit pulp.
8. Fill any extra choux buns with the remainder of the Crème Diplomat to serve as extras.

 

Prep 15min (+ cooling time)Bake 45-55minMakes approx 24

This recipe is based on one from Supergrains by Chrissy Freer, published by Murdoch Books. Knowing what is going into your muesli bars is the key – it makes them so much healthier and tastier.

Ingredients

• 180ml (260g / ¾ cup) good-quality honey
• 125ml (½ cup) sunflower oil or light olive oil
• 250g (2½ cups) rolled oats
• 30g (1½ cups) puffed millet
• 45g (½ cup) desiccated coconut
• 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 55g (1/3 cup) sweetened dried cranberries
• 75g (½ cup) currants
• 80g (½ cup) raw almonds, coarsely chopped (see Baker’s Tips)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140ºC (120°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a shallow 20 x 30 cm baking tin and line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put the honey and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until well combined and heated through. Set aside.
3. Put the rolled oats, millet, coconut, cinnamon, cranberries, currants and almonds in a large bowl and mix to combine evenly. Add the honey mixture and stir to combine. Using damp hands, press the mixture firmly into the lined tin. Press the mixture with the back of a spoon to make the surface smooth and even.
4. Bake for 45–55 minutes or until the surface is dark golden brown all over. Cool completely in the tin before cutting into 24 bars.

Prep 45mis (+1 hour 30mins chilling time)Makes about 500g

Also known as mille feuilles (meaning a ‘thousand layers’) in French, you’ll find that most commercial-made puff pastries use margarine and other vegetable fats, and because they have a higher melting point than butter they make the pastry rise more spectacularly. However, the flavour of a home-made version using good-quality unsalted butter you’ll find far outweighs this.

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter, in one piece, softened slightly so it is firm but pliable
• Plain our, to dust

Dough

• 225g (1½ cups) plain flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 25g chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 100ml-120ml chilled water

Method

1. To make the dough, combine the our and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the 25g diced butter to the our. With your palms facing upwards, use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Sprinkle 100ml of the iced water over the our mixture. Use a round-ended knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly combined and the mixture starts holding together. Press a little of the mixture between your fingers – if it holds together easily, there is no need to add more water; if it doesn’t add a teaspoon of the remaining iced water at a time water and cut through again until it does. The pastry should be soft but not sticky, and will be ragged in texture.
3. Bring the pastry together with your hands and transfer to a lightly floured, cool bench top. Lightly knead the pastry with your fingertips for about 20 seconds or until it comes together but isn’t completely smooth.
4. Shape the dough into a rectangle, about 10cm x 15cm, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest and rm slightly.
5. Place the 200g piece butter between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to pound and then roll to form a square, 15cm x 15cm and about 1cm thick. Check that the butter is the same pliable consistency as the dough – if it looks oily, it is too soft and needs chilling for a little while for it to reach the same consistency.
6. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough on a lightly floured bench top to a rectangle about 20cm x 32cm, always rolling away from you, turning after each roll, and keeping the edges as straight as possible. Place the butter over the top half of the pastry, leaving a border of about 2.5cm. Fold the pastry edges up and over the butter, then fold the uncovered pastry over the butter to fully enclose.
7. Use the rolling pin to gently tap the pastry widthways to form neat ridges. Roll out the pastry to a neat rectangle, about 16cm x 36cm, always rolling away from you and giving a half turn after each roll. Take care to keep the sides and ends straight, using a large palette knife to straighten them if necessary.
8. Fold the bottom third of the pastry up, then the top third of the pastry down to fold it like a business letter. Turn the pastry anti-clockwise 90 degrees so that the folded edge is to your left. Use the rolling pin to gently tap the pastry widthways to form neat ridges again.
9. Roll the pastry out again a neat rectangle, about 13cm x 36cm, always rolling away from you, giving a half turn after each roll and taking care to keep the edges straight. With the folded edge to your left, repeat the folding process (step 8) but do not tap to create the ridges. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
10. Repeat this process (steps 7-9; rolling, folding and turning, then rolling and folding again) two more times making sure the folded edge is to your left every time you fold and chilling between each process. This will give a total of six rolls and folds.
11. Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 days before using as directed.

