This sweet morsel—a vanilla cake dipped in chocolate icing and rolled in coconut—is a beloved celebratory treat in Australia. There are many variations, including spreading a jam filling between two layers of cake, but this version is the easiest to make. The olive oil-based cake is light and airy, a wonderful counterpoint to the luscious icing.
Ingredients
For the cake:
4 large eggs, separated when cold
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the chocolate icing:
8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup boiling water, or more as needed
To finish:
8 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions
Step 1
Let the yolks and whites come to room temperature. Position a rack in middle of the oven and heat to 325°F. Line a 10×13 pan with parchment paper but do not grease it. Sift flour and baking powder together; set aside.
Step 2
By hand or in a stand mixer, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until pale and well combined, about 2 minutes. Whisk in olive oil, vanilla, and water, then fold in the dry ingredients.
Step 3
By hand or in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until egg whites are foamy. Increase the speed to high and beat until the whites are thick and glossy, about 8 minutes. Gently fold the whites into egg yolk mixture in 3 or 4 batches.
Step 4
Transfer the batter to the pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the surface. Bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the pan after 12 minutes. When done, the cake will start to shrink from the sides of the pan, and the tip of a sharp knife will come out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack, peel off the parchment, and let cool completely (it can be made a day in advance, wrapped when cool, and left on a counter).
Step 5
Once the cake has cooled, trim any rough edges and cut into approximately 1 1/2-inch squares. Place the squares on a rimmed sheet pan in the freezer for 30 minutes—this will help prevent any crumbling and shorten the time it takes for the icing to set.
Step 6
While the cake is in the freezer, make the icing: Melt 6 ounces chocolate in the microwave on low power. When nearly melted, remove from the microwave and add the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate; stir until fully melted. Stir in the olive oil, then the vanilla; set aside.
Step 7
Mix the powdered sugar, cocoa, and espresso powder in a large bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water and stir until smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture and stir again; it should be fluid but not too thin. If too thick, add more boiling water, one tablespoon at a time. Set aside until the cake is ready.
Step 8
Set up your counter assembly line–style for dipping. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and place it to one side for the dipped cakes. Pour the coconut into a glass pie plate and place it next to the bowl of icing.
Step 9
Take half the cake squares from the freezer to the counter; leave the rest in the freezer until you finish the first batch. To dip, lower one cake square into the icing and use two forks to rotate it so that it’s completely covered in chocolate. Lift the cake out with a fork, tap the fork against the side of the bowl so any excess chocolate drips off, and place the cake square in the coconut. Use two clean forks or your fingers to cover it in coconut and transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the squares. Note: If the icing gets too thick while you’re working, thin it with hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Step 10
Let the cakes sit until the icing is set, about 30 minutes. They can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.
The Australian take on American-style potpie gets wonderful flavor from the leeks and onions. Feel free to add 1/2 cup each peas and diced carrots if you wish.
Ingredients
1/2 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for rolling the dough
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for the vegetables
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for the baking dish
2 large leeks, halved, cleaned, drained, and white parts cut into 1/2-inch half-moons, about 4 cups
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into approximately 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the fridge
1 egg
Directions
Step 1
Place the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk together; set aside.
Step 2
Heat a large frying pan to medium-high. When hot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the leeks, onions, bell pepper, and celery. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt to sweat them. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are tender; don’t let them brown. Transfer to a large bowl.
Step 3
Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan. Toss the chicken in the flour mixture, shake off the excess, and add the pieces to the pan in a single layer (work in two batches if needed). Sauté the chicken, turning with tongs, until it is lightly browned on all sides. When the chicken is just about cooked through, return the vegetables to the pan along with the half-and-half, parsley, and thyme. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a 13x9x2 baking dish. Lightly brush the rim of the dish with olive oil.
Step 4
Heat the oven to 425°F. On a floured countertop, open the puff pastry sheet and gently roll out the seams. Using a cake spatula or a rolling pin, place the pastry over the chicken in the prepared baking dish. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges into the rim of the dish and trim off any excess. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush it over the pastry. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry puffs and turns golden.
Easy enough for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough for guests, this meal, featuring what I like to call “steak fish,” comes together in less than half an hour. Use halibut, tuna, salmon, monkfish, cod, or swordfish.
Ingredients
Juice of 1 lemon, preferably a Meyer lemon
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Greek
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
2 fennel bulbs
10 pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
4 fish steaks (see above), each 6 ounces and 1/2 inch thick
Directions
Step 1
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the oregano. Slowly whisk in the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Stir in a few grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
Step 2
Trim the tops and bottoms off the fennel bulbs, reserving some of the green feathery tops. Remove any blemished leaves. Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.
