2009 : To Christie, with love
Happy 2009 to everyone! Christmas 2008 zoomed by too quickly for me, but that’s okay, because I’m looking forward to the start of a new year, which hopefully will shape up to be as wonderful and memorable as a fine glass of wine.
I trust everyone had a great Christmas? At our family dinner, we had a fabulous organic ham with an apricot and orange glaze, turkey stuffed with wild rice and cranberries, as well as oysters, prawns, marinated vegetables, and dessert, which is my one responsibility every Christmas.
While this might sound like a pretty straightforward task to most people, I always accidentally make it difficult on myself by eschewing the safe option of making things I’m familiar with, for things that strike me at the spur of the moment. This year, we had sour cherries with white chocolate cream, followed by Christmas pudding ice-cream macarons and boozy brandy custard – both of which I think were better received than that one year I served poached peaches with a mint granita that tasted like toothpaste. Or the other time I tried to add a bit of theatrics to the end of the meal by releasing a shower of dried rose petals over everyone (it was meant to complement the dessert, honest). This was inspired by a story DP once told, of when he hosted a banquet and threw handfuls of walnuts across the length of the table, for his guests to pick, crack and eat as they pleased.
With some ingredients I still had around the next day, I thought it was time I finally made Christie of Fig & Cherry, a Cherry Ripe-inspired dessert. So here it is.
I call it, “To Christie, with love”, and it comprises a bitter chocolate sauce, coconut sorbet, sour cherry compote, with chestnut crumble and custard.
For those unfamiliar with the Cherry Ripe, it is an Australian chocolate bar consisting of a juicy cherry and coconut layer, enrobed in dark chocolate. It’s Christie’s favourite chocolate bar, and is second to the KitKat Chunky, as one of my favourites.
Now, before I hang up my macaron piping bag for at least a few months, there’s just one last flavour I feel I have to do. A Bacon ‘n’ Egg macaron. Stay tuned.
Tags: cherry, chocolate, coconut, macaron, plated dessert
the projectivist said,
January 1, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
For those unfamiliar with Cherry Ripe?
my deepest DEEPEST dark-chocolateyist sympathies go out to you.
you poor
POOR people.
your Christmas sounds as though it were wonderful, Ms Lemonysnicket!
and that last picture makes me want to lick the screen -
ooooooh lovely.
Duncan | Syrup&Tang said,
January 1, 2009 @ 3:14 pm
Oh I’m sold! You need to package some of this up and send it down to Melbourne, Y
Y said,
January 1, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
the projectivist : Hooray, another Cherry Ripe fan!
Duncan : Considering the amount of frozen content, I don’t think it would even make it down to the post office intact! Swap ya for one of those stollens though.
Reemski said,
January 1, 2009 @ 4:54 pm
Omigod! That looks seriously like the tastiest thing ever! I want! Happy New Year!
FFichiban said,
January 1, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
Happy New Year ^^! Yuummmm cherry ripe macarooon mmmmmm and a bacon n egg macaroon? BRILLIANT! Happy eating in 2009!
arfi said,
January 1, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
I often find cherry ripe from Australian cookbook or AWW magazines. Happy New Year, Y! Wish you all the best!
Lisa said,
January 1, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
awww this is so sweet. I love cherry ripe too! christmas dessert sounds delicious too!
belle said,
January 1, 2009 @ 9:35 pm
Ooh, lucky Christie! Can’t wait to see what you do with the bacon and egg macaron. Have a great new year, Y.
Christie @ fig&cherry said,
January 1, 2009 @ 9:53 pm
Thank you, thank you. I’m sitting here reading this with a big dopey smile on my face…
This combination is to die for and fantastically styled and photographed yet again!
Miss Y, I am flattered and humbled by your kind gesture. Love CC xx
Aran said,
January 1, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
just beautiful Y. happy new year!
cathy x. said,
January 1, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
BACON AND EGG? wherever did you get that idea from?!
have i ever told you how much i love you? don’t forget a sprinkling of smoked bacon powder a la alinea! how exciting!
