Spicyicecream

Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart – for Dre

This post is a hard one to write. Because as much as I would love to tell you all about the delicious Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart, this is going to be a bittersweet story.

This is the last thing I baked for my boyfriend before he passed away two months ago.

It was a random Saturday afternoon, and he popped over to surprise me. My kitchen was a mess with ingredients, lighting and camera gear everywhere. While the tart was in the oven, we put the harnesses on the cats and took them for a frolic outside to enjoy the gorgeous sunny afternoon. I don’t know who loved the frolics more – him or the cats!

Back inside, I took these photos while we listened to some jazz. The original videos still have his voice in the background. That’s his hand doing the pouring shot. It all felt so normal and natural and comfortable. Just like any regular weekend.

When the photos were done, we shared this slice of the tart and he proclaimed it one of the best things I’d made this year. Cooking and words of affirmation are my love language. He loved to eat and treated everything I cooked like a gourmet meal. We were an excellent match.

I wasn’t sure that I was ever going to share this recipe, but he loved it so much and I am so grateful that we had that beautiful afternoon together. One of many over our 11 years together, and almost 20 years of friendship. But at the same time it feels like never enough time. Of course, there’s a huge loss and a cavernous empty space the last two months. I miss his loud booming laugh, protective hugs, movie nights, walks, talking about anything and everything. He treated everything I cooked like it was a gourmet feast. I even miss the things that used to annoy me!

I’ve talked a lot about gratitude here on the blog, as a practice that has helped me through tough times in the past. I got him into the gratitude journaling practice as well and that was something we would talk about almost every day. Once again, it has been invaluable in this journey of grief and eventual healing.

I’m grateful that I already had this habit as it has helped me to appreciate all the good times, even in the midst of the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. And if you’ve never tried it, please give it a go. Whether things are good or terrible in your life, seeing everything through a lens of gratitude for even the smallest thing just helps immensely and re-trains your brain to look out for positive things everyday.

A short note on the recipe itself. This Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart is absolutely delicious. If you like almond croissants, you’ll definitely like the frangipane filling of this tart. It’s got an absolutely delicious buttery almond flavour that is the perfect backdrop for the sweet fruit.

I love versatile recipes that allow seasonal fruit to be the star. Instead of nectarines and raspberries, you could use rhubarb, strawberries, peaches, cherries, pears, apples or a combination! So no matter what time of year it is, you can adapt the fruit to suit the season. I based today’s recipe off a lovely Fig version that I made ten years ago!

This pastry is a reliable recipe that I use often and works with a variety of fillings. It comes together quickly and easily in the food processor and blind bakes beautifully. While you can make the entire tart in an afternoon pretty easily, you can definitely make the pastry and frangipane a day or two ahead of time and assemble and bake on the day you want to serve. I love a simple dusting of icing sugar and perhaps a drizzle of cream to serve. It makes the most lovely afternoon tea treat!

I hope you love this recipe as much as he did. It will always be special to me now as the last thing I baked for him. Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart – for Dre.

Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart

This delicious Raspberry and Nectarine Frangipane Tart will always have a special place in my heart and memories.

Course Afternoon Tea, Dessert

Keyword Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Pies & Tarts, Summer

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Resting Time 45 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

Pastry

190 g plain flour
80 g caster sugar
80 g cold unsalted butter, diced
1 egg

Frangipane

150 g butter, slightly softened
150 g icing sugar
150 g almond meal
2 eggs
20 ml Frangelico or Amaretto liqueur
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
30 g plain flour
4 white nectarines, seed removed and cut into slices
125 g fresh raspberries
Icing sugar to serve

Instructions

To make the pastry, place the flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until dough just starts to come together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and very gently knead until smooth. Flatten into a disc shape, wrap in clingwrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Line the base and sides of a tart tin with the pastry, and trim any excess. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest. Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking weights or rice. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C rotating at the halfway mark. When the edges are browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
To make the frangipane, cream butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). Add the almond meal and beat until mixed. Add the eggs, liqueur, vanilla and flour and beat until combined. Mixture can be refrigerated covered for a couple of days or frozen. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature to soften before adding to pastry case.
Spoon enough frangipane into your cooled pastry case and use an offset spatula to even it out (do not fill more than 1/2 cm below the top of pastry case). Arrange sliced nectarines and raspberries on top of frangipane, pressing in slightly. Bake for around 20-25 minutes until frangipane is puffed, cooked through and lightly golden (it’s ready when the centre springs back). Remove tart and cool on wire rack. Just before serving, sift icing sugar over the top.

Maltesers Blondies

Maltesers Blondies! You just have to try today’s recipe for these easy-to-make, fudgy bars full of malt flavour inside and on top. I feel like Blondies are finally having their moment. I know, I know, everyone loves a classic Brownie, but there is just something about a Blondie that I love. They are starting to appear in the sweets cabinet at my favourite cafes and become one of the ‘trendy’ desserts. Better late than never!

So what is a Blondie?

I like to think of them as a Brownie, but without the chocolate. Their ingredients and method is very similar, but without any cocoa powder or melted chocolate, so they are lighter in colour when baked. Blonde, if you will. Reading up on dessert history, it appears that the original Brownie recipe actually contained no chocolate and was much more like a Blondie, however the name didn’t come about until the 1970’s.

The main flavour comes from the brown sugar, giving them a rich molasses caramel taste and slightly chewy texture. Apart from brown sugar, you’ll find the usual suspects – butter, eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder.

