Eclairs

With an unusually free evening, last night was spent playing about with something I've never really bothered with before: Choux Pastry. Profiteroles were one of the only things my Mum ever baked when I was a child so, while I filled in the gap where she didn't make biscuits, cakes etc., choux was never a necessity.

However, fancying something light but sweet, mini eclairs seemed like a good idea. I had a flick through a recipe for choux; I'm not, as a rule, a big fan of recipes for anything other than cake, preferring to work by ratio and trial & error, but it seemed sensible to go by recipe for the first attempt! No issues at all; they were piped onto the tray and, while they baked, I got on with some other bits.

The decision on flavour was coffee in the end: filled with a coffee custard, which was home made and rather made up (a miracle it worked!) and topped with a coffee icing. I ran out of custard a little before the end so whipped some cream and spooned that into the last few left over.

Choux seems to be something like meringue in terms of how it's made - it's all about the ratios. And, considering how well these went down at work today, I've no doubt I'll be making it again soon!

Hello, hello!

A discussion at work has made me decide to write about the things I love...baking, travelling & running. Each has a separate blog so welcome to my baking blog. Hopefully, this'll give you some ideas, inspiration (and probably make you a little hungry too!). 

Today's post is simply a quick introduction and a couple of photos; I'll write more later as tonight is baking night in my house and I'm attempting something new. Fingers crossed it works!

Above are some Rum & Raisin Cupcakes with Toffee icing, made for Nick's Birthday. To the right, a Pistachio & Rose sponge with Lime icing, topped with Pomegranate. This was made for the boyfriend's work bake off and, somehow, it won. I'm rather proud of that little achievement!