Raspberry & Shortbread Parfaits

a dessert for non-dessert people

Hello and welcome to The Big Night In. We talk recipes, restaurants, and the occasional bit of drivel. If somehow you have slipped into my house and are still not subscribed, don’t worry, we can fix that:

This Letter Includes:

• The first of many coupe desserts.

• There’s a new food travel show! With Florence Pugh!

• Me drinking wellness koolaid.

• On Wednesday’s, we wear big girl pants.

• Have you noticed beauty companies sneaky pivot?

• An apology - this is the first paid recipe of the week; if you’re a loyal follower & can’t swing it, drop me an email and we’ll sort it. x

Happy Sunday evening, I hope you are all lounging comfortably. Before we jump in, a bit of housekeeping: your promised summer recipes are taking me a touch longer to edit, but they are almost with your inboxes, see picture gallery below to get excited.

Now, onto dessert.

Little coupe desserts are my new personality. I want to be known forthwith as the little coupe woman. Since buying these bubs ($5 a pop) at the Whitianga charity shop, I’ve made burnt marshmallow fudge sundaes, gin & elderflower martinis, charcuterie cups, individual tiramisus, and countless parfaits. Serve on a platter or a quarter sheet tray and suddenly you have dinner and a show.

I mean, take one look at an empty coupe and tell me your brain doesn’t start filling them with things. They are adorable and I pray to gaga they never go out of style.

sorry, i was busy naming my first born son couper

This particular dessert, which of course can be served in something other than a coupe, is salty, sweet, crunchy, and a nice change of pace to the same same. By treating the creme fraiche the way we would a tiramisu mascarpone (egg yolk addition), we get this almost golden, rich texture that tastes quite luxurious imo. I prefer making the layers the night before to soften the shortbread, but eaten straight away is a great way to go too. If you do put it in the fridge overnight, cover the glasses well and decorate with remaining cream and shortbread before serving.

Before dessert however, you need a drink; you seem parched.

That’s right, it’s time for the best part of the week:

anything is a sofa. Sergei Chilikov photography. rip.

Sofa Chat Time

• If you loved the food network growing up (see: Nigella, Diners Drive-ins & Dives, Ready Steady Cook, Barefoot Contessa etc.) then you’ve likely become disillusioned with the sea of crap that constitutes a food show nowadays. This travel-based one is the first time since Tucci’s Searching for Italy that I’ve allowed myself to get excited. Granted, it’s a food-travel show that harnesses the power of celebrity, but it looks beautifully shot and well crafted. I think the appeal of the home kitchen (Nigella/Martha/Contessa) is being well replicated over on youtube, which is great, but the magic of a truly good travel show is hard to come by. I hope it delivers.

• Mid-range beauty companies are flocking to the sub 26-year-old pop girlies to swiftly and comedically promote their products. As a junior in advertising, yes, as a consumer of forced ads, also yes. Sabrina knows a thing or two about a good bang, Olivia is the f*cking new face of Lancome*, and Emma wants you to strap in for a bumpy ride. *Not my favourite.

• Every Wednesday (ish) my friend Caitlin and I meet at a new bar in the city, have a cocktail and some nibbles then get down to working on our respective side hustles. Last week's venture was the nightcar under queen street, major shout out to Andre for making us feel so welcome. If you’re keen to follow along, let me know in the below poll and I’ll keep you posted. It’s a great way to get to know your city and do the thing you’ve always wanted to do (invest in you).

the nightcar

• I’ve shopped on Temu exactly three times. Is that a cancellable offense? That’s three moments of intense weakness. For the record, if we had better thrift stores and a prospering economy, I doubt I’d be selling my morals down the river. I’ve also done some recon and here’s what’s worth it: