Author Q&A - Tilly Pamment

From homemade pasties to burnt butter oat bars and Maggie Alderson's latest, food writer Tilly Pamment on what she's eating, reading and loving at the moment.

Delightful. Is the best word we can think of to describe the world, recipes and photos that food writer and photographer Tilly Pamment creates. She’s based in the Blue Mountains of NSW and from there, wrangles two small children and, more recently, her second cookbook. Following on from The Plain Cake Appreciation Society, this one is all for the love of small cakes, slices and sweet morsels, and it’s called Handfuls of Sunshine. Delightful, right!?

Thanks, Tilly, for sharing what you are eating and reading right now, congratulations on your new book, and thank you so much for sharing the recipe below for burnt butter oat bars which I (Sophie) made this week and will be doing so again (on repeat). The recipe is simple, clever and so so so good.

Sophie and Germaine x

What’s the last book you read and LOVED! And why?
Would you Rather by Maggie Alderson. I have been reading her books since I was a teenager and always love them. Super easy to read, hilariously relatable, slightly flawed characters with excellent fashion sense, and she writes THE best older-women characters. Whip-smart. I want to be them when I'm old!

What was the last meal you paid for or made and LOVED? And why?
Lately I've been making my friend Karima's flatbreads with zaatar from her book Sofra and serving them with labne, grilled meat, tomato and onion salad and lots of herbs. Wildly delicious.

What’s your go-to comfort read?
At the moment I'm dipping in and out of Nigel Slater's book A Thousand Feasts. Infinitely soothing. Especially the audiobook version, read by Nigel!

What’s your go-to comfort food?
Homemade pasties, like the ones my parents made for us as kids. I love that everything is neatly packaged up in pastry - including your vegetables - so they're a complete meal!

A cookbook you are cooking out of at the moment?
I'm loving Julius Roberts' book The Farm Table. Full of so many delicious things.

You get to invite four of your favourite writers over for dinner, who are they and what will you cook them?

Nigel Slater, Oliver Burkeman (who's book Meditations for Mortals, I loved), Nadiya Hussain, and Elizabeth Day (her podcast How to Fail is such a great listen) - and I think we'd just eat cake! Lots of different cakes, and maybe some really good cheese scones. Heaven!

What book would you like to press in the hands of everyone you meet at the moment and why?

Well, this is a bit cheeky - but mine! I'd hand out copies of my new cookbook Handfuls of Sunshine, in the hope of inspiring people to bake and share a little edible-love!

Quick-fire round

Actual printed books, Kindle or audio books? Or a combination?
Combination. I will always love printed books. But at the moment, I seem to mostly listen to audio books - which I can do whilst working.

Favourite food film (or food or table scene)?
It's complicated with Meryl Streep. Her bakery and kitchen. I want them!

Favourite book to film adaptation?
Pride and Prejudice (of course the version with Colin Firth).

Describe your ideal reading situation? (Eg, a wintry afternoon by a fire/outside in the sun/tucked up in bed…)

Tucked up in bed, hot tea in hand. Slice of cake on the bedside table.

A playlist or album you might listen to while cooking?
I love to listen to Dustin Tebbutt's music whilst cooking - beautiful and chilled.

And while reading?

I don't usually to listen to music when reading - a little moment of silence when you have kids is a thing of real beauty!

Thank you Tilly for sharing this recipe from your new book. It hits the shelves on 1 July and you can pre-order here.

Burnt Butter Oat Bars

(makes one 20 x 30cm slice/20 pieces)

Like a cross between a giant Anzac biscuit and an oaty digestive, these Burnt Butter Oat Bars are a favourite go-to in our house with a cup of tea. They are staggeringly simple and wholesomely delicious in equal measure. I like mine sans chocolate, but my kids and husband are not convinced – they prefer a slick of chocolate and a sprinkle of salt. You choose your own adventure!

150 g (51/2 oz) unsalted butter, cubed

1 tablespoon golden syrup (light treacle)

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

100 g (31/2 oz) white spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

120 g (41/4 oz) quick oats

60 g (21/4 oz) desiccated coconut

110 g (33/4 oz) golden (raw) caster (superfine) sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

180 g (61/2 oz) chocolate of your choice, melted (optional)

Flaky sea salt, to sprinkle (optional)

Line the base and sides of a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch) slice (slab) or lamington tin with baking paper, leaving enough paper overhanging to lift the cooked slice out of the tin.

First, brown the butter by placing it in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter has melted and starts to bubble rapidly. Once the bubbles slow and the butter starts to foam, watch carefully. When small brown flecks appear at the bottom of the pan, quickly remove from the heat. Stir in the golden syrup and vanilla, being careful as the butter might spit, and set aside to cool slightly.

While the butter is cooling, place the flour, bicarbonate of soda, oats, coconut, sugar and fine sea salt in a separate bowl, and use a hand whisk to combine. Pour in the warm browned butter mixture and use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix well. Tip the rubbly mixture into the base of your tin and press it out firmly into an even layer using an offset palette knife or the bottom of a glass. Place the tin in the fridge (or freezer if you have space), until firm.

While the base is chilling, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) fan-forced.

When chilled, bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown and smelling deliciously toasty.

Leave the slice to cool completely before using the extra baking paper to lift it out of the tin. Pour the melted chocolate over the top (if using), spreading it out evenly across the surface.

Sprinkle with a little sea salt, if you like. Allow the chocolate to set, then slice into bars using a large, hot, sharp knife.

STORE & SHARE The oat bars will keep happily in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If they are coated in chocolate and the weather is warm, store them in the fridge. These oat bars travel very well and can even be posted (without the chocolate coating) as part of a care package.

Thank you, Tilly, for joining us here at Something to Eat and Something to Read and congratulations on your beautiful new book.

And in case you missed it, listen to our latest episode of the podcast here below.

Thank you, Germaine and Sophie x