Tag Archives: Sweet Adventures blog hops

  • Berry Nice to Meet You!

    Hello! I’m back!

    I’m still not 100% but at least the tastebud-destroying throat lozenges and heart rate-accelerating cold tablets are finito. Thank goodness for that because there has been so many nice things happening that I’ve wanted to share with you.

    First up, I’m excited to let you know that it’s time for another Sweet Adventures Blog Hop!

    For those new readers, Sweet Adventures is a group of Aussie foodbloggers – 84th & 3rd, The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader, Delicieux, Dining With a Stud, and I, The Hungry Australian, who host a monthly, dessert-themed blog hop.

    Previously, we have hosted:

    This month it was my turn to host again and I opted for beautiful berries.

    So if you blog, and like to experiment in the kitchen, we invite you join us for the Berry Nice to Meet You blog hop kicking off on Monday 20th August.

    Continue reading →

  • Nuts about Sweets: Berry Coconut Pistachio Tart

    I adore nuts but they don’t always like me back. Specifically, I’m mildly allergic to almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts. This is rather a bore but at least I can still eat peanuts and pistachios, which are my favourites in any case. I can eat roasted and salted pistachios every day, and often do.

    So pistachios were an obvious choice for this month’s Sweet Adventures‘ bloghop, Nuts about Sweets, hosted by the lovely Nic at Dining with a Stud.

    I’ve made a number of sweet treats with pistachios on this blog before – namely, Mini Berry Puddings for Busy People, Rosewater, Cardamon and Pistachio Lassi, and Mini Apricot Trifles – but I felt like baking something for this hop.

    I toyed with the idea of making pistachio macarons, pistachio biscuits or a pistachio cake but in the end went for this fabulous tart. This Berry Coconut Pistachio Tart is heavily inspired by Heidi Swanson’s Macaroon Tart from her Super Natural Ever Day cookbook.

    I made her recipe first, then I mucked around with the ingredients, quantities and method until I came up with this version. It’s an easy recipe to make and extremely delicious.

    For those new readers, Sweet Adventures is a group of Aussie foodbloggers – 84th & 3rd, The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader, Delicieux, Dining With a Stud, and I, The Hungry Australian, who host a monthly, dessert-themed blog hop. Previously, we have hosted:

    To take part in this month’s hop head over to Dining with a Stud where you can find out all about how to link up your own nut (or seed) recipe. And don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post to check out all the other nut recipes.


    Berry Coconut Pistachio Tart
     
    Author: 
    Print
    A lovely berry and coconut tart sprinkled with pistachios.
    Ingredients
    Base
    • 1 cup wholemeal flour
    • ⅓ cup shredded dried coconut
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 100 grams butter
    Filling
    • 4 egg whites (large)
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 1.5 cups frozen berries, thawed
    • ⅔ cup shredded dried coconut
    Topping
    • 80 grams roasted pistachios, shelled and crushed
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
    2. Make base by mixing flour, brown sugar, butter and coconut in a large bowl.
    3. Stir thoroughly, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.
    4. Press into a tart tin, using your fingers to press it into place.
    5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and then remove to a chopping board. Keep oven on.
    6. Meanwhile, make meringue by beating egg whites with a stand or hand mixer until peaks form.
    7. Add sugar, a little at a time, and then continue to beat until meringue is thick and glossy.
    8. Spoon ⅔rds of the berries over the tart base, spreading them evenly over the tart.
    9. Sprinkle half of the coconut over them and then fold the other half into the egg whites, being careful not to bash the air out of it.
    10. Using a spatula, spoon meringue on top of berries, smoothing down to the edges.
    11. Dot remaining ⅓ of berries on top.
    12. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until nicely brown.
    13. Remove to chopping board and let sit for 15 minutes before garnishing with chopped pistachios.

     

  • 8 Favourite Things: May 2012

    I’m a Virgo – as if you couldn’t tell – so I love making lists. Here’s my (inaugural) monthly list of things, foods, events and experiences that I’m loving this month.

    1) Tasting Australia

    The recent Tasting Australia 2012 drew some 50,000 international and Australian chefs, food media, food producers and food lovers to Adelaide, South Australia, for an 8-day festival featuring 80+ events. I’ve already posted a recipe – Red Quinces, Haloumi & Rye – inspired by my Tasting Australia media trip and will be posting many other write-ups over the next few weeks.

