DDT finale 2009 - picnic that wasn't meant to be...

Jan/Feb saw DDT on "holidays" as our CEO was on holidays (didn't stop her and others in indulgence), but we made up for it in Newtown (chocolate caramel 'goo' tart), Balmain (Adriano - enough said), Glebe (chocolate lasagne), the amazing mid year home bake ("interesting, unusual, but noice"), Paddington (favourite palmier), Northside (relaxing afternoon at the park), Adriano again (because we can), Good Food Month (5 SugarHits in 2 weeks) and finally, the finale, Jazz dessert picnic at Berry Island Reserve.

Except we didn't have a picnic. Weather forecast of 41 degrees Celsius resulted in a last minute scrambling change in location - from a outdoor jazz picnic to an indoor smorgasboard of desserts. Reluctant as we were, it was the smart decision, as air conditioning, comfy chairs and tables, fridge, ice blocks, cold drinks aplenty... and Jazz on the laptop.

16 DDDs were present at the dessert, and we have a heavy lean towards chocolate-based desserts (what else would you expect!!). Mental note - will need to be more organized and coordinate the participants for the next home bake so we have a wider variety.

Here are the desserts and their owners:

*KT: light and airy mango coconut meringue "cup cakes" and this rich, moreish pumpkin slice with maple syrup cream cheese icing topped with pecan. Y U M.
*Cindy - Macarons with cherries in chocolate ganache, and chocolate with chocolate ganache; chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies (which were meant to be chocolate macarons but were happy failures that still tasted good).
*Emily sans Roland - light and refreshing and absolutely CUTE buttermilk pudding in chocolate cup, chocolate mousse in chocolate cups.
*Rick (debutant DDD! Welcome!) - fruit salad (to help cut the calorie consumption... which was undone by a bowl of chocolate fondue sauce provided by CS)
*Vanessa - warm chocolate brownies freshly baked this morning (signature dessert)
*Suat & friend (debutant DDD! Welcome!) - rose water and cardamon (?) rice pudding - refreshing and fragrant!
*Katherine (debutant DDD who we knew was a keen and able baker - Welcome!) - gorgeously presented mini-cheesecake with biscuit and oat base, topped with brandy soaked cherries
*Annika (debutant DDD! Welcome!) - moist chocolate and raspberry brownies

*Miriam, Brian and Jamyson (and dinosaur friends) - rocky road sans nuts, and chocolate-biscuit Xmas trees!!

*Ewa - chocolate log which suffered a little under the heat, but still tasted good
*A "non qualifier" offering from Ruth: a savoury dish of cheese, eggs, filo pastry slices which were hugely popular.
*Other offerings that were not photographed: Ben and Joan's iced coffee and sangria, Suat's rosewater cordial, and Cindy's chocolate fondue for dipping fruit and drizzling on anything you fancy. Many thanks to everyone for making the effort of preparing something, and putting up with the extreme heat!!

That's a wrap - another year, gone (nearly); this will be the last DDT for 2009 and despite missing out on the jazz, there will be other opportunities... Stay tuned for DDT January 2010!! Look forward to seeing you all (you, your friends, family, family dog) in the future dessert indulgences!!!

Divine Dessert Tour, November 2009.

Vicky's absentee contribution to the last DDT of the year.