a taste of brisbane

Mango and coconut layer cake - Casamia Paris Patisserie, Sunnybank Hills.

Pollo a la Yucatan - Granada Tapas Bar, South Brisbane.

Chocolate dip with strawberries - Max Brenner, Southbank.

Seafood crepe served with saffron cream sauce - Pancake Manor, Garden City Westfield.

Cinnamon donut with strawberries, drizzled dark chocolate and cream - Winter Festival, Brisbane City.

Classic croquetas with roast garlic and saffron aioli - Pintxo Spanish Taperia, New Farm.

Gyoza - Ginga Japanese Restaurant, Southbank.

Custard buns - Landmark Yum Cha, Sunnybank.

Salt and pepper calamari salad - Toscani's Cafe Bar and Restaurant, Southbank. 

When I find myself in Brisbane for the holidays, my agenda always seems to revolve around food – whether that’s indulging in my parents’ cooking, baking yummy goodies myself, or heading out with friends and enjoying delicious savoury and sweet dishes. Here are a few snapshots of what I got my hands on this time.

Find me on Instagram @thiliniw.

xx

sticky date pudding

I remember when I used to live in college, sticky date puddings were one of the few desserts we looked forward to. The chef kindly passed on his recipe to me and I made it on countless occasions because it quite literally was that delicious. But then, sadly, I lost the recipe. So I set out to try to find another sticky date pudding recipe that would keep me coming back for more. This recipe showcases a beautifully soft pudding, a butterscotch sauce that is good enough to eat by itself (seriously, you’ll agree with me if you make it!) and an almond praline which adds that extra bit of crunch to the dish.  

And the best way to eat it? Warm up the butterscotch sauce and drench the pudding with it, then serve with the almond praline and a scoop or two of your favourite ice cream. Guaranteed yumminess! =)

xx

melting moments

I have always loved melting moments for the simple reason that they quite literally melt in your mouth. And having seen these little beauties on Masterchef a few weeks ago, I decided to whip up a batch of my own. My melting moments were definitely fatter than I intended them to be, but I figured that just meant there was more deliciously crumbly goodness to indulge in. The vanilla buttercream was heaven - lusciously smooth and rich with vanilla flavour through the use of vanilla bean paste. As for the jam, I substituted strawberries in place of the raspberries and it worked out quite well - though I’m pretty sure melting moments traditionally don’t have a jam component to them. I actually prefer them with the vanilla buttercream alone anyway. As a final touch, don’t forget to serve them with a sprinkle of icing sugar!

And did they melt in my mouth? Most definitely! Find the recipe here.

xx

connoisseur café collection

Whilst I’ll always be obsessed with candles by Glasshouse Fragrances, the new Connoisseur Café Collection of candles by Dusk is definitely one to fall in love with too. The collection brings together a range of delectable scents, inspired by coffee houses around the world. For someone like me who has an addiction to sweet things, these candles are perfection because they embrace some of my favourite flavours and aromas. And with so many scents to indulge in – pink butter icing, creamy caramel, lemon sorbet, choc gingerbread cookie, coconut and lime crush, cranberry splash, passionfruit delight, strawberry shake, vanilla bean, wild raspberry rhubarb – it’s just too hard to pick a favourite.

Thil

xx