Photos - as promised!

Hi guys.  It is D again.  just popped on to upload the photos as promised.  The photos relate to the last 2 blog entries:

Snow photos first.  Again - the view from my room.

And then the marshmallows follow the snow pictures (naturally - and because I made them first!)...

 Once whipped up and cool, they sit in a tray (sprinkled lavishly with 'marshmallow mix'), uncovered, overnight to allow them to dry out.

The next morning you cover them in the marshmallow mix before cutting up (or if you're like me, you cover them in the mix, flip them over and cover the underside in more mix just before you rush out to work)

Next you cut them up (once back from work in my case) into whatever shapes you want (clearly - I went for the rustic look!) and cover them lavishly in 'marshmallow mix', put them in a sieve and shake off as much excess mix as you can.   Package in an airtight container and consume within one week (or share them with everyone with whom you come into contact the next day).

Creme Brulee next as I had to use the egg yolks...

The finished brulee - complete with shiny and firm top!  Very pleased.

That long-awaited first crack!

Yum!

And finally - the vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting.  You have to forgive me the images and the icing as these were the last thing I made and I am used to making cupcakes so didn't take as much care as I could have.  They were incredibly light and I took them round to friends for dinner - the verdict was that they would definitely love to have me bring them round again!  Result!  :-)

Altogether...

Only one left...!

Till next time .  Dx

Delicious desserts!

Hi.  The time ran away with me yesterday and I wanted to let you know that I finally baked! And I did do everything that I thought that I said I would - I baked my cupcakes, made my marshmallows and my creme brulee.  This is going to be a real brief review of the recipes I used.

I got the marshmallows recipe off David Lebovitz's site here and it was fun, hassle free and they look promising!!  They are currently drying out (overnight) so hopefully they will work.  The stuff that's in my baking tins looks (and tastes) better than anything I have bought.  If they work, there is no way that I could ever buy them again!  I would highly recommend trying this recipe.  Besides - they reminds me of the snow. :-)

I also went online for the creme brulee recipe by Angela Nilsen on the BBC Good Food website.  It was fairly easy to follow although it could have been written up more simply.  It was important to read ahead though (Which I don't always do...) and know that you need a fine sieve and a large bowl as well.  Yummy, very sweet custard.  I will be brulee'ing them tomorrow evening so will let you know how they taste.

The cupcakes were from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook and I realised just how well I knew the recipe when I knocked them together in under 10 minutes and they rose like never before!!  These really are my cupcakes of choice and I now tweak the recipe as I would have it!  I would highly recommend this cookbook.  they have an unusual and messy mixing method but it works!! I was virtually dust free tonight though which is always brilliant!  So - that was my evening.  What did you do with yours?

I'll post photos tomorrow  :-)   (and I do remember that I owe you snow photos too!)

I Love It When It Snows!

Hey guys.  It's D again.  I know that I haven't posted for a while but here I go again.  :-)  It started snowing today and I must say  that there are times when I love the snow and times when I am not so pleased with it but the majority of the times I love it - and this is one of those times!

It started snowing as I made my way back from a dash to the catering shop in Clapham North to pick up a catering thermometer before they shut.  I made it and then realised that I didn't need to rush out as James Nicholas opened a really delicious cookshop in Balham.  I love it in there!  Well - I have to say that I went in on  my way back and they DID have a thermometer (which I also bought - taking the other one back), an icing kit and some cute cupcake cases.   as I walked back it started to snow and I decided this was my favourite time to bake!    If I could choose to do anything tonight it would be this...... "sitting in front of the fire, curled up with a soya chai latte and cookie dough ice-cream, watching a good movie with a particular friend".  In the absence of aforementioned company my next best thing is to do something just as cosy - bake!!  What better than to fill the house with warm, sweet aromas that greet you as you open the door - that moment when you leave the crisp fresh cold and enter the warmth of a home?  Not a house, a home.

So I picked up a few more ingredients and this is what I have ended up with..

I know that we are meant to be using a cookbook a month but sometimes I think the moment just takes you and you make what your heart fancies.  I have:

double cream, unsalted butter, gelatine, cornflour, plain flour, liquid glucose, icing sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, eggs and an icing kit!  I obviously have the other larder staples (other types of sugar, syrup, milk, etc.).   I am thinking...

- Marshmallows (first time!)

- Iced gourmet cupcakes (not sure of the flavour yet)

- Creme Brulee (I really have to make use of the egg yolks the marshmallows leave behind).

I also plan to go for a walk round the block in the snow at some point!  Watch this spot.  And just because I can - here is a picture of the best mouthful of food I had the other night.  Last mouthful of a supper of sorts...  I was a little proud of the way I managed to capture it - the clarity...

And also just because I can - a little bargain I found when I popped into the farmers market.....  totally lush pork and apple sausage roll.  Yummy flaky pastry and quality meat from the Little Jack Horner's stall.  I also picked up a squirrel pie which I am looking forward to trying in a couple of weeks time...

For now - I better get focused if you are going to get to see anything else on here.  I may pop on to put the snow photos up too.