Bonjour Mon Ami!

How is everybody doing? I hope all is well with you.

Sorry for being a bit slack with the posts, i know i'm usually a lot better with keeping in touch. I've recently discovered exercise so that (you should know by now that it's not my thing but going for walks in such lovely weather isn't as bad as i thought hehehe)....added to working late and the sun being out til 8pm everyday i haven't had the chance to sit on my behind! There's rays to be soaked, fun to be enjoyed and barbecues to be had!


Yes that's Andrew my flatmate in the background sitting on the deck making homemade burgers...i know that doesn't sound very hygenic but this photo proves otherwise...



Hasn't the weather been absolutely glorious! It's been so much fun riding around on my scooter! On a wet rainy day it is the worse mode of transport because droplets actually hurt when your going at lightning speeds but in the summer, i long for work to end so i can hop on and ride off. This is a wee picture of my Yamaha Vino...he's precious isn't he?



I made some vanilla custard peach tartlets for dessert at Dean's mums the other day and they turned out so good! Unfortunately i forgot to take a photo. I did however want to share the recipe because it was so easy!

Vanilla Custard Peach Tartlets
2 sheets short crust pastry cut to fit each muffin cup
(I just used a mug as like a cookie cutter to get a round shape)
3 tbsp custard powder
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
- Peaches & icing sugar to decorate

Small metal pot (for cooking up custard goodness)
Wooden spoon (to stir with :) tee hee hee)
Measuring jug (to measure as well as pour custard mixture into tartlets)
Muffin tray (to make tartlet base)
Baking paper cut to fit each muffin 'cup'
Lentil/Rice or Ceramic Weights


- Get a muffin tray and line make the tartlet base using store bought pastry (i've tried making my own pastry but its so labour intensive for something you can get so cheaply at the supermarket) cut into the right size. Don't worry if you tear the pastry by accident, just patch it up with more pastry. I like getting it as thin as possible because i'm not a big fan of pastry so squish it til you're satisfied with the thickness.

- Blind bake for 10 minutes with rice/lentils/ceramic baking weights holding down baking paper in each tartlet. Remove weights and paper before baking for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

- Meanwhile...take 3 tablespoons of custard powder, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix into 600ml of milk. (They say to first mix a small portion of the custard powder with a small amount of milk to form a paste, then and only then should you add the rest of the milk and stuff. I think it prevents lumping but i like straining custard before pouring it and letting it set anyway.

- Anyhoo, stir your custard constantly on the stove until it reaches boiling point, it should also start to thicken slightly. Take it off the heat and place in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to cool it down. Once that's done, you're ready to strain the custard (only if you can be bothered) and pour them into the tartlet cups that have now finished being blind baked.

- While it is setting, cut slices of canned or fresh peached to sit on top of the tartlet in a pretty leaf pattern before dusting with icing sugar. Then it's time to sample your handmade treats and sing yummy yummy yummy i got love in my tummy...:)

See if only at this point i could whip out a picture to entice you!
Don't worry though, i'll definately be making them again!

Oooh, before i go...am happy to announce that we'll be at Kraftbomb 6!! Woot woot...

xoxo Hope you're enjoying the sunshine!
Miss Deb