Foundations Index

No.1 - Rubbing In
This post looks at the technique used to rub butter into flour to make pastry and other items. It covers questions like which hand movements to use and why you have to do it at all.

Includes two videos (one of the entire process, one of another little tip) and step-by-step photos.




No.2 - Beurre Noisette
Making beurre noisette (a.k.a. brown butter) is a wonderful process that creates a very versatile ingredient.

This post moves through each phase, showing you what to expect. Includes a video clip to demonstrate the crackling noise.




No.3 - Creaming Butter & Sugar
Though it is one of the most routine baking techniques, creaming is often overlooked.

Why do you need to cream properly? How do you get cold butter to room temperature quickly? In no.3 I try to answer these questions.





No.4 - Icing Cakes
Here are a few tips on how to get a great finish, including how to stop the icing smearing the plate and how to put on a crumb coat.

There's also a video of me putting the final coat of icing onto a layer cake.





No.5 - Chocolate Ganache
Ganache is wonderfully adaptable - once you know the basics, you can make it your own.

In no.5 I've shown how I make ganache and given a few pointers on how to adapt the recipe.






No. 6 - Egg Yolk Custard
Traditional custard is not only a pouring sauce but a base for ice creams and much more.

In this post I've explained how to temper the eggs with hot milk, the consistency needed and how I split and scrape vanilla pods.





No. 7 - Rough Puff Pastry
Rough puff pastry is easier and faster than classic puff and can be used for most of the same dishes.

No.7 shows you how to combine, roll out and turn the puff. Includes three videos.






No.8 - Meringue, Part I
The first part focuses on the basics and history of meringue and the French method.

Includes step-by-step photos of the French technique.







No. 8 - Meringue, Part II
The second half of no.8 describes how to make Swiss and Italian meringue.

Swiss and Italian are both cooked meringues and have several uses.






No. 9 - Using Yeast
Yeast is an essential part of baking enriched breads.

No. 9 covers the basics of using yeast, where you can buy it and some of the science behind the rise.





Other techniques illustrated in detail in normal posts:
Making French Buttercream (similar to Swiss Meringue Buttercream)
Spreading and Rolling a Swiss Roll
Caramelised Milk Chocolate

Lemon Curd Cake

I suppose my first post should really contain a recipe full of pears and chocolate, but I'm saving that for later... (well, mainly for when the pears in my fruit bowl are ripe). Anyway, I'll leave my rhapsodizing about that beloved flavour combination for later and get going on the Lemon Curd Cake...

My mother recently came home with a huge bag of lemons, so I thought it was time to pull out the most lemon-heavy cake recipe I could remember. This is an adaption of a Delia Smith recipe, from her Collections book 'Baking'. I'm not usually a huge lemon fan (except when drowning smoked salmon, of course), which I'm told is sacrilege, but lemon curd is a bit of an exception. There's something about the texture and taste that just captures a sunny mood.

I made the lemon curd for the filling a few days ago, and lo and behold, when I returned to make the cake today, I found the remaining lemons had gone off. As this was midway though mixing the cake, I had to experiment. So I glugged in some of the curd and some orange peel and thankfully it came out beautifully. It's somehow more subtle and mellow than the normal juice/peel mix. Luckily I had already reduced the sugar level so the extra sugar in the curd didn't sweeten it too much.

I initially doubled the curd recipe so I would have some left over, but once I had added some to the cake, filled it and added some to the top icing (no lemon juice either!), it was all gone. So I've put the doubled recipe here, as you can never have too much.

Lemon Curd Cake

For the curd:

125g golden caster sugar

zest and juice of 2 lemons

4 eggs

100g butter

Place the sugar and rind together in a bowl and mix. Whisk the juice with the eggs and pour over the sugar mix. Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the mixture. Place over a pan of barely simmering water and stir frequently until thickened (don't feel tied to it, though, I happily flitted back and forth to my laptop) . This took mine about 25 mins.

For the cake:
175g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
175g butter
150g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
rind of 1/2 an orange
3 tbsp lemon curd

Preheat oven to 170C/ 325F. Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs one by one with a tablespoon of flour, mixing well in between. Beat in curd and rind. Quickly mix in the flour. Spread into two greased tins, lined in the bases. Bake for between 25-35 mins depending on the oven, until centres are springy to touch.

Leave to cool on a rack in their tins for five minutes before turning them out and peeling off the papers. When totally cool, carefully cut each cake into two. I cut the edges off too, but that's up to you. Layer them up with the curd, spreading generously between each layer. I now realise it would look prettier if you have a top/bottom edge at each layer, so the brown clearly marks it out - the bottom layer of mine isn't that distinct, if you look. For the top icing, I used the last tablespoon or two of curd with some water, orange juice and icing sugar. It would be better with lemon though, I found it a little sweet with orange. But beggars can't be choosers, so orange it was. I topped it with orange peel, as well, but lemon would be more fitting.