Recipe For A Tasty Treat!!

Hello, Hello! Are you all still out there in blogland ... or have you crossed over to what my blogging buddy Chookyblue calls "The Dark Side" ... Facebook and Instagram?! :0) I'm on the first a bit (because it's so easy to scroll through on my iPad!) but not the second ... and feel a bit like a neglectful mama hen that I've been a bit absent from my blog again ... but I promise I have a good reason ... and a recipe for a sweetie-treatie to share with you to make up for it. :0)

The reason for my absence ... well there's a couple. Firstly, My folks, who have been living with us for the last five months, are just about ready to move into their new home ... a lovely fully refurbished unit at the retirement village where I work. So this last couple of weeks has seen a lot of re-packing of bags and boxes, some fun shopping for furniture, rugs, curtains etc. and a lot of faffing about to get things into gear for the move. It will be wonderful for Mum and Dad to start the next chapter of their retirement ... I quite expect to have to make an appointment to catch up with them once they settle in and get into the swing of a whole new schedule of outings, voluntary work and time with new friends ... I hope they have a blast! :0) And as much as we've been spoilt to have help with the grown up chores, it will be nice for my Beloved Geek Boy and I to have our space back again. Of course ... we may spend the first week or so looking at each other a little lost and wondering whose turn it is to be the grown up! Tee! Hee! Hee!

The second reason for my absence ... any stitching I've been doing has been for Secret Squirrel projects that I can't show you until next month, so I haven't had anything stitchy or pretty to share with you ... I still don't, really, but wanted to pop in for a visit.

So ... instead of a stitchy photo and post, I have a TASTY TREAT photo and post to share ... just in time for the approaching warmer weather when we'll all come out of hibernation and start to think about parties, picnics, barbecues and afternoon teas on the verandah in the sun again ... or is that just ME?!?! :0)

Do you remember me sharing earlier in the year that I hosted a "Cheer Up" afternoon tea for my Mother-In-Law and a few other of GB's family?

Well ... at the time, I had a few people ask for a recipe for ...

... these little tart shells. They're made with my Mum's recipe and really quick and simple. It makes three or four dozen (maybe more ... forgot to make a note on my recipe book when transcribing!) and they freeze really well, so Mum and I tend to keep a few tucked away in the freezer for impromptu gatherings or 'take-a-plate' events. You can use all sorts of tasty fillings. The ones above had home made lemon butter (middle tier) and shop-bought caramel filling (bottom tier). They are also really YUMMO with ...

... passionfruit butter!! :0) Our passionfruit vine went a bit burko this year and we had LOTS of fruit, so Mum made some passionfruit butter ... and passionfruit custard cake ... and passionfruit bikkies ... and fruit salad with passionfruit ...!!! You get the picture! :0) We still have some pulp in the freezer for icing flavouring or fruit salad. But I digress ... (stop sniggering Chooky and get another cup of tea!! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

So ... to give you the chance to make your own sweetie-treaties ... here is Mum's pastry recipe.

MINI TART SHELLS

* 1/2 Cup icing sugar (we use icing 'mix' cos it stores better than pure icing sugar)

* 125g butter, softened

* 1 egg

* 1 cup plain flour

* 1/2 cup SR flour

Step 1. Cream the icing sugar and softened butter until the mix lightens in colour to almost white.

Step 2. Mix in the egg.

Step 3. Gradually add and fold through the flours (the mix of plain and SR flours stops the pastry puffing too much when you bake it, so there's plenty of space in the shells for the yummy fillings!)

Step 4. Turn dough out onto a floured flat surface and roll quite thinly.

Step 5. Use a scone cutter or drinking glass to cut circles from the pastry and gently ease them into greased mini-muffin trays ... be gentle so your thin pastry doesn't tear. (You may have to experiment a bit to find a round 'cutter' that fits the muffin tray you're baking in, as they're all a little different.)

Step 6. Pull pastry scraps together, re-roll and cut more circles. Repeat until you use up the pastry or until you feel you'll be overrun with mini tart shells! :0)

Step 7. Bake in a moderate oven (about 150C) until pastry turns golden brown.

Step 8. Remove tart shells from oven and allow to cool in the tray for 5-10 minutes, then cool completely on a baking tray.

Step 9. Spoon in your filling of choice and top with a dollop of double cream.

Step 10. Invite your favourite people for afternoon tea and ENJOY scoffing these sweetie-treaties! :0)

There you go ... I hope you enjoy testing out that quick and yummy recipe. You could also make larger versions of these tart shells, but these are a tasty mouthful for afternoon tea treats. Please share a picture and let me know if you try it out and love it. :0)

And speaking of afternoon tea ... I think I hear the kettle calling my name. :0) I hope you've all had a lovely weekend and that your week is FANTASTIC!! Don't forget to pop over to visit Sweet Peg to find out who this month's lucky OPAM winners are. Til next time ...

FLOURY BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS