I get asked quite often why I like to cook. The first reason I give is normally because I like to eat. I am Thai and food is a big factor in our culture. We greet each other with hello followed by 'have you eaten? When guests turn up at your house it's safe to assume that they will expect to be fed.

The second reason is that as I grew up in the Northeastern part of Thailand, the poorest region, food was always hard to come by. We weren't hungry as there was always rice, but it was difficult finding something to go with rice. Now I do have ingredients to go with rice, I want to cook!

Monday 2 May 2016

Lemon Cream Pie.


Lemon Cream Pie.

I am obsessed with panna cotta at the moment but I don't think it's fair to do another straight forward panna cotta and expect great excitement. I am, therefore, encasing the panna cotta in a pie crust, this has also given a great texture against the smooth and creamy panna cotta. I also find that lemons are the magic ingredient to use in a dessert when you are catering for those that are not 'into' desserts. I have yet to come across anyone who could turn down lemons.

Equipment:
25cm loose bottomed tart tin.

   For the pie.
In a food processor, put in,
-300g ginger biscuits or digestive biscuits.
Process the biscuits until fine breadcrumbs form. Tip into a large bowl, add
-120g melted butter.
Stir well to combine. Press the mixture into the base of the tin. Refrigerate until needed.

In a large heatproof bowl, put in
-200ml, put in,
-a small heatproof bowl with 2tbsp hot water, add
-12g gelatine granules.
Stir the gelatine until dissolved.
Leave to stand in the hot water bath.

    For vanilla panna cotta.
In a large saucepan,put in 
-200ml double cream,
-250g mascarpone cheese,
-150ml whole milk,
-120g caster sugar,
-2tsp vanilla bean paste.
Leave to come up to the simmer on medium-low heat.
Stirring occasionally.

When the cream mixture is almost at boiling point, turn the heat off.
Add dissolved gelatine.
Stir well.
Transfer into a jug.
Pour into the tart case.
Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

When the first layer has set, make 
   Lemon filling.

(Follow the instructions for dissolving the gelatine but use 6g for this recipe).

In a heatproof bowl, put in,
-4 eggs, whisk well.

In a heatproof bowl, put in,
-zest and juice of 4 lemons,
-200g caster sugar,
Place on a pan of simmering water, cook stirring until the butter and sugar have melted.
Add
-1/2 cup of hot syrup to 
-egg yolks.
You need to be whisking all the time. Continue to add hot syrup this way until all the liquid has been used. This is to stop the egg mixture curdling.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan, cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, around 10 minutes.

Add dissolved gelatine.
Stir well.
Transfer into a jug.
Pour over the set vanilla panna cotta.
Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

Note: this was a huge hit.
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