Victoria sponge for Sandra

Instead of the usual batch of birthday cupcakes,
I decided to make a Victoria sponge for Sandra.

I used a Mary Berry recipe and filled it with vanilla buttercream and
strawberry jam, before dousing it with icing sugar.

It weighed about a ton, and had to be carefully airlifted into a tin
using folded sheets of baking paper.

Sandra delicately hacked into it without taking it out of the tin.

Here's Ruth M-J tucking into a slice.

And here's Sandra taking a trademark small bite.

Portuguese custard tarts

I decided to make Portuguese custard tarts.

I couldn't find a recipe that didn't use ready made pastry,
so took the plunge and made my own rough puff.

You have to roll the pastry into a log and cut into spirals first.

I'd also never made real custard from scractch before,
so that was a new experience.

Here are the tart cases filled with the custard.

And here are the finised tarts!

I gave some to my friend Lindsey for her birthday.

She's a real "pastel de nata" aficionado,
so I was pleased when she said they tasted authentic!