Drinks
Smooth Festival of Chocolate & Australian Patisserie Academy
One of the best things about being a food blogger is sampling ALL of the amazing chocolates thanks to Smooth FM. Last Saturday we had the pleasure to celebrate decadent desserts and chocolate designs from the best patisseries, chocolatiers and ice-creameries when the Smooth Festival of Chocolate had returned to The Rocks.
Don’t know where to start…
Spread of “CHOCOLATE GOODIE BAG”
Pssst… I have a whole stash of these Tim Tams. Who doesn’t like Tim Tam O’cloak?! Put those Tim Tams in my bag and nobody gets hurt. For the first time Arnott’s Tim Tam joined the festival at the Arnott’s Tim Tam Temptation Tent allowing chocolate lovers like me to experience Australia’s favourite indulgences.
Taking on the TIM TAM CHALLENGE!
It was a pleasure seducing La Renaissance chocolate tart. Garnishing this tart with chocolate included fresh raspberries, sprinkles of pistachio and a gold leaf gives this dessert a truly luxurious finish.
Beautifully smooth La Renaissance chocolate tart
We looked forward to trying some authentic handmade chocolates from Australian Patisserie Academy. We indulged each heavenly chocolate pieces. DAT CHOCOLATE SCENT! 😀 ❤
Impress Australian Patisserie Academy chocolates
Wag-Anna’s Wagon Wheel by Anna Polyviou.
Right before we attended the 2015 Smooth Festival of Chocolate, we were invited to attend the Smooth Festival of Chocolate Blogger Cooking Class at the Australian Patisserie Academy. We had not clue what to expect other then it involved something like chocolate… 😀
Excited and ready for APA’s cooking class
Impressive showpieces by Australian Patisserie Academy
Loving the selection of fine ingredients
Whilst Chef Angelo Roche from the Australian Patisserie Academy discusses ideas for our Tim Tam dish …we couldn’t wait to share our plates with you guys and here’s a hint…it involves TIM TAM BABY!!!
A great pastry education leads to great pastry!
We were a little obsessed with plating our dishes and felt a little tension coming from other bloggers such as *cough* Joe from 2 Hungry Guys *cough*. But this guy sure deserves two thumbs up for the creativity that I couldn’t possibly have. I ended up letting him win so I could eat more…that’s right. Teehee.
Made with love man…can’t you see?!
We had so much fun creating wicked sweet treats. I don’t remember the last time I’ve ever had so much fun creating and eating at the same time. There was so much chocolatey flavour in my dish and to balance it out I HAD to add some fresh fruits like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and orange slices.
How amazing are these little babies?
OH and I couldn’t resist making my very own “Tim Tam Ferrari Car“. Totally everyone that night suffered from major envy that I made this baby. Cameron Daddo and Chef Angelo Roch was pretty impressed with my work. #nonotreally
Perfection on a plate
Cameron Daddo in the house!
Perfection by Joe from 2 Hungry Guys
You don’t need a map to figure out that Chef Angelo Roch is super talented. This born Sri Lanka and raised in India chef committed to sharpening up his patisserie skills in France and America to complete his professional development pastry courses at Ecole Lenôtre France, Ecole Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil Paris and the Callebaut Academy Chicago.
Chef Angelo Roch
A sneak peak of one of the dishes Chef Angelo Roch created. I couldn’t bring myself to eat this especially when it looked so special and delicate. It was everything I imagined, but BETTER.
Insane presentation by Chef Angelo Roch
Smooth FM’s Host Cameron Daddo and Nessy Eater Girl
We got to work with the most talented pastry chefs in Australia at Australian Patisserie Academy. And not just because these two chefs are brothers but they are both skilled, thoughtful and original chefs who are able to concentrate solely on patisseries.
Chef Joseph and Chef Angelo Roche
If only I could add smell to these photos!!
Got another sweet surprise to take home that night at the Smooth Festival of Chocolate Blogger Cooking Class, I call it the “CHOCOLATE JEWELLERY BOX”. The harmony of sweet flavours starts with the white chocolate pieces. Teamed with the milk chocolates and dark chocolates, this box packs a punch when it comes to flavour and texture.
“CHOCOLATE JEWELLERY BOX“ by the Australian Patisserie Academy
Another gift bag and I don’t think I can ever refuse chocolate.
It was SATURDAY 12th September and we started our Smooth FM journey at the Tim Tam Temptation Tent and guess who was in my camera screen looking all happy with candy…ADRIANO ZUMBO of course.
Happy Adriano Zumbo with science beakers filled with candy.
Working in progress to eat all the chocolates in the world!
Tim Tam Temptation Tent Instagram Wall.
Adriano Zumbo with family memebers at the Tim Tam Temptation Tent
Löwenbräu HOT Pretzels
Löwenbräu Keller hot dogs
OH MY GOD Chocolate Cronuts
Bumped into Adriano Zumbo AGAIN!!
Fast forward two hours and we were inside BAR100. The solid sandstone building at 100 George Street in the Rocks was built as a mariners’ church more than 100 years ago. Our jaws dropped when we noticed a long table filled with…you guessed it chocolate. While I tried my hardest to try everything…I kinda failed but that’s okay I knew 15+ packs of Tim Tam were waiting for me to eat them. HAHA.
Spread of sweet SWEET chocolate TREATS at BAR 100
And there was MORE MORE MOREEEEEEE!!!
Chocolate cocktail
I had a bit of this and that and this and that…
We arrived fashionably early that we managed to spot this elegant lady dressed in 1910’s style. She was hovering with her table filled with Tim Tams. It sounds crazy but she graciously moved around better than I can.
Tim Tam Lady
I was so tempted to take this GIGANTIC TIM TAM home.
Well that’s a wrap! It was freaken awesome to experience a taster of the amazing talent in this year’s Smooth Festival of Chocolate. There were truly some extraordinary chocolatier’s such as Adriano Zumbo and award winning Chocolatier Jodie Van De Velden. How can we forget Shangri-La Hotel Sydney’s Executive Pastry Chef Anna Polyviou punked up the kitchen at the Callebaut Test Kitchen. By the end of the day I realised I have a condition that makes me eat when I can’t sleep. It’s called insom-nom-nom-nom-nia.
Photos by Vanny Tang
Disclaimer: Nessy Eater plus guest attended Smooth Festival of Chocolate thanks Nova Entertainment, SmoothFM and The Society Group
Nessy Eater attended Smooth Festival of Chocolate Blogger Cooking Class thanks to Nova Entertainment and Australian Patisserie Academy
Opinions are however, Nessy Eater’s own.
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