Step 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the fennel to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the fennel has softened and is lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the olives. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Step 4
Reheat the skillet over medium-high heat and film the bottom of the pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange the fish steaks in the skillet in a single layer. (Don’t crowd.) Sauté the fish for 5 to 6 minutes on the first side, then turn with a thin-bladed spatula or fish spatula. Continue to cook to your liking (aim for an internal temperature of 140°F; insert an instant-read thermometer probe through the side of the fish).
Step 5
Make a bed of the warm caramelized fennel and olives on a platter. Using a bamboo skewer, poke holes in the fish steaks, each about an inch apart. Arrange the fish steaks on top of the fennel. Re-whisk the lemon and olive oil mixture and drizzle over the fish. Garnish with some of the reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
Seafood and Avocado Salad Recipe, Spotlight on Dill and Herb Scissors, Could Your Diet Be Increasing Your Anxiety? And Knee Arthritis, Exercise, and Your Subconscious
Are you usually underwhelmed when you buy premade seafood salad? Making your own is not only tastier but also less expensive. And prepared with healthful ingredients, like extra virgin olive oil and avocado instead of questionable fillers, it’s also good for you. The distinction between healthy and unhealthy fats is made clear in the first study that I’m sharing—you’ll see why a diet of saturated fat is linked to anxiety. Turning to fitness, many people with knee arthritis don’t heed their doctor’s advice to exercise…here are the results of a study that found they may have a subconscious resistance to activity.
Pick your own culinary adventure with the seafood you choose for this dish—succulent lobster meat, crabmeat, shrimp, calamari rings, or any combination. I love to serve the seafood in avocado halves, but if you prefer a handheld meal, add avocado cubes to the mix and sandwich it between ciabatta slices that have been lightly toasted or grilled and drizzled with olive oil.
Ingredients
1 pound cooked shellfish
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Coarse sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
Directions
In a large bowl, mix the shellfish, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olive oil, vinegar, and dill. Taste and season as desired with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among the avocado halves, mounding it high (a large ice cream scoop works well).
Yields 6 servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Dill
Fresh dill is a delicate yet delicious addition to many types of salads, including various versions of potato salad, and can be used for enhancing eggs, dishes with smoked or fresh salmon, and dressings. Because of its feathery shoots, dill makes a showy garnish. It’s best used in cold dishes; when using it during cooking, add it at the very last minute or right after you’ve removed the food from the heat.
It’s easy to grow dill in your herb garden (it often reseeds itself) or plant it in a window box so you can regularly reach for it. If you buy a bunch from the store or farmers’ market, place the stems in a tall glass of water, cover the tops, and refrigerate to increase shelf life. As with other fresh herbs, it can be puréed with extra virgin olive oil and frozen in an ice cube tray for future use (bag the cubes as soon as they become solid). Dill is sold dried as dill weed, with a very mild flavor that actually improves when heated.
Quick Kitchen Nugget
Herb Scissors
This nifty gadget makes mincing herbs nearly effortless. Rather than a single blade, herb scissors have multiple blades—up to 5—that chop your herbs for you as you snip. There are also single blade herb shears for cutting larger-leaf herbs and herb strippers that strip herbs from their stems.
For Your Best Health
Could Your Diet Be Increasing Your Anxiety?
When stressed out, many of us turn to junk food for solace. But new University of Colorado Boulder research suggests this strategy may backfire. The study found that, in rats, a high-fat diet disrupts gut bacteria, alters behavior and, through the complex pathway that connects the gut to the brain, influences brain chemicals in ways that fuel anxiety. It’s important to note that the researchers are not talking about healthy fats like those found in fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds—these are considered anti-inflammatory and good for the brain.
“Everyone knows that [high-fat junk foods] are not healthy foods, but we tend to think about them strictly in terms of a little weight gain,” said lead author Christopher Lowry, PhD, a professor of integrative physiology at CU Boulder. “If you understand that they also impact your brain in a way that can promote anxiety, that makes the stakes even higher.”
Dr. Lowry’s team divided adolescent rats into two groups: Half got a standard diet of about 11% fat for nine weeks while the others got a high-fat diet of 45% fat, consisting mostly of saturated fat from animal products. (The typical American diet is about 36% fat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) Throughout the study, the researchers collected fecal samples and assessed the animals’ microbiome, or gut bacteria. After nine weeks, the animals underwent behavioral tests.
