I had been to Lisbon once before. The first time I really had no idea what to expect and was completely captivated by the place. It was January, cold and damp in [...]]]> The man & I spent a long weekend in Lisbon recently. Just the 2 of us; no kids. It has to happen occasionally.

I had been to Lisbon once before. The first time I really had no idea what to expect and was completely captivated by the place. It was January, cold and damp in the UK, and walking along the river in 15 degree sunshine was a real tonic for the soul. The city embedded itself in my head and I knew I’d be back.

This trip to Lisbon I more or less knew what to expect (which made me get all the more excited in the lead-up to the weekend), but the man didn’t and I purposely didn’t tell him much about it. I wanted him to discover it for himself.

Lisbon is not a place one necessarily passes through on the way to somewhere else. It’s not a hub like Paris or Berlin; you have to make a wee bit of an effort to get there. But the effort is oh so worth it. The city just sort of hangs there, at the mouth of a river, on the edge of the Iberian peninsula (the edge of Europe, really), peering outwards across the Atlantic. Geographically the situation is just so perfect – there are hills, hills and more hills (gym memberships are completely unnecessary in this city), and clearly marked “miradouros” (lookouts) everywhere allowing you to take in some truly spectacular views. And I must say that after the most dismal UK summer in millenia, the temperate climate which offered up 3 straight days of sunshine and 25 degree temperatures was very much appreciated.

Not a bad view

So what is it about this city that’s already got me pining for another visit? Where do I start…? There are of course the usual characteristics that appeal to me… friendly people, simple fresh tasty food, higglety-pigglety parking on some of the narrowest streets imaginable (I’d hate to have to park there myself, but loved watching others attempt it!), some truly stunning scenery. But there’s more. As you walk around, there is art everywhere you look – whether it’s in the more traditional sense in Lisbon’s multitude of galleries & museums, or all around you on the pavements, in the metro stations, or on buildings. This urban art may or may not appeal, but it’s interesting, intriguing, and tells a story about the city’s history and the current state of the nation.

A splash of colour

Not necessarily pretty but catches one’s eye!

For some reason I just loved this building

Portugal is famous for its “azuelos” (ceramic tiles) which adorn the front of many of the buildings. Some are in better shape than others. This building, in Chiado neighbourhood, was covered in gorgeous aquamarine blue tiles and was just totally eye catching.

Newly “rehabilitated” tiles on building in Chiado neighbourhood

The pavement/sidewalk paving is rustic, artistic and treacherous all rolled into one. Heels are a broken ankle waiting to happen.

Not your ordinary paving stones

Makes walking much more interesting!

There are tiny shops selling only buttons, or beads, or gloves, or tins of sardines still hand wrapped with 1950s style brown paper & string. Some of the street names remind you of what used to be sold there.

Literal street name – street of the codfish sellers

My Lisbon must dos:

• Wear flat, comfortable shoes and just walk and explore. You see more that way.
• Be prepared for very sore calves as a result of days of walking up and down all the hills!
• Visit the castle, soak in the absolutely unparalleled views & then walk around neighbouring Alfama
• Eat warm pasteis de nata (custard tarts) in Belem.
• Visit some of the tiny shops in Baixa. Buy some sardines, even if you don’t like them, just because the packaging is so retro & cool.
• Go joy riding at night on the number 28 tram. It’s ludicrously crowded in the daytime, but at night you can get a seat, open the gorgeous wooden framed windows, and enjoy a ride that reminded the man of the Knight Bus in the Harry Potter films.
• Stay at Zuzabed, the most welcoming, charming B&B I’ve ever stayed in. Uberhost Luis (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Roger Federer) and his team go out of their way to welcome you and make your stay memorable. Their love for their city is very evident, and infectious. Luis makes a great orange cake, which he delivered to us warm one morning for breakfast.
• Sit on one of the gorgeous marble benches and be at one with the world in Carmo Square (Chiado) – the most perfect little neighbourhood square.

