Ladurée Inspired Rose Cake + Where to Go for Afternoon Tea in Sydney

Similar to the Rose and Vanilla Bean Ice Creams recipe I posted recently, this recipe is also inspired by a regular catch up spot frequented by my friends and I. Similar to The Tea Salon, the Ladurée cafe in the city was a great location to meet, and while more on the pricey side, offered great teas and cake. Also similar to The Tea Salon, Ladurée in Sydney closed earlier this year. It is such a shame that two of our favourite catch up spots are gone, it really feels like the good spots in the city are becoming fewer and fewer. 

The idea for this cake came to me ages ago, but it is only now that the need to make it felt really necessary. I haven’t stuck really closely to the original Ladurée cake, as I wasn’t keen on using food colouring. But feel free to do so in the cake and icing if you feel like it. The original cake is a candy coloured pink as the pictures below show, so add more than you think you need in the batter of the cake mix to ensure the cooked cake has the right hue. 

I have created something that replicates the original in taste and texture in a way I am happy with. The original is more of a syrup cake, however the use of yoghurt and oil in this recipe creates a moist cake that doesn’t need a syrup - which makes the cake simpler and easier to make. The icing, also not in the original, adds more rose flavour which I love as the cake on its own is very subtle. 

If like my friends and I you are looking for good places to meet for afternoon (or morning) tea in Sydney City and close surrounds, here is a list of cafes and bakeries that I love:

• Black Star Pastry - Level 2, The Galleries (at Kinokuniya Bookstore) 500 George St Sydney: This is the easiest of the Black Star Pastry locations to get to if you are already in the City. There isn’t a lot of seating, and now everyone knows about it be prepared for a little wait to order. If it’s really busy get what you want takeaway and head over to Hyde Park or the Domain to eat outside. Try: The Strawberry Watermelon Cake is what they are famous for, and for good reason! 
• The Tea Cosy - 33 George St The Rocks: Not far from Circular Quay and Wynyard, this is probably the cutest tea rooms you can go too. Situated in an old terrace house, freshly made scones can be enjoyed with a variety of jam flavours and knitting needles and wool at the table in case you fancy a bit of knitting while you catch up with friends. Try: The Devonshire Tea with Triple Berry Jam.
• Flour & Stone - 53 Riley St Woolloomooloo: A short walk from Hyde Park and St Mary’s Cathedral, this tiny bakery is well worth a visit. Again few tables are available, but it is worth it if you can hang around and wait for one. Try: They are really famous for the Pannacotta Lamingtons, however you really can’t go wrong with anything here. My favourites are the hand iced gingerbread, Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake and the Lemon Drizzle Cake. 
• Petal Met Sugar - Shop 7 68 Sir John Young Cres Woolloomooloo: A two minute walk from Flour & Stone is patisserie come florist Petal Met Sugar. Great for a quiet catch up, served with delicate patisserie and fun florals. Try: For special occasions book their seasonal high tea to try a selection of their repertoire.
• Bourke Street Bakery - Shop 4 23 Barangaroo Ave Barangaroo: A short walk from Wynyard Station, is another outpost of the popular Bourke Street Bakery institution. It stocks all the favourites and great for an indulgent work day lunch time catch up. Try: Eggplant, Chickpea, Feta & Mint Sausage Roll and the Ginger Brûlée Tart.
• Rabbit Hole Tea Bar - Shop 1 23 Barangaroo Ave Barangaroo: Down the road from Bourke St Bakery is the second and smaller cafe from Rabbit Hole Tea. Great for a quiet catch up, but be prepared for a more limited menu than their larger Redfern cafe. Try: Iced Ginger Snap Latte and Salted Caramel Cookie. 
• KOI Dessert Bar - 46 Kensington St Chippendale: A short walk from Central Station is this gem of a patisserie/dessert bar. Everything here looks amazing and has the flavours to back it up. Great for cake filled catch ups or super fancy set dinner and dessert menus (reservations only) in the upper level of their store for special occasions. Try: Strawberry Pillow and keep and eye out for their seasonal high teas which are just about the best high tea you can have in Sydney. 

