8 THE TART TINTHE TART TIN 9 My career in the kitchen started at just five, learning to bake with my mother and grandmothers. These are fond childhood memories, and the pride and passion these women had for baking was a true inspiration and set a firm foundation for my own future as a chef. I was still at primary school when I first started making fudge and cakes to sell at my parents’ workplaces to earn a little pocket money. After becoming a qualified chef in 1996, I worked in Dunedin for a couple of years before I moved to Sydney, chasing the endless summer, warmer waters and better wages. But as always, the grass isn’t always greener and the big-city hustle and bustle and overcrowded beaches and waves saw me return home in 2006. I still travel regularly – anywhere warm with great waves and interesting food to discover and keep me inspired. I absolutely love Dunedin. Its wild, untamed coastline is a surfer’s dream (as long as you can handle the cold and the occasional angry sea lion!) and I really believe that while it is a small city, it has a big future. It has been a fantastic place to set up my small but growing business, The Tart Tin. I was working at Nova café when I decided to give the Otago Farmers Market a crack. I gathered together what money I could to purchase a couple of trestle tables and converted an old cabinet to display my baking, and began chasing my sweet little childhood dream. I was very fortunate that the owners of Nova were happy for me to bake for them during the week and then on Friday mornings use their kitchen space to prepare what I was going to sell at the market the next day. A few months into it, the market stall was going so well that I needed more time and space, and was again lucky that a friend offered me the use of her kitchen at The Dough Bin on Thursdays and Fridays. But the demand for my treats was increasing at such a speed that I soon needed to find a kitchen of my own. As luck would have it, a small and rather old little kitchen literally around the corner from my house in St Clair became available. It had been a bakery called Pixie Pies, which had unfortunately fizzled out in the early 2000s. I jumped at the opportunity to have my own space and, not long after, made The Tart Tin my full-time job, supplying a handful of Dunedin cafés during the week and selling at the farmers’ market every Saturday.The farmers’ market is so much fun. It’s great getting to meet all my customers and see the pleasure my baking gives them. And getting to know the local growers and choosing produce that is far superior to anything found in supermarkets or from commercial suppliers is a massive bonus.The only downside to my little stall was the cold Dunedin mornings. Standing in one spot for the six hours of the market was quite painful, especially during the winter months! Then I came across Minty, my little 1974 Sprite caravan. She had been waiting for me up in Takaka. She was already pretty sweet when I found her and just needed some small improvements for me to be able to set her up at the market. Winters have been a piece of cake ever since.One day soon I plan to open a small New York-style hole-in-the-wall bakery here in Dunedin. I want to keep the business small and boutique, focusing on quality, and I hope the shop will recreate that excitement you felt when opening your grandmother’s retro cake tin to see what she had lovingly created.In these pages you will discover recipes from throughout my twenty years as a professional chef. These are not just ingredients, measurements and methods; these recipes represent moments from my Introduction life in the kitchen and the people who have influenced me throughout my journey.From fine-dining restaurants to trendy wee cafés, the most important thing I have learnt working in kitchens is that when it comes to food, quality ingredients are important, but even more crucial is passion, pride and technique. It’s about an experience – having someone eat and enjoy what you have created is wicked, but if you can reignite a pleasurable memory through food, you have truly succeeded. I have decided to pass on my recipes to you for one reason: some things are just too nice to keep to yourself. I believe everyone should be able to enjoy a sweet little moment once in a while. In this collection you’ll find baking and kitchen tips, techniques and information on essential equipment, and also some of the mistakes I’ve made over the years (so you don’t have to make them too).I feel so blessed you have picked up my book. I hope you enjoy making these recipes for your dearest family and friends as much as I have loved creating them for you. We only get one go at life, so take a big slice, add a little cream and let the one who helps you along the way get first lick of the spoon.Matt CrossThe Tart Man xx8 THE TART TINTHE TART TIN 9 My career in the kitchen started at just five, learning to bake with my mother and grandmothers. These are fond childhood memories, and the pride and passion these women had for baking was a true inspiration and set a firm foundation for my own future as a chef. I was still at primary school when I first started making fudge and cakes to sell at my parents’ workplaces to earn a little pocket money. After becoming a qualified chef in 1996, I worked in Dunedin for