Rasperry, Lychee, White Chocolate & Honey...

Cake? Torte? Layered extravaganza? Damn nice, that's what it was!

It's Christmas!

For the last few years instead of other gifts, I've been making little decorated Christmas cakes for my friends at Christmas.

I started a few weeks ahead, doing it in sessions, as a fair few hours can be whiled away...

Coloured cocoa butter

I've been interested in using this for quite some time. You see prettily coloured artisan chocolates, but for when we do decorated choccy cakes at school, I've wanted to have a go at achieving that characteristic glossy coloured sheen to see if it's applicable for decorations.

Dessert time!

Oh my gosh time has been flying by and I seem to have been consumed with eggs and bacon! But not your regular eggs made out of eggs and toast made out of bread kind...no...
I've been testing out a recipe from Darren Purchese's book, "Sweet Studio" (note: must visit the store next time I'm in Melbourne).

Upside-down quince cake

The humble quince...looks like a cross between a pear and an apple. And not nice to eat raw.

 

Photo by Sarah Ryan

But make up a nice vanilla bean sugar syrup and poach it for a few hours...and watch it change to a glorious jewel-like ruby pink-red colour.

 

                                    Photo by Sarah Ryan                                          Photo by Sarah Ryan
I was making an upside down cake so I sprinkled some brown sugar on the base and lined the tin with the sliced poached quince.