The idea of making food that contains love and no judgement is implicit in every aspect of Good Bitches Baking (GBB) kaupapa.
"From the daily treats our volunteers bake for people having a tough time to our programmes where participants learn practical baking skills and concepts of kindness to themselves and to others, the sense of connection that food offers is the common ingredient," Hannah Molloy, of Dunedin, says.
As the editor of GBB’s latest book Familiar Foods: Treats of Aotearoa, Molloy says it has been a different kind of treat to collect these stories and recipes, which were photographed by Dunedin photographer and director Lara Macgregor.
"It has been such a privilege to talk to so many people about their history, their families and their love of food, and a joy to share them with my own family and friends along the way."
The project evolved from a simple concept of baked treats from some of the many cultures represented in Aotearoa to a much wider interpretation of the word "treat" and how food makes people feel connected and nurtured across time and space.
Many of the recipes in the book have been handed down through generations.
"A couple were written down for the first time for this book; muscle memory and intergenerational knowledge drawn out of hands and minds."
Through those generations, the recipes have evolved and adapted to work with available ingredients, changing technology and new locations.
"There’s such joy in the process of cooking something so familiar, and in experimenting to make it new while retaining its rich heritage and the memories it stirs."
"There are themes throughout of identity, of connection to whakapapa and culture, of the importance of feeding people generously — and of the comfort and pleasure of carbs and fats."
Good Bitches Baking
• Volunteers who bake treats in their own kitchens, with their own ingredients, to give to organisations that work with people having a tough time.
• Was established in 2014
• Operates in 38 locations around New Zealand
• At the end of 2024, it had 3500 volunteers baking treats for 531 recipient organisations.
• Also has Community Good programmes - Prison bake and Sweet as Hapori, teaching practical baking skills.
The book
Familiar Foods: Treats of Aotearoa, Good Bitches Baking, $50. Photos: Lara MacGregor
Kyiv cake
Hanna Kryvonos, Ukrainianna, Ōtepoti Dunedin
I’ve been thinking what kind of dessert can represent Ukrainianna’s traditional sweets but doesn’t tie up with other Slavic countries, and I remembered one which definitely belongs to Ukrainian baking, called Kyiv cake.
The recipe was discovered because of a mistake in a factory when egg whites were left out and the pastry chef hid the mistake by baking them and spreading them with custard and decorations (no-one knows if it’s a true story).
The recipe has had some changes since then but still it’s an icon of Ukrainian baking.
Kyiv cake typically consists of layers of meringue and nut-based meringue wafers. These layers are sandwiched together with buttercream and sometimes a fruit or jam filling. The meringue layers give the cake a light and delicate texture, making it a unique and delicious dessert.
For the cake
12 egg whites
2½ cup sugar
340g cashews and peanuts (coarsely chopped any nuts will work)
¾ cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
Custard buttercream
12 egg yolks
2 cup milk
1½ C sugar
500g butter
2 Tbsp cognac
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
Chocolate glaze (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
4 Tbsp of oil
Method
• The first day: If you have an extra day, separate your eggs the day before the first day put the yolks in the fridge and leave the whites out overnight (but covered).
Make the cake: Beat egg whites until foamy; gradually add sugar and keep beating. Add vanilla. Beat until stiff peak stage.
Mix nuts with flour, then fold slowly into the egg whites with a silicone spatula until well blended.
Line two 25cm round cake pans with baking paper. Divide meringue into the pans and bake for 1 ¾ hours at 150°C.
Cool on wire racks and let them sit overnight.
Make the custard cream: Pour milk in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a simmer.
Whisk egg yolks slightly in a separate bowl, add a little of the hot milk, whisking to combine, and then pour yolks into the hot milk pot. Cook, stirring until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat, strain if it looks a little lumpy, cover and leave to cool. Refrigerate overnight.
• The second day - make the custard buttercream
Beat softened butter until creamy and gradually add custard cream, add cognac and beat some more until smooth.
Take cake layers out of pans and remove the baking paper.
Place the first layer on the serving plate and put the springform side around it. (If you do not have a springform side big enough then refrigerate cream until firm enough to fill the cake without running.)
Pour about ¾ of the buttercream over.
Place the second cake layer on the top but inverted so the bottom of the second layer is the top of the cake.
Add cocoa to the remaining buttercream, mix well and spread over the top layer.
Refrigerate the cake several hours or overnight.
• Later (or the third day...)
Microwave the chocolate and oil for 1 minute and stir until chocolate is melted.
Remove the springform side and pour over the chocolate glaze.
Cheese and bacon pierogies
Nicki Dobrzynski, Australian/Polish, Wānaka
Making these pierogies has special meaning for our family as it’s a dish we make and eat every Polish Christmas Eve (called Wigilia).
Our children get involved and we spend the day making pierogies together as a family, which is the most wonderful thing.
