Treat Petite February Round-up - Like 'em, Love 'em, Gotta Have 'em!

In the beginning of the month I asked you to share with me the things you like, love, and gotta have for the blogging challenge Treat Petite! I was covering for Cakeyboi this month as he took a bit of a break while he moved house and stuff!

Everyone linked up some great petite treats! Starting with these great pink peppercorn shortbread hearts and healthy carrot cake muffins from Tales from the Kitchen Shed.

Tales from the Kitchen Shed

Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Hearts

Tales from the Kitchen Shed

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Pancake day might be over, but pancakes are for life not just one day. So, I suggest you try these! 

Gluten Free Alchemist

Banana Buttermilk Pancakes with Caramelised Banana Sauce

Only Crumbs Remain

Valentine's Day Brownies

Chocolate is one of those things that I like, love, and just gotta have! You could go super indulgent with Only Crumbs Remain's Valentine's Day Brownies stuffed with Rolo's or with Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary 3 ingredients fudgsicle; still indulgent, but only 200 calories!

Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

3 Ingredient 100 Calorie Chocolate Fudgsicle

Still looking for more treats? You can't go wrong with these strawberry cupcakes topped with nutella buttercream. Nutella Buttercream!! I don't think I need to say any more - just follow the link below! 

The Baking Explorer

Strawberry Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

Family Friends Food

Sahib - hot drink

Sahib is a hot drink creamy drink that used to be used as an aphrodisiac and definitely worth a look! But not before you check out these amazing apple rose's from Only Crumbs Remain, check out how they were made by following the link below! 

Only Crumbs Remain

A Dozen Apple Roses

Sesame seeds are a super food or super seed? Anyway added to these super sweet Halva Biscuits it probably doesn't matter much! I would like to try these out one day!

Tin & Thyme

Halva Biscuits

How to Cook Good Food

Valentine Mont Blanc Profiteroles

Choux pastry is something I have yet to try and these Mont Blanc ones by How to Cook Good Food are first on my list! Who ever thought you could or should make ice cream into truffles!?! Caroline Makes did and I'm glad she shared them with us this month! 

Caroline Makes

Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Truffles

Foodie Quine

Tunnack's Teacake Rocky Road

Tunnack's. Teacake. Rocky. Road. There are no other words. 

Cooking for Kishore

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread is one of these bakes that is a great base for any flavours and strawberry is as good as any! Marmite is one of those things that you either like or don't, but Allotment Kitchen assures us that even the biggest marmite haters will love this... 

A Seasonal Veg Table: Allotment Kitchen

Chocolate Marmite Caramel Fudge

The more than Occasional Baker

3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

Brownies and peanut butter cookies are two of my favourite thing! With only 3 ingredients these Nutella brownies are perfect for those days that you need a chocolate fix and not much in your cupboard! The peanut cookies are also perfect for those days and they are gluten free!! 

The Gluten Free Alchemist

Miss GF Makes Peanut Butter Cookies (gluten free)

These Double Chocolate Muesli Cookies look amazing! I can't wait to try them super easy, chocolatey and full of healthy muesli! 

Family Friends Food

Easy Double Chocolate Muesli Cookies

Belleau Kitchen

olive oil lemon and ground almond traybake - gluten and dairy free

Last but not least the olive oil lemon and ground almond traybake from Belleau Kitchen! Also gluten and dairy free - you can tell that the world of baking is changing lots of new and tasty things made for so everyone can enjoy them! 

Just a quick thank you for linking up this month! I believe Kat - The Baking Explorer will be hosting again next month and that we will possibly see Stuart - Cakeyboi the following month! Thank you to you both for letting me guest host it was a lot of fun! I hope to do it again sometime!

The Pastry Challenge November Round-Up {Pies and Tarts}

When I was at work the other day we were discussing holidays and this conversation came to be:

Co-worker: Are you already for Christmas? 

Me: Getting there, have a few things to pick up. We don't really go to crazy with presents and stuff. 

CW: That's because you get most of your presents for Thanksgiving. 

Note it was stated as fact not a question.

Me: Ah? What? 

