Chefs Toolbox Party

Tonight I had a real doozy of a party.
It wasn't one of my dinner parties, this was very different--and resulted in an exploding micowave, flames, and not one, but two burnt pizza crusts.
A little while ago, a wonderful woman I have known for a long time planted a seed in my head. She had become a consultant for a company called Chef's Toolbox, holding cooking parties and selling wonderful cookware. She held a fundraiser for our Church, which is under construction, and raised $1500.00.
Impressed, I asked her more, hoping that I too, could do something similar for our little, blossoming Traditional Catholic school.
A few weeks later I'm burning pizza bases and watching flames shoot out of microwaves in a kitchen that is not my own. I laugh now, remembering a dream I had a few months ago, just after I started this blog.
Someone had seen my blog and started a hate blog in response to my posts, declaring I thought I was some sort of Domestic Goddess...when it came to the kitchen. They said I knew nothing of cooking, was a total fraud and was full of my own importance.
I awoke in horror, read all my posts and felt sober. Now I cackle away, half mad because I cannot sleep for the thought of that party I held. Where ever you are, dear imaginary Hate Blogger, I am confessing, I know nothing when it comes to kitchens, food and baking. I know nothing.

On that note, here's another delicious morsel that didn't burn. Bon Appetit!

PASSIONFRUIT CUSTARD SHORTBREADS

Shortbread:

125g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup pure icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cornflour

Using an electric beater, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flours, and stir until well combined. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll with a rolling pin and press our 20 circles. Place on a lined tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Cool.

Custard:

2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
6 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. cornflour
40g butter, at room temperature

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, combine yolks, sugar and cornflour and whisk over a low heat. When the milk has boiled, add a few tablespoons into the yolk mixture and whisk. Gradually add the remaining milk and whisk vigorously on a medium heat. Custard will thicken. Continue to whisk until boils, and remove from heat. Scrape into a small bowl and sit in a tray of ice, to cease the cooking process. When cooler, add the butter in 3-4 installments, stirring until combined. Add essence, mix and refrigerate. Stores for 2-3 days.

Passion Fruit Icing:

1-2 passion fruits
1/2 cup icing sugar

Combine enough passion fruit with icing sugar to make a runny icing. Add water if further thinning is required.
Spread icing over the tops of each shortbread biscuit, Allow to dry, before wedging two biscuits together with custard.

Makes 10