Dreaming of Swedish Cardamom Buns

If you're going to crack open your blog after a long period of absence, it'd have to be a pretty special post. Well, look who's here - Swedish cardamom buns!

I have been pining for these since I got back from Edinburgh a couple of months ago. Yes, I miss my family. Yes I miss my friends. I miss the constant company and the constant chitter chatter. And walking everywhere inhaling the architecture. But foodwise I have not stopped thinking about the cardamom buns at Peter's Yard (and yes, I have trumpeted about these before here).

At the first chance I got, and after an eighteen month absence, I braved the Edinburgh wind chill for a brisk walk to the Swedish cafe for the usual flat white and cardamom bun. This time I managed to get both sisters there. Much younger sister (her words, not mine) swooned over the cinnamon buns and was hesitant to diversify. Middle sister kept to other fancies. All of us had lunch there one afternoon - the only time I didn't have a cardamom bun because, let me tell you, their soups, served with chunks of wholesome bread and silky butter, are delicious too.

So, short of planning a weekly visit to Edinbugh from New Zealand, all I've been doing since my return is sifting through the photographs and dreaming about them.

Then I googled and found this recipe for Swedish Cardamom Buns on the FixFeastFlair blog. I was a little hesitant as I have tried other recipes without success, but the comments on this post seemed positive and it was all so well mapped out.

I'm not going to lie, it did take a lot of the day to get this done but this was more to do with my speed, lack of pre-planning and waiting for dough to rise rather than any problems with the recipe. In fact the whole process was relatively easy and, as I said before, explained thoroughly with lots of hints and a video on how to twirl up those buns.

I had managed to grind the spices the day before which was a big help and also a sensory wonder as the sharp, exotic scent of cardamom hit me. As the recipe states, use cardamom pods and remove all the seeds (this is a very meditative process, especially while you ponder the rewards to come) and crush in a grinder. It is absolutely worth it as the flavour is way more intense.

Just after the first rise, I discovered the newly-bought jar of yeast had expired the day before which made me a trifle deflated (along with the dough). At that point I nearly gave up as I didn't think they would be successful without the rise but thankfully I didn't.

I halved the recipe (as there is only two of us) which made the strands shorter to work with in the final execution.  So there I was, more like a contortionist than a baker. Of course I didn't reach the perfection of FixFeastFlair's design, nor Peter's Yard (although my sister did think I'd pinched one of their photos) but for a novice bun twister I think I did okay.

So, how did they compare to Peter's Yard? Well, I absolutely loved them! I couldn't compare them side by side but I'd swear the flavour was all there and I was ecstatic. The dough was less dense than the cafe one and I actually preferred that.

This is an absolute keeper recipe. Thanks to Alana at Fix Feast Flair who has made me a very happy person.

If you want to have a go, the recipe is here on FixFeastFlair.  If you are in Edinburgh, you can find Peter's Yard or Soderburg cafes here.

etcetera ... road trip

After what must have been five months of summer - best summer I can remember here -  we have gone slap bang into winter with single digit temperatures overnight, extra heaters under the desk in the office and a quick rethink of the summer duvet chill experience. There must be a name for someone who always feel the cold? Every time I voice this feeling of real, not laid-back, chill, I am told I should be used to it coming from Scotland. Hmm....

It's not particularly cold inside the house today but I am sitting here with one thermal layer, one hooded sweatshirt and, topping it all off, a fleece jacket (I took the gloves off when I came inside!). Hard to believe that just six weeks ago Bill and I were basking in the sun in T-shirts on our mini road trip to the aptly-named Bay of Plenty - an area of New Zealand I had yet to discover.

It was a bit scary setting off without pre-arranged accommodation (school holidays, anyone?) but I wanted to cast my eye over the place before deciding.  So, it felt like a bit of an adventure as we headed off towards the Hauraki Plains through Ngatea and stopped in Paeroa for a coffee and a browse around the many antique and second-hand shops. Then it was a quick "we have to do this" photo op at the L&P bottle (which was strangely hard to find) and a short walk through the Karangahake gorge where I attempted to traverse a swingy bridge purely, it seemed, for the amusement of two bored youths jumping up and down on it to make it swing more. Thanks, guys ... now I'm dizzy.

As usual with me, it is always going to be all about the coffee and the food and I was not disappointed. There were a couple of recommended options for dinner at Waihi Beach and I generously let Bill decide. He chose the Waihi Beach Hotel which I was secretly hoping he would. It is strange to have a Hip Group owned restaurant (which honestly would look more in place at one of Auckland's beaches but hey I am not complaining). There were very few diners that Monday night, but the service was friendly and the food was locally sourced, fresh and flavoursome and doesn't leave you feeling too full. That means you get to try one of their gorgeous desserts. Plus, it was just along from where we were staying.