But personally, I think the best blondies are full of fun mix-ins. You can add in almost anything you like – nuts, chocolate chips, spices, Oreos or Biscoff biscuits, fresh or dried fruit and many more. My Fruit Mince Blondies are a delicious Christmas themed version. And this Maltesers Blondies recipe that I’m sharing here today have both malted milk powder and Maltesers in the batter to really amp up the flavour.

One thing you need to know about me is that I love anything malt flavoured, especially Maltesers. If you’re overseas you may know them as Whoppers or maybe by another name. Maltesers are a small chocolate-coated malt balls with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. I think they’re the most elite movie snack and make me think of my childhood. I found it so hard not to snack on the Maltesers while making this recipe!!

Another thing I love about Blondies is that the recipe couldn’t be simpler – no mixer needed! All the equipment you need is a bowl, a spoon and a baking pan. You could whip up a batch of these Maltesers Blondies from start to finish in just over an hour. My only hint would be to show a small amount of patience and be sure to let them cool fully before slicing them up as they could fall apart.

A lot of Blondie recipes don’t have a glaze or decoration, but for these I felt like I had to make them look beautiful with a drizzle of melted chocolate and even more Maltesers on top.

They are an excellent homemade gift to package up for Easter, Christmas or any holiday in between. And trust me when I tell you, they’re a crowd pleaser! I did have to explain what a Blondie was a few times, but I definitely converted a lot of people and had a bunch of messages afterwards saying how delicious they were. I’ll call that a big win!

Maltesers Blondies

Maltesers Blondies – you just have to these easy-to-make, fudgy bars full of malt flavour inside and on top.

Course Bars, Cake

Keyword Bars, Brownies and Blondies, Chocolate, Dessert, Easter

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

225 g butter, melted
440 g light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
250 g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
55 g 1/2 cup malted milk powder
100 g Maltesers

To decorate

100 g milk or dark chocolate, melted
100 g Maltesers, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 21cm (8 inch) square baking pan with non-stick baking paper.
To make the blondies, mix melted butter with brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and malted milk powder.
Place half of the blondie mixture into the prepared baking pan. Place an even layer of whole Maltesers on top of the mixture, pressing in slightly. Add the remaining mixture over the top and smooth out to cover evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour, rotating the pan at the 30 minute mark. When ready, the blondie should be lightly golden on top and just set in the middle. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean or with very few crumbs sticking to it. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking pan.
Drizzle with melted chocolate and scatter over the remaining roughly chopped Maltesers. Allow chocolate to set and then serve.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies are a variation on one of my favourite cookie recipes of all time. Just picture: a tender, soft cookie baked to enclose a delicious strawberry cheesecake filling. It’s a winning combination!

I just realised that I’ve been making different versions of these ‘stuffed’ cookies for more than 10 years. I keep thinking up new flavour combinations and they are amazing every time. Trust me, there will be many more stuffed cookies in the future. From the cookies and cream cheesecake stuffed to a candy cane version for Christmas, they’ve all been winners. This version is no exception!

Instead of making a chocolate cookie, I just replaced the cocoa powder with an equal amount of flour. The rest of the recipe stayed exactly the same and had the same soft texture. For the cheesecake filling, you want to get maximum flavour without adding a lot of moisture into the mix. This time instead of using fresh strawberries, I used freeze-dried and they worked perfectly! I used the brand Frisp (which is available in supermarkets here) but I have also seen them at Costco or Amazon.

I blitzed the strawberries in my Nutribullet to get a fine powder that mixes in to the cream cheese perfectly. The concentrated flavour imparts a lovely taste and pretty pink colour. This is my first time baking with freeze dried fruit but it worked out so well I can imagine a lot of ways to use this versatile ingredient!

When I tell you they’re a crowd pleaser, believe me. They are one of my most popular recipes both on the blog and amongst my friends, family and friends-of-friends. I’ve made them so many times that I have basically memorised the recipe. These cookies are easy to make and require no mixer, rolling pin or cookie cutters!

Tips and Hints for making Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Make your cheesecake filling first. In past versions of this recipe the filling could be shaped into little ‘patties’ by rolling out teaspoonfuls of the cheesecake. This version was a lot softer so I just put small spoonfuls of the filling directly onto the base of the cookie.
Add the flour in batches to the cookie dough – maybe 1/2-3/4 cup at a time. You want to mix it until no floury patches remain. Be prepared – it’s quite an arm workout!
Refrigerate your cookie dough to make it easier to shape. If you’re in a hot climate or your hands are too warm, pop your dough back into the fridge for a few minutes.

Bake 6 cookies per tray x 2 trays as they do spread slightly. Don’t try to squeeze too many onto one tray.
Don’t forget the sprinkling of fleur de sel or flaky salt! It really helps to bring out the flavour in the cookie. For this version I also sprinkled a little extra freeze dried strawberry before baking.
Don’t over-bake these! I find that based on my oven, I switch the trays at the 8 minute mark and they are ready at ~13 minutes when the top is very slightly cracked.
Store the cookies in an air-tight container and they stay fresh for about a week, if they last that long!
I’ve also made a video for this recipe to show the step by step process. If you make these, please tag me on Instagram or TikTok!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4_mVJThIYL

These Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies would be delightful in spring or summer, but because they use the freeze-dried strawberries, they can be enjoyed any time of year. I also think that they would make a lovely homemade Mother’s Day or Easter gift.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies – a tender, soft cookie baked to enclose a delicious strawberry cheesecake filling. It’s a winning combination!