The smoothest park bench my bottom has ever met

Some other random photos I feel the need to share:

For some reason I find other people’s laundry utterly charming!

I have a thing for doors

The nicest men’s loo entrance ever

I mentioned I wanted the man to discover Lisbon for himself, and I really wanted him to like it; to see what I saw in the place. So did he? Well, you must understand that he is practically the most laid back person to ever walk this earth and it’s sometimes difficult to gauge his enthusiasm for things (unlike the kids and I who have been known to get rather OVERenthusiastic). But he liked it – I could tell from little things he said and did, from the way he told the parents about the weekend. In his mind it’s hard to dislike a city that has 2 very nice guitar shops within a block of each other!

Lisbon is just a cool place. It’s charming. Parts of it are slightly shabby, but that just adds to the charm. It has no pretensions; it just is what it is. I like that. It reminds me of someone.

So I wanted to make a cake, to capture the flavours and reflect the essence of this city that I’ve fallen for. The inside wasn’t difficult to envision – almond & citrus. It was the outside that left me a bit stumped. It would be cream with a bit of orange, but how to decorate it? Elaborate it? Jazz it up? I made the cake & filled it, leaving myself to mull overnight about how to finish it off. And in the end I didn’t really finish it off. It actually didn’t need decoration or elaboration. A slightly orangey, slightly sweet cream was enough and actually perfectly reflected Lisbon and the type of dessert or cake you’d find there. Simple, tasty, not overly fancy or sweet. Like Lisbon, it doesn’t need to be jazzed up – it just is what it is. And we liked it.

This cake is dedicated to the parents, as a thank-you for babysitting and allowing us to get away. I’ll make it for you the next time I see you.

Flourless Citrus Cake

Print recipe

• Print with main photo
• Print text only

Serves	8-12
Prep time	45 minutes
Cook time	1 hour
Total time	1 hour, 45 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Milk, Tree Nuts
Dietary	Gluten Free
Meal type	Dessert

A creamy, nutty, gluten free cake with hints of citrus. It can be dressed up to be a special occasion cake, or kept simple and enjoyed after a meal or as an afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Cake

• 340g Ground almonds
• 2 teaspoons Baking powder
• 6 Eggs (separated)
• 125g Caster sugar
• 1 Orange (zest only)

Filling

• 200g Lemon curd (homemade is best, but a good quality bought curd will do!)
• 250g Mascarpone
• 250g Thick Greek yogurt

Topping

• 300ml Double cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Orange extract
• 30g Powdered sugar

Note

This cake is gluten free, but does contain nuts. For the recipe you will need the following:

• An 8-inch/20cm springform pan or cake tin
• An electric mixer or whisk for the cream
• Plenty of elbow grease for folding the egg whites into the cake

The cake should be baked and filled the day before you plan to eat it. This allows the filling to moisten and meld with the cake. The top and sides can be iced just before serving.

Candied lemon peel, candied orange peel, toasted slivered almonds would be the perfect complementary adornments to this cake.