Strawberry Watermelon Cake from Black Star Pastry

The Tea Cosy

Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake from Flour & Stone

Seasonal High Tea from Petal Met Sugar

Bourke Street Bakery

Ginger Snap Iced Latte from Rabbit Hole Tea Bar

Strawberry Pillow from KOI Dessert Bar

Ladurée Inspired Rose Cake

Ladurée Inspired Rose Cake

Ingredients: 

175g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)

175g plain Greek style yoghurt

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp rosewater (or to taste)

125ml vegetable oil

For the icing: 

125g icing sugar (confectioners)

1-2 tbsp rosewater

dried rose petals, for decoration

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (or 160 fan forced) and line a 20 x 10.5 cm (approx.) loaf tin with baking paper so some of the paper hangs over two of the sides.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and bicarb soda. Then in a small/medium bowl whisk together the yoghurt, sugar, eggs, rosewater and oil. 

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is golden in colour and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If in doubt give the cake another 5 minutes and check again. 

Place the cooked cake on a wire rack, and wait to remove it from the tin until it has cooled (using the overhanging baking paper to do so). 

Once the cake has cooled make the icing, by combining the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the rosewater in a medium bowl (I prefer to use a whisk for this). If more liquid is needed for the icing to make it smoother, gradually add a little more rosewater or hot water can be added instead if you want a more delicate rose flavour. 

Spread the icing over the cake and top with dried rose petals to decorate. 

Ladurée Inspired Rose Cake

Ladurée Inspired Rose Cake

Reference: ‘At My Table - A Celebration of Home Cooking’ by Nigella Lawson (Chatto & Windus, 2017), p.254.

Ladurée Inspired Rose Cake

Buttermilk Crumpets & Homemade Butter

I was inspired to make crumpets again after having an amazing breakfast at Synonymous Cafe in Medlow Bath while I was away a few weeks ago. The crumpets we had there were really good, and the combination of accompaniments got me thinking that I should be serving crumpets at home with more than just butter/margarine and vegemite. Keeping with the travel inspiration theme, I decided to pair my crumpets with quince I had poached after buying some from the Agrestic Grocer in Orange while we were away, and amazing cream from Dubbo based Little Big Dairy Co whose milk we enjoyed at a few cafes in the Central West. 

I also Little Big Dairy Co's pouring cream to make the butter as well, and the resulting buttermilk can be used for this recipe also - just top up the quantity with another milk if you don’t get quite enough. I did this the second time I made these, and used Little Big Dairy Co’s unhomogenised full cream milk, which I think is the nicest milk I’ve ever tasted. The first time I made these I used Pepe Saya’s Buttermilk, which is a by product of the butter making process. As you can see I really like supporting great Australian small businesses, and buying local when possible. I love to support people who are passionate about food, and make a top quality product like Pepe Saya and Little Big Dairy Co. And I have to say it’s so worth it when you cook with products from these small producers and the taste is so much better than you’ve had before. 

Do you ever find cooking inspiration on holidays? And what are your favourite small food businesses and producers you love to support? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to add to more to my list!

Homemade Butter

Buttermilk Crumpets with Homemade Butter

Homemade Butter

This is well worth the effort, and in fact it’s not really that much effort. All you need is a stand mixer, whisk attachment, muslin and some pouring cream. Use the best quality cream you can find, as it will produce a nicer quality butter and buttermilk. Both the butter and buttermilk can be used straight away for frozen or another time, so no need to stress about using a whole litre of cream, it won’t go to waste. You can however use any quantity of cream, as long as it is enough for the mixer to process.

Ingredients:

1L good quality pouring cream 

Method: 

Pour the cream into the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the whisk attachment. Start mixing on medium-high speed, covering the bowl with a tea towel if the cream is jumping out and making a mess. After a couple of minutes of constant mixing, the cream will thicken and become whipped. Continue mixing for a few more minutes (at least 5), and the cream will start to turn a yellow colour. In the next few minutes the butter will begin to separate from the buttermilk - you might want to cover the bowl with a tea towel again as I find the buttermilk jumps out of the bowl quite a lot. Continue mixing for a few more minutes, or until the butter and the buttermilk have completely separated. 

Place a large colander over a bowl, and line the colander with the muslin. Pour the butter and buttermilk over the colander, then squeeze out the butter over the colander using the muslin to release more of the buttermilk. The buttermilk can be used in the below recipe, kept in the fridge for a week or frozen for later use. 