Course Cookies

Keyword Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Chill in Fridge 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Strawberry Cheesecake Filling

125 g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
30 g freeze dried strawberries

Cookies

110 g butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Fleur de sel (flaky salt) to sprinkle

Instructions

To make the cheesecake filling, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in a Nutribullet or food processor to form a powder. Reserve 1 teaspoon of powder to sprinkle on top of cookies. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, caster sugar, vanilla and remaining strawberry powder together until well combined. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
In a medium saucepan or microwave, melt the butter. Take off the heat and stir in the brown sugar and eggs. Then add the salt and baking powder and stir until well combined. Add the flour in batches, and stir until no floury patches are left. Place the mixture into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm slightly and make shaping the cookies easier.
Take 1 heaped tablespoon of dough and flatten into a circle on the baking tray (6 per tray). Place 1 teaspoon of cheesecake filling on top. Take another tablespoon of dough and flatten it with your fingers to form a disc wide enough to cover the cheesecake. Place on top and seal the edges. Repeat until you have twelve cookies.
Sprinkle the tops with fleur de sel (flaky salt) and strawberry powder and bake for 8-13 minutes. Allow to cool on trays and when completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Blackberry and Earl Grey Hot Cross Bun Pudding

Blackberry Earl Grey Hot Cross Bun Pudding

Hi, hello. I’m so sorry that it has been a year since my last blog post but today I am BACK and I have a very exciting recipe for you guys! Easter is coming up so soon and it’s one of my favourite occasions to think up recipes for.

This Blackberry and Earl Grey Hot Cross Bun Pudding would be the perfect Easter dessert…

…but at the same time would also make a delicious Easter breakfast. It’s kind of like a baked french toast and can be made ahead of time (we love an organised Queen!)

Hot Cross Buns have been in the supermarkets literally since Boxing Day, but I’m a traditional gal. I like to savour them just around Easter time. I have even dabbled in making my own No Knead Hot Cross Buns. However this time, I used store bought Hot Cross Buns to make it easy.

If you’ve been following for a while, you know I will take any opportunity to infuse tea into my sweets. From ice cream to cookies to cakes, I just love tea flavoured desserts of any kind. The good news is that it’s actually really easy to impart the flavour of your favourite tea into any dish containing milk or cream by heating it to just boiling and literally just giving it some time to infuse in. If you want a stronger flavour, either add more tea or infuse for a longer time. Strain out the tea leaves and use as normal in your recipe! So easy and it will give your dish a lovely unique flavour. I love T2 tea and for this recipe I used their lovely French Earl Grey, which has a beautiful floral flavour.

Once you’ve infused your cream, just whisk it together with a couple of eggs, vanilla (use your heart to measure this one!), some maple syrup and melted butter. I wanted to get a strong blackberry flavour into this recipe so I spread each hot cross bun generously with blackberry jam and sandwiched them back together before pouring the infused cream mixture on top. I also added blackberries before AND after baking.

Check out my reel or TikTok for a how to video of how to make my Blackberry and French Earl Grey Hot Cross Bun Pudding and find the full recipe at the end of this post!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lisa | Food Photographer 🍦 (@spicyicecream)

Honestly I really loved how this recipe turned out! The spice and dried fruit in the hot cross buns works perfectly with the blackberries. Of course you could use whichever jam/berry combination you like – raspberries or blueberries would definitely be delicious too. There are also a heap of Hot Cross Bun variations available now which might be fun to play with too! PS if you use gluten free hot cross buns, this whole recipe is gluten free too!

I served this with a dusting of icing sugar, more fresh blackberries and a drizzle of cream. Vanilla ice cream is also highly recommended. My other favourite thing about this Hot Cross Bun Pudding is that the leftovers are delicious heated up in a pan with a little butter. Much like regular french toast, the exterior becomes a little crispy and it’s so delicious!

I hope you’ll try it this Easter! If you do please tag me on Instagram or TikTok!

Blackberry and Earl Grey Hot Cross Bun Pudding

This Blackberry and Earl Grey Hot Cross Bun Pudding is like a baked French toast. It's so perfect for Easter breakfast or dessert!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Keyword Bread & Yeast, Breakfast, Dessert, Easter

Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
2-3 teaspoons French Earl Grey tea leaves
6 hot cross buns
blackberry jam about half a jar
3 eggs
1-2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
20 grams melted butter
125-150g fresh blackberries (1 punnet)
Icing sugar, to serve
Pouring cream, to serve

Instructions

Combine the milk and cream in a small saucepan with the French Earl Grey tea leaves. Stir and heat until just boiling. Cover with a lid and leave to infuse for at least 20-30 minutes. If you want a stronger flavour, add an extra teaspoon of tea leaves and/or allow to infuse for longer.
Slice each hot cross bun in half and spread generously with blackberry jam. Arrange in a baking dish.
Strain the cream through a tea strainer into a litre jug and discard the tea leaves. Add the vanilla bean paste, eggs, maple syrup and melted butter and whisk until well combined. Pour the mixture over the hot cross buns and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F). Add half the blackberries to the top and bake for 40 minutes, checking on it half way. If the top is browning too fast, cover loosely with foil and return the oven.
Serve warm with the remaining fresh blackberries, a dusting of icing sugar and a drizzle of pouring cream.

My Favourite Easter Recipes

To me, Easter is a special time of year. I always feel the transition of seasons strongly in April. Summer is transitioning into shorter, cooler autumn days. Mangoes and peaches are out, but apples and pears are now in season. This new season coziness just makes me want to get in the kitchen and bake. I have a crazy urge to make yeasted doughs this time every single year – buns, rolls, loaves and scrolls!

