Christmas Cakes & Puds

Vancouver. Coffee and a Muffin

French Macaroons

I am slightly obsessed with french macaroons, how can you not be. Flavours like Jasmin mango, bergamot, lime and basil and praline make me go abit funny. Recently I visited Laduree Harrods and bought this box of macaroons. Choosing the flavours was so hard and after much deliberation I chose salted caramel (my favourite), icy mint, coffee, blackcurrant, vanilla and rose.

Louis Laduree opened his first patisserie tea salon in Paris in the 1870's. Today over 40 pastry chefs bake and create hundreds of macaroons a day. Notoriously difficult batches of macaroons often fail, a perfect macaroon should be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle with that perfect initial lift at the base.

Due to my 'macaroon madness' obsession I have tried and tested many recipes in search of perfection. The best recipe so far has come from Claire Clark's fantastic book 'Indulge'. I have spent many hours unsure as to why a certain batch of macaroons has just not worked out. The whisking of the egg whites and oven temp in crucial (use an oven thermometer!).

Macaroons are great to photograph and as I am so new to SLR photography I feel I am final getting to grips with my new camera and understanding light more. I can't wait to treat myself to a macro Lens.

Whilst I was in London I stumbled upon Divertimenti on Marlybone High Street, a culinary Aladdin's cave. I could have gone crazy but shopped with restraint and am looking forward to using these ring moulds and could not resist to pastel coloured ice cream bowls.

xxx

What's In Season...Sloe and Damson Gin

The hedgerows are laden with sloes, the fruit of the blackthorn bush and damsons. Traditionally sloes are picked after the first autumn frost but with high competition from birds and an early crop this year now is the perfect time to get picking. Sloe picking to me marks the end of the summer and I can't think of a nicer pastime then searching the hedgerows for sloes, painstakingly preparing them, then turning the bottles everyday in what has become a run-up to Christmas ritual.Here is the basic recipe for sloe and damson gin, one my family have been using for over 30 years, resulting in many bottles and vintages each with distinct flavours and characteristics.

Using the bottle as a measure the recipe is made up of thirds, 1/3 gin to 1/3 sugar 1/3 fruit. If you are using Damsons, Kilner or Parfait jars work well, follow the recipe below substituting sloes for damsons.

Happy Picking!

Sloe Gin

1/3 bottle sloes
1 bottle gin (average quality)
1/3 bottle caster sugar

Pick approx. 1lb sloes, remember to pick some sloe bush thorns. Back at home prick the sloe berry's all over using the thorns (a pin will also work).

Empty the gin into a jug and place the pricked sloes into the bottle until it is 1/3 full of berry's.

Using a funnel pour in the caster sugar till 2/3 of the bottle is full.

Top up the remaining 1/3 with the Gin.

Turn every day until Christmas, then strain the sloes from the gin and pour the liquor back into the bottle. Reserve until next Christmas when it will have matured into a syrupy warming winter tipple!

September is my favorite month, always bringing better weather than summer.

Ok, so this is my first blog! I aim to share my favourite recipes, photos and trips and become a better foodie photographer.

My first 'proper blog will be on making Sloe Gin and Damson Gin.......now is the time to get picking, its a great harvest this year.