Rinse the butter in cold water, then knead on a dry surface to release more of the buttermilk. This process is essential to give the butter a longer shelf life as, if too much buttermilk remains the butter will go off. Rinse the butter again and knead until most of the buttermilk as been released. Roll the butter into a log or shape into a disc and wrap with baking paper and seal. Use for the below recipe and store in the fridge (it should keep for a couple of months), or weigh it out into portions and freeze. 

Cook crumpets on low heat in a crumpet ring until bubbles then holes appear, then flip

Buttermilk Crumpets

This was my second recent attempt at making crumpets from scratch. I have posted a recipe for crumpets before, but have since found a new recipe I like better and have worked out the best way to cook them. They key is to cook them low and slow, so you give the tops time to bubble and burst, giving that distinctive hole-y top crumpet look, without over cooking the bottoms. You will need crumpet rings for this recipe but you can use egg rings, which will give a smaller fatter or larger thinner crumpet depending on their size. I had been searching for crumpet rings all over for a few years, and finally found some at the Lost & Found Department where they had sourced crumpet rings and handmade cake tins etc from a supplier in Tasmania (if my recollection of the story is correct). 

As I mentioned above, I used buttermilk from the butter making process for this recipe. If you can’t get any or aren’t making the homemade butter, just substitute with regular or skim milk. Don’t substitute with cultured buttermilk (the thicker variety found in supermarkets), I’m not sure the thickness of it will work well with this recipe. 

Ingredients

275ml buttermilk (not cultured)

55ml water

1tsp caster sugar 

250g strong white flour (bread flour)

8g dried fast action yeast

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

50ml warm water

butter for cooking, and to serve

poached quinces, to serve (optional)

thick/clotted/dollop cream, to serve (optional) 

Method:

Warm the milk and water (55ml) in a saucepan over low heat, then add the sugar and stir. Don’t overheat the milk. Place the flour into a large bowl and stir in the yeast. Pour in the warmed milk mixture and mix together until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise. The batter will be ready when it has risen and become frothy and full of bubbles, this should take around hour, but leave for longer if the batter hasn’t become very bubbly after an hour. 

When the batter is ready, mix the bicarb soda with water (50ml) then mix into the batter until smooth. 

Grease the insides of the crumpet rings with butter, and heat a large flat plan on low heat. Grease the pan with some butter and place the rings on to the pan (how many you use at one time will depend on how large your pan is). 

Fill the crumpet rings with batter, until the surface of the ring on the pan is fully covered and the batter comes up around a quarter to half way up the crumpet ring (this will depend on how big you want your crumpets to be, allowing for them to rise a little). 

Cook for about 5 minutes, keeping the pan on low heat, or until bubbles then holes appear on the top of each crumpet. This is a slow process so don’t be tempted to rush it. 

Flip the crumpets over once the holes have appeared on the tops, and cook for another couple of minutes or until golden - you can remove the crumpet rings at this point, and allow them to cool a little before re-greasing them to use again. Continue with the remaining batter. I found the batter made about 10 crumpets.

Serve straight from the pan, or warmed up later on under a grill with fresh butter, cream and poached quinces, or any other topping you fancy. 

Buttermilk Crumpets with Homemade Butter, Poached Quince & Cream

References: ‘Fortnum & Mason The Cookbook’ by Tom Parker Bowles (4th Estate, 2016), p.60; ‘Real Food Projects’ by Kate Walsh (Murdoch Books, 2016) pp.92-3.

A Road Trip to the Blue Mountains & Central Western NSW - Part Two: Central Western NSW

For the second part of our road trip (click here for part one) we continued to Central Western NSW. While having gone to Orange a few times as a child, I had not been for over ten years and was keen to go back and check out the food scene I had heard so much about.

Millthorpe

Millthorpe, located in between Bathurst and Orange, was our base for the two nights in the Central West. Boasting amazing old architecture, it was exceptionally quiet, and you couldn’t not be relaxed and follow the slow pace of life there. We arrived on a Wednesday, and almost nothing is open until Thursday! The weekends are meant to be quite busy, with some shops only opening on the weekend. Luckily for us a the pub was open for dinner so we didn’t go hungry on our first night!

Food is a big part of this town, which is one of the reasons we stayed here. The town has a hatted restaurant (Tonic), some lovely small cafes and homewares shops. 

