Recently I had a dream
A dream of biscuit buttercream
Which led me to a cheeky scheme
To tie it to a tea cake theme
You may think this is quite extreme
But I say no! It is supreme
Divine, sublime, of high esteem
Tea cake and biscuit buttercream!
Prep time: 20 Mins (Plus soaking and cooling time)
Baking time: 40-45 Mins
125ml Full Fat Milk
1tbsp Leaf Tea
65g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
200g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
190g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs (Beaten)
For the biscuit buttercream
100ml Full Fat Milk
50g Digestive Biscuits (Broken)
75g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
175g Icing Sugar (Sifted)
Enough rhyming, to the kitchen! Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the tea leaves. I use a black tea like a keemun or assam, but feel free to use whatever you prefer. Slowly heat the milk until steaming and just bubbling at the edges, then remove from the heat and let cool completely, allowing the tea leaves to slowly infuse into the hot milk.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep, loose bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper. In a large bowl rub the butter into the flour and baking powder until sandy. You don't want any lumps! In a separate bowl whisk together the caster sugar and eggs, then add to the dry ingredients. Pour in the cooled milk, straining any leaves, then keep whisking until you are left with a smooth, consistent batter. Pour into you prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted in the middle of the cake. When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove, peeling off the paper and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Whilst the cake is cooling you can start on the biscuit buttercream. Pour the milk into a small saucepan, add the biscuits and place on a low heat. As the milk warms the biscuits will start to dissolve, eventually turning the mixture into a paste. When it reaches this stage remove from the heat, and leave to cool. You can actually cover this paste with cling film and leave in the fridge until required.
When the cake is cool add the biscuit paste to a large bowl and beat to loosen slightly. Add the softened butter and icing sugar, then beat with vigour until smooth. Spread all over the top of the cooled cake and booooooooooooooooooooom, your work is complete.
Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Lemon Syrup Sponge Loaf
For me baking is all about taking the simple and the everyday and using but a few simple techniques, creating something really rather special indeed. There are so many wonderful ingredients available to the amateur baking fantasist these days that even recipes that at first glance seem a little, dare I say, ordinary can inspire delight and delectation.
Take this recipe for example. As unassuming as it may appear it punches well above it's weight in terms of both flavour and texture. Soft and syrupy, with a rich caramel flavour and just a hint of citrus coming through on the tongue it is a truly gratifying treat, particularly with a cup of tea or coffee. I also love it warm with cold cream or ice cream. Corr I might have a slice right now!
Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 50-55 Mins
100g White Chocolate (Broken into small pieces)
150g Unsalted Butter
160g Light Muscovado Sugar
100g Ground Almonds
75g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs and 1 Yolk (Beaten)
2 Lemon Zest
For the syrup
The juice of 1 Lemon
2tbsp Golden Syrup
First things first, preheat the oven the 180C/350F/Gas 4, lightly grease a 1lb loaf tin and line with baking paper. Sit a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the white chocolate and butter, then let the steam from the water slowly melt the two together. Once melted, smooth and creamy set to one side to cool slightly.
In a fresh, large bowl mix together the sugar, almonds, plain flour and baking powder. Beat in the eggs and lemon zest, then add the melted chocolate and butter and mix to a smooth, consistent batter. Spoon into your prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for around 50-55 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake.
When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 5 minutes, before carefully turning out onto a wire rack. Using a small spoon or whisk mix together the lemon juice and golden syrup, then generously brush over the hot cake. Leave to cool and boom, you're all done.
Take this recipe for example. As unassuming as it may appear it punches well above it's weight in terms of both flavour and texture. Soft and syrupy, with a rich caramel flavour and just a hint of citrus coming through on the tongue it is a truly gratifying treat, particularly with a cup of tea or coffee. I also love it warm with cold cream or ice cream. Corr I might have a slice right now!
Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 50-55 Mins
100g White Chocolate (Broken into small pieces)
150g Unsalted Butter
160g Light Muscovado Sugar
100g Ground Almonds
75g Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs and 1 Yolk (Beaten)
2 Lemon Zest
For the syrup
The juice of 1 Lemon
2tbsp Golden Syrup
First things first, preheat the oven the 180C/350F/Gas 4, lightly grease a 1lb loaf tin and line with baking paper. Sit a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the white chocolate and butter, then let the steam from the water slowly melt the two together. Once melted, smooth and creamy set to one side to cool slightly.
In a fresh, large bowl mix together the sugar, almonds, plain flour and baking powder. Beat in the eggs and lemon zest, then add the melted chocolate and butter and mix to a smooth, consistent batter. Spoon into your prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for around 50-55 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake.
When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 5 minutes, before carefully turning out onto a wire rack. Using a small spoon or whisk mix together the lemon juice and golden syrup, then generously brush over the hot cake. Leave to cool and boom, you're all done.
Friday, 14 November 2014
Chocolate Raspberry Tart
With the party season fast approaching it's always a good opportunity to add one or two more recipes to ones arsenal, particularly when such recipes are not only entirely delicious, but simple to prepare. This chocolate tart is an impressive beast, with a shortbread pastry, super-indulgent white chocolate filling and the tart tickle of fresh berries, drizzled with bittersweet dark chocolate. However, as sophisticated as it may sound I promise you this one is so very easy to make, requiring but a few simple processes and techniques. So if you're looking for a truly bombastic beauty to serve to friends and family why not give this one a try? I can assure you it will be well worth the effort!
Prep time: 30 Mins (Plus some chilling time)
Baking time: 30 Mins
For the pastry
125g Unsalted Butter (Cut into cubes)
200g Plain Flour
2tbsp Cocoa Powder
65g Caster Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
2tsp Cold Water
For the filling
500g Chopped White Chocolate (With vanilla if you can)
280ml Double Cream
500g Fresh Raspberries
A few squares of Dark Chocolate (Melted)
And away hay hay we go! In a large bowl rub together the butter and flour. Add the cocoa powder, sugar and egg yolk, then trickle in the cold water. With a flat bladed knife, start the mixture going, then get your hands in there and bring together to a smooth, dark dough. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and lightly grease a 26cm deep tart or flan tin. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out to a big round, on a lightly floured surface. Carefully slide into your prepared tin and and gently press to the edges. Leave a border of at least 1-2cm around the edge, making sure there are no splits or cracks. Line with baking paper, fill with baking beans, place on a flat baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for around 20 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, just to dry out the base. Place on a wire rack, still in the tray and leave to cool completely. Once cool you can trim the edge of the pastry with a very sharp knife to give a nice and tidy edge.
When the pastry shell is cool you can prepare the filling. Sit a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the white chocolate and cream to the bowl and let the steam from the water slowly melt them together, stirring occasionally. Don't let the water touch the base of the bowl if you can. Once the cream and white chocolate is smooth and sexy remove from the heat, then pour into your prepared tin. Leave to cool until room temperature, then place in a sealed container in the fridge. After an hour remove from the fridge and scatter over the fresh raspberries. They may sink very slightly into the chocolate filling but I think this adds to the charm. Drizzle over the melted dark chocolate and return to the fridge for a further few hours to set entirely.
Once set carefully remove from the tin and that's it, you're all ready to serve. Good work.
