Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes with Walnuts

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes with Walnuts




Shopping List:

125 gr butter, softened
125 gr soft light brown sugar
2 eggs, free range
150 gr self-raising flour
3 tablespoons milk


For the cinnamon sugar:

2 tablespoons of fine sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


For the  Cream Cheese topping:

40 gr butter, softened
125 gr cream cheese (mascarpone)
Icing sugar sifted about 250 gr
30 gr roughly crushed walnuts




Preheat your oven to 180C. Put 12 paper cases in your muffin tin.

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon, set aside.

Beat together the butter and the brown sugar until it is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and then mix in the flour and the milk until it has a nice consistency.

Fill the muffin cases about 1/2 full.  Spoon generous 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon sugar into the center of the batter in each case. Top the cinnamon sugar with the remaining batter divided evenly among the paper cases. In each case, swirl the batter with a cake tester or a toothpick to create a spiral effect.

Bake the cupcakes in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until your caketester or toothpick comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes form the muffin tin after about 5 minutes and let them cool completely on your wire rack.

In the mean time, beat together 40 gr softened butter with 125 gr cream cheese until it is soft. Add about 250 gr of sifted icing sugar and beat for about  1-2 minutes until smooth.

Place the topping in a piping bag with a round tip. Starting at the outer edge of the cupcakes, pipe the topping in a spiral pattern, slowly elevating to a little peak in the centre.
Sprinkle with the crushed walnuts.

If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a resealable freezer or food-storage bag. Snip a small opening at one bottom corner é presto!

You can use Pecan nuts or any nut you want or omit them alltogether.



                                                            "Enjoy"

Caribbean Easter Muffins

 

 

 

 

Caribbean Easter Muffins



Shopping List:

100 gr butter softened
100 gr soft golden or white caster sugar
2 large eggs, free range, beaten
175 gr self-raising flour
5 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dessicated coconut
100 gr red glacé cherries cut in quarters


For the topping:

85 gr raspberry or other red jam
50 gr glacé cherries also cut into quarters
1 tablespoon dessicated coconut to sprinkle




Preheat your oven to 180C. Line your muffin tray with 9 cases.
Mix the butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add the beaten eggs and mix some more. Then beat in the flour, milk and vanilla, plus the coconut, until it is a smooth mixture.
Now stir in the cherries.

Divide the mixture over the muffin cases and bake in you preheated oven for 20 minutes until they are risen and golden. Check with your cake tester to see if they are done. Lift the muffins out onto your wire rack. Let them cool slightly.

Gently warm the jam in a pan until smooth. Brush the tops of the warm cakes and divide the cherries over them. Then you sprinkle the coconut over them and put a little sugar easter egg on top.



                                                                  "Enjoy"

Pecan, Date & Toffee Cake

Pecan, Date & Toffee Cake





A delicious dessert or afternoon treat




Shopping List:

300 gr Pecan Nuts ( Halves)
140 gr Dates, stoned
200 gr butter, softened
200 gr light brown sugar or muscovado
1 teaspoon mixed spice
4 eggs, free range
140 gr self-raising flour
a pinch of salt


To serve:
Maple syrup



Put 100 gr of the 300 gr  Pecan nuts into your food processor and blitz them until they are fine. Put them into a bowl. Put the dates into a pan and boil them for 5 minutes until they are soft. Blitz them as well after they are drained and cooled.

Preheat your oven to 180C. Spray or grease and line your 23 cm cake tin or springform.
Beat the butter with the sugar and spice until light and smooth, add the dates, ground pecans, eggs and a pinch of salt and beat it only for a brief moment until smooth.

Pick up your metal spoon and fold in the flour then pour it in your prepared tin and level the top a little. Sprinkle the remaining Pecan nuts over the top but do not press them in and bake in your preheated  oven for about 40 minutes or until it has risen and it is a golden brown and your cake skewer comes out clean. Gently turn it out and serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup and if you have it a dollop of ice cream.


                                                             "Enjoy"

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Topping

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Topping

An Easter Bunny Favourite!





Shopping List:

175 gr light brown soft sugar
100 gr wholemeal self-raising flour
100 gr self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons mixed spice
the zest of 1 orange
2 eggs, free range
150 ml sunflower oil
about 200 gr carrots, grated or Jullienne


For the topping:

100 gr softened butter
300 gr soft cheese (mascarpone)
100 gr icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Orange coloured decoration sprinkles
or marzipan carrots if you can get them


Preheat your oven ro 180C. Put paper cases in your 12 hole muffin tin.

In your large bowl mix the sugar, flours, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and the orange zest together.

Whisk the eggs and the sunflower oil together and then stir it into the bowl with the dry ingredients.

The mixture is thick and not the usual cupcake mixture but as the carrots are moist it will need that.

Divide the mixture between the 12 cases and bake them in your preheated oven for about 20-225 minutes until the skewer inserted in a cupcake comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then gently put them on your wire rack and let them cool properly before icing.

For the topping: Beat the butter really soft and add the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence.
Mix until smooth. Fill a piping bag with a medium nozzle or use a knife to swirl the topping on the cupcakes. Sprinkle the cream cheese top with orange coloured sprinkles!