Beach walks, a visit to Waihi township and, of course, Martha's Mine - a vast gold mine pit right alongside, but almost hidden from, the main street.  And apparently there were some award-winning pies in the main street so Bill just had to have one of these.

Moving on, we drove south stopping at Bowentown, climbing a hill to admire the views and murmur about how beautiful New Zealand is. The traffic increased as we headed for Tauranga (and there were lots of roadworks to slow the pace right down) but we were in no hurry.  We hit Tauranga just as the office workers broke for lunch and joined some of them at Alimento for lunch. Good coffee (all I ask for) and so many good-looking salads it took us a while to order.

Tauranga's city centre looked pretty busy. In a store I overheard an assistant wonder why there was such an increase in the town's population. I crept out rather than explain it was Aucklanders evacuating their expensive city.

I was expecting not to like Mount Maunganui and on first experience, driving rather erratically around trying to find the visitor info centre or a place for the night, I was certain of it. Once we'd settled on a place close to the centre, we had a wander. Bill was a perhaps reluctant partner to my shopping but in the end it was he who made the first purchase. What was so delightful about the shopping experience was the many young retail staff who were happy to chat to us, recommend places to eat (Flour & Water - great!) and generally be so charming it really made our trip. So my impressions were wrong. It's a lovely mix of beautiful beaches, good eateries and really good shops. Let's not forget not the Mount itself. I can't.

Mount Maunganui. Something happened to me on that peak. We started our ascent early (but not sunrise early) in the morning. For those of you who don't know me, I have a very sedentary job and have had for most of my life. I am also a bit sloth-like and not keen on exercise. Going up the Mount was a challenge then. Two (possibly three?) times, I stopped and told Bill I didn't think I could continue (in my defence, I wasn't feeling 100% okay either). Each time, we stopped and waited...

A group of tourists had started the climb at the same time as us. One of them was a little man, possibly in his seventies, with a walking stick. Standing on the track taking long, slow breaths, I would see that this little man was catching up with me. My pride would not let him overtake, so each time this happened, I would continue the climb with renewed vigour.  I made it to the top. I'm not sure about the man. He was not at the summit at the same time but I hope he did and I hope he felt the same sense of accomplishment that I did.

A couple of days later we were in Tairua in the Coromandel and I did not hesitate to include myself in a walk up the summit of Paku - something I had not attempted in a number of years. And yes, I got the top there too!

It's funny to think back on that climb up the Mount. It kind of changed everything and I can't explain it. All I know is I feel better since I did it and that is it. That is enough.

Anzac Biscuits

A few years ago I made a slightly different version of these biscuits which you can find here. Today, I've stuck with the classic version. I was tempted to dip half the biscuits in melted chocolate but having just had two with coffee there really is no need for embellishment.

The biscuits were named after the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers who fought in the First World War at Gallipoli and were given these long lasting biscuits from their loved ones back home. It was quite poignant to think of their history as I baked and listened on the radio to ANZAC stories on the eve of ANZAC day in New Zealand.

They are very easy to make and most of the ingredients you will have in your cupboard. If you don't have thread coconut, substitute with desiccated coconut but it is worthwhile sourcing the longer thread coconut - I think it looks nicer (and thread is easier to spell than desiccated).

ANZAC Biscuits

makes about 20-24 biscuits

125g butter
2 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup coarse thread coconut
1 cup standard flour
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.  Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Place the butter, cold water and golden syrup in a medium to large saucepan and heat until butter is melted and it is almost at boiling point. Add baking soda and remove the pan from the heat. Swirl the pan around to ensure baking soda is incorporated.  Add the oats, coconut, flour and brown sugar to the pan and combine well.

Roll tablespoons of the mix into a ball (I used a mini ice-cream scoop) and place on the baking trays, leaving enough space between the biscuits for them to spread. Press with a fork to flatten.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden. Swap the trays around half way to ensure even baking of both trays of biscuits.

Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

The biscuits keep well in an airtight container.

Afghan Biscuits

I love these little Afghan biscuits with their rich, crunchy base and chocolate topping. They are a New Zealand favourite and I find it interesting that the longer I live here the less clear I am about what "belongs" to one country as opposed to another and it all becomes just baking without frontiers. If I've only been eating these since I arrived in NZ then I've certainly missed out and have a lot of catching up to do.

Traditionally these would be topped with a walnut half, but the batch I made were being shared with the nut allergy sufferer, so I topped half with pieces of coconut chips (shaved coconut).  The coconut goes well with the chocolate and I think gives a complementary look to the more traditional biscuit. Perhaps I could start a new trend?

