Lemonpi

To say that I am thrilled to have Yuie from Lemonpi guest blog today is an understatement. I am honored that she jumped right in when I asked and look at that dessert she made for the occasion!
We don’t know each other much outside our blog but I have been following hers for quite some time and it is always a feast for the eyes and a delight for the brain. I love her sense of humor and the girl is extremely talented. Her ideas are always fresh and her plating is exquisite. Could I have a little bit of a blog crush? Oh yes…Everytime I visit her blog I want to scream "Somebody give this gal prime position in a pastry kitchen!" She is too good to be someone’s assistant!
Let your eyes wander upon her latest creation and recipe right after the jump, and please tell me you agree: talent…

Where is your country? he said.
I dont know, said John Grady. I dont know where it is.
I dont know what happens to country.

–All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

I’ve been feeling nervous about guest-posting for Helen this week. It’s a little like being asked to do a jig to entertain the crowd before Michael Jackson turns up to do the moonwalk. You just know it’s going to be a tough crowd.

Add my fear of public speaking into that mixing bowl, and you have one big cake of anxiety. In fact, I still clearly remember the last time I was required to give a presentation. It was at school, and the topic was Conflict Resolution. I was so fearful of having to stand in front of a whole class, that I didn’t. Instead, I gave my presentation using sock puppets, so that I could hide under the desk and let my hands do the talking instead. My sock-puppet-chefs, fought, exchanged strong words, came to blows and finally resolved their conflict. I even stapled turkey frills to each sock, to indicate chef hats.

But anyway.

For this guest appearance, I thought I would come up with something that I hope embraces the spirit of 'Tartelette'. One of the reasons why I love Helen’s blog is because she has a really strong sense of self. Her desserts are firmly embedded in the seasons from which they’re conceived and they lovingly recall aspects of her childhood and her current life.

I was born in a tropical country and didn’t exactly spend my early childhood surrounded by rustic baking or elaborate pastries (I wish). Now that I have been living in Australia for so many years however, I feel so much a part of the culture and way of life. This is home.

I’ve made something in honour of Anzac Day which is observed every year in Australia on the 25th of April. My dessert, 'The Anzac' essentially consists of a sticky oatmeal tart topped with a layer of coconut bavarian and Anzac 'streussel'. Bursting with coconut, oats and golden syrup, it celebrates the textures and flavours of the famous Anzac biscuit/cookie.

Hope you enjoyed the brief sugar rush, and thank you for bearing with me. Don’t worry, Michael Jackson won’t be too long now. (Helen? Helen?? …)

One year ago: Polka Dot Matcha Tea Cake.
Two years ago: Litchee Rose Parfaits and Orange Blossom Macarons.'The Anzac' Recipe :
(makes two 6 ½” tarts)

For the Anzac biscuits/cookies:
Recipe is here. Either bake as cookies and later crumble what you need into pieces to use as the tart topping, or scatter the raw mixture on a baking tray as you would a streussel, and bake it that way.

For the tarts:
2 x 6 1/2” tart cases, blind baked

310g golden syrup
85g quick-cooking rolled oats
60g ground almonds
1 large egg
150ml thick cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ a vanilla bean, scraped)
2 tablespoons strawberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
Place the tart cases on a baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of jam into each tart case. Put the rest of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Divide the filling between the tart cases. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300F (150C) and bake for a further 20 minutes until the browned and set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Helen’s recipe for coconut bavarian:
1 tablespoon (7gr) powdered gelatin
3 tablespoons water
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
1 cup (250ml) heavy cream, cold

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand to soften while you prepare the cream. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until very pale. In the meantime, in a medium large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a simmer. Slowly pour the milk over the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent them from curdling. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium low heat and cook until the cream coats the back of a spoon (as if making creme anglaise). Add the softened gelatin and stir until melted completely into the cream. Let cool to room temperature. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to soft peaks on medium speed and fold it into the cooled cream base. Pour this mixture into two
6” rings (1 1/4” high) lined with acetate. Chill overnight.

To assemble:
Unmould the bavarians and place it on top of the tarts. Top each bavarian with the crumbled Anzac biscuits/cookies. Dust with icing sugar and serve..