Today was a much better day than yesterday, thank god!

I got in early & made the pastry base for the lovely Blood orange Tart in the picture. I put a lot of time & effort into this tart but unfortunately the picture doesn't reflect this! Anyway I made a shortcrust pastry with a little orange juice in it, wrapped it up & chilled in the fridge.

Next I made a Brown Soda Bread. As our exams are coming up next week and I could be asked to make this bread I thought it would be good for me to do this without any help from the teachers. I haven't made it since week 2. The recipe says to add all of the milk - but cautiously I decided not to as moisture in the flour etc. can vary - I still put in too much, the bread was sloppy - I had to add more flour & work it a little more which then makes it a heavier bread. Lesson learned! Popped it in the oven to bake.

On to some Sweet Dill Mayonnaise to put on my 2 starter plates of locally smoked fish.

I then moved on to shaping my brioche which I made yesterday. Once I shaped them I egg washed them & put them in the warming cupboard to prove for an hour.

Back to the tart, I rolled out the pastry & lined the flan ring - then covered in parchment paper & baking beans and back to the fridge to chill again. Then on to the filling which was an almond paste. Baked the pastry base blind for 20 mins.

Next I arranged my smoked fish plates with some nice leaves & some of my soda bread & dill mayonnaise.

I made an apricot glaze for the tart. Glazed the tart & filled it, then baked for another 20 mins. Then I prepared the blood oranges for the top. Place these carefully on top & glazed it again - heavily!

Put my brioche in to bake for 20 mins - yum yum!

Long day but got loads done