Pacific Palms Art Festival

Jun 29

Opening Night

Cake is not a medium that can be entered into the Pacific Palms Art Festival as an artwork, so the organiser, Cath Bennett and I collaborated to create the Edible Art section for guests to enjoy as part of the ticket price on Opening Night along with supper by Kembali Café and service of Brokenwood Wines by Blueys Cellars and Deli. It is my biggest donation each year to help support local artists and Pacific Palms Public School at this community event.

Each year I have a theme for the desserts. Last year I incorporated the colours of sunsets. This year I was inspired by the bright colours of Vivid in Sydney and how colours in food make us feel. Are we drawn to food because of the colour and design or are we repelled? Does food taste different because it is brightly coloured, rather than the natural colour? Do you think that you know what the flavour will be if it’s coloured in a certain way?

To make it easier for me, some the desserts also work in with cakes that I have on order for the Saturday after Opening Night. I changed my mind so many times with what I would create until everything fell into place. This event would be classed as a Tier 3 Dessert Table experience and is a week’s worth of preparation and work.

Everyone had the opportunity to enjoy 2 truffles, 1 profiterole and a choice of either bavarois, petite cupcakes or melting moments. I use as much local produce as possible, feature produce from The Great Lakes Food Trail NSW and Farm to Fridge and have a variety of items that are gluten/dairy/egg free and vegan when possible.

CALLEBAUT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES:

There was a request for more chocolate truffles this year! I created 6 varieties gifting everyone the opportunity to try something new. Most people had not ever experienced the taste sensation that CBC beers have in chocolate truffles and were pleasantly surprised.

White Chocolate Lemon with yellow dust, Milk Chocolate Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Lime with green dust as gluten-free options plus 3 others using Coastal Brewing Company Beers:

White Chocolate featuring Sandbar SIPA
Milk Chocolate featuring Whoota RIPA
Dark Chocolate featuring Blueys Brown Ale

PROFITEROLES

Profiteroles filled with Crème Patissiere featuring Burraduc Farm Buffalo Milk are always a winner at any function! I used flavour and colour to differentiate between gluten free and normal profiteroles.

Both types were filled with Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Crème Patissiere. The gluten free profiteroles were coated in ganache with silver dust or silver glitter, whilst the normal ones were coated in toffee with gold dust or gold glitter so that staff could explain which ones were which to guests. We felt like the Gestapo telling guests that they could only have one profiterole! No need to be greedy. There were plenty of different treats for everyone to enjoy!

Toffee Vanilla & Chocolate Profiteroles.JPG

LEMON MYRTLE BAVAROIS

Lemon Myrtle Bavarois featuring Burraduc Farm Buffalo Milk with Pomegranate or Passionfruit Miroir (jelly) are extremely popular but there are always people that come to opening night and try them for the first time. I also supplied individual jellies as gluten/dairy free options. The comments this year were, “I thought they would taste sweeter than they look but they are perfect. Can I have another one, please?”

PETITE CUPCAKES

This section is from cakes that are were on order.

Vanilla Butter Cupcakes decorated with brightly coloured White Chocolate Italienne Meringue Buttercream Flower Gardens.
Rocky Road Cupcakes: Chocolate Cupcake (with cherries, dried cranberries, pistachios and Callebaut chocolate callets) decorated with my Marshmallow, cranberries, pistachios and edible glitter.
Double Chocolate Fudge Cupcake with Ganache and Gold Dust.

MELTING MOMENTS: MY MACARON REPLACEMENT

Melting Moments with Passionfruit Buttercream. I left some as natural and coloured others bright pink and blue, as I needed them to decorate cakes that were on order. The natural ones were the first to go (I thought they would be eaten first) then the coloured ones were enjoyed. I spoke with those guests to see what they thought about them. The colours were off-putting to some but everyone enjoyed them and could tell they were passionfruit. I suggest shutting your eyes if colours turn you off trying something and allowing yourself to be immersed in the flavour.

I have never enjoyed making macarons and also find them too sweet to eat whereas retro Melting Moments are a melt-in-your-mouth moment of egg-free shortbread and buttercream. They are available as an alternative to macarons for cakes and Tea Parties.

It was so lovely meeting new people, chatting with friends, enjoying supper by Kembali Café and Brokenwood Wines served by Blueys Cellars and Deli. Thank you to Mel Ovenden from The Green Room Project for her assistance at this annual event. After she finishes her flower installations at the hall, she helps me with final details, setting up the dining/drinks area and serving throughout the night. Thank you to Paula for also volunteering to help serve with us on the night. The Edible Art section is a very popular drawcard for this event and I appreciate all assistance!