double chocolate cake

sizzleandswirl

Everyone
loves chocolate cake right ? well this one is a good one. Make the cakes the
night before your party or event and allow them to cool over a wire rack. When
you have layered the cakes, place them on the serving dish or cake stand ( this
does look impressive !) and ice the cake from there. This way you don’t have to
try and transfer the cake for the big unveil!

Any type of berries can be used in the cake – try strawberries and strawberry jam,
or cherries when they are in season,the list is endless, and only limited to
your imagination and of course availability.

Double Chocolate cake with blackberries

Prep time 30 mins, plus 1 hr to cool

cooking  time 1 hr

serves 10

100g dark chocolate, chopped

125g butter, chopped

1 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup self-raising flour

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blueberry, coconut and oat scones

I love the simple combo of blueberry, coconut and white chocolate.

Combining them with oats and yoghurt only gives me an excuse to eat them for breakfast- so a sneaky Friday treat is these delicious blueberry, coconut and oat scones. They are also delicious with a cup of tea in the afternoon. There is no added sugar, but I threw in some white chocolate to pump up the sweetness, the blueberry pops in with a slight tang to round it all off nicely.

recipes , styling and snap by Sydney Food stylist Jane Collins 

blueberry, coconut  and oat scones

makes 8

prep time 20 minutes

cooking time 20 minutes

 

1 ¾ cups self-raising flour, sifted

30g coconut oil, chopped

125g punnet blueberries

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup moist coconut flakes

100g white chocolate, roughly chopped

½ cup vanilla yoghurt

½ cup milk, plus extra to brush

1 egg, lightly beaten

 

1 Preheat oven to very hot, 220C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.

2 Place flour into a large bowl. Rub in coconut oil, using fingertips, until all incorporated. Add blueberries, oats, coconut flakes and white chocolate. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, whisk milk and yoghurt together. Pour into dry ingredients. Using a flat bladed knife, mix to a soft, sticky dough.

3 Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly. Gently roll into 8 even pieces, and shape into balls, place together on prepared tray. Brush with reserved milk.

4 Bake 15-20 minutes, until scones are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

 

  sizzle tip– These scones are best beaten on the day they are made,  once completely cool store in an air tight container. you can also use all yogurt instead of the half milk half yoghurt, these are more dense and intense, but equally delicious.

 

sizzle swap-  instead of blueberries, swap for any other berry, strawberries, blackberries. Try banana, oats and coconut, and swap the white chocolate for dark.

 

eggs rob style

photography by Rob Shaw recipe and styling by sydney food stylist Jane Collins 

I love the crunch of the bun with the silkiness of the sweet pork.  Now that the weather is cooling down here, its long weekends spent inside with something hearty bubbling away on the stove or in the oven. I love a good pork shoulder, slowly cooked and then the possibilities are endless. Stuff into a bun, serve with some brown rice and chopped cherry tomatoes… some extra sweet chilli sauce, and the bun to mop up the juices.

This time I even added an egg!( surprise )  a fried egg squashed in between the bun and the pork- perfect harmony for luscious goodness.

Throw this on in the morning, and allow to sit and the flavours to mingle and mellow. Good for a couple of meals, unless your tribe is extra hungry..

Pulled pork & fried egg sandwich( eggs rob style ) 

 

Serves 6

Prep time 15 minutes

Cooking time 3 ½ hours

 

1 Tbsp smokey paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp celery salt

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

sea salt & cracked white pepper

2kg boneless shoulder of pork

2 Tbsps olive oil

500ml/ 2 cups apple cider

¼ cup sweet chilli sauce, plus extra to serve

6 eggs

1 tsp black & white sesame seeds

6 bread rolls

50g rocket leaves

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 180C. In a small bowl, combine paprika, ground cumin, celery salt and chilli flakes, sea salt & pepper.Place pork into a deep roasting dish, drizzle over half the oil and rub into skin. Spread spice mix over pork. Pour apple cider, sweet chilli sauce and 1 cup water into roasting pan. Cover dish tightly with foil. Roast for 3-3 ½ hours or until very tender.

