FIRST BIRTHDAY DOUGHNUTS

New Year's Eve seems to get a lot of bad press. It's become one of those times of year that everyone looks forward to and quietly dreads simultaneously, worried perhaps that it will fall a little flat after all the hype. My Dad rejects it entirely - he goes to bed early in favour of a dawn walk on New Year's Day. Maybe he's onto something there.

While I've had my fair share of limp new year celebrations, I love the sentiment that the end of December brings. In Islam, New Year celebrations fall in late October, and constitute a time of fasting and reflection on past events in history. This might seem a strange bridge for a glutton such as myself, but I think it's easy to forget the significance of a new year amid all the angst about having a good time.

While fasting won't play a part in my celebrations, I think it's so important to reflect on the year gone, and get excited about the year ahead. A new year can be the clean page that we often need to kick bad habits or, more importantly, prompt us to start that thing we've been meaning to do all year and never quite got around to.

On 1st January 2015, Pudding Lane Blog will be one year old. This time last year, I was frantically attempting to code and trying to get this little page perfect. While I'm still striving for perfection, I am so happy, proud and quite frankly, surprised at how far this little blog has come in it's first year of online life.

While many of you favoured Gin and Tonic Cake, Pudding Lane's debut recipe was the seasonally-fitting Post-Christmas Couronne. Other 2014 favourites included Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake, Overnight Oats and Sweet Potato Brownies.

Since hitting 'publish' in a freezing, damp Stockwell kitchen on New Year's Day, Pudding Lane has hosted 44 posts (only 8 weeks of negligence then), gathered 500 Facebook likes and welcomed just over 400,000 pageviews. I don't go in for the numbers side of things often but, as this is a time for reflection, I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you that has stopped by and helped Pudding Lane get into gear. It really does mean the world to me.

Blogging has been my escape, solace and often, my sanity over this last year. My own life has come a little way too - along side a lot of tears and tonsilitis (sigh), I've navigated a house move, a promotion and a lovely new relationship. To anyone toying with the idea of starting their own little online playground - do it. You have nothing to lose, and there's never been a better time of year to give it a go.

For my last recipe post of 2014, I've gone a little European in terms of tradition. I read recently that doughnuts and other round pastries are eaten in Germany and Holland on New Year's Eve. Some say the shape represents the circularity of life, others say the opportunity to fill them with mustard instead of custard was too good a prank to miss.

Whichever your preference, here is my Doughnut recipe, which makes 6 and is adapted from Mr Paul Hollywood's. I've filled mine with custard because I love it, but feel free to substitute for jam (or mustard). Until next year - thank you. I hope you're able to enjoy these last few days of holiday with the people you love.

 THE INGREDIENTS

250g strong white flour

7g fast action yeast

5g salt

25g butter

25g caster sugar

1 egg

75ml warm milk

50ml warm water

oil for frying

150g caster sugar

for the creme patissiere filling

250ml whole milk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

50g caster sugar

2 egg yolks

25g cornflour

THE RECIPE

Weigh all the dry ingredients into a large bowl, with the yeast on one side, the salt and sugar on the other. Add the butter, egg, milk and water to the middle. Using a gentle scrunching motion, stir with your hands until a slack, sticky dough is formed. Knead in the bowl until the dough is stretchy and some of the stickiness is gone. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for ten minutes until the dough is smooth. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and allow to rise for around an hour.

Once the dough is doubled in size, tip onto a floured surface and knead to knock all of the air out. Divide into 6 equal pieces, and roll each one into a ball. Place on a lined baking tray, cover, and allow to rise for a further hour. Seperately, pour the caster sugar into a shallow bowl and set aside.

Fill a pan with oil, and use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. The oil need to be at 180C. Once the doughnuts have risen, lower them one at a time into the pan with a slotted spoon. I do two at a time, and cook them for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Carefully remove with the slotted spoon, and transfer into the bowl of sugar, rolling to coat. Repeat until all the doughnuts are cooked and coated in sugar, and allow them to cool before filling. 