Did you know that carrots used to be purple?  The Dutch grew them orange, as in the House of Orange.



                                                              "Happy Easter"


                                                                    "Enjoy"

Snowy Strawberry & Cinnamon Torte

Snowy Strawberry & Cinnamon Torte


Shopping List:

175 gr ground almonds
175 gr butter, softened
175 gr soft white or golden caster sugar
175 gr self-raising flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg, free range and 1 egg yolk
450 gr strawberries, sliced
Icing sugar for sprinkling


For the topping:

Whipped double cream and greek yogurt mixed together
50-50 is perfect, to serve with

Preheat your oven to 180C. Spray and line your 23cm loose-bottomed or springform cake tin.

Mix the almonds, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, egg and the egg yolk together. This will be a bit hard if you don't have a food processor so give it a 20 sec blast in the microwave so the buttermix will behave.

Spread half of the mix in the tin using your spatula to spread it out as best you can. Try not to leave any gaps. Then lay the sliced strawberries on top of this dough layer. Add the remaining mixture on top of the strawberries. A few will poke out, but that doesn't really matter.

Place it in your preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. After 40 minutes it will go a little too brown so then you can cover it lossely with some aluminium foil. Keep a timer at hand.

The torte should be dark golden brown and a little bit risen when it has baked.

Cool in the tin for a few minutes and loosen the edges with a spatula or knife to remove it from the tin. Slide it onto a plate and sprinkle with icing sugar. Warm or cold, serve it with cream and yogurt.

An excellent finish to a meal on a winters eve.


                                                                 "Enjoy"

A Wonderful Cupcake Afternoon

A Wonderful Cupcake Afternoon




Cupcake Workshops are fun! 

Double Chocolate Brownies

 

 

 

Double Chocolate Brownies


Shopping List:

100 gr butter, softened and in pieces
200 gr dark chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, free range
250 gr golden or soft white caster sugar
100 gr plain flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
30 gr cocoa powder



Preheat your oven to 180C. Line  your brownie tin or a 22cm square tin. Melt the butter and the chocolate together either in your microwave or au bain marie. Cool it to room temperature.
Whisk the eggs and the sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy and lovely.

Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa on top of it. Gently fold this in to get a nice batter. Bake it in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the middle is cracked but the middle can be just set. Cool in the tin until it is completely cooled. The lift it out of your tin and slice it in nicely cut pieces. Wrap it up and give it as a present to a chocoholic!


                                                             "Enjoy"

Chocolate & Pecan Traybake with breadcrumbs

Chocolate & Pecan Traybake with breadcrumbs



Shopping List:

200 gr dark chocolate 39%, chopped
100 gr butter softened
85 gr caster sugar
4 eggs, free range, seperated
85 gr ground almonds
5 tablespoons (40 gr) gluten free breadcrumbs
140 gr Pecan Nuts

Preheat your oven to 180C. Line your 25cm square tin or brownie tin with baking paper. Put the chocolate and the butter in a micro-proof bowl, cover and set on high for 30 seconds. Or Au-bain-Marie if you prefer. Stir, and continue to melt. When cool, stir in half the sugar and the egg yolks.


Whisk the egg whites until they form nice peaks and add the rest of the sugar. Then whisk some more until it is glossy. Stir everything into the chocolate mix and gently fold it into a nice mixture.
Pour it into your prepared tin and top it with the pecan nuts. Bake it in your prepapred oven for about 25-30 minutes. Cool it in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out and leave it to cool completely on your wire rack. Then you can cut it into nice little squares and serve.


                                                            "Enjoy"

Honey Drizzle RumBaba's

Honey Drizzle RumBaba's



Shopping List:

115 gr self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
115 gr butter softened
115 gr soft white caster sugar
2 eggs, free range
1 teaspoon vanilla essence/extract
1 teaspoon of rum, if you have any

Icing sugar and honey for drizzling
Fruits for filling in the holes, if you want to


Mini Bundt rings
Or tins where you can put a small tin in the middle.


Preheat your oven to 170C.

Add all the ingredients together in your mixing bowl and divide the mixture in your tins.

Put them on a tray in your oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and a skewer gently inserted comes out clean. Let them cool down in the tins.  When they are completely cooled you can take them out.

Get a large teacup and spoon 4 big teaspoon of icing sugar in it, a little water and a spoonful or 1 squirt from the bottle of honey should do it, then drizzle dazzle over the rumbaba's. And a little rum if you have any.


                                                               "Enjoy"

Pineapple and Cherry Loaf

This cake would make a lovely present for someone with a sweet tooth. Remember that it is important to keep it in the fridge as it is very moist, and could go mouldy if left in a tin in a warm kitchen, says Mary Berry.


I say: It is all of the above, very very delicious!




                                                         " Enjoy"

Kiwi & Coconut Sponge Cake

Kiwi & Coconut Sponge Cake




Wonderfully Fresh and Fruity Kiwi Fruits in a light classic sponge.