Another co-worker stocking shelves staring at the first co-worker like she's grown horns right in front of him. 

CW: Isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about? 

Me: No. No, Thanksgiving is all about food and feeling thankful for what you have. 

The other co-worker looks at me and shakes his head. 

CW: Oh, I thought Thanksgiving was like Christmas? 

Perception is everything. Thanksgiving isn't celebrated here, so most people can only assume and guess what it's like or what it is! It's all determined by media - either movies or TV or the internet. Although I'm not sure where she got the idea we exchange presents on Thanksgiving? It did give me a good laugh, bless her! 

I bring this up because Thanksgiving is why I made this month's theme pies and tarts, tis the season and all that. I was not disappointed as yet again we had some great entries!! 

creamy chicken, leek, pernod, and pea pie

from

Belleau Kitchen 

If you haven't visited this blog I suggest you do! Dominic has entered our linky most months and always with something great! His blog has much more then pastry and is a wonderful mix of sweet and savoury dishes. If he ever wrote a cookbook I would be the first to pre-order it! 

Lemon Tart 

from

Chardonnay and Samphire

This tart is gluten free and dairy free! Which doesn't matter much to me as I can eat both, but that wouldn't stop me from making it! It's my first experience with this blog and it looks so clean and refreshing I'm sure I'll visit it again pastry or no! 

Beetroot and caramelised onion galette with vegan mozzarella

from 

Green Gourmet Giraffe

Green is my favorite color and giraffe's are cool so it's no surprise that Johanna's blog is pretty cool too! She's entered the pastry challenge a few times always giving us something new and tasty! Check out her post as there is another version of this galette. 

Mini Mouthful Jam Tarts with Pate Sucree - gluten free

from 

Gluten Free Alchemist

There is something about the simplicity of a jam tart that makes it so elegant. The light pastry filled with the ruby colored jam is very appealing! It'd be hard to stop at just one! And these are gluten free! 

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

from

The more than occasional baker

Salted Caramel is amazing and paired with apples these hand pies must have been amazing! I'd love to be able to crimp like Ros! I once tried to make hand pies and they leaked everywhere! I will definitely be referring to this post next time I attempt hand pies! 

Mini Apple Crumble Pies 

from 

Cakey Goodness

I love apples and crumbles! Then they are mini pies! Gotta love it! These would go great with some of the ice cream I had with my pumpkin pie below! I wasn't hungry until just now! 

pumpkin pie al a mode

from 

United Cakedom

Me! Follow the link to see how I got on this Thanksgiving! Once again I made pumpkin pie and it was so good! Especially topped with cinnamon biscuit ice cream! Also check out my new pie dish! It's green and cream and I love it!! 

Thank you to everyone who entered!! I love seeing what everyone enters! I hope you all have a great holiday season and are enjoying your festivities! Hopefully with lots of delicious food! 

note: all images were taken from the linked blog post and owned by those sites

The Pastry Challenge September Round-Up

Wow! Going from like one entry to 14 is amazing! Thank you everyone for entering. It would be my guess that pastry making and baking will be rising with autumn in full swing and the winter months closing in! I can't wait! I hope to see all of your warming pastry bakes over on Jen's Food!

Here is the round up of all the entries!

1. Puff Pastry Empanada's with Black Beans from We Don't Eat Anything with a Face
2. Cheese, Onion and Potato Pasties (Tiddly Oggies) from Green Gourmet Giraffe
3. Vanilla & Ginger Infused Pear Frangipane from Wishful Wonderings
4. Veggie Sausage, Pea, and Egg Pie from Belleau Kitchen
5. Gougeres - little cheesy choux buns from Gluten Free Alchemist
6. Double Blackberry Chocolate Galette from Tin and Thyme
7. Plum & Limoncello Tart from The Baking Explorer 
8. Chocolate Crunchie Frangipane Tart from It's Not Easy Being Greedy

9. Chicken and Leek Pie from It's Not Easy Being Greedy
10. Gluten Free Plum & Pistachio Tart from How to Cook Good Food
11. Two Tone (Red and Yellow) Balsamic Beetroot Galette from Allotment 2 Kitchen
12. Vegetarian 'Game' Pie from Only Crumbs Remain
13. Pear, Ginger, and Chocolate from Cakeyboi
14. Vegan Black Pudding and Sweet Potato Spelt Flour Galette from Allotment 2 Kitchen 

Thank you to all those who entered! 

