La Dolce Vita: A Dessert Tour of Sicily

La Dolce Vita: A Dessert Tour of Sicily

From cannoli and cassata to almond granita and pistachio gelato, I ate my way through Palermo, Bronte and Modica on a dessert road trip across the island of Sicily.

I can’t quite point out the moment I fell in love with Sicily. Perhaps it was the first time I ordered gelato for breakfast – and no one batted an eye. Or maybe it was when I went back for my third iris fritta – in a row – and nobody cared. In Sicily, dessert is a way of life, calories don’t count and a sweet tooth like mine feels right at home.

With its rugged mountains that tumble into a blue sea, Sicily looks like home too. Its warm Mediterranean ocean has over centuries brought with it wave after wave of conquerors. Each new conquering nation – and there have been many – left traces of their cuisine, language and culture which vary quite drastically as you travel from town to town. 

 

PALERMO

I watched the rocky seaside gradually turn into intricate Arabic architecture through the window of my rental car as I drove from Palermo airport into the capital city.  Sicily is the perfect road trip destination – it takes just 4 hours to drive from one side to the other side of the island. While most people head straight for Palermo’s markets and street food, this was not that kind of road trip – and I had a cannoli craving to satisfy!

Cannoli are found all over Sicily, but I think the ones from Palermo are the best. The crispy blistered shell is thanks to the addition of the nearby Marsala wine and has a bitterness which perfectly counteracts the smooth, sweetened ricotta filling made from sheep’s milk. 

(Side note: if you want to make your own, I’ve got a killer recipe here)

There’s a pretty easy way to know which ones are worth the calories: a really great cannolo is always filled to order so the shell stays crisp and crunchy. You’ll also find modern riffs on the classic with interesting flavour variations but my favourite, from Gelato & Cioccolato, is stuffed with scoops of ricotta and pistachio gelato.

Next on my list was what has been described by Sicily’s most famous pastry chef Corrado Assenza as ‘the most elegant expression of Sicilian culture’, the cassata.  Layer by layer, the cassata symbolizes over a thousand years of Sicilian history. The sugar cane, the almond, the lemons and oranges were brought here by 9th-century Arab invaders. The pan di spagna (sponge cake) is from the Spanish, the white fondente icing from the French. The marzipan is dyed green in homage to the days when bakers could afford to use pistachio paste, from those famous nut trees that flourish in the nearby village of Bronte.

I choose a cassatine (the miniature version) from the pastry counter of Pasticceria Capello. I find a bench overlooking the Piazza Ruggiero Settimo and tuck into my pretty little cake with a plastic fork. As cathedral bells clang, I marvel at the ornate Arabic influence of Palermo’s skyline and how that design is echoed in the beautiful piping on the dessert I’m devouring. Licking my fork clean, I’m already thinking about my next treat. 

I leave Palermo in my rearview mirror and head to Alta Villa Millacia. September is the month of Madonna in Sicily and throughout the month you’ll find small towns celebrating the saint with spectacular processions, street food, nut roasting, sweet making and festivities.

The scent of vanilla and caramel on the hot summer air lured me from my itinerary to explore the festivities. The closed street was lined with pastry chefs armed with giant swords and marble slabs – each lifting and moulding the hot sugar and almond mixture into perfect bricks of torrone. 

I wound my way along the shimmering Sicilian coastline with the rocks tumbling into the sea and the thick heat miraging on the horizon. It was gelato time. A short 20-minute drive from Alta Villa Millacia along a marina with docked fishing boats is Gelateria Cicciuzzu.

The legend of Francesco Amoroso is a famous one and I read the story of the gelateria owner from a newspaper clipping pinned to the wall while licking my chocolate cherry gelato. In 1955 he set up a small boat and sailed along the coast of Termini Imerese selling ice cream to those swimming in the warm sea.  I wish I could’ve been one of those bathers! 

 

BRONTE

If the gigantic pistachio I passed along the way didn’t give me a clue that I had arrived in Bronte, I would never have known that the tangled mass of trees I passed along the way, were, in fact, of the pistachio kind. I pulled over to the first cafe I could find  – Bar Collina Verde, and had the best pistachio granite of my life while waiting for Nicolo Pace.

