Blackberry Crumble Custard Tarts

If you have read my previous post you will already know this, but if you have come here from another source then you should know that these tarts were inspired by a fictional King Edward VI from a booked titled Lady Jane: the not entirely true story. If you'd like to know a bit more about the story and my thoughts on the book click on the title above.

This post is to talk about these Blackberry Crumble Custard Tarts...... which were super amazing! In the book the King loves his blackberries especially as pie. The thing is I am not a huge fan of fruit pie because cooked mushy fruit just doesn't appeal to me.

Brainstorming, isn't something you just learn at school, an idea other then pie was fairly simple. It went like this: use fresh blackberries, fresh berries taste great in tarts, tarts are similar to pie, custard goes well in tarts and done.

So, no these aren't exactly blackberry pie, but as the real fictional king loved blackberries in or out of pie I am positive he would have approved of these.

Blackberry Crumble Custard Tarts

Shortcrust Pastry with orange zest

250g plain flour
100g icing sugar
pinch of salt
150g unsalted butter, cold grated or cubed
2 egg yolks
1 egg
zest of 1 orange

Sift the flour and icing sugar together in a large mixing bowl, add the pinch of salt and the cold grated butter. Rub gently between your finger tips until it resembles bread crumbs - try to handle it as little as possible. *I sometimes run my hands under cold water and pat dry before this last step as my hands are generally warm.
Gently whisk the egg yolks and yolk together, make a well in the bread crumbs and add the eggs as well as the orange zest. Using a spatula bring the dough together. It will be a bit crumbly, pour onto a sheet of clingfilm and gently pat down into a square and wrap in the clingfilm. Keep it in the fridge for a minimum of an hour, but is best if kept overnight.

Quick(ish) Custard

30g caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
3 egg yolks
260ml double cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Using a glass or metal bowl whisk the sugar, cornflour, and egg yolks until lighter in color and you have incorporated a bit of air into them. Leave aside and heat the cream and vanilla together until it starts to produce little bubbles aka simmering. Gradually pour the now vanilla infused cream over the egg yolk mixture, whisking all the while.
Make a double boiler by placing your heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir the custard until thick and creamy. Can take about 7-10 minutes. To test it use a spatula or spoon by dipping it into the custard and when you pull it out it shouldn't drip off the spoon, run your finger through the middle and if the trail your finger makes stays it's done.
Take off the heat and continue whisking for a few minutes before leaving in the fridge to cool for a minimum of 4 hours.

To Assemble: 

225g blackberries
Oat Crumble (optional) recipe found here.
Egg wash: 1 small egg, lightly beaten

Pastry: Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, to about 3mm or .3cm and cut into rounds to fit your muffin tin make sure to leave a little over the top for shrinkage. Press carefully into the muffin cavities, no need to grease. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Take them out of the fridge and line with grease proof baking paper and line with baking beads or your choice of weight some people use rice. Blind bake for 10-15 minutes or until it starts to brown. Remove the baking beads and brush a very light layer of the egg wash over each pastry case and bake for an extra 2 minutes or so. Leave to cool completely before adding a blackberry or two depending how big they are to each case. Cover with the custard and oat crumble if using. Enjoy!

I shared these with my work colleagues and they had a deep discussion about how one of them didn't like blackberries, but were loving them with the custard and oat topping. Then I was asked what it was that was giving it that extra something and I said it was probably the orange zest in the pastry. With that revaluation it was readily agreed upon that that was what was giving it that something special. They are funny, I do love working with fellow foodies!

*recipe adapted from Sweet Tooth by Lily Vanilli

My Lady Jane: The not entirely true story by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows {book review}

It's time I confess I have been having an affair. An affair with books. Baking will forever be a love of mine, but in all honestly books were my first love. 

I have tried mixing my love of reading and baking before by adding in the hashtag #storybookbakes to my treats that were inspired by books and characters or a treat that actually appears in the story. 

Then I tried adding in my reading lists for the seasons, but I think I'd like to start reviewing books that I like on here along with a treat that was inspired by it. 

So, the first title I am going to review on here is My Lady Jane: The not entirely true story by Hand, Ashton, and Meadows.

