It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Suffolk today. I don’t know about you but, over the last few weeks, unlike a normal Summer I’ve started to believe that the sun will keep on shining. No-one seems to be complaining about the awful British weather for a change and we are all are actively looking for new topics of conversation.
It has got me thinking about summer holidays and in particular a wonderful June I spent with my husband in Italy. One particular hotel served the most wonderful breakfasts on your own personal patio overlooking the sea. Blue skies and blue sea and the air perfumed with hibiscus. Trays came laden with coffee, tea, cereals in little pots, yoghurts, various jams and – best of all in my greedy opinion – a selection of pastries. And the best pastry of all was a crisp full of buttery almond ness with a dash of apricot and was named the crescentini.
Ok. I admit that I made up the name crescentini. I don’t know what it was actually called. Nor do I know how it was made but when I got home I had to try to copy it. My version I think nails it. It’s tons easier to make than a croissant as it uses puff pastry so there is no proving or kneading. It takes about 5 mins to assemble and about 20 to cook. As soon as it comes out the oven it’s a battle not to gobble them down straight away and risk burning the roof of your mouth or wait 5 mins whilst they cool. Yet they are delicious cold and even keep for a few days – unlike that almond croissant I compared it to earlier. How good is that? Continue reading