YOU can judge a chef’s pastry skills by how well he or she makes a lemon tart, according to doughnut connoisseur Courtney Gibb of Perth eco-friendly, ivy-enclosed hotspot Greenhouse.
“You have to get the pastry short and at the right thickness, because if it is too thick, it will crack open and turn soggy,” he told Western Suburbs Weekly.
“Then you have to get the right tang from the lemon – it can’t be too sweet.
“And, of course, cooking it at the right temperature is crucial as well. I’ve had a couple of disasters; one time, someone accidentally turned the oven up, which turned the tart black.”
Having mastered the art of all goodies in the pastry family, the 25-year-old West Leederville chef has come a long way since launching his career as a dishwasher at a “dodgy” Mexican restaurant.
Over the years, he has had the pleasure of working at two of Perth’s most highly-touted eateries – Must Winebar in Highgate and the former Star Anise in Shenton Park.
Western Suburbs was keen to learn the secret behind Gibb’s talked-about doughnut.
“We use just a basic brioche dough instead of the usual wet doughnut batter – it’s nice, light, fluffy and full of butter,” he revealed.
“I don’t have any special tricks; I just use the correct technique and ensure I have quality ingredients. Patience is important, too – you can’t rush doughnuts.
“Our topping is simple – cinnamon and sugar.”
As well as the baked treats on offer, Gibb suggests diners sample the lamb shoulder for dinner, cooked for 18 hours at 65 degrees, and for lunch, the Thai short-beef rib braised in coconut cream.
A Greenhouse sister restaurant is planned for London next year.