how to update: choux a la creme

Baking cream puffs was once a very intimidating thing for me to do. The most frustrating thing I found about making the choux pastry is probably when the choux has risen in the oven, only to find them deflating when taking them out to cool.

After more than half a year of baking them, they're not so hard to make after all! When I made them at school, they were pretty popular and every time friends come over, I end up baking a batch to share. Though, Mrs Roddick always seems to enjoy eating the creme patisserie more :P Just waiting for Mrs Roddick and Doodie to have time to come over to bake a croquembouche!

I've come up with another set of mumble jumbo notes (improved version) for my self reference. If you're interested, my first set of notes can be found here.

***

• 1 egg (+ 1 egg yolk, if needed) per batch
• Right consistency - firm, does not fall off the spoon
• Pipe dough "tall", approx. 3 cm strip / diameter
• Bake in the oven for 200°C for 20 minutes, lower temperate to 150°C and further bake for another 20 minutes
• Creme patisserie; 2 yolk custard and 150 ml cream, whipped

maple syrup pancakes + mixed berry compote

[Scroll down for recipe if you don't want to read useless rambles]

Graduated. Exams finished; Monday actually. The time of our lives and yet everyone I know is busy doing nothing or being unsuccessful in part time job hunting, including me.

But I haven't been exactly doing nothing. I've returned to school a few times this week distributing appreciation gifts, hassling Year 11s to buy my text books (and made $65 today) and catching up with fellow Year 12s who drop in.

Going to school is actually more interesting than staying home actually. Fairly interesting reactions from the juniors when Murasaki and I barricaded the study room to set up a "store".

Hrm, so what's with the pancakes and compote? They're nothing new really, but I procrastinated and made a ton of pancakes during my exam period :D And now I'm too lazy to bake or cook anything at the moment.

Who knew having the time of our lives would be so boring. I need something to do.

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mixed berry compote

ingredients:makes 2 small servings

• 1 packet (75 g) frozen mixed berries
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 - 2 Tb water

method:

1. Place all the ingredients into a small pot.
2. Stir constantly for 8 - 10 minutes on low heat.
3. When the berries are soft, and when liquids are slightly thick, the compote is ready.
   Cool and refrigerate for later use.

* Mix with plain yogurt and freeze for a frozen treat.
***
maple syrup pancakes
ingredients:
makes 10 mini pancakes

• 1 egg
• 3 Tb maple flavoured syrup
• 75 ml milk
• 1/2 Tb unsalted butter, melted
• 75 g self raising flour, sifted
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• vanilla ice cream and mixed berry compote, to serve

method:

1. Using a whisk, beat the egg and maple syrup until frothy.
   Whisk while adding the milk and melted butter / margarine.
2. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and whisk to make a smooth and runny batter.
3. Heat a non stick frying pan and add a small piece of butter / drizzle of oil.
   Wipe fat off with kitchen paper and reserve. Turn heat to a medium high*.
4. Add 1/4 cup of batter and flip with a spatula when many bubbles appear on the surface.
   Cook other side until golden.
5. Wipe the frying pan with the kitchen paper and repeat step 4 until there is no more batter.
6. To serve, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some mixed berry compote.

* For the heat use, I generally start of using a medium high heat and lowering it each time as the pan gets hotter.
* To make even coloured pancakes, turn heat to medium high then to low. Cook pancakes slowly over low heat.

food for thought: ohagi

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My ultimate goal of this blog is to inspire and motivate teenagers to take up cooking as a hobby.

Crunchyroll has a huge online teenage demographic base as well younger and older viewers, so since August, I've been submitting in articles to Crunchyroll in relation to 2D food. Basically, I write about food that appears in anime, manga and games and provide a recipe for it in the end.

The first article I submitted way back in August has received the thumbs up and green light to be published in the Crunchyroll newsletter!

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