General feeling at the moment is “all talk no action” with the amount of meetings I seem to be going to. So it was with relief I got back in the kitchen on Thursday to bake a few cakes for a photoshoot the following day with Bread & shutter (London based photographer). London is just a hop away on the Eurostar so it’s quite easy to set up a shoot in London from Paris. Although it was a bit of a struggle travelling with all my food styling kit (minus knives, no matter how much I explained that I’m a food stylist and not some mass murderer they wouldn’t let me take them on board).

Tasty cakes were on the menu for this Friday. I’ld been browsing my regular blogs when I came across this. I found the combination very interesting so I thought I’ld give it a go by infusing a crème anglaise or custard with rosemary. Definetly a great combo and I’ll be no doubt be making these again.

Plum & rosemary tartelettes

500g ready made (yes! shock horror I do use the stuff puff pastry
300ml single cream
1 tbsp vanilla essence
100g sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 egg yolks
Several sprigs of rosemary
6 plums
soft butter for cupcake tin

Bring cream to a boil. In another bowl mix together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla essence. When the cream has boiled pour slowly on to the egg yolk mixture while whisking hard. Pour the mixture back into the pot, add a sprig of rosemary and bring to the boil. Make sure to stir constantly as the mixture at the bottom has the tendency of burning. Once the custard has come to a boil, pour into a large shallow dish and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven 170°c. Butter the cupcake tin (12 holes). Roll out the puff pastry to 1/2 cm thickness and cut out 10cm rounds. Place one round into each cupcake hole. Spoon in a generous helping of the rosemary custard (maximum 2/3 full) and bake for 20 minutes. Cut plums into fine semi circle slices and decorate tartelettes. Garnish with a rosemary sprig (don’t each it though). Serve warm or cold.

Tags: bread & shutter, delicious, food shoot, food styling, herbs, london, rosemary, tartelette