Kirstie's Handmade Britain - Eclairs recipe

After watching last nights episode of Kirstie's handmade Britain I  thought  I would have a go at the Eclair recipe.Kirsties eclair recipe. It is my first attempt at choux pastry so  I wasn't really sure what I was doing.



For some reason my mixture was too runny :/ or at least that is what it felt like. The temperature on recipe is also way too hot for my oven. The first batch were too burned and I threw them away,  Some of them I just spooned on baking tray (suggested by a lovely lady on a forum I visit).  They tasted lovely when filled with lemon whipped cream.

(I  couldnt make her kumquat filling because there are no kumquats in shops here)

Recipe for lemon whipped cream


250ml whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar (I used caster and ground it with pestle and mortar)
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon rind


put it all in bowl and whisk until it forms peaks.




 I will try this again and hopefully my piping gets better.

Saturday shortbread buttons

Today to keep the kids out of mischief we decided to make shortbread. I had seen cookies made into buttons on  internet and they looked so cute we decided to do this with the shortbread instead of just making the usual shape.


FOR THE SHORTBREAD YOU NEED;

1 cup of butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups sifted flour

baking trays that you have lightly sprinkled with flour, cookie  cutters,  a skewer or something to make button holes  and a oven preheated to 180

 oh almost forgot   a floured rolling pin.


HOW TO MAKE;

Cream sugar and flour then start adding the sifted flour.  Mix into a dough then grab it with your hands and squish it into a round shape.  Take dough and sit on a floured surface, roll out until it is about 1/4 inch in thickness.

We then used a round cutter to cut out buttons, found something that was just slightly smaller (we used coffee scoop)and pushed it into middle so the sides raised for button shape.  Then we took a skewer and pushed it in to make button holes.

 



Place shapes on baking tray leaving room apart and cook for approx 12 minutes until edges are slightly browned.   Leave to cool then transfer to a plate and scoff like greedy piggies.

Mini banana loaves

Husband and mini me are making mini banana loaves.   Have to resist from eating loads of them because I am trying to lose a bit of weight.

Recipe:

175g brown sugar
125g butter or margarine
2 eggs
4 bananas
grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tsp lemon juice
250g self raising flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp bicarb  soda


mix all together stick into mini loaf tins and cook for approx 25 minutes at 180
waiting to go into oven.


















out of oven and tasting scrummy!!