Directions

1	Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius/325 degrees Farenheit. Grease an 8 inch/20cm springform pan or cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.
2	Mix ground almonds with 25g of the caster sugar and the baking powder. Set aside.
3	In a clean bowl with a clean whisk, whip the egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
4	Whip the egg yolks and remaining 100g of caster sugar until thick and very pale in colour. Mix in the orange zest.
5	Mix the ground almond mixture in with the egg yolk mixture, and then very quickly start folding in the egg whites - take 1/4 of the egg whites to start and as gently as possible fold them in until no visible streaks remain. Continue folding in the remaining egg whites, 1/4 at a time. The almond/yolk mixture will be very thick and sticky and it will take some effort to get the whites folded in. Just work them in slowly but surely!
6	Put the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth over the top. Bake for about 60 minutes, or until top of cake springs back when lightly tapped. Cool on wire rack.
7	When the cake has completely cooled, trim off the top crust of the cake. Then, using a large serrated knife or dental floss, cut the cake into 4 evenly sized layers. If using dental floss to cut the cake, make 4 evenly spaced cuts around the cake, where you want each layer to be, as a way of guiding the floss.
8	Mix together the lemon curd, mascarpone, and Greek yogurt until thoroughly combined.
9	Place the bottom layer of cake on a cake plate or cardboard round, and spread 1/3 of the filling over it. Place the second layer of cake on top, pressing down fairly firmly to distribute the filling evenly. Spread the next 1/3 of the filling over this layer. Repeat with the remaining cake layers and filling - you should end up with a filled cake (4 layers of cake & 3 layers of filling) that's still naked on top. Wrap well with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight.
10	Whip the cream, powdered sugar & orange extract on high speed in a cold bowl, with cold beaters, until you can see beater marks in the cream. Reduce speed and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Spread the cream over the top and sides of the cake. Embellish it to your heart's content.

You are officially 2 years old today. That’s 731 days (as we are in the midst of a leap year). That’s quite a milestone and we must celebrate, since I must rather shamefully admit that I don’t think we celebrated or even acknowledged your first birthday. So first of all…

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY!

Well yes, I suppose so. You can just cut up a bunch of fruit and mix it together in a bowl.

And maybe add a bit of sugar to help bring out some of the fruit juices.

And you end up with … a [...]]]> Fruit salad. So easy to make, anyone can make it. Right?

Well yes, I suppose so. You can just cut up a bunch of fruit and mix it together in a bowl.

And maybe add a bit of sugar to help bring out some of the fruit juices.

And you end up with … a bunch of cut up fruit in a bowl. And before I go on, let me just say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a bunch of cut up fruit in a bowl, especially if it’s seasonal fruit at its peak of ripeness. A bowl of strawberries in June, with just the tiniest bit of sugar can be perfection. Or sticky alphonso or honey mangos that need nothing more than a fork to spear the luscious chunks with. I’m almost salivating just thinking about it.

Raw perfection

But let’s face it, it’s February in Britain and there’s bugger all in terms of seasonal fruit at the moment. Apples, oranges and bananas have become incredibly boring, and berry, mango, peach, plum, cherry, (fill in blank) season still seems years away.

So what’s the solution to this fruity hungry gap? Fruit salad. Not cut up fruit in a bowl, but fruit salad. A mix of dried and fresh fruits that may or may not be at their peak, brought together with a vanilla bean infused sugar syrup. That, to me, is fruit salad.

I have a little story to tell you about my fruit salad. Last year we catered a 2 day event (breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea) that was attended by one rather famous person. And before you ask, I can’t tell you who it was because I signed a confidentiality agreement. Oh well. But I can tell you that on day 1 this person remarked (in a most positive fashion) on the fruit salad we’d served as part of breakfast and asked if we’d be having it the next day. Well we were going to be having it the next day, but because (blank) had mentioned it I went back to the kitchen that evening and made extra. And good thing I did because on day 2, said famous person ate bowls and bowls of the stuff! Seriously, one of the team refilled this person’s bowl every half hour or so throughout the day.

I’m still quite pleased that (blank) liked my fruit salad. But if I may say so, it was good. So what’s the secret? It’s the vanilla bean sugar syrup (a light concentration). The syrup of course diminishes the healthy factor, but given that the dish is mostly made up of fruit, it’s still way more healthy than say a cream puff, or cheesecake, or chocolate cake. The taste of vanilla is there in every bite. Not too overpowering, but there nonetheless. Hydrating a bit of dried fruit in the still hot syrup makes it luscious and plump and brings extra flavours and textures into the salad. And the sugar syrup ties everything together and enhances fruit that, let’s face it, is not overly inspiring at this time of year (in this part of the world).

I like it best for breakfast, with thick Greek yogurt and crunchy muesli. Or with a bit of vanilla ice cream or a shortbread for dessert. Or just a bowl of it on its own when dinner is still hours away. I just like it. As does the man. The girl mostly likes the mango and blueberries and would rather leave the other bits in her bowl. The boy is going through a purist phase and doesn’t like mixing different fruits together. So he won’t touch it. His loss, our gain.

Try this. It will brighten up your day.

The Ultimate Fruit Salad

Print recipe

• Print with main photo
• Print text only

Serves	6-8
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	45 minutes
Dietary	Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Breakfast, Dessert, Salad
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable

Healthy and delicious with gorgeous vanilla undertones, this fruit salad is so much more than just the sum of its parts.

Ingredients

Syrup

• 100g Caster Sugar
• 500ml Water
• 1/2 Vanilla bean

Salad

• 1 handful Dried fruit and/or berries (e.g. dried apricots, figs, sour cherries, cranberries, blueberries)
• 5-6 Portions Fresh fruit and/or berries (e.g. orange, mango, kiwi, pineapple, blueberries, apple, pear, plum, peach, melon)

Note

I have been very non-prescriptive with the type of fruit to use in this recipe. It should be based on personal preferences as well as what's in season. In the winter I use some dried fruit/berries to add variety, whereas in the summer I use fresh berries instead. It's up to you to experiment and come up with combinations that you like!

I have tried this recipe using good quality vanilla extract instead of actual vanilla bean, and highly recommend spending that extra bit and using vanilla bean. It gives you a much purer vanilla flavour and once you're finished with it you can always rinse the pod and put it in a jar with sugar to make lovely scented vanilla sugar.

Directions

1	Put the sugar and water into a saucepan. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise and open it out a little to allow the seeds to escape while it simmers. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the vanilla bean is nicely softened.
2	While the syrup is simmering, cut any large pieces of dried fruit into smaller pieces. I generally cut apricots and figs into quarters.
3	Remove the syrup from the heat and immediately add the dried fruit &/or berries, leaving the vanilla bean in the syrup. Leave to cool. Once the syrup is completely cool, take the vanilla bean & run your finger down it to loosen the remaining seeds. Swish it (and your finger with vanilla goop on it) around in the syrup so all the seeds are released into it.
4	While the dried fruit is hydrating in the cooling syrup, prepare the fresh fruit. Cut it into more or less uniformly sized pieces (similar in size to the pieces of dried fruit). The important thing is to have a nice variety of fruit in terms of flavours, textures & colours. If you're using apples, it's a good idea to also use some acidic fruit such as oranges or pineapple, as the acid in these will keep the apples from turning brown. Prep your apples last.
5	Add the fresh fruit to the cooled syrup and stir well. You can also add some frozen blueberries at this point if fresh aren't available (and if you like blueberries!). Leave to rest in a cool room or in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. If adding fresh berries to the salad, add them just before serving.
6	Store any leftovers in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days.

Of COURSE we do Banoffee Pie – we’re caterers and (more importantly) food lovers. That’s our job. What I had never done however was make my own toffee. Gooey, rich, creamy, completely decandent toffee – also [...]]]> “Do you do Banoffee Pie?” That simple question from a client set the whole thing off.

Of COURSE we do Banoffee Pie – we’re caterers and (more importantly) food lovers. That’s our job. What I had never done however was make my own toffee. Gooey, rich, creamy, completely decandent toffee – also known in some circles as dulce de leche. I had read somewhere about boiling condensed milk to make it, so did a little more research…

Time for a small aside here: evaporated versus condensed milk. Both come in tins. What’s the difference? I had never really considered the question. I had vague memories of my dad putting one of the two in his coffee when I was a child (evaporated, I think), and me thinking the milk tasted vile. And my mum buying Eagle Brand something or other for baking, and it being sickly sweet.

