EASTER
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Easter at Juliana & Lenny’s Autumn Easter magic in the Blue Mountains with family and friends. Misty mornings, sunny warm afternoons, Easter Egg hunt and a scrumptious brunch buffet and crafty afternoon, what a beautiful day.
Production & Styling Kristin Buesing Design Corina Schurmann Photography Kristin Buesing & Corina Schurmann
Hello out there! My name is Juliana Bartulin and I am responsible for the festival of Easter cuteness in this issue. I hold a Masters degree in Fine Arts, I’m an artist, crafter, designer and arts educator, a Steiner/ Waldorf playgroup leader, Mama to a gorgeous 5 year old, married to the very awesome Australian novelist Lenny Bartulin, and I divide my time between two of the most beautiful places in the country. Hobart (where I grew up and still teach at the Craft Hive) and Sydney’s Blue Mountains (where I can boast about living in a National Park and teaching at the delightful Kindle Hill School). I used to have a very “Serious” Art Practice, but having my boy helped me rediscover the “amo” (love) in “amateur” and, frankly, giggling too much is unbecoming if you’re a Serious Artist. So now I celebrate my vast and varied hybrid practice and I always hope to inspire others to take up the brush, knitting needle or hand saw and say “YES!” to creating a dazzlingly beautiful life. 3
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” Albert Camus
menu Brunch Cheese and Peas Filo Tarts Pumpkin and Feta Pies Pulled Lamb Sliders Bacon and Onion Jam Homemade Harissa Sauce Red and White Cabbage Slaw Hot Cross Buns Afternoon Tea Homemade Lemonade Plum Jam Poppy Seed Plait with Caramelised Apples White Chocolate Trifle with Mulled Pears Shortcrust Bunnies with Marshmallow Tails
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Luka’s favourite flavour combination! Cheese and Peas Filo Tarts Makes 12 80g Butter, melted 2 large eggs, slightly whisked 100ml milk 80g Edam cheese, grated 150g frozen peas zest of 1 lemon 3 sheets Filo pastry
Preheat oven to 180° Celcius. Brush a 12–hole muffin pan with butter. Mix together eggs, milk, cheese, peas and lemon zest. Season. Place the filo sheets on a clean work surface. Brush 1 filo sheet with butter and top with another sheet. Brush with butter and top with another sheet. Cut sheet twice lengthways and three time crossways into 12 equal size pieces. Cover remaining filo with a clean tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this prevents the filo from drying out). Place layered sheets in the base of prepared muffin holes, allowing the corners to extend over the top of the pan. Spoon the egg–pea mixture among the filo cases. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until filo is crisp and golden. Tip: Oli spray instead of butter works well too and saves some calories.
Pumpkin and Feta Pies Makes 20 350g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes 2 teaspoons olive oil 3 sprigs thyme 4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed 2 eggs Zest of 1 lemon 100ml light thickened cream 100g Danish–style feta, crumbled 1 tablespoon pine nuts, optional
Heat oven to 200° Celcius. Grease two 12– hole muffin pans. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Drizzle with oil and season. Sprinkle with thyme and roast for 20 minutes or until cooked. Cut 20 rounds from the pastry sheets using a 6.5cm cutter. Press into muffin holes to cover base and a little of the sides. Whisk eggs, cream and zest together. Season. Divide pumpkin among rounds, top with 1 teaspoon of egg mixture, then sprinkle with feta and pine nuts. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then turn out.
brunch
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PULLED LAMB SLIDERS Makes 15 Buy or bake little soft buns and assemble them just before guests arrive. Slice buns in half but leave them still attached. Add 1 heaped tablespoon of meat, top with slaw. Serve with Onion and Bacon Jam and Harissa Sauce.
Pulled Lamb Makes enough for 15 slider buns 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon ground paprika 1 tablespoon ground cumin 80g brown sugar 350ml vegetable stock 2.3kg lamb shoulder, bone in, trimmed
Stir together spices, sugar and stock. Marinate the lamb in the spice brine and garlic over night in the fridge.
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Remove the lamb from the slow cooker, let it cool a little, then shred with a pair of forks.
Put the lamb in the slow cooker along with the marninade and cook on low for 8 hours.
Skim the fat from the juice and mix the juice into the shredded lamb.
Bacon and Onion Jam Makes 4 cups 4 rashers bacon 1kg brown onions, peeled, halved and cut into slices 1 teaspoon salt 500ml apple cider 50ml red wine or cider vinegar 40g brown sugar 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Heat a large heavy sauce pan over medium–high heat. Cook the bacon until it is just crisp, then remove the slices and set aside, leaving all of the rendered fat in the pan. Add the onions and salt to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the onions soften (about 8 minutes). Chop the bacon into small dice. Add bacon and the remaining ingredients to the pan. Cook uncovered until the liquid is reduced to almost nothing, stirring occasionally (about an hour). Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the onions are a rich medium brown color, stirring frequently (about 10 minutes). If it starts looking too dry, add water 50ml at a time. Remove from the heat, set aside, and let cool.