Millthorpe, NSW

We ate at Tonic, the hatted restaurant in Millthorpe, on our last night there. We contemplated long and hard about eating here, not sure if hatted restaurant food was really our thing, and if we really needed to have a full two course meal after having such a food focused trip. I am so glad we did make the effort to go, as the food was great and were much larger portions than I was expecting. We had two courses each, all of which were amazing, and I would highly recommend eating there especially if you are staying in Millthorpe. 

The Cork and Fork at The Commercial Hotel in Millthorpe was our only option for dinner on our first night, and it was a cheap and cheerful meal - in the absolute nicest sense of that phrase. The pub was warm and cosy, and nicely decorated. The food was good, and very inexpensive. We decided to share some bruschetta and a pizza, as we had already eaten lots that day. I noticed that the pizzas were only $12.95 each - where they really small, or kids size, would it be enough for the two of us? If you pay $12.95 for in pizza in Sydney you can almost guarantee it is only enough for one, or you’ve ordered off the kids menu. When I ordered and asked the size, the lady serving me said it was definitely big enough for two, that she thought she’d be able to get through half of one herself. When our meal came, it was enough for both of us to share! I was so surprised at the good value of the meal, it’s definitely not something we are accustomed to in Sydney! 

Our favourite place to eat in Millthorpe was the Millthorpe Providore. A deli come cafe, selling lots of local Central West food products, as well as other gourmet goods. They serve T2 tea, Bills Beans coffee and use Little Big Dairy Co milk. Bills Beans seem to be well known for their quality and great taste in the Central West and we quickly learnt that any cafe serving it would be good - though Mum said the coffee at the Millthorpe Providore was the best! The combination of Bills Beans and Little Big Dairy Co milk was a winner! I had heard of Little Big Dairy Co through Local is Lovely, and since they recently started selling their products in David Jones in the city, I was able to buy some of their cream not long before our trip. Their products are of exceptional quality, and actually taste like they should - to the point where I feel I’ve never really tasted proper cream until now. I made a note before we left of cafes that said they used this Dubbo based dairy’s products, and they were well showcased at the Millthorpe Providore. 

We had breakfast here on our first morning in Millthorpe, most other cafes were not open for breakfast until the weekend, but the Millthorpe Providore was by far the best choice regardless. I had learnt during my research for this trip that the Trunkey Bacon & Egg sandwich was the thing to have here. There weren’t too many other options to be honest, though the quality of this sandwich made me think they didn’t need to offer anything else. I can’t say that a bacon and egg sandwich would be my usual choice for breakfast, but this one was outstanding. They used shaved Trunkey Bacon, which is a product of a local Orange business Trunkey Bacon & Pork. It was by far the best bacon I have ever had and not only had me craving another sandwich the next day, but also looking up where I can buy this bacon back in Sydney (they sell at North Sydney Produce Markets thankfully!). 

Our favourite homewares store in Millthorpe was Tomolly Millthorpe. The store has a wonderful aesthetic and Belinda the owner was so friendly you couldn’t help but get chatting. We both walked out with a few gifts for others and I bought a couple of nice tea towels too. 

Tomolly Millthorpe

Highlights: Tonic, Millthorpe Providore, Tomolly Millthorpe. 

To try next time: The Old Mill Cafe & Le Billot de Boucher.

Orange

We stopped into Racine Bakery, located on the edge of the Woolworths carpark, twice during our time in Orange. We first went there for a quick lunch, having pies and hot drinks (made with Little Big Dairy Co milk no less). We then stopped back to pick up some bread to take home. Next time we definitely need to go to the Racine restaurant, as the photos I’ve seen on Instagram look so lovely. 

We drove around most of Orange, taking in the wide tree lined streets and amazing old houses. We spent a little time at Cook Park on our first day in the Central West. Cook Park is a lovely park to be in, and some of the (very) early Spring blooms had started flowering which was nice to see. I had fond childhood memories of going to Cook Park with my friend and buying homemade lollies at the Cook Park Guildry which sells local arts and crafts. We went back to the Guildry just to satisfy the kid me in really, and they had a great selection of homemade slices, biscuits and jams, and I walked away with an ANZAC Caramel Slice (pictured below) that was so sweet and so so good. 