    2) Cooking with inspirational pros

    I’ll never forget chopping pears for a pear tart with bubbly Australian food legend Maggie Beer – see photo above – and learning how to bake bread with the charming Mark McNamara, outgoing Head Chef of Appellation at The Louise. Two extraordinary and inspiring food lovers, they’re also two of the most professional and hard-working people you’ll ever meet.

    3) My new gig as Australian and New Zealand Food Expert at About.com

    My Australian & New Zealand Food site on About.com went live last week. Check out some of my articles and recipes including 72 Hours in Adelaide for Foodies, 8 Edible Souvenirs, Grilled Seafood Salad with Persimmons and Mini Pavlovas with Pomegranates.

    4) What’s Your Cup of Tea? blog hop

    Sweet Adventures’ What’s your Cup of Tea? blog hop has just been announced by the lovely JJ from 84th and 3rd, hostess of this month’s dessert blog hop. So pull on your thinking cap, get cooking with tea and join in the fun. What’s Your Cup of Tea? kicks off on May 21st and entries can be linked up all week. This blog hop is open to all food bloggers – check out details at 84th and 3rd.

    5) Skinny jeans

    My love affair with all jeans skinny continues with my new J Brand jeans and Ksubi jeans bought on sale at David Jones. Guys, I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.

    6) MAC ladybug lipstick

    If there is a more genius red lipstick than MAC’s Ladybug lipstick on the market I’ve yet to meet it.

    7) Coffee

    After a week of drinking coffee twice a day on the Tasting Australia media trip I am now addicted to the little brown bean again. The jury is still out on whether this is a good thing or not…

    7+1) New foodie friends

    I’ve made so many new food-loving friends this month via Tasting Australia, this blog, the Adelaide Food Bloggers Group and my new About.com gig. A shared love of food is such a great way to start a friendship, don’t you think?

    So what are you loving this month? Hit me with your tips and suggestions!

    Photo credits: Duck Two Ways at Appellation at The Louise, Kay and I making cheese at Producers (thanks to Billy from A Table for Two), salt and pepper squid by the Star of Greece,  fruit and nut porridge at Rockford, Maggie and I cooking at the Pheasant Farm, tea (thanks to JJ from 84th and 3rd), pomegranates at Willunga Farmers Market, making bread at Appellation at The Louise and Thai Lamb Salad at No 58 Cellar Door and Gallery. All photos (c) Christina Soong-Kroeger except where indicated.

  • Sweet Adventures’ Layer Upon Layer Bloghop kicks off 19 March

    There’s something about a layered dessert that speaks of thoughtfulness. It’s an indication that someone’s made an effort to make you feel special.

    There are so many different layered desserts, too, such as trifle (check out the Mini Apricot Trifles with Cardamon and Pistachios above), baklava, cheesecake, ice cream or yoghurt sundae, layered Asian jelly, multi-layered cake or a layered ice cream dessert.

    So I am chuffed that this month’s Sweet Adventures dessert-themed bloghop, is Layer Upon Layer, hosted by the lovely KC from The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader.

    Continue reading →

  • Guest Post: Surprising Stove-Top Mac-n-Cheese by JJ from 84th & 3rd

    For The Hungry Australian’s first guest post, I’m delighted to hand the reigns over to JJ from 84th & 3rd.

    I knew JJ’s delightful blog before I met her in person at Eat Drink Blog, the second Australian Food Bloggers Conference in November last year. I remember telling JJ how much I liked her blog header and how impressed I was when she told me she designed it herself.

    Afterwards, I got to know JJ better when we decided to organise the Sweet Adventures monthly dessert-themed blog hop together, along with Delicieux, Dining With a Stud, and The Capers of the Kitchen Crusader. On our lengthy email group discussions, JJ’s contributions are always helpful, diplomatic, dry and smart: she is definitely the kind of person you want on your team.

    I didn’t need further evidence of JJ’s competence but I was extremely touched when she sensed I was being overwhelmed by family matters this week and kindly offered to help out with a guest post. So, without further ado, please read on and enjoy JJ’s Mac-n-Cheese guest post. And then head on over to 84th and 3rd for more deliciousness covered with “a good dusting of cocoa powder”.

    Continue reading →