Melting moments really do seem to delight everyone, especially with such a pretty pink filling. I like to cook mine a little longer than most recipes suggest so they don’t go soggy or too soft. Once the filling is firm and set, they are pretty shelf-stable for a couple of days at least.
Orange and rhubarb melting moments
Makes approx 24
- 1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 80g icing sugar
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1⁄3 cup (50g) custard powder
- 1 2⁄3 cups (250g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- a pinch of salt
FILLING
- 100g butter, softened
- 2 cups (250g) icing sugar
- 3 tbsp rhubarb or plum jam
- 1 tbsp orange juice, plus extra if needed
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream for a few minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the zest and vanilla and beat again. Fold in the custard powder, flour and salt. Turn out the dough onto your benchtop and divide in two, then form each half into a sausage shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Slice each sausage of dough into discs about 1cm thick, and roll into small balls. Place on the baking trays, leaving a few centimetres between each. Gently flatten with the tines of a fork.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until pale golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat for a few minutes until pale and creamy. Add the jam and the 1 tablespoon of orange juice and mix again until you have a thick paste. Add more orange juice if needed, a little at a time, until you have the right consistency.
Sandwich two biscuits together with a little of the filling and place in the fridge for the filling to set, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Baked pearled barley with all the early autumn veges
This recipe uses a heap of the beautiful vegetables in season around early autumn (zucchini, tomato, corn and eggplant/aubergine). Next, it feeds a load of people in one tasty package. And, finally, it’s not at all hard to throw together and doesn’t mind being left out at room temperature for a while (within reason). One more thing – it’s almost tastier as leftovers.
Serves 6-8 as a side
- 1 cup (200g) pearled barley
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 zucchini, cut into 2cm cubes
- 2 ears of corn, kernels cut off
- 3 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 eggplant, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 2 cups (500ml) tomato passata
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 1 cup chunky breadcrumbs
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 cup mozzarella, torn into rough pieces
Rinse the pearled barley until the water runs clear, then place in a saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for about 25 minutes, or until al dente, then drain.
Heat half the olive oil in a deep-sided ovenproof frying pan and cook the onion for about 15 minutes, or until completely soft and beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set aside.
Return the pan to the heat, add a splash more oil, increase the heat to high and fry the zucchini and corn kernels until softened and starting to colour, about 10 minutes. Transfer these to the dish with the onion. Add a splash more oil and fry the tomatoes and eggplant for about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Return the vegetables to the frying pan and add the passata with ½ cup of water and the basil leaves, then stir to combine. Season well with salt and black pepper. Add the barley to the pan and stir to combine.
Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and cheese, and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and crunchy.
Crunchy broccoli “spoon” salad
Bright, crunchy and packed with big flavours, this salad sits beautifully at room temperature as long as you add the cheese at the last minute. You can also add chopped hard-boiled eggs, hot-smoked salmon or tuna or poached chicken.
Serves 6 as a side, 3-4 as a main
- 1⁄3 cup (55g) whole almonds
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 head broccoli
- 6 dates, stones removed, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- zest and juice of 2 lemons (about 100ml)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
- a pinch of chilli flakes, to taste
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- ¾ cup (150g) tri-colour quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to the packet instructions
- 120g mature cheddar, cut into small cubes
Place the almonds and tamari in a dry frying pan and cook over medium heat, tossing often, for about 10 minutes or until the almonds look dry and smell aromatic. Let cool, then roughly chop and set aside.
Finely chop the broccoli florets and peel and finely chop the stem. Place in a large bowl with the dates and chopped almonds.
For the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, honey, garlic, chilli, some salt and pepper and the mustard in a small jar and shake well. Pour it over the broccoli, add the quinoa and toss to combine. Set your salad aside for at least 30 minutes before serving so that the dressing can “soften” the broccoli. Toss through the cheddar and serve.
An edited extract from What Can I Bring? by Sophie Hansen (Murdoch Books, RRP $55).