My Lady Jane - the not entirely true story:

From the back cover: 

This is the story of a real Queen of England. Not the nasty version where her head is chopped off, but the one with lots of humour, romance, and galloping around. Lady Jane must keep her wits to survive, but it's tricky when your downfall is being plotted and your new husband forgets to tell you that he turns into a horse. 

My thoughts: 

I couldn't help, but love this story. Set in history with a lot of truths, I did my research, but with changes that make it an adventure instead of a sad tale of a girl who was queen for 9 days before being beheaded as a traitor. The story follows the cousins Lady Jane Grey and King Edward VI (son of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour) who after he finds out he's dying names Jane his successor instead of one of his half-sisters Mary or Elizabeth. I don't want to give too much away, but the story is funny and entertaining I couldn't recommend it enough! 

If you are a stickler for history and don't like it being messed with then I wouldn't read this one! 

*Blackberry Crumble Custard Tarts - inspired by young King Edward's favorite berry - blackberries! Find the recipe here. 

Super Detox Smoothie

It seemed like every time I turned around someone else I knew was talking about juicing.

I received a juicer for my birthday back before I had kids so like 7 years ago. I juiced a few things and then it was shelved.

The juicer came with a book by Jason Vale, telling his story on how juicing saved his life. Then my friends bought me The Juice Master’s Keeping it Simple! - over 100 Delicious Juices and Smoothies by Jason Vale.

The first book was donated, but the second I had held on too. So, when I felt like I was hearing the word ‘juicing’ I brought it out and decided to do the 3-day detox.

Instead of over thinking it I just did it. It was actually quite refreshing. I did struggle a bit the last day. I was very tired. So, if you ever think of doing a juice detox make sure you aren’t too busy, because you will be tired.

For the whole program and recipes check out the book! He also explains how the juice are beneficial and how they help to detox.

I’m not really sure what to write about, as I’m not sure what people want to know about juicing? So, please if you have any questions or anything you want to know leave a comment!!

My favorite juice of the 3 days was breakfast on day 2 and here is the recipe.

Super detox smoothie

½ small pineapple

1 handful fresh blueberries

1 handful fresh black berries

200g low-fat live yogurt

4 ice cubes

Juice the pineapple before blending with the rest of the ingredients until smooth.

notes: This post is not being compensated or endorsed by Jason Vale or his affiliates in anyway; all opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. This post was written for day 24 of Blog Every Day in May. #BEDM

My Fav 5 United Cakedom Posts

These are my favorite posts from the last 2 years and 11 months! Each one was were I felt I did something different then I had ever done before and it turned out in a delicious treat!

Chocolate Orange Brownies: 

In America I remember only getting a Chocolate Orange at Christmas time. You couldn't get one any other time of year. When I moved to Great Britain and saw they had chocolate oranges out in the middle of summer I was appalled!! It was pure blasphemy! They were for Christmas like Cadbury Creme Eggs are for Easter...

Golden Snitch Bomb Cake {Happy Birthday Harry!}

For Harry's big day I made him a snitch cake, like Mrs Weasley does in book 7. I played around with different ideas. But finally decided I wanted to use sugar paste as I concluded it would give me the look I wanted. Then I used a gold spray to make it golden!... 

Forgotten Blackberry Pudding from the Hempstock Farm

However it was never my intention to review the book here, but to share with you a dessert inspired by the delicious sounding food from the Hempstock Farm. As this is a “forgotten” pudding it was fitting for our main character. Then on the day that changed everything he has homemade blackberry jam, so blackberries were a must. It was so easy to make and so absolutely delicious. I imagined I was using fresh eggs and cream from the Hempstock’s! 

Happy Peanut Butter Cookie Day!