At 22 years old, he’s the younger generation of pistachio farmers in Bronte who are inheriting plantations from their fathers. He tells me that he is studying Food Science and Technology in order to improve innovation in pistachio farming in this area. “Bronte pistachios are the finest and most expensive in the world because we only harvest every 2 years. It takes patience but the quality is the most important thing to us. Real Bronte pistachios have PDOP (Product Designation of Origin) – they are bigger, saltier and have darker skin than any other pistachios.”

As I fire a million questions at him on what are called ‘emeralds’ around these parts we whizz along an alarmingly bumpy, steep road in Nicolo’s car before arriving at his modest family farm.

A quint little house on a floor of lava rocks (we’re in Mount Etna land, after all) is surrounded by the same tangled mass of trees sprouting straight out of the hard black stones.

We trek across the hot rocks (‘mind the vipers, he tosses casually over his shoulder’!) until he excitedly points to a branch laden with bright red drupes.

As the drupe (fruit) ripens, it splits open to reveal the seed (not nut) inside. The drupes have to be hand collected and dried in the sun before the pistachios can be sold.

Harvesting is hard work and Nicolo rewards me with a lunch of ice cold prickly pears. I leave with a bag full of Bronte’s finest green gold – the best kind of padkos!

PITSTOP:  Pasticceria Dolce Bacio

What to order: The arancini (not arancine as they are known in Parlermo) which are shaped like the nearby Mount Etna. 

 

MODICA

I had a 2-hour drive along the Eastern coastline of Sicily to reach the World Unesco Heritage Site of Modica. It was also the amount of time I had to think about what to ask a 6th generation chocolate maker. Pierpaolo Ruta is as intense as the chocolate he makes at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, the oldest chocolate and pastry shop in Sicily. Described as ‘a different kind of chocolate’ Pierpaolo and his family were the creators of the granular chocolate that has made Modica famous worldwide.

So why is chocolate so famous in a city without cocoa trees? It’s all thanks to the Spanish who left behind their language, baroque architecture and their obsession with chocolate. “Until 1960, my grandfather made Modica chocolate from cocoa mass using a stone metate by hand. The sugar crystals remain intact inside the chocolate giving it a very special granular structure and texture.” 

Pierpaolo and his family have always had an open-door policy when it comes to showing how their unique chocolate is made and you can take a tour of their chocolate lab on the hour (which I did). It’s because of this that Modica is now filled with copycat artisans claiming they make the ‘original Modica chocolate’. But Pierpaolo humbly shrugs it off and excitedly tells me his plans for a new factory next door that will make them a full bean to bar chocolate brand.

‘Making our chocolate from scratch is a controversial step because technically Modica chocolate is known to be made from pre-made cocoa mass. But I want to make sure we keep innovating. I want to leave a legacy to my son just like my father and his father did for me.’ I leave with a small satin bag filled with Pierpaolo’s latest invention; jasmine-infused Modica chocolate drops, and a box of the pastry shop’s Mpanatigghi and Nucatoli biscuits ( a speciality of Modica).

I reach Dolceria Donna Elvira flustered, and out of breath. As probably the most well-known Modica chocolate brand in the world, Google maps still got me terribly lost. 

But all is forgotten as I’m ushered through the door by Elvira Roccasalva (THE ‘donna’).  She plies me with her favourite 100% chocolate bar. ‘This will make you feel better,’ she says. It’s an intense savoury block with a rough texture. I can feel the cocoa high kicking in.

When Elvira started the dolceria back in 1999 she admits she had no experience in desserts or making chocolate. ‘I learnt with practice and research, visiting cocoa farms in Peru and tasting a lot of cocoa beans. It was always my dream to make our bars from scratch’ she tells me as we walk through her factory where logs of homemade marzipan are being rolled by hand. That came true 3 years ago when Donna Elvira became a full bean to bar Modica chocolate brand – the first in Sicily. 