I also love Easter as a time for family to get together over good food. When I lived at home, we would always have a decadent brunch – pancakes, cinnamon rolls or french toast. I always brought a dessert to share at our big Easter Sunday lunch – usually heavy on the chocolate. So I thought I would scroll back through my archives and share some of my favourite Easter recipes all in the one place!

No Knead Hot Cross Buns

This No Knead Hot Cross Bun recipe is one of my new favourite Easter recipes. Exactly as the name suggests, this is a recipe that requires no stand mixer, hand mixer, special equipment or any kneading at all! These Hot Cross Buns are fluffy, golden and generously spiced and studded with lots of sultanas, just like you would get at a bakery!

Flourless Orange and Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

This lovely Flourless Orange cake would be lovely to finish off your Easter lunch. Whole oranges are cooked, deseeded and then pureed whole. Then the rest of the cake ingredients are added to the same food processor, so it’s ridiculously easy to make. Cakes rarely get simpler than this, so it’s perfect for newbie bakers. Oh, and it uses almond meal instead of flour so it’s completely gluten free!

Spicyicecream Easter Recipes - Mini Choc Malt Bundt Cakes

Mini Chocolate Malt Marbled Bundt Cakes

Chocolate and Malt are two of my favourite flavours. When I’m feeling daring, I test the limits of my lactose intolerance with a Choc Malt Milkshake. I’ve used those delicious flavours marbled together in these lovely mini bundt cakes, drizzled with homemade chocolate sauce and topped with yet more crushed up Maltesers.

Hot Cross Bun Pull Apart Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze

This recipe is like a Hot Cross Bun and a Cinnamon Roll had a baby! The filling tastes exactly like a hot cross bun with brown sugar, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice, fresh orange zest and plump sultanas. But my favourite thing is the delicious spiced Cream Cheese Glaze drizzled over the top. This recipe is perfect for Easter brunch!

Hot Cross Doughnuts

I made a batch of my usual go-to doughnut recipe, and then filled them with a spiced custard and brandy-soaked currants before finally dipping the tops in dark chocolate and piping the signature cross in white chocolate. Delicious and fun!

Raspberry and Ricotta Baked French Toast

Raspberry & Ricotta Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast is awesome, because you can prep everything the night before and make bake it while your morning coffee brews. I used a fruit challah loaf in this recipe, but brioche would be perfect too, or even hot cross buns would be a really fun Easter twist!

Mini Chai Poached Pear Cakes with Chai Creme Anglaise

As soon as Autumn hits, my intake of tea increases exponentially. I love using all kinds of tea in desserts, and this one features chai tea in every single element. I think these lovely mini cakes would be perfect for Easter lunch if you want a non-chocolate option!

Spicyicecream Easter Recipes - Chocolate Espresso Mousse

Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Peanut & Pretzel Bark

This Chocolate Peanut & Pretzel Bark would make a lovely last minute homemade Easter gift for your friends. Or do as I’ve done and use it as a garnish for some rich Chocolate Espresso Mousse pots.

Spicyicecream Easter Recipes - Sticky Date Rolls

Sticky Date Rolls with Salted Caramel Sauce

If there is one thing I am certain of in this life, it is that I make a damn good Cinnamon Roll! This version includes delicious tea-steeped dates in the spiced filling and a salted caramel sauce. I love serving these for brunch during the whole Easter long weekend!

Double Chocolate Brownie Skillet

Double Chocolate = perfect Easter Recipes! I might only ever bake brownies in skillets from now on. I love how the edges get crispy while the middle remains gooey and molten. Under-baking slightly is encouraged with brownies like this, especially when you can just pile ice cream and fudge sauce on top and dig straight in with a spoon.

Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

I am not one of those people who buys Hot Cross Buns in January. I like to enjoy them for a week or two, and then not think about them again until next year. I’ve tried making them from scratch a couple of times, and this was definitely my best attempt. It has lots of dried fruit, spices and stewed apple in the mix. Sooo good.

Carrot Cake Ricotta Pancake

This Easter Bunny approved Carrot Cake Pancake would make the perfect Easter Brunch. These single large pancakes are so light and fluffy, and can be topped with all your favourite fruits.

Choc Malt Speckled Ice Cream Bombe

This No Churn Ice Cream Bombe goes on the list of last minute Easter recipes and is a total crowd pleaser. My boyfriend still asks me to make this ice cream all the time – it’s his favourite of my many, many ice cream experiments! It would also make an epic milkshake flavour.

Italian Ricotta Cake

This cake has become one of our family’s favourites and we make it for many special occasions throughout the year – Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas and birthdays. Everyone loves it, so I just had to include it in this roundup!

Chocolate and Pear Tart with Cardamom Creme Anglaise

While we’re on the subject of crowd-pleasing Easter recipes, this chocolate tart has new season pears and a fudgy chocolate almond filling inside a chocolate tart. The subtle cardamom spiced creme anglaise is a perfect accompaniment. This is such an elegant dessert that would be the perfect sweet ending to Easter lunch.

Chai Spiced Rolls with Cinnamon Glaze

I mentioned before that this time of year makes me want to get my hands into a bowl of dough, kneading, rolling and baking it. To me it’s kind of like a meditation and really helps me de-stress. Prepare for maximum coziness when you make these. The chai spiced filling is a really nice alternative to the normal cinnamon rolls.

Spicyicecream Easter Recipes - Chocolate Whisky Pudding

Chocolate Whisky Pudding with Passionfruit Ice Cream

I am in love with the combination of Chocolate and Passionfruit, and I am here to spread the word. This grown-up take on a baked chocolate pudding, has a hit of whisky and a homemade passionfruit ice cream. I am definitely making it again this Winter!

