Lemon and Ginger Tea Meringues

This recipe was inspired by the egg foams part of Dr Heve This's lecture I wrote about in my Science of Cooking post . It makes an amazing amount of the most beautiful melt-in-your-mouth meringues from very little ingredients.

Ingredients:

(Makes about 50)

For the meringue:

100g caster sugar

2 egg whites
75ml hot water
1 lemon and ginger tea bag

2 tsp lemon juice

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 120 C
Make the tea buy putting tea bag in the hot water.

While the tea cools, whisk the egg whites, sugar and lemon into soft peaks.

Then slowly add the tea and whisk until very stiff.

Pipe small whirls of meringue mix (about 6cm diameter) onto a non-stick baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 1 1/4 mins until the meringue in completely dry.

Afternoon Tea at Laudree Covent Garden

I was very excited to hear that one of my favourite places in Paris, Laudree was opening up in Covent Garden so I decided to pay a visit with my mother. Sitting in the fabulous parlor upstairs I felt like I was in a scene from Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. We decided to go for the afternoon tea which was served on a beautiful silver cakes stand. It looked fabulous and did taste pretty good, though the cakes were a little over sweet. However I bought a box of 24 macaroons on the way out and these did not disappoint, AMAZING!

The Lauduree Dream

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..................yummy!

Cream Tea Cupcake

I wanted to create a classic cupcake for afternoon tea based loosely around the a victoria sponge.

Ingredients

(makes 12)

For the cupcakes:

100g self-rasing flour

100g caster sugar

100g margarine

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

For the cream topping:

200ml double cream

1 tbs strawberry jam

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C

Whisk together all the ingredients of the cupcakes in a large bowl until smooth

Spoon the cupcake mix into cupcake cases

Bake for about 15 mins then allow to cool.

While the cupcakes are cooling make the topping

Whip the cream in a large bowl until it starts to thicken

Whip in the strawberry jam

Pipe the cream topping onto the cooled cupcakes.

Afternoon Tea at the Corinthian

Yesterday, to celebrate my fiancé's birthday we went for a very glamorous afternoon tea at the Corinthian Club in glasgow. Here are some pics.

Vanilla and Jam Mini Tea-Time Cupcakes

Ingredients

(makes 12)

100g self-rasing flour

100g caster sugar

100g low fat margarine

1 tsp baking powder

4 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

A little butter of greasing

strawberry jam to spread on cupcakes

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C

Grease a mini cupcake tin

Separate the egg white form the egg yoke

Mix together all the ingredients of the cupcakes apart from the egg whites in a large bowl until smooth

Beat the egg whites into soft peaks

Fold the egg whites into the rest of the mixture

Spoon into cupcake cases

Bake for about 10 mins

Remove the cup cakes form the tin and place on a plate upside down

Spread some jam on the underside of each cupcake