Rhubarb and Blood Orange Tartlets

It is traditional in the lead up to Christmas to thrash some rhubarb.  I should explain.  I come from a family who likes a quirky turn of phrase, and our conversations are littered with expressions from books, comic strips, radio shows, plays, TV shows and things my Grandmother used to say in the 1930s.  One of my favourite expressions is "rhubarb thrashing", which comes from the English comic strip "The Perishers".  I've never read it, but my parents were big fans.  Apparently, St Smithian's Day (St Smithian is the patron saint of rain) was celebrated with competitive rhubarb thrashing.  Every time I make something with rhubarb, the inevitable question "Have you been thrashing some rhubarb?"  is asked.

Rhubarb has been in season for several months in Australia, but I don't generally get excited by rhubarb until quite late in the season.  I think it is the deep, red colour of the stalks that make me think of Christmas.  I also like the sweet/sour flavour of rhubarb which cuts through the richness of other Christmas offerings. 

Rhubarb and orange is a classic flavour combination.  For these tartlets, I'm using blood orange juice, as it also has a sweet/sour quality.  I've heightened the orange flavour in this recipe by adding orange blossom water.  However, if orange blossom water makes your head want to explode, substitute with orange rind.

Rhubarb and Blood Orange Tartlets

Pastry

250g plain flour
100g icing sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter
2 eggs

Rhubarb filling

6 stalks of rhubarb, chopped into 3cm chunks
80g caster sugar
2 tbsp blood orange juice
A few drops orange blossom water (or 1/2 tbsp blood orange rind)

Meringue

2 egg whites
pinch of salt
75g caster sugar

You will need four mini muffin tins as this recipe makes 40 tarts.

Put the flour, icing sugar and salt into a food processor.  Cut the butter into cubes and soften.  If you have just taken the butter out of the fridge, then put the cubes in the microwave for 12 seconds.  Place the cubes in the food processor and pulse until you get a grainy consistency.  Add the eggs and pulse again until a dough starts to form.  Take the mixture out of the food processor and put it on a floured surface. Bring the dough together gently with your hands to form a disc.  Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 2 hours.  This dough is extremely soft so it needs the extra hour in the fridge.

Roll out the dough to about 2mm thickness, and cut out circles using a biscuit cutter.

Put the pastry discs into the mini muffin tins and then put the tins in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up.  Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.  Take the tins out of the freezer and prepare them for blind baking.  I know that blind baking tartlets of this size is a complete pain, but it is worth the effort. 

Blind bake the pastry for 10 minutes, remove the pastry weights, and then bake for another 10 minutes until the tartlets are golden and biscuity. 

While the tartlets are baking away, you can make the rhubarb mixture.  Put the chopped rhubarb into a frying pan. 

Sprinkle with the caster sugar and then add the juice (and the rind if you are using it).  Cook over a high heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and you're left with a smooth pulp. 

If there are any remaining woody bits, remove these and put them in a glass bowl with a squeeze of blood orange juice and blast in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.  This breaks the rhubarb down.  Stir into the rest of the pulp, and set aside to cool.  When cool, stir in the orange blossom water.

To make the meringue, put the egg whites into an electric mixer with the salt.  Beat the egg whites on a high speed until stiff, then gradually add the sugar.  Continue beating until thick and glossy and the sugar has dissolved.  You can check this by rubbing a small amount of the meringue between your fingers.  If you feel any grains, then continue beating until completely dissolved.

Put a small amount of the rhubarb mixture into each tartlet.

Pipe over the meringue, and bake the tartlets at 180 degrees celsius until the meringue takes on a golden hue.  Cool, then serve.

I'm not quite sure what rhubarb thrashing involves, but its sounds like it could be good for releasing a bit of stress.  Comfort eating is another way, so knock yourself out with these thrashed tarts.

Christmas Wrapping Ideas - Matryoshka dolls

In 1978, my family flew to Hong Kong on Christmas Day for a holiday.  As a child,  I remember being very excited at receiving a foam snowman decoration with my in-flight meal, courtesy of Cathay Pacific.  I also remember being pretty excited by the break in family tradition.  Up until this moment, we had been a turkey, roast vegetables and Christmas pudding kind of a family, and it felt like we were doing something really radical.

