Milly’s of Parnell on a week day afternoon did not conjure up a vintage style tea party, but as we arrived for the launch of Amber Rose’s cookbook, ‘Love Bake Nourish’, the view was exquisite…
Milly’s of Parnell on a week day afternoon did not conjure up a vintage style tea party, but as we arrived for the launch of Amber Rose’s cookbook, ‘Love Bake Nourish’, the view was exquisite.
With a beautiful collection of fine china tea cups and saucers presented on lovely vintage hand embroidered tea cloths, refreshing herbal infusions and the most fabulous tarts, cakes and decadent looking chocolate fruit and nut truffles styled so beautifully my mind was instantly changed.
Further, I was intrigued that these foods could be created without sugar, and traditional flours, and yet look so good.
This was no ordinary tea party, but the launch of Amber Rose’s new cook book, Love Bake Nourish – healthier cakes, bakes and desserts full of fruit and flavour.
There were five kinds of cakes (coconut tart with passion fruit cream was Thread’s favourite) and three different herbal teas from her recipe books.
Author Amber Rose, originally from New Zealand but now living in London, has from early childhood learned the art of baking with healthier ingredients while maintaining the flavours and appealing look of cakes and desserts which we love to enjoy.
The event started with Amber’s story about how much she was influenced by her mother, her childhood, her life including her time in Melbourne, China and London. Amber has great passion about baking using healthy ingredients such as spelt flour, honey, maple syrup, coconut oil, and so on.
We had the opportunity for Q&A after her speech but only a couple of people asked some questions, such as "Do you also make cookies (without using white flour and white sugar)?" She makes some cookies like oaty cookies for her son, however she said she is more of "a cake person".
Then we had tasting time. OMG! Coconut tart was soooo divine. Chocolate and chestnut cake was rich and tasty, semolina cake with pistachio was delicious, hazelnut blueberry cake on the cover page looked stunning, moreover was very moist and delicious. Fruit & nut chocolate truffles were unfortunately melted by warm weather because they contained coconut oil, however they were full of flavour and very deliciously rich.
Because all the cakes contained no white sugar and white flour, they tasted great and we still feel fine even after eating five types of cakes. Incredible but true.
Using ingredients like maple syrup, honey and fruit to bring the sweetness and ancient grain flours like spelt and nut flours instead of traditional flours she achieves everything you could want in delicious baking. Her cookbook is not only full of delicious recipes but also contains educational information about many ingredients, including sugars, flours and teas.
Love Bake Nourish is a beautifully-styled cookbook that will inspire you to create healthy, nutritious and delicious treats for you, your friends and family. Can’t wait to try some of these recipes myself.
By Jenny Finlay and Tomoko Kawashima 14 March 2013
Photography Tomoko Kawashima
Leave a Reply