If you are filling your doughnuts with custard, make the creme patissiere. Pour the milk and vanilla into a small pan, and heat until just boiling. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a large bowl. When the milk is just boiling, carefully pour half over the egg mixture, beating quickly until smooth. Add the rest of the milk and beat until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan, and whisk constantly over a medium heat until thickened - be careful not to leave it too long, or it will curdle.

Pour into a bowl, cover in clingfilm and leave to cool. Once cool, transfer to a piping bag, and pipe into the core of each doughnut. 

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CHOUX CHRISTMAS WREATH

I have just come back from a beautiful long weekend in Paris. An eclectic mix of old and new, Paris never ceases to blow me away as it continues to ooze culture and romance at every corner. Whether your artistic taste leads you to the Louvre or the Moulin Rouge, the French capital is chic and addictive - and that's even at a measly 4 degrees above freezing.

Paris has been immortalised in classical and popular culture alike, and I found myself thinking of numerous favourites of mine as we perused the streets of the city. From Carrie Bradshaw to Ernest Hemmingway; Paris charmed them all.

Hemmingway once described Paris as 'a moveable feast' and, while he undoubtedly had the city's legacy in mind, this writer was a literal interpretation of this assertion as I gave into the fat girl inside of me and gorged on moules, baguette, steak and macaroons.

It's probably no bad thing that our trip was just three days long, but we still managed to squeeze in a trip in Laduree on the Champs Elysées. It's crowded, expensive and far from undiscovered, but boy oh boy do they do patisserie well. While queuing for my macaroons I had a chance to inspect a smorgasbord of religiuse, fruit tarts and gateaus.

I came home with Paris in my heart and choux pastry in my head, and so it was that my Christmas choux wreath was born. I've never dared to make a croquembouche, but this might be a good starting place if you're tempted. Choux has a bad name in the pastry industry, but it really is easier than you'd think. Filled with homemade crème patissiere and covered in caramel and chocolate, this wreath is the perfect way to bring a little Parisian charm to your Christmas table.

 THE INGREDIENTS

choux pastry

75g butter

75g plain flour

2 medium eggs

crème patissiere 

250ml whole milk

3 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

30g sugar

15g cornflour

10g plain flour

to finish

100g caster sugar

50g white chocolate

25g dark chocolate

10-15 hazelnuts (optional)

THE RECIPE

Preheat your oven to 220C, and line a baking tray with parchment. Put the butter in a pan with 150ml of water, and heat over a medium heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat when the mixture is just boiled. Tip in the flour, and stir quickly until the mixture comes into a soft ball. Return to the heat for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 

When cool, add the eggs and beat well, the spoon the shiny paste into a piping bag and pipe into even round disks on the paper, smoothing any peaks with a damp finger. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190C and cook for 12 minutes more. Remove the buns and piece each with a skewer to release the steam, then return to the cooling oven for 4-5 minutes to allow them to dry completely. 

To make the filling, pour the milk and vanilla into a pan, and slowly bring to the bowl. Meanwhile in a freestanding mixer, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then add both flours and whisk until smooth. When the milk is just boiling, pour into the egg mix and whisk quickly. Transfer the whole mixture into the pan, and return to the heat. Whisk constantly for a minute or so, and as it thickens pour into a bowl. Cover with paper or cling film and leave in the fridge to chill. 

When the creme patissiere is cold, spoon into a piping bag. Fill each choux bun with the custard. Next, pour 100g caster sugar into a pan, and heat until the sugar has formed a deep golden caramel. Carefully dip each choux into the caramel, and use it to fix the buns together into a wreath. If you are making spiked nuts to decorate, fix each hazelnut to a skewer, dip into the caramel, and lay over a work surface to allow a spike to form. Make sure you protect your flooring with kitchen paper first! 

