Kentish Strawberry Tart

Beautiful juicy red Strawberries are in abundance at the moment and are so delicious just served plain and simple but sometimes I love to use them to make refreshing, mouth-watering, luscious desserts and this particular one has been one of my favourites for years now, Kentish Strawberry Tart! Just so elegant, and ever so perfect for dinner parties, afternoon tea or picnics, I'm sure you will just love this!! Enjoy!!

For the pastry

115g Flour
55g ground almonds
115g butter, cut into small pieces
30g caster sugar
1 tsp almond essence
1 egg
For the filling
1 egg and 1 extra egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
30g caster sugar
30g flour
300ml milk
3 tbls jam
10 sponge fingers
2 tbls Madeira
225g strawberries, sliced
300ml cream, whipped

To decorate

Strawberries, sliced or whole, I also like to use sliced blanched almonds or you could just sprinkle strawberries with icing sugar, it's up to you!

Method

To make the pastry sift the flour into a bowl, stir in the almonds, add the butter and rub in finely. Stir in the sugar, almond essence and egg and mix into a firm dough. Cover with cling-film and chill for about 30 minutes.

Knead the dough until smooth, Roll it out thinly and use to line a buttered tart dish. Chill again for 30 minutes.

In a preheated oven (200c) bake pastry case for about 15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

For the filling, in a bowl whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla essence, sugar, and flour until well blended. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Whisking continuously, pour the milk over the egg mixture.

Return to the pan and continue whisking over a low heat until custard thickens. Allow to cool.

Spread pastry case with jam. Dip the sponge fingers into the Madeira, turning to coat well. Arrange them over the jam and cover with the strawberry slices.

Fold two thirds of the whipped cream into the custard and spread evenly over the strawberries.

Now cover the custard with the remaining cream, you can also use a piping bag and make a design of your choice. Now decorate with strawberries and if using, scatter almonds on top and sprinkle with some icing sugar.

Androulla xx

How to be a good mother

1). Be supportive, and never laugh at your kids hobbies, interests or friends.
So, your daughter doesn't want to study medicine and become a doctor? Don't get angry, this is your child's life and they can make some of their own decisions.

2). Be patient. 

Being a mother is a little challenging sometimes. But keep your cool and try to stay patient. Try this approach to other problems. Stay calm, explain the practical reasons not to do something, and then why YOU don't want them to do something.

3). Take an interest in your child's interests. 

If your son likes music buy him a guitar and watch him play. Ask questions, like what is your favorite type of music, what is your favorite song, etc. If your daughter is interested in fashion, take her out for a shopping spree. Ask her what her favorite thing about fashion is. Don't be afraid to ask just don't be pushy

4).Don't be tight about money. 

Okay, so blowing money day after day isn't the best thing to do, but don't automatically say no to everything your kid asks for. If you always say no and follow this with a lecture about saving money, you will be known as the "Tight Parent", the one who never buys anything. Buy something small every now and then.

Four Steps to Disciplining Your Kids

1. Commit Yourself.
It's crucial that your child knows that you're going to do what you say you will. If you explain what a punishment will be, and then don't act on it, you will have less credibility the next time. Make a commitment to your child's discipline, and be consistent in your behavior toward them.

2. Be Realistic in Your Expectations of Your Child.
Don't ask your child to do anything he/she cannot do. Make sure that what you are asking of your child is a behavior within his or her reach — if it's not, your child will get frustrated and be less likely to listen to you in the future.

3. Define Your Child's Currency.
Find out what your child values — it could be a toy, a particular activity, or even a privilege like getting to stay awake to a particular hour. Dr Phil explains: "If you control the currency, you control the behavior that currency depends on." Once you understand what your child values, you can withdraw positive things (taking away the toy) or introduce negative things (making them take a time-out) as a form of discipline.

4. Give Your Children Predictable Consequences.
It's important for your child to understand that the same result will come from the same behavior. Make your child feel like he/she has control over their life: If your child behaves in "Way A," they need to be sure that they will always get "Consequence B." If he/she can count on the rules staying the same, they're more likely to abide by them.

Children and self-confidence

Self-esteem fluctuates as kids grow. It's frequently changed and fine-tuned, because it is affected by a child's experiences and new perceptions. So it helps to be aware of the signs of both healthy and unhealthy self-esteem. Kids with low self-esteem may not want to try new things and may speak negatively about themselves: "I'm stupid," "I'll never learn how to do this," or "What's the point? Nobody cares about me anyway." They may exhibit a low tolerance for frustration, giving up easily or waiting for somebody else to take over. They tend to be overly critical of and easily disappointed in themselves. Kids with low self-esteem see temporary setbacks as permanent, intolerable conditions, and a sense of pessimism prevails. This can place kids at risk for stress and mental health problems, as well as real difficulties solving different kinds of problems and challenges they encounter.

Kids with healthy self-esteem tend to enjoy interacting with others. They're comfortable in social settings and enjoys group activities as well as independent pursuits. When challenges arise, they can work toward finding solutions and voice discontent without belittling themselves or others. For example, rather than saying, "I'm an idiot," a child with healthy self-esteem says, "I don't understand this." They know their strengths and weaknesses, and accept them. A sense of optimism prevails.Self-esteem fluctuates as kids grow. It's frequently changed and fine-tuned, because it is affected by a child's experiences and new perceptions. So it helps to be aware of the signs of both healthy and unhealthy self-esteem.

New: Baby Playgroup

The New Baby Playgroup welcomes mums and their babies under 1 year old or before walking. Moms can share ideas, experiences and advice with one another. This is a great way to get out of the house and create a social circle. Join for a unique and fun group experience that offers support and advice regarding the first months with your baby.
Group meets at Monday mornings 9.45 - 11.15 Costs: €6,00, including a Nespresso coffee or tea. For more information or to book your place, please call Tina at 24 822 441 or 99 30 46 60.