June 12^th is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day. I love peanut butter and I love cookies.... Making them taste like, a childhood favorite, Nutter Butters is an ingenious idea! They are huge so it will probably be a better idea to make them smaller then I did, as I've ended up halving them. No way I can eat one on my own the size I've made them! The filling I could eat by itself. I love peanut butter. I've said that already. My fickle heart talking again…

Homemade Very Vanilla Ice Cream

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The scent of vanilla is intoxicating. Whenever I make anything with vanilla you will find me wafting the scent towards me or continuously trying the batter/custard/frosting and so on.

notes: This post was written for day 2 of Blog Every Day in May #BEDM

Day 1: The Sweeter Side of Life: What my blog is all about

Lemon Cream Whoopie Pies with Bramble Preserve {#bakingwithmackays}

One day I was hanging out on Twitter, what I tend to do in my free time… That is time that isn't taking care of a family, baking, blogging, reading, playing Animal Crossing you know life stuff. Anyway I saw a tweet from Mackays looking for people to bake with their preserves, marmalade, and curds.

Now I use Mackays Scottish Strawberry Preserve on a daily basis sometimes on toast, scones, crumpets and so on, but always for Mini Baker’s jam sandwich in her lunch box. So, I jumped at the chance to work with them!

They basically asked me what I was interested in and I asked for the lemon curd, seedless bramble preserve, spiced ginger preserve and strawberry preserve with champagne. The first two are what I am working with today. Lemon and bramble go well together, so does lemon and ginger actually… 

I know whoopie pies have gone a bit out of style in the baking world, but they make a great base for a variety of flavors!

These were the perfect amount of sweet and tart. I complained last night on twitter because I don't own a proper zester for the lemon zest. I think they are a bit spendy for what they are. Yet, if I keep on making lemon or citrus flavored treats then I might have to invest in one. Do you own one? If the answer is yes could you live without it? 

Lemon Cream Whoopie Pies

300g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarb of soda

¼ tsp salt

125g unsalted butter, softened

200g golden caster sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla paste

100 whole milk

50ml lemon juice

zest of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas4. Line your baking sheet(s). First sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, and salt. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You can’t over beat so if it doesn't look fluffy enough keep beating. Add the egg and mix well. While the butter and sugar are being beaten, in a separate bowl mix the vanilla, milk, and lemon juice together. Combine with the butter mixture. Gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in lemon zest. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes minimum.

Drop even as possible scoops of batter unto your line baking sheet(s) not too close together. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or 8-10 minutes depending on the size of your “pies”. They should have a slight impression when touched with a finger. Leave to cool completely.

Lemon Curd Cream

100g of whipped cream (100-150ml)

100g Mackays Lemon Curd

Mackays Seedless Bramble Preserve or Spiced Ginger Preserve (optional)

All you do is fold the whipped cream and lemon curd together. Chill for about 15 minutes before use. Spread a layer of Seedless Bramble Preserve on one side and the lemon curd cream on the other and smoosh together before serving. Or sandwich the whoopie pies with the lemon curd cream and place a small dollop of the bramble preserve on top!

notes: Follow me on Twitter!; I’m currently reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn; Mackays official website; Mackays can be found in most large supermarkets and online - get #bakingwithmackays; recipe is adapted from The Whoopie Pie Book by Claire Ptak of Violet; 

Forgotten Blackberry Pudding from The Hempstock Farm

Just last week Neil Gaiman's much anticipated The Ocean at The End of The Lane was released to the masses. With a title like that I wasn't sure what to expect. Except the unexpected which is what is expected when reading Neil Gaiman.

My first love is reading. Baking allows me to relax and escape the stresses of everyday life. Reading allows me to escape to other times and places.

When I first moved to the UK I'd go to Waterstone's on my lunch breaks and get 3 books for the price of 2. It’s how I discovered Neil Gaiman for the first time, I picked up Fragile Things as my third book and I've never looked back.

I want to tell you about The Ocean at The End of The Lane, but I am not really sure what to say or how to say it. It’s everything I wanted it to be and nothing I expected it to be.

However it was never my intention to review the book here, but to share with you a dessert inspired by the delicious sounding food from the Hempstock Farm. As this is a “forgotten” pudding it was fitting for our main character. Then on the day that changed everything he has homemade blackberry jam, so blackberries were a must. It was so easy to make and so absolutely delicious. I imagined I was using fresh eggs and cream from the Hempstock’s! 