It’s the latter, calorie laded tinned milk that’s used to make toffee for Banoffee Pie, Millionaire’s Shortbread, and other sweet treats. There are two main ways to make this kind of toffee:

1. Cook condensed milk with butter and brown sugar
2. Boil condensed milk in the cans, unopened

Route #2 seemed much more interesting, almost like an experiment in alchemy. Taking one substance and turning it into another. I had to try it, despite the warnings about exploding cans and the the resulting difficult to clean messes on ceilings. If that happened it would be a much needed excuse to clean the ceiling!

But I did consult quite a number of sources before trying it. One must be prepared.

The process is simple: take a tin (or more) of sweetened condensed milk (remove the label first), put it into a suitably sized saucepan, and cover the tin(s) completely with water. Bring it to the boil and keep it at a gentle boil for 2.5 – 3 hours. Top up the water as necessary to keep the tin(s) covered or close to it. Remove from water and leave to cool. The finished, unopened product can be used when cooled or put into the larder for another time.

3 hours later I removed the very hot tins from the water and left them to cool. To ensure quality control I opened one of the slightly warm tins and the girl and I sampled some of it over ice cream. It worked. Big time. I felt the same sort of excitement I feel when I bake bread – into the oven goes a fairly unassuming pale, sticky ball of dough; out comes a much bigger, browner, incredibly fragrant finished product. Alchemy.

I took it to work the next day and, still quite excited, showed it to our staff. Our Brazilian employee suggested cooking it in pressure cookers. It’s how they do it in Brazil and apparently takes only 30 mins. He tried some of it on homemade scones (it was a Friday after all) and was pretty much in heaven.

Love the way the toffee slowly oozes out

But who says there’s anything wrong with decadent? I certainly do not! Decadence in manageable portions is absolutely fine in my book. I wouldn’t recommend eating a whole Banoffee Pie at once unless you are on a good dental plan, but a thin slice now and again could be very good for the soul. Or for a special occasion. Or as a means of using up ripe bananas… ok, that last one is a fairly flimsy justification.

The clients tasted the Banoffee Pie and I think it’s safe to say they liked it. And will be having it at their wedding in July. The leftovers went home and the man and the girl concurred (as did I). The boy, on the other hand, said (and I quote) “Bananas, yuck! I’m out of here!” before leaving the table. Oh well, you can’t please everyone. It just meant there was more left for the rest of us the next day!

 

Banoffee Pie

Print recipe

• Print with main photo
• Print text only

Serves	12
Prep time	1 hour
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	1 hour, 20 minutes
Meal type	Dessert
Misc	Pre-preparable
Region	British

A rich, decadent combination of toffee, bananas, cream, and chocolate. Divine!

Ingredients

Crust

• 400g Digestive biscuits
• 35g Cocoa
• 150g Butter (melted)

Filling

• 600g Toffee or Dulce de Leche (you can either make your toffee from condensed milk as decribed above, or buy it pre-made)
• 3 medium Bananas (ripe)

Topping

• 500ml Double or whipping cream

Garnish

• Chocolate shavings or curls, chocolate sauce, or sifted cocoa (a small amount for garnishing)

Directions

1	Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Butter and line a 25cm tart tin with removable bottom.
2	Crush the digestive biscuits, either in a food processor or in a zip-lock style bag using a rolling pin, wine bottle, or other heavy object. Add the cocoa and mix well. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined and the mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand. Press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of your pan, as evenly as possible. The sides should be 3/4cm - 1cm thick.
3	Bake the crust for 20 minutes. The air will smell warmly chocolatey. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
4	Heat the toffee/Dulce de Leche in the microwave or in a double boiler until just warm. You just want to make it easier to pour and smooth, not get it boiling hot. Put the toffee into the cooled tart crust and smooth with a spatula.
5	Slice the bananas fairly thinly and lay them over the toffee in concentric circles. You will have some overlap - distribute the banana slices as evenly as possible. Press gently on the bananas so they sink into the toffee a little.
6	Whip the cream and spread over the bananas. If you wish you can use a palette knife to make the cream all swirly or billowy.
7	Garnish the pie with your chosen garnish - chocolate shavings or curls, chocolate sauce, or some sifted cocoa.
8	Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving. This is best eaten within a day of making it.

