Good Food Travels Fast!

Cronut...

CRAZY.

If you haven't yet got your hands on a Cronut, then you are missing out on one of the most talked about foods of 2013. Already 'old news' in New York these layered pinnacles of sweet indulgence have crossed Pacific Shores and made their way into our Aussie Patisseries.

But what is a Cronut? Don't worry I was confused too. When told by a friend that I needed to try one I was ashamed to ask, resorting to google for a quick answer. As it turns out these aren't just a food craze where people have become fixated on re-invented, but done before, sweets. (I.e the cupcake) But the Cronut is in fact a whole new food, a complete invention!  

Basically.....

1 Cronut = 1/2 'Crossaint' + 1/2 'Doughnut' 

The Cronut is made with lamented dough- similar to croissant dough. Lamenation is where you layer butter to flour so that when it cooks it puffs up like an edible spring of airy deliciousness. This dough is then cut into rings, fried like a doughnut and then coated in cinnamon sugar. After this process the 'Almost-Cronut' is cut in half, filled with a flavoured custard and dipped into a glaze of some sort. Giving you a not so heart friendly, but oh so yummy sweet pastry, a Cronut. 

With a queue of 3 hours-or-more the Cronut was Launched into this world, with a definite food obsessed audience, on May 10th at 189 Spring St. New York City at the Dominique Ansel Bakery. French-born now NYC chef Dominique Ansel was the creator of these decedent pastry endeavours, which have now made him the most virally talked about Pastry Chef of 2013! Yes out-weighing even Zumbo! 

Curiously they weren't a mistaken croissant that fell into the fryer. These hybrid pastries, originally topped with a rose glaze and filled with vanilla cream, were tediously developed over 2 months by Ansel. A chef that was a part of the team that brought restaurant Daniel three-Michelein stars and who trained under legendary French institution Fauchon for 7 years. The Cronut was no mistake, in fact i think it had been a life long development on his part. As he says,

"Fauchon was like a think-tank for desserts. There was always innovation and new items for the holidays and seasons.
 I wanted to bring that same sense of creativity to the bakery here in New York. 
I wanted there to be the beautiful holiday and limited edition items I saw people line up for back in Paris in Fauchon."

I would say it was Fauchon that helped him find his way to the Cronut. Which is now a not so limited edition pastry, as it showcases a new flavour a month. This month being coconut, but it has been blackberry and lemon maple as well. The craze has also not dwindled, with daily queues of 2-or-more-hours prior to opening doors to start the day.

Wahroongah Cronuts @Bonjour Patisserie.  

Good food travels fast. And already the Cronut is popping up in markets and cafes all over the world. Here in Sydney it can be found at markets but particularly at  Adriano Zumbos where he serves the Zonut, Glenorie Bakery and Cafe (who were the first to bring it to Sydney) and my local Bonjour patisserie in Wahroongah where they fill their version with a delicious chocolate custard and top them off with a chocolate glaze and almond flakes for just $4.50.

So while i'd love to be able to travel to NYC just for these decedent additions to the patisserie world, it seems something just as amazing is right here on our doorstep! Who said globalisation was a bad thing right? Feel free to go Cronut Crazy!!! 

Pigs Lost Amongst The Vines.

I'm turning over a new leaf (pun intended) on dolmades with a Mediterranean twist of pigs in a blanket. 

Pork and Fennel dolmades! 

It was only recently that I discovered vine leaves at my local grocery store. This gourmet leaf is a convenience food preserved and cooked so they're ready to roll out with whatever fillings you desire.

 Inspired by a recent recipe I did on a food shoot for a lamb shoulder filling, that included pork and rice, I decided to tweak and create something that could instead to be rolled up in my newly purchased vine leaves. 

Dolmades are traditionally vego, but I love the combinations of pork and fennel seeds together. The idea of the two wrapped up in a earthy leaf, so they're bite size and ready to devour, well I just had to give it a go! 

In making the recipe i added some prunes and caramelised balsamic for sweetness, pine nuts for a different texture, and balanced it all with lemon juice and fresh tomato. The result was irresistible and well worth the effort! I even managed to get two thumbs up from a friends mum, who is Lebanese and a crazy good cook!  

So if you can find these vine leaves amongst the huge array of new products hitting the shelves of our supermarkets give these bad boys a go! They'll be the best pigs in a blanket you've ever had! 

Recipe for Pork and Fennel Dolmades.
1 cup cooked rice
500g pork mince
1 onion small dice
2 tsp fennel seeds
80g pine nuts
1 tomato diced
1/2 a bunch of parsley chopped finely
50g prunes chopped
2 tsp caremelised balsamic vinegar
Vine leaves
1 lemon juiced
200ml water
1tbs veg oil
Method:
1. Cook of your onion with fennel seeds and pine nuts.
2. Add the pork mince and brown off.
3. Add your chopped prunes, diced fresh tomato, parsley and rice.
4. Season to taste then add your caramelised balsamic. Sett the mix aside to cool.
To assemble. 
1. Place a vine leaf down flat on a chopping board, then layer on another vine leaf for extra surface area.
2. Pile a small amount at the base of the leaf then bring the sides together, and roll your dolmade into a tight cylinder.
3. Place rolled dolmades into a heatproof terrine mould or tray then pour over with lemon juice and water, so that the liquid can just be seen from above.
4. Cook in a 180 degree oven for 20 mins.
Serve hot

One bite and you too will be lost in the vines with the pigs!