SHF #28 : Sweet Seduction

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Valentine Schmalentine, I had been muttering all day. Finally home after a 16-hour day and he’s there with a glorious box of chocolates in hand. Not that we usually celebrate, but chocolate is always a welcomed sight for tired eyes. I’ll also never forget the day I came home and found that he had made a pot of vegetarian chilli. It had taken him hours and too many tears were shed over the onions, but it was truly delicious. The thought of it still warms my heart.

Some might say, the ideal sweet seduction dish is one that’s quick to make. With virtually all it’s components completed beforehand, there will be plenty of time on your hands for more important things. 😉 Afterall, who wants to be slaving over a hot stove when you could be sipping champagne?

For B this week, I made a Coconut Jelly with Black Pearls and Spiced Roasted Pineapple. The black pearls are tapioca pearls, commonly seen in bubble tea. They take only 5 minutes or so to cook, when boiled in a light sugar syrup. They are slightly chewy and provide both a texture and colour contrast to the silky smooth jelly and toothsome roasted pineapple.

Pineapple is one of B’s favourite fruits (not so much mine, as I’m allergic to the raw form). Bethonga Gold pineapples are what you should look out for, in Sydney. They’re slightly more expensive, but have an intense flavour and heady aroma (especially when roasted), and a rich yellow hue to the flesh that make other pineapples look pale and insipid in comparison.

Oh, and how can I forget the many cups of tea he has made for me when I come home tired and jaded. Now that’s my idea of seduction!

Spiced Roasted Pineapple :

1 small pineapple
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
1 piece dried citrus peel
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
cloves

300g sugar
lime juice

Trim and remove skin and eyes from pineapple. Cut into half lengthways and divide each half into 3 or 4 wedges. Trim off the hardest part of the core from each wedge. Press a clove into each wedge. Place in a lightly buttered baking tray with the spices.

In a pot, heat the sugar until it turns a golden caramel colour. Pour this over the pineapple and spices. Roast in the oven at 175’C, basting frequently, until pineapple is cooked. Cool the cooked pineapple to room temperature. Adjust the sauce with some lime juice if it’s too sweet.

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2 Comments »

  1. Helen said,

    February 24, 2007 @ 3:37 pm

    What an interesting dessert! I have had bubble tea before and loved it so I am looking forward to trying this.

  2. brilynn said,

    February 25, 2007 @ 2:04 am

    Anything that combines coconut and pineapple is a winner in my book, and the pearls would have given great texture.

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