March 28, 2010

Cakes make me happy


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 pastry

55g 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


9 comments:

  1. Wow, Lilly, those cakes look absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
    Beth :)

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  2. 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.

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  3. Thanks Beth!

    Mise, 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!

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  4. Love your blog Lilly - I'm not much of a baker but I hope to be inspired by reading about baking alot!
    P.S I used to have a little girl in my Montessori class called Lily Higgins - not sure if she enjoyed baking though.

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  5. Lilly, your custards look finger licking good, the best sort are those which splodge out when you bite them.
    Do 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

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  6. 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

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  7. this 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!
    xa

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  8. Thanks Everyone!

    Jill: 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

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  9. Hey Lilly
    Thankyou for your message, Love the look of those scrummy cakes..wish I could cook!

    Sam xx

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Let me know what you think!x