In Hong Kong, we did all the touristy things, and a few non-touristy as well.  On one of our shopping expeditions, we came across a Russian shop where Dad bought me this Matryoshka nesting doll.

As a consequence, I've always associated Matryoshka dolls with Christmas.  And it seems others do too as lots of different Matryoshka products are now available.  Building on my last two posts, here are some Christmas gift wrapping and gift tag ideas using Matryoshka dolls as the theme.

Matryoshka au natural
 
As you already know, I am a big fan of brown paper and twine, and stamping brown paper with a Matryoshka doll in red ink screams Christmas.  

The gift tag is a luggage tag covered with brown paper, and is stamped with a smaller Matryoshka.  I've tied it all together with some navy blue paper twine.
 

Here I've used brown paper and a teal blue decorative ribbon.  I've made the gift tag by cutting out a Matryoshka doll from some recycled gift wrap.

Red and blue is always a bright combination for Christmas.  Here I've used gift wrap, which is made from recycled paper, in two ways.  The cylindrical gift has been topped and tailed with some blue grosgrain ribbon.

Matryoshka cute

Pink, green and white is always a really popular colour theme for Christmas.

This Matryoshka themed Christmas paper looks good when paired with some green ric-rak as the accent colour. 

A Matryoshka embroidered ribbon works well against glossy, white paper.

For the gift on the left, I've used pink sheer curtain fabric to wrap the present and create a thick bow.  For the gift tag, I've cut out one of the Matryoshkas from the wrapping paper and stuck it to a white luggage tag.

Matryoshka luxe

This is handmade paper from India (which I happened to buy in Seattle), and the colours and design give it a real luxe quality.  I've paired it with with some olive green grosgrain ribbon and black ric-rak for two different looks.

For this luxe look, I've stamped and embossed some black tissue paper using gold embossing powder.  I've finished the look with a sheer gold ribbon, thick black glossy 'twine' and a gold wooden heart.

Matryoshkas are iconic and, so it seems, multi-purpose.  Here they are enjoying some well deserved down-time.

Christmas cards and gift tags

The Christmas Carol gods must have been reading my blog last week, as this week I heard Christmas carols nearly everywhere I went.  Chestnuts were roasting on an open fire, with Jack Frost apparently nipping at my nose, which was rather incongruous given it was 25 degrees celsius outside.  Fortunately, the Christmas carols did not have their usual effect on me so the panic did not start to rise, although I did go a bit crazy buying wrapping paper and ribbon so I am probably on the river denial.

This week's post is all about ideas and tips for Christmas cards and gift tags. Making your own Christmas cards and tags doesn't have to add to your already heightened stress levels.   As you should know by now, I like a less is more approach, and using and re-purposing what I already have. You can knock these cards off in a few hours and even less time if you have small people in your life to help production-line style.  My cat Piaf doesn't have the necessary motor skills so I was on my own with these.

1.  Make sure you have all the supplies you need - There is nothing worse than running out of something when you're in the middle of being creative.  It really kills the mood.  As a minimum, you will need blank cards, a selection of Christmas-themed scrapbooking paper, scissors, a box cutter, double-sided tape, a cutting mat and some ribbon or twine.

2.  Have a cup of tea - Before you start, have a cup of tea as once you get into the card making zone, you'll be there for a while.  I also recommend having some chocolate close by for when your energy levels start to flag. It will happen, so be prepared.

3.  Use Christmas decorations as templates for decorating cards - Flat Christmas decorations are ideal templates for cutting out shapes to stick onto white cards for a simple, minimalist look.  I like to use retro-style Christmas paper as I think the designs and colours add to the simplicity of the overall look.  Minimalist cards also stand out on a shelf of traditional Christmas cards. 

Here I've used the Ikea reindeer decoration, which featured in last week's post, as the template. 

Just trace around it, then use a box cutter to cut it out.

Stick the reindeer on the card using double-sided tape, et voila. 

4.  Use Christmas decorations as templates for gift tags - Christmas decorations are just so versatile.  Again, just trace and cut. 

5.  Use Christmas decorations as gift tags - Just stick an adhesive label to the back of a flat decoration and you have an instant gift tag.

