--- Join Nadia Sawalha to enjoy favourite recipes from around the world in Nadia’s Family Feasts, Mondays 8.30pm on SBS Food and then SBS On Demand. See Mandy Yin in the Malaysian episode on Monday 30 November ---
"A proper doorstep there... lovely-jubbly!" says Nadia Sawalha of the thick slices of brioche guest chef Mandy Yin cuts up while the pair are making kaya French toast (recipe below) on Nadia's Family Feasts. Lovely jubbly indeed!
If you're in the mood to indulge, there's something wonderfully generous about a thick slice. From cakes to pork belly with perfect crackling, here are some delicious dishes to make and enjoy, all with the added appeal of a thick slice.
Nutty banana bread
This recipe from Desiree Nielsen is made with oat flour, Greek yoghurt and macadamia nuts for a hearty twist on our favourite way to use up those very ripe bananas. Make it in a narrow loaf pan and slice thickly! (Looking for a vegan and/or gluten-free version? Try this "bangin' banana and walnut bread' shared by Luke Hines in Loving Gluten Free.)
The cake that cures everything
Ruth Reichl's wonderful chocolate cake isn't just a thick slice, it's generous on all fronts - a very big (and we mean big - it serves about 20 people) cake, layered with indulgent frosting and cut into generous pieces. "This is an enormous cake. But it keeps very well and there is no such thing as too much chocolate cake," she says.
Rhubarb and oat cookie bars
These satisfyingly sized bars are like a cross between a muesli bar and a fruit crumble. The tangy roasted rhubarb keeps the cookie deliciously moist, while the coconut sugar adds a lovely caramel note.
Kaya French toast
When Nadia's Family Feasts welcomes Mandy Yin for an episode focussed on Malaysian food, host Nadia Sawalha and her guest whip up kaya French toast - super chunky slices of brioche spread with kaya (coconut milk and pandan jam) and sandwiched together before being dipped in a cinnamon and vanilla custard, then panfried and, for a delicious final touch, coated with sugar and blowtorched to caramelise. Stacks of indulgence! (There's even condensed milk involved!)
Fairy bread cake
"Cake cheekily masquerading as non-cake is among my favourite things in life," says Katherine Sabbath, the baker behind this fluffy take on a childhood favourite. "Cut the cake into large triangles or serve as one giant slice." Either way, this is a giant slice that brings a smile to all our faces!
Eggy bread stuffed with pear
This highly versatile recipe can use all kinds of bread - just be sure, as the recipe says, to cut the loaf into thick slices and soak in the batter until fully absorbed. You can stuff the bread with any leftover poached fruit - so it's a great way to use up two kinds of leftovers and turn them into a delicious breakfast/brunch dish.
The ultimate meatball sandwich
With juicy pork and fennel meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, plus crunchy pickles and pesto, you absolutely have to have thick slices of sourdough to hold this baby together as it travels from the sandwich press to your mouth!
Smoked mackerel watercress sandwich
A hearty sandwich but summery and fresh too!
Crispy roasted pork belly
When you're serving up roast pork with great crackling, one way to show that crackling off is to cut short, thick slicles of pork. Try Donna Hay's roast pork belly recipe to create succulent meat and crispy crackling.
Curious about all that glorious barbecue pork hanging in the window of your favourite Chinese restaurant? Now you can make your own, too!
These pavé, golden bricks of pressed, creamy potato, take their name from the French word for cobblestone.
The Dutch are famous for their cheeses. Edam and Gouda (with or without cumin) are named after the towns where they are made. The cheese markets in those towns date back to the Middle Ages and are still conducted in the same manner in the market place. Regional cheeses such as Limburger, Friesian or Maaslander are less available abroad. Matured or old Dutch cheese is also very popular for the intense taste sensation. For this traditional cheese and ham bread from the city of Gouda, chef Geert Elzinga from Sydney's Essen restaurant uses an old and a young cheese.
