Buttermilk Rice Pudding

2 cups coconut cream
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups white long grain rice
1 tsp ground cardamom
Zest of one large orange
1 vanilla pod, halved and scraped

Method

1. In a large heavy-based saucepan add all ingredients and slowly bring to a simmer.

2. Reduce heat to very low and continue to cook, stirring continuously for 40-50 minutes until rice is soft.

Note: You can control the consistency of the rice pudding by adding additional milk where required.

To Serve

Spoon portions of cooked rice pudding into ceramic cups or ramekins, filling completely and levelling flat with the back of a spoon.

Evenly sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the rice pudding and caramelise the sugar to create a crust, either using a professional kitchen blow torch or a very hot metal spoon heated by a gas flame. Be careful with any naked flame and if using a heated spoon protect hands with oven mitts.

Baklava Wafer

5 sheets filo pastry
5 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
Zest of one large orange
¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cloves, crushed to powder
¼ cup raw sugar

Preheat over to 160C

Method

1. In a small saucepan melt butter, honey, then add orange zest.

2. In a small bowl add chopped walnuts, chopped pistachios, sugar, cinnamon and cloves and toss until well combined. Reserve one-third for later.

3. Using a flat oven tray lined with baking paper, place one sheet of filo pastry on top of the paper and brush with melted honey-and-orange-flavoured butter.

4. Lightly sprinkle a quarter of the remaining spiced nut mixture evenly onto the buttered pastry.

5. Place another sheet of filo pastry on top of your first pastry, butter and spiced nut layer and repeat the process until you top the fourth layer with the fifth sheet of filo pastry.

6. On the top pastry layer add more flavoured butter and the reserved third of the spice nut mixture. (Yes, the top layer should be more heavily coated in nuts than previous layers.)

7. Place a second piece of baking paper over the layered filo and weigh it down with a second flat oven tray.

8. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

9. Remove from oven, and slide the complete baklava wafer sheet onto a chopping board. While still warm cut into wafer rectangles.

10. Allow to cool at room temperature to become crispy.

Turkish Delight

4 cups caster sugar
4 cups water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp gelatine powder
130g cornflour
1 tsp cream of tartar
3 tsp rosewater essence
¼ tsp red food colouring
300g icing sugar, sifted, used for dusting

Method

1. Line a 1-inch deep (2.5cm) baking tray with baking paper, allowing the sides to overhang.

2. Place the sugar and 2 cups of the water in a large heavy-based saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook without stirring (at this stage). Occasionally brush down the inside of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush to avoid sugar crystallising.

3. Continue to cook for approximately 20 minutes, or if using a sugar thermometer until the temperature reaches 120C. At this stage, stir in lemon juice, remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a second large saucepan, place the gelatine, cornflour and cream of tartar; and using a large balloon whisk, slowly whisk in the remaining water to form a paste.

5. Place the saucepan on medium heat and continue to whisk for 3-5 minutes until the mixture boils and thickens.

6. Next, slowly pour in the sugar syrup, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. At this stage add the red food colouring.

7. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking to the base of the pan. Cook for a further 30-40 minutes (or, if using a sugar thermometer, until the temperature reaches 110C).

8. Remove from heat and whisk in rosewater essence.

9. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.

10. Remove the Turkish delight from the refrigerator, chop into cubes with a greased knife and toss the cubes in the icing sugar until well coated.

Sugared Rose Petals

Freshly picked rose petals
2 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar

Method

Whisk egg whites until fluffy, paint freshly picked rose petals with egg whites and lightly dust with caster sugar. Allow to dry on a wire baking rack for at least 24 hours.

To Serve

Serve the buttermilk rice pudding with a baklava wafer on top, and dress the plate with Turkish delight, crystallised rose petals and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

French Toast (Sourdough) with bush honey, lemon ricotta, spice-poached blackberries and pawpaw ribbons

Serves 2

French Toast

4 x 1cm thick slices of
fresh sourdough bread
160ml full cream milk
3 eggs, lightly whisked
¼ cup Beechworth Honey’s Bee Fruity Blue Gum Honey
Pinch ground cinnamon
60g unsalted butter

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, eggs, honey and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined.