2Remove pork from oven and using two forks, pull the meat from the bone.Heat remaining oil in a frypan to medium high and crack each egg into a small bowl, tip into pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or till cooked till your liking. Sprinkle each egg with sesame seeds. Half buns and top with  egg, pork and rocket, drizzle with  extra sweet chilli sauce and replace lid. Serve .

 

 sizzle tip-  shoulder of pork loves to be cooked in liquid, keeping the foil or lid on the dish will keep all the moisture in the pork and help it to not dry out. Spoon the juices over the pork to keep all the flavours and moisture in.  If the liquid evaporates before the cooking time is up, add  a little more so the pork stays moist.  You can also use shoulder of pork with the bone in.   Pill the pork just before you need it, it keeps more succulent if kept as a whole piece.

sizzle sub-  add some herbs and extra crunch with bean sprouts, shredded carrot and sliced tomatoes. If bread is  not your thing, make up a pulled pork bowl- section off each item-  pork, egg, herbs, some rocket,  shredded carrot & zucchini, drizzle with sweet chilli sauce  or add some rice noodles, for a slippery finish.

 

eggs margaret style

recipe, styling a snap by Sydney Food stylist Jane Collins

 

This Sunday its mother day here is Oz, and my mum is- in one word amazing. She can love all of us the same way, but in different tones and flavours… But in the end we all get that same warm fuzzy feeling when she soothes us, guides us, and supports our many endeavours.These eggs are also gluten free, as mum is a coeliac, and has been for years. Family dinners and get togethers are made up of many a gluten free option and I love that can develop an egg dish that is totally catered to her needs. This is made with love and comes from my heart.

 

eggs Margaret style

prep time 15 minutes

cooking time 30 minutes

makes 6

 

 

500g sweet potato, peeled grated

7 eggs

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 green shallot(the long ones ), chopped

1 Tbsp chopped oregano, plus extra leaves to serve

sea salt and pepper

1/2 Tbsp coconut oil

extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

1 Preheat oven to 180°c, 160°c fan forced. Spray a 6 hole 1/3 cup capacity muffin tin with cooking oil.

2 In medium bowl combine sweet potato, 1 egg, garlic, shallot, oregano, and season well with salt and pepper.

3 Heat coconut oil in a large non stick frypan over high heat, add sweet potato mixture, and stir for 2-3 minutes till softened. Cool for 5 minutes.

4  Spray 6 holes with cooking oil spray and fill evenly with 1/4 cup of sweet potato mixture, pressing firmly around the edges, and the base. Bake for 15 minutes till golden.

5 Crack an egg into each sweet potato case and return to the oven for 8-10 minutes till whites are cooked and yolks are still soft. Sprinkle with extra oregano leaves, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt & cracked pepper and serve. These are great as a lunch box snack too !

 

sizzle tip- If you like the yolks cooked a little more, leave in for a few more minutes.

sizzle sub – substitute the coconut  oil with olive oil or butter. Use any herbs you wish, add a teaspoon of  chopped chilli if you like some heat, serve with  natural yoghurt  and a sprinkle of cracked pepper. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and extra oregano leaves.

 

eggs johno style

Recently  we went camping ( our first family camping trip ) and  we love it! I especially loved all the outdoor cooking we did. There were lots of helpers and  our great friend John always had the fire going for some campsite cooking. These eggs are inspired by him, so simple and so delicious , the best type of food if you ask  me, and this is a principal that I know John cooks and lives by. Back to basics simple and special.

recipe, styling and snap by Sydney Food stylist Jane Collins 

We cooked these over the camp fire, the same principals apply , but I have written the recipe for the home cook on the stove top. You can of course half this for fewer portions. I usually go on 2 eggs per person, add any herbs you wish, try oregano and a sprinkle of paprika. I don’t usually add any cream or milk to my eggs, as I like the soft velvety texture of the eggs on their own, and I always season with sea salt and pepper, once they are cooked, not in the scrambling process. Give it a go.

 Eggs Johno style

Serves 6

Prep time 5 minutes

Cooking time 5 minutes

 

2 tsps olive oil

12 eggs

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

sea salt & cracked pepper

 

1 Heat oil in a large non stick frypan over medium high heat. Crack all eggs into a large bowl, and gently whisk with a fork to break up the yolks.

