[Mrs Bee]

my second batch looked like yours except for them sticking and having holes in the bottom , yours looked yum
chrissie b

I lined my baking sheet with baking parchment, then greased it and sprinkled it with a little cold water and there were no sticking problems.

Did you remember to cut a slit in the side of each eclair to let out the steam and then pop them back for 2 mins to crisp up?

[chrissie B]

i will use parchment next time , i usally use it ,i did put the slit in it but didnt put back in the oven will also do that fingers crossed , i hate getting things wrong , we had a duck crown on sunday and wanted to make some soup with the carcas as i have done with chickens before , it was absolutly awful , ive never made anything so awful before , dog liked it though .
chrissie b

[Mrs Bee]

Yep, me too. I really hate gettingthings wrong and then the stubborness kicks in and I am on a mission to get it right.

Although sometimes I have tried a recipe 4 times and it stil hasn't worked. have had several lots of correspondence with cookery magazines that print recipes that really don't work.
Got several lots of free magazines with it too.
Some mags just give out a standard  'All our recipes are tested' rubbish.

Whilst I was in the Westfield centre today I just had to pop into the bookstore
And look at the cookery books

WHilst browsing I found a proffessional baking book that just happened to open on the choux pastry page and ...........

Now this is the interesting bit...... it suggested putting the mixture of flour, water and butter after it goes into the ball,  into the mixer and beat it with the K beater when you are adding the eggs.
It also said that he never bothered to  sieve flour for anything when baking except for choux pastry.

Guess what I will be trying tomorrow

[chrissie B]

well the other day when i was on my second batch and my arms were getting tired , they dont last very long when i have to beat something alot , i was thinking would it make it so different if i put it in the machine to do the beating , did it give any out come i would think they would be lighter , whats to loose .
chrissie b

[Mrs Bee]

The guy writing the book, just said that it would be easier and more efficient to beat the egg into the mix with a mixer.

He dIdn't say that they would be lighter but if a pro baker recommends this method we have just got to try haven't we.

Agree with you about tired arms after beating the mixture. As I have got older I have got ulneritus and the more I do with the hands the worse it gets. Hands get pins and needles at night  after using them for cooking, gardening or embroidery.   

Doesn't stop me though

[chrissie B]

as you said before the profecionals dont allways get it wright .
did you see topic on mancherster egg did them last night , minimul effort maximum taste .
chrissie b

[Mrs Bee]

Saw your post on the Manchester egg.

I have seen that done on a programme somewhere.

Scotch egg with black pudding. It is worth a try. Black pudding doesn't float my boat too well. OH said he had it as a kid along with tripe.

OH is from Liverpool and asked me to do a Lancashire hotpot for him as he was feeling nostalgic. After eating he thanked me for doing it but thought that his memories were nicer than the actual dish and there are better things to eat

We have so many more food  and cooking options now than when we were younger and our tastes change

[chrissie B]

did another batch of eclairs today and used the hand whisk and 1 less egg , got the correct consistancy , recipie did say 12 eclairs ut i was lucky to get 9 i may have made them a little longer , am afraid no pics , they werent on the plate long enough , sorry .
chrissie b

[Yorkie]

did another batch of eclairs today and used the hand whisk and 1 less egg , got the correct consistancy , recipie did say 12 eclairs ut i was lucky to get 9 i may have made them a little longer , am afraid no pics , they werent on the plate long enough , sorry .
chrissie b

  greedy guts (jealous) 

[Mrs Bee]

Well done Chrissie. You've cracked it! Ain't it great when something goes right.

[chrissie B]

yes it is , i still think theres rom for improvement though , will have to leave off making them for a while give hubby a change .
chrissie b