Australian Food by Bill Granger
The recipes that fill Bill Granger’s latest book Australian Food are exactly the dining experiences we want this summer.
Photography: Mikkel Vang
27 years since the first bills restaurant opened, the world has fallen in love with casual Australian dining. Photo -Mikkel Vang.
The now cult bills recipe - Ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter and banana. Photo -Mikkel Vang.
After a twenty year cookbook hiatus, Bill Granger is back to share his most loved Australian influenced recipes, and we couldn’t be more excited.
In his new (and 11th) book, the self-taught chef celebrates uncomplicated food; the type of easy food the world completely fell in love with since his first restaurant opened in Darlinghurst in Sydney, 27 years ago.
“I've always been proud of the sunny, easy-going and generous nature of Australians, and I want my food to reflect this,” says Bill Granger.
The new book includes a couple of the now cult-status favourites such as his signature scrambled eggs and those unforgettable ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter and banana. A few new recipes include green herb risotto with raw summer salad, zucchini fries with tahini yoghurt dip and our favourite, hazelnut and caramel cakes with mascarpone cream which we’ve shared the recipe for below. Summertime dining never looked so good!
Fresh and summery coctails from Bill Granger’s new book Australian Food. Photo -Mikkel Vang.
“I've always been proud of the sunny, easy-going and generous nature of Australians, and I want my food to reflect this,” says Bill Granger. Photo -Mikkel Vang.
“I have always believed Australia serves the sort of food that brings people together—over coffee, over communal tables, over all-day menus—and makes us all feel good.”
Designed to capture the all-day café dining experience, Bill Granger presents classic dishes in his new book. Photo -Mikkel Vang.
Bill Granger’s Hazelnut and caramel cakes with mascarpone cream from his new book Australian Food. Photo -Mikkel Vang.
HAZELNUT & CARAMEL CAKES WITH MASCARPONE CREAM
Caramel has certainly been enjoying a decade in the sun. These little cakes are like mini fondant desserts; serve them warm so that when you cut into them the caramel oozes out.
Serves 10
INGREDIENTS
400ml tin condensed milk, unopened
Melted butter and plain flour, to coat
250g butter, chopped
250g soft brown sugar
4 eggs
125g ground toasted hazelnuts, plus extra toasted hazelnuts, to serve
125g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Marscapone Cream
100g mascarpone
100ml double cream
40g icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
METHOD
To make the cakes, place the unopened tin of condensed milk in a large saucepan and fill with water. Make sure the tin is completely submerged and covered by about 3cm of water. Cover, bring to a simmer, then tilt the pan lid slightly and simmer for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water to keep the tin covered. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Open the tin and scoop the caramel into a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Brush ten 160ml dariole moulds with melted butter, then add a little flour and tilt to coat evenly. Shake out the excess.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one by one. Gently fold in the ground hazelnuts, flour and baking powder.
Fill the moulds halfway with cake mixture, then make a little indent and spoon in a tablespoon of caramel (you won’t use it all up). Spoon more cake mixture into the moulds to cover the caramel. You should have about 1cm space at the top of each mould for the cake to rise. Give the mould a tap to settle the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, then leave for 5 minutes.
For the mascarpone cream, whisk all the ingredients together until thick.
Serve the cakes with mascarpone cream and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts.
TIP
Serve any leftover caramel as a topping for ice cream.
Uncooked cakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before baking. The mascarpone cream will keep in the fridge for 1 day.
Australian Food by Bill Granger, published by Murdoch Books RRP $49.99 is available where all good books are sold and also online.