Sweet, savoury and simply delicious — these three cookbooks are a must for the kitchen shelf

Beatrix Bakes: Another Slice by Natalie Paull

You just have to like someone who has no qualms about confessing they eat cake every day and it’s entirely possible that it’s on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And if you, like me, never managed to get to Natalie’s cult Melbourne bakery Beatrix Bakes, then this is the book to get rid of the lingering FOMO that was never going to be resolved after Nat decided to close in August 2022. You can hear her voice throughout these recipes, almost as if she is standing beside you holding your hand as you bake. I’m determined to battle my pastry-making demons with her excellent chapter devoted to the art of the perfect crust — she might just be the first person who can wean me away from the supermarket’s frozen pastry fridge. I also can’t wait to try her brownie recipe (below), which sounds deliciously decadent.

THE BROWNIE
(that is my favourite)

Brownies are like socks. Stay with me here… They are mostly functional, but when you get a really, really good one, you really, really know it and you become deeply loyal to those socks/that brownie. Brownies are also a deeply personal bake — no nuts, fudgy, cakey, edge piece or centre piece? I mean, who am I to tell you what brownie is best, you unique and beautiful unicorn! I can only offer you my favourite.

Makes 10 brownie bars
Takes 30 minutes to mix,
30–35 to bake from fresh,
10+ more minutes to bake from chilled. Cool down is personal. Very personal.

Cooking oil spray
200g egg (approximately 4 eggs)
300g raw caster sugar
110g good bittersweet chocolate (around 50–60% cocoa)
240g unsalted butter
90g plain flour
60g Dutch or unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
180g good extra-dark chocolate (around 70% cocoa)
110g full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1. Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Lightly spray a 23cm square, 5cm deep cake tin with cooking oil and line the base and sides with baking paper. Ensure any flappy paper edges are trimmed flush with the tin.
2. Combine the egg and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on speed 4 (below medium) for 8 minutes until a thick and pale foam.
3. While the mix beats, weigh the bittersweet chocolate into a small heatproof bowl. Heat the butter to bubbly hot and pour it over. Stir until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
4. Don’t worry about a small lump of chocolate or two, but any more and you should set up a double boiler and continue to heat the chocolate/butter a little further until properly melted.
5. Scrape the warm chocolate/butter mix into the egg mix and beat for 5 minutes on speed 5 (medium) — it will look like a fluffy and flowy chocolate mousse. While it mixes, weigh the flour and cocoa together and sift into a small bowl. Add the salt flakes on top. Chop the extra-dark chocolate into fine shards and put 130g into a separate bowl. Tear up the cream cheese into small hazelnut-sized chunks to
sit on top of the chocolate. Set aside.
6. Stop the mixer and tip in the sifted dry ingredients. Beat on speed 2 (above low) for 1 minute until the flour is absorbed. Take the bowl off the mixer and stir in the chocolate and cream cheese. Some cream cheese lumps will remain and some will smear through, lightening the batter slightly — all of this is good. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Scatter the remaining extra-dark chocolate on top.
7. If you find a few too-large nuggets of cream cheese when scraping and smoothing, massage them into the ideal size with the tip of your spatula.
8. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the top of the brownie is slightly puffed, has a noticeable cracked border about 2cm from the edge and fine fissures further across the surface. My PST (Perfect Squidge Temperature) hits at 95°C (205°F), with sticky clumps of mottled paste (not liquid chocolate).
9. Bake for 5–10 minutes longer if you want a more cakey brownie (internal temperature 100°C/210°F). If you want super-gooey filling, cook it for 5–10 minutes less, but you will definitely have to chill before cutting. Internal temperature taking is genius for brownies — no matter the batter, recipe or oven, you can always get the squidge right.
10. Cool at room temperature for around 30 minutes before cutting with a hot, damp knife, or chill it for a creamy fudge texture.
11. Cut the square in half and then cut each half into five equal rectangles (get the ruler out for portioning precision). The first warm bar, with still-molten chocolate chunks, is one of the greatest kitchen gifts bestowed upon a home baker.

A Plant-based Farmhouse by Cherie Hausler

The first book from this Barossa Valley-based dynamo delivers exactly what it promises — beautiful, inspiring and healthy food. Cherie, who worked for many years with fellow Barossa resident Maggie Beer, is passionate about what she does and it shines through. Keep an eye out for glimpses of her beautiful 150-year-old stone house throughout the pages.

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