The Designed life...: May 2015

Schedule

I had a plump-ass schedule planned for this week but it seems I get worse at planning every single week, things get delayed and it's roadtrip weekend! So here goes with a pared back version..

A year in trainers: the runniversary

designedlifeblog.blogspot.com runniversary

I knew this date was coming and yet I couldn’t write the post. Someone recently said ‘that it means that much to you’.

Ice cream on the wall..Zoe Isobel's room is the prettiest of them all!

designedlifeblog.blogspot.com ice cream selfie

This is a meeting of favourites..

Heart it

Fringe cushion from Roos Soetekouw. Safety pin suit jacket and overlay skirt from Ann-Sofie Back. Porcelain wall shelf bowl from Poast. Quote from Floor Number Four.

Schedule

A quickie schedule because the week's is just that..shorter.

I share way too much on here but it compensates and mellows the quiet shell and inner storm. So I figured since this is a topic that is now part of life in my thirties why not share? I’m talking dating.

Fun Favourites

I Love cruising the Internet for the super cool and this edit is no different. Chockful of greatness but of the fun variety. Inspired by the kiddy side of things..

The wedged archives

The road to my closet is paved with so many..shoes!

Monday inspiration

I must admit that my favourite past time of scouring the Internet for inspiration has been cut dramatically the last months so when I find a gem I quickly earmark it. These are just such an image..

Schedule

designedlifeblog.blogspot.com tulip explosion

Half way through May, can you believe it? To me June is the dawn of summer and so it's almost time to say sayonara to spring with a last tulip explosion.

Art against the wall

When I got an email from VT Wonen saying I’d won a years worth of art rental I was over the moon. Very much a Dutch institution art rental. I did my first art rental way back in 2004. An oxblood red painting to go with my then interior love of red (yikes!). I switched it up every couple of months because renting allows you do try different things and change according to mood, season, space or plain ole whim.

The next go after moving home, was a piece from Christiaan Lieverse that I ended up purchasing because a good portion of the rental amount is for building a buy-it reserve. That piece still hangs center stage in my living space.

Anyhoo, I immediately went online and fell for three different pieces. Here are the first two. A contrast to all the spring sunshine streaming through the windows but I fell in love with the darker autumnal colours. An ode to fall in the spring but the moody feel fits well with my bedroom space. ‘Fallen Leaves’ by Matthijs Reppel and ‘Autumn in the Garden’ by Ebelina Brethouwer. Grouped with some favourite accessories that match the bill with their velvety burgundy, dark, gold and copper tones.

Pretty little things

I usually like things a little bit funky, cheeky, edgy, however you wish to call it. But sometimes I just want it pretty. Soft and feminine, muted colours, no hard lines or edges, just girly. These are my pretty little things..

Pear with lavender syrup custard puffs

Like clockwork when weekend rolls around the baking fever hits. This time with a little inspiration from my garden.

Outside my kitchen window are two little fig trees surrounded by lavender. The leaves are out and my little fruits are too. They are just too stinking cute to pluck. But it left me inspired to make a dessert with soft sweetness, albeit juicy pears and not figs. No less yummy, in any way, shape or form. Add leftover bit of pastry dough from the thyme puffs, a simple sugar syrup infused with fresh lavender, a lavender-infused almond creme custard and weekend treat time commences.

For the custard I simmered a cup and a half of milk with a handful of lavender. This I added lukewarm to 2 beaten egg yolks and then transferred the mix to a pan with a fourth a cup of sugar, a third a cup of almond meal (I live for that stuff) and a pinch of salt. Constant stirring till thickened and then poured into a frozen metal bowl and finished with a fourth a teaspoon pure vanilla.
The lavender sauce is equals parts sugars and water, with a dash of white rum (what else?) and simmered till a little past simple syrup stage, so the sugar is dissolved and the syrup thickened.
The pastries are simply pastry squares rimmed, egg-washed and cinnamon sugar dusted before baking.
The pears are baked in a swallow bath of muscat, a sprinkle of cinnamon and vanilla paste, a pat of creamy butter and a few more sprigs of lavender because I want that subtle flavor infused in every delicious bite. Topped with a generous drizzling of blossom honey and baked till softened but still firm.

Each serving is a single square, a large dollop of custard, a sliced pear and a huge drizzle of syrup. Crispy pastry, soft cream, drenched pears with sugary lavender sweetness...soft contrast heaven.

Bon appetite, lavender style!

designedlifeblog.blopspot.com lavender syrup custard puffs

P.S. I waited months and could wait no more for the cake platter from Lenneke Wispelwey. It is even prettier than when I saw it in December. Perfectly paired with my mother's day bouquet. Happy as a clam treat for Mother's and any other day.