Prep time: 30 Mins (Plus some chilling time)
Baking time: 30 Mins
For the pastry
125g Unsalted Butter (Cut into cubes)
200g Plain Flour
2tbsp Cocoa Powder
65g Caster Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
2tsp Cold Water
For the filling
500g Chopped White Chocolate (With vanilla if you can)
280ml Double Cream
500g Fresh Raspberries
A few squares of Dark Chocolate (Melted)
And away hay hay we go! In a large bowl rub together the butter and flour. Add the cocoa powder, sugar and egg yolk, then trickle in the cold water. With a flat bladed knife, start the mixture going, then get your hands in there and bring together to a smooth, dark dough. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and lightly grease a 26cm deep tart or flan tin. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out to a big round, on a lightly floured surface. Carefully slide into your prepared tin and and gently press to the edges. Leave a border of at least 1-2cm around the edge, making sure there are no splits or cracks. Line with baking paper, fill with baking beans, place on a flat baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for around 20 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, just to dry out the base. Place on a wire rack, still in the tray and leave to cool completely. Once cool you can trim the edge of the pastry with a very sharp knife to give a nice and tidy edge.
When the pastry shell is cool you can prepare the filling. Sit a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the white chocolate and cream to the bowl and let the steam from the water slowly melt them together, stirring occasionally. Don't let the water touch the base of the bowl if you can. Once the cream and white chocolate is smooth and sexy remove from the heat, then pour into your prepared tin. Leave to cool until room temperature, then place in a sealed container in the fridge. After an hour remove from the fridge and scatter over the fresh raspberries. They may sink very slightly into the chocolate filling but I think this adds to the charm. Drizzle over the melted dark chocolate and return to the fridge for a further few hours to set entirely.
Once set carefully remove from the tin and that's it, you're all ready to serve. Good work.
Monday, 3 November 2014
Vegetable Cake
With such a bonanza of beautiful fruits available all year round there is no end of sweet treats that one can bake or make. However, if you want to try something a little more from the leftfield (and who doesn't?) then why not push the fruit bowl to one side and instead reach for the vegetable basket. More than just a mere novelty, vegetables are an outstanding addition to the home bakers arsenal, providing a wonderfully atypical range of flavours and textures, from the soft and spicy carrot cake, to the light and delicate courgette cake.
This recipe uses of a trio of seasonal vegetables to create something really rather charming indeed. Lightly spiced, moist and irresistibly moreish it's a thoroughly delicious alternative to the more conventional cakes one might turn to at teatime and fun fun fun to make. Mixing, beating and folding, chopping, peeling and grating it will all be kicking off in your kitchen! So what are you waiting for?
Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 60 Mins
200g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
210g Soft Dark Brown Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1tsp Baking Powder
200g Plain Flour
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
150g Fresh Pumpkin (Flesh only, no seeds please!)
100g Fresh Parsnips (Peeled)
100g Fresh Carrots (Peeled)
1tbsp Golden or Maple Syrup
Let us begin. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep, loose bottomed tin and line with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the cinnamon, then sift in the baking powder and flour then mix to a smooth, consistent batter. Grate in the pumpkin, parsnips and carrots, then gently fold through before spooning into your prepared tin.
Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for around 60 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake. When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Brush with a little golden or maple syrup, leave to cool completely and your work is done. Time for a slice or two...
This recipe uses of a trio of seasonal vegetables to create something really rather charming indeed. Lightly spiced, moist and irresistibly moreish it's a thoroughly delicious alternative to the more conventional cakes one might turn to at teatime and fun fun fun to make. Mixing, beating and folding, chopping, peeling and grating it will all be kicking off in your kitchen! So what are you waiting for?
Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 60 Mins
200g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
210g Soft Dark Brown Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1tsp Baking Powder
200g Plain Flour
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
150g Fresh Pumpkin (Flesh only, no seeds please!)
100g Fresh Parsnips (Peeled)
100g Fresh Carrots (Peeled)
1tbsp Golden or Maple Syrup
Let us begin. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep, loose bottomed tin and line with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the cinnamon, then sift in the baking powder and flour then mix to a smooth, consistent batter. Grate in the pumpkin, parsnips and carrots, then gently fold through before spooning into your prepared tin.
Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for around 60 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake. When you are happy the cake is baked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Brush with a little golden or maple syrup, leave to cool completely and your work is done. Time for a slice or two...
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