So the chickens have decided to start laying eggs. At pace! We're getting 5 eggs a day from the ten hens and I've been monitoring the sizes. We started out with pullet or peewee eggs at just 30-something grams... I had a full-on panic! We've had bantams before and their eggs are about this size and pretty useless in my baking endeavours... getting the point? We're up to 58g as the record (which is classified as 'large' at Woolies and perfect for baking cakes!) and no more under 48g...
So, with so many eggs this weekend, I made some meringues:
In short you beat egg whites until white and stiff. Then add 1/4cup of fine Castor sugar per egg white used. Beat until shiny and keeping it's shape. Spoon this super-sticky mixture either into a piping bag (I just use a freezer bag and cut a small corner off when I'm ready to go) or directly onto grease proof baking paper into the sizes you want. Bake at 120 degrees C for about an hour. Watch to see that it's not too hot (they'll go brown). After the hour, turn off the oven and allow them to cool slowly (it makes them crispy)
Next was to use up the yolks:
As I told someone yesterday, if you have not yet eaten fresh, made from scratch, egg custard, you have not lived... it's a bit fiddly but oh so wonderful when you get it right! I've simplified the recipe (for myself as I adapt it to use the available eggs anyway). Here's the ratio I tested out this weekend:
1 egg yolk
15g Castor sugar
100ml milk
1ml vanilla essence or vanilla pod
Put the egg yolks into a double boiler over heat and beat in the castor sugar. It'll go lighter in color and texture. Whilst beating warm the milk in the microwave (adding warm milk is not essential but does prevent the custard from curdling). Add warm milk and vanilla whilst stirring continuously. It takes a while to thicken and if you take a break for too long lumps form on the sides. Should your custard curdle (you'll know if it does!) mix a little corn flour (maizena) and warm milk and whisk into the custard while you're still cooking it.
It'll keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks but in my house it lasts only a few hours before the male species find it and then it's gone! Serve hot over stewed fruit, malva pudding, with jelly, etc. You'll be impressed, every time :-)
on the registry list so the dough still has to be mixed and kneaded by hand (the fourteen year old is really good at this part so we share the duty when he's feeling cooperative) I bought the pasta roller when I did a pasta making course a few years back but it's only started being used regularly since we got the chickens ;-)
by John Seymore. The catch phrase is something like for idealists and dreamers (I can't remember off the top of my head now...) I'm not sure where I fall between those two categories - some days I'm the ultimate idealist and others I just have these dreams that run away with me - but I can honestly say that John Seymore's books are nothing short of inspirational! Given that they were written many years ago (he gives instructions for the construction of cold houses as there were no fridges, etc.) there is much entertainment to be found between the covers. I not only purchased The complete guide to self sufficiency but The New Self-Sufficient Gardener
too! I have read and re-read them hundreds of times already, drawing inspiration, motivation and skills from their beautifully illustrated pages... Both books cover a very wide knowledge base that has been put into simple words that bring the ideas and concepts to life. I have learned much about planting, looking after my vegetables and trees, culinary skills such as preserving my produce, etc.