Brownie Cookies with Maple Bourbon Buttercream

When a cookie and a brownie really love each other and make a baby, this is the result. These rich and chewy chocolate cookies sandwiched with a sweet filling is one of my favourite Easter recipes. You can also adapt the filling – anything that goes with chocolate would work beautifully here.

If you do make any of these Easter recipes, I would love to see! Please tag me on Instagram @spicyicecream or #spicyicecreamphoto.

Mushroom Meatball Subs

It’s hard to believe that I was ever a fussy eater as a kid. There’s lots of foods I wouldn’t touch, but mushrooms were my arch-nemesis. I would pick even the most microscopic pieces off a slice of pizza. However, these days I can’t get enough of this nutritional powerhouse ingredient in all forms.

So when my friends at Distil Agency asked me to come up with a recipe for The Blend™ competition with Australian Mushroom Growers it was an immediate yes. And these Mushroom Meatball Subs were born.

We all know that mince is a great versatile ingredient that is easy on the wallet and can create so many delicious dishes. The Blend™ method is a great way to get more nutritious mushrooms into your meals with mince! Just substitute some of the mince for finely diced mushrooms in your favourite recipes like tacos, bolognese, chilli con carne, burgers or in this case, meatballs!

It’s such a simple swap and awesome if you’re looking to reduce your meat intake without giving it up completely. Adding mushrooms can help stretch the portion sizes so you get more bang for your buck. Plus mushrooms add natural umami flavour to enhance your dish and can reduce the fat, salt and calories too. It’s also a great sneaky way to incorporate vegetables into meals for fussy kids. That’s a win all around!

Following the guidance on The Blend™ website, I used a mix of 25% finely diced mushrooms and 75% grass fed beef mince for my meatballs and I thought this was the perfect ratio. The meatballs were easy to roll and held together well while cooking.

There are 3 key things in creating the perfect meatball:

1. Pick the right mince. Any kind of meat can be used for meatballs, but using a mince with very low fat – like extra lean beef, chicken or turkey – and the meatballs can become dry. But on the other hand, using a lower quality mince with too much fat can mean they are swimming with oil as they cook. A happy medium is a mince that is between 10-20% fat.

2. Make sure you season your mince mixture well! There’s nothing worse than bland, under-seasoned meatballs! I like to add in or fresh herbs, mustard (any kind will do!) and Worcestershire sauce as well as salt and pepper of course for max flavour.

3. Wet your hands before mixing and rolling the meatballs. I definitely advocate for getting your hands dirty in this recipe. It’s a messy process but using your hands helps the mixture bind together better. Having wet hands keeps the mince mixture from sticking as you roll them.

Once they were rolled, I browned the mushroom meatballs in a pan until mostly cooked through. Then I added passata sauce, some garlic and basil for extra flavour. I served the saucy mushroom meatballs on long crusty rolls with fresh rocket and a very generous amount of grated parmesan cheese. The mushrooms give the meatballs a really nice taste and texture and I think this dish makes for an amazing weekend lunch!

Check out the video for how to make these Mushroom Meatball Subs and also the competition running for a few more days.

This post is sponsored by Distil Agency. Recipe and opinions are all my own.

Mushroom Meatball Subs

These Mushroom Meatball Subs have finely diced mushrooms blended into the meatballs giving them extra umami flavour and nutritional value.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Mushroom Meatballs

360 g grass fed beef mince
120 g button mushrooms
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
2-3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan

Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 jar (700g) tomato passata sauce
Fresh basil, finely sliced
Salt and pepper

To serve

4-6 long bread rolls
Fresh rocket
Grated parmesan

Instructions

To make the mushroom meatballs, finely dice the mushrooms until the texture is similar to the mince. Place the mince and mushrooms together into a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Italian herbs, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and parmesan and mix with wet hands until thoroughly combined.
Take tablespoons of the mushroom mince mixture and roll between wet hands to form meatballs. Repeat until all the mince has been used.
Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning often until they have started to brown and are partially cooked through. Add the garlic and the tomato passata and stir to coat the meatballs. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Add the fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, slice rolls lengthwise with a serrated knife. Add some fresh rocket and top generously with meatballs – as many as you can fit! Grate over some parmesan cheese. Optionally, you could pop it under the grill for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Baked Feta Pasta with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes (TikTok recipe)

Do you have a favourite ingredient that you just want to add to every single dish? Mine is eggplant. I mean Margherita Pizza is great, but if you add eggplant? Phenomenal. And lasagne is epic but seriously, have you tried adding eggplant?! Remember that viral TikTok pasta trend from a couple of years ago? Where you take cherry tomatoes and a whole block of feta, bake it and stir it into pasta? It’s great. But I think you can guess where this is going…

Baked Feta Pasta with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes à la TikTok.

It was impossible to escape it on the internet at the time. But it’s a really great concept and makes such an easy and delicious weeknight dinner. I made it once or twice at the time to see what the fuss was about, but this version with eggplant is clearly the winner.

The baked feta keeps it’s shape in the oven but it’s immensely satisfying to stir it through the roasted vegetables. It creates a delicious slightly salty creamy ‘sauce’ that clings to your pasta. It’s absolutely delicious with the roasted eggplant and bursting sweet tomatoes.

If you’re in the southern hemisphere, summer is the perfect time to enjoy eggplant, tomatoes and fresh basil while they’re in season! I have all 3 growing in the garden, however none were quite ready to harvest for this recipe.

PS: I am on TikTok! Go and follow me over there to see recipe videos and behind the scenes.

