Second cake: Banana Cream Pie

Oh my God! If you, like me, feel a wee bit lonely and bitter during the Christmas period that just seems to continue forever, you must like me, feel a little peckish for something that makes you think "a moment on your hips, for ever on your...well everywhere". This pie is so rich, so creamy, so...perhaps one should not indulge in such wonderfulness when one wants to look fab at one's friends new years' party...
Where should I start?! First, curtsy of Joyofbaking.com! It taught me to make my very first homemade pastry cream! A cream I usually buy in powder form, add some milk and call it my own (my brother doesn't need to know that). This recipe, which btw was easy to make, was very nice. One might be tempted to say that it was better than the powdered form, but then again, anything that is made from scratch is bound to be better than anything that originated from powder. Second, the crust is so good! I usually hate making any kind of crusts because, well to me they are too impossible to make, but this one was so easy and straight forward and I didn't have to beat it which, again, to me seems impossible! Third, how can whipped cream every be wrong? Cherry on the..erh..pie? Mmmm, one can never go wrong with whipped cream, ever!

And now for the pictures.

Granted, it looked simple, but it's what's on the inside that counts and my God! This pie was so delicious that within two seconds almost all of it was gone (and I am seriously not exaggerating! My brother practically inhaled the pie!)

Exhibit A:

Gone! Hihi, makes me feel warm and fussy inside!

This pie is fun making, I must say and putting it together was awesome! The only bad thing I can say about this, yes, there is actually something negative to say, is you need to either owe a good tart pan, one of those with a removable bottom (which is also recommended in the recipe), or be an expert in how to butter a non-removeable tart pan. I realised that I suck at that..but this pie must be made and eaten!

Anywho, this pie shall receive five stars because it is nothing, but perfection, well almost anyway!

Have a nice Christmas and a happy New Year!!

Happy baking!

Aggie :)

First cake: Orange Chiffon Cake

The first cake that is going to be featured on this blog is going to be the Orange Chiffon Cake with curtsy of Joyofbaking.com (if you love baking and you don't know about this site, then I would strongly recommend that you get your ass there right now!)

As you may see I am not the best photographer, but that is not the essential here.

As I am writing I do realise that it might not look so appitising and so I will provide one more picture

Now, this looks much better!

This cake tastes absolutely beautiful and I'm not just saying that because I made it! The cake is like a subtle pound cake with a beautiful orange flavour that just leaves you begging for more. What I like about this cake is that you can eat 5 pieces before your brain starts interfering and at least 7 before your stomach objects, but up until then, you are in heaven! If you get the cake just right, which I was afraid I might not, it is amazing and worth the extra pounds spend on eggs and oranges! It's soft and bouncy and with the powdered sugar toping it just seals the deal!
In the receipt it said to use castor sugar, but as I am a students castor sugar to me is a tad expensive so I decided to use icing/powdered sugar (because it is a little cheaper, but mostly because that was what I had) and that worked fine. The essential with this cake is that you follow the recipe to the pint especially about the eggs! If you over beat the batter (hihi :p ) I believe you won't get a good result (a soft, bouncy, heaven-like cake).
Eat this with a cuppa, hot chocolate, it could be beautiful with some whipped cream or, when it is still hot, ice cream.
As I am writing I am stuffing my face with my third piece and *chewing* I can only recommend this cake!!

Until next time...

Aggie  

"Let them have cake!" she said as a reply when asked what to do about the hungry people of France...

Heya!

I'm at it again. Another blog. My first blog, Crazy thoughts of a not so crazy teenager, has come to a standstill and that is probably because I lost my inspiration, but as I have started at university in England I should get the juices flowing soon, hopefully. In the mean time, I have decided that I want to give this new blog a chance. It is going to be about cakes and not just cakes that I see, take pictures of and then eat (though that does sound quite attractive...perhaps another time). No, as I have made it a "habit" of mine to bake cakes for my fellow students in my halls of residence every thursday, I thought it could be fun to take pictures of homemade cakes and post them here (not very creative I grand you that, but one must start somewhere). Later on I hope to included original recipes (original as in recipes that I come up with) and hopefully, I can get some comment/feedback on them.

The first cake shall be submitted on Thursday!

Until then... :)

Aggie (and yes, I know I keep changing my name ;))