Shopping List:

2-3 nice green ( or golden) Kiwi fruit , peeled and sliced
200 gr butter, softened
200 gr self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (backing)
200 gr white soft caster sugar
4 eggs, free range
2 tablespoons of milk
1 rounded tablespoon dessicated coconut.

For the filling:

200 ml whipped cream
maybe a bit of sugar in it
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract




Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease or spray and line two sandwich tins.

Slice your Kiwi fruit in nice even slices and gently toss 2 tablespoons of white soft caster sugar over it.

Sift the flour and the baking powder in a large bowl and put all of your sponge ingredients in it, except the Kiwi fruit.  Mix well until everything is a smooth mixture and well blended.

Take 1 sandwich tin and lay the kiwi fruit slices gently in the round in your tin. Then divide the mixture over your two tins. Make sure not to disturb the Kiwi fruit too much when putting the mixture in it. The tin with the Kiwi takes up to 10 minutes longer to bake so put this one into your oven first and set your timer. After this put your mixture tin in your oven as well and reset your timer for 20-25 minutes.

If your Kiwi fruit cake is getting to dark, put some aluminium foil over it.

Use your skewer to see if they are cooked and golden and when they are cool enough to handle take them out of the tins and finish cooling on your wire rack.

Whip the cream add the vanilla and assemble the two cakes together when they are cool enough.
Sprinkle with icing sugar. Or even some more dessicated coconut. You can even put some more fresh Kiwi fruit on it for extra zing!



                                                              "Enjoy"

Lemon & Lavender Drizzle Dazzle Cake

Lemon & Lavender Drizzle Dazzle Cake



Shopping List:

225 butter, softened
225 gr caster sugar
4 eggs, free range
finely grated zest of 1 clean lemon
225 gr self-raising flour


For the drizzle dazzle topping:

the juice of 1 and a half lemons
85 gr caster sugar
1 teaspoon of dried lavender ( Not too much!
as we don't want soap cake)



Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease or spray and line your cake tin.

Beat your butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs, one by one until it's all nice and creamy. Sift in the flour to make it fluffy and then add the grated lemon zest.
Spoon the cake mixture into your prepared cake tin and level it out.

Put your creation in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Whilst your cake is cooling you can make the drizzling.

Mix together the juice of the 1 and a half lemon and the sugar together. Use a little wooden kebab stick to make holes into your cake. Pour over the drizzle juice that will sink into your cake.
Sprinkle the lavender over it.

Leave in the tin until it's completely cooled down. Then remove and take a picture!

It'll keep in an airtight box for 3-4 days. Or you can freeze it for up to a month, but don't forget to put a date-sticker on it!



                                                            "Enjoy"

Lavender Peaches & Cream Cake

Lavender Peaches & Cream Cake



Shopping List:

200 gr butter softened
200 gr self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder ( backing)
200 gr light brown or golden caster sugar
4 eggs, free range
2 tablespoons of milk

For the topping:

3 ripe peaches or tinned 240 gr contains about 6 halves, drained
65 gr light brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried lavender ( not too much, otherwise it will smell of soap)

For the filling:

2 x 116 gr clotted cream or  200 gr whipped cream
2 tablespoons of golden caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  or 1/2 sachet vanilla sugar


Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease or spray and line your sandwich tins.
Sift the flour, to make it fluffy, and baking powder into a large bowl and add all the other ingredients.
( The all-in-one method). Whisk everything together until smooth.
Before you divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins, peel, halve and stone the peaches, then cut each half peach into 4 slices. If you use tinned peaches make sure that after they are drained they are not so wet. Toss the peaches with the golden caster sugar and arrange them in a single layer into one of your prepared tins.
Tip half of your mixture on top of that and the other half of your mixture into the other prepared tin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Be careful that the tin without the peaches bakes faster then the one with. So maybe you have to give that one 5-10 minutes more.
As you can see on the photograph i didn't really leave it in the oven long enough.

Leave to cool in the tins on your wire rack whilst making the filling. Then turn out and let it cool down properly.

Whisk the clotted or whipped cream with the sugar and vanilla until it has the right consistency.
Spread this over the bottom sponge, then carefully put the peaches one on top.


Sprinkle with a little Lavender and think of warm summers.

This is also an excellent dessert served with a little bit more cream and a cup of espresso.
Put a little sprig of Lavender next to the cake  on the dessert plate for decoration.



                                                           "Enjoy"



                                                           

Orange & Hazelnut Cake

Orange & Hazelnut Cake



Deliciously and Scrumptiously Moist!


Shopping List:

175 butter
140 gr white soft or golden caster sugar
100 gr hazelnuts, blanched and finely chopped
plus 20 gr for the topping
2 eggs, free-range
140 gr self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 small or 1 large Orange, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons dark orange marmelade (Chivers or Seville)

For the topping:

50 gr icing sugar or more if you want the drizzle thicker
about 3 tablespoons orange juice
and the 20 gr hazelnuts roughly chopped




Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease or spray and line your cake/loaf tin with baking paper.

Beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the hazelnuts, the eggs, one at a time, flour and the baking powder. Mix well.  Fold in the orange zest, 2 tablespoons of juice and the marmelade.