Powered by GetMeCooking

It was an idyllic summer holiday for this particular boy and his sister. A long airplane journey, time in Vancouver catching up with grandparents, aunties, uncles & two particularly adorable cousins, then two weeks at the other grandma and [...]]]> This is the tale of a boy and his quest to catch a really big fish.

It was an idyllic summer holiday for this particular boy and his sister. A long airplane journey, time in Vancouver catching up with grandparents, aunties, uncles & two particularly adorable cousins, then two weeks at the other grandma and grandpa’s house in a little town by the seaside (including a whole week without parents). The boy couldn’t wait to get there. Beaches, lakes, boats, a huge back garden, loads of attention, and fishing. Kid heaven. Did I mention the fishing? Fishing was way up on the priority list. The boy was determined to catch some fish, and big fish at that.

And so the quest began. I’m not sure grandpa had quite anticipated the boy’s serious enthusiasm for fishing.

First he caught some trout during a day out on the rowboat with dad and grandpa. Grandpa rowed. The boy caught 2 fish. The dad caught but quickly lost 5 fish (one of which was apparently gargantuan).

Then came the cod. After a few days of trying, jackpot. 5 cod of various types were hauled in. That evening his parents were given a rather long treatise on different types of cod and their characteristics.

And then, the salmon. The boy’s parents had been cast adrift without their children for a week. It was tough, but they managed. After yet another dinner out (consoling themselves of course), they arrived back to a missed phone call from the boy with the message, “you’d better phone him”. With visions of blood, gore & tragedy in their heads they quickly rang him, and were told about THE FISH. In great detail, with all the excitement and enthusiasm possessed by a 9 year old boy whose summer dreams had just come true. This was not just any fish, but a 25 lb. spring salmon. To say the boy was excited would be a serious understatement. The photos (proudly snapped by grandma) quickly arrived over email so the parents could see just how big this beast was. And it was big. An hour later the boy caught them on Skype and they could see the excitement in his face, in his movements, in the way he could not stop talking. His parents developed rather large smiles on their faces too.

Can that smile get any bigger?

The fish was weighed then cut up, the pieces earmarked for various things: some to be eaten fresh, some to be frozen, some to  become gravadlax, and some to be smoked in grandpa’s custom built smoker. Yes, grandpa smokes his own fish. The smoking process, from brining to drying to smoking was watched over and described with almost religious fervour by the boy. The smoked fish was vacuum packed, frozen, and distributed to various family members. The boy’s portion was carefully packed in his luggage (it was by far the most precious cargo) and flown back to the UK.

The family arrived home, unpacked, and reverently put THE smoked salmon in a place of honour in the fridge. In the back of the mother’s mind lurked the question “what are we going to do with 3 large fillets of smoked fish?” Pasta – yes, an option, perhaps with a cream sauce. Quiche, probably not because the boy and girl aren’t big on quiche. Just pick at it until it disappears? She mulled it over some more. Then she hit on salmon burgers.

Ready to eat!

They just happened to be having friends round for a barbecue to celebrate the end of summer, friends who are often used as culinary guinea pigs. So burgers it was. A mix of fresh salmon, the smoked salmon, a touch of garlic, fresh herbs. Nothing more was needed.

The result was a succulent burger with a subtle smoky taste. This recipe is definitely a keeper. The culinary guinea pigs gave their approval, and most importantly the boy himself did. One of the ingredients was his fish, after all.

These are for you grandpa, for making this particular boy’s summer dream come true. Try them, you’ll like them.