It creates wonderful food memories for the kids, but also means a lot to my mother-in-law that were continuing this tradition. My mother-in-law still makes the best pierogies I’ve ever eaten, and even though some Christmases we can’t all be together in person, we still make the pierogies together over FaceTime.
For the dough
300g Italian fine 00 flour (can substitute for
all-purpose flour)
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
100ml warm water
For the filling
200g bacon, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp salted butter
2 medium-large russet potatoes (or similar)
200g cheddar cheese, grated
To serve: chopped chives and sour cream
Method
Make the dough
Combine the flour with the egg yolks, melted butter, salt, and enough of the warm water to bring the mixture together in a medium bowl.
Once the dough comes together, knead the mixture on a pastry board (about 10 minutes or so) until its smooth.
Cover the dough with cling film or place back in the bowl covered with a damp cloth to let it rest.
Prepare the filling
Chop the bacon into very small pieces and fry until the fat has rendered down and is golden, but not too crispy, then remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
Finely chop your onions and gently fry for about 3-5 minutes on low-medium heat in the leftover bacon grease (or add a little butter.) Once lightly golden, remove from the pan and set aside with the bacon.
Boil potatoes until soft and mash well with a fork into a medium-sized bowl. While still hot, add the grated cheese, bacon and onion and mix well.
The cheese should melt into the potato mixture, which should be pliable and able to be formed into balls.
Once the mixture is warm enough to be handled, shape small spoonfuls into almond-shaped balls and set aside.
Make the pierogi
Roll out your dough as thinly as possible (ideally until it’s translucent) on a floured surface.
Using a small circular cutter or the thin rim of a small glass, cut out circles.
Fill each one with the potato and cheese mixture, rubbing the edges of the dough with water and then sealing the edges together.
Once all your pierogies are ready, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and carefully lower a batch of pierogies into the water (you will need to cook them in a few batches).
As soon as the pierogi float to the surface, usually about 3-4 minutes, leave them to cook for another 2 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer to a warm plate, or directly into a fry pan on medium heat with a little butter and fry until golden and crisp on both sides.
Serve immediately with freshly chopped chives and a little sour cream and/or some buttery onions.
Fesenjan
Kiana Jalali, Iranian, Ōtepoti Dunedin
Fesenjan (also called fesenjoon) is a sweet and sour Iranian stew from Northern Iran. It is typically served over rice in the Iranian manner. It is a festive dish for special occasions.
Fesenjan is flavoured with pomegranate paste and ground walnuts and spices like turmeric, cinnamon, orange peel, cardamom, and rosewater, depending on the regions.
It is traditionally made with poultry (duck or chicken) but can also be made using balls of ground meat or chunks of lamb. Depending on the recipe, it can have a sweet or sour taste. Fesenjan is served with Iranian white or saffron rice (polo or chelo).
If the pomegranate sauce comes out too sour, sugar and fried onions may be added to sweeten it. Some regions like it sweet, some sour, and some a combination of both.
I am from a city in Iran called Esfahan, and this is how my grandma used to make hers, with a side of saffron rice and tahdig (crispy rice).
Since this is a dish reserved for special occasions, you know your grandma loves you too much if she makes it for you outside of these special occasions — it basically means you are an honoured and esteemed guest.
4 chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken,
cut into medium-size pieces
2½ cups walnuts, finely ground
1 ½ cups pomegranate molasses
3 Tbsp vegetable oil or butter
1 big onion or 2 small ones, finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp bloomed saffron
2 Tbsp sugar (optional, to balance the
tartness of the pomegranate molasses)
Cooked rice for serving
Method
If using chicken breasts, cut them into bite-sized pieces. If using a whole chicken, cut it into pieces, removing excess fat.
Grind the walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Be careful not to over-process, or they may turn into walnut butter.
In a large skillet or pot, heat the vegetable oil or butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until golden brown.
Once the onions are golden, add turmeric and cinnamon to the skillet. Saute for another minute to toast the spices and release their flavours.
Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and brown them on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
Once the chicken is browned, add the ground walnuts to the skillet. Stir well to coat the chicken pieces with the walnut mixture.
Pour the pomegranate molasses over the chicken and walnut mixture. Add a little bit of cold water (½ cup) and mix well.
Lower the heat to medium-low and let the fesenjan simmer for about 1 to 1⅕ hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and darken during this time. You know it’s ready if the oil from the walnuts has separated from them, forming an oily, glossy layer on top.
Grind a pinch of saffron and bloom it with 2 tablespoons of hot water or ice cubes. Add the saffron at the end closer to serving time.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar if desired. The sauce should be slightly tart, sweet, and savoury.
Once the sauce has thickened to your liking and the chicken is tender, remove from heat. Serve the fesenjan hot over a bed of fluffy rice.
Optionally, garnish with chopped walnuts or pomegranate seeds for an extra burst of flavour and texture.
Enjoy your home-made fesenjan, a delightful Persian dish that combines the richness of walnuts with the tanginess of pomegranate molasses.