Spoon into your  prepared tin and level out the mixture.
Bake for about 1 hour or until golden brown and your skewer comes out clean.

Leave the cake in the tin for about 5 minutes and then turn out onto your wire rack. Put some paper/kitchen towel underneath your rack. Mix the icing sugar with the orange juice and spoon it over the cake. You can always use more icing sugar to make the drizzle thicker.

Sprinkle with the roughly chopped hazelnuts and grate just a tiny dusting of orange zest over the hazelnuts that are on the cake.



An excellent gift for somebody who is under the weather and needs the extra vitamin C !
Don't forget to bring an Orange smoothie to wash the cake down with.


                                                                   "Enjoy"

Chocolate & Banana Cake

                                                            Ready for transport!



Chocolate & Banana Cake



Shopping List:

100 ml sunflower oil
175 gr caster sugar
175 gr self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
100 gr chocolate chips (or chunks)
175 gr very ripe bananas
3 eggs, free range, 2 of them seperated
50 ml milk


For the topping:

100 gr milk chocolate
100 ml soured cream
handful dried banana chips, roughly chopped ( or not)



Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease or spray and line your loaf/cake tin with baking paper, but make sure you allow it to come about 2 cm above the top of your tin.

Mix the sugar, flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa and chocolate chips in a large bowl.

Mash the bananas in another bowl and stir in the whole egg plus 2 of the yolks, followed by the oil and the milk. Then you beat the egg whites in yet another bowl until stiff and quickly stir the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir in a quarter of the egg whites to loosen the mixture up, then gently fold in the rest. Gently as you don't want to knock the air out of it.

Pour into your prepared tin and scapre the bowl. Bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes until your skewer comes out clean when inserted into your cake. Cool in the tin on your wire rack.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate and soured cream together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of softly simmering water making sure the bowl is not in the water. Chill in your fridge until it's a bit spreadable. Remove the cake from the tin, leave it on your wire rack, with some papertowel underneath it.  Spread and swirl ( pretend you're painting) the icing over the cake and the sprinkle the banana chips over it. Leave to set.

You can freeze this cake but only without the icing layer.



                                                               "Have Fun Baking"!!!!

Warm Cherry & Almond Muffins

 

 

 

 

 

Warm Cherry & Almond Muffins


A lovely treat on a cold and chilly day.


Shopping List:

12 muffin cases
1 jar of cherries in juice (425 gr) (approx)
200 ml low fat milk
175 ml sunflower oil
1 large egg, free range
175 gr caster sugar
300 gr self-raising flour
1 Orange, cleaned
1 teaspoon almond extract
50 gr shaved almonds

For the glazed topping:

50 gr icing sugar
juice of the orange



Preheat your oven to 180C. Put the cases in your tin.

Place a sieve on a small pan. Put the cherries in the sieve and then keep them apart. Put the pan on a high heat and reduce the juice to 2/3. Add the cherries and let them cook in the pan with the juice, until they get a bit sticky, shine a little and warmed through.

Combine the milk, oil, the egg, and the sugar into a bowl and mix well. Sieve the self-raising flour over it and mix everything through. Grate the skin of the orange over the mixture and mix the almondextract with it.

Divide the mixture over the 12 cases.  Divide the cherries over the cases. Sprinkle with the shaved almonds. Bake them in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown. Check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.

Leave the muffins in the tin for about 10 minutes and then place them on your wire rack to cool off for at least 1 hour.
Squeeze the orange and mix the juice with the icing sugar to make a nice glaze. Drizzle this over the muffins when you are about to serve them.

                                


                                                                     "Enjoy"

Mocha Chocolatta Caramella

 

 

 

 

Mocha Chocolatta Caramella Cake


Indulgent and delicious!


Shopping List:

2 and a half teaspoons instant coffee
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons hot water
175 gr softened butter
175 gr light brown caster sugar
2 eggs, free range
2 tablespoons golden syrup   ( use a cup of hot water to heat up your spoon)
200 gr self-raising flour
50 ml Milk



For the icing:

100 gr chocolate caramel bar
1 teaspoon instant coffee and 1 teaspoon hot water
50 gr butter
2 tablespoons milk
100 gr icing sugar



Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease or spray and line your 20cm round cake tin.

Measure the coffee and cocoa in a cup, add the hot water and mix to a smooth paste.
In the all-in-one method: put the butter, sugar, eggs, syrup, flour, milk and coffee paste in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes until it's a smooth mixture.

Turn the mixture into your prepared tin. Bake for about 40-45  minutes until the top springs back when you press it lightly with your finger. If in the last minutes of baking, the cake gets to dark, put some alu foil over it. Cool in your tin for about 5 minutes or so, then turn out and peel off the paper. Leave to cool on your wire rack.

To make the icing, break the chocolate caramel bar in pieces and put in the small sauce pan with the coffee, butter and milk. Gently heat and stir all the time, then take off the heat and stir in the sifted icing, all the time stirring.
Set aside till it's thick enough to leave a trail when you lift your spoon.