Cook Park, Orange NSW

Cook Park, Orange NSW

For lunch on our second day we made our way to the Agrestic Grocer. After hearing so many good things about it we were keen to check it out. We started by looking around the produce shop, which sported lots of local organic produce and other local deli items. I bought some quinces, which ended up being the most fragrant ones I have ever bought. 

Quinces from the Agrestic Grocer 

Unfortunately we both found The Agrestic Grocer cafe a bit disappointing after all the good things we’d heard and the excitement of getting to actually go there. We both had vegetarian dishes which were really big, bland and just a bit too expensive for what they were. As we drove away, Mum commented that they should get their hands on an Ottolenghi book to learn to cook vegetables in a more tasty and interesting way. It was a shame, but we were definitely beginning to think that the food in Millthorpe was going to be the star of our trip. 

After lunch we continued driving away from Orange and ended up in the small town of Molong, and our experience there improved our day significantly. 

Highlights: Racine Bakery, Cook Park. 

To try next time: Bills Beans Cafe, LolliRedini, Racine Restaurant, Hillside Harvest. 

Molong

Molong has one main street for shops and cafes, Bank Street. It was a quiet place, however after walking down the street we found a really nice homewares shop, Booful Gifts & Homewares. Inside the shop was the biggest collection of Robert Gordon ceramics I had ever seen. We jumped at the chance to buy some as the collection was so extensive, and I know from experience that buying directly from Robert Gordon online takes a little while as everything is glazed to order. 

The whole shop was so well thought out, and was a beautiful collection of colourful and interesting things. We were able to talk to the owner of the store, and she said it was named Booful, as when she was younger she couldn’t say ‘beautiful’ and said ‘booful’ instead. A very cute story for a very cute store!

We also had a look in The Yarn Market Molong, a similar local arts and crafts shop to the Guildry in Cook Park. The ladies working in the store that day were incredibly friendly, and again they had a wonderful collection of homemade cakes, slices biscuits and jams. I bought a loganberry and boysenberry jam, and some rocky road to take home. 

Molong, NSW

Highlights: Booful Gifts & Homewares, The Yarn Market Molong. 

Robert Gordon Ceramics from Booful Gifts & Homewares Molong, Chai Walli Tea from The Essential Ingredient Orange

Mugs and Tea as above, ANZAC Caramel Slice from The Guildry Cook Park Orange, tea towel from Tomolly Millthorpe.

Rydal

Not far off the Mountains, after Hartley Valley and just before Lithgow, is the opportunity to take sweet detour on the way to or from the Central West. I knew of Rydal from going to a couple of Local is Lovely Workshops on a farm in Rydal, and when Mum and I were driving home we decided to take a short detour through this tiny town. We made our way towards Rydal Train Station, having heard what a lovely old building it was, and soaked in our last views of the countryside on our way back to Sydney.

Rydal, NSW

As our trip came to an end, we reminisced about all the food we ate, and the places we should go next time. I also noticed what a lovely slow pace the few days had been. Often when you plan a holiday, you spend so much time planning it, then when you are actually on the holiday the time flies by. That certainly didn’t happen on this trip, and we were so grateful for it. We both needed some time away from the city, and it was great to enjoy a slower place of life for a little while.

Do you have any favourite places in the Central West? I’d love to hear about them, I’m already starting a list of places to go for next time! 

A Road Trip to the Blue Mountains & Central Western NSW - Part One: The Blue Mountains

For those of you who follow me on social media, you will have seen I travelled to the Blue Mountains, Millthorpe and Orange in NSW a couple of weeks ago. I put a few things on my Instagram story at the time, but I really wanted to write about our trip here as well. We had a great time, and of course food was pretty much our main focus! So I wanted to share a few great cafe and food finds that we stopped at, and a few I want to try whenever I next get the chance to go back. I have broken this post up into two, Blue Mountains then the Central West, as there are just so many things to mention one post would just be too long! 

To see my second trip post on the Central West click here. 

Glenbrook

One of the first places you can stop on your way up the Mountain (or one of the last on your way down), and is well worth a visit. The main street, Ross St, is a short detour off the Great Western Highway and features a handful of great cafes and a few other shops that are well worth a look. Much quieter during the week than on the weekends, Glenbrook gives off a relaxed vibe that lets you know you aren’t in Sydney anymore - which for our trip, was exactly what we wanted! 