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Red and White Cabbage Slaw Makes enough for 15 slider buns 1 quarter red cabbage 1 quarter white cabbage 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons vinegar 1 teaspoon salt
Wash and trim cabbage. Using a mandoline cut cabbage into very fine slices. Mix together in a large bowl with oil, vinegar and salt.
Homemade Harissa Sauce Makes 250ml 2 dried large red chillies, trimmed and deseeded 250g ajvar (capsicum relish) 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1 teaspoon carraway seeds 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 garlic clove, crushed 50–100ml vegetable stock
Soak dried chilles in hot water for 10 minutes. Discard water and put chillies in a blender. Add all other ingredients and mix to a thick sauce. Season.
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Hot Cross Buns Makes 16 375ml warm milk 7g/1 sachet dried yeast 60g caster sugar 60g butter, melted 1 egg, lightly whisked 675g plain flour 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoon mixed spice 170g sultanas 50g currants 40g mixed peel 80ml cold water 170g apricot jam
Combine the milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel, set aside in a warm, draught–free place for 10 minutes or until frothy. Combine the milk mixture, butter and egg in a jug and whisk to combine. Combine 600g of flour, salt, mixed spice and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add the sultanas, currants and mixed peel and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm, draught–free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size. Preheat oven to 200° Celcius. Grease a 23cm square springform tin. Punch the dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2–3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange dough portions, side by side, in the prepared pan. Set aside in a warm, draught–free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen. Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns, lengthways and widthways, to form crosses. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°Celcius and bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through (buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on the base). Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes or until jam melts. Strain through a fine sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. Serve warm with butter, or toasted.
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easter egg hunt
“The air is like a butterfly with frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky and sings.� Easter by Joyce Kilmer
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For natural coloured eggs try red cabbage, turmeric, red and brown onion skin. For the nice leaf imprint use small leaves or herbs and wrap the whole egg in a piece of nylon stocking. Tie the ends of the stocking together to hold the leaf in place and put in the dye. Vinegar helps to intensify the colour and a little oil rubbed on the eggs after cooling adds a nice sheen.
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Luka has invited all his friends to an Easter Egg hunt in the magical garden.
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The Autumn Easter tea–cosy is Juliana’s own pattern, knitted in Mondial “Bizarre” (colour 622) picked up at The Wool Shop in Moonah, TA.
afternoon tea & craft
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Coloured doilies and water jug/glass covers are thrift shop finds that Juliana dyed with “Star Dyes� from Batik Oetoro (www. dyeman.com) and hand finished with beads.
Homemade Lemonade Serves 6 250ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 125ml freshly squeezed orange juice 100g sugar sprigs of fresh mint sparkling mineral water or sparkling lemonade
Place lemon juice, orange juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, without boiling, for 10 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a jug. Cover. Refrigerate overnight. Add mineral water or sparkling lemonade and ice to juice mixture just before serving.
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Plum Jam Makes 4 jars of approximately 250ml 2kg sugar or damson plums, halved and pitted 1kg sugar 6 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 3 sprigs thyme juice of 1/2 lemon
Put plums in a a large pot and cover with sugar. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Put pot over medium–low heat until sugar has dissolved. Add spices and herbs. Simmer on medium–low heat for 5 hours until thick and syrupy. Scoop out spices and herbs and blend plums to a thick puree. Put spices back in and add lemon juice. Simmer on medium–low heat for another 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until very thick and dark. Scoop out spices and thyme and discard. Fill plum jam into sterilised glases.
Poppy Seed Plait with Caramelised Apples Filling 2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm pieces 2 tablespoon lemon juice 20g butter 50g sugar 2 ladyfingers, finely crushed Yeast dough 200ml milk 1 sachet (7g) dry yeast 500g plain flour 40g sugar 50g poppy seed salt 120g butter, softened 5 egg yolks (medium size) zest of 1 lemon 1 egg yolk, extra 2 tablespoons milk 80g apricot or tropical jam
Sprinkle lemon juice over apples. Melt butter in a heavy based frying pan and heat over medium heat until starting to froth. Add apples and stir to coat in butter. Reduce heat to low and add sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium–high and cook until sugar starts to caramelise. Set aside to cool. Warm milk to lukewarm and stir in dry yeast. Put flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add yeast–milk, sugar, poppy seed, a dash salt, butter, egg yolks and lemon zest. Using the dough hook of a kitchen machine knead dough until smooth. Cover with a damp tea towel and put in a draught–free warm spot for 1 hour or until risen double in size. Knock down dough wtith your fist and knead with your hands on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Divide dough in 3 equal size portions. Roll out each portion to a rectangle of 40x20cm. Add 1/3 of the crushed ladyfinger and spread 1/3 of the apple mixture evenly leaving a 2cm border. Roll up dough from the long side to form 3 logs. Form into a plait, tucking ends under. Brush the plait with egg yolk and milk. Place plait on a baking tray, cover and rest for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160° Celsius. Bake plait in oven for 40–50 minutes until golden brown and it sounds hollow when tapped. Heat apricot jam and brush the plait while still warm.