I look forward to seeing your pastry creations again next month! 

April's Pastry Challenge Round-Up! {chocolate}

As April comes to an end so does my first month of hosting The Pastry Challenge! It was fun seeing the entries that came in. I was impressed by the skill and creativity of the entries for this month's theme chocolate.

Chocolate is one of the most common ingredients used in baking. As it pairs so well with other flavors it makes it a great addition to any bake! Enough of me rambling let's have a look at the delicious creations that this month's Pastry Challenge has brought us!  

As Easter was at the beginning of the month our first entry really celebrated the holiday with these amazing Chocolate Egg Basket Tartelettes. I am so impressed with the skill involved. Go check out Margot Dolewska Dyer’s site Coffee and Vanilla for more of her amazing creations!

Then we had a very colorful and fun entry with Nazima Pathan’s Homemade Berry and Chocolate Pop Tarts! She blogs over on FranglaisKitchen where there are plenty more recipes like these to inspire you! I know they have inspired me!

My co-host Jen at Jen’s Food had a go with choux pastry and made these impressive Chocolate Religieuses! She says she’s frozen some so planning to head over one day soon to have a taste!

Then entering just at the end was Xi from Where Baking andScience Come Together with her Choux a la crème or as we more commonly know them, profiteroles. They look delicious with that dark chocolate glaze!

And last but not least check out my Double ChocolateStrawberry Mini Tarts!

Be sure to visit Jen’s site in May for the new theme and linky post!! 

I hope you can all join us as we continue our pastry journey’s! 

Double Chocolate Strawberry Mini Tarts

This month’s Pastry Challenge is chocolate! The possibilities of a chocolate and pastry combination are endless! When faced with a lot of different choices the only way to narrow it down is to figure out what it is you want.

First I knew I wanted a chocolate pastry and a fresh fruit. So, I started looking through blogs and books for different options.

Then the chocolate and cherry tart I made in February kept coming to mind…but it was too dark for the beautiful weather we've been having. Then I knew I wanted something light and springy!

That’s why this chocolate short crust pastry with a white chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries came to exist. Since chocolate can be so rich it made sense to make these tarts little or mini. It makes the perfect chocolaty bite, without being too rich and sickly. We all love chocolate, but let’s be honest it can too much sometimes!

These would make a great spring teatime treat! So, let’s get baking…

Chocolate Short Crust Pastry

200g flour

25g cocoa powder

50g icing sugar

350g unsalted butter, cold & cubed

3 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift the flour, cocoa, and sugar together and gently rub in the butter so that the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Try not to touch it too much because you want to keep the butter from melting. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; mix together until you get a soft dough. Form into a ball and smoosh it down a little so it’s disk like. Then rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or over night.

Just before you take out of the fridge grease your mini tart pan or tart tins with soft butter. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter before rolling out the pastry - rotate every other roll to get a nice circle. You don’t want it too thin or too thick, but use your own judgment based on your tart tins. Then cut out circles somewhat bigger then your tart tins, you want the over hang. Presses gently into your pan/tin getting the pastry down into the corners, and carefully trim the excess dough off.

*If you are making little ones like these you will have extra pastry. There are two options either freezing it for a couple of months or make a double batch! Cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. I left them in for about 45 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180C. Once it’s at temperature take the pan/tin out of the fridge. Using a fork put holes in pastry. Place a piece of grease proof paper in each, I cut out individual circles, and fill with baking beads press down to make sure they are holding the pastry down. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove the baking beads and bake for a further 5-8 minutes or until it looks dried out. I don’t know how else to describe it, because with chocolate pastry it won’t be brown. Cool for a few minutes before filling with the ganache and strawberry!

