Monday 24 November 2008

Crafting and my Husbands Strudel!

Below is a new creation titled 'Bumper Cat!', a paper mache sculpture which will be available to purchase in my Etsy shop later on today :-)  Since a child I have always thought, that the way a cat holds up their tail is like the aerial of a Bumper Car.






Also, on Sunday my husband baked this amazing Apple and Blueberry Strudel for my sister in-laws 24th birthday. Below is the pic & recipe:

Apple and Blueberry Strudel

Preparation time 30 mins
Cooking time 35 - 40 mins

Ingredients

4 large cooking apples peeled, cored and chopped
1 Small Punnet of blueberry's
2oz Semolina
4oz Brown Sugar (muscovado if possible)
2tbs Cinnamon
3 Slices Wholemeal brown bread (turned into breadcrumbs)
1oz Butter
1 Square of puff pastry

Greaseproof paper
Icing Sugar for dusting


Put the apples and sugar into a pan and gently heat until softened leave as-side to cool a little,

Cut a piece of greaseproof paper about 2 foot and place on work surface, flour a little and put the puff pastry in the middle, lightly flour the top and roll out into a rectangle about 35cm x 65cm without lifting.

Add the breadcrumbs, blueberry's and cinnamon to the cooled apples and mix well, the mixture should be fairly dry. Pour the mixture into the centre of the pastry and flatten out over the whole surface leaving a gap of 3cm on the longest edges, butter the longest edges.

Now using the greaseproof paper roll the pastry starting as the long edge making sure to keep the mixture inside, once you have reached the end of the buttered pastry roll it back a little so the buttered lip is facing up.

Using a large nonstick tray sprinkle the semolina in a line where the strudel will sit, this will prevent the bottom of the strudel from getting soggy. Using the greaseproof paper lift the strudel and then roll it onto the tray making sure it sits on the join.

Slice across the top of the strudel to allow the moisture to escape and make it look nice, then butter the whole strudel lightly to help it brown.

Stick it in the oven until lightly brown and serve straight away with a good custard!


Bye for now! :-)

9 comments:

Victoria Thorne said...

i love all of this! yummy strudel snowy bumper cats, yes...

Nikola said...

Just a little note to say, i think you have a wonderful blog here, you have a great imagination, and are very talented. Please keep it up and happy crafting.

Nellie and Neo said...

Thanks Victoria :-)

Nellie and Neo said...

Thanks Nikola for the lovely comments, you've brought a big smile to my face :-)

maddy hill said...

love the bumper cat its cool !
cute real cat too !

Nellie and Neo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nellie and Neo said...

Thanks Maddy :-)

I see your from Leeds, which is a fantastic place and not that far from me.

=^..^=

'fancypicnic' said...

Check out that snow...bumper cat looks like fun! You're quite right about the tail in the air and how it alludes to bumper cars!

Mmmm...strudel......

Nellie and Neo said...

Hi Fancypicnic :-)

Yes, the Strudel was definitely mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........... and glad to see someone else sees the similarities between a cats tail in the air and a Bumper Car.