Baking and desserts always means family and celebrating to Liliana Battle.
Battle, who grew up in a Calabrese family and appeared on Australian MasterChef, believes baking and desserts are about sharing.
''I grew up in an Italian family where the cookie jar was always full of biscuits.''
For her latest book, The Sweet Life: Home-baking and Sweet Treats Italian Style, she researched her favourite Italian recipes and came up with a mix of old and new: adaptions of the classics and some borrowed from other cultures and given an Italian spin.
A big believer in ''everything in moderation'', she says sweets are not intended to be eaten every day, but when a person does indulge it should not be with guilt.
''Make these treats for special times, when you want to celebrate with others.''
In the book there are biscuits, everyday cakes, tarts, chocolate cupcakes, pastries, right through to show-stopping celebratory cakes.
GET THE BOOK
The Sweet Life: Home-baking and Sweet Treats Italian Style, by Liliana Battle, is published by New Holland, $40. Available from bookstores or www.newhollandpublishers.com
Paris Brest
Once again I'm crossing borders and stealing this French dessert. My mother makes this often, so for me it's a family recipe. This is a real showstopper of a dessert and looks absolutely stunning and everyone always raves about it.
You can make this in one day, but I find it easiest to make the vanilla and chocolate custard creams the day before. That way, they have time to cool and set in the fridge overnight. Then I only have to worry about the pastry and assembly.
This is best served not too long after assembly, so that the pastry doesn't get soggy. However, we often make the whole thing hours in advance and it's still delicious. No-one complains about the texture when they reach in for leftovers the next day either!
Serves 12
Ingredients
1 quantity choux pastry dough (see below)
1 quantity vanilla custard cream (see below)
1 quantity chocolate custard cream (see below)
100g dark chocolate, melted
50g flaked almonds, toasted
Choux pastry
125g butter, chopped
250ml water
150g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
4 eggs
Vanilla custard cream
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp cornflour
2 Tbsp custard powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
500ml whole milk
Chocolate custard cream
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp cornflour
2 Tbsp custard powder
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
500ml whole milk
Method
Preheat your oven to 210degC. Line a large oven tray with baking paper. Spoon dollops of the choux pastry dough into a large circle around 25cm round and 4-5cm high.
Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 180degC and cook for a further 50 minutes, or until golden, dry and crisp. Turn the oven off and leave the pastry in the oven for a further 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and turn the oven back on to 180degC. Line a second oven tray with baking paper.
Using a serrated knife, carefully cut the cooked pastry round in half horizontally. You need to do this while it's still warm or it may crack as you try to cut it.
Place cut side up on the two oven trays and cook for 5 minutes to dry out the interior.
If there is any soft dough remaining just scrape it out and discard. Set aside to cool completely.
Place the base of the Paris Brest on a serving plate. Generously dollop the vanilla and chocolate custard over the top.
I like to alternate the blobs of custard, but you can layer it if you like. Place the second half on top, drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds
Choux pastry
Put the butter and water into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is boiling.
Add the plain flour and baking powder all at once and stir quickly with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball.
This should only take a few minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and using an electric mixer on low-medium speed, mix for 30 seconds to help it cool. Add the eggs, one at a time, while the mixer is still beating, making sure each egg is incorporated before you add the next.
Increase speed to medium-high and continue beating until the dough is thick and glossy (around 4-5 minutes). It's now ready to use.
This batch of choux pastry will make 12 cream puffs
Vanilla/chocolate custard cream
Put all the ingredients apart from the milk into a bowl. Use a whisk to combine into a thick smooth paste.
Add the milk and whisk to combine.
Transfer mixture into a medium saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened. This takes around 7 minutes.
Remove from the heat and tip into a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly then cover with cling-film, pressing directly on to the surface to stop a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool. The mixture will thicken further as it cools.
Before using, beat the custard cream until smooth.
Ferrero Rocher horns
My family has been making these puff pastry horns for as long as I can remember. We usually fill them with vanilla custard, but this version packs a chocolate nutty crunch with the addition of crushed Ferrero Rochers.
