Today Ash and I had the pleasure of baking with our wonderful neighbour Ali. We learnt a lot of things about baking and also the preparation process. Along with the baking, we shared a lot of laughs, pictures, exquisite coffee, and loose-leaf tea.
What you will need:
(for the pastry)
75g of butter
150g of flour
50g icing sugar
A pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
baking beans
(for the crème patissière)
4 egg yolks
60g flour
25g castor sugar
280g milk
2 teaspoons of cornflour (helps thicken the custard)
Step 1: The Sweet Pastry
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour your loose-bottomed flan dish.
2. Ensure all ingredients are measured correctly.
3: Place your butter (75 g) in a bowl and add the flour (150 g).
4: Clean hands with soap and water, and then rub in the mixture, combining both the butter and flour; this should create a kind of breadcrumb-like texture.
5: Crack an egg over a bowl and separate your yolk from your egg white.
6: Add your icing sugar (50 g) and yolk into the mixture.
7: Add a pinch of salt.
8: Continue to hand whisk; if your pastry starts to dry, you may add a tad of water.
9: Mould your pastry dough into a ball and wrap it in cling film. You may leave it in the fridge for around 20 minutes to chill.
10: Once your pastry is fully chilled, add flour to your surface and your rolling pin, and flatten out the dough. Once fully flattened, place it over your flan dish and add baking beans on top to ensure your pastry is in the oven.
11: Allow it to cook in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Step 2: Now for your crème patissière.
1. Once again, separate your egg whites and your yolks (4). Once separated, add them to a bowl.
2. Proceed to add your flour to the bowl (120 g) and whisk them all together.
3: Add two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
5: Add the cornflour to the mix and mix well.
4: Heat your milk on the stove and slowly start to whisk in all your ingredients.
5: Cook your mixture on low heat to allow it to thicken.
Step 3: The final touches...
1. Once your pastry has cooled down, add your crème patissière.
2. Decorate it with your favourite fruit toppings.
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