‘As a woman in a male-dominated small town industry like Modica, it wasn’t easy. In the beginning, nobody took me seriously but I focused on sourcing incredibly rare cocoa beans and making sure that Donna Elvira became synonymous with Modica chocolate.’ Countless awards later and I’d say Elvira has succeeded. 

PITSTOP:  Gelateria Fiore

The best gelato in town is scooped over at Gelateria Fiore where they only churn seasonal flavours. My broken Italian helped score me tasters of everything – from prickly pear to watermelon and peach. I went back the next morning for an espresso granita topped with whipped cream – a quintessential summer Italian breakfast – before hitting the road again. 

What to order: any of their seasonal gelato flavours served in a brioche bun. When asked if you want ‘crema?’ the answer should always be ‘si!’.

 

TRAPANI

My sweet tooth is taking a beating so when I whizz past the salt flats in Trapani with mountains of flakes raked up on the side of the road, I breathe in the salty air and feel a renewed sense of excitement at my next stop. And Vita Alotta is a worthy pitstop.

A quaint little shop hidden in the maze of central Trapani, Vito has quietly been making Sicily’s very first craft chocolate, not too far from Modica. ‘It’s been difficult for locals to understand what makes my chocolate so special. They only understand Modica chocolate or the imported stuff. The craft chocolate movement is very well known in the rest of Europe and in America, but not here in Sicily. I think I am probably the first,’ he tells me.

Vito’s chocolate bars all hero single origin cocoa beans and feature ingredients so famous in this region; Trapani salt and Sicilian saffron. 

 

SAN VITO LO CAPO

Most travellers head to San Vito Lo Capo to lie on the breathtaking beach and enjoy its aqua water but since this was my last stop on what was a 7-day dessert eating spree, I was pretty sure fitting into my bikini was not going to happen. So I drowned my sorrows at Laboratori Dolci Siciliani (Pasticceria Peralta).

Their almond granite is made from hand-ground almonds from a farm nearby and is so good I have 3 in a row. But I secretly go back to swoon at their window display of impeccable Frutta Martorana – Sicily’s most famous sweet. Fruits are realistically moulded from almond paste by hand to show off the skills of the pastry chef.

Vito, the owner, tells me that they were invented in the 12th century by the nuns of La Martorana, a church in Palermo. As the story goes, the nuns originally decided to sculpt fruits from marzipan and hang them from their empty trees to impress the visiting archbishop. He was so impressed they kept making them. It’s a fading art which won’t die under my watch! I leave with an entire box. 

As I walked on the beach of San Vito Lo Capo, with the warm sea lapping my feet, licking what was to be my final gelato of fragole and limone, I thought about the talented people I’d met along the way. Sicilians are most famously known for the mafia and Godfather movies, but what they should be famous for, is their warmth and hospitality. In a land known for its history and tradition, I experienced a growing innovation. And a younger generation craving to preserve traditions but at the same time create their own. I couldn’t wait to taste that on my next trip, but first I needed to hit the gym! 

 

I Wrote A Cookbook All About Chocolate!

I Wrote A Cookbook All About Chocolate!

If you follow me on social media you will already have seen me teasing you with delectable chocolate-themed clips for two weeks now. (If you missed it then head this way! )Well, I can finally announce that I wrote a cookbook and it’s all about my favourite ingredient in the world, Chocolate!

My book is filled with over 90 brand new recipes that are dipped, drizzled, stuffed, rolled and coated in all forms of chocolate.  From white, milk and dark to cocoa nibs, cocoa powder and even cocoa butter! The recipes are divided into 7 chapters, each dedicated to the kinds of cravings I have for chocolate; speedy, naughty, fancy, crunchy etc. In classic The Kate Tin style, there are recipes that are so easy that your kids can make them, others that will take a little effort and some that will challenge you but will be oh-so-worth the wow factor! 

Every single page of this book will make you drool and that’s largely thanks to the stunning photography of my fellow food blogging sensation Hein van Tonder of Heinstirred who went above and beyond to capture every calorie.  

You can find my cookbook in all major bookstores from the 15 November but if you’re an eager beaver and cannot wait, you can pre-order it over on Loot.co.za here

 

Dessert First: My Sugar

Dessert First: My Sugar

My Sugar; where getting your face on a doughnut is totally normal and chocolates are shaped into robots and Buddha’s.