Importantly, the researchers stressed that not all fats are bad, and that healthy fats like those found in fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds can be anti-inflammatory and good for the brain.
When compared to the control group, the group eating a high-fat diet, not surprisingly, gained weight. But the animals also showed significantly lower diversity of gut bacteria. Generally speaking, more bacterial diversity is associated with better health, Dr. Lowry explained. These mice hosted far more of a category of bacteria called firmicutes and less of a category called bacteroidetes. A higher firmicutes-to-bacteroidetes ratio has been associated with the typical industrialized diet and obesity.
The high-fat diet group also showed higher expression of three genes—tph2, htr1a, and slc6a4—involved in the production and signaling of the neurotransmitter serotonin, particularly in a region of the brainstem called cDRD and associated with stress and anxiety.
While serotonin is often billed as a feel-good brain chemical, Dr. Lowry pointed out that certain subsets of serotonin neurons can, when activated, prompt anxiety-like responses in animals. In fact, heightened expression of tph2, or tryptophan hydroxylase, in the cDRD has been linked to mood disorders and suicide risk in people.
“To think that just a high-fat diet could alter expression of these genes in the brain is extraordinary,” said Dr. Lowry. “The high-fat group essentially had the molecular signature of a high anxiety state in their brain.” He suspects that an unhealthy microbiome compromises the gut lining, enabling bacteria to slip into the body’s circulation and communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve, an important pathway from the gastrointestinal tract to the brain.
“If you think about human evolution, it makes sense,” Dr. Lowry explained. “We are hardwired to really notice things that make us sick so we can avoid those things in the future.”
His advice: Eat as many different kinds of fruits and vegetables as possible, add fermented foods to your diet to support a healthy microbiome, and lay off the pizza and fries. Also, if you do have a hamburger, add a slice of avocado. Some research shows that good fats can counteract some of the effects of bad fats.
Fitness Flash
Knee Arthritis, Exercise, and Your Subconscious
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and joint stiffness. And while physical activity is known to ease symptoms, only one in 10 people regularly exercises. Understanding what contributes to this inactivity is the focus of a study from the University of South Australia (UniSA) in Adelaide, where researchers found that people with knee OA unconsciously believe that activity may be dangerous to their condition, despite medical advice telling them otherwise.
The study found that of those surveyed, 69% of people with knee pain had stronger implicit (or unconscious) beliefs that exercise was dangerous than did the average person without pain. This highlights not only the conflicted nature of pain and exercise but also the fact that what people say and what people think, deep down, may be entirely different things.
Lead researcher and UniSA PhD candidate Brian Pulling said the research provides valuable insights for helping people with knee arthritis. “Research shows that physical activity is good for people with knee OA, but most people with this condition do not move enough to support joint or general health,” Pulling said. “To understand why people with OA might not be active, research studies typically use questionnaires to assess fear of moving. But unfortunately, questionnaires are limited—what we feel deep down (and how our system naturally reacts to something that is threatening) may be different than what we report. And we still know that many people are avoiding exercise, so we wanted to know why.”
To do so, the researchers developed a tool called the Implicit Association Test that can detect and evaluate people’s implicit beliefs about exercise, meaning whether they unconsciously think activity is dangerous for their condition. The test presents a series of words and images which a participant must quickly associate with being either safe or dangerous. It intentionally promotes instant responses to avoid deliberation and other influencing factors (such as responding how they think they should respond).
“We found that even among those who said they were not fearful about exercise, they held unconscious beliefs that movement was dangerous,” Pulling said. “Our research shows that people have complicated beliefs about exercise, and that they sometimes say one thing if asked directly yet hold a completely different implicit belief. This research suggests that to fully understand how someone feels about an activity, we must go beyond just asking directly, because their implicit beliefs can sometimes be a better predictor of actual behavior than what people report. That’s where our tool is useful.”
The tool has the potential to identify a group of people who may have challenges to increasing their activity levels and undertaking exercise. Added Tasha Stanton, PhD, Associate Professor in clinical pain neuroscience and co-Director and Osteoarthritis Research Theme Lead at IIMPACT in Health at UniSA, “Having access to more accurate and insightful information will help health professionals better support their patients to engage with activity and exercise. It may also open opportunities for pain science education, exposure-based therapy, or cognitive functional therapy…things that would not usually be considered for someone who said that they were not scared to exercise.”
