I love cake. I really do. I love the whole theatre of it. And a cake with candles? And Easter chicks? Sweet.
My excuse for this was a Sunday Birthday lunch. I was in charge of cakes so I went all out sugar. There was icing everywhere on Sunday morning. I always think that nothing succeeds like excess, hence the feathery flock of chicks. Although I do think some of the chicks are a bit demented looking...
The chick sponge cake was gorgeous, I highly recommend putting icing on a butterless sponge cake with cream and raspberry jam. The chocolate queen cakes, again with cream and raspberries: unreal. However I have mixed feelings about these custard slices. They taste amazing but look pretty shabby... I should have used double the amount of custard. Damn.
Custard Slices
Ingredients
1 sheet of ready rolled puff pastry55g caster sugar
40g custard flour
310ml milk
30g butter
1 egg yolk
(double the custard ingredients if you want more)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees c.
- Place the pastry onto an oven tray and bake for 15 mins or until puffed up. Cool.
- Split pastry horizontally, Flatten both pieces with your hand.
- Combine sugar& custard powder in a medium pan. Gradually stir in the milk. Stir over heat until it boils and thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring all the time for 2 mins.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and egg yolk.
- Spread the hot custard over the pastry. Place the other piece of pastry on top and press down gently. Leave to cool.
- Meanwhile make some thick glace icing and spread over the pastry.Put in the fridge for about 3 hours.
- Once the icing is set you can slice it carefully using a serrated knife.
These cakes would be really nice for a tea party or special lunch get together, any excuse really!
Lilly x
Posts
Wow, Lilly, those cakes look absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteBeth :)
I love your chick cake - it makes me laugh with its look of the chicks warding off something scary. I'm a fellow fan of the butterless sponge-cake, but have never thought to ice one.
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth!
ReplyDeleteMise, I put icing on everything, I'll actually post the recipe for the sponge soon too because it was very easy, a good recipe to have up your sleeve when you run out of butter!
Love your blog Lilly - I'm not much of a baker but I hope to be inspired by reading about baking alot!
ReplyDeleteP.S I used to have a little girl in my Montessori class called Lily Higgins - not sure if she enjoyed baking though.
Lilly, your custards look finger licking good, the best sort are those which splodge out when you bite them.
ReplyDeleteDo you think the egg yolk cooks in the warm custard? I am always a bit reticent about eating anything with raw egg in, it's just the thought of it.
Claire xx
LOVE your obsession with cakes. and icing. and chicks!!! they all look great....shame this blogging lark doesnt have smell or taste-i-vision. s x
ReplyDeletethis actually made my mouth water! I'm rubbish at baking but I'm going to ask my friend sorcha to give these a go, she's magic at it. Lovely to see you blogging lily!
ReplyDeletexa
Thanks Everyone!
ReplyDeleteJill: My mother is a montessori teacher, So we all learnt at an early age not to run holding scissors and how to lift a chair the right way!
I spend way more time looking through cooking books than actually cooking too! x
Claire: I think the egg yolk does cook a bit in the hot custard. I'd say if your eggs are from a trustworthy source and are free range or organic then you can pretty much enjoy them how you want, like Rocky!
Sharon:I know it'd be cool to have a tv like in Willy Wonka. I always think that when I see the Marks & Spencers ads! These are not juuust strawwwwberries...
Aoife: So good to hear from you! Yay! I'd say deifintely get your friend to bake them. Then you can make a pot of tea and ye can share them! Perfect x
Hey Lilly
ReplyDeleteThankyou for your message, Love the look of those scrummy cakes..wish I could cook!
Sam xx