Prep 1hr 15min (+ 1hr chilling and 30min cooling time)Bake 30minMakes 12

"I made this recipe for my Make Me a Baker graduation. I knew I wanted to make something with puff pastry as it’s the skill I’m most proud of learning throughout my Make Me a Baker journey. I also wanted to make something that I love to eat, but until now, hadn’t attempted to make myself- Portuguese custard tarts came to mind. It’s one of those pastries that I just can’t go past and I love their rustic beauty. I recommend making your own puff pastry if you know how, as you can’t really beat a homemade puff." - Hannah Scott, Make Me a Baker Graduate (2018)

Ingredients

• Melted butter to grease

Chai syrup (this will make about 1 cup of syrup) 

• ½ teaspoon loose-leaf black tea
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 7 whole cloves
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• ¼ teaspoon dried ginger pieces (you can buy this from most health food stores or from specialty tea shops)
• 250ml (1 cup) water
• 220g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Chai custard filling

• 2 egg yolks 
• 1 whole egg 
• 110g (½ cup) caster sugar 
• 1½ tablespoons cornflour 
• 310ml (1¼ cups) milk 
• 125ml (½ cup) pouring cream 

Pastry

• 1 quantity (550g) homemade puff pastry 
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom 

Method

1. To make the chai syrup lightly toast the black tea, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods and star anise and ginger in a frypan over a medium heat until fragrant. In a medium saucepan combine the water, sugar and toasted spices. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and then bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until reduced to a medium syrup consistency. Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside to cool. 
2. Preheat oven to 210°C (190°C fan-forced). Brush a 12 hole 80ml (1/3 cup) capacity muffin tin with the melted butter to grease. 
3. Use a balloon whisk to whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar and cornflour in a medium saucepan until well combined and smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk and then the cream. Heat the custard mixture over a low heat stirring constantly with the whisk until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 tbsp of the chai syrup and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the custard mixture to a heatproof bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap (this will help stop a skin from forming). Place in the fridge for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until cooled to room temperature. 
4. Lightly flour your bench. Divide your pastry into two portions and roll out two 24cm x 24cm squares. 
5. Combine the sugar and cardamom and sprinkle half evenly over one of the pastry sheets. Cover with the remaining pastry sheet and then sprinkle over the remaining cardamom sugar. Use a rolling pin to roll over the pastry sheets to press the two sheets together. Firmly roll the two sheets of pastry together into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry log into 12 even portions. You may need to trim the edges of your log before dividing the portions. This will help to make sure they are even. 
6. Place a pastry portion cut side up on a lightly floured bench top. Use the back of a clean round drinking glass to flatten, and then use your rolling pin to roll into a 10cm in diameter circle. Using your fingertips, gently press the pastry round into a muffin tin hole. Repeat with the remaining portions to make 12 pastry cases in total. 
7. Spoon the cooled custard mixture evenly into the pastry cases. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is crisp and the custard is a light golden colour. 
8. Stand the tarts in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. This will take about 30 minutes. If desired, serve with a drizzle of the remaining Chai syrup.

Prep 2 hours (+ 4 hours chilling time)Bake 30-40 minMakes 18 serves

These divine desserts petite gateaux were created by Rachel Hunt, one of our Make Me a Baker students for her graduation. A crisp, nutty, meringue base is topped with a mirror-glazed, ever-so-light honey-infused mousse surrounding a floral lavender jelly. Using a number of techniques, this recipe showcases all the fantastic new skills and confidence Rachel gained over the course of our 6-month program and, lucky for you, she’s sharing it so you can make them at home! Rachel uses 18 x 30mm and 60mm (top measurement) half sphere silicon moulds however other shapes/sizes can be used.

