[Sca-cooks] Pastry decoration - a question

[Susan Fox-Davis]

I would suggest cooking the filling separately and filling the pre-baked pastry
bunny.  Bunny will get adequately brown on his own without extra help.  Agreed
with previous posters as to the easily-burnt extremities;  wrap them tenderly
with parchment or foil but don't forget to remove it or you will have white
doughy ears on your brown bunny.

A story:

Once upon a time, I was the pastry chef for the 12th Night feast here in Caid.
The sweet course was mincemeat pie.  Most of the diners were served conventional
round pies, but the one for the head table was special.  The mincemeat was cooked
separately and spooned into the baked pastry Boar's Head, the top opening of
which was then covered with an egg-and-saffron gilded "crown."  I bore the Boar
to the head table, presented it to King Guy [a good friend, fortunately], and
exhorted him to 'de-crown this usurper' and officially begin the course.  He did
so, and started scooping out the mincemeat with gusto [or with a spoon anyway].

Thusly did I speak to the populace:

"I have an announcement for the populace:  The King Has The Brains Of A Pig."

His Majesty looked at me.  I looked at him.  I turned back to the populace.

"I have an amendment to the previous announcement:  The King Has Not Got The
Brains Of A Pig."

Whereupon I left the head table in a mighty hurry before banishment or worse
could occur.

This did I witness, and only slightly exaggerate,
Selene Colfox