You really can’t go wrong and this recipe is so easy and forgiving. Eggplant and tomatoes = winner. Eggplant and feta = also damn delicious. Apart from cooking the pasta, everything is done in one dish and about an hour of total hands off time where you can do something else while dinner cooks.

I pop the chopped eggplant into the oven with some olive oil and salt ahead of everything else because it takes a little longer to cook. Then I add cherry tomatoes, the whole block of feta (I used Danish feta because I wanted max creaminess), chilli flakes, black pepper, fresh oregano and a little more olive oil. You know it’s ready when the tomatoes are close to bursting.

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I also love adding a splash of balsamic or red wine vinegar to any of my tomato based pasta sauces. I don’t see many others doing this (seriously, some people don’t even season their bolognese!) but it adds such a beautiful depth of flavour. If you make this, please don’t skip the fresh basil. To me that is the KEY to any tomato pasta dish and adds so much freshness.

All that’s left to do now is stir it all together with your cooked pasta. You can use any size or shape you like but I’ve gone for spirals – or Fusilli if you want to get fancy. I hope you’ll give this Baked Feta Pasta recipe a try and come join me on TikTok!

Baked Feta Pasta with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes

Baked Feta Pasta with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes – my take on the viral TikTok pasta. It's simple, delicious and popular for a reason!

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Pasta

Keyword Lunch, Pasta, Simple Dinners, Summer

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 3

Ingredients

1 eggplant, around 350g
Olive oil
Salt + Pepper
400 g cherry tomatoes
200 g Danish feta
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, or more to taste
1 stalk oregano, leaves only
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely sliced
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
250 g pasta I used spirals/fusilli

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
Chop the eggplants into 1.5cm rounds and then into 1.5cm cubes. Place eggplant into a large ovenproof dish. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt and place into the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and add cherry tomatoes and garlic and stir around. Create a gap in the centre of the dish and place the block of feta in the space. Scatter with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chilli powder, freshly cracked pepper and the leaves from 1 stalk of fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano). Return to the oven for 40 minutes or until cherry tomatoes are soft and bursting.
In the meantime, cook your choice of pasta in slightly salted water according to packet instructions.
Scatter the dish with fresh basil and stir the baked feta into the eggplant and tomatoes. Add the vinegar and stir until combined. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Scatter with more fresh basil and black pepper and serve.

Fruit Mince Blondies

It’s that time of year again! If you’ve been following for a while, you’ll know that I’m fruit mince pie obsessed. I used absolutely to hate the store bought versions and it wasn’t until I started making my own that I started to love them. Now I feel like I’ve perfected the fruit mince mixture, and my family requests them every year. There’s something a little meditative about chopping apricots and mixing the dried fruit – usually late at night – during the December madness.

Although I will still be making my Fruit Mince Crumble Pies this year, I wanted to try something different too. That’s how these Fruit Mince Blondies were born. If you have no patience for making pastry, these little babies will be your best friends. A blondie is just like a brownie but without the chocolate, which gives you a chewy, fudgy and rich slice that will definitely please a crowd.

These Fruit Mince Blondies are reeeeally easy to make. Just some melting and stirring all in one bowl. No mixers, food processors, rolling pins or any other special equipment required! They taste sooo good, retain their freshness and texture for a long time and are perfect to give as little homemade Christmas gifts.

Let’s go over how the recipe for these Fruit Mince Blondies comes together…

Firstly, you’ll want to make your fruit mince. The good news is that this can be done well in advance, or even kinda last minute. I like to make it a day or two before so the flavours have enough time to meld together nicely. And again, apart from a bit of chopping and stirring, this all happens in one bowl. Easy peasy.

Next up, you’ll want to prep your baking pan. I used a 21cm (roughly 8 inch) square baking dish with a removable bottom to make it easy on myself. This will give you quite tall blondies with high sides, which I personally love. Lots of room for these blondies to be generously studded with the fruit mince. If you don’t have a square pan, a regular brownie pan is more than fine but your blondies may be a little less tall on the sides. You will want to line whichever pan you’re using with some non-stick baking paper.

Now, the fun part. Start mixing everything in one large bowl starting with the melted butter and sugar, then eggs, vanilla. The dry ingredients go in next, which is your flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Portion out half of the fruit mince mixture – this recipe will make more than you need but keep the rest for a second batch of blondies or to swirl through no-churn ice cream (so good).

Fold through half of what’s remaining through the blondie mixture and pour into the prepared baking pan. Dollop the rest over the top and now it’s time to bake!

Bake for about 45 minutes – 1 hour. My batch took a little longer because my square pan was deeper but as with regular brownies, under-baking these a little is just fine. They should be set and lightly golden on top. Allow them to cool completely in the pan before you remove and cut them up. Don’t be impatient here, because they will fall apart.

That’s it! I absolutely love the texture of these blondies – rich and fudgy, studded with tasty plump fruit. You can choose to serve in a stack at your Christmas gathering or keep them on hand in case unexpected guests come around. You could also package them in little cellophane bags to give as lovely homemade gifts. They’re also really, really good with some ice cream or custard!

Fruit Mince Blondies

These fudgy Fruit Mince Blondies make a delicious Christmas dessert or a lovely homemade gift. They are generously studded with spiced fruit and are so easy to make – no mixer required!

