November saw at visit to the "Twin Lakes " Velo cafe for South Lancashire Clandestine Cake Club, it was a chilly day bright but cold, the welcome was warm and friendly in this tucked away venue near the village of Croston, near Chorley.
Situated by two lakes hence the name and with a cycling theme as the area is popular with cyclists the cafe is a little of the beaten track, our members however had no trouble locating our event and arrived a wonderful selection of suitably themed cakes.
Our cakes attracted a lot of attention from cyclists and passing walkers who pop in for a warming drink or snack whilst in the area.
Our cakes included a Yellow Jersey cake, Brandy snap cake, Paris Brest, Chocolate, cherry and chestnut roulade, Tipsy Orange truffle cake, Treacle and lemon dizzle bundt, Berry and cream rings cake, Chocolate, coffee meringue roulade, Carrot and Chocolate roulade, Black Forest Circular and Clares Mum's Wheely good cake.
The lady who made the Paris Brest, wrote a little missive on her trails and tribulations on making her creation for her first cake club.
"How not to make a Paris Brest"
It may be on theme, but 35 step recipe is possibly a little ambitious to start with. Still some of the steps are pretty straightforward –eg step 21 When cooked remove from oven & leave to cool. The cake only takes 1 hr 30 mins to complete. 8.30 start . Step 1 All ingredients assembled by 8.45. Dropped plain flour on to chair, so have to use part self raising. Also snapped thermometer Not sure it can still be used in 2 pieces. Panada . Butter, salt, water in pan, boiling. Tick. Remove from heat . Add all flour at once. Too stiff to stir & certainly doesn’t need drying off. Add eggs one by one. Should be shiny, not dull and drop off a spoon in 3 seconds rather than 3 minutes. Add another egg Pipe 3 rings onto greaseproof. Looks singularly unattractive. (picture available) Just remembered in time to glaze with beaten egg. Supposed to sprinkle with 100g flaked almonds, but only about ½ will fit on. Cook for 20mins at 180- nowhere near done. After 30 mins almonds burning, so removed. Has not risen Almond praline cream Boil up sugar syrup- get husband to stick finger in or guess when it is done. Beat in 8 egg yolks then 250g butter. Continue to beat for an hour to an hour and a half (resting mixer frequently to stop motor wearing out) Add almond butter. How can this still be liquid? Assembly Slice a very thin uneven layer off the top. Rebake bottom half for 10 minutes as it is completely raw. Cool. Pipe in squidgy praline cream, try not to laugh. Spend 40 minutes trying to clear the kitchen walls and work surfaces of choux pastry base, praline cream and egg. Now seeking recipes needing 8 egg whites and a bowl of almond praline cream. Original recipe used was https://www.meilleurduchef.com/cgi/mdc/l/en/recipe/paris-brest.html
This made us all chuckle ! đŸ˜‹đŸ˜‹đŸ˜‹đŸ˜‹
Thanks go to all the team at the Velo Cafe for making us so welcome