2. Dip the slices of sourdough into the egg mixture to coat evenly.

3. In a frying pan, melt half the butter over medium heat, then cook two slices of egg-coated bread, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Next, add the remaining butter and cook the second batch of sourdough slices.

Ricotta Whip

250g ricotta cheese
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp Beechworth Honey’s Bee Fruity Blue Gum Honey

Method

1. Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk ingredients vigorously until combined, and the ricotta becomes light and fluffy.

Thyme-roasted Blackberries

250g punnet fresh blackberries
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tbsp Beechworth Honey’s Bee Fruity Blue Gum Honey

Preheat oven to 180C

Method

1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and evenly scatter the blackberries on top.

2. Place thyme sprigs randomly on top of the berries and drizzle with honey.

3. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the berries collapse slightly.

4. Remove from oven; allow to cool slightly.

To Serve

Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to make 20 paw paw ribbons (10 per plate).
Bee Fruity Blue Gum Honey (to drizzle)

Arrange your French toast pieces on two plates, top each with thyme roasted blackberries and paw paw ribbons. Spoon a generous amount of ricotta whip onto each plate. Drizzle with honey.

Haupia (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding)

1½ cups coconut milk
1½ cups water
½ cup sugar
¾ cup corn starch
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Freshly shaved coconut to serve

Method

1. Combine cornstarch, sugar, water and coconut milk. Stir until smooth, then add vanilla bean and seeds.

2. Stir over medium heat until thickened.

3. Lower heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

4. Pour into a flat pan. Refrigerate until set.

Mango Coulis

The simplest way to make a mango coulis is to combine puréed mango flesh, sugar, water, plus a small amount of lemon or lime juice for bite. We’re not providing a strict recipe here, as the ingredients can be blended for taste as it’s prepared. We recommend, however, that you go easy on the sugar! If you’d like some extra flavour, we recommend a touch of ground cardamom to taste.

Lemon Lime Granita

200g caster sugar
550ml cold water
Juice and zest of 2 lemons
Juice and zest of 2 limes

Method

1. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. Add lemon and lime juice and zest and stir through.

4. When completely cooled, pour into a shallow container and place in the freezer.

5. Every few hours remove from the freezer and, with a fork, scrape lightly to create frozen lemon-lime ice crystals, mixing them into the remaining liquid; return to the freezer and continue this step every few hours until all liquid has formed ice crystals.

To Serve

Place a square of Haupia on top of a generous base of mango coulis. Garnish with fresh-shaved coconut flesh. Serve with a side of fresh-cut tropical fruits, including star fruit, lychees, mango, dragon fruit, pomegranate seeds, and a side of lemon-lime granita.

Makes 4 individual puddings

4 eggs
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 cups full cream milk
300ml thickened cream
4 small brioche buns – see recipe
50g softened unsalted butter
1 small punnet of raspberries
1 small punnet of blackberries
½ cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1 small tub of Meander Valley Clotted Cream
cumquat marmalade to serve
chopped pistachio nuts to garnish

Preheat oven to 180C, grease four individual serving size ramekins with unsalted butter.

Method

1. In a large bowl, add the eggs, caster sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, milk and cream and whisk until well incorporated.

2. Slice each brioche bun into three even slices and spread butter on both sides of each slice.

3. Place one piece of buttered brioche into the base of each ramekin, ensuring that each piece is pressed down tightly.

4. Add two blackberries and two raspberries on top of the first layer of butter brioche; repeat for all ramekins.

5. Pour a small amount of the egg mixture into each ramekin to cover the fruit.

6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 two more times to layer up the puddings.

7. Evenly scatter an equal amount of dried cranberries on top of each pudding, top with a sprinkling of demerara sugar.

8. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden and set.

