The Cake Slice March 09: Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake

This was such a good choice for the Cake Slice Bakers this month – a lovely and light and zesty lemon cake. Perfect for the arrival of spring, lighter days and the hope of warmer weather. Plus its National Lemon Chiffon Day on the 29th March in the U.S. how fitting is that! It’s also Mother Day this Sunday in the UK and this cake would make the perfect afternoon treat to share with your mum. I gave mine to my mum as an early Mother Day treat and it looked lovely on the table next to some daffodils – picked fresh from the garden. I love the appearance of these bright and cheerful flowers, they always reassure me that spring is on the way.

Anyway, onto the cake itself. If you like lemons this is the cake for you. In total it uses around 5 lemons which results in a wonderful lemon hit. The chiffon cake was incredibly light and tender with a sort of marshmallow, springy meringue type consistency thanks to the use of so many whisked egg whites into the mix. It’s similar in texture to an angel food cake, but the egg yolks are also included, giving it a little more substance. The cake layers were delicately lemony and provided a great background to the zingy lemon curd we made to sandwich it together. Wow that lemon curd was so good – fresh, zesty and zingy and when paired with the sweet airy light sponge and the creamy frosting it was divine and so easy to make that I’ll definitely make it again. I had some lemon curd leftover and ate it spread on slices of crusty bread – heavenly.

I thought the cake looking a little dull left plain and so I coloured a little of the cream yellow and piped it on in a series of flowers and dots, which I think made it look a lot more sunny and spring-like. I think next time I might up the lemon zest in the cake for an even bigger hit. So for all you lemon lovers out there, this cake is a sure winner and guaranteed to give your taste buds a tingle. Click to see the other Cake Slice Bakers lemon cakes.

Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake
(Adapted from Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne).
Lemon Chiffon Cake
8 eggs, separated
55ml sunflower oil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
75ml water
½ tsp cream of tartar
225g and a separate 110g caster sugar
210g cake flour (180g plain flour and 30g cornflour)
½ tsp baking powder

Method – for the cake
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line the base of three 9inch/22cm cake tins.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, water, lemon juice and zest.
In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until light and frothy. Slowly add the 100g of caster sugar, whisking until soft peaks form.
Sift the flour(s) and baking powder over the egg yolk mixture, add the remaining caster sugar and beat to create a smooth paste.
Add a quarter of the whisked egg whites to the flour batter and beat in to slacken the mix.
Fold in the remaining egg whites gently, until no streaks remain but no longer than necessary to retain as much air as possible.
Divide the batter between the three tins and bake for 15-18 minutes until risen, puffy and springy when gently pressed.
Remove from the oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the rim of the tins to release the cake. They will shrink and deflate slightly on cooling.
Once cool, turn out the cake and carefully feel away the greaseproof paper ready for assembly.


Lemon Curd
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
110g caster sugar
115ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
Grated zest of 3 lemons
50g butter, at room temperature

Method – for the lemon curd
Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest in the base of a saucepan. Gently heat the mixture, whisking constantly until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Continue to whisk until the mixture is a thick spreadable consistency and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil.
Remove from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl. Whisk in the butter while the curd is still warm before covering the surface with cling film, so it touches the curd and prevents a skin forming. Refrigerate until cool.


Lemon Cream
330ml double cream
3 tbsp of the lemon curd
2 tbsp icing sugar (optional)

Method – for the lemon cream
Whip the cream and icing sugar (if using) until it starts to thicken. Add the lemon curd and whisk until soft peaks form.
(You don’t want it too stiff or it won’t spread over your cake easily).

To assemble the cake
Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and top with a quarter (4tbsp) of the lemon curd. Place another cake layer on top and spread over another quarter of the curd and top with the final cake layer.
Cover the top and side with a generous layer of the lemon cream. Decorate as you wish and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to allow the cream to stiffen.
Makes one 9inch/22cm cake. Serves 10-12

Chewy Toffee Choc Cookies

These cookies are thin, crisp and wonderfully chewy. When just baked, they have the flavour of butterscotch thanks to the use of the brown sugar and toffee pieces, and are bendy and chewy like toffee too. They loose some of their chew on the second day, so they are best eaten as fresh as possible.

They are very quick to make and the dough only requires blobbing onto baking trays before they spread and crisp up into golden discs in the oven. Their thinness makes them perfect for scooping up softly melting ice cream or other creamy desserts, but they taste equally good nibbled in the afternoons with a cup of tea.

If you can’t find toffee chips then some crushed butterscotch sweets or small cubes of fudge would work well too.

