Today marks the start of finals week on Masterchef Australia. For those who have been watching you will be up to speed with Julia and all the rave reviews her melting Moments have received. With the end in sight I decided it was possibly time I give her recipe a go for myself and see what all the hype was about.
Annoyingly, these were really rather good (Julia isn't one of my favorite contestants I have to say!) Kudo's to her though, my Melting Moments were nice and crumbly and the biscuits themselves were not too sweet. I followed the recipe for Julia's Buttercream filling which was quite a bit sweeter than my normal one but it complemented the biscuit perfectly. At least I thought it did, Hubby was on a wee bit of a sugar high for the rest of the day! (PS - the vanilla addition was a stroke of genius Julia!). Yum! Another slight deviation from the original recipe was to use some Jumble Berry Jam we already had in the fridge rather than make the Raspberry Jam in Julia's recipe ... it could just be my prejudice ... but tell me, who really uses gelatin in their jam to ensure a set?
Julia Taylor's Melting Moments - My Way ... kinda!
Biscuits
180g unsalted butter
60g icing sugar
60g custard powder
1 tsp baking powder
180g plain flour
Vanilla Buttercream
100g butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line two oven tray's with baking paper.
To make the biscuits, cream the butter and icing sugar together for 2 mins in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the custard powder and mix until combined. Sift in the baking powder and flour and mix well. Use a small ice cream scoop (I use a truffle sized scoop for just the right sized biscuits) and place on the baking tray's. Press each ball with the tines of a fork that have been dipped in flour to leave an indent. Bake for 16-18 mins or until they are lightly golden. Stand on the tray's for 5 mins to cool them then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream, whisk the butter and vanilla together until nice and smooth. Add the icing sugar and beat the mixture until it forms a paste, the consistency of thick icing. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.
To assemble, place a spoonful of cooled jam on the base of half the biscuits. Pipe a star of icing sugar onto the base of the other half of the biscuits. Gently press one of each biscuit together to form a Melting Moment. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Makes approx 1 dozen bite sized Melting Moment, or 5 of Julia's jumbo sized variety.
Have you been watching Masterchef Australia? Who do you want to win? Personally I am delighted to see Ben (who is from my home state) in finals week ... c'mon Ben!
they are absolutely stunning... you'd eat about 7 in one go though!?!... lovely photography Chele... very sharp and very more-ish... I could reach right in... not been watching the Australian version.. the British version is bad enough with all that tense music and whispering voices... and I want to shove a spoon down the presenters throat!... other than that, I love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dom, I'm not a huge fan of the UK version but I just love the Aussie Masterchef ... it might be the homesickness in me though ;0)
DeleteThey look lovely Chele. I do like the texture of melting moments and you've reminded me that it's far too long since I've made them. I think yours look just the right size - if they were too big you'd struggle to finish them. And yes, it seems odd to me to use gelatine in jam, surely it's the combination of sugar and the temperature you reach when boiling it that sets the jam and preserves it. Gelatine is unneccesary for jam, though having looked at her recipe it's not a jam, it's a thickened raspberry compote - I can see why she needs gelatine.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Caroline, it is more of a compote ... which begs the question of which you would prefer in your biscuit. We always, always had jam, but maybe it is time to push the boat out a little.
DeleteI was watching Masterchef Australia but we 'acquired' our episodes and so I have already seen the end. I won't say any more! Other than I agree with you about Julia - I just found her so difficult to warm to but I couldn't argue with these melting moments they did look delicious. As do yours!
ReplyDeleteI usually find out who wins before the series even starts but I have been very disciplined this year ... and family and friends from back home were on strict notice not to let anything slip lol
DeleteI haven't made melting moments for decades - yours look fabulous. Now I want to make them again.....!!
ReplyDeleteI was the same Jean - now I wonder why it took me so long to make them again. I've got chocolate ones in my list next ;0)
DeleteThese look sooooo good...I'd really love to try one...although I probably wouldn't be able to stop at one!!! I might have to make some...along with the biscuits that jam and buttercream is really tempting me! :-)
ReplyDeletebeautiful biscuits - they deserve to be on display - I haven't been watching masterchef but I agree that there is no place for gelatin in jam - how silly!
ReplyDeleteYou have more than one icecream scoop? They come in different sizes?
ReplyDeleteThese look adorable, like pimped-up Monte Carlos. Remember them? I am vehemently anti Masterchef, but perhaps I've been too hasty...
I haven't eaten a melting moment in years - these do look lovely. I did know someone who added a little gelatin to her jam when making it for some cakes and biscuits to change the gloopiness of the filling. I think the idea was to make the jam behave more like the filling in commercial cakes. It did work (sort of) but I wouldn't bother. I didn't know that there was a Masterchef Australia, but then I've never watched the UK one either.
ReplyDeleteI'm not watching the series, but I reckon your melting moments are infinitely better - gelatine in jam?????
ReplyDelete