 

With Friday 1st June being International Doughnut Day and My Sugar casually printing faces on doughnuts, the universe was clearly telling me to cancel my plans and so, I willingly complied. Not that it involved much persuasion.  

This is how I met co-owners Kaylah Greenberg and Asher Isaacs who are just as sweet as the treats they so lovingly serve up. This barely three-year-old coffee and chocolate shop, leaves you feeling like you’ve just dived into dessert heaven and you absolutely never want to come out. With chocolate dripping from the roof (literally) and doughnut-laden countertops, all my dessert dreams had just come true.

Although the display cases at My Sugar were packed with interesting chocolate-shaped treats, I only had eyes for the over-the-top-filled-to-the-brim doughnuts, because one simply cannot celebrate D-Day sans doughnut. Stuffed with salted caramelised white chocolate mousse and generously topped with their famous pretzel bark, the pretzel doughnut didn’t just have my name on it – it had my face on it! Literally. They printed my face on the doughnut – how cool?! With all the other doughnuts in tow (and a few friends to help me ‘research’), I happily trotted over to a table to get ready for the long-awaited tasting celebration. I especially loved the doughnut topped with a mini macaron doughnut because doughnut-ception is a real thing.

Although they look like the happy cousin of a freakshake, these doughnuts aren’t just all sugar. They’re so well-balanced and don’t leave you regretting your decision to devour three in the time span of 5 minutes. So skip lunch, grab a group of friends and share the doughnuts so you can get a taste of each delicious flavour – but, don’t forget to leave without a box of chocolates to gobble up on your own later because life’s too short to share My Sugar chocolate treats!

My Sugar

Address: 77 Regent road, Sea Point, Cape Town

Times: Tuesday-Friday: 10am-6:30pm Saturday & Sunday: 10:30am-8pm.

Prices: R35 for a doughnut,  R17 for coffee, R5 for face printing, chocolates from R15 ,R45 for milkshakes 

Follow them on Instagram here

 

CHECK OUT MORE OF MY FAVOURITE SPOTS TO DEVOUR DESSERT: 

Coco Safar, Sea Point
Unframed Ice Cream, Kloof Street
Dessert Paradise at the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau in Mauritius

Dessert Paradise at the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau in Mauritius

Mauritius is absolute paradise, but if you’re a guest at the Constance Belle Mare Plage during the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau, well then you’re in a food-lovers dessert paradise too!

Constance Belle Mare Plage Mauritius

Yes, I sat here and ate lunch. Don’t hate me.

Constance Belle Mare Plage Mauritius

Constance Belle Mare Plage Mauritius

Six Michelin-star chefs from 6 countries, 6 Constance Hotel chefs from 3 islands (Mauritius, Seychelles and Maldives), 5 pastry chefs and 5 local ingredients. Five also happens to be the amount of kilos I gained during the most delicious food event of the year; the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau. Held at the Constance Belle Mare Plage hotel each year, the festival is a celebration of food, sharing knowledge and being inspired by different cultures and cuisines.

Contestants and Michelin Chefs of the 13th Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau

This year was particularly special because I was asked to shoot the artwork for the event. I did not expect to see the image I created literally EVERYWHERE! On book covers, on banners, it was even printed as a giant billboard (in front of which I did a happy dance, naturally!).

Constance Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau artwork by Katelyn Williams Allegra

The main event of the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau is a an epic culinary clash; 6 Michelin-starred chefs from around the world are paired up with 6 chefs from the Constance Hotels and Resorts properties and, with a few local ingredients, have to create delicious magic! And if you’re a guest at the hotel during this week, well, then you’re lucky enough to eat all the food they create. Below is just one of the MANY plates created by the winning team; Michelin-starred chef Michael Reis and Arshil Soopun from Constance Ephelia Seychelles. Crispy cream cheese gnocchi, pineapple, papaya chutney and raw marinated gourd – the dish included vanilla which I thought was so clever!