6.  Trace shapes from old Christmas cards to make templates - I always keep the cards people give me.  Here is a bird I traced from an old Christmas card, and then used it to make templates of the three main parts - body, wings and tail. 

I used contrasting papers to highlight each part.

7.  Discover triangles - Christmas-themed paper + triangle = Christmas tree. 

8.  Use luggage tags to make gift tags - Cover a luggage tag with Christmas paper and you have an instant gift tag.  Add a bit of interest with some ribbon, twine or flutter wool.

9.  Use paper punches to create shapes - I've had this Christmas tree punch for years.  Here I've used it to create a Christmas tree shape.

There are lots of different ways to create simple and stylish Christmas cards that don't take ages to make or require expensive materials.  People appreciate a homemade card, and I'd encourage you to give it a go.

Christmas Gift Wrapping - General tips

I have been meaning to mention the C-word for the past couple of weeks.  Christmas.  Is coming.  Soon.  Fruit mince pies and panettone, Christmas decorations and cards have started to appear in the shops.  Fortunately, Christmas carols haven't so it is still possible to shop in peace and quiet until the madness starts for another year.  Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas carols.  In fact, on Christmas Day, I like to add a bit of festive atmosphere by playing the Frank Sinatra Christmas album, much to the horror of my family.  Frank does a good carol, but I'm not ready for them just yet. 

I do love Christmas as, if you are a crafty/baking person, it is your time to shine.  People love homemade gifts, beautifully wrapped presents and the once a year baked goodies, like shortbread and fruit cake.   Over the next few weeks, I will be posting some ideas on Christmas gift wrapping, card making and baking.  This is very organised for me as I don't start thinking about Christmas until a couple of weeks beforehand, and usually in a panic-stricken state.  I know I am not alone as each year I see people like me walking around shopping centres at an unnaturally fast pace with fierce looks of determination.  I like to add to this stress by baking until all hours of the night.  The nights in Australia are pretty warm by this time, which adds to the pressure cooker atmosphere.  Whether you're a last minute person or an organised months in advance person, I'm hoping these posts will give you some tips and ideas for making your handmade Christmases a bit easier. 

I thought I would start with some general tips on Christmas gift wrapping:

1.  Choose a theme - A theme establishes the framework from which everything else, including cards and decorations, will flow.  A theme makes shopping so much easier as it allows you to remain focussed and not be distracted by shiny non-theme related objects.  Presents wrapped in a coordinated theme also look good under the Christmas tree. Some themes to think about include red and white, contemporary, minimalist, Scandinavian, and Arctic winter.  Here is an example of a minimalist theme I used a few years ago.  Its a simple sprig of decoration on a white, glossy background.

2.  Use Christmas decorations to accessorise your gifts - I like to use Christmas decorations to add colour, contrast and texture.  The post-Christmas sales are good for picking up decorations at half-price which can be re-purposed the following year.  I used reindeer decorations from Ikea last year for a contemporary Scandinavian look.

3.  Use plastic wrap to glam up plain paper - If you like to wrap your presents in plain paper, one way to add a touch of elegance is to wrap the present again in thick plastic wrap, and finish it with a fabric ribbon.

4.  Use fabric ribbons to add interest - Whether you prefer plain or patterned gift wrap, an interesting ribbon can really take your gift wrapping to the next level.  Here I've used ric-rac which, together with a wooden decoration, adds contrast and texture.

5.  Use paper bags, boxes and fabric to wrap odd shaped presents- Gift wrapping should not have to involve the laws of physics.  If you need to wrap an odd shaped present, put it in a gift bag.  You can spruce up plain paper bags by using decorations, quirky ribbons, and stamps.  Fabric is also very forgiving and is particularly good for wrapping round and oval shaped presents.  Boxes, especially noodle boxes, are good for wrapping baked treats.

6.  Iron your wrapping paper - If you're using folded paper rather than paper from a roll, iron it first to remove the crease marks.  Use a low setting and a light touch.  It is worth the effort.

7.  Keep craft glue handy - Sticky tape does not stick to all paper and sometimes glue is required.  I use an all purpose craft glue.

8.  Under no circumstances use Christmas themed sticky tape - Enough said.