We ate at both the The Church Glenbrook and Vincent. The Church Glenbrook is a lovely old wooden Anglican Church which is now a coffee shop and brew bar. It is the sweetest old building, painted and decorated so tastefully in keeping with the history of the building, wooden floors and the lovely old church windows taking centre stage. They serve Campos coffee and Tea Craft teas, and have lots of homemade cakes and biscuits - when I ordered I noticed a large oven behind, and a rather colourful KitchenAid mixer which made me feel like we were definitely in the right place!

Vincent is a slightly larger cafe on the other side of Ross St (opposite The Church), with a more extensive menu. There is an old feel to the place, as they have utilised lots of second hand and vintage things in the fit out of the cafe - again making me feel right at home. We stopped here on the way home, as the menu looked so enticing when we had a look a few days before, and combined with the name of the place, it was just meant to be. I would definitely go back to both of these cafes, and I think Vincent in particular would make a lovely brunch spot if you were just getting out of Sydney for the day (or for a few hours). 

Highlights: The Church Glenbrook, Vincent, Clearing the Closet, Nice Old Stuff.

To Try Next Time: 2773 Cafe & Kickaboom Cafe 

Hazelbrook

A frequent stop for us, purely due to Hazelbrook Cottage Antiques. Easily my favourite antique shop in the Mountains, it is jam packed full of old treasures, with such a variety of things almost everyone who loves antiques and vintage would love it here. 

Highlight: Hazelbrook Cottage Antiques.

Leura

Leura is always a bustling place, being a popular stop for tourists and day trippers alike. Leura Mall is the main street for cafes and shopping, and is exceptionally close to Leura train station. Parking can be difficult, so be prepared to walk a little as parking close to the Mall on the weekends in particular can be scarce. The surrounding streets are so quaint however, that taking in the old houses, B&B’s and gardens only adds to the lovely atmosphere of Leura. 

Highlights: The Leura Garage - We had eaten here only a couple of months before, so didn’t stop in this time. However, the pizzas are great, and I had the best pulled pork burger here last time, so I am keen to go back soon! Leura Gourmet Cafe & Deli, Megalong Bookshop, Few & Far Homewares.

To Try Next Time: Silk's Brasserie

The Three Sisters from Echo Point Lookout, mid morning

View from Echo Point Lookout in the late afternoon

Katoomba

We stayed in the Mountains for one night at Lilianfels Resort & Spa in Katoomba on Echo Point Rd. It was a lovely hotel, and decorated to a high standard. I loved the patterns used in the rooms we had, and that everything in each room matched the colour scheme and patterns used. We had booked into a high tea on the day we arrived, which was a nice way to relax after driving from Sydney. We sat in the lounge which was quiet as it was a weekday. The high tea was nice, maybe not the best I’ve ever had, but a lovely thing to do when staying at Lilianfels. They also offer Devonshire Tea in the lounge which would be a nice option to try as well, particularly if you didn’t want all the food that comes with a high tea.

Lilianfels Resort & Spa

Echo Point Lookout is a short walk from Lilianfels, and we went down after High Tea on our first day and before we left the following day. Both days the lookout wasn’t busy, and the differing times of day created a different light over the valley and Three Sisters. 

Highlights: Lilianfels, Echo Point Lookout - the Three Sisters.

To try Next Time: Daley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels

Medlow Bath

Despite having been to the Hydro Majestic Hotel last year for High Tea, we didn’t realise there was any more in Medlow Bath. When researching cafes to try, and where we could have breakfast after leaving Lilianfels, I came across Anonymous Cafe in Blackheath and their sister cafe in Medlow Bath, Synonymous. Out of the sample menus on each website we decided Synonymous Cafe was where we should have breakfast - they had homemade crumpets on their menu so we had to go there! Synonymous is on the other side of Medlow Bath Train Station (not the Hydro side) on Railway Parade - it’s easy to find and park as it’s the only cafe there! 

The cafe’s menu changes seasonally, and they make everything, bar a few of the sweets in the front cabinet themselves. The building is an old general store, and like some of the other cafes we went to in the Mountains, Synonymous had been designed with the history of the building in mind. They serve Campos Coffee and T Totaler tea, and I can highly recommend their crumpets! They seem to be a menu staple, but the accompaniments change with the seasons - when we had breakfast there they were served with roasted stone fruits, candied pistachios and crème fraîche, when we stopped in for coffee on our way home they had moved into a more Winter menu, and were paired with rhubarb and whipped cheesecake mousse. I have since made some crumpets inspired by our visit to Synonymous and the rest of our time away, and I’ll share the recipe here on the blog soon! 

