Keep your eyes peeled!

Like most of us I'm not fond of food shopping but, if you have the time – be it sat with your laptop ordering your weekly shop on line or out there wandering – have a good look around - you never know what you might find.

I was in the bakery aisle and found these :

The packets suggest they are used in cupcakes which is fine but I think I had a better idea - time to resurrect chocolate bark. I've made this many times with different ingredients – it is definitely what I'd call a Jackson Pollock sweet treat – you'll see what I mean.

Recipe and photos up next.

The illusive lemon curd – completed!

Here are the rest of the photos :

If you look at the curd you can see the

white flecks – the cords from the egg

The sieved remains – you don't want the

white bits!

The finished curd – two jars of yum

You've got a fridge life of two months for the curd – in your dreams! The list of uses is endless – the perfect addition to your fridge “store cupboard” especially for the summer. Place a couple of spoonfuls in a meringue nest, add some fresh strawberries or raspberries and a scoop of ice cream on the side. If you're a baker, particularly of cakes use the curd as a filling for a Victoria Sandwich instead of jam. Dip meringue kisses in chocolate – always handy for your pantry store cupboard. Pipe the curd between two kisses – double yum. Fold 250g of the curd gently through a batch of vanilla ice cream giving a ripple effect – triple yum!

When my Grandson Tom was small and came to stay I gave him toast with lemon curd and he's never forgotten it – it's the simple things in life that matter!

P.s. If you'd like the vanilla ice cream recipe, have a look at Sunday 15 January 2017 – On location in South Carolina – Dessert – a light bulb moment.

Illusive lemon curd – hints and tips

Microwaves vary so check out your instruction manual.

This recipe is based on an 800 watt version. For microwaves with a different wattage, adjust cooking times as follows, 900 watt – subtract 10 seconds per minute. 850 watt, subtract 5 seconds per minute. 750 watt, add 5 seconds per minute. 700 watt, add 10 seconds per minute.

Don't forget to adjust your microwave to medium when you're cooking the curd!

If you don't have fresh lemons you can use lemon juice and omit the rind. As a guide - 4 tbsp of juice is equivalent to one and a half lemons.

The quickest way to sterilise jars is to place them in your dishwasher.

You'll find your kitchen timer invaluable, set it for two minute intervals. Write your times down, i.e. 2,4,6,8,10 and 12 and mark off after each two minute period – you may only need 10 minutes, a lot depends on the size of your eggs – this way you won't lose track of your timings.

To illustrate, here's the beginning of the photo guide.

The butter and the lemon juice in the

microwave safe bowl

Have a look at the edge of the curd – you can see

it thickening

The post-it-note – easy peasy

There's more to come!

Illusive lemon curd

My friend and student Neil, who lives in Lake Wylie, South Carolina was over visiting recently. I've talked about Neil previously – he's a great cook and his signature dish in recent times has been Orange Tiramisu – check out “Your secret weapon – Tiramisu Tweaks” 18 November 2018 for the recipe. I then gave him the recipe for the lemon version. However there's a problem, he can't find lemon curd where he lives in the USA.

Here's the answer :

Microwave Lemon Curd

Makes about 450g/1lb

115g/4oz butter, cubed

Finely grated rind and juice

of three large lemons

225g/8oz caster sugar

3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk

Put the butter, lemon rind and juice in a large microwave-proof bowl. Cook on high for 3 minutes.

Add the sugar to the bowl and stir for 1 minute until it has almost dissolved. Return to the microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 1 minute.

Beat the eggs and the yolk together, then whisk into the lemon mixture, a little at a time.

Cook on medium (40% power), for 10-12 minutes, whisking every 2 minutes, until the curd thickens. You will find that your curd has white cords from the eggs – pour the curd through a sieve and discard before filling the jars.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, cover and seal. When cool, store in the fridge. Use within 2 months.

Hints and tips coming next ...

TATT – method and hints and tips

Pre-heat oven 180 fan/200c/Gas 6.

Unroll your puff pastry sheet and cut into six circles, using a ring that is at least the same diameter as the tin – it can be slightly larger. Spoon the toffee apple mixture into your tins and then add a puff pastry circle, tucking it into the tin.

Bake for 25 minutes.

When you are ready to serve – I would suggest you use a dessert bowl – place it over the tin and flip it – ensuring you do so away from yourself.

Serve with clotted cream or ice cream – or both!

I've used these “toffee apples” as a base for a crumble with pecans but originally it belongs to the tarte tatin. If you have toffee apples going spare they are delicious warm over ice cream.

You can make individual servings, just the job for a supper or dinner party, or one large version. A safety note. I've seen cooks and chefs make a tarte tatin in a frying pan suitable for the oven. One slip when you're flipping and it could be very nasty so my advice would be treat yourself to the right piece of kit for the job.

Mine measures 22cms x 5.5cms or

9”x2¼” in old money!

It would make a change from apple pie or crumble after your Sunday lunch – hmm.

Before we move on from the portable pastries

This is the end of the portable pastries series, at least for a while, but just before we go I thought you might enjoy a speed treat of the sweet kind, using the PPS.

Toffee Apple Tarte Tatin

aka TATT

6-8 large Cox's apples, peeled, cored and sliced

115g unsalted butter

125g soft dark brown sugar

1 orange, zest and juice

One ready to use 1 x 320g puff pastry sheet.

6 individual circular tins measuring 10cms/4” in diameter.

Place the apples, butter, soft dark brown sugar, orange zest and juice into a large frying pan and cook for 10 minutes until tender.

If you forget to buy a fresh orange 4 tablespoons of pure orange juice is the equivalent amount from the whole fruit.

You can cook the apples ahead and freeze them, ready to use at your convenience.

Method up next …

Three Cheese Pastizzi Photos

Here they are : 

A perfect pillow of cheese and puff pastry

Two bits – gone!

Last week I was visiting my Sister, nickname Whizzer because she zooms everywhere. I showed her the photos of the pastizzi and she was intrigued, such much so that she asked for a copy of the recipe. Whizzer is a busy girl and doesn't have much spare time but immediately began making a shopping list for the following day. I suggested it might be a good idea to make half the quantity i.e. one puff pastry sheet. Whizzer isn't a lover of mozzarella but I do happen to know that she always has mature cheddar cheese in her fridge and so suggested she use it instead – always remember rules are meant to be broken.

After I got home I messaged saying let me know how you go when you make the pastries. An immediate response said … “they don't last very long! Very tasty, like you said I halved the quantity and replaced the mozzarella with vintage cheddar, tested one and to be sure tested another!” I replied saying that testing is crucial and as the cook it falls to you. “It's a good job I only made half the quantity!”