Friday, 28 December 2012

Orange Loaf

I hope you've all been enjoying the festivities and making the most of some much deserved time off. I've been pretty busy myself so not been able to bake as much as I'd like, but I did find time to come up with a simple little recipe for an orange loaf cake. I'm just eating a slice with a cup of tea whilst writing this post and it's a lovely departure from all the rich bounty I've been indulging in over the last few days!

Prep time: 10 Mins
Baking time: 50-55 Mins
175g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
175g Caster Sugar
Zest of 2 Oranges
2 Medium Eggs
100g Ground Almonds
1tsp Baking Powder
100g Plain Flour

For the syrup
100g Icing Sugar
Juice of 2 Oranges

So, to start preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs with the orange zest. Fold through the ground almonds, then sift in the baking powder and flour and do the same. Spoon into your prepared loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50-55 minutes, until a metal skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf. When you're happy it's cooked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack (with a plate underneath).

To make the syrup sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Squeeze in the orange juice then stir around until smooth. It should be very thin in consistency. Spoon about half over the top of the warm sponge, leave for 10 minutes and repeat. Leave the loaf to cool completely then slice and serve. All finished! 

Friday, 21 December 2012

Blackberry, White Chocolate and Cinnamon Crumble Cake

I was thinking about what sort of recipe to post this time and all the festive classics crossed my mind. However as delicious as they are it's always nice to tuck into something a bit different too, so here is a brilliantly easy and very lovely alternative to mince pies and Christmas pudding. There's a lot of different flavours and textures going on in this bad boy, but wow do they bounce off each other beautifully. So if you fancy trying something a bit different this holiday season why not give it a go!

Prep time: 15 Mins
Baking time: 40-45 Mins
150g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
150g Golden Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1/2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Cinnamon
150g Plain Flour
100g White Chocolate (Well chopped up)
150g Blackberries

For crumble topping
25g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
25g Golden Caster Sugar
50g Plain Flour

Are you ready? Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 21cm square tin and line completely with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift in the baking powder, cinnamon and flour then mix together to a smooth batter. Spoon into the prepared tin and spread evenly to the edges. Press the blackberries into the batter then scatter over the chopped chocolate.

In a fresh bowl rub together the butter, sugar and flour until the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the prepared cake mixture and place into the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes, until the crumble topping is a biscuity brown and a metal skewer can be cleanly removed from the centre of the cake. When you're happy it's cooked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. There you go, all done. Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Stollen

Ok, first an admission. I have no idea if this is a proper Stollen recipe. It's certainly not traditional. I've got all the component parts in there, sweet marzipan, nuggets of fruit and nuts, fragrant spices and a buttery glaze, but I'm sure the method is somewhat atypical, seeing as I just made it up as I went along! Regardless I'm chuffed to bits with the result and it tastes delicious. It's also a real pleasure to make, as with all of the best things in life the process involves getting just a little bit dirty.

Prep time: 30 Mins (Plus some time to rise, etc)
Baking time: 30-35 Mins
75g Unsalted Butter
125ml Milk
20g Fresh Yeast
315g Plain Flour
35g Sugar
1/2tsp Salt
Seeds from 4 good sized Cardamom Pods (Ground finely)
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Medium Egg
150g Dried Fruit (As nice as you can find)50g Flaked Almonds
125g Marzipan (Chilled in the fridge)

For the glaze
25g Unsalted Butter
Icing Sugar to dust

Start off by warming the butter in a pan until melted. Pour in the milk, then set aside whilst you get on with the rest of the dough. Crumble the yeast into a large bowl with the flour and sugar. Give it a mix around then add in the sugar, salt and spices and do the same. Make a well in the middle, crack the egg into it then pour over the milk/butter and mix together until it starts to form a dough. Tip out onto a clean dry surface and need for about 7 minutes, until smooth and elastic, then return to the bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm place for about 90 minutes, until risen.

When the dough has risen, remove from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Give it a brief knead, then roll out to a big rectangle. Scatter over the fruit and almonds, leaving a border of a couple of inches around the outside, then grate over the marzipan. Roll it up to a big sausage, tuck the ends in to seal and place seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover again with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for around 30-45 minutes until nicely risen.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Remove the tea towel and bake in the centre of the oven for around 30-35 minutes, until an even deep golden, then remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. For the glaze melt the butter and brush all over the hot cooked stollen. Dust generously all over with icing sugar and leave to cool. Slice and serve. Ho ho ho!

Thursday, 13 December 2012

Sp-iced Buns

I came up with a lovely iced buns recipe a little while ago and one I've made again and again since. This time I thought I'd give them a more festive spin, throwing in a few spices and flavourings so typical of the jolly season. They are so good though I'll be making them all year round!

Prep time: 20 Minutes (Plus some time to prove and rise)
Baking time: 30 Minutes
15g Fresh Yeast 
30g Caster Sugar
100ml Warm Water  
100ml Milk
1/2tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2tsp Orange Extract
1/2tsp Lemon Extract
1tsp Mixed Spice 
315g Strong White Bread Flour 
1 Egg Yolk
A little vegetable oil
150g Icing Sugar 
2tbsp Lemon Juice

I think I love making bread the most. It's so much fun! Crumble the fresh yeast into a large bowl. Sprinkle in the sugar, pour over the water and stir together until the yeast has dissolved. Pour in the milk, followed by the extracts. Add the milk, egg yolk and flour, then with a wooden spoon work it together until it begins to form a dough. Tip the lot out onto a clean dry surface and knead for about 7 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle with a little flour, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for about 90 minutes, until doubled in size.


