Stuff you've cooked/baked/made today

[Mr. Dazzle]

Actually, anyone know if custard freezes and defrosts ok? I could make custard for one and freeze the rest if it does!!

Frozen Custard goes by another name, one you've probably heard.

Ice Cream

[Count Steer]

Actually, anyone know if custard freezes and defrosts ok? I could make custard for one and freeze the rest if it does!!

Wouldn't freeze it for long (high fat content) and have never done it for the same reason. (I wouldn't try and freeze full-fat milk) but if it's thoroughly heated/sterilised it should keep in the fridge for a few days in a sealed, sterile container. ie Tupperware that's had boiling water in it. (M&S do 'fresh' custard that lasts a while).

Can't believe I'm contemplating an excess of custard...I'd just drink it.

[Noggin]

Actually, anyone know if custard freezes and defrosts ok? I could make custard for one and freeze the rest if it does!!

Frozen Custard goes by another name, one you've probably heard.

Ice Cream

Doesn't reheat quite the same tho

Actually, anyone know if custard freezes and defrosts ok? I could make custard for one and freeze the rest if it does!!

Wouldn't freeze it for long (high fat content) and have never done it for the same reason. (I wouldn't try and freeze full-fat milk) but if it's thoroughly heated/sterilised it should keep in the fridge for a few days in a sealed, sterile container. ie Tupperware that's had boiling water in it. (M&S do 'fresh' custard that lasts a while).

Can't believe I'm contemplating an excess of custard...I'd just drink it.

See, I probably could have just drunk it a while ago, but have reduced my excess consumption in the last few years so I do try and freeze excess for another day. I have 'pudding' so rarely that custard would go off before I needed it again if it was in the fridge!!

I'll have to find a friend to share it with!!

[Count Steer]

Actually, anyone know if custard freezes and defrosts ok? I could make custard for one and freeze the rest if it does!!

Frozen Custard goes by another name, one you've probably heard.

Ice Cream

Sir has a very good point but most commercial ice cream is mainly sugar, how long does 'proper' ice cream freeze for?

However, I am now transfixed by the idea of vanilla custard ice cream with those thin crispy wafers in.....want!

[Mr. Dazzle]

Yeah tis good point.

I make my own ice cream quite often (got a machine) and I've actually used shop bought fresh custard as a base from time to time. If you've got people coming round you can whip up something which knocks the socks off any shop bought ice cream even with shop bought custard as the main ingredient!

It doesn't keep...it ices up and goes grainy after a couple of days in the freezer.

But if you're gonna heat it up / melt it...does that matter?

[Count Steer]

Yeah tis good point.

I make my own ice cream quite often (got a machine) and I've actually used shop bought fresh custard as a base from time to time. If you've got people coming round you can whip up something which knocks the socks off any shop bought ice cream even with shop bought custard as the main ingredient!

It doesn't keep...it ices up and goes grainy after a couple of days in the freezer.

But if you're gonna heat it up / melt it...does that matter?

I really don't know. I just have this thing in my mind that something that's mainly full fat and egg yolks isn't really for freezing. I'll have to look at M&S 'fresh' custard and see if that says 'do not freeze'. I may just be running on out of date ideas so it will be interesting if anyone in the custard business can enlighten. Formula400 or Mr Moofo maybe?

[Mr. Dazzle]

My mum used to have a book - I bet she's still got it actually - titled simply Will it Freeze?

Sadly she's not at home right now.

[Noggin]

Viennese Whirls -




I think these are called Viennese Fingers?? Not sure. But also know that I haven't mastered the chocolate bit! I just melted some choc and spread it on the biscuit. I think something should have been added so I could have 'poured' it on!




Seems I should have made a batch of the biscuit mix for each type of biscuit - definitely not enough of either!

[Bike Breaker]

It just happened that I had a courgette still in my garden so today I made chocolate courgette cake. 600 calories a slice. Now the courgettes have all been used, I'm back to making parsnip scones and parsnip cake.

[Silly Car]

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Tarte Tartin. Just getting some practice in for Christmas desserts

[Noggin]

Dammit, that was something I wanted to have a go at - forgot to buy apples!! LOL

Looks good

[Silly Car]

Pink Lady apples are the best according to James Martin. He did one of his master class sessions on Saturday morning a few weeks ago, it’s still on ITVX, I think it is the episode with the Fletchers on it.

From memory, he used whole apples in his on the show, I tried but couldn’t find my corer. For Christmas, I’m toying with quartering the apples, prepping them in advance in foil pie dishes as individual servings then reheating them on demand rather than attempting to turn out an larger one.

[Noggin]

Pink Lady apples are the best according to James Martin. He did one of his master class sessions on Saturday morning a few weeks ago, it’s still on ITVX, I think it is the episode with the Fletchers on it.

From memory, he used whole apples in his on the show, I tried but couldn’t find my corer. For Christmas, I’m toying with quartering the apples, prepping them in advance in foil pie dishes as individual servings then reheating them on demand rather than attempting to turn out an larger one.

It was seeing his master class thingy that made me think of doing it. Just doesn't seem worth it for one!!

[Mr. Dazzle]

Obviously it makes a terrible dessert, but Beetroot Tarte Tartin is a brilliant autumn dish

[Noggin]

Over the weekend I made carrot cake, mainly for my young colleague who's birthday I'd missed But, it turned out a bit big, so other friends got to share it!




Then I made some Viennese Whirls - shared them out, remembered to photo the last one, before I tried it!!




Then I made some sausage rolls - think it's the first time I've done that. Half with apple - shared those too




Also made a black cherry and apple crumble and custard for some friends as they cooked the roast



Today - I made fish pie. Bloody hell that took all bloody afternoon!!! But it did taste very very nice!! One for me and six for the freezer!!



The new-to-me second hand freezer arrives thursday or friday, so I'll be able to batch cook more ready for the winter

[Mr. Dazzle]

I misread that and was wondering why there are peas in your crumble.

[Silly Car]

Some stuff I’ve been messing around with today (benefits of garden leave)

Black olive and sun dried tomato focaccia

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‘Carbonara’ ravioli - basically self saucing dish as the ravioli are filled with cooked pancetta, shallot & garlic, double cream, and grated Parmesan cooked up as the sauce, work in process at the moment as my pasta machine got lobbed in the bin recently after marking a load of dough and I’m waiting to see is Santa sends me the pasta attachment for my Smeg mixer. Will likely be finessed with some salad for a starter on NYE.

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Chicken gallotine (sp) stuffed with sausage meat sage and onion stuffing, now in the freeezer to be defrosted and cooked for Christmas dinner alongside a lump of beef.

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I’ve also made up a batch of braised red cabbage and pork stuffing balls for the freezer. Next on the list will be braised beef in ale for either pies or dumplings for one day over the festive period then some desserts.

[ZRX61]

[Count Steer]

Not inedible then?

[ZRX61]

Not inedible then?

I was rather impressed with the results. Could have fed a few more people. Lamb cheesesteak sarnies today, Lamb korma tomorrow.