Fun Creating

I have had an urge to make things. Not necessary things but things that require me to work out how to do them. I have wanted to make something with clear pockets for a while so I used a plush curtain sample, a hand towel and some strips from the lining I bought for my jacket to make a toiletries pouch to take on the plane. I have three trips in the works. It is not super light or stream lined but I like the look of it.

After seeing the luggage tags Simone had on her post I just had to try making some. I tried one with binding that was OK but I didn't like it so I made one that is sewn and turned. The tails of the tie extend all along the tag and are sewn the length of the tag so there is no chance of it being torn off without the fabric tearing. I also wanted to decorate it with applique and since I had a likeness of myself from another project I put me on it in felt with a narrow zig zag to hold it on. It has stiff hand bag wadding inside. I laughed as I attached it to my bag. It is just like photo ID.

The other thing I made was  a sponge cake with lots of egg yolks and no butter. I had yolks left over from making pikelets with egg whites. I know the idea is not to eat the yolks but it seems such a waste to throw them away.

I made a few adjustments to the recipe and it turned out yummy. A lot of butter in cakes brings out my dairy intolerance a bit so it was nice to have no butter in the cake.

Egg yolk Sponge

Ingredients

3/4 cup SR flour or make up to 3/4 with 1 1/2 tbsp of cocoa
1/2 cup caster sugar
5 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
6 tbsp hot water (85 degrees C)

Method

1. Sift flour and cocoa and set aside.
2. Use elecric mixer or mix master to beat eggs for 3 mins
3. Add hot water gradually while beating then beat for 10 mins til thick and creamy
4. Add sugar gradually while beating and beat for 3 mins to dissolve sugar
5. Fold in the flour in 4 steps. I use a hand whisk to stir in the flour gently
6. Pour into a large cake tin
7. Bake at 180 C or 375 F for 30 mins. The cake should shrink away from the tin a bit
8. Turn out and cool completely. I found the top stuck to the cooling rack a bit. Maybe spray the rack before using.

The cake nearly didn't make it to the photo shoot :)

The pikelet recipe is interesting too. It is from the Oxygen magazine. I was a bit skeptical but they rise and they taste great. They even passed the husband test :)
I adjusted this recipe a bit too because it is a pain to clean out the blender. If you use oat bran instead of rolled oats you can make it with a bamix or electric beaters. I also used almond meal as an alternative to flax seeds and protein powder.

High Protein Pikelets

Ingredients
1/2 cup oat bran (or rolled oats if using the blender)
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 scoop protein powder
I had no flax seeds or protein powder so I used 3 tbsp almond meal
2 fresh egg whites
1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese

Method

1. Mix all ingredients or blend if using rolled oats.
2. Also once I had made it once I just put in rough amounts. It is pretty hard to wreck it.
3. If it is a bit thick I added another egg white one time and some rice milk another time.
4. Cook like pikelets

This amount is supposed to be for one but it makes about 6 small pikelets that are very filling and would possibly feed two with some yoghurt and berries on top. It was enough for the two of us.

I am looking forward to the beginning of spring tomorrow. The sun has that lovely warm feel to it now - not too cold, not to hot.

Happy Quilting,
Val