When the dough has nicely risen transfer it onto a fresh surface that has been lightly greased with vegetable oil. Knead briefly, then divide into eight. Shape each piece of dough into a bun and place into a medium baking tray (I used one that was about 26x19cm), that has also been lightly greased with a little oil. Cover again with the damp tea towel and leave for 30 minutes.

Place the tin in the oven and turn on to 190C/375F/Gas 5. The reason I do this as opposed to preheating is that I find it helps bake them evenly without them burning. After about 30 minutes, when they are a deep golden remove from the oven and whilst hot, turn out onto a wire rack. Cover a final time with a damp tea towel for 15 minutes, which should soften the crust, then remove and leave to cool completely.
For the icing sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir through the lemon juice until it's smooth and glossy. You can add a little more lemon juice if it's too thick. Spread over each of the buns and leave to set. See, I told you it was great fun!

Monday, 10 December 2012

White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies

I love pistachio nuts, which should come of no surprise as I am somewhat nutty myself. Delicate in both flavour and texture they have an almost fruity quality that I think combines beautifully with both dark or white chocolate. I'm going for white this time and adding in a little of it's favourite bedfellow, vanilla. I'd like to wax lyrical about the finished cookies, but to be honest words don't do them justice!

Prep time: 15 Mins (Plus an hour chilling time)
Baking time: 17 Mins
150g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
100g Caster Sugar
125g Light Muscovado Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 Large Egg Yolk
1tsp Vanilla Extract
150g White Chocolate (Chopped up)
150g Shelled Pistachios
200g Plain Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder

Cookies are so easy to make I don't know why anyone buys them! Cream the butter into the sugars, then beat in both the egg and the yolk with the vanilla extract. Fold through both the chocolate and pistachios. I do this at this stage as it's much easier than after you add the flour. Speaking of which, sift in the flour with the baking powder, then work together to a stiff batter. It'll be quite a workout for your guns, but keep at it! Spoon onto some clingfilm, wrap up and pop in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up. You can make the dough the day before or even freeze it if you are pressed for time.

When you are ready to bake them preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. There is actually enough dough for three sheets worth but unfortunately I have to bake my cookies in three batches, as I can only trust one shelf of my oven! Take the dough out of the fridge and break off four large balls, like big golf balls and place evenly spaced apart on the baking paper (as they will spread during baking). Place in the centre of the oven for 16-17 minutes, until spread and pale golden on top, then remove. Carefully slide the paper onto a wire rack to cool and repeat for the next batch. You should have enough dough for about 12 big cookies. When the cookies have cooled for about 20 minutes carefully peel them from the paper and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Time to share them with your friends and family!

Saturday, 8 December 2012

Orange Glazed Almond Fruit Cake

The fruit cake is a classic that I love to both bake and eat, but as great as it is it's always nice to try something a bit different. This version replaces the traditional spicing with almond and vanilla and is glazed with a little orange syrup. The result is lovely fragrant fruit cake with a light texture, and sweet, biscuity and slightly chewy crust. I dare you to give it a go!

Prep time: 15 Mins
Baking time: 45-50 Mins
175ml Vegetable Oil
3 Medium Eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tsp Almond Extract
100g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
100g Ground Almonds
175g Caster Sugar
350g Luxury Dried Fruit
50g Flaked Almonds

For the glaze
Juice and Zest of 1 Orange
35g Caster Sugar

This is another quick and easy one. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep loose bottomed tin and line the base with baking paper. In a large bowl or jug pour in the oil. Crack in the eggs, add both of the extracts and mix it together. In a fresh large bowl sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold through the ground almonds and sugar, then pour in the wet ingredients and mix together to a smooth batter. Fold in the dried fruit and pour into the prepared tin. Scatter over the flaked almonds, then bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake. When it's cooked remove from the oven and set aside for ten minutes.

To make the glaze tip the juice and zest of the orange into a small saucepan, along with the sugar. Turn the heat up and let it bubble away until syrupy, then take off of the heat. Carefully remove the cake from the tin, peel off the baking paper and place on a wire rack, with a plate underneath (to catch any syrup that runs off). Pierce the top all over with a metal skewer then brush over the hot syrup. Leave to go cool and it's finished! 

Tuesday, 4 December 2012

(Almost) Dairy Free Muffins!

I wanted a muffin recipe that was quick, easy and flexible so I had a go at this one. Luckily, it worked out beautifully! The sponge has a great texture, both moist and biscuity and although I love the combination of flaked almonds, chocolate and orange there is loads of room for manoeuvre. You can use all sorts instead if you fancied experimenting, from fruit, to spices, to even pieces of fudge. Just give what you think will work a try, I've no doubt they'll be amazing!

Prep time: 10 Mins
Baking time: 25 Mins
200ml Vegetable Oil
150ml Maple Syrup
3 Medium Eggs
125g Plain Flour
100g Ground Almonds
1tsp Baking Powder
50g Light Muscovado Sugar
The Zest of 1 Orange
50g Dark Chocolate (Roughly Chopped)
50G White Chocolate (Roughly Chopped)
A handful of flaked almonds

This one is a doddle so let's get to it! Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a muffin tray with 9 cases. In a large jug or bowl pour in the oil, along with the maple syrup. Crack in the eggs and mix it all together, then set to one side. In a fresh large bowl mix together the flour, ground almonds and sugar. If the sugar is a bit lumpy use your hands to crumble it all together. Pour in the wet ingredients, along with the orange zest and beat it together until you have a smooth batter. Pour evenly into your cases, then sprinkle over the chocolate and almonds. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 25 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of one of the cakes. Remove from the oven when cooked, and after about 10 minutes remove the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. Ta dah!