dessert | date with a plate.

Choc banana nice-cream

May 23, 2017 by date with a plate.

You’ll be pleased to know I have managed to remain largely on the healthy eating bandwagon…I say largely because I still inhale the occasional required burger or other cheat meal on the weekend. But weekdays are pretty darn strict – and thank the greater powers because I am seeing results. And that’s what keeps you going, knowing your hard work is paying off. But what do you do when your cravings for sweets reach heights greater than your self-control? You […]

Categories: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice cream, mid-week, Snack, Vegetarian • Tags: banana, chocolate, coconut, dates, dessert, easy, pecan, walnuts

Rhubarb, strawberry & blood orange crumble

September 8, 2015 by date with a plate.

Where does the time go? How is it September already? It’s like I’ve blinked and an entire month has completely flashed before my eyes while I semi-consciously continue to live. Perhaps it’s time to slow things down? I live just as busy a life as anyone else; forever balancing the scales of social life and work life, friend time and family time…but it can get a bit overwhelming at times. It seems there is always something to do, somewhere to […]

Categories: Dessert • Tags: baking, blood orange, crumble, dessert, easy, ice cream, rhubarb, strawberry, zest

Carrot, apple and walnut cake with cream cheese frosting & praline (shhh…it’s gluten free too!)

August 5, 2015 by date with a plate.

So here it is folks, Part Two of my awesomely fun collaboration with Katey from Little Bit Bakery (read more about Part One if you missed it). I feel so privileged to be able to share this recipe with you for Katey’s drool-worthy gluten free carrot cake – please do not underestimate the enormity of this momentous moment…this cake is Katey’s best seller and for good reason. Lusciously moist cake, which is light and practically falls apart in your mouth, […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Cake, Dessert, Special Occasion, Vegetarian • Tags: apple, baking, cake, carrot, carrot cake, cream cheese, dessert, frosting, gluten free, Granny smith apple, icing, icing sugar, walnuts

Honey ice cream with salted dark chocolate almonds

July 29, 2015 by date with a plate.

My friend Katey, owner and all-round sugar goddess at Little Bit Bakery, and I decided to have some fun in the kitchen over the weekend and got together for a full day of creative foodie collaboration. While we originally met in little old Perth, Katey now calls Melbourne home and if you live over that way you might want to drop her a line and order a cake – the girl has some serious sugar skills! We share a common […]

Categories: Chocolate, Dessert, Ice cream • Tags: almonds, chocolate, dark chocolate, dessert, honey, ice cream

Peanut butter ice cream sandwiches

March 18, 2015 by date with a plate.

Yep, this happened and it was glorious. I made peanut butter ice cream, sandwiched in between chocolate cookies and went into a deep food coma…and it was worth every single bite. Forget that sugar free, fat free, enjoyment free dessert you were thinking about making and make these. I’m not saying you should be enjoying ice cream sandwiches daily, but an occasional dose of really naughty dessert is a must in my books. This all started when a girlfriend and […]

Categories: Chocolate, Dessert, Special Occasion • Tags: baking, chocolate, cookie, dessert, ice cream, peanut butter, Reese's

Vanilla cake with hazelnuts and fresh figs

February 24, 2015 by date with a plate.

It’s my favourite time of the year: fig season. No joke, I eat so many when they’re in season, it’s like my body knows I only get a small window of opportunity before “poof!” they’re gone… So I decided on Saturday morning as I strolled through a local fruit and veg shop, which was selling packs of six for $3.99, that I would make something special to celebrate the glorious fig. And as I like them best the way nature […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Cake, Dessert, Special Occasion • Tags: baking, cake, cream, dessert, fig, hazelnuts, icing sugar, mascarpone, praline

Snow covered chocolate brownies

December 13, 2013 by date with a plate.

First of all, when I say snow I really mean icing sugar. Secondly, when I cook brownies, I cook with butter. Let’s be honest, butter is amazing. I’m all for healthy eating and a good salad but when I cook cakes or brownies or any sort of dessert – its never “low fat”, never with margarine and never without guilt. But that’s ok every now and again, its Christmas and people like an excuse to indulge. These brownies are awesome, […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Cake, Chocolate • Tags: baking, brownie, chocolate, dessert, Nigella Lawson

Apple and Blueberry Crumble (an oldy but a goldy)

July 5, 2013 by date with a plate.

My childhood is full of memories of this simple winter dessert, served by Nanna, Grandma and Mum its a common appearance at our family dinner table! It’s an understated masterpiece really; cost effective, quick to prep, easy to create and more than easy to finish your plate! Serve it up with ice-cream, cream or custard – this dessert makes for pleasing the masses. I don’t like to over complicate these sorts of dishes. Why bother? If they were good to […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Dessert • Tags: apple, blueberry, coconut, crumble, dates, dessert, easy, kid friendly, oats

Nigella’s Lemon Polenta Cake

May 26, 2013 by date with a plate.

A combination of two things led me to this recipe; an overly abundant lemon tree at my Mum’s house and a desire to use polenta in baking. It would appear (to me at least) a match made in baking heaven. My Mum’s lemon tree is consistently plentiful with deliciously sweet lemons, not the normal hard skinned lumpy variety, but instead a perfectly oval shaped, thin skinned and sweet flavoured variety which I have come to love over the years. It is […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Cake, Dessert • Tags: baking, cake, dessert, flavour, ground almonds, lemon, Nigella Lawson, polenta, sweet

Carrot Cake, no healthy treat here!

April 19, 2013 by date with a plate.

You would be forgiven for thinking that a slice of Carrot Cake was doing you any good. In fact I have sometimes been under the false premise that this cake must include a whole range of beneficial nutritional ingredients…but then my friend Gabby gave me her tried and tested recipe for this much more sinister afternoon treat. That’s right, carrot cake isn’t all that its name suggests. Yes there’s carrots, but there is also its sinister sidekicks; oil, butter and […]

Categories: Afternoon tea, Cake, Dessert • Tags: baking, cake, carrot, cream cheese, dessert, easy, icing, kid friendly, muffin tin, Party

Coconut Rough

April 5, 2013 by date with a plate.

I didn’t exactly set myself any sort of culinary challenge last night when I decided to make the boyfriend Coconut Rough as a treat, actually it’s rather shameful how easy this is to make. Just think melted chocolate, toasted coconut and well…eating. Don’t be deterred by its simplicity, this is an awesome little treat and makes a great TV snack, gift for friends and family (if packaged in a little bag or box) and is a wonderful addition to any […]

Categories: Chocolate, Dessert • Tags: chocolate, coconut, dessert, easy, kid friendly, Party, toasted coconut

Jelly shots

March 13, 2013 by date with a plate.

I was recently faced with the awkward predicament of being told not to bring anything to a house party apart from a couple bags of ice to help keep drinks cold, this felt like a seemingly poor contribution for what was to be an epic housewarming for two of my dearest friends. So I upped the ante – by bringing along trays of homemade jelly shots – but with a twist. I traded the predictable small, plastic and boring shot […]

Categories: Alcoholic Goods • Tags: alcohol, chambord, dessert, food, Jelly, Jelly Shot, lychee, muffin tin, Oranges, Party, Raspberry, rum, vodka

date with a plate.

food for everyday.

Tag: dessert