City Works Depot

Yesterday for lunch Simon and I headed into town to try out some of the offerings at Auckland’s newest hot spot, the City Works Depot. 

It was a grey rainy day (so the photos on this post aren’t the best – that, and I was using my phone) but that didn’t put people off coming here; when we turned up people were queuing outside the Food Truck Garage waiting for it to open its doors. 

The City Works Depot is located on the corner of Wellesley and Nelson Streets in Auckland city.  Here you will find Best Ugly Bagels by Al Brown, the Food Truck Garage by Michael Van De Elzen, and a motorbike shop and cafe called Shed Five.  The vicinity is also home to Dry & Tea, a gorgeous salon that also serves a large range of delicious teas, and Brothers Brewery, who have set up their brewery, retail store and tasting lounge here.  The place looks set for further development and I am excited to see what else will join the already awesome places on offer. 

Simon and I grabbed a tasty bagel and coffee to share from Best Ugly Bagels.  Their bagels are delicious; we had their ‘Yodi’ bagel which was a sesame bagel toasted and topped with pastrami, swiss cheese and pickle.  Best Ugly pairs their bagels up with other artisan products to create something really special.  It was great to see the bagels being made fresh, right in front of you.  Also, once you’ve tried one and become addicted you can also buy packs of bagels to takeaway. 

After our bagel we headed over to the Food Truck Garage where we tried out a pork and apple dog and a chicken and leek dog.  Both were really tasty but I think we need to head back and try out a burger; they looked amazing coming out of the kitchen!  Despite the large numbers of people they had to cater for, the food was quick and the service was friendly.  I loved the enamel plates the food was served on and the big pictures of their food hanging on the walls – it made me want to select my fave pictures off the blog and do something similar at home, but we don’t really have the kitchen for it.  Anyways, if you are looking for a quick bite to eat I recommend you head along to the City Works Depot and check it out!

City Works Depot
Corner of Wellesley and Nelson Street
Auckland City

Banana Chocolate Brownies

These Banana Chocolate Brownies are amazing – trust me I know.  I’ve made them a few times now as I lost the recipe I scribbled down while I was making them the first time, so I had to make them again to make sure I had remembered it correctly.  Simon took the second batch to work where they were a huge hit, and I received some very complimentary feedback.  The recipe is pretty easy to make and the banana adds a delicious flavour twist to your traditional brownie.  I think making this recipe is my most best baking discovery so far this year.

Ingredients:
175g dark chocolate
175g butter
150g brown sugar
2 medium sized bananas
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
100g self raising flour
2 teaspoons cocoa
¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 180°C.  Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper.
In a large saucepan over a medium heat, melt the chocolate, butter and sugar together, stirring until smooth.  Once melted and mixed together, remove from the heat.
In a bowl, mash up the bananas roughly with a fork (I like to have chunks of banana in the brownie).  Add the eggs, bananas and vanilla into the chocolate mixture and stir until well mixed.
Sift in the flour, cocoa and chocolate chips (if using) and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting into squares and serving.

*I used Whittakers 50% Cocoa Dark Block chocolate to melt in with the butter and sugar, and when I have added chocolate chips I have used Nestle Chocolate Bits as they hold their shape and do not melt into the mixture.

Fudgey Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

These were a request from a lovely new friend I’ve made since going back to work. I thought they were pretty yummy and they seemed to be well received by my colleagues who enjoyed snacking on them during a meeting. I wanted something really chocolatey for the cupcake base so used our Chocolate Mud Cake recipe, it isn’t as rich or dense in cupcake form but tastes delicious and is a little fudge like.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons good quality drinking cocoa
1 cup hot water
¼ cup fruit juice
200 grams dark cooking chocolate chopped
1½cups sugar
250 grams butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Buttercream:
150g butter softened
3-4 cups icing sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons hot water (warm icing makes the colour take better)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less to taste)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 140˚C.  Grease and line x2 muffin/cupcake tins with 24 cases.
Put the dinking cocoa, hot water and juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Remove from the heat.
Add the chocolate and butter and stir until melted.
Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved.  Allow to cool.
In a large bowl sift the flour and baking soda together then make a well in the centre.
Beat the eggs together with the vanilla essence and stir into the cooled chocolate mixture.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently to mix (I found I was getting clumps of flour so I beat it very gently with the electric beaters for under a minute as not to overwork the ingredients).
Fill cupcake cases to two thirds and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, they will bounce back once cooked and skewer can be removed cleanly.
To make the buttercream, cream butter in or with a mixer until pale. On a low speed add icing sugar alternating with hot water and vanilla essence. Continue to beat until light and fluffy or until it’s reached a consistency you are happy with. At this stage you can add in the cinnamon to taste.
Decorate as desired, I used a 1M tip to pipe mine and scattered gorgeous sugar pearls from The Pretty Baker to brighten them up so they weren’t boring beige, I also put a sprinkle of cinnamon on some of them.

ANZAC Baking Ideas

Here in New Zealand it is ANZAC Day in a little over a week, on the 25th April.  ‘ANZAC’ stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps and the 25th of April is significant for us as it marks the landings at Gallipoli made during World War One.  On this day each year we acknowledge the sacrifice of all those who have died in warfare, and the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.

A baking tradition for the day is to make Anzac biscuits.  These biscuits are said to have been sent by wives to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation.  Why not make of batch?  Or, try out one of our ANZAC recipes that are a bit of a twist on the traditional biscuit.