Winning dish of the Constance Festival Bernard Loiseau

But if you know me well, you’ll know that I was only thinking about one thing: DESSERT! And boy, was it good dessert…  Alongside the main Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau competition was a serious pastry showdown between 5 of the Constance Hotel pastry chefs from the various islands of Seychelles, Mauritius and Maldives, because according to Executive Chef Nicholas Durousseau, a good menu is nothing without dessert (preach!).

Pastry chef prepping mille feuille

While the pastry chefs competed for the approval of Pierre Hermé (yes, the macaron master was there!), Mercotte (France’s Mary Berry) and other esteemed pastry professionals, I got to drool over and taste their magical creations.

Judges Pierre Herme, Mercotte and Anne-Sophie Bercet

It’s not a competition without rules so the chefs  had to create a deceptively simple classic, Mille Feuille (puff pastry layered with pastry cream), a chocolate plated dessert, chocolate pralines as well as a towering chocolate showpiece to show off all their creations.

Iven Chitray's Chocolate Plated Dessert

Mentored by Executive Chef Nicolas Durousseau and last year’s competition winner, Stéphane Labastide the two had some expert advice that even home bakers can use. “For me, it’s flavour above all else” explained Stephane – something which is a strong theme in all the desserts he serves up at the neighbouring Constance Prince Maurice Hotel.

Nicholas’ 30 years of experience have distilled his advice into “keep it simple” – invaluable advice for most of us who tend to overcomplicate desserts in order to impress (especially when it comes to high pressure situations like entertaining).

Mille Feuille being assembled

When the hotel said I could spend some time in the pastry kitchen, I don’t think they realised that I’d basically set up camp in there. Trying not to fan girl or get in the way, sticking around eventually paid off when the pastry chefs started feeding me treats. Pastry chef Iqubal Shaikh from Constance Halaveli in the Maldives won me over immediately when he plied me with his cardamom-spiced chocolate truffles. Chocolate connoisseurs might argue that they were a little big, but Iqubal is clearly my kinda guy because when it comes to chocolate – it’s go big or go home!

Iqubal Shaikh of Constance Halaveli Hotel preparing mille feuille

Pastry Chef, Ellam Joghee wrapped perfectly tempered chocolate collars around his chocolate crème brulée centres which were layered with a brown butter shortbread, chocolate mousse and a chocolate biscuit (how good does that sound?!)

Ellam Johgee prepares his chocolate dessert

I loved the inspiration Grace Lucas took from the beautiful Jars plates the chefs were given. Her dessert looked like it belonged on a beach in Seychelles – her home country. Underneath the white mirror glaze and purple lavender gel was a matcha crème brulée , shortbread biscuits and a cocoa dacquoise (nutty meringue).

Gilles Refloc’h from Constance Lemuria Seychelles created my favourite chocolate sculpture. A giant chocolate egg complete with chocolate creatures. It was magnificent – the pictures just don’t do it justice!

Pastry chef with chocolate sculpture

With so much talent in one kitchen, I don’t know how the judges chose a winner! But in the end, it was the elegant and flavour-packed desserts of Iven Chitray who took the coveted Constance Pastry Competition Pierre Hermé – Valrhona Trophy back to the Constance Prince Maurice pastry kitchen!

Pastry Chef Winners of the 13th Festival Bernard Louiseau

Iven Chitray of Constance Prince Maurice

His jaw-dropping chocolate mousse sensation consisted of praline, hazelnuts, milk chocolate, a biscuit layer, a chocolate cremeaux and chocolate ganache. The moment I saw him slicing it in the kitchen, it was love at first sight!

Winning Chocolate Mousse Dessert

Iven used a white chocolate and vanilla ganache to sandwich the puff pastry together for his Mille Feuille. He then szhooshed it up with bananas, passionfruit and a local lime called ‘kumbava’. He explained to me that while mille feuille looks simple, the key to its success is making sure you slice the baked pastry against the grain when assembling it. Much like you would cut a steak against the grain to make sure it’s tender. This is the secret to puff pastry layers that crumble as your fork plunges into them. You learn something new every day!

