With only a minute to spare, we burst through the doors of the seventeenth century formal rooms into the wedding of an old friend. Maya, freshly pressed in her brand new dress still smelled faintly of sick. She had parted company with her breakfast just as we entered Richmond park (its roads lined with wooden spikes –possibly for the heads of drivers who tried to stop ANYWHERE– and no laybys) in a queue of cars and what appeared to be a lost peloton from the Tour de France. Finding a children's clothes shop with ten minutes to go before the ceremony was like Challenge Anneka. (An eighties tv show, for those of you who didn't have my childhood).I was returning to an almost normal heart rate. The petrol situation in the car would have to be dealt with later. The light had come on just as we left the house. Every mile to the venue was like driving with the sword of Damocles swinging above us; but we were there at least.The last wedding we went to, two or three years ago involved me screeching up to the steps of Brighton town hall kicking Bee and Maya out of the car, wheel-spinning off to find somewhere to park with Noah having a meltdown in the back because he didn't get to go with mummy and was stuck with purple-faced daddy. I hope no-one else I know gets married again. It's too stressful.And this leads me to another marriage which is far easier to prepare, less stressful to get to and, with hope, doesn't involve being sick. Strawberries, white chocolate and basil go so well together, and this flan is so simple to make. It looks far more impressive than the amount of work it takes to make so is perfect for a summer weekend tea-time treat and the children loved it.Ingredients2 eggs55g golden caster sugar55g strong flourSeeds from a vanilla podStrawberries, as many as fit on the base, about a punnet's worth, depending on their sizeA fig or two, quartered1 plum, quarteredWhite chocolate shavings2tbsp pistachios, choppedSome basil leaves to finish1tbsp atomised strawberries (freeze-dried and optional)For the glaze2tbsp raspberry jam1tbsp honey2tsp waterMethodHeat the oven to 190c and butter a 18cm flan tinWhisk the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until light and airy then remove from the heat and gently fold in the flour.Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until golden and springy.Leave to cool on a wire rack.Top with the fruit and nuts, cover with the glaze then add the basil, dried strawberries and chocolate leaves and serve.
nuts
Having a ball
in Pastry/Baking, Puddings, Recipes
Recently, before Christmas and in the throes of trying to establish a new world record for sugar consumption, I bought a box of gulab jamun from the local supermarket. I've eaten a few Indian sweets before on the mean streets of Tooting: kulfi on a stick, jalebis and so on, each time suffering an immediate and swift ecstatic rush followed by an instant diabetic death., but these were in a league of their own. They came in a palatial bath of syrup, enough to upset even the most sweet toothed cake lover. Of course, I ate the whole box.So now, as life is slowly groaning back into gear and constantly attempting to violate our cosy January, I am as much as possible off the sugar. This, in part is an attempt to try and regain my Adonis-like figure*, which I seem to have misplaced somewhere in 1994, and also, because sugar is, really, the devil's work. However, we all need a little devil from time to time, so a little treat here and there is necessary to keep up morale.These are my version of the sugar soaked sponge, baked rather than fried and not as soaked in syrup as the original (they also don't have milk powder in them). You'll need a round mini cake sphere mould or a cake pop maker, both of which are pretty cheap and easy to find. If not, you could spoon the mix into mini fairy cake moulds. The children loved making and eating these, and it makes a nice change to the icing clad, mouth clagging fairy cakes they usually want and then give up on halfway through.I used a bought caramel sauce that I had leftover from a job, but feel free to make your own, it's not hard.*not even remotely Adonis-like, more just a lot slimmer than I am now.Ingredients100g butter100g golden caster sugar100g plain flour1tsp baking powder1 egg1tsp cinnamon powder1/2tsp ground cloves1/2tsp ground cardammonA small handful of chopped pistachio nutsSome dried rose petalsA little gold leaf and edible glitter if you fancyFor the syrup50g golden caster sugar1tbsp waterA few saffron strands2tsp ground cinnamonMethodHeat the oven to 180c or turn on the machine and preheat it.Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg until smooth.Mix together the flour, spices and baking powder and add a little at a time to the butter mix, beating until smooth.Fill the moulds and bake for about seven minutes, until golden. Leave to cool a little.Make the syrup by bringing the sugar, cinnamon powder and water gently to the boil and then reducing it until syrupy, about five minutes.Pile the cake balls onto a plate, pour over the syrup and caramel sauce then sprinkle over the nuts, petals and gold. Serve slightly warm with coffee, or Thums Up! coke if you want a real rush, uncontrollable children and no teeth left.