SEEKING

seeking those with a love of food, a love of culture, a love of lifestyle and a love of music to contribute to "Cookie" magazine.


if you can write, we'd love for you to be a part of the magazine.


email the_cookiejar@live.com.au


you shan't regret it.

our first recipe post!

Well this is what I said "The Cookie Jar" online would be here for as well as a stream of other things.


Recipes.


That's right we're here to tantalize your tastebuds and kick your mothers out of the kitchen with a couple of beauties that will make you a favourite. That's it, you'll be THE favourite. Not of any particular thing, just THE favourite. We're that good. Seriously.

Coconut Dream Cake.

This recipe is stolen from "Delia's Vegetarian Collection" with a couple of slight variations that make it taste that little bit better. The cake is simple and nailing the frosting will bring tears of triumph, delight and pure orgasmatronic surprise to your eyes.

The best part is you get to crack a damn coconut. That's right, a DAMN COCONUT.

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

75g finely grated fresh coconut

175g self raising flour

1 rounded teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs

175g soft butter

175g caster sugar (you can use raw or white sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lots and lots of raspberry or strawberry jam

For the Frosting:

40g finely grated fresh coconut

250g mascarpone

200mL creme fraiche

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 dessertspoon caster sugar (again, white or raw sugar is fine)

For Detailing:

The rest of that coconut you will grate. :)

Method:

Shall we get started?

First, you must crack the coconut. You can do this a variety of ways but ultimately you need the flesh not the milk, so don't be disheartened when the liquid goes everywhere when you smash it.

The safest option is to put the coconut in a thick bag and put it outside on some nearby concrete. Then, grab a hammer and give the thing a good whack, until you've got some nice coconut chunks. You need to prise the coconut from the separated chunks using a knife between the nut and the shell.

Make sure you are holding something to protect your hand with like a cloth otherwise you may or may have a knife through your hand as well as a coconut.

Using a potato peeler you can peel shreds of coconut that will go in the cake or, if the pieces you have cracked are fiddly and the potato peeler will just not yield to your submissive powers, use a grater.

Now, to the cake.

Sift the flour and the baking powder into a large bowl.

Add all of the other ingredients aside from the coconut, and give it a good stir with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients have come together.

When the ingredients have come together, add the coconut and stir all the way through.

Divide this mixture between the two tins and bake for 30-33 minutes. (Test with a skewer to see they're cooked when the timer rings; your oven may be different to ours.)

Remove the cakes from the oven and cool them for five minutes. Then take them out and let them cool on a wire rack. In the meantime, let's make the frosting. :)

FROSTING METHOD:

This frosting goes so so so so so well with any type of fruit cake. Try banana cake or fruit scones and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Whisk all the ingredients listed in a large bowl and refridgerate until the cakes are cooled.

When the cakes are finally cooled, choose the cake you want on the bottom layer of the cake and coat the top with strawberry jam. Make sure you put a lot on as this will comprise of the filling of your cake.

Place the other cake on top and give it a good press so they stick together. Jam is a surprisingly good adhesive. Note to self: Use jam, not blu-tac. It's tastier.

Grab the frosting out of the fridge and paste it onto your layer cake. When it's all on there, use the rest of the grated coconut to make it look even better; it should remind you of a sheep I feel.

Yours should probably look this good...

the cookie jar has been opened...

Welcome soon-to-be avid readers. My name is the Cookie Monster and this is my domain; the cookie jar.

But down to business.

The Cookie Jar Online is the foundation website of the online magazine "The Cookie Jar", an up and coming, not yet released publication that is dedicated to food, lifestyle and culture, all baked into a gooey and chunky collaboration of restaurant reviews, product reviews, articles, pictures, recipes and tidbits that will have you tingling in anticipation for the next bite.

Think of a smash up of Gourmet Traveler, Vogue Living and Rolling Stone.

This blog is to be used to promote up and coming events, support local talents (Brisbane I'm looking at you), show you new recipes and all and all keep you updated on the process and looming publication of "The Cookie Jar" magazine.

We are open to all contributors, namely journalists and those who find themselves dedicated to food, to submit your suggestions, your thoughts, your recipes etc.

Please contact us if you'd like to be a part of the magazine at the_cookiejar@live.com.au

The Cookie Jar is a work in progress, so make sure you stay tuned for we'll be using this blog to put great little bits and pieces you can have a nibble on. We're looking forward to the final production of the magazine which is hoping to be published and released in late March, early April.

By the end of it all, you'll be wanting to be found with your hand in the cookie jar.