Eclairs and Profiteroles

I found the recipe for these here and may I say they were so delicious! Dulche de Leche is an italian caramel and can be found in many good food stores such as Nosh or Farro. It goes very nicely with the crunchy pecans, creamy creme diplomat and smooth chocolate ganach. You could substitute walnuts or chopped hazelnuts for pecans if you want and normal caramel for Dulche de Leche if you can't find it. 

Creme Diplomat filled Tartlets with Honeydew and Lemon Blueberries

While on holiday at the beautiful Matheson's Bay, I didn't have a lot of baking equipment so I had to make do with a baking tray, cooling wire, a few pots and pans and a mis-matched set of utensils. These little tartlets are so easy to prepare, with very little baking equipment and everything can be made in advance as well. 

1 sheet of ready-rolled frozen puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

250ml milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup caster sugar

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 tbsp cornflour

75ml firmly whipped cream

125g blueberries

2 tbsp honeydew (or honey)

2 tbsp lemon juice 

Lay out the pastry on a clean bench and roll over it with a rolling pin a couple of times to flatten it a bit. Using a cookie cutter, the rim of a glass or any other circular object, cut out circles, 5-6cm in diameter from the pastry and place them on a lined baking tray.( I found this task much easier to do when the pastry is still frozen.) Using a skewer or a paring knife, score a circle about 1cm in from the edge of each pastry dish. Brush the outsides of the disks with the beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in the oven at 180ºC for about 13-15 minutes. When puffed and golden, remove the tartlets from the oven and flatten the middle of the tarts with the back of a teaspoon.

Bring milk, vanilla and caster sugar to the boil in a saucepan. Beat the egg yolks and cornflour and 1 tablespoon of caster sugar in a separate bowl until pale and thick. Pour half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, while whisking. Place the remaining milk back onto the heat and bring back to the boil. When it is boiling, quickly add the egg mixture while constantly whisking. Continue to whisk this mixture over the heat until it starts boiling, then remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. Chill until cold and then fold in the cream.

Warm the honeydew and lemon juice in the microwave for a few seconds. Pour in the blueberries and gently stir to coat evenly.

Dollop a couple of teaspoons of creme diplomat on each tartlet and top with the blueberries.

Berry, Almond and Apple Kuchen

Kuchen is the German word for cake, but this is the American adaptation of the German dessert. It is a sweet bread, almost like brioche, coated in a mixture of berries and apples and topped with a buttery crumble mixture. It is absolutely divine when still warm from the oven and served with whipped cream.

Adapted from Nigella

Berry, Almond and Apple Kuchen

For the dough:

Dry:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tbsp breadmakers yeast

Wet:
125ml warm milk
2 eggs
zest of half a lemon
1 tbsp vanilla extract

50g softened butter

For the berry topping:

2 cups fresh or frozen berries
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
juice of a lemon

For the crumble:

1/4 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
50g cold butter
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp flaked almonds

Egg wash:

1 egg
1 tbsp cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon


Place all the dry ingredients for the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment attached. Whisk all the wet ingredients in a small bowl and slowly pour into the dry ingredients with the mixer running. When all the wet ingredients are just incorporated, add the butter and then turn the beater speed up to medium and continue to beat for about 5 minutes until an elastic, springy dough is formed. Tip dough into a buttered bowl and turn so all the sides are evenly coated, leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the crumble by placing flour, oats, cinnamon and butter in a bowl and rub the butter between your thumbs and fingertips to incorporate into the dry ingredients. Add the sugars and flaked almonds and toss with your fingers to combine.

When the dough has risen, punch it down in the bowl, knead it slightly, then press it out into a 20x30 tin using your knuckles. Whisk the egg wash ingredients in a small bowl and paint the dough with it using a pastry brush. Combine the berry topping ingredients and then evenly scatter on top of the egg washed dough. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of the berries and bake in an oven preheated to 180ºC fan bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Sticky Cinnamon and Chocolate Scrolls with Vanilla Drizzle

I fondly remember prizing a Bakers' Delight sticky cinnamon scroll from the brown paper bag as a young child. They were still warm from the oven and had a runny vanilla icing that dripped down your fingers if you didn't eat them fast enough. Despite being quite a mess to eat, they were always my first treat of choice.

Adapted from Bakerella

Scrolls:

1 cup warm milk
70g butter, melted
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
220g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
75g butter, melted

Vanilla drizzle:

2 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 tsp milk

Method:

1. Place warm milk, melted butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkly over the dry yeast and stir gently, leave for a couple of minutes until the yeast is soft. Attach the dough hook attachment to the electric mixer and stir in the egg, salt and 3 cups of the flour. Mix well and then add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and continue mixing for about 5-7 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl.

2. Lightly flour your hands and form the dough into a ball. Place in a butterd bowl and turn to dough to coat the outside of the ball. Cover the bowl with cling film or a tea towel and leave in a warm place for about 3 hours or until the dough is doubled in size.

3. Make the filling by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Line 2 cookie trays with baking paper.

4. When the dough is ready, tip it out onto a floured bench and roll out into a 30cm by 60cm rectangle, about 1 1/2 - 2cm thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Starting with the long side closest to you, tightly roll the dough away from you to form a long spiral log. Cut in half and continue cutting each half in half until you have about 20 slices and place into the prepared trays. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Alternatively if you are baking them on the same day, just let the dolls rise in a warm place again, instead of refrigerating.)

5. The next day, place the rolls in a warm place to bring back to room temperature for about an hour. Preheat oven to 180º fan bake and bake the rolls for about 15 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.

6. Let rolls cool slightly while you prepare the vanilla drizzle.

7. To make the vanilla drizzle, Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and slightly runny. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick and add more icing sugar if the mixture is too runny.

8. Spoon the vanilla drizzle over the warm scrolls and serve.