warm tones

via unknown, house of bliss, and french by design

Right in the mood for these rich, opulent textures now the cooler weather has finally arrived in Perth. x

trend love: square tiled walls

 via emmas and nordicdesign

Have a wonderful weekend! x

pastry cream profiteroles

Photography by Sasha Ewing

Recipe adapted from Annabel Langbein's choux pastry

PASTRY CREAM PROFITEROLES

Choux pastry:

1 cup water

120g butter, diced

1.5 cup plain flour, sifted

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

To fill:

2.5 cups pastry cream

To top:

200g white chocolate

2 tsp instant coffee powder

1 tbsp boiling water

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup pistachio nuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius (fan-forced)and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. 

2. To make the choux pastry, place water and butter in a medium saucepan and heat until boiling. Once the butter is fully melted, add the flour all at once and beat over medium heat with a wooden spoon until the mixture leaves the side of the saucepan and starts to crust a little on the base of the pan (approx. 1 minute). Remove from heat and transfer mixture to large mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla and beat for 20 seconds before beating in eggs one at a time. Mixture should be thick enough to drop from spoon in clumps.

3. Using a one-inch tipped piping bag, pipe two-inch diameter mounds of mixture one and a half inches apart on the lined trays. Using the back of a wet teaspoon, smooth the tops of the mounds. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. 

4. Remove from the oven and pierce the bottom of each puff with a knife. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

5. To fill, use a 1.5cm tipped piping bag and pipe pastry cream into each puff through the piercing made in each puff. For the topping, melt the white chocolate. Dip the tops of half of the puffs into the chocolate then let them set. For the coffee sauce, place the boiling water in a bowl and add the coffee. Stir well. Mix in the icing sugar and vanilla. Dip the tops of the remaining puffs into the coffee sauce. Chop up the pistachios and sprinkle over the top of each puff.

Fill and serve these the day they are made. The unfilled profiteroles may be stored in an airtight container for one day.

weekend!

I wish you a happy and relaxing one! x

via style me pretty

pretty packaging

via style-files

I am a big fan of this packaging designed by Sara Nicely for the Flour Pot Bakery. Such a pretty alternative to the plain paper bag. x

soft palette

I love the soft, subtle tones used in these gorgeous interiors. Have a wonderful weekend! x

via habitually chic, lonny, bliss, and lonny

kitchen tea inspiration

via hello naomi

This gorgeous kitchen tea was styled by Bo Peep Productions. In addition to enjoying a delicious afternoon tea catered by Hello Naomi, the guests also made bath tea bags. The guests were provided with a little instruction card to create their own mixtures of bath teas or they could follow suggested recipes. The bags were then heat sealed and given back to them (in the little brown heart bags pictured) to be enjoyed at home. What a brilliant idea! x

mother's day rocky road

Photography and Recipe by Sasha Ewing

ROCKY ROAD HEART

250g milk chocolate

200g pink and white marshmallows

100g dry roasted almonds

225g turkish delight

100g white chocolate

Pink powdered food colouring

1. Grease and line a heart-shaped cake tin (base measuring approximately 18cm from top to bottom). Using a sharp knife, chop marshmallows and almonds in half. Slice Turkish delight into 1cm cubes.

2. To melt the chocolate, break it into small pieces and place them in a small glass bowl. Fill a small saucepan ¼ full with water and sit the bowl with the chocolate over the top of this. The water should come up to just below the bottom of the bowl. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.

3. Pour melted chocolate into a large bowl. Add the chopped marshmallows, almonds and turkish delight. Stir mixture gently until combined, ensuring all the ingredients are covered by chocolate.

4. Pour mixture into the lined tin, and place in the fridge to set (approximately 2 hours).

5. To decorate the heart, break the white chocolate into small pieces and melt it using the same process used in step 2. Remove bowl from the heat when the chocolate is smooth. Add a small pinch of pink food colouring to the chocolate, stir well.

6. Remove the heart from the tin and place on a large board covered with a sheet of baking paper. Spoon the white chocolate mixture into a piping bag with an approximately 0.2mm tip. Pipe lines back and forth over the heart moving from top to bottom and then from right to left to create a criss-cross pattern. Repeat on the diagonal. Return the heart to the fridge until set.

7. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice a thin layer off the heart on all sides. Wrap as desired. Store in an air-tight container.

sunday suppers

via sunday suppers

This table setting was styled and photographed by Karen Mordechai from Sunday Suppers. Sunday Suppers are class-cooking-dining experiences. The classes are held in Brooklyn, NY and are taught by local Chefs. 

Whilst I unfortunately live a little too far away from New York to attend a class, I can always count on Sunday Suppers for a new recipe to try or some event styling inspiration. x

montauk lake house

via adventurous design quest

This house situated on a lake shore in Montauk, New York is a project by Murdock Young architects. The traditional gable style exterior is fused with a modern interior featuring exposed ceiling supports, white-painted pine floors, and modern decor fixtures.

With a predominately white interior, and large open plan rooms open to the northern water views and the lake's seasonal breezes, the ambience of this lake house is just perfect. x

meringue nests

I made these little treats for a recent catering job. These ones have a lemon curd filling, topped with fresh cream and raspberries however there is really no right or wrong way to fill and decorate the nests. This makes them a versatile dessert and one well worth adding to your repertoire.

MERINGUE NESTS

Makes approximately 20 small nests

3 egg whites

¾ cup caster sugar

1 large pinch cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 100 degrees. Line tray, draw circles approx 5 cm in diameter on baking paper using a cookie cutter. In bowl, beat egg whites until foamy; beat in cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, until stiff glossy peaks form.

Using a piping bag with a round or star tip pipe nests using the circles as a guide. Recipe can be made ahead, store nests in an airtight container. When ready to use, pipe your desired filling into each nest (lemon curd or caramel work well) and top with cream and fresh fruit. 

Photography by Matt Vandale, Styling by Claire Moody, 

Recipe and Desserts by Sasha Ewing