Weekend baking

I haven’t have been baking as much as I would like as I’ve been learning to cook. I had thought I would have more time to bake during the week but after making dinner I’m pretty much beat. So baking is left for the weekend.
Last weekend I did try out a few recipes. I’ve been craving apple tart from this store by work but thought since I had apples in the fridge, why not make my own. I found a quick puff pastry recipe on line, whipped up some pastry cream then assembled the tarts. Somehow it didn’t turn out as I planned. I didn’t have any apricot glaze or jam of any type so there was no glaze. I don’t think I had enough pastry cream either...I guess it’s back to the drawing board. Maybe I won’t be lazy next time and put in the effort and make puff pastry. The quick puff pastry just doesn't taste the same.

Boy do I love making pastry cream...and I love eating it. Instead of using my tried and true recipe, I tried the recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours. The difference is this one uses egg yolks. My recipe uses whole eggs and whipping cream so it’s richer.

Pastry Cream – Makes about 2 cups
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
3½ tbsp

1. Bring milk to boil in saucepan. Meanwhile, in medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the sugar and cornstarch until thick and well blended. Still whisking, drizzle in about ¼ cup of the hot milk – this will temper, or warm, the egg yolks so they won’t curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the milk. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, constantly and making sure to get to edges of pot, bring mixture to a boil. Keep at a boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
2. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in butter a little at a time, stirring until fully incorporated and the pastry cream is smooth and silky. Scrape pastry cream into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap on top of cream to create airtight seal. You can store in fridge or to cool it quickly put in bowl of ice.

Of course I didn’t only make apple tarts.

My cousin came over and we made gluten free banana loaves, we misread the recipe and put in a tad too much salt, so it was salty banana bread. I think the recipe also needs more banana to give it more moisture...it was a bit dry the next day.

To cap off the weekend, I whipped up a batch of chocolate crackle cookies to send off to a friend in HK via her husband who was in town. I hope she and her daughter enjoys it. Of course this was all last weekend and being Saturday again – I have to decide what to make this weekend. I do need to get to the grocery store though as I’m all out of sugar!