We are back from a few days in Donegal; I have to organise my photos and I’ll post then. I have some fantastic ones (not because I’m boasting that I’m such a great photographer, but because the scenery was just outstanding!!)
Until then, I have some photos of Grace’s birthday that I’ve been meaning to post: it was such a lovely evening we sat outside under a gazebo and had her party. I made a buttermilk cake with this frosting. The birthday girl had requested dolphins and roses in rainbow colours. The colours were a little more muted than rainbow, but colourful! The night before, a great fortune befell me, when my friend Ness called over. Ness, who is well known for her artistic sugar craft modelling prowess was immediately prevailed upon to make a dolphin… And what a super dolphin it was! Michael and Liam sugar crafted alongside and soon we had a mini aquarium for the top and sides of the cake 🙂
I made pink meringues and a meringue cake (success! recipe below). I made a lemon curd tart (epic fail) and a raspberry curd tart (also epic fail) (neither set and just flopped when cut. gah!!) but the Rice Krispie buns, miniature fairy cakes, frosted amply (as per birthday girls instructions. I found several of the bun part of the fairy cakes around the garden the following day… I reckon the next time I will just put little blobs of the vanilla icing in bun cases and cut out the bun-middleman) were well received. I made a few quiches and other delights to keep the blood sugar up…
James’ birthday is next. A farm scene has been requested for the top of his cake, so I’m working on my ruse to have Ness call in the preceding few days (crafty chuckle)
Meringue Cake (Darina Allen)
(sadly, no photos. just imagine billowy deliciousness)
This is another Darina Allen recipe, it is so simple and so utterly, decadently delicious. I love ice cream, and this was ice-creamy with pockets of marshmallow texture thanks to the meringues. I put sliced strawberries into it, but this wasn’t a great idea as, when they froze, became little bullet-hard surprises… Should have followed the recipe exactly I suppose!!
Meringues
Whipped Double Cream
Fruit for the top when serving
Line a tin or empty tub with cling film (I used an ice cream tub) Line is well, with the cling film overlapping the sides.
In a large bowl, combine the meringues, broken up, with the double cream.
Scoop into the tin/ tub, cover amply with cling film and freeze for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
Take out of the freezer to thaw a little a few minutes before serving. Serve with fresh fruit.
Mmmm the meringue cake sounds delicious! And wow, Grace’s cake. Well done, it’s amazing! I’m sure she was delighted 😀 xxxx
I’m always finding “bun middlemen” around the house too, your idea of cases of icing is inspired:) I’m a real cheater too- for a farm scene I’d buy plastic animals to put on top. Lazy but (a) effective and (b) readily identifiable 🙂
Sinead! What a fantastic idea!! Typical that I would try go the long way around it… Ingenious!!