Deep Egg Custard Tart

When this all-time favourite Egg Custard Tart is served hot straight out of the oven, the shortcrust base is crispy and buttery, the egg custard is warm and soft, nothing else can beat it!

Deep Egg Custard Tart

serve 12

Ingredients

225g plain flour, plus extra to dust
80g icing sugar
130g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp cold water
3 medium egg
6 medium egg yolks
110g caster sugar
600ml double cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp nutmeg or ground cinnamon, to sprinkle (optional)

Uensils

8 inches loose base spring form inches round baking tin

Method

1. Put flour, icing sugar and butter in a large clean bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the water gradually to the mixture until the dough comes together.
3. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 mins.
4. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Gently roll out pastry to 3mm thick.
5. Line the pastry into the springform cake tin. Gently press the side to make sure the side is at least 3.5 inches height as it will shrink after baking.

6. Chill the pastry in the tin for 15 mins.
7. To blind bake the tart case: Preheat oven to 180°C. Line pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (can substitute with any other dry beans). Bake for 15 mins until pastry sides are set.

8. Remove beans and paper and return tin to oven for 5 mins until base is cooked through.

9. Take the tin out from the oven and let it cool for 5 mins, this helps the tart to flatten in the middle.
10. Turn oven down to 150°C.
11. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, cream and vanilla together until combined.
12. Strain through a fine sieve into the tart case.

13. Optional: sprinkle over nutmeg or cinnamon.
14. Return to oven for 60-90min or until just set.
15. Serve warm, at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Vanilla Meringue Kisses

I had 3 egg whites left after making custard, by coincidence I then saw pictures of Meringue Kisses on the internet, I made these elegant little meringues straight away ✽

Meringue Kisses

makes 100 meringues

Ingredients

3 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

90g caster sugar

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste/extract

90g icing sugar, sifted

Pastel pink and lilac liquid food colour (or colours of your choice)

Equipments

plastic piping bag

star piping nozzle

Method

1. Preheat oven to 80°C. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. 

2. Whisk egg whites and pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed. 

3. Sprinkle the sugar into the mixture gradually when the whites thicken. Be careful not to over-whisk. 

4. Add the vanilla bean paste/extract and gently fold in the icing sugar using a rubber spatula. 

5. Divide the mixture into 3 bowls. One bowl white as it is, mix the second bowl with pink food colour and the third with lilac food colour. 

6. Place a star nozzle in a piping bag, fill with the first bowl white coloured mixture. 

7. Pipe little stars onto the lined baking trays.

8. Repeat steps 6-7 for the remaining pastel coloured mixture.

9. Place in the preheated oven for 2 hours or until they have dried out.

Cheese and Olive Brazilian Bread (Pão de Queijo)

When the waiters bring the table a basket of bread to choose from in restaurants, I always pick those with olive or cheese, they are so much nicer than the plain or brown ones :-P I have been finding some simple recipes of bread, as I still think making bread is so complicated... this Cheese and Olive Brazilian Bread is just prefect - easy to make, no proofing required, smell was sooooo fragrant, crispy outside, soft and chewy inside, yummm yummm ♥

Cheese and Olive Bread

makes 24 cheesy balls

Ingredients

600g tapioca flour
20g salt
1 tbsp garlic granules
40g butter
80ml oil
500ml milk
5 eggs
150g chopped olives
350g Parmesan Cheese

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 12 holes muffin tin.
2. Put tapioca flour, salt and garlic granules in a large bowl.
3. Place butter, oil and milk in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer.
4. Remove from heat once it starts to boil, pour the liquid slowly over the mixture of flour and salt.

5. Place the hook attachments to the mixer and beat until the mixture cool down completely.

6. Mix in the eggs until incorporated, add the chopped olives and cheese.

7. Gently pour the mixture into the muffin trays until 3/4 full.

8. Bake for 35 minutes until puffed and golden, test by inserting a skewer into the centre of the bread, it should come out clean.

9. Serve warm : )

Coffee and Walnut Cake

I found out my firm's canteen started selling this coffee walnut cake the day before I went on holiday, I bought a slice to try for breakfast although I am not a big fan of coffee, it surprised me because it taste like tiramisu and I really like it!

I was thinking of this cake throughout my whole holiday, the first thing I wanted to do after coming back was to make this cake! so glad it is very simple to make, didnt have to wait too long to have a slice ;-d

Coffee and Walnut Cake 

Ingredients

For the Sponge:

175g butter
175g light brown sugar
3 medium eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste / vanilla extract
175g self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee
60g chopped walnuts
4 x 6 inches round sandwich tins or 2 x 8 inches round sandwich tins

For the Coffee Buttercream Filling:

200g butter
200g icing sugar
2 teaspoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon cocoa powder to decorate

Method

For the Sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 175C. Grease and line greaseproof paper into the tins.
2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a bowl until pale for at least 5 mins.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract gradually.
4. Sift the baking powder and flour into the mixture and stir until well-combined.
5. Dissolve instant coffee in 2 tablespoon of hot water and add it to mixture with the chopped walnuts.
6. Spoon and divide the mixture into the tins evenly by weighting out the amount.
7. Bake 30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes and come out clean.
8. Leave them on wire rack to cool.

For the Coffee Buttercream Filling

1. Beat the butter by adding the icing sugar gradually in a large bowl until soft.
2. Dissolve instant coffee in 1 tablespoon of hot water and add it to the mixture, whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
3. Sandwich and cover the cake with the buttercream.
4. Decorate with a cake stencil by dusting cocoa powder on top. Enjoy!

Sesame Street Rainbow Cake

This is by far one of my most favourite cakes i have ever made, Aleha specially designed it for her beloved sister Sal who likes Sesame Street! Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Grover, Oscar Grouch, Bert and Ernie are all on top :). When she cut into the cake a colourful rainbow cake treat lay inside! The thought is just too sweet ❤

These cake toppers are so cute, they made me happy making them :-D

Aleha helped me to take a picture of the cutout slice ;) I am so thrilled they like this cake so much.

❤❤❤ Happy Birthday to Sal again! hope you have a fabulous birthday with your lovely family xx ❤❤❤

Volkswagen Golf Car and Shisha Oreo Cake

Aleha's brother Mohid loves Volkswagen Golf Car, Shisha and Oreo, Aleha and her family decided to order him this cake with all his favourite things together :-D. I totally thought this is so cool too! I am so glad he likes it so much, I would like to give extra credit to Aleha and her husband Saq who helped carrying all the cakes home with all pieces in place!

It is my first time make car and shisha, they were actually quite tricky to make, especially as I needed to make the shisha stand still, hope people think it is ok ;-P anyway..

Happy Birthday to Mohid, may all your birthday wished come true! :-)

Strawberry Fresh Cream Cake

I like fresh cream cakes, especially with fruit on top. They are light, fluffy, creamy and juicy :).

Aleha thought this would be great for her brother-in-law's birthday ♫

Happy Birthday to Abbas ♫

Super Mario and Sonic The Hedgehog Cupcakes (encore!)

This is a post I meant to do back in Christmas time for Aleha's Big Brother Abs's birthday. I love making cakes for Aleha's family because each of the orders are so unique and interesting to make. A lot of thought goes into choosing the right theme for each cake, making them truly personalized.

The flavours were chocolate cupcakes with oreo and cream frosting, vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I made 3 new characters, can you spot the difference from last time ? : )

 

☆☆☆ Happy Belated birthday to Aleha's big brother Abs! ☆☆☆