Hello hello!
I’m so sorry that I have been MIA for the last month! It was completely unintentional, 2017 just began with a big bang for us and I constantly wanted to sit down and share a recipe, I just couldn’t find the time.
So much has happened this last few weeks that I don’t even know where to start! I won’t share everything at once as to not overload you, but the most time-consuming thing was that a few weeks ago, we got the keys to our first home.
We bought last year, the weekend after our engagement party. The whole thing was super unexpected, as although we had been looking for months, the property market in Melbourne is insane and you never know if you’ll actually get the house when you go to an auction, or if you’ll just get blown out of the water.
Mr Man went to the auction, and I was at work, huddled out the back of the kitchens near the cool rooms, on the phone to him. And we were the highest bidders, did a bit more haggling, and finally got the house.
Now picture this: one room was blue, one was yellow, another was orange, and the master was orange AND purple. I’m not even kidding people, whoever painted this thing must have been mad. So even though we’re not planning on moving in just yet, we felt sorry for any potential tenants, and as soon as we got the keys, we got to painting.
And what a learning experience that was! I now well and truly know what cutting in is, that you should absolutely sand back a door before you paint it, that you should screw plaster board into brick (not just glue it) and that if ever in doubt, No More Gaps will surely fix it. Or Dad will!!!
Mr Man are very excited to finally have our own home, and to see it slowly come together. For now, at least, it is all one colour (white!!!). But we have big plans for our little house! If anyone has any renovation tips, please shoot them my way. And if you have any renovating-while-wedding-planning tips, I’d love to hear them also!
In the meantime, Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and what flavours say I love you more than chocolate + berries? These are a cinch to put together, you can make everything in advance and assemble them to surprise your Valentine (or any loved one!) on the day. Use whatever berries (or fruits!) you like or have in season. X
P.S. A huge shout out to Grace Petrou, my super talented friend and photographer. It was such a pleasure working on this shoot with you and thank you for the photos!
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD
- 90g unsalted butter, softened (3 oz)
- 45g caster (superfine) sugar (3 tbsp)
- 100g plain four (2/3 cup)
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 130g milk chocolate (2/3 cup)
- 125ml heavy/thickened cream (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp glucose/corn syrup
- TO ASSEMBLE
- An assortment of berries of your choice
- Edible flowers (optional)
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD
- Place all the ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment and mix on low speed until a dough is formed.
- Place between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until it is 4mm (1/8 inch) thick. Transfer to a baking tray and refrigerate 30 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and line two trays with baking paper.
- Use a round cookie cutter (maybe 5cm/2 inches in diameter) to cut circles from the dough and place on the lined baking trays.
- Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Shortbread should be crisp when cool.
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and combined.
- Transfer to a small bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until set.
- TO ASSEMBLE
- Transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle and pipe dots of ganache on the shortbread bases.
- Arrange the berries (and edible flowers, if using) in and amongst the ganache.
- Keep refrigerated.
- Makes 10 - 12.
- Happy baking!
Chocolate shortbreads adapted from BBC Good Food.