a couple of years before I moved to Sydney, chasing the endless summer, warmer waters and better wages. But as always, the grass isn’t always greener and the big-city hustle and bustle and overcrowded beaches and waves saw me return home in 2006. I still travel regularly – anywhere warm with great waves and interesting food to discover and keep me inspired. I absolutely love Dunedin. Its wild, untamed coastline is a surfer’s dream (as long as you can handle the cold and the occasional angry sea lion!) and I really believe that while it is a small city, it has a big future. It has been a fantastic place to set up my small but growing business, The Tart Tin. I was working at Nova café when I decided to give the Otago Farmers Market a crack. I gathered together what money I could to purchase a couple of trestle tables and converted an old cabinet to display my baking, and began chasing my sweet little childhood dream. I was very fortunate that the owners of Nova were happy for me to bake for them during the week and then on Friday mornings use their kitchen space to prepare what I was going to sell at the market the next day. A few months into it, the market stall was going so well that I needed more time and space, and was again lucky that a friend offered me the use of her kitchen at The Dough Bin on Thursdays and Fridays. But the demand for my treats was increasing at such a speed that I soon needed to find a kitchen of my own. As luck would have it, a small and rather old little kitchen literally around the corner from my house in St Clair became available. It had been a bakery called Pixie Pies, which had unfortunately fizzled out in the early 2000s. I jumped at the opportunity to have my own space and, not long after, made The Tart Tin my full-time job, supplying a handful of Dunedin cafés during the week and selling at the farmers’ market every Saturday.The farmers’ market is so much fun. It’s great getting to meet all my customers and see the pleasure my baking gives them. And getting to know the local growers and choosing produce that is far superior to anything found in supermarkets or from commercial suppliers is a massive bonus.The only downside to my little stall was the cold Dunedin mornings. Standing in one spot for the six hours of the market was quite painful, especially during the winter months! Then I came across Minty, my little 1974 Sprite caravan. She had been waiting for me up in Takaka. She was already pretty sweet when I found her and just needed some small improvements for me to be able to set her up at the market. Winters have been a piece of cake ever since.One day soon I plan to open a small New York-style hole-in-the-wall bakery here in Dunedin. I want to keep the business small and boutique, focusing on quality, and I hope the shop will recreate that excitement you felt when opening your grandmother’s retro cake tin to see what she had lovingly created.In these pages you will discover recipes from throughout my twenty years as a professional chef. These are not just ingredients, measurements and methods; these recipes represent moments from my Introduction life in the kitchen and the people who have influenced me throughout my journey.From fine-dining restaurants to trendy wee cafés, the most important thing I have learnt working in kitchens is that when it comes to food, quality ingredients are important, but even more crucial is passion, pride and technique. It’s about an experience – having someone eat and enjoy what you have created is wicked, but if you can reignite a pleasurable memory through food, you have truly succeeded. I have decided to pass on my recipes to you for one reason: some things are just too nice to keep to yourself. I believe everyone should be able to enjoy a sweet little moment once in a while. In this collection you’ll find baking and kitchen tips, techniques and information on essential equipment, and also some of the mistakes I’ve made over the years (so you don’t have to make them too).I feel so blessed you have picked up my book. I hope you enjoy making these recipes for your dearest family and friends as much as I have loved creating them for you. We only get one go at life, so take a big slice, add a little cream and let the one who helps you along the way get first lick of the spoon.Matt CrossThe Tart Man xx46 THE TART TIN / MACARONSLine a baking tray with baking paper. Sift icing sugar and ground almonds into the bowl of a food processor. Whizz on high speed until a fine dust before sifting again. Stir in the 3 egg whites, freeze-dried strawberry powder and colouring paste to make a paste. Put caster sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil rapidly, until it reaches about 120°C, or until the little bubbles start to look thick, like lava bubbling. Wipe inside of the kitchen mixer bowl with lemon half. Put egg whites into the bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. With the mixer on low speed, very slowly pour the hot sugar into the egg whites, then increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff and glossy. Add one third of the meringue to almond paste and mix thoroughly. Add the remaining meringue and gently fold together, folding at least 50 times. Using a round nozzle on your piping bag, pipe evenly spaced circles about the size of a two-dollar coin, leaving room for the macarons to spread. Bang the tray on the kitchen bench to knock the air out of the macarons.Leave to dry out on the tray for at least 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 120°C.Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Mix white chocolate ganache with lavender essence or finely chopped flower and use to sandwich together macarons. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or up to 1 week.Makes 30 filled macarons Prep and drying time: 1 hour Cook time: 20 mins Macarons 200g icing sugar200g ground almonds3 large egg whites2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder1 drop red colouring paste70ml water200g caster sugarHalf a lemon2 large egg whitesFilling½ cup Chocolate Ganache (see page 137), made using white chocolate 1 drop lavender essence or 1 dried flower, finely choppedStrawberry Macarons with White Chocolate and Lavender Ganache46 THE TART TIN / MACARONSLine a baking tray with baking paper. Sift icing sugar and ground almonds into the bowl of a food processor. Whizz on high speed until a fine dust before sifting again. Stir in the 3 egg whites, freeze-dried strawberry powder and colouring paste to make a paste. Put caster sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil rapidly, until it reaches about 120°C, or until the little bubbles start to look thick, like lava bubbling. Wipe inside of the kitchen mixer bowl with lemon half. Put egg whites into the bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. With the mixer on low speed, very slowly pour the hot sugar into the egg whites, then increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff and glossy. Add one third of the meringue to almond paste and mix thoroughly. Add the remaining meringue and gently fold together, folding at least 50 times. Using a round nozzle on your piping bag, pipe evenly spaced circles about the size of a two-dollar coin, leaving room for the macarons to spread. Bang the tray on the kitchen bench to knock the air out of the macarons.Leave to dry out on the tray for at least 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 120°C.Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Mix white chocolate ganache with lavender essence or finely chopped flower and use to sandwich together macarons. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or up to 1 week.Makes 30 filled macarons Prep and drying time: 1 hour Cook time: 20 mins Macarons 200g icing sugar200g ground almonds3 large egg whites2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder1 drop red colouring paste70ml water200g caster sugarHalf a lemon2 large egg whitesFilling½ cup Chocolate Ganache (see page 137), made using white chocolate 1 drop lavender essence or 1 dried flower, finely choppedStrawberry Macarons with White Chocolate and Lavender Ganache54 THE TART TIN / CUPCAKESPreheat oven to 160°C. Fill moulds of a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper cases. Put butter in the bowl of a kitchen mixer and whisk at high speed. Slowly add sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated and pale and fluffy, then let it continue to mix as you prepare the rest of the ingredients, returning to scrape the sides down occasionally.Sift the flour and cacao together and combine the oil with the milk.Returning to the butter and sugar, lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, allowing about 5 seconds between each egg so as not to split the mixture.Lower the speed further and add the flour mixture, followed by the milk mixture. Continue to mix slowly with the mixer, or fold mixture together with a spatula. Pipe or spoon into prepared cupcake tray so that moulds are two-thirds full. Tap the trays to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 14 minutes in the middle or bottom of oven until risen in the middle and springy to the touch. Remove from moulds and allow to cool before icing.To make the icing, mix colouring paste or liquid and peppermint extract into buttercream icing. Pipe onto cupcakes. Top the icing with brownie, melted chocolate sauce and chocolate chips to garnish.Makes 12 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 14 minsCupcakes 125g softened butter, diced1 cup caster sugar1½ cups self-raising flour60g raw cacao powder70ml canola oil125ml milk3 eggsIcing 1 drop green colouring paste or liquid 1 drop peppermint extract½ portion Buttercream Icing (see page 133) 12 small squares of Ultimate Chocolate Brownie (see page 14)Chocolate Sauce to drizzle (see page 132)Chocolate chips to garnishAfter Dinner Mint CupcakesMatt’s tipIf you like, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried powdered mint leaves for the food colouring and peppermint extract.54 THE TART TIN / CUPCAKESPreheat oven to 160°C. Fill moulds of a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper cases. Put butter in the bowl of a kitchen mixer and whisk at high speed. Slowly add sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated and pale and fluffy, then let it continue to mix as you prepare the rest of the ingredients, returning to scrape the sides down occasionally.Sift the flour and cacao together and combine the oil with the milk.Returning to the butter and sugar, lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, allowing