I'm a bit fussy about the cornflakes. They have to be crushed just right. Not too crumbly, not too large. For some reason I hate seeing whole flakes jutting out the biscuit but that's just me always trying to be perfect.

I had some leftover chocolate ganache so used that as topping (which I have to say was a particularly luxurious touch and very nice) but I've given the standard chocolate icing recipe below.  

 Makes about 16-18 biscuits depending on size.

Afghan Biscuits

200g butter, softened
90g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
175g (1 1/4 cups) standard flour
35g (1/4 cup) good quality cocoa powder
55g (1 1/2 cups) cornflakes, lightly crushed

Chocolate icing

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
60g butter
4 tbsp boiling water
1/4 cup cocoa

Walnut halves or coconut chips to decorate.


Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease or line a baking tray with baking paper.

In a cake mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy.

Sift in the flour and cocoa and combine thoroughly. Stir in the cornflakes.

Place large tablespoonfuls onto the baking tray (I use a mini ice-cream scoop) and press each biscuit lightly with a fork to flatten slightly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.  

Icing

In a cake mixer, beat the icing sugar, butter and sifted cocoa together until smooth and ice the biscuits when they are cold. Decorate with a halved walnut or a couple of coconut chips.

Sweet New Zealand

This month, it's my turn to host Sweet New Zealand. So, I am on the lookout for sweet recipes from our NZ food blogging community. You can be a New Zealander living here or overseas. You can be from overseas and living in New Zealand. Just give me something sweet, please. Take it away - I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Rules

Sweet New Zealand is open to all food bloggers living in New Zealand (even if you are not a New Zealander), as well as all Kiwi food bloggers who live overseas.

You can enter with anything sweet - cakes, cookies, desserts, or even drinks. 

You can submit as many entries as you like and they don't have to be new blog posts. 

Your entry must contain the phrase Sweet New Zealand and have the Sweet New Zealand badge (you can copy and save the one on this page).

Your entry must link to the host (me!) and to this post. If you're submitting an old post remember to update it with the phrase, badge and links.

Enter now

Email your entries to me at flatwhite233(at)xtra(dot)co(dot)nz by 30 October, with the following:

Your name

Your blog name

A link to your blog

A link to the blog post you're entering

A photo from the post

The name of the recipe and a brief description

Sweet New Zealand - September

Here's a link to last month's Sweet New Zealand round up at Mummy Do It

etcetera ... feasting in Tairua

We stumbled upon this studio & café whilst heading someplace else.  Once inside it was an easy decision to change our allegiance. On a slight rise overlooking the new marina in Tairua on the Coromandel peninsula we were content to linger in this light and airy gallery featuring a showstopper macramé ceiling hanging and walls of stimulating artwork.

First impressions were of a “no-rush” soulful feel to the place and lots of care and relaxed attention by the duo in charge.  Right away you knew that the food would be good.  Even the fact that the coffee came in takeaway cups (but was excellent) was not enough to put me off.

It was rather unfortunate then that we’d not long breakfasted but, to some amusement, three of us “shared” a delicious jumbo-sized berry and custard muffin.  Our sole male, who always seems to manage to pack in a second breakfast, was tempted, and rightly so, by a super-tasty potato rosti, poached egg, hollandaise sauce (just the right amount) and tomato relish.  I was allowed a bite and I have no idea how they got so much flavour into the dish, it was so very good.

We watched as baked goods appeared, fresh from the oven, and wished we could hang around longer for pulled chicken tacos, stacked lasagna and hearty scones but it was time for the drive home.

There are two large scrubbed, rustic tables – one oval and one long communal – but with space for more and there’s always the option of food-to-go or even catering. This place is going to be popular.  Don’t miss it if you’re down that way.  I’ll certainly be back for more.

FeastNZ

128 Paku Drive

Tairua

http://www.feastnz.com/

Irish Soda Bread

I was going to head this Bread for tired people.  Perhaps it was just the relief of Christmas and New Year being over.  Whilst I don’t want to sound like the Grinch   - “and the more the Grinch thought of what Christmas would bring the more the Grinch thought ... I must stop this whole thing” - I do love Christmas and the whole family thing, but the run-up to Christmas had left me stressed, closely followed by plain, just tired (and I know I'm not the only one).

But, on the first day of a new year, my inner Earth Mother was glowing warm and mellow with thoughts of baking bread and I began to unwind (in a good way). 

It had to be simple though, so a no-knead soda bread was the chosen one and luckily I just happened to have buttermilk in the fridge as I'd used a little in a dressing the previous night. 

I started on it after a breakfast with my sister and her partner who had stayed overnight on a break on their drive down to Tongariro National Park.  It’s an insanely casual thrust of ingredients into a bowl, a quick bring together, shape, rest awhile (you and the bread), into the oven and it's done. 