I rarely make my own puff pastry, as it is very time-consuming. Buying good-quality butter puff pastry gives great results and makes these quick and easy to make. You will need stainless steel forms to make these pastries, available in most kitchenware stores.
Makes 24
Ingredients
4 sheets puff pastry (store bought)
220g sugar
150g dark chocolate, chopped
150g hazelnuts, skinless, toasted and finely chopped
500g ricotta, drained
300ml Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)
¾ tsp vanilla extract
150g icing sugar
10 Ferrero Rochers, finely chopped
icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat your oven to 180degC.
Line two large oven trays with baking paper.
Place the sugar into a shallow dish. Grease the forms with a little oil. I find the easiest way to do this is with olive oil spray, just a light spray is all you need.
This ensures the pastry slides off the form once it's cooked.
Cut the pastry sheets into 2cm strips and, starting at the base, wrap each form in pastry, overlapping as you go to ensure it's completely sealed.
I find two strips is just right per form, when the first one ends, just add the second piece, overlapping a little to join it together.
Gently roll the pastry into a little sugar and place on the oven tray, leaving a little room in-between, as the pastry will puff up as it cooks.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then using a tea-towel, so you don't burn your hands, slide the pastry off the form and set aside to cool completely.
You can make these in advance and store in a sealed container for up to a week.
Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, or in 20 second bursts, stirring in-between bursts in the microwave until smooth.
Place the chopped hazelnuts in a shallow bowl. Dunk the tops of the horns in the melted chocolate, then in the hazelnuts so that the nuts stick to the rim.
Place on a wire rack to set.
Put the ricotta, Nutella and vanilla in a bowl and beat until smooth and well combined. Fold through the icing sugar and chopped Ferrero Rochers. Refrigerate.
When ready to serve, pipe the filling into the horns and dust with icing sugar.
Apple and almond rose tart
This gorgeous pie looks pretty as a picture. The almond filling is absolutely delicious and you could top this pie with berries, stone-fruit, pears, figs or even tinned preserves instead of the apples if you like.
But I love how the apple slices placed decoratively on this tart make it look like a giant rose.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
100g butter, room temperature, diced
100g icing sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp honey
100g almond meal
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 quantity basic shortcrust pastry (see below)
3 Tbsp apricot jam
icing sugar, for dusting
Basic shortcrust pastry
300g plain flour
60g icing sugar
rind of ½ a lemon, finely grated
pinch of salt
175g cold butter, diced
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
Method
Place the butter, icing sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the yolks, honey, almond meal and flour and continue mixing until well combined. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 200degC.
Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper to fit a 23cm round tart tin.
Peel one sheet of baking paper off and flip the pastry into your tin. Remove the second sheet and use your fingers to press the pastry in.
Cut off excess; prick the base all over with a fork and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or the freezer for 10 minutes, to chill.
Line the pastry-lined tart tin with baking paper and ceramic weights, rice or dried beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and cook for a further 5-7 minutes or until light golden. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cut the apples in half and remove the cores. Slice as thinly as you can, use a mandolin if you like. Squeeze lemon juice over and toss to coat to stop them from browning.
Spread the almond filling into the tart. Arrange the apple slices to resemble petals around the top of the almond filling. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the almond filling is set, the apples are golden and the pastry is crisp and golden.
Heat the jam briefly in a microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat and gently brush all over the apples while still hot. Set aside to cool completely before removing from the tin.
Serve dusted with icing sugar.
Basic shortcrust pastry
Making your own pastry is simple, and home-made always tastes that little bit better and it's more satisfying too.
The key to making pastry dough is to keep all the ingredients as cold as possible. I even store my flour in the fridge. Also, the dough should not be over-worked.
It just needs to come together. The less you handle it, the better it will turn out. My preference is to use a food processor to make the dough.
Method
Put the flour, icing sugar, lemon rind and salt in the bowl and pulse the food processor to combine.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. This will only take seconds.
Add the egg and vanilla and pulse again just until the mixture clings together to form a dough. If it seems dry and is not coming together, you can add 1-2 tablespoon of cold water.
Remove from the bowl and press the pastry into a disk. Wrap tightly with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