about 5 seconds between each egg so as not to split the mixture.Lower the speed further and add the flour mixture, followed by the milk mixture. Continue to mix slowly with the mixer, or fold mixture together with a spatula. Pipe or spoon into prepared cupcake tray so that moulds are two-thirds full. Tap the trays to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 14 minutes in the middle or bottom of oven until risen in the middle and springy to the touch. Remove from moulds and allow to cool before icing.To make the icing, mix colouring paste or liquid and peppermint extract into buttercream icing. Pipe onto cupcakes. Top the icing with brownie, melted chocolate sauce and chocolate chips to garnish.Makes 12 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 14 minsCupcakes 125g softened butter, diced1 cup caster sugar1½ cups self-raising flour60g raw cacao powder70ml canola oil125ml milk3 eggsIcing 1 drop green colouring paste or liquid 1 drop peppermint extract½ portion Buttercream Icing (see page 133) 12 small squares of Ultimate Chocolate Brownie (see page 14)Chocolate Sauce to drizzle (see page 132)Chocolate chips to garnishAfter Dinner Mint CupcakesMatt’s tipIf you like, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried powdered mint leaves for the food colouring and peppermint extract.112 THE TART TIN / CAKES, TARTS & PIESThis is an extremely popular cake at the Tart Tin. I make this cake as little single-serve cakes as well as larger ones, and it has been turned into many a wedding cake as well. This cake looks really impressive and even more so when topped with Salted Caramel Candy Corn (see page 134)! Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease and line two 23cm springform cake tins. Put butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a kitchen mixer and beat at high speed, slowly adding your sugar a third at a time until pale and fluffy. Then add eggs one at a time, sift in flour and then pour in milk and oil. Pour into prepared cake tins. Bake for 30 minutes, until just golden and risen in the middle. Do not open the door while cooking or the cakes will sink. Remove from oven and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. When the cakes are cool, cut each in half horizontally with a serrated knife and smother three of the layers with a generous amount of salted caramel. Stack cakes, finishing with the bare layer on top, and decorate with Swiss meringue. Scorch with a kitchen torch. If you don’t have one, preheat oven to 170°C and place cake into oven for no more than 4 minutes. Pour over a generous amount of salted caramel sauce. This cake will keep in an airtight container for 4 days, or in the fridge for 1 week. It is best served at room temperature. Makes one 23cm cake Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 30 mins250g softened butter, chopped2 cups caster sugar4 large eggs2¾ cups self-raising flour 1 cup milk¾ cup canola oil1 portion Salted Caramel (see page 129)1 portion Swiss Meringue (see page 96) Salted Caramel Meringue CakeMatt’s tipI always use a clean, damp tea towel to cover a cake after removing it from the oven and leaving it to cool; this helps to keep the cake moist and can prevent it from collapsing in the middle. 112 THE TART TIN / CAKES, TARTS & PIESThis is an extremely popular cake at the Tart Tin. I make this cake as little single-serve cakes as well as larger ones, and it has been turned into many a wedding cake as well. This cake looks really impressive and even more so when topped with Salted Caramel Candy Corn (see page 134)! Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease and line two 23cm springform cake tins. Put butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a kitchen mixer and beat at high speed, slowly adding your sugar a third at a time until pale and fluffy. Then add eggs one at a time, sift in flour and then pour in milk and oil. Pour into prepared cake tins. Bake for 30 minutes, until just golden and risen in the middle. Do not open the door while cooking or the cakes will sink. Remove from oven and cover with a clean, damp tea towel. When the cakes are cool, cut each in half horizontally with a serrated knife and smother three of the layers with a generous amount of salted caramel. Stack cakes, finishing with the bare layer on top, and decorate with Swiss meringue. Scorch with a kitchen torch. If you don’t have one, preheat oven to 170°C and place cake into oven for no more than 4 minutes. Pour over a generous amount of salted caramel sauce. This cake will keep in an airtight container for 4 days, or in the fridge for 1 week. It is best served at room temperature. Makes one 23cm cake Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 30 mins250g softened butter, chopped2 cups caster sugar4 large eggs2¾ cups self-raising flour 1 cup milk¾ cup canola oil1 portion Salted Caramel (see page 129)1 portion Swiss Meringue (see page 96) Salted Caramel Meringue CakeMatt’s tipI always use a clean, damp tea towel to cover a cake after removing it from the oven and leaving it to cool; this helps to keep the cake moist and can prevent it from collapsing in the middle. We hope youenjoyed this EYB Book PreviewThe complete book is available from all major booksellers. Or use the "Buy Book" button and help support EYB.Next >