Thursday, January 31, 2013

2013 Resolutions: Cream Tarts


Fancy some really easy no brainer pretty looking homemade desserts????
don't believe me??? really...it's easy peasy u can do it with ur eyes closed or get lil ones at home involved :)))))

These pretty looking cream tarts were made by Monkey a few weeks ago under my 2013 Resolutions Project. Good and easy recipe by Anna Olson, plus not much cleaning to do........wuahahahahaha


The recipe begins with melting 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
Monkey used really low heat at number 2 bcoz I didn't have the patience to stand and STARE at it....so Heat no. 2 is just nice while I busied myself with other things....

In the mean time, Rule number is alwiz to preheat your oven before u start anything....
so heat it up at 350*F or about 175/180*C


whack the shit outta some graham crackers...or whichever crackers u can find at the supermarket. Throw everything into the ziplock bag and wham-baam-wham-baam all u want....
collect about 1 Cup of these graham crackers

Add these to 1 Cup of sieved all purpose flour
4 tsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt

and mix all till well combined

please please please get ur measurement right
tsp = teaspoon

TBSP = tablespoon
TBS = THE BIG SALE hahahahahha my favourite word :))))

by this time, ur slow melting butter should have melted...so pour everything in and mix till it turned crumbly like this


Then scoop some of the mixture into a mini muffin pan like the above...
it's not ur standard size muffin pan but of smaller ones....u don't want your beautiful petite delectable tarts turned into chunky masculine looking giants don't ya???

so press them down and on its sides until compact like the above
to me, this was the toughest step bcoz it consumed some time being inexperienced me...making this for the first time.

This recipes makes about 30 mini tarts....so it's best to have more than 1 mini muffin pan...

Bake them for only 10 minutes!!!! woohoooo
yeah I know they looked horrible but trust me, these ugly ducklings will soon turned into beautiful golden swan....hehehehehehe

After they have cool down, just use a toothpick, poke at its sides, move it a bit and mini tarts will turned itself 360 degrees around the pan and off u lift them outta the pan. Thanks to the butter in the mixture, it's quite "slippery" and slides out easily.

U can keep them in airtight container until u are ready to use them. The recipe didn't says how long u can keep them...and I didn't have the chance to experiment with its shelf life bcoz it was gone....all gone....

To prepare the basic vanilla cream....it's even easier!!!!!
Heat 1 Cup of low fat milk *it must must be low fat ok*
add 1/2 vanilla bean but bcoz I lurve them so much, I dunk in one whole bean :D:D:D
plus Monkey stole JS's precious Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla from his pantry...huhuhuhuhuhu
the nose...the smell...aaaahhh!!!!!

okie u just wanna heat them...so it must just be below simmer and not bubbly...
when u see it simmer on its side..then it's ready. So again...use very very low heat.

Meanwhile crack 3 egg yolks...u need really fresh good quality eggs like the above...lurve its color :))))). Add 3 TBSP of sugar and 2 TBSP of cornstarch
whisk this mixture well and place a strainer on top of this glass bowl
Slowly and gradually mix your simmered vanilla milk into this over the strainer to remove the chunky huge piece of vanilla bean.

then return the mixture into the pot and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, constantly stirring with a spatula - esp on its sides
U will know its ready once the mixture has thickened and turned glossy


Once again pour it all into the glass bowl and add in 2 TBSP of butter
bcoz the mixture is hot...the butter will melt effortlessly.....

Voila!!! so smooth and creamie!!!
and Congratulations bcoz u have just prepared the ultimate basic vanilla cream which can be used for so many other things!!!!

What I did was another short cut...once this mixture has cool down a bit...Monkey dunk it all into a plastic disposable pipping bag and store in the fridge until it's ready to be used. This recipe makes 1 1/2 Cups of vanilla cream.


and whenever u are ready to consume them....u just need to assemble it easily...

Remove all the cute tiny popsie tarts from its air tight container....with your vanilla cream inside ur pipping bag...this should be effortless...then top them with fruits of ur choice :))))

but the easiest step was popping them into ur mouth continuously...
so yummy...

Easy isn't it?? esp when u have parties at home...everything is pre-prepared...just need assembling. And it uses the most basic ingredients...nothing too fancy...If u can't find vanilla bean just replace with vanilla extract :))


For a proper professional recipe visit the website *here*
Happy Baking!!!!


5 comments:

Chasing Food Dreams said...

gonna make the vanilla cream.. looks fab! maybe I ll surprise a fren with these this Sat for his birthday... loving this!! thks sharing...

Anonymous said...

Lovely and nice tarts. I too feel like popping them into my mouth now! haha....

Yay! Monkey too can bake! *claps*

LianneK said...

looks good! the cream is oozing with vanilla seed and i bet its yummy :-) btw, yeah made my own Bak Kwa .. no choice la, here takda :-D

ykristen said...

Bookmarked this for this coming CNY desserts. Thanks for sharing

CHER-RY said...

Thank you ladies :)))
Lemme know how it turned out yea and good luck!!!!

Homemade bak kwa??? wow u damn can babe!!!