Roma Douglas and Aaron Turner (Igni)

Mum’s chocolate ripple cake

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS (PLUS CHILLING)

“I don’t have a sweet tooth, never really did, so it’s strange that this cake is so comforting to me,” says Aaron Turner. “When we had sweet things, it was all made by Mum: biscuits, cakes, rolls – you name it, Mum baked it. If I was ever asked what I’d like at Christmas or for birthdays it was always this chocolate ripple cake. I’d pick the strawberries from the top before anyone else could, which always ended with my sister throwing a tantrum and chasing me around the house.” Begin this recipe eight hours ahead to set the cake.

500 ml (2 cups) thickened cream 1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

250 gm Arnott’s Choc Ripple biscuits

Sliced strawberries, to serve

1 Whisk cream, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer to firm peaks (4-5 minutes). Spread a little (about ½ cup) whipped cream on the base of a long serving platter (or tray if serving sliced) in a narrow strip (about 30cm x 5cm).

2 Spread one side of a biscuit with 2 tsp cream, sandwich with a second, then stand upright and face-forward on cream base. Repeat with remaining biscuits (reserve 2 to garnish) to form a log. Spread remaining cream mixture evenly over biscuit log, then refrigerate, covered (see note) to soften and set (8 hours, or overnight).

3 Crumble remaining two biscuits over by rubbing them together and serve cake, whole or sliced, with strawberries.

Note To cover cake, insert toothpicks along the length of the cake and cover carefully with plastic wrap with the toothpicks keeping the plastic from touching the surface.

Drink suggestion Strong caffè corretto.

“I’d always pick the strawberries from the top of this cake before anyone else could, which always resulted in my sister throwing a tantrum and chasing me around the house.” Aaron Turner

1 chicken (about 1.5kg) ,

jointed into 12 pieces 1 onion, coarsely chopped 5 garlic cloves

15 gm (about 3cm) ginger 1 tsp belacan, roasted

(see note)

1 tbsp canola oil 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised

and cut into 3 pieces

1 star anise

450 gm (about 3 small) sebago

potatoes, quartered

250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk 1 sprig fresh curry leaves 3 tsp grated palm sugar, or to taste

Steamed rice, to serve PICKLED PINEAPPLE

10 small garlic cloves

5 long red chillies, chopped 30 gm (about 6cm) ginger, coarsely chopped

30 gm (about 6cm) galangal,

finely grated

2 lemongrass stalks, white

part only, finely chopped 2 tsp ground turmeric

125 ml (½ cup) canola oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 55 gm (¼ cup) caster sugar 1 ripe pineapple (about 1kg), cut into 2cm pieces CURRY POWDER

1 cinnamon quill

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp cumin seeds

2 cloves

2 cardamom pods, bruised 4 dried red chillies, coarsely

chopped

1 tsp white peppercorns 1 tsp ground turmeric