2 Pour the eggs into the frypan and allow to cook for 20 seconds, using a spatula push the eggs from one side of the pan to the other, allowing the eggs to cook underneath. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley, season with salt& pepper, pushing the eggs, until are cooked till your liking.

3 Serve with your favourite condiments.Toast, bagels, roast tomatoes, bacon, or a sprinkle of cheese.

Sizzle tip – don’t move the eggs around the pan too much, this way you will get beautiful soft waves of eggs, not tiny broken up pieces of egg.

Sizzle add – add your favourites to these scrambled eggs, the list is endless, basil leaves, tomatoes, bacon pieces, Parmesan cheese. These eggs are delicious cold in a fresh bread sandwich, drizzled with some whole eggs mayonnaise and a chilli sprinkle .

 

 

 

eggs neil style

Recipe , styling and snap by Sydney food stylist Jane Collins

Good friends are like a cool breeze a summers day- just bliss. We have a set of good friends that have been in my life since I met them through my husband many years ago. The friendship started with the males and the girls just get on like a house on fire. We hit it off the first night we met, we actually  live in their old house and on this occasion we visited their new house… its in northern NSW, Australia and is such a lovely spot. (My Husband and I are so smitten with the area that we once had a house there, and fall in love with the hills every time we go back, and the dream of once again having a slice of the hills is never far from our minds.)

These eggs are for Neil,  he is into asian food and these have a little Asian twist. The previous evening I cooked them a white cooked chicken, introduced them to sriracha sauce and an easy master stock to keep in the freezer, use over and over  for an easy midweek meal.

These eggs are from hens that are home reared and have a happy life eating the family’s food scraps, get to roam around and peck at will. The colour of the yolks is amazing and the taste is outta this world, the yolks are huge and when you crack one into the pan, you can clearly see the thick albumen and the thin albumen – a sign of a very fresh egg. These eggs were laid moments before we fried them in the pan.You just can’t beat it ! My children loved picking up the hens and getting their photos taken, feeding them and just hanging around the pen. Thanks to our dear friends who put us up for a couple of nights, listened to our stories and tasted some of my recipes.Its always such a hoot catching up with you all.

 

 

 

 

 eggs neil style

Serves 2

Prep time 10 minutes

Cooking time 10 minutes

 

4 slices sourdough bread

2 Tbsps olive oil

4 eggs

1 green shallot, sliced

½ cup picked coriander leaves

2 Tbsps crispy eshallots

srirachia sauce to drizzle

cracked black pepper

 

 

1 Toast sour dough bread slices and place on serving board or tray. Drizzle with half the olive oil.

2 Heat remaining oil a large non stick frypan to medium high heat. Crack each egg into a small bowl and slide into the pan, continue with the remaining eggs. Cook eggs for 2-3 minutes or till cooked to your liking.  Slide onto the toast and top with shallot, coriander, crispy shallots, sriracha and cracked pepper.

 

Sizzle tip-  you can purchase the crispy eshallots, or make your own. Always cook them from cold oil, not hot. Peel and slice 2 or 3 eshallots very finely, if you have a mandolin it’s the easiest way to get super fine slices and all the same thickness. Add them to a small saucepan, and cover with oil. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Stirring occasionally to disperse the shallots. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until shallots are golden. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

 Sizzle swap–  use your favourite chilli sauce in place of the sriracha sauce.

Sizzle tip- drizzle with extra chilli, or garlic infused extra virgin olive oil for extra punch.

 

eggs jamie style

I first saw these eggs in a Jamie Oliver cookbook, and thought the idea was genius! Eggs all wrapped up in plastic , which also held secure the aromatic herbs to infuse into the eggs. PERFECT!

And they didn’t disappoint, the were tasty and easy to handle, I could test if they were cooked or not by gently poking the outside of the wrap without disturbing the gorgeous yolk inside. Soft, just the way I like them, with the whites cooked and the yolk runny, if you prefer the yolks a little more cooked, just plunge them back into the water and continue cooking for a little longer.And so these eggs have to be Jamie style this Saturday.

This is so super easy you will poaching your eggs from this way from now on….

