Feijoa Curd

Hi guys,

Today I am wanting to share a great recipe that uses feijoas.  In New Zealand it is currently the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, so feijoa season is coming to an end :(, (I am crying on the inside), I love feijoas, so I want to be able to hold onto them for as long as possible once the season is over.  Muffins and cakes do not last very long, unfortunately, even if I am able to get a few in the freezer, as they are mostly eaten within a few days of being cooked in my house.  So I have found a recipe that allows me to hold onto the taste of feijoas for that little bit longer, it is feijoa curd.

I found this recipe in Bite magazine, in the New Zealand Herald, on the 25th April (ANZAC Day).

Feijoa Curd

15 feijoas, scooped out (approx 250g)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

150g caster sugar

100g unsalted butter

1  Puree the feijoas and lemon juice and strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds.

2  Beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar together.  Heat in a heavy-based pan on a medium heat then slowly      

    which in the butter, a knob at a time.

3  Keep cooking gently, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes until thickened.  Mix in the feijoa 

    puree and cook for a further 3 minutes.

4  Let cool slightly, then pour into a sterilised jar.  Store in the fridge.

If putting the curd into a cold sterilised jar, make sure the curd is cold, if putting in a hot jar, put the curd in while the jar is hot.

The curd will thicken a little bit more once cooled.  To get a thicker curd, I found it best to only stir the eggs, yolks and sugar mixture occasionally when heating it up, before putting the butter in, just enough to stop it from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pot.  Once the butter is melted in, don't stop stirring the mixture, it can stick and burn easily.  

I served this curd with hot, buttered scones with cream.  It could also be served on toast, crumpets or pikelets.  

Until next time, keep having fun.

Laura

xoxo

Easiest scones

Hi guys, 

I know that I didn't post for a very long time, now this is the second post today.  I am working on making a schedule, so fingers crossed for the future.  If you have anything you want me to talk about, share (recipes) or if you just want to have a chat let me know in the comments.

This is the best scone recipe I have ever found, it is the only recipe I use when making scones.  It is out of the Edmonds Cookery Book.  They are easy to make for a quick lunch or afternoon tea in the weekend.  They are great with cream and feijoa curd (you'll find the recipe on the blog shortly).

Scones

3 cups flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

50g (2 ozs.) butter

1 - 1 1/2 cups milk

Heat oven to 230 C or 450 F.

Sift the dry ingredients, rub in the butter, using the tips of your fingers, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  

Add the milk and mix quickly, with a knife (butter knife) to form a soft dough. 

Turn out onto a floured board, roll lightly till about 15mm (3/4 inch) thick, cut and place on a cold lightly greased or floured oven tray.  

Bake for 10-15 minutes, till golden brown.

Makes approx. 16

For more of a savoury scone you could try cheese scones.

Cheese Scones

3 cups flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 cup grated cheese

About 1 cup milk

Heat oven to 215 C or 425 F.

Sift the dry ingredients, add the cheese, and mix to a light dough with the milk.

Turn on to a floured board, knead, roll out, and cut.

Place on a lightly greased or floured cold oven tray.

Bake for 10 mins.

I find for the best light, fluffy scones the key is to handle the dough as little as possible.

Until next time, keep having fun.

Laura

xoxo

Why not make it a road trip?

About a week ago, my Nan decided that she wanted Lardy cakes (for those of you who don't know what they are, I suggest Googling them, as they are amazing).  So the next morning we jump in the car, (Nan, Grandad and I) and head off, as the only place that we have found that makes them any where near us is a town called Matamata.  Some of you may know this place better as the gate way to Hobbiton, or Middle Earth.  

However when going on a car trip with my grandparents and even my parents I have learnt to never take a direct route to the destination, this is how I have seen many places within our country, that I would never have got to experience.  As we don't take direct routes to many places, before we got to Matamata we stopped in a small town in the Waikato District called Morrinsville.  

I don't know why but I've never stopped in Morrinsville before, I've just driven straight through, however this time we stopped, which I highly recommend.  It is a small rural city, on almost every corner is a cow (Waikato is known as Mooloo country).  But not just any normal cow, no, these cows are all painted differently, all with their own story and design.  These are just a couple that I saw on my wander around town.

So I guess why I am sharing this story of discovering these painted cows, is that in life you may see one path to where you want to go, a straight path.  However as many of you may know, this is not normally how life ends up working out for you.  To get anywhere worth going you may have to take a few road trips that may seem out of the way, but along these journeys you end up learning something, either about your self, your destination, or a lesson that makes you thankful and grateful for what you have and where you are heading on your journey.  So why take the direct path, you never know, by taking the detour you may end up having more fun, learning more or in my case discovering painted cows.  

Until next time, keep having fun.

Laura

xoxo