Cooking mojo returns (on the hottest day of Summer so far) Dec 13th 2009

It's been really hot today in Perth. Temps have reached 39 degrees and the suburbs are resonating with the hums of airconditioners and the tick tick ticking of pool vaccuum cleaners. Of course the hottest Summer days send me straight for the kitchen because that's what I love; the sweaty sauna like feeling in the kitchen. Never said that I was sane, did I?

Of course it didn't help that I was gifted a Kenwood Chef! You see I blew up the motor of my new Breville mixer and have been kneading, making and baking by hand since. Thank you E for your generosity :)

Here are a couple of things I made today



Another couple of wholemeal loaves, I've found this size loaf makes perfect tot sized sandwiches. My favourites are definatly rye loaves but only one of the tots likes caraway seeds, so I don't make rye too often. BTW, my fav sandwich is toasted Rye with pate, pastrami and coleslaw :)

Now for my five minute Portuguese custard tarts. You literally bung all of the custard ingredients into the blender and 'whoooosh' it all up. Cut out your pastry cases, fill and bake. Yeah the baking takes about 30 minutes (more if you like the burny thing happening on the top of the tart) but honestly, the assembly only takes five minutes



Want the recipe?

Into blender bung

2 eggs

315grms milk

60gm's flour

2ml vanilla

265gm sugar

30grm butter

Blend thoroughly, fill tart cases and bake at 325 for 30 minutes (oh I use nice deep muffin pans to make them so if you use patty pans they cook quicker)

Also made the most divine raw pear and raspberry sorbet. Was having major hissy fit "all my friends have a bimby IWANNABIMBYTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" moment and decided to see if I could actually make one with what I had on hand.

pears, yep six of the boring buggers

raspberries, two cups from the freezer

Syrup cos you know you need syrup, Affirmative! I made a couple of litres of lemon cordial the other week, what's lemon cordial? Lemon flavoured sorbet syrup! Bunged two cups into the blender with pears and raspberries; oh what a pretty colour it was. Yes the sorbet took a while because I had to pour it into the icecream machine but it was gorgeous and the tots ate it all up. Even Miss 'I hate pears (gag, gag, gag)'.