Chewy Toffee Choc Cookies
(Recipe adapted from Leiths Baking Bible by Prue Leith)

Ingredients
110g butter
85g caster sugar
85g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
140g plain flour
¼ tsp bicarbonate or soda
60g chocolate chips
60g toffee chips

Method
Preheat the oven to 170C.
Cream the butter and both sugars together until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
Sift over the flour and bicarbonate and mix until combined.
Fold through the chocolate and toffee chips.
Place tablespoonfuls of the batter onto ungreased baking trays, leaving a 3inch/7cm gap between each to allow them to spread.
Bake for 8-10minutes until thin and golden in colour.
Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a cooling wire almost immediately as they stick to the baking trays if left to cool.
Repeat with remaining mixture.
Best eaten within 2 days.
Makes 16-18 cookies.

The Adorable Blog Award

The lovely Rosie from Baking Cakes Galore has kindly given me The Adorable Blog Award. Thank you Rosie, it really made my day!

The rules for The Adorable Blog Award are:

“Nominate as many blogs which show adorability, cuteness and charm. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.”

I have many blogs that I read on a daily basis, their posts always offering a whole host of tempting treats and creative inspiration. I have decided to pass this award onto just two people – The Caked Crusader and Natalie from Snooky Doodle Cakes.

The Caked Crusader is always baking wonderful temping homely cakes and desserts, including some great classics, many of which bring back fond memories of my own childhood. You are always guaranteed to be drooling over your screen at her tasty treats, all generously topped off with custard and ice cream. Nothing beats a bit of pudding and custard when you’re feeling down.

Natalie of Snooky Doodle Cakes shows off her creative talents by producing beautifully decorated children’s birthday cakes and a range of other sweet treats. Her decorating skills are incredible.

Thanks girls for your culinary inspiration and for making me long for cake for breakfast whenever I visit your blogs in the mornings!

Apple Soufflé Pancakes

Pancake Day last week made me remember how much I love pancakes. Every year I tell myself I will eat them once than just that one day and hardly ever do. As pancakes were still fresh in my mind I decided to use them to make an easy light dessert – apple soufflé pancakes!

They are very simple to make and consist of a pancake filled with a meringue mixture that has been folded into some stewed apple. It’s then baked in the oven until the pancake is crisp and the inside puffy and set. It makes a wonderful light dessert, giving you that sweet treat without anything too stodgy. I love the contrast between the crisp pancake top and the soft; airy marshmallow like centre. Be sure to eat them immediately, as they can start to deflate slightly once out of the oven. They are not really soufflés but they way they puff up and then deflate slightly reminds me of soufflés, but you could call them apple meringue pancakes if you wish.
The recipes below make enough for around 8-10 pancakes and enough filling for 6 generous portions, so you will have a few pancakes left over, but I’m sure it won’t be hard to find some willing person to gobble them up with a bit of sugar and lemon.

Apple Soufflé Pancakes
For the pancakes
(Pancake recipe by Delia Smith)
110g plain flour
2 eggs
200ml milk
75ml water
50g butter

For the filling
2 egg whites
85g caster sugar
1 large cooking apple
1 tsp cinnamon
Extra caster sugar

Method
Firstly prepare the filling. Peel, core and dice the apple. Place in a pan with enough water to cover the base. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the apple has turned soft and mushy. Allow to cook until all the excess liquid has evaporated and you are left with a soft mush. Add a little sugar to taste, but leave it still lightly sharp. Set aside to cool.
To make the pancakes, sift the flour into a bowl and beat in the eggs, one at a time, whisking out any lumps. Mix the milk and water together and slowly whisk into the batter.
Melt the butter until liquid and stir half into the batter, keeping half back.
Add a small drizzle of the melted butter to a large frying pan and brush over the surface of the pan. Allow to get hot and then add a small ladleful of pancake batter to the pan and quickly swirl it around to create a thin circular pancake.
Allow to cook for around 45seconds before running a pallet knife around the edge of the pan and shaking gently to release it from the base of the pan.
Now either turn it over using the pallet knife or give it a toss in the air and catch it back into the pan. Allow to cook for a further 30-45 seconds until cooked.
Transfer to a plate and repeat with the reaming batter.
Once all your pancakes are made, preheat the oven to 200C.
Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until foamy and soft peaks form. Slowly whisk in the caster sugar until a meringue has formed.
Spoon a third of the meringue into the stewed apple and fold in to slacken the mix. Then gently fold through the remaining meringue.
Lay a pancake in an ovenproof dish, with half the pancake draped over the side (at this stage you can brush the pancake with the booze of your choice – Amaretto or Cassis work well). Spoon a generous spoonful of the apple meringue onto the pancake half in the dish and fold over the other half of the pancake, sandwich style.
Scatter the top with some cinnamon and sugar and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until puffy and golden brown.
Once cooked, serve immediately as they can start to deflate once out of the oven.
Makes around 6 soufflé pancakes.