ANZAC Biscuits

Gooey Caramel ANZAC Slice

ANZAC Muffins

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
- Laurence Binyon

White Chocolate and Coconut Truffles

I made these for Easter as they look like little bunny tails, I got the idea off a friend of mine but adapted the recipe and method for our chocolate mint truffles as it is so easy! These are so delicious and perfect if you have to prepare an after dinner treat on short notice.

Ingredients:
1 pack of white chocolate Tim Tam’s
150 grams cream cheese, softened
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup shredded coconut

Method:
Place the biscuits in a food processor and grind them up.  Add the cream cheese and mix well.
Place the mixture in the freezer until it has hardened (approx. 20 minutes).
Line a container with non-stick baking paper. 
Place coconut on a plate or other clean, flat surface.
Spoon out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls.  Roll the balls in coconut and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Store any left overs in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Oaty Banana Nut Bars

I’ve been experimenting with muesli bars this weekend (so expect another muesli bar recipe soon).  These Oaty Banana Nut Bars are a bit of a twist on your traditional muesli bar.  They are a super quick snack idea which would make a great addition to school lunchboxes.  Instead of the muesli being held together with honey and the like, a mix of peanut butter and mashed banana is used.  the result is a soft cake-like bar.  They remind me of Banana Cranberry Cookies I made a while back.
To speed things up, I used my food processor to prepare most of the ingredients I was using.  I also used pre-mixed nuts out of the bulk bin at my local supermarket.  You can use an assortment of your favourite nuts, it’s totally up to you.

Ingredients:
1 cup mixed nuts
½ cup pretzels
1 ½ cups oats
¼ cup chocolate chips
4 bananas
1 cup peanut butter

Method:
Preheat your oven to 180°C.  Grease and line a 16 x 26cm tin. 
Place the nuts and pretzels into a food processor and process for a few seconds to roughly chop them up (alternatively you could chop them with a knife).  Place in a medium sized bowl and mix through the oats and chocolate chips.
Place the bananas in the food processor and process until smooth (alternatively you can use a fork to mash them).  Pour the banana into a microwave safe bowl.  Add the peanut butter to the banana.  Microwave the banana for 1 minute on high, remove from the microwave and stir the mix thoroughly for 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix the banana mixture through the oat mixture.  Press the mixture evenly into the prepared tin.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the mixture is golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting into bars to serve.  Store in an airtight container.

After some more muesli bar recipes?  Check out our White Chocolate and Cranberry Muesli Bar and our Chocolate Muesli Bar recipes – they are delish!  Also, I got the cute bakers twine that I tied around these bars from The Pretty Baker.

Salted White Chocolate and Oat Cookies

I started back at full time work at the end of January after two years at home being Mummy to Max. It has been so full on, that combined with the heat and wanting to spend every spare minute with my little man has meant I haven’t really prioritised getting into the kitchen to bake new things, but, I finally found a spare moment and have whipped up these little beauties, adapting a recipe from one of my favourite baking blogs ‘Bake or Break’.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
100 grams butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar (I recommend Billington’s)
⅓ cup sugar
1 large egg
125 grams small white chocolate drops
coarse salt, for sprinkling

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking trays with paper.
Whisk together oats, flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
Add sugars, beating until fluffy.
Add egg,  mixing well after addition.
Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add oat mixture.
Stir in white chocolate.
Scoop tablespoonfuls of the batter onto your lined trays. Sprinkle each with coarse salt. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until edges are browned but centers are slightly soft.
Cool cookies on pans for a few minutes. Then, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

These were delish and were quickly gobbled up in our house. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Buttermilk Pancakes and Brunch at Bobby’s

I have been working on perfecting my Buttermilk Pancake recipe for a little while now, it is perfect for using up leftover buttermilk from making Red Velvet Cake and a delicious addition to brunch. Shane and I had the family over for Easter brunch yesterday and I cooked 30 of these bad boys so I consider the recipe well tested!

Before I let you in on the recipe I just have to let you know about Brunch at Bobby’s. If you have been following the blog for a while you will know that both Mel and I love brunch – it is usually the meal featured in our cafe reviews, it’s nice to know we have a kindred spirit in celebrity chef Bobby Flay. In his new series Bobby steps away from the BBQ and opens up his home as he prepares brunch. With a spatula in one hand and a cocktail in the other (now if it’s good enough for Bobby I’m thinking it’s probably something I should consider doing…), Bobby goes from sweet to salty to savoury, drawing inspiration for every-occasion brunches from around the globe. With delicious brunch dishes like Mascarpone-topped cherry pancakes, dressed-up eggs Benedict and more, this is one you will definitely have to check out for yourself!

Ingredients:
Makes 8 large pancakes
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
25 grams butter, melted

Method:
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter.
Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over a medium high heat on your cooktop. A good tip to know if it is ready is to drop a small amount water onto your heated pan, if it beads up and sizzles you are good to go.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture once you are ready to cook, using a wooden spoon or whisk. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir, it will be a little lumpy due to the texture of the buttermilk.
Using a 1/2 cup measure pour your batter on to the pre-heated pan and lightly brown on both sides. A tip on knowing when to turn your pancake is when you see little bubbles appear on the uncooked side and you you can lift the pancake up to check with a rubber spatula.

I recommend serving these warm with butter, lashings of maple syrup and streaky bacon, it’s the perfect combination of sweet and savoury and they are currently my favourite brunch. What are your favourite brunch dishes? If you are looking to improve your brunch repertoire I really recommend trying these pancakes and of course checking out Brunch at Bobby’s.

Tuesday’s at 12.00pm, 4:00pm and 8:00pm, from 23 April on Food TV, SKY channel 9