Smoked Salmon Burgers

The proportions below make about 1 kilo of burger mix, or enough to easily feed 4-5 adults. If you’re scaling the recipe up or down, the important thing is to keep the 3:1 ratio of fresh to smoked salmon.

• 750g boneless, skinless fresh salmon
• 250g smoked salmon (we used Canadian style smoked salmon which is a dry cured, flaky product; you can also use European lox-style smoked salmon)
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• A handful of chives or flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• Accompaniment: chopped fresh dill mixed with Greek yogurt

Chop 500g of the fresh salmon into pieces about 1/2cm square. Put into a mixing bowl.

In a food processor grind the remaining 250g of the fresh salmon, the smoked salmon, garlic & chives to a coarse paste. This mixture will be used to bind the burgers.

Add the paste to the chopped salmon, along with the egg and pepper to taste. Mix with your hands and form the mixture into patties of any size you desire. Set the patties on a tray lined with greaseproof paper, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 30 mins) to allow them to set.

Grill on a barbecue, in a grill pan, or fry in a non stick pan for approximately 5 mins per side until just firm to the touch. You want them cooked, but not dried out. Serve immediately with the dilled Greek yogurt.

Serves 4-5.

I would like to submit this recipe to the lovely Cooksister’s annual braai/BBQ event Braai, the Beloved Country. Check out her roundup on 24 September…

What can I say? Life has been busy to the power of 10. I have been cooking – a LOT – but having the time to set up & take photos and even begin to think about writing has been a non-existent luxury. So I’ve had to attempt to [...]]]> Hello world, it’s been a while.

What can I say? Life has been busy to the power of 10. I have been cooking – a LOT – but having the time to set up & take photos and even begin to think about writing has been a non-existent luxury. So I’ve had to attempt to let go of the guilt that hangs over me when I can’t do everything I want/feel I need to do, and just put the blog aside for a while.

But I’m back. Or at least I’m trying to be! I spent days racking my brain to decide on the best topic for this post. Something sweet? Savoury? Yeasty? Barbecued? Summery? Cheesy? Creamy? Salty? Citrusy? Chocolatey? I had endless options, really. However, I finally decided on something simple and… well, tarty. Or tartful. Or whatever word is roughly defined as: on the topic of tarts.

Light chocolate cream & summer berries in a buttery shortbread crust

You see, I have made quite a number of tarts in the last few months. Big ones for sharing; individual ones for savouring all to oneself. Sweet or savoury. Chocolatey ones. Lemony ones. Baked fillings; unbaked fillings. With or without lovely fresh berries. I’ve grown quite fond of tarts, I must say. They’re not difficult to make, especially now that we have invested in some rather sexy, proper non-stick tart pans. Yes, I am of an age where I get excited about tart pans (but really, these ones are great). And the look of delight on people’s faces when dessert time comes around and you bring something as simple and gorgeous as a whole tart and a serving implement to a table is just so satisfying.

These ones are just made for sharing

The formula I use for many of my tarts is embarassingly simple: a baked, buttery shortbread crust with some sort of unbaked creamy filling, and more often than not topped with fresh fruit or berries. But actually, strike out embarassingly. What’s wrong with simple? Wasn’t it Da Vinci who said “Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication.”? And Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was heard to say that “In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” So really, perhaps simplicity is something to strive for, rather than something to be embarassed about.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication!

Below I’ve shared recipes for my shortbread crust and 3 different fillings, along with suggestions for toppings. How you put it all together and what you choose to top it with is really up to you. But do share your results…

1-2-3 Shortbread Crust

Once you’re familiar with the 1-2-3 principle for shortbread, you can make it in any amount and with any kind of sugar you want (try brown sugar shortbread – yum). The basic principle is 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter and 3 parts flour. Simple!

• 50g icing sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 200g soft unsalted butter
• 300g plain flour

You can make this dough in a food processor or by hand. Either way you do it, mix together the dry ingredients until well combined. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Whizz in the food processor or mix with your hands until the dough comes together into a lump.

