Author: Shayna Williams Categories: Food, Recipes You are in:
Following my Saturday morning dance class, I popped into one of my favourite patisseries, Sugerdough (Lygon Street, Brunswick). Once upon a time I regularly passed this Aladdin's cave of pastries and cakes on my way to uni. The windows would be steamed up as my tram trundled by, its passengers jammed in like sardines, the rain pelting down outside.
The small café is always full, with several people waiting to order and empty tables a rarity, particularly around brunch time on a Saturday morning! Having learnt from past experience (I tend to order a variety of pastries to take away as the decision is overwhelming), I quickly ordered a soy latte and blueberry escargot and sat at the only available table (freshly vacated) where I could ogle the display of delicacies on offer.
Everything is made on site and given delightful names like ‘sunrise vegan muffins', ‘red velvet cake', ‘croque monsieur' or they simply sound delicious, for example, ‘pumpkin and polenta muffins' or ‘mandarin danish'. The variety of lovingly decorated cakes and artfully arranged pastries far exceeds anything you could possibly imagine.
Naturally it got me in the mood for baking, so, inspired by the Valrhona 80% bitter chocolate tart with vanilla bean French cream Chantilly, I made plans to create my own truly decadent delight when I got home - a rich mud cake spiked with cumquat brandy, covered in ganache and garnished with candied cumquats. Now doesn't that sound divine?
250g butter
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cumquat brandy
150g dark chocolate
1 cup strong black coffee (hot)
¼ cup cocoa
1 ½ cups plain flour
¼ cup SR flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Make the coffee.
Combine butter, sugar, brandy, chocolate and coffee in a heavy based saucepan and stir over low heat until melted and smooth.
Combine the flours and cocoa in a bowl, stir in the melted ingredients, then the eggs.
Pour into greased and lined cake tin (this one is 22cm) and bake at 160 degrees for 1 ¼ hours. The cake should be firm, but fudgy in the centre.
Note: If the cake appears to be over cooked, poke holes in the cooled cake with a skewer and baste with cumquat brandy.
250 g dark chocolate
1/3 cup cream
1-3 tablespoons cumquat brandy
Melt ingredients together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (don't allow the bowl to touch the water).
Allow to cool, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency.
Spread over cooled cake. Garnish with candied cumquats.
The Swallow's Nest Patisserie is a family owned and operated business with a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry. Situated in the historic precinct of Lydiard Street North, The Swallow's Nest has gained a ..
Address:
16 Lydiard Street North - Ballarat
Phone:
(03) 5340 0203 |
More
advertisement
Comments
Leon
I was very lucky yesterday, Shayna came to my place and to share some of this cake. And to my surprise later that night I noticed that some was left in a container on my bench. Just what I needed.
Thanks Shayna it was YUMMMMM
Toula
Hi Shayna,
I just received the beautiful article you wrote about our bakery, Sugardough.
I was very touched! It has been over 7 years since we opened and I still often romanticize about it and the overwhelming assortment of sweet and savory pastries that we make everyday from scratch.
Sometimes, I need to know that people like you still love it!
Thank you so much,
Toula
Shayna
Your both welcome. Thank you for the encouraging feedback. It's always nice to know I am appreciated, whether it be for my baked goods or for my beautiful articles!
Yum.
Yum.