To Serve

Top puddings with a dollop of clotted cream and cumquat marmalade and garnish with chopped pistachio nuts.

This recipe from Le Corden Bleu’s Melbourne Technical Director Tom Milligan is an eye-catching and remarkable dish, highlighting the creativity possible with ingredients such as lemon aspen powder.

Lemon Aspen and Leatherwood honey cheesecake, yellow peach and rosella syrup coulis, Macadamia nut nougatine

Serves 8

5 egg yolks
200g Leatherwood honey
125ml water
1lt thickened cream (whipped to soft peaks)
500g organic quark cheese (Cream cheese is ok)
15g leaf gelatine (Fish gelatine or vego)
200ml Honey syrup (equal parts honey and water)
1 level dessert spoon lemon aspen powder 

Method

1. Combine the Leatherwood honey and lemon aspen with the water and warm on the stove until the honey and lemon aspen has dissolved.

2. Whilst still warm, combine the liquid with the egg yolks and whisk using an electric mixer on a high speed until the egg yolks double in volume and form a sabayon.

3. Dissolve the gelatine in the honey syrup. Mix the warm gelatine through the sabayon

4. Soften the quark and combine the cheese with the sabayon (in three stages); for the first third – combine thoroughly – then fold through the second and; third (American cheesecake style).

5. Once all combined, fold through the whipped cream and flavourings.

Note: both the cheese mixture and the whipped cream should be of similar consistency when folding together.

6. Place in moulds and set in the fridge.

Macadamia Nut Nougatine

100g whole macadamia nuts (lightly roasted)
200g Leatherwood honey
50g unsalted butter

Method

1. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, boil the honey until 182 degrees, and the honey starts to brown.

2. Add in the roasted Macadamia nuts and mix well.

3. Add the butter and mix well, then pour out the mixture onto a lightly oiled baking tray and allow to cool. Once cold, smash up the nougatine into small pieces and place it in an airtight container.

Yellow Peach and Rosella Coulis

100g yellow peach puree
100g Leatherwood honey
5ml Rosella extract

Method

1. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, boil the peach puree and honey together for 5 to 7 minutes and remove from the stove.

2. Strain the contents through a fine strainer, add the rosella extract and allow to cool and store for later use.

To Serve

Remove the Fromage blanc from the moulds and dip each end in poppy seed. Place each of the Fromage blanc onto a presentation plate and garnish with the macadamia nut nougatine and the coulis and serve.

Crêpes Suzette with Vanilla Mascarpone

Crêpe Batter

Makes 12 crêpes

150g self-raising flour or Gluten-Free Flour (rice flour corned flour combined, commercially available)
3 free-range eggs
300ml milk
¼ cup skim milk powder
Pinch salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Extra melted butter or sunflower oil for cooking

Method

1. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, gently warm the milk and melt the butter. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl add self-raising flour, skim milk powder and a pinch of salt; make a well in the middle and add the eggs.

3. Using an electric beater or hand beater, add the milk and melted butter and beat until a smooth batter has formed. Test the batter texture with a ladle, by lifting some of the batters and pouring it back into the bowl. The batter should be smooth and runny, neither too thick nor too watery thin.

4. Heat a 30cm nonstick crêpe pan or skillet over medium to high heat. Lightly coat with melted butter or a drop of sunflower oil. Add one-third of a cup, a medium-sized ladleful of batter to the pan and swirl to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until the underside of crêpe is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Loosen the edge of the crêpe with a thin metal spatula, then quickly flip. Cook for an additional minute. Slide the crêpe out of the pan and paint with melted butter and repeat with the remaining batter. (Coat pan with additional butter or oil as needed.)

You should make about a dozen crêpes with this amount of batter. Ideally, let them stand in the oven at 30-40C to keep the crêpes warm.

Suzette Sauce

200g sugar
2 tbsp water
70g unsalted butter
300ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Zest of 2 oranges
3-4 candied clementines or mandarines
6 tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur

Method

1. In a large frying pan, over low heat, add the sugar and water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

2. Add the butter and increase the heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

3. Add the orange juice and zest and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the Grand Marnier and sliced fruit and continue to simmer to reduce liquid slightly.