Put kitchenpaper/towels on your worksurface. Get your wire rack with the cake on top and set it over the paper. Spread/drizzle the mixture over the cake. Leave to set.

Decorate to your hearts content!



                                                               "Enjoy"

Cinnamon Rolls with icing

Cinnamon Rolls with Icing


These American favourites have a very Dutch origin, so let's try them!
Take your time! It needs 2 x 40 minutes proving plus baking 2 x 30 minutes batches.


Shopping List:

2 x 7 gram sachets of yeast
90 grams caster sugar
1 tablespoon salt
450 ml warm water, ( if the water is too hot it will kill the yeast, warm from the tap is good)
800 grams plain flour, half & half divided
2 eggs, free range
60 ml vegetable oil (sunflower is good)
95 grams caster sugar
1 dessert spoon ground cinnamon


In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast and 90 grams of sugar in water. Stir in the salt and at the same time half of the flour. Beat this mixture for 2 minutes.  Then beat in the eggs and the oil. Stir in the ret of the flour, a little at a time, beating really well! It is very sticky dough, but don't worry, it will come together. The gluten will start to stick. ( Glue)

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto your worksurface dusted with flour. Knead it until it is smooth and eleastic. Keep working it, yo'll feel the difference. Then after 5-10 minutes, lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in it and cover it with a damp clean teatowel and let it prove in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 40 minutes. In a small bowl stir together 95 gram of sugar and 1 dessertspoon of cinnamon and set aside.

Make a large log, and with your rolling pin flatten it out to about the size of a small tray.
Dust out the cinnamon/sugar mixture over it and roll up the dough in a nice tight roll.
Stick it together with a little milk on the rim.
Cut in half and in half into nice slices and put them flat. Prove again for 30-40 minutes.
Then bake them in a preheated oven 180C. for 25-30 minutes until golden.
Drizzle them with icing. You can also put a little cinnamon in the icing, know then that the icing will be brown and not white.

They are delicious!


                                                         "Enjoy"

Hamster/Bunnie Buns

Hamster/Bunnie Buns

As you can see, my bunnies turned into fat hamsters! I should have halved the dough and made the fatties a bit thinner!

The recipe is the same though. And i used Catherines writing icing for the little eyes.


Shopping List:
450 gr strong white flour
7 gr sachet fast-action yeast
40 gr butter, melted
1 level teaspoon salt
300 ml warm water ( although i have been told that this is a myth!)

1 egg, beaten for glaze
writing icing for eyes



Measure all the ingredients into a bowl, yeast on the left, salt on the right and do not pour hot butter on the yeast because that kills it.
Blend until you have a sticky dough. Knead on a floured work surface, adding a little flour if needed. If you are using an electric mixer with dough hooks then this will take about 4-5 minutes.
But you will be able to feel if it's ready with your hands so much better.

Transfer to a large (olive ) oiled bowl and cover tight with clingfilm. Make sure no air can escape out of the sides. Leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1-1 and a half hour or more and until the dough has doubled in size.

Tip the dough out onto your floured worksurface and knock out the air  by hand until smooth. Start with the mouse of your hand and roll your hand further. (There are tutorials on-line) Make a roll.
Divide the dough with your dough slicer in half and in half and in half until you have a nice number of  32 little balls resembling little creatures.

Cut the ears in with a pair of sissors, poke in the eyes with your skewer.  Beat the egg and brush lightly over the little creatures. Bake for 20 minutes in a 200C. oven.

When they are cold, squirt the eyes with writing icing.



                                                             "Enjoy"

Hazels Hazelnut Nutella Cake

Hazels' Hazelnut Nutella Cake



Shopping List:

175 gr butter softened
175 gr light brown soft sugar
3 large eggs, free range

200 gr self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (backing)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons Nutella or Euro shopper hazelnut créme, rounded
50 gr hazelnuts, roughly chopped, not blitzed


Preheat your oven to 180C. Spray and line your round or square 20cm cake tin.

Mix the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and milk in a bowl, until light and smooth.

Tip 3/4 of the mixture into your tin and spread the surface level. Then spoon the Nutella in with 4 blobs. Spoon the remaining mixture on top and swirl with your skewer, then smooth to cover the Nutella.

Sprinkle with the Hazelnuts. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes until risen and it feels firm to the touch and it springs back when slightly pressed.  Cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn it out. Peel off the paper you used and cool on your wire rack.

Notes on a pink post-it: If you wrap it nice and tight in double foil it keeps fresh for up to a week.


                                                              "Enjoy"

Double Chocolate Loaf Cake

Double Chocolate Loaf Cake


Shopping List:

175 gr. butter, softened
175 gr light brown caster sugar
3 eggs, free range
140 gr self-raising flour
85 gr ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon baking powder ( backing)
100 ml milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder ( 30 gr)
50 gr plain chocolate chips or chunks or small drops
some extra chocolate white plain or dark to melt and decorate maybe



Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease and line or spray and line your cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, milk and cocoa until the mixture is smooth.

Bake in your preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until risen and your skewer comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the tin and then turn it out onto your wire rack so you can pour the melted chocolate over the cake. Melt the chocolate in bowls over hot water. Leave the cake to set before you cut it.