Chill for about 1 hour.

If you’re making a large tart, roll out the ball of dough into a large circle. Gently lift and place into a tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan and into the fluted edges. Trim the dough hanging over the top and press into thin spots on the bottom of the crust. The dough may fall apart as you’re working with it, but luckily this is a very forgiving dough. Just do your best to press it into the pan and fill in any gaps. Using a fork, poke holes all over the bottom and sides of the shell.

If you’re making smaller tartlets, roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter to cut out tartlet shells. I form and bake my tartlets in foil liners that mince pies come in (we just wash and save them). Silicon muffin liners would work well too. I wouldn’t recommend using any sort of muffin trays because it’s difficult to get the cooked shells out of them (voice of experience speaking here). Whatever mould you use for your tartlets, using a fork, poke holes all over the bottom and sides of the shell.

Freeze the unbaked tart shell(s) for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Farenheit. Bake the shells from frozen – approximately 22-25 minutes for a large tart, 15-17 minutes for small tartlets. They should be golden brown and smell deliciously buttery. Remove from oven when cooked and cool completely.

The baked shells can be used once cooled, or frozen for future use.

A word on fillings:

All of the fillings below should be put into the tart/tartlet shells as soon as the fillings are made. They will continue to firm up once made, and better that they firm up in the tart shells than in mixing bowls. All benefit from refrigeration for at least 6 hours before serving.

Simple Vanilla Cream Filling

• 500ml double cream
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• Seeds from 1/2 a vanilla pod OR 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Chill mixing bowl and beaters. Whip cream until you can just see the beater marks in it. Add icing sugar and vanilla seeds/paste and continue whipping until fairly stiff.

Lemon Curd Cream Filling

Following on from my last post about experimenting with lemon curd mousse, I settled on the following filling:

• 1 leaf (platinum grade) gelatin
• 2 tbsp water
• 500 ml double cream
• 2 tsp powdered sugar
• 150 ml lemon curd

Break up the gelatin leaf in a small bowl (I cut mine up with scissors) and cover with the water. Leave for 10 minutes to soften. Set the bowl in gently simmering water. Stir occasionally until the gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and leave to cool for 5-7 minutes (the gelatin must be cool before using, but not really starting to set).

Whip cream until you can just see the beater marks in the cream. Add the gelatin mixture and powdered sugar and whip again until soft peaks form. Fold in the lemon curd (the cream will continue thickening as you fold). Use immediately.

This can also be made with lime curd, which pairs nicely with strawberries and/or mangos.

Chocolate Cream Filling

Adapted from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

This is actually a light chocolate ganache, with double the weight of cream to chocolate. I’ve tried different variations of this, and the one below is the one that for me results in the lightest filling. It makes a lot but can be stored in the fridge for a week, or frozen for up to 3 months.

• 227g bittersweet chocolate (about 60% cocoa solids works best here)
• 500ml (464g) double or whipping cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Refrigerate mixing bowl and beater(s).

Using a double boiler or microwave on high power (stir every 10 seconds if using a microwave), melt the chocolate with 250ml of the cream. Remove from heat before the chocolate is fully melted and finish melting it by stirring the mixture constantly. Set aside until room temperature.

In the chilled bowl beat the cream until you can see traces of the beater marks in it. Add the chocolate mixture and beat just until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. It will continue to firm up as it cools.

Makes enough to fill a 25cm diameter tart, with some left over. Use what you need, and either refrigerate or freeze the rest for another time.

Suggested pairings:

• Any of the above with fresh strawberries or raspberries
• Simple vanilla cream filling with slices of peaches or nectarines, or fresh apricot halves
• Lemon curd cream with fresh blackberries and/or blueberries
• Lime curd cream with mango slices, or other tropical fruits
• Chocolate cream and fresh or preserved cherries
• Chocolate cream & pears poached in vanilla syrup with a cinnamon stick