Vanilla Bean Mascarpone

200 mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped

Method

Place in a bowl and condone all ingredients well.

To Flambé  & Serve

Extra Grand Marnier liqueur to flambé
Fambé pan and table trolly
Matches

1. Using a flambé pan (tableside), add 3-4 triangle-folded crêpes and soak a generous amount of Suzette sauce. Heat Grand Marnier and flambé. To do so, scratch a match and approach the hot sauce with alcohol. Flames will suddenly appear and after a few minutes the alcohol will burn off.

2. To serve, place the crêpes in the centre of a plate. Top with the Suzette sauce and several clementines or mandarines segments to garnish the crêpes. Add a large dollop of vanilla bean mascarpone and drizzle with an extra cap measure of Grand Marnier liqueur.

Serves 2, in large stacks

1½ cups self raising flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
⅔ cup caster sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
1½ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 whole eggs
Unsalted butter, for greasing

Method

1. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.

2. Place a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and lightly grease with butter. Cook quarter cupfuls of the mixture, or one measure of a large kitchen spoon, in batches, for 3-4 minutes, cooking each side until golden brown.

3. Set aside in a warm place, ready for serving.

Bubble Wrap Mould, Dark Chocolate Garnish

200g 70% cacao dark chocolate
1 tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp nutmeg
Cocoa powder for dusting
Clean sheet of small diameter bubble wrap plastic

Method

1. Melt the chocolate slowly over a bain marie.

2. Gently fold in the cinnamon and nutmeg until well incorporated.

3. Using a baker’s spatula, evenly spread the melted chocolate over the bubble wrap.

4. Allow to cool slightly, then place on a metal tray and then place in a refrigerator to set.

5. Once set the bubble wrap can be peeled away from the chocolate garnish. The chocolate can be cracked into smaller pieces ready for serving. Dust the pieces lightly with cocoa powder before assembling the pancakes.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Makes 300ml

75g unsalted butter, diced
50g soft brown sugar
50g caster sugar
50g golden syrup
1 vanilla pod scraped
125ml thickened cream
½ tsp Murray River Salt

Method

1. In a small heavy-base saucepan over low heat add butter, sugars, golden syrup, scraped vanilla pod and seeds; simmer for 3 minutes. Swirl occasionally.

2. Slowly pour and stir in cream, continue to stir until it begins to simmer. Reduce for 2-3 minutes to thicken.

3. Season with Murray River salt.

Note: The caramel sauce will continue to thicken once cooled.

Vanilla Cream

300ml thickened cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped

Method

Whip cream and vanilla seeds together until soft peaks form.

To Serve

2 medium-sized bananas,
peeled and sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter

1. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the butter, allow to melt and warm until foaming.

2. Add the bananas and gently cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.

3. Remove cooked bananas from the pan and set aside.

4. Assemble your pancake stack by layering each pancake with cooked bananas and dollops of vanilla cream.

5. Top the pancakes with a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce and garnish with bubble wrap dark chocolate pieces.

Smashed Queen Garnet Plum Pavlova
This Queen Garnet plum  and ‘smashed’ (plum nectar) pavlova is a fresh, flavoursome and modern alternative.

Serves: 6-8

6 egg whites
1½ cups caster sugar
1½ teaspoons white vinegar
1½ cups thickened cream
2 tablespoons Queen Garnet Plum Nectar + another 2 tablespoons
Queen Garnet Plums for decorating

Method

Preheat oven to 120°C.

1. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.

2. Slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting 30 seconds between each spoonful. Once all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and whisk for a further 5 minutes or until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

3. Add the vinegar and whisk for 4 minutes or until glossy and combined.

4. Pile spoonfuls of the meringue onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and, shape to form a large mound. Drizzle meringue with Queen Garnet Plum Nectar and swirl gently with the back of a spoon.

5. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until dry and crisp to the touch.

6. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven, or overnight.

7. Whip cream until thick.

To Serve

Place the pavlova on a cake stand or plate and top with the cream, more swirled Queen Garnet Plum Nectar and sliced fresh plums.

Autumn/Winter Waffles with poached pears, pecan crumble, salted caramel sauce and ricotta and crystallised ginger ice-cream

Serves 6

Waffle Batter

1 cup plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
½ cup melted butter
1 cup full-cream milk

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.

2. Whisk egg whites until moderately stiff. Set aside.

3. In second bowl, mix together milk, melted butter and egg yolks.

4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.

5. Now fold the egg whites into the waffle batter.

6. Heat waffle iron, ladle in mixture and bake until golden.

Poached Pears

4 cups water
3 cups caster sugar
2 cinnamon quills
1 vanilla pod, halved and scraped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 sprigs thyme
5 pears, peeled, halved and cored

Method

1. Place all ingredients except the pears in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Reduce heat to a simmer, add pears and poach until soft.

3. Allow pears to cool in liquid to infuse flavours.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Makes approximately 500ml

1½ cups caster sugar
125ml water
130g brown sugar
300ml thickened cream
Salt to taste

Method

1. In a medium, heavy-based saucepan add the sugar and water and stir over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook until the sugar and water change to a golden caramel colour. This should take between 5 and 8 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar and thickened cream.

3. Return to heat and boil for 1-2 minutes allowing the brown sugar to dissolve.

4. Remove from heat and season with salt. Allow to cool before serving.

To Serve

Freshly baked waffles
Poached pears, strained
Salted caramel sauce
Ricotta and crystallised ginger ice-cream (refer to recipe online: https://essentialsmagazine.com.au/recipes/ricotta-and-crystallised-ginger-ice-cream/)

Serving Method

Layer waffles with poached pears, pecan crumble, drizzle of salted caramel sauce and a generous scoop of ricotta and crystallised ginger ice-cream.

Chocolate Tarts with Raspberries and Muscat Syrup

Makes eight 12cm fluted tarts

Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry

2 cups (300g) plain flour
¹⁄₃ cup (35g) cocoa
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
180g cold unsalted butter, cubed
Pinch of salt
2 eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 220C

1. Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, butter and salt in food processor. Pulse until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing further. Do not over mix.

3. Turn dough out onto clean bench, and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 15 minutes (minimum), ideally 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Roll out dough on a floured surface and place into tart/pie shells if making small individual pies, or line one large shell.

5. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Filling

300g dark chocolate, melted
150ml cream
150ml milk
¼ cup muscat wine
1 vanilla pod, split
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

Preheat oven to 180C

1. Heat milk and cream (with split vanilla pod and muscat) until just before a simmer, add melted chocolate and still until well combined.

2. Remove from heat and quickly stir in eggs and mix until well combined.

3. Pour filling into chocolate shortcrust bases and bake for approximately 10 minutes (individual pies) or 15 minutes (large pie). Cool completely before adding glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

4 tbsp cream
100g dark chocolate
2 tsp light corn syrup
2 tbsp warm water

Method

1. Bring cream to the boil, remove from heat, add chocolate and mix well.

2. Continue working away form the heat and quickly add corn syrup and water and stir to combine. Pour over chilled tart, leave to set for 1 hour.

Note: The pie bases can be made ahead of time without adding the glaze. Make and add the glaze 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Muscat Syrup

¾ cup Muscat wine (if don’t mind parting with it!)
½ cup, plus two tbsp, of brown sugar
4 shaved strips fresh lemon zest

Method

1. Stir wine, sugar, lemon zest and ¼ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Pour syrup through a sieve into a jar, discarding the lemon zest.

3.Cool completely in refrigerator before serving.

To Serve

1 punnet fresh raspberries
muscat syrup

Top each tart with a fine arrangement of raspberries. Drizzle with muscat syrup.