Little and Friday: Celebrations

A couple of weeks back Mel and I received copies of Little and Friday: Celebrations (we have had a hard time waiting for the release date to be able to share this with you!), it is the beautiful follow up to the incredibly successful Treats From Little and Friday. Author and Little and Friday cafe owner, Kim Evans, is a self taught baker who knows the recipe to success, the Celebrations book which hits shelves today will have you plating up perfection no matter what the event.

Mouth-watering miniature tarts and cakes, savoury galettes, breads, biscuits and decorative cakes cater for simple gatherings, such as a summer picnic, birthday lunches and Mother’s Day. There are chapters devoted to making kids’ parties, Easter, Christmas, weddings and 21st’s occasions to remember forever. All beautifully photographed Tamara West, each turn of the page will get your creative juices flowing and leave you feeling excited and inspired to host your next event.

We are very fortunate today to be able to share with you one of the 100+ amazing recipes from the new book! But trust me, you will want to try more than just this one. Little and Friday Celebrations is available from all good bookstores from today – Friday 18 October, 2013 with an RRP of $45.

Chocolate, Beetroot and Salted Caramel Cake
This flavour combination is sensational

Ingredients:
Cakes
5 eggs
2½ cups caster sugar
300ml canola oil
250g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups flour
1 cup good-quality cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
100ml milk
1 cup grated raw beetroot
3 cups Chocolate Ganache, to decorate

Salted Caramel
1½ cups caster sugar
300ml cream
½ tsp sea salt

Chocolate Ganache
½ cup cream
200g good-quality dark chocolate, grated

Method:
This recipe makes one 23cm triple-layer cake
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line three 23cm round cake tins with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and sugar on medium speed until mixture is pale and creamy and tripled in volume. With mixer on medium speed, slowly drizzle in oil and combine.
3. Melt chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate to egg mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl. Using a large metal spoon, fold a third of the dry ingredients into chocolate mixture. Add a third of the milk and combine. Continue in this way until all combined.
5. Fold grated beetroot through chocolate mixture.
6. Spoon mixture into prepared tins. Bake in centre of oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins before turning out.
7. To assemble, use a serrated knife to cut the domed tops off the cakes. Spread ½ cup Salted Caramel over the top of two cakes and stack to form one triple-layer cake Sandwiched together with caramel.
8. Spread a thick layer of Chocolate Ganache over top and sides of cake using a palette knife.

Salted Caramel - Makes 1½ cups

1. Place sugar in a small saucepan and just cover with water to achieve a wet-sand consistency.
2. Bring to the boil but do not stir. Using a wet pastry brush, remove any sugar crystals from sides of saucepan. Continue to boil until mixture turns amber. Remove from heat.
3. In a small saucepan, heat cream to boiling point. Gradually add to caramelised sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. This takes a while but eventually combines. Season with salt.

Chocolate Ganache – Makes 1 cup
In a saucepan, heat cream to just below boiling point. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Allow to cool and thicken before using.
Kitchen Notes
The ganache can be made a day in advance and stored in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.
You can increase this recipe by using the same ratio of cream to chocolate. For 2 cups use 1 cup cream and 400g chocolate. For 3 cups use 1½ cups cream and 600g chocolate. For4 cups use 2 cups cream and 800g chocolate.

Reproduced with permission from Little and Friday Celebrations by Kim Evans. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $45.00. Copyright © Kim Evans, 2013.Copyright © Photography Tamara West, 2013