afternoon tea..

tuesday is work on my house day for alex and me but i left her to it today and i pottered in the kitchen instead..for afternoon tea i made vanilla custard cupcakes and because it was balmy we were able to sit outside and christen my new old table and chairs..we even lit candles..

alex finished the 'raspberry' table (see here for a before photo)
 she also sanded, stained, waxed, polished (three sides) and painted (one side) two doors that i found in the shed
 i will put them back on the doorless kitchen and sitting room to make the rooms cosier

cupcakes with hazel's (my paternal grandmother) vanilla custard

ingredients cupcakes

155 gms self raising flour sifted

155 gms castor sugar

155 gms unsalted butter (i used myrtleford butter*)

2 eggs

75 mls milk

1 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla extract

method

~cream butter and castor sugar until pale and fluffy

~beat in eggs one at a time 

~add flour, milk and vanilla and beat until mixture is smooth

~place in 9 cupcake cases and bake at 180 deg c for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and cooked in the centre 

ingredients hazel's vanilla custard

1 cup full cream milk (i use non homogenised organic)

1 tablespoon (tbs) sugar or to taste

1 egg yolk

1 heaped tbs corn flour

1 tsp vanilla (homemade)

extra 25 mls  milk

method

~put milk with the sugar in a heavy based saucepan and heat 

~mix the cornflour with the extra milk and then mix in egg yolk 

~add a little of the warmed milk to the cornflour/egg mix stirring constantly

~remove the milk from the heat and strain the cornflour/egg mix into the milk stirring

~return to the heat and cook over a moderate heat until the custard is thick and just coming to the boil

~remove from the heat and add vanilla

~cool before use

extra ingredients

1-2 tbs strawberry jam

1-2 tbs icing made with icing sugar, hot water and a little cochineal

1/4 sheet of edible silver

small sandwich bag

assembly

~cut a cone from the cupcakes and set the top aside

~put 1/2 to 1 tsp jam in the cupcake cavity 

~spoon in a heaped tsp custard on top of the jam

~replace the cupcake top

~put the icing into a corner of the sandwich bag and snip the corner off 

~pipe a small dot on the top of each cake

~using tweezers place a piece of silver on top of the icing

note

* i used this quality butter to find out whether there was a discernible and positive difference in the taste of the cupcakes..alex and i both thought the flavour was better than when i use a lesser quality butter but at $9 for 250 gms i will only be using it for special occasions..

serve with a big pot of tea, coffee or other beverage of choice..x