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Plus meringues and a light and fluffy tiramisu.
PHOTOGRAPHY SIMON SHIFF
“We would spend hours discussing fonts and which cake to include, often while working in the cattle yards or mustering sheep. We became the ultimate multitasking women,” says parent Megan Mould with a smile. “We learnt so much: from organising a two-day food photo shoot to mastering the design program and liaising with international freight services — that was a nightmare!”
The result is More Food With Friends, a recipe book that united a school community eager to celebrate the produce of their local district. “We started the book late in 2019 and then it became a labour of love during COVID lockdown for us, testing recipes, working on the design and layout,” says Megan. “It was great to have a project like this to work on during that time.”
HONEY-BAKED PEACHES WITH ALMOND PRALIN & MASCARPONE
“This was always one of my favourite recipes when I came home for the weekend. I now cook it for my friends and everyone always asks for the recipe. Créme fraîche can be substituted for the mascarpone mixture. The praline and mascarpone can be made in advance and added to the warm peaches when cooked. It is delicious and looks great.” – Sis Hutton
Serves: 10
Prep time: 15 mins + cooling
Cook time: 30 mins
10 ripe peaches, halved, stones removed
1 tablespoon honey
½ cup (80g) almonds
1 tub mascarpone
¼ cup (60ml) pouring cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
170g caster sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place peach halves cut side up and drizzle with honey. Bake for 20 minutes or until softened. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to serve.
2. Meanwhile, spread almonds on another tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Transfer almonds to a tray lined with clean baking paper. Set aside.
3. Combine mascarpone, pouring cream and vanilla in a small bowl and chill in the fridge until required.
4. To make the toffee, put the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer: do not stir but swirl the pan intermittently for approximately 15–20 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture turns light to mid-brown. Quickly remove from the heat and pour over the roasted almonds on the tray.
6. Leave the praline to cool and harden. Break into pieces that will fit into a food processor and process to coarse crumbs.
7. Spoon some praline crumbs into the stone hole of each peach. Top with mascarpone mixture and decorate the tops with a little more praline.
DELICIOUS & LIGHT TIRAMISU
Serves 6
Prep time: 20 minutes + cooling
Cook time: 5 minutes
“This tiramisu was a wonderful success at my family’s Easter Sunday lunch.
It really is a lovely summer or autumn dessert, ideal for Christmas or Easter celebrations.” Lauren Alexander-Shrive
250g tub ricotta
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
350ml pouring cream
100g dark chocolate (85% cocoa is best)
½ cup (125ml) freshly brewed black coffee, hot and strong
½ cup (125ml) Marsala
18 mini Savoiardi (ladyfinger) biscuits, plus extra for serving
Cocoa for dusting
1. Using an electric standmixer, whisk the ricotta, egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of the caster sugar and the cinnamon together until thick.
2. Add 200ml of the pouring cream and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining cream to a gentle simmer, remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until it is melted.
4. Combine the hot coffee, remaining caster sugar and the Marsala together and set aside to cool.
5. Break the biscuits in half and dip them in the coffee syrup. In 6 serving glasses, place 1–2 broken biscuits at the bottom of each glass, then add a layer of ricotta mixture, followed by a thin layer of the chocolate mixture.
6. Repeat the layers twice more, or as many times as you like until the glasses are full.
7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, dusted with cocoa and with extra biscuits alongside.
Cook’s tip: Can be made a day ahead.
BIRDSEED BARS
Makes: 10 bars
Prep time: 15 mins + chilling
Cook time: 10 mins
“A delicious, chewy healthy slice that is great to take to school.”- Jemima Ross
100g rolled oats
60g raw almonds
4 tablespoons shredded coconut
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 teaspoons flaxseeds
60g honey
60g peanut butter
50g pitted dates
50g dried cranberries
Good pinch salt flakes
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan forced (220°C conventional). Line a 22cm x 30cm baking tin with baking paper.
2. Spread the oats and almonds on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes. Spread the coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds on another tray and roast for 3 minutes.
3. Combine the roasted oats, nuts and seeds in a large mixing bowl.
4. Put the honey, peanut butter, dates, cranberries and salt into a blender and blend to a paste. Add 3 tablespoons of the roasted oats mixture and blend until smooth.
5. Add the remaining roasted oat mixture to the puréed mixture and stir to combine. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking tin, top with another sheet of baking paper and compress until compact. Chill for a minimum of3 hours before slicing into bars.
Cook’s tip: Bars will keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks.
CREME FRAICHE PANNA COTTA WITH POACHED PEARS & PRALINE
Serves: 6
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
600ml pure (thin) cream
11/2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 gold strength gelatine leaves
200ml créme fraîche
3 pears, halved, cored, stems intact
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1 cinnamon quill
⅓ cup flaked almonds, lightly toasted
Panna cotta
1. Combine the cream, ⅓ cup caster sugar and ground cinnamon in a pan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stand for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
3. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze out excess water and stir gelatine into the cream mixture until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly then whisk in the créme fraîche until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture between six dariole
moulds and chill for 4 hours or until set.
Poached pears
5. Rub the pears with lemon. Place brown
sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, cinnamon
quill and ⅔ cup caster sugar in a pan over
low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
6. Add the pears and cover surface with
baking paper, cooking for 20 minutes or
until tender. Remove the pears and increase heat to medium, cooking liquid for a further 10-15 minutes until reduced and beautifully syrupy. Return the pears to the pan and set aside to cool.
Praline
1. Line a tray with baking paper and place
the almonds in the centre. Place the remaining ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup cold water in a pan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and cook, without stirring for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is golden in colour.
2. Pour over the almonds and set aside to cool. Crush into small pieces using a rolling pin.
3. To plate up, dip moulds quickly into warm water to loosen, then carefully invert onto plates. Sprinkle with the praline and serve with pears and their syrup.
Cook’s tip: Use gelatine powder if unable to source gold strength gelatine leaves. Adapted from Valli Little.
MERINGUES
Makes: 30 small meringues
Prep time: 15 mins + cooling
Cook time: 40 mins
This recipe is a favourite of Katrina Duver’s family.
4 egg whites
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon vinegar
1. Preheat the oven to 140°C. Using an electric standmixer, whisk egg whites until just stiff enough to hold shape. Gradually whisk in half the sugar until dissolved and the mixture still holds its shape.
2. Add the cornflour followed by the vinegar. Fold in the remaining sugar using a metal spoon.
3. Very lightly oil 2 baking trays and line with baking paper. Using 2 teaspoons, shape small dollops of mixture on the trays, trying to keep them an equal size.
4. Bake for 40 minutes. When they feel firm and you can lift one up to check the underside is cooked, turn off the oven and leave meringues to cool in the oven.
Cook’s tip: Once they are cool they will keep well in an airtight container.
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