Mille Feuille of white chocolate vanilla and bananas

Winning Chocolate Sculpture

If you also want to discover dessert paradise in Mauritius, simply book a stay at the Constance Belle Mare Plage Hotel during the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau which happens next year from the 16th – 24 March 2019. And in case you need even more convincing, here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect:

Dessert First: Coco Safar

Dessert First: Coco Safar

‘A journey beyond ordinary’ is is not exactly what you’d expect when you glide down the escalators of the Artem Centre (previously known as The Adelphi Centre) in Sea Point but it’s exactly what you get when you find yourself immersed in dessert wonderland! In fact, it felt like I was in Paris, or New York – not Sea Point! The fact that we now have a pastry and dessert spot in Cape Town that is world-class, makes my heart and taste buds so happy (my waistline, not so much! ) especially because Coco Safar is not just about dessert, there is so much to explore…

The pastry counter is JAW-DROPPING! I have not yet seen pastry skills of this calibre in South Africa. And guys, I eat a LOT of dessert. From the Salted Caramel Dome (my absolute favourite) which is filled with caramel mousse, candied pecans and buttery shortbread, to White Chocolate Passion Green Tea, every single dessert is meticulously piped and presented (not just a pile of crumbs on a plate with a quenelle of ice cream – hands up who is tired of this restaurant dessert trend?!). These desserts have TECHNIQUE. The prices are reasonable too when you consider all of the above – and the fact that, when you sit down, the dessert is served fully plated with ice cream, sauce and the works. It’s Paris quality without the Paris price tag.

This chocolate creation had me closing my eyes in bliss. Chocolate mousse, orange blossom ganache and crunchy biscuit all lived up to it’s name of ‘Chocolate Decadent’ although not too much so. As all good desserts should be, this one was thoughtfully created, not too sweet and beautifully presented.

There’s a chocolate studio that creates pretty little chocolate jewels. The bon bons come in white chocolate with  lemon meringue, green rooibos and raspberry pistachio flavours, milk chocolate filled with banana salted caramel, or coffee cardamom and for the dark chocolate fans (hello!), there’s mint crisp, passionfruit ginger or gianduja hazelnut. The chocolatier’s workspace is thoughtfully encased in glass so you can watch her work her chocolatey magic while sipping your cappuccino. At the moment, they use an imported chocolate brand but hopefully they’ll switch to one of our amazing locally made bean-to-bar chocolates soon! And speaking of coffee…

Their capsule emporium has a large range of some of the best coffee in the world, popped into a coffee pod. And it’s not just any coffee pod either – it’s The World’s First home compostable coffee capsule. I don’t know about you, but for me that solves one of my biggest pet peeves about coffee pods. Another world first is their Spirit Idrocompresso espresso machine with lever technology which was exclusively made in Holland by Kees van der Westen for Coco Safar. If you are a coffee snob, or have one in your life, this will be love at first sight.

If you’re more of a tea lover, they have a botanical microbrewery. Red Rooibos, Green Rooibos, Coffee-Citrus and Rooibos- infused Tonic are all poured like a draft, on tap and my FAVOURITE part is that you can order it as a float  with a scoop of gourmet gelato in flavours like balsamic vinegar, black pepper or earl grey.

So next time you’re looking at plane tickets to Paris to do a pastry tour and our Randela doesn’t get you that far, consider a trip to Coco Safar instead!  Got a pastry/dessert spot you think I should know about? Drop the deets in a comment below and I’ll give it a visit – it’s a tough job! 😉

COCO SAFAR

Address: 277 Main Road Sea Point, Cape Town
Contact: 021 433 0490
Website: www.cocosafar.com

The Sweet Life Of A Pastry Chef & Opera Cake Recipe

The Sweet Life Of A Pastry Chef & Opera Cake Recipe

The hero of petit fours, the champion of chocolate, the conqueror of macarons and the instigator of my ever expanding waistline… The Pastry Chef’s job is one we all dream of having! Whipping up decadent desserts all day long? Oh yes, that sounds like the perfect job. But what does it really involve? After my recent trip to Mauritius where I ate 40 desserts in one day (tough life, eh?), I simply had to pick the brain of the mastermind behind all the magnificent bakes. Nicolas Durousseau is not just any pastry chef, he’s the Executive Pastry Chef at the Constance Belle Mare Plage Hotel home to 5 restaurants. Jip, that means 5 different dessert menus, bread and pastries baked daily for the 1000 guests that stay at the resort and a never-ending amount of creativity!

