Let Them Eat Cake - A Marie Antoinette Inspired Layer Cake

Let them eat cake, is a phrase we all associate with Marie Antoinette, despite the fact that she probably never actually said it.

The phrase and the opulence that can also be associated with the French Royal family which Marie Antoinette married into, has inspired many an artist, film maker and cake decorator over the years. 

This history and opulence was in part the inspiration for this cake, which I recently developed for The Healthy Baker. The brief was that the cake must have pink icing, and use flowers to decorate. 

While maybe not as opulent as some ‘let them eat cake’ inspired cakes, I think this cake presents well but is also quite easy to achieve. 

You will see that the buttercream icing is not perfectly smooth, this is not only as I felt it unnecessary as the whole cake will be covered with decoration, but it also avoided the cake having too thick a layer of buttercream. Since the cake is filled with passionfruit curd, that is where the cake is getting a lot of its flavour, and too much buttercream may detract from that. 

Too make the cake even easier I used bought passionfruit curd, and in terms of the decoration I can assure you that very little skill is involved when it comes to placing the flowers (both fresh and freeze dried) all over the cake! I also used some edible gold leaf which was easy to buy online from Woolworths.

You can find the recipe via The Healthy Baker’s website - it would make a great celebration cake or just a fun weekend baking project!

Recipe development projects like this one, are my favourite part of my job. Creating a recipe with businesses products means I get to think of new ideas, be creative and also try new things. I also get to eat the cake after, which is a pretty good job perk if you ask me!

If you have a product you’d love me to create some recipes with, just contact me and we can chat about what your business needs. Recipes for your website or blog are great ways to show your customers how to use your products, and the images are great for social media and other marketing content too!

Click here to find out a little bit more about working with me.

Recent Cookbooks Worth Chatting About - October 2022

I’ve added a few new cookbooks to my shelves recently and I thought I would share my initial thoughts about them with you.

There are so many new cookbook releases at the moment, it’s hard to keep up! And I think it’s always nice to hear what others thought of cookbooks and recipes. I know it helps me decide whether I actually want to purchase them or give them a go. 

If you like me, love cookbooks I recommend following a few accounts on Instagram (in addition to mine!) - @shipshapeeatworthy, @coffeecanelescookbooks & @lambsearsandhoney - which in addition to my thoughts below (and more cookbook chat here on the blog), should provide lots of cookbook reviews and recommendations to help inspire your cookbook collection or live vicariously through someone else’s!

1. From Scratch by Fiona Weir Walmsley - I like the sheer breadth of recipes in this book. If you want to make something from scratch (e.g. red wine vinegar, harissa or ghee) you’ll probably find it in here. I am really liking the look of the baking chapter, it’s not filled with the same old recipes, yet somehow covers the classics as well. I’m not loving the writing in this book so much, however and as long as the recipes have been well tested and work, I think this book will probably be worth it for the recipes alone.

2. Off to The Market by Alice Oehr - This is actually a children’s book not a cookbook. It’s a sweet story about shopping at the markets and of course the illustrations by Alice are excellent. I think it would make a great gift for any young child in your life.

3. Pasta Grannies Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison - This second instalment of the Pasta Grannies books is as heart warming as the first. The photography also stands out in this book, as while the recipes are the focus the human element of this project is also captured in a lovely way too. This book still has pasta recipes but also a few other bit and pieces like rice dishes and pizza recipes. I’ve already earmarked The Butterfly Pasta with Peas and Sausage from Romagna (page 116) to make ASAP.

4. The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsly - Released just last week, this book is just trademark joyful Alice. With its focus on creating more confidence in the kitchen, I wasn’t sure this book would hold recipes that I would actually want to make, I was worried they might be a little basic or simple. I am happy to say I was really wrong to worry about that, as there is not a boring or basic recipe in sight! There are lots of detailed explanations about substituting ingredients and things like that, which I think would be helpful for any level of cook. Definitely a book for everyone!

5. Around The Table by Julia Busittil Nishimura - When I heard Insta buddy Amy (@amy_minichiello_) say this book was Julia’s best yet a few weeks ago I knew this book was actually worth checking out. I had held off purchasing this one as I haven’t loved Julia’s second book and wasn’t enthralled with her first either. After ordering a copy on online, I started with the Spaghetti alla puttanesca (page 130), which with a combination of anchovies, garlic, olives and capers would never be short on flavour. I will have to try a few more recipes to really gauge how much I like this book, but it’s been a good start!

Have you added any cookbooks to your collection recently? Let me know in the comments below.

Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

New Additions to my Cookbook Shelves

Separate to the new release cookbooks I have been most looking forward to in 2022 (you can find part one and part two of those lists here), there have been a few additional titles that have been excellent additions to my cookbook shelf. 

Some of these books are fairly recent, while others have been out for a little while. All have been added to my shelves in late 2021/early 2022 and I have found all of them extremely interesting. This list is a pretty mixed bag in terms of the types of cookbooks that make up this list, however they all have the common link of telling excellent stories and having a slightly educational element as well. 