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White Chocolate Trifle with Mulled Pears Mulled Pears 250g sugar 12 whole green cardamom pods, slit 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half 4 large firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut in quarters lengthwise 100ml medium–dry sherry White Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse 200g white chocolate, finely chopped 80ml medium–dry sherry 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 250g mascarpone cheese 250ml chilled heavy whipping cream Trifle Assembly 250g package sponge fingers 50g white chocolate, shaved Note Leftover pears are a nice topping on porridge for breakfast
For the mulled pears Combine first 5 ingredients and 500ml water in a large saucepan. Stir over medium–high heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until pears are just tender when pierced with knife, about 15–25 minutes. Scoop out pears with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Boil poaching liquid over medium–high heat until syrupy and reduced to 250ml. Strain into a bowl and discard spices and ginger. Cover and cool. When cool add medium–dry sherry. For the mousse Combine white chocolate, sherry and 60ml water in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth (mixture will be very liquid). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard bean. Transfer white chocolate mixture to large bowl; gradually add mascarpone, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cool mascarpone mixture until barely lukewarm. Using an electric mixer, whisk cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture in 4 additions. Cover and chill white chocolate mousse until set, about 3 hours. Do Ahead: Pears and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. For the trifle assembly Arrange sponge fingers in single layer in bottom of the trifle dish (22cm in diameter and 10cm deep). Drizzle 5 tablespoons pear syrup evenly over sponge fingers. Using small spatula, spread 1/3 of white chocolate mousse over sponge fingers. Place pear slices in single layer on top of mousse. Repeat layering of ladyfingers, syrup, mousse, and pears 1 more time. Cover with third layer of mousse (some sponge fingers and pear slices may be left over). Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate trifle and remaining pear syrup separately. Garnish with shaved chocolate and little jelly Easter eggs.
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Shortcrust Bunnies with Marshmallow Tails 300g plain flour 100g sugar 200g butter 1 egg bought white marshmallows rainbow colour sprinkles (hundreds and thousands) icing sugar
Process flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon chilled water in a bowl until combined, then with food processor motor running, add to flour mixture. Process until mixture begins to form large clumps, stopping machine before mixture forms a ball. Turn pastry out on to a work surface and knead gently to bring together. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180° Celcius. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface or baking paper to 1cm thickness. Cut out large bunnies with cookie cutters. Place bunnies on a lined baking tray and bake in oven for 8 min or until slightly brown around the edges. Cool on a wire rack. Dip marshmallows in a little water and then in sprinkles, set aside to dry. Sieve icing sugar and mix with water to form a thick royal icing. Using the tip of a knife drip a little royal icing onto the bunny biscuit and stick marshmallow, sprinkles facing up, on it so it looks like the bunnie’s tail. Let dry.
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Luka’s socks are knitted in Opal sock wool (colour 2494) using an Ashford “Easy Peasy Sock Pattern” Juliana picked up at her favourite wool shop, The Wool Shop, 58 Main Road, Moonah, Tasmania.
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Step–By–Step Easter Bunny Egg Cosy Pattern Materials
Method
1. I used pure wool blanket off–cuts available from Waverly Woollen Mills by the kilo because they are supremely soft and luxe and keep your eggs very, very warm.
1. Print out the templates and paste on to some cardboard (like a cereal box) so that your templates can be used again and again!
2. Alternatively you could use pure wool felt. 3. Some wool rovings for the needle–felted face and tail details (I use Corriedale Sliver from Ashford). 4. Embroidery thread that compliments the wool blanket or felt you are using.
2. Trace around the templates. 3. Cut them out. 4. Needle–felt or embroider the sweet little face on to the front piece. 5. Cut two small slits into the front piece where the ears will be inserted. 6. Needle–felt a white cotton tail on to the back piece. 7. Sew the front and back pieces together using blanket stitch. 8. Needle–felt or embroider the pink inner ear. 9. Blanket stitch around each ear. 10. Insert ears into slits on front piece and attach with a few stitches on the inside of the front piece.
Now go boil an egg and keep it cosy! If you would like to buy this Easter Bunny Egg Cosy in kit form (with the face and tail already needle–felted on!) please feel free to email me at julesbartulin@gmail.com Happy stitching and Happy Easter!
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happy easter from us at s’more
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© s’more 2012