 

 

Eggs Jamie style

 

Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes

Cooking time 5 minutes

 

2 tsps olive oil

½ cup mixed chopped herbs, I used parsley and coriander

8 eggs

8 slices multigrain bread, toasted

½ cup tomato chutney, to serve

1 punnet micro chives to serve

 

 

 

1 Tear off 8 pieces of glad wrap about 20 cm / 8 inches wide.  Place plastic into a shallow bowl, rub each plastic piece with a little oil ( just to help the egg be removed easily )  and sprinkle the herbs over. Crack each egg into the plastic and wrap up, twisting the top to secure, and tying a small knot so the egg doesn’t leak out. Repeat with remaining oil, herbs and eggs.

2 Heat a medium saucepan of water over medium high heat till just boiling. Drop in the eggs and simmering for 2-3 minutes till soft poached. Drain out onto a plate and allow to cool for 1 minutes. Cut the plastic wrap off with scissors or a sharp knife and place into toast. Serve with tomato chutney and a sprinkle of micro chives, and cracked black pepper.

 

 

spinach and ricotta dumplings

Photography by Helen Coetzee

Recipe and styling by Sydney food stylist Jane Collins 

We love foodies at our place, and we love long lunches at Bungan on the balcony.  Mind you  while they start at lunchtime, they seem to linger longer and longer, hanging into the evenings and beyond, and we eat more and more food to fill in the time. We always have a tribe of testers and tasters and before you can say yum- a recipe is sorted and the favourite sauce is nominated. I love how food and conversation can bring the oddest bunch of people together and they can be happy in  the therapy that is food.

I first fell in love with dumplings when working at a Sydney modern Australia Fusion restaurant- they combined Asian techniques  and recipes with modern Australian flare and flavours. The chefs taught me how to master these dumplings and I really enjoy create different flavours and sauces.

My two favourite sauces are black vinegar and chilli , and the classic tomato concasse.

Try these dumplings out , you will soon be experimenting yourself.

 

 

Spinach and ricotta dumplings

Makes 30

Prep time- 20 minutes

Cooking time – 15 minutes

 

2Tbsps vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bunch /200g   English spinach, trimmed

½ cup  firm ricotta cheese

Sea Salt & cracked pepper

275g packet / 30 gow gee pastry wrappers

 

 

 Soy & Black vinegar dressing

2 Tbsps soy sauce

1 Tbsp  Black vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp caster sugar

1 red chilli, halved

 

 

1Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non stick frypan over medium high heat. Cook onions for 1-2 minutes, add garlic cook and stir for 30 seconds.

2 Chop spinach, wash and drain well. Add to pan and cook for 1 minute, till wilted but still bright green. Remove from heat and cool completely for 10 minutes. Add ricotta to cooled spinach mixture, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

3 Arrange wrappers on work bench. Working with about 5-6 at a time. Lightly wet edge of one side of each wrapper.

Place a heaped teaspoon of spinach mixture on one side of each wrapper. Fold wrapper in half to enclose filling and make a half moon shape. Pleat edge to seal.

4 Heat remaining oil a large non stick frypan over medium heat, in a circular fashion.

Pour approx ½  cup water down the side of the pan and place the lid on the saucepan. Cook for 4-5 minutes till pastry is softened and water has evaporated.  Remove lid and gently ease each dumpling from surface so it doesn’t stick.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes more till bases are golden brown.

Serve with  Soy & black vinegar sauce.

 

 

To make Black vinegar sauce-Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

 Sizzle sub– I also serve these dumpling with my tomato concasse. See archives for  concasse recipe. If you don’t have black vinegar use white vinegar, it will just have a milder taste .

Sizzle tip-  you can steam the dumplings in a bamboo steamer  and not brown the base.

 

eggs hippie style

 recipe, styling  and snap by Sydney food stylist Jane Collins 

 

Technology has given me a few tests this week, and happy to say I have passed – JUST. Still learning my way through a new computer and some serious learning curves with photos, tags, new projects on the horizon, trying to grow and expand, and still earn a crust at the same time. Its difficult,and challenging but time to push the boundaries and step out of that comfort zone.This Saturdays eggs are a tribute to the hippie era where it all seemed so simple and free. Give these a go and free the goodness from the earth and the nourishment in the soul.