White Chocolate Ganache

50-100g white chocolate, broken up

50-100g double cream

20 or more fresh strawberries

The varied amount is due to your tart tin/pan size. You might need more or less. These ones used only about 50g of each. Place an equal amount of both ingredients in a heatproof bowl over a simmering pan of water. Stir until melted. Fill each tart case and top with a fresh strawberry!

notes: chocolate pastry recipe is adapted from Eric Lanlard’s Tart it Up! and can also be found online on The Telegraph’s website. Use up the egg whites making meringues!

These tarts were entered into these challenges:

The Pastry Challenge (theme chocolate) hosted by myself with Jen's Food 

Tea Time Treats (theme chocolate) hosted by Lavender and Lovage with The Hedge Combers 

Treat Petite (theme spring time) hosted by The Baking Explorer with Cakeyboi 

Love, Chocolate #thepastrychallenge April Link-Up

April Showers bring May Flowers or so the saying goes. This "saying" is the reason I always stuck up for rain. It has such a bad rep. especially here in England.

We need rain. Without it we wouldn't have food or pretty things like flowers and green foliage! It should be worshiped and idolized for bringing us these things. Also for giving us a reason to stay in and relax in our sweats with a hot drink and chocolate.

Yes, another excuse to eat chocolate, like we need one of those! However I am about to give you another very good and valid reason to eat chocolate. This month's Pastry Challenge!! You probably already guessed it, but the theme is chocolate! 

In the tab above is a full overview of the new challenge but here are a few reminders of how it works!

First bake a pastry! Any you like and this month have it feature something chocolaty!

Second blog about it! Be sure to link back to both myself Lisa at United Cakedom (unitedcakedom.com) and Jen at Jen's Food (jensfood.co.uk)
If you tweet use the hashtag #thepastryhcallenge and be sure to include us @unitedcakedom & @JensFood
Please use the image above (right click and save) in your post as a way to help spread the word.
I will be adding the entries to the official Pastry Challenge Pinterest board as they come in, please follow along to see past, present, and future entries!

Lastly link it up below, following the instructions on the widget/gadget below.

A few reminders we are looking for new or re-posted posts following the instructions above. Feel free to enter more then one entry. Also if you have a few minutes check out the entry before yours and leave a comment! Any questions please feel free to contact either Jen or myself!

We look forward to seeing all your amazing chocolaty pastry creations!

An InLinkz Link-up

Nectarine & Almond Tarts {#thepastrychallenge}

If you were to ask me to bake you a cake I’d reply “Of course, no problem.” However, when it comes to pastry’s I couldn't reply that confidentially. It’s one of the reason’s I am super excited to be a co-host with Jen from Jen’s Food on the new monthly Pastry Challenge!

Jen is hosting this month and as it’s the first month the theme is anything goes! Typical me leaving it literally until the last minute to get my post written and linked up! Which is very like these tarts. Super easy and perfect for a last minute dessert or breakfast or just because!

We had them as an afternoon snack and what a good snack it was! These would a great picnic addition too. I have spring and summer on the brain ... already talking about picnics! I am ready for warmer weather, but while I wait I will munch on one of these! 

Nectarine & Almond Tarts

500g all-butter puff pastry

flour for dusting

120g unsalted butter, soft

75g sugar

100g ground almonds

1 egg, room temperature

dash of almond extract

3 ripe nectarines, sliced thinly

Heat the oven to 220C and line 2 baking sheets with grease proof baking paper. Roll out the pastry to 4-5 mm thick. I used a cereal bowl that had a 14cm diameter to cut out six rounds. Place on the prepared baking sheets and set aside.

Whisk the butter, sugar, almonds, egg, and extract together until well combined. Place a heaped tablespoon of the mixture in the middle of each pastry round. With the back of the spoon gently press it down. Circle the sliced peaches around the pastry circles. Gently pressing down as you go along with spread the almond mixture out perfectly. If you want thicker slices of nectarine, you might need an extra one.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool only slightly before tucking in or adding a scoop of ice cream on top!

Check out the other entries on Jen’s site and if you didn't get an opportunity to join in this month I’ll be posting the theme for April on the 1^st!

notes: for more information on the pastry challenge click on the tab above! Recipe adapted from the Jamie Magazine recipe yearbook 2014/15.