Nicolas’ story began long before he could wield a palette knife; his love of food runs fluidly in his family but began with his grandfather working in famous Parisian pastry shops well into the sixties. He also remembers his grandmother preparing Nice clafoutis with red cherries in the summer along with beautiful egg custard cream with deep-fried beignets – with memories that sweet, no wonder he chose to be a pastry chef! Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, Pierre Gagnaire, Le Negresco… Nicolas has worked with some of the finest chefs in the world, and while he spends his days tempting the hotel’s guests with decadent creations, I wondered what desserts does he enjoy? So I asked him the question that has always haunted me; If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be? His answer; a simple Flan Parisien (which to you and I, is a French Custard Tart similar to our milk tart minus the cinnamon). Ah yes, a man after my own heart!

After tasting so many of Nicolas’ wonderful creations, I was struck by his incredible ability to merge flavours effortlessly, but with so many wonderful combinations to choose from, what is his favourite?  “We received a sample from a world-renowned French chocolate maker,  Valhrona, it is a blond chocolate couverture made with muscovado sugar from Mauritius. I simply made an emulsion with the ganache by adding some red chilli, a fresh fruit caramelized compote made of mango, pineapple and banana with a thin layer of yuzu jelly and lime zest. ”  *taste buds explode, brain explodes, tummy grumbles*

Okay, okay but how can we be like him? How do we channel our inner pastry chef at home? “Perseverance” he says, “Set yourself a goal and then keep practicing until you achieve it”. How about taking his advice and tackling one of Nicolas’ recipes? Like this Opera slice which was my favourite of all his desserts! It consists of layers of sponge, coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache. 

OPERA CAKE SLICE

by Nicholas Durousseau

Serves 8

Sponge

25g butter

125g ground almonds

145g castor sugar

4  whole eggs

3 egg whites

Coffee Syrup

110ml water

100g sugar

2 tsp instant coffee powder

Coffee Buttercream

25ml water

90g sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp instant coffee

1/2 vanilla pod, deseeded

170g butter, cubed

Chocolate Ganache

20g butter

80g 70% dark chocolate

40ml milk

10ml cream

To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 210 degrees Celcius. Melt the butter in a pan and allow to cool. Combine the ground almonds in a separate bowl along with half the sugar and the whole eggs. Mix in the cooled butter. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks then gradually add the sugar and whip until stiff peaks.  Gently fold into the almond mixture in 3 batches. Take a large sheet of baking paper and use a ruler to outline a 30cm by 20cm rectangle then flip the baking paper over. Place the baking paper on a large baking sheet and spray generously with cooking spray. Gently spread the mixture out about 5mm thick on the sheet of baking paper (keeping within the lines of the rectangle) and bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden in colour. Make the syrup by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bringing it to the boil for 1 minute. Take off the heat and cool. Set aside. For the buttercream, make the syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over a medium-heat until the syrup reaches 118 degrees Celcius on a thermometer. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites together on a low speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high and pour the hot syrup in a steady stream. Sprinkle in the coffee powder along with the vanilla seeds and drop the butter in, cube-by-cube, until all of it has been fully incorporated. To make the chocolate ganache, roughly chop the chocolate into medium-sized pieces. Bring the milk and cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate, allow to sit for 2 minutes then stir to combine. Mix the butter in and allow to cool.

To assemble: Slice the sponge into three equal parts, these will make up the layers of the opera. Dab the coffee syrup gently onto the sponge slices using a pastry brush. Evenly spread half of the coffee butter cream on top the first layer of sponge then add the second layer and spread half the ganache over. Add the final layer of sponge and spread the rest of the buttercream evenly then spread the rest of the ganache over the buttercream. Allow to set before trimming the edges neatly. Once set, slice the opera into 10cm by 3cm rectangles.