Forgotten Blackberry Pudding

6 large egg whites

½ tsp salt

250g sugar

½ tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

250ml double cream

350g blackberries

250g blueberries

Preheat the oven to 220C/450F/gas7. Whisk the egg whites and salt in a mixer or with a hand mixer. You can whisk by hand, but it would take forever! Once peaks have formed gradually add the sugar. Once it’s all mixed in whisk in the cream of tartar and vanilla until stiff and glossy. Butter up a swiss roll tin or baking sheet (with sides) and then spread the mixture into the pan and even as best as possible. Put in the oven, close the door, turn off the oven, and forget about it until the morning. Do not open that oven door no matter what!!

to serve: If you can get it out of the pan in one piece awesome, I couldn't figure out a safe way to remove it. So, I just left it in the tin. Then I whipped up the double cream until it’s thickened, but still smooth. Spread over the cooked marshmallow meringue and spread over the berries!

It's amazing where inspiration comes from. What has inspired you lately?? 

notes: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman (Amazon UK & USA); Neil Gaiman; Our main character in Ocean’s is in love with books and for his 7^th birthday, the birthday where the story starts, he receives a whole set of The Chronicles of Narnia. I am currently giving away a whole set of The Chronicles of Narnia a couple posts below. If you love books and know a child who you’d love to share the stories of Narnia with you should enter for a chance to win!; Neil has a lamp post!!; Recipe is adapted from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson it’s also found on her official site. 

Bramble and Chocolate Bread!!

Winter is here! It makes me want to stay in a bake 24/7, if only I had the time! Skimming through my cookbooks looking for some good comfort food, I stumbled upon this recipe in Sue Lawrence’s A Cook’s Tour of Scotland.

It seemed interesting and having all the ingredients, except for the brambles (blackberries), it was decided! After a walk to the store I was all set! The house wasn't so warm so it took a little longer to rise then stated. The brambles burst in the oven and it oozed out of the top of the loaf. It was beautiful.

Bramble and Chocolate Bread

500g/1lb 2oz unbleached strong white flour, sifted

7g sachet of fast-action/easy-blend dried yeast

25g/1oz golden caster sugar

1 level tsp salt

2 tbsp sunflower oil

150g/5 ½ oz quality milk and/or dark chocolate, chopped

250g/9oz brambles (blackberries)

Mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt; make a well in the center and slowly pour in the oil and enough tepid water (about 300ml/10fl oz/ ½ pint) to make a softish dough. (To have tepid water, mix two-thirds boiling water and one-third cold water.)
Using floured hands, bring the dough together and turn out on to a floured board then knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth. Keep the board lightly floured. The dough should be soft and shiny-looking but not too sticky. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave somewhere warm for 1-2 hours.
Lightly oil a baking sheet. Punch down the dough and roll out to a rectangle about 38 x 28cm/15 x 11 in. About the size of a baking sheet.
Scatter the chocolate and brambles over the long half then roll up along the long side to make a roly-poly about 38cm/15 in long.
Place this on the prepared baking sheet and cover loosely with oiled clingfilm then place somewhere warm. Leave to rise for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas8. Remove the clingfilm, slash the top of the loaf five to six times and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool until just warm before eating. Don’t want to burn yourself with hot melted chocolate!

Blackberry Crumb Bars!!

I made these bars after my husband came home with a bunch of fresh berries. He loves blackberries because they are a little sweet and yet very tart. This bar recipe is perfect because the crust is sweet and buttery and holds up the blackberries very nicely. Because of the short baking time, the blackberries hold their shape and you bite into tangy berries in each bite. The tart juices mix with the buttery crust and caramel-y crumb topping for a truly fabulous summer treat! I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website. ~ Janet

Blackberry Crumb Bars:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, and 1/2 cup (1 stick), room temperature, plus more for pan

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

½ cup packed light-brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup confectioners' sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 containers (5 ounces each) blackberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter and flour paper, tapping out excess.
2. Make topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add 1 cup flour, and mix with a fork until large moist crumbs form. Refrigerate topping until ready to use.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in pan; sprinkle with blackberries, then chilled topping.
4. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares

Martha said, "Sprinkle blackberries on top." The OCD in me lined them up! :) 

note: While you prepare the cake, refrigerate the crumb topping. This will help give it a nubbly texture once baked. To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.