Course Bars, Brownies and Blondies, Cake, Dessert

Keyword Bars, Brownies and Blondies, Cake, Christmas, Slices

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 16

Ingredients

Fruit Mince (you will use half of this in the blondie recipe and have some left over)

200 g sultanas
100 g dried cranberries
80 g dates, de-seeded and chopped
80 g dried apricots or peaches, finely chopped
150 g brown sugar
1 apple, grated
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice (or mixed spice)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 teaspoon grated ginger, fresh
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
50 g butter, melted
30 ml spiced rum, see note

Fruit Mince Blondie

225 g butter, melted
440 g light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
250 g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

To make the fruit mince filling mixture, place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well to fully combine. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to infuse. You can make this days ahead and keep covered in the fridge if you like!
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 21cm (8 inch) square baking pan with non-stick baking paper.
To make the blondies, mix melted butter with brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and cinnamon.
Divide fruit mince filling in half. We will only be using half of it for this recipe. Store the remaining fruit mince in a jar or covered in the fridge.
Fold half of the remaining fruit mince into the blondie mixture and then pour into the baking pan. Dollop the other half of the fruit mince over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour, rotating the pan at the 30 minute mark. When ready, the blondie should be lightly golden on top and just set in the middle. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean or with very few crumbs sticking to it. Allow to cool completely before removing from the baking pan and cutting up. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Blood Orange and Cranberry Loaf Cake

This Blood Orange and Cranberry Loaf Cake is the perfect afternoon tea cake. It’s full of citrus flavour, loaded with tart cranberries and drizzled with a sweet pink glaze.

So many of my recipes have been inspired by the ingredients that I happen to have on hand. I don’t tend to impulse purchase clothes or handbags – I impulse buy fruit. And then of course, I have to come up with an idea to use it up. It’s my toxic trait – picking up a bunch of rhubarb with no plan for what to make… but it has led to many of my very favourite recipes like Banana Biscoff Cheesecake Muffins and Apple Miso Crumble.

This time it was Blood Oranges – homegrown and lovingly gifted from my Nanna. No way could I let those beauties go to waste! I just knew that whatever I made absolutely needed to have a pink glaze. Luckily I had a bag of frozen cranberries in my freezer!

I seem to be very inspired by Northern Hemisphere fall at the moment. I use dried cranberries so often that I buy them in bulk bags from Costco, but I had never used fresh or frozen ones before. Of course I had to taste test one on its own and was a lil shocked by how tart and sour it was! But they baked up absolutely beautifully in this delicious loaf cake and added a gorgeous colour to the glaze.

What is a loaf cake?

A loaf cake gets its name purely from the fact that it’s baked in a loaf shaped tin. But in my mind, loaf cakes have a glaze or are served unadorned. Round cakes usually have some variety of icing. Loaf cakes seem to also be able to stand up to a more dense mixture, for example a pound cake. Or as I most like to do – a cake with enough structure to be studded with fruit without it all sinking to the bottom. The sour cream in the batter keeps it moist without making the batter too thin. I absolutely love the texture that it creates.

I loved this cake in a loaf shape, but there are no rules here. You can of course make it in a round cake tin or even as cute little cupcakes. To me, loaf cakes also make the perfect afternoon tea cake.

Got friends coming over? This cake can be put together in about an hour or so with just a hand-held mixer, a bowl and a zester. Add the pretty pink Cranberry and Blood Orange Glaze and cut into generous slices as your guests arrive. Believe me when I say this cake is perfect with a cup of your favourite tea. If you can find a tea on the same flavour spectrum with some fruity cranberry, pomegranate or orange even better.

I used the base recipe from another cake I’ve blogged before, which shows that it can be adapted with ease. If the original Blueberry, Lemon and Thyme Cake is the spring/summer version, then this Blood Orange and Cranberry Loaf Cake has serious autumn/winter vibes. But you could use definitely this recipe with other flavourings and fresh or frozen berries too!

Blood Orange and Cranberry Loaf Cake

This Blood Orange and Cranberry Loaf Cake is the perfect afternoon tea cake. It’s full of citrus flavour, loaded with tart cranberries and drizzled with a sweet pink glaze.

Course Afternoon Tea, Cake, Dessert

Keyword Afternoon Tea, Autumn, Cake, Snack, Winter

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

110 g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup 135g sour cream
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 3 blood oranges
Juice of 1 1/2 blood oranges
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen (not dried)

Blood Orange and Cranberry Glaze

1/4 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen (not dried)
Juice of 1 1/2 blood oranges
1 1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan forced (350°F). Grease and line a loaf pan with non-stick baking paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat until combined. Add the eggs and mix in one at a time until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and blood orange zest. Beat until combined, being careful not to overmix. Add the fresh or frozen cranberries and gently mix in with a spatula.
Pour the cake batter into the loaf pan and bake for around 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the loaf pan.
In the meantime, make the glaze. In a blender or Nutribullet, blend together the cranberries and blood orange juice. Strain through a sieve and reserve the juice. Sift the icing sugar in, starting with 1 cup and stir to combine. Continue to add icing sugar 1/4 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I used 1 1/2 cups of icing sugar total.
To serve, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cake to cover completely. Serve in thick slices with a cup of your favourite tea.
You can store the cake unglazed in an air-tight container for 1-2 days or until you’re ready to serve. Once glazed, this cake is best eaten within 2 days.

Spiced Pumpkin, Fetta and Pearl Barley Salad

We’re currently in the transition between winter and spring. We’ve had some lovely warm, sunny days, which feel lush. But thanks to La Niña today is feeling like winter again. That being said, I’m getting a lot of inspiration seeing fall recipes posted by Northern Hemisphere friends on Instagram. It feels like a nice overlap with the seasons where we can all enjoy some comfort food. Now that it’s October, pumpkins are definitely on the menu! This Spiced Pumpkin, Feta and Pearl Barley Salad is so versatile and delicious – definitely one of my new favourites that I will make over and over. Honestly I could eat this any time of year, but it’s perfect right now, no matter where you live.