 

 

Eggs  Hippie  style

Serves 2

Prep time 20 minutes

Cooking time 10 minutes

1 large zucchini, grated

5 eggs

1 Tbsp plain flour

Sea salt

Cracked black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp home made chilli jam

1 Tbsp dukka

kewpie mayonnaise to serve

micro herbs

1 Grated zucchini into a bowl and squeeze out all the water, discard the water. Add 1 egg, flour and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Stir to combine, and divide into 4 portions.

2 Heat oil in a large non stick frypan to medium high heat and cook zucchini mix for 3-4 minutes each side till golden brown. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for a minute of so to crispen up and go crunchy. Set aside and keep warm.

3 Heat water in a shallow frypan or saucepan, add vinegar and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium heat). Crack each egg one at a time into a small bowl, tip the eggs into the simmering water and give a little swirl to bring the whites back together.  Cook 4 eggs at a time for 1-2 minutes depending on how you like your eggs. Making sure the water is simmering at all times, not too fast, just a gentle simmer.  Gently lift the eggs out of the water to test if cooked. If soft when poked, then they are running inside.  Place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain off some of the water, repeat with remaining eggs.

4 Top zucchini cakes with eggs and place on serving plates, spoon on a little chilli jam, dukka, and a squeeze of mayonnaise. Sprinkle with micro herbs.

 

Sizzle  Swap–    to make this gluten free simple replace the flour with gluten free flour or use almond meal instead.

eggs Min style

I have been blessed with amazing neighbours and they are more than willing to taste test my creations and give me the verdict either way. Yesterday was one of my neighbours birthdays and today’s eggs are her request. Min wanted hollandaise sauce and poached eggs. I added some whole grain bread  instead of the traditional muffin and some bacon chips which give a great crunchy bite.

Happy Birthday Min. x

Eggs Min style

Serves 2

Prep time 20 minutes

Cooking time  10 minutes

 

 Hollandaise sauce-

2 egg yolks

2 tsp cider vinegar

100g butter, melted

 

4 eggs

4 slices wholegrain bread

2 shortcut rashers of  bacon chopped very finely

1 cup Rocket leaves to serve

1 Tbsp  white vinegar, Or cider vinegar

 

1 In a medium heatproof bowl combine yolks and  cider vinegar, whisk over a  saucepan of simmering water, (don’t allow the water to touch the base of the bowl.  Whisk the eggs till they thicken and hold their shape.

Remove from heat and place  bowl on a tea towel, so the bowl is secure. Gradually whisk in the melted butter a little at a time to form a thick sauce.If the sauce becomes too thick, drizzle in a couple of teaspoons of hot water till you get the desired consistency. Not too runny as it needs to coat the eggs. Season with salt and cracked black pepper and set aside.

2 Heat water in a shallow frypan or saucepan, add vinegar and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium heat). Crack each egg one at a time into a small bowl, tip the eggs into the simmering water and give a little swirl to bring the whites back together.  Cook 2 eggs at a time for 1-2 minutes depending on how you like your eggs. Making sure the water is simmering at all times, not too fast, just a gentle simmer.  Gently lift the eggs out of the water to test if cooked. If soft when poked, then they are running inside.  Place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain off some of the water, repeat with remaining eggs.

3 Heat a small frypan over medium high heat and cook bacon for 4-5 minutes till golden and crisp, drain on paper towel. Toast bread and place some rocket leaves on each slice, top with a poached egg and  spoonfuls of hollandaise sauce. Scatter with bacon chips and cracked pepper.

 

 

Sizzle Tip- you will need to make the hollandaise sauce  as close to serving as you can. as it doesn’t keep well for very long. If you need to prepare before, cover with some plastic wrap and set aside on the bench, don’t refrigerate as it  may curdle or split.

By placing the bowl on a folded tea towel,it wont move as you whisk in the butter, you will need two hands for this . If you find that the sauce splits during the whisking process, crack another egg and gradually whisk in the yolk only, this should bring the sauce “back together”.

When melting the butter allow it to settle before pouring into the cooked egg yolks, try and pour in just the fat component, and leave the milk behind.

Sizzle Change- use toasted bagels, english muffins,  or your favourite bread base instead of toast. This is a great Gluten free breakfast if you use gluten free bread.