Highlights: Synonymous Cafe.

To try Next Time: The Boiler Room Cafe at The Hydro Majestic

Blackheath

We didn’t stop too long at Blackheath, having already decided to eat elsewhere. It would be a good place to stop on your way back to Sydney from the Central West as it’s not too far up the Mountain coming from that direction. We stopped in at the Victory Theatre Antique Centre, and while not the best antique shop in the Mountains, is worth a look if you have time.

To Try Next Time: Anonymous Cafe

As you can see we really tried to eat at as many places as possible, whilst also keeping the pace of our trip slow and relaxed. There are quite a few places I would love to go back to, and new places to try another time. Do you have any recommendations for the Blue Mountains? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

To follow our trip onto the Central West, click here!

Vanilla Sugar Madeleines + How to Make Vanilla Sugar

I love madeleines, and nothing beats a warm madeleine fresh from the oven in my opinion. While they are still great the next day, there is something so wonderful about a freshly baked madeleine. 

When I was in Paris a few years ago, I was determined to find a lovely freshly baked madeleine in one of the many patisseries I planned on going to. While I did try one at Ladurée, I distinctly remember thinking it wasn’t bad, but wasn’t as good as I had expected and sort of wished I had of ordered one the rose réligieuse my Mum was eating. Strangely I also saw packets of pre-made madeleines in the small supermarkets we stopped into to get milk, and felt quite surprised to see such a thing being sold. 

I did however find some lovely very tiny madeleine tins from the cooking supply shop E. Dehillerin. They wrapped them up in brown paper, and I have to admit I didn’t unwrap them for quite a while as it looked so pretty just like that. The shop looked as if it hadn’t changed since it opened in 1820, and buying something from there felt like stepping back in time. I oddly only bought one tray, I think I was overawed by all the baking goods and worried about luggage space, but since the madeleine moulds are so so small, you would need at least four trays to cook a whole batch at once! Hopefully one day I will return to Paris and add to my madeleine tray collection. 

How to make Vanilla Sugar

Use the left over vanilla bean pods - add one or two used vanilla bean pods to 1-2 cups of caster sugar and leave to infuse in a airtight container or glass jar. The longer you leave the sugar and vanilla to infuse, the deeper the flavour you will get. I would recommend leaving it to infuse for about a month before you use it for maximum flavour. The vanilla sugar can then be used in baking or as a garnish.

Vanilla Sugar Madeleines

Ingredients:

80g unsalted butter, softened

100g vanilla sugar, plus extra 

2 eggs

seeds of one vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)

100g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Method: 

The day before you wish to bake the madeleines prepare the batter. Cream the butter with one tablespoon of the vanilla sugar. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, remaining vanilla sugar and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy. 

Whisk the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl to remove any lumps, then gently fold in to the whisked eggs. 

Add one third of the batter to the creamed butter and mix well. Add the remaining batter to the creamed butter and fold in very gently. 

Place a medium-large plastic piping bag over a large glass or jug so it is easy to fill. Transfer the batter into the piping bag and seal the top end with an elastic band. Leave in the fridge overnight (or for at least 3 hours). 

When you are ready to bake the madeleines, preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius and prepare two twelve hole madeline trays by greasing them lightly with butter then dusting with flour (if your trays are non stick this isn’t 100% necessary, I forgot one of the times I made these and I didn’t notice any difference). 

Snip a small hole at the piping end of the piping bag containing your madeleine batter and pipe the batter into the prepared tins, filling each hole about 3/4 the way up. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are lightly golden in colour. Leave in the tins for a few minutes to cool, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Madeleines are best eaten the day of baking and can be served as they are, with a dusting of icing sugar or a sprinkling of vanilla sugar.

Reference: Fanny Zanotti ‘Paris Pastry Club’ (Hardie Grant Books, 2014) p.15.