Notes on a pink post it: : The cake can be frozen if you want to but then no icing on the top!




                                                          "Enjoy"

Ginger and Date Bread Loaf

Ginger and Date Bread Loaf


Shopping List:

200 gr butter, softened
140 gr stoned dates, finely cut
410 ml tin evaporated milk
100 gr soft dark muscovado
225 gr plain flour
3 tablespoons malted milk powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
50 gr stem ginger, finely cut
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
2 large eggs, fresh from the roaming chickens

For the drizzle
50 gr stem ginger, chopped
5 tablespoons ginger syrup
5 tablespoons icing sugar


First start with cutting the dates and the ginger.
Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease and line your cake tin. Put the dates, the evaporated milk and the sugar in a small pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Put the flour, milk powder, ground ginger, stem ginger, bicarbonate of soda and the butter into a food processor, and wizzle until the mixture will resemble breadcrumbs. Pour this mixture with  the cooled date mixture and the eggs and briefly wizzle until this mixture is combined.

Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 75 minutes ( 1 hour and 15 minutes) until your skewer comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then take it out, remove the paper and put on your wire rack. Then combine all your ingredients for the drizzle and spoon over the cake.

 It has to set a little before serving.
This cake will improve after about 2 days in your cake tin, but ofcourse it's delicous if you eat it the same day!



                                                                "Enjoy"

                                                              

Very Spicy Appetizer with Rice Noodle Crisps

Very Spicy Appetizer with Rice Noodle Crisps



Shopping List:

120 gr rice noodles (go-tan vermicelli soe-oen
1 red chili pepper, finely chopped insides
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 sjalot, finely chopped
salt
sunflower oil to fry in
sweet chili sauce as a dip

Break up the noodles in little bits in a bowl and pour hot water over it. Leave them for 5 minutes until soft. Drain them properly, put them back in the bowl and put the chilipepper, cumin, sjalot and a pinch of salt on top of it. Mix well.

Heat the oil in a wok or other deep pan. Check with a piece of bread to see if it turns golden.

Heap a spoonful of noodles in the hot! oil and press them flat with the outside of the skimmer.
Deep fry 1 or 2 maybe 3 chips at the same time. Fry them for about 2 minutes crisp and golden brown, get them out and put them on some kitchentowel. 

Serve directly if possible with a sweet chillisauce dip on the side.



                                                                 "Enjoy"

Double-Decker Chocolate Coffee Cake

Double-Decker Chocolate Coffee Cake



A delicious treat for your coffee morning guests




Shopping List:

200 gr softened butter
1 teaspoon baking powder (backing oetker)
85 gr cocoa powder (blooker amsterdam)
140 gr self-raising flour
200 gr soft light brown sugar
4 fairtrade or bio eggs ( from happy chickens anyway)
2 tablespoons of milk

For the filling and the icing

500 gr Mascarpone  ( Galbani)
85 gr soft light brown sugar
4 tablespoons strong coffee, either use coffee essence or: 4 tablespoons instant to 4 tablespoons of boiling water.
decorate with coffee-chocolate beans, or roughly grate a piece of dark or other chocolate.



Preheat your oven to 180C. Spray and line 2 - 20cm round tins ( springform). Or sandwich tins if you have them.

 

Sift the flour and the baking powder into one of your large bowls, then put all the other ingredients in it. Mix well until nice and smooth.

Divide your mixture between the two tins as evenly as possible and bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Test with your skewer if they are baked or use your finger to see if it is springy to the touch.  As soon as the tins are cool enough, remove them and put your cakes onto your wire rack to cool completely.

In another bowl, mix together the mascarpone and the light brown sugar together and add the coffee. Give it a good mix. Use half of the mixture to sandwich the cakes together and the other half to decorate the top. Make swoops and swirls with a spoon or a fork and decorate with chocolatery items you have at hand.


                                                           "Enjoy"

Chelsea Buns with Apricot and Almond flakes

Chelsea Buns with Apricot and Almond flakes



Shopping List:

Strong white flour, 450 gr, plus extra for dusting your worksurface
Easy-blend yeast, 2 x 7gr sachets
Caster sugar, 50 gr
warm milk, 150 ml
1 egg, beaten
Oil, for greasing. I always use olive oil
Salt, 1 teaspoon
warm water, 50 ml



For the topping:

Softened butter, 25 gr
Dried Apricots, finely chopped, 85 gr
toasted flaked almonds, 85 gr, plus extra to decorate ( the ones i buy are always toasted already)
Caster sugar 25 gr
Apricot jam, 2 tablespoons


Put the flour, yeast on the left, sugar  in the middle and 1 teaspoon of salt  on the right, into your large mixing bowl and stir well. Make a well in the centre of your mix and pour in the warm milk,
50 ml warm water, the beaten egg and the melted butter. Mix everything to form a dough. You can start with a wooden spoon and finish with your hands and if the dough is too dry you can add a little water, and more flour if it's too wet.