The visitors weren’t around to sample the results but I guess if they’d smelt the bread baking they might have been tempted to hang around a bit longer and I may have gotten the chance to redeem myself at Scrabble.

Although soda bread is best eaten on the day, it does toasts up well the next day – cut in thick slabs and slather with good butter.  The Irish one, of course, loves it.

Irish soda bread

500g plain (standard) flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

420ml buttermilk

Line a baking tray with baking paper and dust with flour.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift in the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda together and stir to combine.

Pour the buttermilk into the mixture and, with your hand, bring it together to a dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. 

Don’t knead the bread, just gently roll it together and shape it into a smooth round by turning it on the board between your cupped hands.  Flatten it gently with your hand.  

Using a large knife, score the loaf to make quarters, cutting almost to the base (but don’t cut through) to make a cross on top.  Gently ease the quarters apart (you will probably need to flour your hands to do this or use a pastry scraper).  This allows the heat to reach the centre of the bread (or the fairies to get out).

Heat the oven to 200°C, leaving your bread to do its thing while the oven heats up.

Bake the loaf for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.  When tapped on the base, it should sound hollow.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Etcetera ... Weekend in Wellington

Almost a year to the date since my last stay, I was back in Wellington for the weekend.  This time it was for a work conference so I stayed on for the weekend and Bill joined me. 

I was happy with whatever weather Wellington was going to throw at me, as long as there were no earthquakes.  So, thank you – the ground stayed still and I got a mixed bag of cold & wet and warm & sunny. 

I also got a cold, starting with a sore throat before I hit the airport for the early morning flight.  I am pleased to say it didn’t affect my tastebuds so I was able to indulge in all things food, starting with chocolate and a visit to the Bohemein chocolate store on Featherston Street.  We saved these until we got home when we realized we’d bought far too few but oh some of those flavours – lemon and thyme ganache (top left) or balsamic vinegar and honey ganache (bottom left), all with silky smooth chocolate.  Good thing one can order online.

Ombra

After a wander around the streets on a cold and wet early Friday evening, we were happy to open the doors to the warmth and conviviality of Ombra.  Lack of sleep and my head cold meant an early dinner which was just fine as 5pm dining means you get a table straight away!

Some wait people you just fall in love with.  Earlier in the day at conference we had a workshop on assertiveness training.  This waitress needed none of that.  Warm and assured she led and cajoled us through the menu.  No, we were not to have that choice, she firmly opined, she would bring us something else. Everything she presented was perfect.  

Polenta chips

We kicked off with the Polenta Chips with fried sage leaves followed by Baccala (salt cod) Crostino and then Beef meatballs with Capers and Chickpea Puree.  A little breather before the San Marzano Tomato, Fior di Latte and Basil pizzette which was so good that we ordered another pizzette - under strict instructions from our waitress that it would be the Coppa, Artichokes and Mint this time.  Bill managed to fit in a chocolate and caramel mousse whilst, in a rare moment, I was no longer Miss Sweet Tooth. Warmed, fed and watered we forsook the rest of Wellington’s nightlife and headed back to the hotel feeling well pleased with our choice.

San Marzano pizzette

Early to bed means (mostly) early to rise and I couldn’t resist a return visit to Floriditas for breakfast where it was eggs all round.  Scrambled eggs on toast with vine tomato salad for me and ham off the bone and poached eggs with hollandaise for Bill.  Personally I prefer my scramblers cooked a little less set than theirs but there was plenty to sustain us for more walking around the city.

Floriditas

Bill's eggs with mine just visible in the background

I was hoping to bump into fellow food blogger, Shirleen and I did at the City Market on Sunday morning.  Whilst I had a craving for a bacon buttie, her recommendation made me opt for dumplings instead.  Dumplings for breakfast is way out of my comfort zone but these were exceptional - only to be expected of course coming from Vicky Ha of The Dumpling House.  

I settled down to a plate of Nepalese Spiced Lamb Five Veges; Korean Sesame Beef Sprouts; Crystal Prawn Garlic Chives and Shanghai Pork Savoy Cabbage topped off with sesame chilli oil and kasundi whilst Bill joined the long queue for the other recommendation - a hearty bowl of ramen noodles from The Ramen Shop.

A young helper making noodles

Ramen noodles

Over the weekend, we shopped (for the record, Bill bought more than me); visited Te Papa; the City Gallery; explored the waterfront; went to Moore Wilson; walked the Botanic Gardens via the Cable Car. I really enjoyed a tour of the Beehive as part of the conference. We caught up with family on Saturday night over dinner at their house, which was lovely.  I didn’t get to all the places I had on my list but there’s always another time, isn’t there?