Helen said,
January 1, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
Aw, yummy macaron and a lovely gesture! I am SO intrigued by the bacon and egg macaron I can hardly wait!!!
Piggy said,
January 1, 2009 @ 10:42 pm
Happy new year, Y!
I’m the pathetic one who has not heard of Cherry Ripe.
The combi sounds yummy though! Is there any leftover that you can send over to saudi? heehee..
Marija said,
January 2, 2009 @ 12:17 am
Happy New Year!!
Can’t wait to see your bacon & eggs macarons
And please, don’t hang up your macaron bag for too long 
Sha said,
January 2, 2009 @ 1:20 am
Happy New Year !!
This macaron sounds so gooooood !! I love the flavours!
snookydoolde said,
January 2, 2009 @ 2:09 am
this looks really decadent!! i wonder what the bacon n egg macaroon would look and taste like
the colour for this one are great and looks so nice! Happy new year !
grace said,
January 2, 2009 @ 4:48 am
how beautiful and completely divine! i’m woefully unfamiliar with the cherry ripe, and now i fear i’ll never taste it!
happy 2009, y!
Mike said,
January 2, 2009 @ 5:38 am
I wish you didn’t live so far away…because now I can’t come up with ways to invite myself over for dessert. This looks stunning–the color, the plating, and I’m sure the taste. Happy New Year!
Y said,
January 2, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Cathy : Yes, it’s a great idea of yours! I thought maybe you might be working on something similar too? I still haven’t figured out what I will do exactly.
Grace: I’ll happily swap you some Cherry Ripe bars for anything you can get over there that has not made it to our shores
mallory elise said,
January 2, 2009 @ 9:41 am
sprinkling rose petals on your dinner guests? hahaha! brilliant! and an ice cream macaron–cool!! but the bacon and eggs??? it sounds like the maple bacon donut anthony bourdain loves so much. hhe. dooooooooooo it! i chickened out with the mushroom macaron and went cloudberry instead—never had a real cloudberry, only the preserves. but i will someday! happy new year!
Y said,
January 2, 2009 @ 10:28 am
Mallory, thanks for the reminder about the maple – I’d nearly forgotten that it goes so well together with bacon. Might make it a maple flavoured egg custard filling.
food librarian said,
January 2, 2009 @ 10:34 am
Oh my! Sooo pretty. Stunning! Thanks for all your delights this past year – I’m looking forward to seeing even more in 2009. Happy New Year! – mary the food librarian
pea and pear said,
January 2, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
This dessert is perfect!!!!
I wish I could sink my teeth into it right now to start 09…
Fantastic!!
Ali
Barbara said,
January 2, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
Oh my! It looks so fabulous! It’s so sad that I’m just hearing about a Cherry Ripe now, a month after my trip to Australia?
Sophie said,
January 2, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
Wow! Again, gorgeous. The flavors are right on.
.
…bacon and eggs??? I have a feeling you’ll find a way of making it delicious
chocolatesuze said,
January 2, 2009 @ 2:46 pm
happy new year dude! the bacon and egg macaron sounds awesome!
Tartelette said,
January 2, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
I never tire of your macarons and these are just so pretty! I just want to look at them
Happy New Year and all the best to you!
prettytastycakes said,
January 2, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
This is just breathtaking and so ethereal…Happy New Year!
Jude said,
January 2, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a macaron plated better than this. Very nice.
Bacon and egg macaron? I can’t wait!
cathy x. said,
January 2, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
my idea? oh really? how flattering!
hehehe i’d almost forgotten about that one actually but i’m sure it’s in my book somewhere…
here!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5421385&l=1050d&id=524005491
it’s not a macaron unfortunately
it’s just a bacon ice cream log rolled in brioche with egg shards, bacon powder and milk pudding. probably not something i’ll get to try until i get an ice cream machine, dehydrator and 40k/year
Helen said,
January 3, 2009 @ 1:45 am
wow wow wow
it looks and sounds utterly divine, and if anyone can make a bacon and egg macaron elegant and sophisticated, it would definitely have to be you! can’t wait to see it!
clumbsycookie said,
January 3, 2009 @ 4:46 am
This is a gorgeous macarron! I’ve never heared of that candy bar, but I love kit kat like you! But what I really wanna see is that next macarron, lol!