Knead with your hands in your bowl or on a floured work surface until the dough becomes smooth and feels soft and springy. Put the dough into your lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean lightly damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place so it can rise until it has roughly doubled in size. This will take approx. 1 hour but it doesn't matter if it's longer.

Preheat your oven to 200C and grease or spray a 21 or 23 cm cake tin.  Take the risen dough out of your bowl onto your lightly floured worksurface and knead it for a few seconds. Roll out your dough to a rough 20 x 30 cm rectangle. Then spread the butter ( i softened it in my microwave for 10 seconds) evenly over the dough and then sprinkle it with your chopped apricots, almonds and sugar.
Roll it up firmly like you would a Swiss roll from one of the long sides. If it doesn't stick, dampen the edge a bit. With your sharp knife cut the roll into 8 round pin wheels, an then arrange them in your prepared tin with their cut side pointing up. Then you cover it again with a clean damp tea towel and prove it in a warm place again for about 20 minutes or until double in their size.


Bake the Chelsea Buns for 10 minutes in your 200C  preheated oven. Then lower it to 180C for another 10 minutes until golden brown and gorgeous. Melt the apricot jam with 1 tablespoon of water, brush that all over the buns and then sprinkle them with a few more flaked almonds.


                                              


                                                            "Enjoy"

 

Chocolate Orange Marble Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Orange Marble Cake




Shopping List:

225 gr butter, softened
225 gr caster sugar  ( instead of sugar you could use a Stevia product)
225 gr self-raising flour
4 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons of milk
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 Large Orange, the zest and 1 tablespoon of the orange juice of it
50 gr of chocolate, can be chocolate orange,
i used 69% ordinary and some orange juice mixed as a drizzle choc.


Preheat your oven to 180C.  Grease or spray and line your loaf tin.

Mix your butter, sugar, eggs and flour together in a large bowl until it's a smooth mixture.

Divide the mixture into two bowls, mix the milk and the cocoa powder into the one and the orange juice and zest into the other mixture. ( You can add orange food colouring here if you want to).

Use a spoon to make alternate dollops into your prepared cake tin. Use a skewer to go gently left to right to get a marblelesque pattern swirling it about in the mixture. Don't overmix as then you will not see a pattern. Even the mixture out on top if it needs to.

Bake your cake in your preheated oven for 45-55 minutes until you can see it is golden and risen.
Use the skewer again and poke it in to see if it comes out clean. If not, give it another 5 minutes or so.

Leave the cake in the tin to cool completely and then turn it out. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan with hot water, stirring occasionally. I then poured a little orange juice into it and stirred again.
Use your spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the cake. Let the chocolate harden before you slice it.
Not too small a piece each though.

The cake is also wonderful without its trimmings!




                                                               "Enjoy"

Basic Passover Chocolate Cake

Basic Passover Chocolate Cake

A delicious cake to decorate any way you want to.  This cake "should " serve 12.


Shopping List:


175 gr dark chocolate ( 39%) cocoa solids), in pieces
10 eggs, seperated
175 gr caster sugar
350 gr  ground almonds  ( health shop)


Preheat your oven to 180C. Line but not grease your 23cm tin with baking parchment/paper.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water, stirring occasionally. Set aside when melted completely.

In the meantime seperate 10 eggs, use proper bowls and the bigger one for the yolks. Beat the egg yolks until they are thick, creamy and lemony coloured. Gradually beat in the sugar, making a nice mixture. Then mix in the chocolate and almonds, you should have a course and stiff mixture now.

In another clean ( not greasy) bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks arise when you take the whisks out of the mixture. Gently but firmly fold the whites into the chocolate mixture. Do not beat the air out of the mixture whilst blending. Spoon the mixture in to your prepared tin and bake the cake in 1 hour.

When you touch with your finger, the cake should have a light spring in it. Turn the cake gently upside down on your wire rack.  Cool for about 40 minutes before removing it from your tin.

Decorate and serve with whipped double cream and a little cocoa dusting. Clotted cream is also an excellent idea.

Tip: If you've dropped an egg shell in the whites do not use your fingers to get it out as you' always have greasy moisture on your fingertips which prevents the whites form forming. Use a used egg shell instead.

                                                                   "Enjoy"

Passover Lemon Cheesecake

Passover Lemon Cheesecake



A wonderful Cheesecake made from matze and almonds. And it can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled, carefully put away from any harm.

8-10 people can have a wedge, so what do we need:




For the bottom:

A springform tin about 23 cm. Not lined, or greased

Matze crackers finely ground, about 140 gr. ( I used a whole pack of Matzes)
Ground almonds ( almond flour) about 110 gr.
Sugar, about 200 gr.
1/4 teaspoon salt
Melted butter, slightly cooled, about 120 gr.


Filling:

Full fat soft cheese ( i used Mascarpone) about 250 gr.
Sugar, about 200 gr.
3 Large Eggs
2 teaspoons Lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the bottom:
Preheat your oven to 180C.
Put the almond flour and ground matze crackers and salt in a bowl. Pour in the slightly cooled butter and stir well.
Press into the bottom of your springform tin and make an, about 1 cm,  upstanding edge. Use the bottom of a spoon for this. Bake the bottom in your preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until it is firm and a little bit darker. Leave it in your tin to cool completely on your wire rack.