Finally, melt the chocolates and use them to decorate the wreath. Finish with caramel nuts or other festive decorations. 

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ROSE CRONUTS

Being a bit of a traditionalist, I'm rarely an advocate of fusion food. Hybrids have become very Hollywood, and it seems that these days east is meeting west, north, south and pretty much everyone in between. There's a lot to be said for the age old don't fix what ain't broke, and I feel a bit like a Masterchef judge when i ask, what's wrong with the classics?

The answer is nothing, of course, but it sure is fun to play sometimes. I've realised that complications aside, the hybrid model possesses a mysterious intrigue which it actually really quite cool. And so it was that I put aside my prejudices and daydreamed my way to a 2012 Manhattan, belatedly succumbing to the cronut craze.

And oh my goodness. All i will say is that I thoroughly disagree with Edith Piaf, and couldn't regret resisting these badboys more. The androgynous supermodels of the baking aisle, cronuts are the perfect marriage of the croissant and the donut. The sweet and crispy exterior is a match made in heaven for the soft, layered dough inside. Fill em' up with creme pat, drizzle with icing, and prepare to wow even the most traditional of audiences. 

While I made my own croissant dough - but cut this traditionalist some slack, I'm ravin' and bakin' fusions these days - you could easily use those nifty tins they sell in Sainsburys. Word has it that cronuts are classically flavoured with rose, but I've also heard tell of oreo-stuffed versions you could experiment with. Dream big. 

THE INGREDIENTS

1x quantity of croissant dough (if you're making your own, try this recipe)

1/2 quanitity of creme patissiere (my recipe can be found here) 

200g icing sugar

75g caster sugar

3 tsp rose water

pink food colouring (optional)

freeze dried rose petals/berries

you will also need

1 litre sunflower oil 

THE RECIPE

Roll out the prepared dough to 1cm thick - this is much thicker than normal for pastry, but bear with me. Use a 3 inch cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough, then a 1 inch cutter (a wine bottle lid is a perfect substitute, as I discovered late on Sunday night) to cut holes in the centre. Reserve the left over dough, as this can be fried too - the centres make the most delicious little cronut bites.

Lay the cronut rings onto lined baking trays, and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. The colder they are, the more they'll puff up in the oil- although try not to freeze them solid. While the dough is cooling, place the castor sugar and 1 tsp of rosewater in a shallow dish, and mix to combine. Have this ready to dunk the cooked cronuts into.

When the dough is ready for cooking, pour the oil into a deep saucepan, and heat to 180C. I'd recommend using a sugar thermometer if you have one, as it's easy for the oil to overheat. Once the oil has reached temperature, carefully spoon two cronuts into the oil, and set a timer for 1.5 minutes. Once the oil-side has reached a deep golden brown, flip over and cook for a further minute. Decant onto a wire rack covered in kitchen roll. Leave to cool a little, then roll in the rose sugar to coat. Repeat this process until all the cronuts are cooked and coated.

Spoon your creme patissiere into a piping bag, fitted with a narrow nozzle. Use this to 'inject' the cronuts with creme pat. To make the icing, combine the icing sugar, rose water, colouring and enough water to make a shiny, thick icing - then drizzle over the cronuts. Finish with dried rose petals or berries.

Deeeee-licious. 

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RHUBARB ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Rhubarb is a bit of a middle child to the baker's larder. Unfairly sidelined on the grounds of watery school crumbles from way back when, it's easy to forget that there are a lot of reasons to love rhubarb. Pretty in pink and beautifully British, rhubarb is deliciously tart and pretty darn resilient too. And I speak from a youth of experience - it was the only thing that survived Mother's gardening during my younger years.

If you're willing to give rhubarb another go, then this angel food cake is an absolute must. Lighter than light and full of vanilla-rich creme pat, this is the perfect way to give rhubarb a bit of a makeover. After all, don't we all have a few fashion-skeletons in our closets we'd rather forget?