Pearl barley is an underrated ingredient that I really love. You can buy a bag of pearl barley at the supermarket for just a couple of dollars, making it a super affordable grain that is also easy to prepare. Find it in the aisle with the dried beans and pulses. Pearl barley is often used in soups and even as an alternative to rice. My favourite way to use it is definitely in salads. It’s slightly chewy with a nutty taste that works perfectly in a textural salad like this one.

Adding to the textures and flavours are sweet chewy dried cranberries and crunchy pecans. Sliced spring onions and a whole heap of parsley and mint provide freshness. The dressing is a simple one – just add the ingredients to a jar and shake it up. We have the usual suspects of olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice with some Dijon mustard and honey to round out the flavours. And then on top, my favourite part – the crumbled fetta cheese that adds saltiness and creaminess and brings it all together.

Now let’s talk about the pumpkin. I love roasting large wedges for this salad, which makes it fun to serve family style as a shared side dish. I brushed the cut pumpkins with olive oil that I mixed with cinnamon, sumac, garam masala, salt and pepper. The pumpkin is basted on all sides a few additional times with the spiced oil as it cooks in the oven. It turns soft and sweet in the oven with a crisped up edge and great flavour thanks to the spices.

I keep thinking that this Pearl Barley salad would make an awesome Thanksgiving dish – the flavours of pumpkin, pecan and cranberries scream fall! I can definitely imagine this side dish alongside the traditional turkey and pumpkin pie.

BUT it also would be really good for meal prep! Not only is it economical to make, but it will easily last several days in the fridge. After I shot these photos, I had so much leftover and I hate wasting food. So I ate this salad for lunch for several days and it didn’t get sad and soggy. The salad maintained all its textural integrity and continued to taste good. It’s satisfying, filling and you can adapt it in so many ways…

Can I make substitutions in this Pearl Barley Salad?

Absolutely! I always love to add some suggestions of ways to change things up. You can adapt the recipe with ease to keep it feeling fresh whenever you make it.

Pearl Barley – If you don’t have pearl barley on hand you could substitute farro. It’s the most similar grain and can be used interchangeably. Pearl or Israeli couscous are small balls of toasted semolina and would also work really well in this salad. For a gluten free option, cooked quinoa or rice could be delicious but the texture will change. As another wild idea, you could even turn this into a pasta salad using your favourite short pasta shape, cooked and cooled.

Cranberries – I’d love to try this salad with fresh pomegranate arils as well or instead of the cranberries. Pomegranate would add a similar tart sweetness and look really pretty. You could also try other dried fruit like sour cherries or raisins.

Pecans – Try pepitas, roasted almonds or walnuts. Or if you have a nut allergy, you could roast some chickpeas until just crisp with the same spiced oil as the pumpkins and add them in. Yum!!

Protein – You can absolutely serve this as a side salad along any kind of roasted meat. Or turn it into a main dish with some grilled chicken, lamb cutlets or crispy tofu on top. I also loved this Pearl Barley Salad with grilled haloumi.

Pumpkin – Well, this salad is all about the pumpkin but you could definitely substitute different varieties of pumpkin, squash or sweet potato. Don’t be afraid of all the spices – they work really well with the sweet pumpkin.

Spiced Pumpkin, Fetta and Pearl Barley Salad

This Spiced Pumpkin, Fetta and Pearl Barley Salad is an excellent and economical fall, winter or Thanksgiving side dish with lots of textures and delicious seasonal flavours.

Course lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Keyword Autumn, Salad, Side Dish, Winter

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 5

Ingredients

1/4 Kent pumpkin (roughly 900 grams)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
1 teaspoon garam masala
Salt & pepper

Salad

1 cup pearl barley
4 cups water
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
2 stalks spring onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup combined fresh mint and parsley, finely sliced
1/2 cup Danish Fetta, crumbled
Extra parsley and mint, to garnish

Dressing

1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
Salt & Pepper
Honey

Instructions

First, cook the pearl barley. Place barley into a medium saucepan (that has room for barley to expand) with 3 cups of water. Cook covered with a lid on medium heat for about 30-35 minutes or until barley is soft but chewy and expanded in size. You will need to check on this a few times during cooking to make sure the water is not evaporating too quickly – add another 1/2 cup if it is. The water should be mostly or completely absorbed by the time the barley is cooked. Drain and rinse with cool water and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
To make the spiced oil, place 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl with cinnamon, sumac, garam masala, a large pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper. Stir to combine.
While the barley is cooking, prepare the pumpkin. I cut my unpeeled pumpkin into 5 large wedges but you could also peel and cut into 2cm cubes if you prefer. Place onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and brush with the spiced oil. Bake in the oven, basting every 20 minutes for about 50-60 minutes, flipping the pumpkin wedges over halfway and rotating the oven tray so they cook evenly.
To make the dressing place 1/3 cup of olive oil into a medium jar with the mustard, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, honey and salt and pepper. Secure the lid and give it a shake and then taste. Add more of any ingredient to your personal liking. Set aside until ready to assemble the salad.
To assemble the salad, place the cooked and cooled pearl barley into a large bowl, then add cranberries, pecans, spring onion and sliced herbs and toss to combine. Add half the dressing, some salt and pepper and toss again. Place the cooked pumpkin wedges on top and scatter with crumbled fetta and extra parsley and mint leaves. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and serve.

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