Reduce your oven temperature to 150C.
Mix together the full fat soft cheese and the sugar in a bowl with your (hand) mixer until smooth. Then add the eggs, one at a time until your mixture is smooth. Mix in the lemon zest and the vanilla extract.
Put your tin in a baking tray, it may leak a little as the filling mixture is very thin. Pour your filling in the now cooled crust.

Bake your cake for about 45-50 minutes and don't worry if the centre is a little bit wobbely, because the filling will continue to set as it cools. Transfer your cake still in your tin to your wire rack and run a knife around the edge of your tin straight away. Take the ring off very gently.  To have it completely cooled it will take up to 2 to 3 even 4 hours to make sure, but i have left it to cool, covered, overnight. I sprinkled a little zest over the cake as decoration but you can decorate at will ofcourse.

The kitchen will smell of almonds and fresh lemons. Mmmm.



                                                           "Enjoy"

Lemon Curd and Blueberry Cake

Lemon Curd and Blueberry Cake



The cake cuts into 8-10 slices

Shopping List:

175 gr butter, plus extra for greasing if you don't have spray
100 ml Greek yoghurt for in the cake, but more if you want to serve with the cake
2 tablespoons of lemon curd in the cake, but more if you want to serve with the cake
3 eggs
zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus extra if you want to serve with the cake
200 gr self-raising flour
175 gr golden or light brown caster sugar
punnet of blueberries ( you need 85 gr in the cake and the rest to serve with the cake)
140 gr icing sugar, but i found that a little thin so i doubled it
edible or sugar flowers, (Optional)



Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease a cake/loaf tin and line. Or spray and line. Put 100 gr/ml yoghurt, 2 tablespoons lemon curd, butter, eggs, zest, flour and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric whisk until the batter comes together.

Put half of the mixture into your tin and then put half of the 85 gr of blueberries on top of that. Put the rest of the mixture on top of that. Sprinkle the other half of the blueberries on top.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes until golden and your skewer comes out clean.

Cool in the tin. Carefully lift onto a plate to ice. Then sift the icing sugar and stir in enough lemon juice to make a smooth icing. Spread over the top of your cake and then decorate with lemon zest and edible or sugar flowers if you like. You can serve it in slices together with extra lemon curd, yoghurt and Blueberries.

Un- iced cake can be frozen if you like.

                                                   The Blueberries were a bit heavy.....


                                                                   "Enjoy"

Marmalade Traybake

Marmalade Traybake


Be careful when measuring the marmalade. If you put too much in, the traybake will dip in the centre says Mary.



What do we need:

175 gr softened butter
175 gr caster sugar
175 gr sultanas
175 gr currants
3 large eggs, beaten
250 gr self-raising flour
1 and a 1/2 level teaspoons baking powder
50 gr quartered red or natural glacé cherries  (Bigarreaux)
2 tablespoons marmalade
3 tablespoons milk
nibbed sugar, to decorate





Tip: Instead of nibbed sugar, you could use crushed sugar cubes, but as you can tell from the photograph, i haven't used any.


It's delicious!   I made it for Penelope's Birthday today!!!!




                                                       "Enjoy"

Classic Appetizer with Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut

A Classic Appetizer with Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut


Peel the pear, slice it put a dollop of blue cheese on it and decorate with a walnut.



                                                         "Enjoy"

Somerset Easter Biscuits

Somerset Easter Biscuits

From the Great British Bake Off Calendar  March 2013              Makes:16


This butter-rich short dough is flavoured with those ingredients associated with Easter: warm, fragrant spices, dried fruit and candied peel. To make a good crunchy topping, brush the biscuits with egg white and sprinkle with sugar towards the end of the baking time.


What do we need:

125 gr unsalted butter
75 gr caster sugar
1 medium free-range egg separated
200 gr plain flour
a good pinch of salt
a good pinch of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
50 gr raisins
1 teaspoon finely chopped mixed peel
extra sugar, for sprinkling

a 6.5 cm fluted round biscuit cutter  ( I only have a 6 cm one)
2 baking trays, greased with butter. ( I used baking paper)

1.Preheat your oven to 200C.

2.In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy, using a wooden spoon or an electric whisk or mixer. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk (save the egg white for the topping) and beat for a further 1 minute. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, mixed spice and cinnamon into the bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Work in the raisins and chopped peel with your hands to make a firm dough.

3.Turn out on to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to about 5 mm thick. Cut into rounds using the fluted cutter. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds. Make sure the raisins are not in the way....

4.Arrange the biscuits, slightly apart, on your prepared baking trays. Bake in your preheated oven for about 10 minutes, ( 8-9 was more than enough for mine) until firm and pale golden.

5.Remove from your oven and lightly brush each biscuit with the gently whisked egg white, then sprinkle with a little caster sugar. Return the biscuits to the oven and bake for a further 3-5 minutes, until the tops are golden and crunchy. Leave to cool on the trays for a minute, then carefully transfer to your wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.


                                                           "Happy Easter"