Mini Chocolate Eclairs

Choux Pastry
60 g butter
60 g flour
125 ml water
2 eggs

Filling
300 ml thickened cream
4 tbsp icing sugar

Method
Pre heat oven to 220C
Melt butter together with the water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil and then take off heat. Add in sifted flour and mix well till combined. Return to heat and continue to cook till mixture is glossy and holds together well. Allow to cool.


Add in eggs a little at a time and beat till smooth and glossy again. [I actually transferred it to a mixing bowl and used the electric beaters as the first time, the hand mixing grew quite tiring - and the eggs didnt combine quite so well]

Pipe out 5cm lengths and then bake for about 20 mins till golden.

Then you are supposed to take the eclairs out and make a small slit to allow the steam to come out then put back in the over again for 5 mins. I didnt see any difference with making the slit or without - maybe I was just lucky.

Cool on a wire rack.



Meanwhile, whip up the cream with icing sugar till stiff. slice the eclairs lengthwise (but not to the end) and then pipe in the cream. Top with melted chocolate or chocolate icing.

Spicy Aglio Olio Pasta

Aglio Olio (Garlic and Olive Oil) doesnt really need a recipe.




Loads of chopped garlic fried in Olive Oil with some oregano and basil and to make it spicy, add in Chilli Flakes. Cook your choice of pasta and then toss it in the oil.



Fry some sausages, bacon and mushrooms separately if you like and add it on

Apricot Walnut Cheesecake

Apricot Walnut Cheesecake with Almond Meringue Base

Base

3 Eggs whites
150 g castor sugar
150 g ground almonds

Filling

500 g Cream Cheese
4 eggs + 2 yolks (lightly beaten)
200 g castor sugar
3 tbsp self raising flour
1 tbsp corn flour
200 ml sour cream
200 ml thickened cream (unsweetened)
6 oz + 2 oz Dried Apricots
1 cup water

For the Praline

100g Walnuts
4 tbsp sugar

Method
Whip eggs whites and sugar till stiff. Fold in ground almonds.
Spread meringue mixture into a lined and greased springform
Bake in preheated 170C oven for about 40 minutes or till meringue is cooked.
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Remove springform and greaseproof paper from meringue. Allow to fully cool.

Pavlova

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
2 tsps Corn Flour
400 ml whipping cream
1 tbsp Icing Sugar
1 large can of Fruit Cocktail
Your choice of fresh fruits to decorate

Method:

Meringue
Draw two 8" circles on Grease proof paper
Pre-heat oven to 140C
Whisk egg whites till stiff
Add sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat
quickly add in Corn flour
Pipe or spread egg white on to the two circles
Bake for about an hour or till crisp.
Remove greaseproof paper and let cook

* I prefer a crispy meringue all through rather than the traditional crisp outside and marshmallowy inside. To make it crisp all throuhg, bake a little longer and then let cool in the oven so it dries out.

Filling
Whip cream till stiff
Drain liquid from fruit cocktail and then add into cream mixture
Spread one meringue with the cream and fruit
cover with second meringue and spread remaining cream and fruit on top
Decorate with fresh fruit