Christy said,
January 3, 2009 @ 10:29 am
Oh gosh…how beautiful!! So elegant and romantic!! You have to package these up and sell them online for valentine’s day!! I’m sure you’d make tons of money!! But maybe replace the ice cream with something that doesn’t melt.
Lol…I crack up when I read the line ‘I always accidentally make it difficult on myself by eschewing the safe option of making things I’m familiar with, for things that strike me at the spur of the moment’. That’s so like me!! And I would’ve totally done the whole dried rose petal, and I’m positive that I’ve done an equivalent of “mint that tasted like toothpaste” at some point. Can’t wait to see the bacon and eggs macaron!!
Hannah said,
January 3, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
I didn’t think you could get much more impressive than a perfectly made macaron, but the plating here just puts it over the top! Absolutely stunning.
Eileen said,
January 3, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
Your meal sounded delicious and beautiful. Happy New Year!
Lorraine E said,
January 3, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
Pretty! And here I am eating a Double Dipped with 70% coco Cherry Ripe
linda said,
January 4, 2009 @ 7:14 am
Happy New Year!
Love the desserts you made for Christmas!
cakebrain said,
January 5, 2009 @ 8:45 am
That macaron looks amazingly beautiful! but I must admit…bacon and egg macarons? I dunno ’bout that yet…you’ll have to send me one to try before I’m convinced!
the caked crusader said,
January 5, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
cherry AND coconut??? How come no one’s told me about this before?????
Vanille said,
January 6, 2009 @ 9:06 am
Happy New Year and a sweet 2009 !
noobcook said,
January 6, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
What a beautiful dessert. And sounds like you had a wonderful year end feast =)
Nelle said,
January 7, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
Looks absolutely gorgeous. I have never ever tasted Cherry Ripe as it is not available here, but would still like to try this out. Do you usually share the recipes for these lovely creations or just the pics and overall idea? I’d love to hear how this has been created and try modifying it with whatever is available here in Finland
maryann said,
January 8, 2009 @ 1:07 am
Thanks for telling me what a cherry ripe is. I was laughing at the rose petals and would like to hear more about it
Karen said,
January 8, 2009 @ 1:33 am
Cherry ripe? Absolutely divine and genius. It’s so damn gorgeous and too beautiful to eat!
deeba said,
January 8, 2009 @ 3:00 am
Wickedly divine…cherrilicious!
Vera said,
January 8, 2009 @ 7:31 am
These look amazing! Very Happy New Year, Y!
Cakelaw said,
January 8, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
Oh wow, this looks fab! I adore cherry ripes, so I am sure that I’d swoon over this.
Michael Natkin said,
January 15, 2009 @ 11:36 am
Your desserts are *stunning*. I’d like to make a plate look like that once in my life.
alice said,
January 24, 2009 @ 7:22 am
such beautiful desserts you make. beautiful photos too. =) intrigued about the bacon and egg macaron . . .
Julia said,
March 25, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Y, just came across this. It is fantastic. Who doesn’t like the Cherry Ripe? I love featuring cherries around Christmas time as they are in season, but never considered the Cherry Ripe. Hopefully I’ll remember and this year I can use this fine, delicious chocolate bar creatively myself. I am always amazed at the combinations you put together. My attempts are decidedly plain in comparison. But this has injected some inspiration into my thinking…..hmmmm…..
Y said,
March 25, 2009 @ 9:51 am
Julia, ah how I miss the cherries! Cherries, chocolate and coconut .. how can you go wrong, eh