This is something I’ll definitely miss from my old job – birthday afternoon teas from Chez Jean Claude Patisserie with my now ex-team mates. A cup of tea, something sweet and decadent, chatting and laughing, and forgetting about the stresses of work for just a little while. This was workmate R’s birthday celebration. We’d seen him placing a white cardboard box into the fridge earlier that day and had been looking forward to our sweet break at around 2pm.

The mini fruit tartlettes are always a favourite in any group.

These were doughnutty-like buns, iced with dark chocolate, topped with white chocolate pearls and filled with creamy chocolate mousse.

The custard filled strawberry tartlettes always go quickly too. I love the sweet, chocolate-lined tart shell.

Icing and layers of pastry and custard – I love these, but they are so messy to eat!

My boss and workmate B love these mini lemon meringue pies.

This is what I went for first – the custard horn. You know something I really love, like really really LOVE? Fridge-cold creamy vanilla custard, which was what these pastry horns were filled with. I love custard-filled pastries (remember these cannoli? I think I need to eat a cannoli again soon!)

This chocolate cake was very good, but booby-trapped, leaving cocoa dust all over the front of SO’s shirt as she took her first bite. Chocoholics, be warned!