THE INGREDIENTS

200g pink rhubarb

4 eggs

40g cornflour

40g butter

300g  vanilla caster sugar

50g plain flour

100g icing sugar

THE RECIPE 

Begin by making the creme pat according to this recipe. When it comes to the classics, I'd trust Paul with my life. 

Preheat your oven to 140C. Cut the rhubarb into batons, and pack into a roasting tin. Try and squash them in, so that they can hold their shape while roasting. Sprinkle over 75g of the caster sugar, then roast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, and turn the temperature up to 180C.

While the rhubarb is cooling, whisk up the egg whites until thick and frothy. With the whisk still going, add 125g of the sugar a teaspoon at a time, until you have a meringue mix which holds it's shape, and is thick, glossy and glittery. Add the flour, then carefully fold through using a metal spoon. Place a disk of greaseproof paper in the base of a 6 inch tin, but do not grease the sides. The cake needs to be able to 'climb' the sides as it rises in order to hold its shape. Place in the centre of the oven, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and cooked through. 

Remove from the oven, and turn upside down onto a wire rack, leaving the cake in the tin. Leave to cool for an hour or so, then gently tip the cake out of the tin. Once completely cool, slice in half, and brush with the rhubarb syrup which has formed in the roasting dish. Next, spread with the creme patissiere and then a layer of rhubarb, placing in a clockface pattern so that the cake cuts easily when served. Sandwich with the rest of the cake, then mix the remaining rhubarb syrup with the icing sugar. Drizzle over the top, then decorate with more rhubarb. 

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RASPBERRY AND CUSTARD CAKE

I have been baking longer than I can remember. Descended from a long line of keen bakers, i've learnt from two of the best in the business (I may be biased, but that doesn't make me wrong). My granny and mum are both absolute whizs in the kitchen, and it's taken me a whole lotta practice to meet their standards. While not without our quarrels, us three share a love of baking and a wicked sense of humour. My great-grandad described it as 'custard pie' humour - and this cake encapsulates us perfectly.

While I've just about got the hang of this baking business, I leave jam making to the professionals. Granny's jam is, quite simply, the best jam in the world. I'm never without a few jars of her raspberry and redcurrant, which makes me one very lucky granddaughter. 

With granny's jam, mum's victoria sponge, and creme patissiere courtesy of yours truly, this cake is a little celebration of my brilliant baking family.  

THE INGREDIENTS

CAKE

3 eggs, weighed in their shells

equal weights of

caster sugar

self-raising flour

unsalted butter

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp custard powder

CREME PATISSIERE

250ml milk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

50g caster sugar

2 egg yolks

20g cornflour

20g butter

TO FINISH

150g homemade raspberry jam

100g icing sugar

freeze dried raspberries, to decorate

THE RECIPE

Grease and line a 6 inch cake tin, and preheat your oven to 180C. Begin by weighing your eggs in their shells, noting down the exact weight. Set them aside, then weigh out an equal amount of butter and sugar. Cream together until light and pale, then crack in your eggs, adding 1 tbsp of the flour. Beat until fully incorporated (the flour should prevent the mixture curdling). Sieve in the remaining flour, custard powder and baking powder, and fold to mix. Once the mixture is light and pale, pour into the prepared tin. Level the mixture, then baking in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, removing once it is golden and cooked through.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then tip onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely. To make the creme patissiere, put the milk in a small pan with the vanilla, and bring to the boil gently.Once it has bubbled a little, remove from the heat and set aside. In a clean bowl, whisk the sugar, egg yolks and cornflour. Pour in a little of the hot milk, whisking continuously. Gradually add all the milk, continuing to whisk as you go. Return to the pan, and cook over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and just begins to bubble. At the point, remove it from the heat and sieve into a clean bowl. Add the butter and stir to melt through. Cover with clingfilm and allow it to cool completely in the fridge. 

Carefully slice the cake into two, then spread with the jam, and dollop on the custard. spread this evenly, then gently add the second cake.  

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