Week 5 - Beignets soufflés

I literally have no idea what these things are. Anyways, warning - this was choux pastry - anyone who knows me or this blog well knows previous history with choux has not been the best. (The 'tricolour eclair' reality looked like soggy batter with mysterious white overly runny translucid liquid on it - strangely not quite what I was going for).

On a side note, I have had a bit of a nightmare with broken washing machine for a week, a migraine and my sisters birthday, a hangover (yes migraine and hangovers are initially hard to tell apart!) - and a vendetta against choux, so the odds were stacked against me.

The Prep
So I was not quite prepared. I decided to make these at 10pm on a Sunday - just when I started, realised I only had 1 instead of 4 eggs (So did the rational thing - no I didn't stop - ridiculous - no, I make a quarter of the batter and persevered into the night.

The Bake
I mean, I was not committed to the cause. I don't have a deep-fat fryer, so with a quarter of the mixture I tried to make the balls. Now this is hard - you need to hold them together - not only is this quite hot, oil is spitting at you, a lot of smoke was produced and I have stressed housemates flapping over the fire -alarm over me. Not quite the idilic baking environment I look for, if anything I blame the housemates.


The Result 
Honestly they are grim, I didn't proceed further. Mainly because I haven't had much time, and the other reason I don't care too. They are basically like onion bhajis, without the onion in, and not crispy. So everything bad about onion bhaji. Basically oil soaked/ bunt/ swirls of batter. Maybe one day I will try then again - or maybe I should make onion bhaji's instead.  All in all, not sure what Prue was going for.


Taste
1/10 (even I couldn't bring myself to eat them, and I am usually very lenient in my sympathy eating for my own failed bakes)

Appearance
2/10 (Maybe one looked ok)

Texture
1/10 (all oil)

Average = 1.3

No filter can save this sad lot.

Week 4- Maids of Honours

Maid of Honour for a Maid of Honour! Question is which am I going to be more successful at.. only time shall tell!

The Prep
The ingredient list wasn't bad - nothing too rouge or niche! At last. Although, didn't have baking beans or cutters - so had to improvise with rice and a gin glass. Lavish I know!


The Bake
Now I would say they look relatively simple, however there were a lot of different components and if this was timed I would probably have nothing to present - so all is well I didn't have to have a breakdown on national TV -but instead pansy around my Kitchen for 5 hours wondering where the tine had gone.

I actually really enjoyed the process - a lot of firsts. Never made curd - so simple! Milk and vinegar, but it really does look gross.. it curdles - and it all makes sense now. Made lemon curd, different thing also very simple! And rough puff, haven't done in a long time.


The Result 
I was really happy with them actually, they tasted better than they looked. And considering everyone's on the actual bake off was probably just as poor I felt chuffed (although I did have endless time and the recipe - but hey ho). And I did get some rave reviews, which for the first time I agreed! I brought them into the office and became very popular, it was nice to give something I was actually quite proud of. I know what I am bringing to my next review meeting.


Taste
9/10

Appearance
Looked a bit crap, not even at all 5/10

Texture
7/10 - nice flaky pastry. I was chuffed

Average = 7