There was some synchronicity to the day when at lunch I sampled the divine Vanilla and passionfruit creme brulee at Muse Canberra and then later on was informed that July 27 is actually National Creme Brulee Day.
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The team from Get Crackin’ Creme Brulee Craig Ebeling and Ashleigh Gleeson, who kicked off the pop-up business in October 2017, are going to be working out of the takeaway window at Rye Cafe in Braddon.
Indulge in a crackin’ creme brulee with a fresh vanilla bean custard which melts in your mouth and a caramel toffee top, but you will want to be quick. There will be limited numbers available so they will sell out.
Between noon and 3pm if they last that long.
If you miss out here’s a recipe from goodfood.com.au
Mandarin creme brulee (from Jeremy and Jane Strode)
Serves 4
240ml mandarin juice
160g egg yolks
60g caster sugar
400ml pouring cream
2 mandarins, peeled and membrane removed from segments
1 tbsp icing sugar
extra caster sugar
Heat oven to 115C. Reserve 40ml mandarin juice. Heat remaining juice and reduce to about 20ml, reserve. Whisk yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Stir in reduced juice and reserved fresh juice. Bring cream to the boil then pour into the yolk mixture and combine well.
Pour into 4 x 150ml-capacity ramekins. Place in a water bath and cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until just set. Remove and allow to cool before refrigerating.
Mix mandarin segments and icing sugar together and allow to sit a few minutes.
Evenly cover tops of brulees with a thin layer of caster sugar. Caramelise under a very hot grill or with a blowtorch until a deep golden brown.
Serve with mandarin segments on the side.
Young chefs impress
It was third time lucky for Nicole Samson when she teamed up with Felicia Mardo to win the ACT final of the Golden Chef’s Hat Award last week.
Samson, 24, and Mardo, 21, work together at the Hyatt Hotel Canberra and impressed judges with their menu, securing a trip to the national finals in Melbourne in September.
“I’ve entered the last two years and was keen to enter again this year,” Samson said.
“Good thing I did, I’m living proof third time’s a charm! I’m so pleased with our result, I think teamwork was key to our success.”
Samson and Mardo created a two-course menu of hickory smoked beef served with potato cake, burnt leek, carrot puree and veal jus for their main and a strawberry fraisier with vanilla crème mousse, chocolate ganache and red currant jelly for their dessert course.
The judges awarded them a silver medal, scored against globally recognised culinary standards.
The awards are Australia’s longest running culinary competition for young chefs. The first year of competition was 1965.
Mark Clayton, executive chef at Nestlé Professional, who sponsor the competition said the awards exists to support the professional development of young chefs.
“It’s about pushing yourself to become a better chef and committing to your culinary journey,” he said.
The national winners win a trip to Italy worth $15,000. Do us proud!
Christmas in July
I was kind of disappointed when I gifted myself Nigel Slater’s The Christmas Chronicles last December. Not in the book, not in any sense, but in the fact it was another sweltering December. Now in mid-winter, with Christmas in July on the cards, I’ve moved it to the bedside table, reading about frosts and plum puddings and traditions, planning menus and praying for snow. From HarperCollins, $45.
Bag lady
If you’re looking for a stylish way to deal with the plastic bag ban head along the Handmade Canberra markets on July 28-29 and check out the stalls of Anna Sutherland, Needle vs Thread, one thousands lines and Rustic Luxe Style who will all have handy totes and pouches for sale. Save the planet and look good while you’re doing it.
Back on the menu
Just like French onion soup, I’m back in favour, or should that be flavour, on the menu of GoodFood again. So many new restaurants and cafes have opened since I last did these pages, so many new faces, so it will be a hard slog to get back in the loop. If you’ve got something to tell me email me at food.wine@canberratimes.com.au