Fortnum & Mason’s Rose Biscuits Revisited + How to Make Crystallised Rose Petals

It has been about two years since I was last at Fortnum & Mason, and almost the same amount of time since I first attempted making these biscuits. In a previous post, which can be found here, I shared my version of Fortnum & Mason’s rose biscuits. And over the past couple of years, I have noticed it has consistently been a popular post on the blog - which I love, as I feel it means there are others out there who either like me have an obsession with using rose in baking, or, are just as in love with Fortnum & Mason’s biscuits as I am. 

The original recipe for Fortnum & Mason’s rose scented biscuits requires some crystallised (or sugared) rose petals, of which I have never been able to find in Australia. I still dream of the packets of crystallised rose and violet petals I saw in the shop G. Detou in Paris, and still kick myself for not buying them. Since I could never find any crystallised rose petals, and fresh edible rose petals still eluded me then, my version of Fortnum & Mason’s rose scented biscuits omitted the rose petals, but included a rose icing to enhance the flavour. While I have always been happy with my adaptation, I still kept the original recipe in mind, just in case I was ever able to make it properly. 

More recently, I posted a recipe for a cake which used edible flowers, including rose petals to decorate the cake. I mentioned in that post how exciting it finally was to find edible flowers, and the recipe in this post is another reason why. I was able to crystallise the rose petals myself, then add them to the biscuit mixture as per the original Fortnum & Mason recipe. I am so very glad I was finally able to make these biscuits. They taste exactly like the ones Fortnum & Mason sell packaged in the pretty pink cylindrical tins. 

How to Crystallise Rose Petals

If you wish to make the biscuit recipe below, I would suggest making the crystallised rose petals first, a few hours in advance to give them time to dry out before making the biscuits. I did not find the rose petals, once crystallised, had a very long shelf life, so I would not advise making them days in advance.

Ingredients: 

Fresh unsprayed rose petals, gently rinsed and dried

1 egg white

50g sugar (approx.) 

Method: 

Prepare two or three large baking trays by lining them with baking paper. 

Gently whisk the egg white with a fork until lightly frothy. 

Working slowly and doing each rose petal individually, use a small soft bristled (new or kitchen purpose) paint brush, and brush a small amount of the egg white over both sides of the rose petal. Ensure every part of the petal is covered in egg white. It is easiest to hold the rose petal at the narrower end, where it is a little white in colour. 

Then, gently toss the petal in some of the sugar, again ensuring the whole petal has been coated in the sugar. Dust of any excess sugar, and place on one of the prepared trays. 

Continue doing the same for each rose petal. Leave the sugared rose petals to dry on the prepared trays for at least a couple of hours.

In humid conditions the petals may take longer to crystallise, and they can be dried out in the oven at an extremely low temperature, about 20 degrees Celsius. I tried both methods of drying and found they dried better when left out for a couple of hours or so. 

Once the petals have dried they will be crunchy and ready to use in the recipe below or as a garnish for cakes and desserts. 

Homemade crystallised rose petals last a maximum of a couple of days after crystallising, when they are left out so they remain dry. I found keeping them in an airtight container wasn’t the best option for storing them. 

Homemade Crystallised Rose Petals

Some examples of recipes where crystallised rose petals would make a great garnish can be found in the links below: 

Raspberry & Rose Cupcakes

Pavlova

Rose Sponge Cake

Summer Celebration Cake

Raspberry & Almond Layer Cake

Rose Pound Cake

Rose & Pistachio Cake

Raspberry & Rose Celebration Cake

Fortnum & Mason’s Rose Scented Biscuits

Ingredients: 

100g unsalted butter, softened

50g golden caster sugar or caster sugar 

1 tbsp rosewater

100g plain flour

50g almond meal

15 g/10 medium/large (whole) crystallised rose petals, roughly chopped

Method: 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and line a baking tray with baking paper. 

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and rosewater until all combined. Sift in the flour, add the almond meal and crystallised rose petals and mix until combined. 

Using a teaspoon, take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls and place on the baking trays. Flatten the balls a little so they form fat round discs. 

Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden. If you are unsure if they are cooked, use a palette knife to gently lift a biscuit - if it is evenly golden on the base of the biscuit, it is cooked. Cool biscuits on the trays or on a wire rack. 

This recipe only makes about 20 biscuits, but after all the fuss of crystallising your own rose petals, I suggest doubling the quantities and making more! The cooked biscuits last about one week.

Reference: ‘Tea at Fortnum and Mason’ (Ebury Press, 2010), p.61.