Recipe time...Toffee Tumbles

Almond Buttercake



150g butter, softened


1/2 teaspoon almond essence


2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar


2 eggs


1/3 cup (50g) self-raising flour


1/2 cup (75g) plain flour


1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
/regular flour

1/2 cup almonds chopped


Choux Pastry



60g butter


3/4 cup (180ml) water


3/4 cup (105g) plain flour


3 eggs, beaten lightly



Vanilla Custard



1 1/4 cups (310mls) milk


1 vanilla bean, split


4 egg yolks


1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar


1/4 cup (40g) cornflour



Toffee



1 cup (220g) caster sugar


1/2 cup (125ml) water



Make choux pastry; make vanilla custard. Preheat oven to moderate (180oC/160oC fan forced). Line 12-hole standard pan with paper cases. Beat butter, essence, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted flours and almond meal, in two batches. Divide mixture among cases; smooth surface. Bake cakes about 20 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool. Cut a 2cm deep hole in the centre of each cake, fill with custard; replace lid. Spread tops of cakes with a little more custard. Top with a layer of puffs. Stack remaining puffs on cakes dipping each in a little custard. Make toffee; drizzle over puffs.

Choux Pastry



Preheat oven to hot (220oC/200oC fan forced). Grease oven trays, line with baking paper. Combine butter with the water in medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add flour, beat until mixture forms a smooth ball. Transfer mixture to small bowl, beat in egg with electric mixer in about six batches until mixture becomes glossy. Spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with 1 cm plain tube. Pipe about 300 tiny dollops of pastry (about 1/4 level teaspoon), onto trays; bake 7 minutes. Reduce oven to moderate (180oC/160oC fan forced), bake for a further 5 minutes or until puffs are crisp. Repeat with remaining mixture.



Vanilla Custard



Bring milk and vanilla bean to a boil in small saucepan; discard vanilla bean. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in small bowl with electric mixer until thick. With motor operating gradually beat in warm milk. Return custard to small pan; stir over heat until, mixture boils and thickens. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap; cool.

 Mmmm most delicous custard I have made!

Toffee



Combine sugar with the water in small heavy-based saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, until mixture is golden brown. Remove from heat; stand until bubbles subside before using. Mine took a while to get going and to turn that caramel brown colour.