1. Mabu Mabu by Nornie Bero - I had never heard of Nornie’s Melbourne based restaurant of the same name, however it is now on my list of places to eat at whenever I next go to Melbourne. In this book Nornie shares her Torres Strait heritage and upbringing with us so openly and how where she grew up influenced her cooking. I particularly liked the section called ‘The Native Pantry’ where Nornie itemises many Indigenous ingredients and explains how and when to use them. This is definitely a cookbook for every Australian kitchen. 

2. Oats in the North Wheat from the South by Regula Ysewijn - This book is subtitled ‘ The History of British Baking, Savoury and Sweet’ and it really lives up to that. Regula is from Belgium, however became enamoured with Great Britain at a young age. She has thoroughly researched the recipes in this book, and given them modern adaptations when needed. This book really preserves the baking history of Great Britain in a wonderful way. 

3. Too Good to Passover by Jennifer Felicia Abadi - This is another book that has been meticulously researched. Jennifer spent years interviewing people from the Sephardic Jewish diaspora from Africa, Asia and Europe about their Passover customs and recipes. This book is self published which is why the price is quite high, however if you have a keen interest in Jewish food and recipes this book is well worth the investment.

4. Venetian Republic by Nino Zoccali - In this book, Nino explores the food of the former Venetian Republic which existed between the 8th and 18th centuries. The food is influenced much by the sea, and the territories outside of modern day Venice that were part of the Republic over it’s life. These territories included part of Croatia and some Greek Islands, so the recipes in this book are quite diverse. Nino has divided the book into the regions of the Republic and has given much background on the region and the history as well. 

5. Pardiz by Manuela Darling-Gansser - This book was completely unexpected to me as I didn’t realise the author wasn’t from Iran (the setting of this book), but actually from Switzerland. Manuela’s family moved there in the 1950s, and this experience gives quite a different perspective on the Persian recipes in this book. The family history around Manuela’s time living in Iran is immensely interesting and the mix of food photography, on location images and family photos makes the book even more interesting and inviting.

Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Bergamot Melting Moments

I think melting moments (or yo-yos as they are sometimes known) are such a cheery biscuit. They are wholesome and comforting in a tasty and sturdy way, and are something I think adults and kids alike would enjoy. And they are quite simple to make as well. 

You only need four ingredients, and I thought the longest part of the whole recipe was rolling out the dough into balls to form the biscuits - which honestly wasn’t that long, but the rest of the steps are really quite quick. 

My love for bergamot is probably well known by now, and since we have many to use at the moment these melting moments had to be flavoured with bergamot. However you can use whatever citrus you like instead. 

This recipe is slightly adapted from one I created last year for The Healthy Baker, which you can check out if you want a slightly different take on the traditional melting moment.

Bergamot Melting Moments

Ingredients:                                       

300g unsalted butter, softened

120g icing sugar/mixture

Finely grated zest of 1/2 bergamot

450g plain flour

Ingredients for the filling:

80g unsalted butter, softened

200g icing sugar/mixture

3 tsp fresh bergamot juice

Finely grated zest of 1/2 bergamot 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 145 degrees Celsius, and line three large baking trays with baking paper. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and bergamot zest until creamy.

Add the flour to the creamed butter, and mix on low speed until a dough forms. 

Roll teaspoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on the prepared trays (you should end up with 40-44 individual dough balls/biscuits) leaving a little space in between each. Then lightly press down each ball with the back of a fork so they flatten out a little. Dip your fork in flour if it is sticking to the dough.

Bake for 25 minutes. They will be cooked when the undersides of the biscuits are lightly golden. To ensure an even bake, rotate the baking trays in the oven around half way through. 

Allow to cool on their trays.

Once the biscuits have cooled make the filling by beating all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment or by using a hand held mixer. Mix until light and fluffy and everything is well combined. 

Pair up the cooked biscuits, and turn one from each pair over so the underside is facing up. Spread or pipe the filling on to the underside of one biscuit in each biscuit pair, then gently sandwich the paired biscuits together. 

Leave the biscuits for half an hour or so for the filling to firm up a bit (you can do this in the fridge in warmer weather). Biscuits will store well in an airtight container for a few days. 

Makes 40-44 individual biscuits and 20-22 sandwiched biscuits. 

Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2022 - Part Two!

Because one list per year just isn’t enough! 

For the first time I am writing a second cookbooks worth waiting for list, because it’s not just the first half of the year that sees an influx of new cookbook releases.

Below are the titles I am most looking forward too in the second half of 2022, and in some cases have already pre ordered. 

The one thing all these cookbooks have in common for me is that I already have at least one other book from each author. So I already have an idea about how these authors write recipes, use flavour etc. And I like all of their previous books (that I own) enough to be excited to see what their next book is like!

I have linked each book to the listing on Booktopia. This is not sponsored or an affiliate link, that is just where I mostly purchase cookbooks from. Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Are any of the below titles on your cookbook wish list?

1. Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison (7th September) - The second Pasta Grannies cookbook looks right up my alley. Comforting recipes from Italian Nonna’s, yes please. I really like the first Pasta Grannies cookbook, and one of the gnocchi recipes in that book is the one I reach for every time I want to make gnocchi. I really enjoy the story behind the Pasta Grannies project generally, and the premise of preserving these recipes and sharing them with others.

2. Home is Where the Eggs Are by Molly Yeh (27th September) - I have very much enjoyed Molly’s first book, Molly on the Range (you can read more about this book here), and her blog, My Name is Yeh, for years now, and when I heard Molly was finally writing a second cookbook I was so excited! Molly has such a unique style of recipes and a really fun way of walking you through them too. Since this is a American based publication it is worth shopping around to find the best price as titles like these can cost more than your average cookbook - for full disclosure I haven’t pre-ordered this title via the link above (yet) , I am going to wait it out and see if it comes down in price a little!

3. Home Food by Olia Hercules (7th July) - I have enjoyed Olia’s first three books, the photography, the stories, the snippets of life from Ukraine and surrounding nations. I have been following Olia more closely in the last few months as she has been sharing lots of information about the current conflict in Ukraine, doing lots of fundraising and using her work to personally support people in Ukraine (you can support Olia in this by joining her on Patreon). While I don’t think Olia’s next book focuses on her Ukrainian roots and family quite as much as her earlier books, I think this book will show us more of how Olia cooks at home whilst drawing on her wide ranging cooking and food influences.

4. Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour (9th August) - I have really enjoyed bits of the behind the scenes of creating this book that Sabrina shared on Instagram, and I really like the idea that some of these recipes are designed to be a bit easier or quicker to make. Sabrina’s books, which draw much influence from her Persian heritage, always have a sense of vibrancy to them and I am looking forward to seeing what flavour packed recipes fill this new book.

5. The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsky (5th October) - If there’s a word I would use to describe Alice it would be joy. I love her enthusiasm for food, and I think her next book sounds perfect. With the subtitle ‘Life-changing skills & thrills for enthusiastic eaters’, I think it will be a great book for many - I mean I’m sure I’m not the only one who could describe themselves as an enthusiastic eater, and I’m sure if there’s anyone who can teach us a few new things and make things a bit easier in the kitchen it’s Alice.

Chai Spiced Quince Muffins

Each quince season I like to make at least two batches of this quince chutney, and hopefully poach some for cakes, tarts, crumbles etc. 

This year I was beginning to worry I had missed quince season altogether as none of my regular green grocers had any in Autumn. As soon as Winter arrived, they appeared in the stores (near me anyway), I’m not sure if it’s technically late in the season for them, or if in the past I was just often lucky to find them earlier.

I originally found some really small quince, that looked a little sad honestly, and I wasn’t sure even a quarter of my wish list of quince recipes I wanted to make would be fulfilled. Luckily I soon found some really big quince a few weeks later at another shop and my hopes for all the quince wish list recipes was restored. 

I made a double batch or so (it sort of ended up being double and a half of the recipe) of my favourite quince chutney. I now have 12 jars of it so that should be enough to get me through to next quince season! 

Next was to poach some quince. I often end up overdoing this and have so much poached quince I don’t know what to do with all of it. This year I have only done one batch, though the four quince I poached were so spectacularly large they barely all fit in the baking tray at once. 

I poached them using the recipe for Fragrant Quince Butter with Rose from my Cosy Winter Bakes eBook, and just didn’t finish off the recipe to make quince butter, but rather left them as poached quince. (However you can use whatever poached quince you have using whatever recipe you prefer or always use to make the muffin recipe below.)

I decided to make muffins with some of the poached quince, as after all that fuss poaching them I felt a more simple recipe to use them in was in order. This is a great recipe to use if you have a bit of poached quince left from something else, or get into a bit of a quince recipe rut after poaching lots of quince. 

I used the chai spice mix from Gewürzhaus called Raj’s Majestic Chai Masala. If you can’t find anything similar you could also use 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp ground cardamom. 

Chai Spiced Quince Muffins

Ingredients: 

300g self raising flour

165g panela sugar (or brown/muscovado sugar)

2.5 tsp chai spice mix

1.5 cups roughly chopped poached quince (drained of any syrup/poaching liquid)

1 tsp vanilla extract

125ml milk

125ml oil (any flavourless oil will do e.g. canola, vegetable etc)

x2 eggs

slivered almonds, for garnish

Method: 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line a 12 hole muffin tray with muffins cases. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and chai spice mix. Then add the roughly chopped quince. 

In a medium bowl or jug whisk together the vanilla, milk, oil and eggs until well combined. 

Add the oil mixture to the dry ingredients and gently mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. 

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffins cases in the tin, and generously top each muffin with some slivered almonds. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the muffins spring back to the touch. 

Allow to cool on a wire rack, however they are lovely eaten warm. 

Muffins are best eaten the day they are made, however any leftovers will freeze well for future muffin enjoyment. 

Makes 12 muffins.