Ingredients

Lavender Jelly

• 6 fresh unsprayed lavender heads or 2 teaspoons
  dried culinary lavender, plus extra to decorate
• 250ml (1 cup) water 
• 110g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 1½ teaspoons powdered gelatin
• 2½ tablespoons cold water
• Purple food colour (optional)

Honey Mousse

• 5 eggs, separated
• 40g butter, diced
• 135g good-quality white chocolate chips (like Callebaut)
• 60ml (¼ cup) good-quality honey 
• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 300ml thickened cream

Hazelnut Meringue

• Vegetable oil, to grease
• 150g hazelnut meal or peeled toasted hazelnuts
• 7 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 385g (1¾ cups) caster sugar

Mirror Glaze

• 2 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 250ml (1 cup) cold water
• 330g (1½ cups) caster sugar
• 160ml (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups good-quality white chocolate chips (like Callebaut)

Method

1. To make the lavender jelly, combine the sugar and 250ml water in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the lavender. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. When the syrup is almost cool, place the cold water in a small heatproof bowl or dish and sprinkle the gelatin over. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the gelatin is fully rehydrated. Sit the bowl or dish into another bowl of hot water and stir until dissolved and the mixture is clear.
3. Strain the jelly syrup through a sieve to remove the lavender. Transfer the gelatin mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the syrup until well combined.
4. Tint the jelly syrup with purple food colouring if desired. Place 18 x 30mm (top measurement) half-sphere silicon moulds on a tray and pour in the jelly syrup (there will be some syrup left over and you can set it in other moulds or glasses if you wish). Place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, or until well set.
5. To make the honey mousse, lightly whisk the egg yolks and combine in a medium saucepan with the butter, chocolate and honey. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is just melted (be careful not to overheat). Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
6. Place the cold water in a small heatproof bowl or dish and sprinkle the gelatin over. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the gelatin is fully rehydrated. Sit the bowl or dish into another bowl of hot water and stir until dissolved and the mixture is clear. Stir gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture until combined. Cover and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
7. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand-held balloon whisk to whisk the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined. Whisk the egg whites with a clean whisk in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add half the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and gently fold through. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold through until just combined.
8. Place 18 x 60mm (top measurement) half sphere moulds on a tray and pour in the mousse mixture to fill each until almost full. Remove the lavender jelly domes from the smaller moulds and press into the centre of each individual mousse, ensuring the mousse completely covers the jelly. If the jelly isn't completely covered, add a little more mousse. If necessary, scrape a palette knife across the top of the moulds so that the base of the mousse domes will be level. Chill for at least 4 hours, or until set.
9. To make the hazelnut meringue, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Lightly grease 2 oven trays and line with non-stick baking paper.
10. If using whole toasted hazelnuts grind the nuts with 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar in a food processor until fine but still with some texture.
11. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites and vinegar until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition. Once half the sugar has been added start adding the rest in larger quantities, whisking well after each addition, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Use a metal spoon or spatula to fold the hazelnuts through the meringue. Spoon the meringue onto the prepared trays and spread evenly in a rectangle until about 1-1½cm thick. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until a crisp crust forms. Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes on the trays and then transfer them to wire racks, still on the baking paper, to cool completely. Carefully remove the baking paper and transfer to a cutting board. Use a 6cm round cutter to cut discs from the meringue sheets. Set aside in an airtight container.
12. To make the mirror glaze, place 80ml (1/3 cup) of the cold water into a small bowl or dish and sprinkle the gelatin over. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the gelatin is fully rehydrated.
13. Combine the remaining water, sugar and condensed milk in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from the heat, add the gelatin mixture and stir until fully dissolved. Add the white chocolate chips and stir slowly until melted. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a large jug and set aside to cool to room temperature.
14. Remove the petit gateaux domes from the fridge and place on a wire rack over a larger oven tray to catch the drips. Carefully and slowly pour the glaze over ensuring the domes are completely covered. Sprinkle dried lavender on top to decorate if desired.
15. Set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes or until the glaze is set.
16. Use a palette knife to transfer the mousse domes to the hazelnut meringue discs and serve.

Prep 11/2hrs (+ cooling time)Bake 3hrs and 20minsMakes 10-12 serves

I often create unique cakes for friends to celebrate special occasion and milestones – cakes that reflect their personalities and our friendship. This one was for my close friend, Tina, to celebrate her 50th.  It is based on a recipe by well-respected Australian cooking teacher Greta Anna Teplitzky (from her cookbook The Greta Anna Recipes, published by Angus & Robertson in the 1970’s). Tina’s mum made it often while she was growing up and it became childhood favourite. I have zhooshed the original up with a dried orange and pistachio praline and some fun dried pineapple flowers to match Tina’s gorgeous, vibrate and creative personality – quite appropriate I think!

Ingredients

Orange and pistachio praline

• 1 orange
• 45g (1/3 cup) pistachios
• 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
• 11/2 tablespoons water

Dried pineapple flowers

• ½ firm, ripe pineapple

Cake layers

• 300g (2 cups) plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 300g brown sugar
• 200ml light olive oil, plus extra to grease
• 4 eggs, lightly whisked
• 2 teaspoons natural vanilla essence or extract
• 450g tin pineapple slices in syrup, drained and finely chopped
• 300g (2 cups, firmly packed) coarsely grated carrot

Cream Cheese Frosting 

• 250g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 75g butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
• 200g icing sugar mixture, sifted

Method

1. To make the Orange and pistachio praline, preheat the oven to 100°C. Remove the rind from the orange with a vegetable peeler and then use a small sharp knife to remove any white pith from the rind. Place the rind on a wire rack over an oven tray and place in the preheated oven for 2 hours or until dry and crisp but still bright orange in colour (see Baker’s Tips). Remove from the oven and set aside (leave the oven on). Line an oven tray with non-stick baking paper. Spread the pistachios and dried orange rind close together on the lined tray. Combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan and use a wooden spoon to stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Boil for 8-10 minutes without stirring, brushing down the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to dissolve any sugar crystals, until the mixture turns a deep caramel. Pour immediately onto the lined tray over the pistachios and rind. Set aside to cool completely (this will take about 30 minutes). When cool, use a mortar and pestle to grind the toffee into a coarse praline. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside (see Baker’s Tips).
2. To make the Dried pineapple flowers, stand the half pineapple upright on a cutting board and use a large sharp knife to cut off the skin in strips. Use a mandoline slicer to cut the pineapple into very thin rounds (about 1-2mm thin). Use a small sharp knife to remove any remaining dark bits of rind from the slices and then pat both sides with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Place the slices on a wire rack on an oven tray (see Baker’s Tips). Place in the oven for 21/2 hours or until crisp around the edges but still slightly pliable. Remove from the oven and pinch each slice in the center while still warm to form a flower. Set aside to cool and then store in an airtight container until needed (see Baker’s Tips)
3. To make the Cake layers, preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush two 18cm round cake tins with extra olive oil to lightly grease and line the bases with non-stick baking paper.
4. Sift together 150g (1 cup) plain flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon mixed spice into a large bowl. Add 150g brown sugar and stir to combine, breaking up any lumps.
5. Combine 100ml of the olive oil, 2 of the eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, half the chopped pineapple and 300g grated carrot and mix well. Add to the flour mixture and use a spatula or large metal spoon to gently mix until just combined.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins and spread with the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface making a shallow well in the center of each cake. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
7. Stand the cakes in the tins for 5 minutes before turning onto wire racks to cool (this will take about 1 hour). Repeat with the remaining cake ingredients to make 2 more cake layers.
8. To make the Cream cheese frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until very smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating well after each addition and beat until well combined and really creamy.
9. To assemble the cake, first trim the tops of the cake layers if necessary (if the well you made in the mixture before baking was deep enough you won’t have to do this). Place one cooled cake layer, top side up on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread with ½ cup of the Cream cheese frosting and then sprinkle with about 11/2 tablespoons of the Orange and pistachio praline. Continue to layer with the remaining cake layers, spreading each with ½ cup of frosting and sprinkling with about 11/2 tablespoons of praline, and finishing with a cake layer, top side down. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top of the cake, evening the surface with a large palette knife. Spread any remaining icing around the side of the cake to create a ‘naked’ look. Decorate with the Dried pineapple flowers and sprinkle with a little of the remaining praline.