Daring Bakers February 2009 Challenge: Chocolate Valentino

When I saw this months challenge was a chocolate valentine I was highly curious as to what it was as it conjured up images of exploding chocolate volcanoes in my head. It turns out to be a rich, moist and wickedly chocolaty flourless chocolate cake – thankfully involving no volcanoes or explosions of any kind. (Yes I initially misread the title as a chocolate volcano!) It involves just 3 simple ingredients, chocolate, butter and eggs. No flour, no ground nuts and more surprisingly no added sugar! Yes that’s right, the only sweetness in this cake comes from the chocolate, so depending on how bitter or sweet you like your desserts determines on what type of chocolate you should use. Whatever cocoa percentage of chocolate you use, it should be good quality, as the chocolate really is the main flavour and ingredient of this cake – in involves a LOT of chocolate. I usually like my chocolate dark and intense, but the fact the recipe involved no added sugar left me feeling a little daunted, so I decided to go for a nice middle of the range 55% cocoa content, which I feel turned out just right.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

This month not content with just a chocolate cake to contend with but we were also given the choice of two vanilla ice creams to make to accompany the cake. I decided to go with Dharm’s ice cream recipe, as it used an egg yolk custard base and I had plenty of yolks left over from my latest Cake Slice challenge. I also flavoured my ice cream with Amaretto which added an interesting note as it melted on your tongue and I think it always pairs well with chocolate. I couldn’t resist dipping a spoon into the custard base before I tucked it away in the freezer, so creamy and comforting.

I decided to also make a simple warm chocolate sauce to drizzle over the slices of cake when serving, which I think made the dessert complete. The cake puffed up and cracked in the oven but slowly relaxed into a flat surface while cooling. It was moist and very dense, but not heavy. Despite its appearance, it actually had quite a light mouthfeel, similar to a just cooked brownie. The deep, slightly bitter chocolate flavour was really intense, which as a dark chocolate lover I adored, but it may have been a bit too bitter for some people, but I suppose you could always add mostly milk chocolate for a sweeter taste. I wonder if white chocolate would work? It’s definitely more of an after dinner dessert rather than an afternoon tea cake. I kept the cake on the counter but moved it to the fridge on the second day and after that it became more like a giant fudgy truffle – I think it would be great cut into little squares and served with coffee like this.

Thanks Wendy and Dharm for a tasty chocolate challenge. Click to view their creations along with the other Daring Bakers Cakes.

Flourless Chocolate Valentino

(Recipe from Sweet Treats by Chef Wan)

Ingredients
455g semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped (around 55%)

145g unsalted butter

5 large eggs separated

Method

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often. Remove from the heat once melted.

2. While the chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Grease an 8inch/20cm deep springform cake tin and line with a parchment circle. Preheat the oven to 190C.

3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

4. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks until thick and slightly pale.

6. Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate.

7. Fold in a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and gently fold in the remaining two-thirds until no white remains. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate.

8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 60C, or until the top of the cake looks like it has a thin sugary crust and a soft interior, similar to a brownie. A cake tester will appear wet.

9. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.


Dharm's Ice Cream Recipe - Classic Vanilla Ice Cream

(Recipe from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis)Ingredients

1 Vanilla Pod (or substitute with 1tsp vanilla extract)

300ml Semi Skimmed Milk.

4 large egg yolks

75g caster sugar

1 tsp corn flour

300ml Double Cream
(I added 1 tbsp Amaretto)

Method

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuseLift the vanilla pod up. Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. Set the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.

2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy.
3. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time.

4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it into a clean bowl and stir in the Amaretto. Allow it to cool before refrigerating.

5a. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours, beating the mix every 2 hours to ensure a smooth and creamy texture or else the ice cream may be icy and coarse. Freeze until firm enough to scoop.

5b. For Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream (not whisked) into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker).

Simple Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients
100ml double cream
60g dark chocolate
2 tsp runny honey

Method
Heat the cream until small bubbles begin to appear. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and honey until smooth.
Serve warm.

Midweek Veggie Pizza

This pizza dough has become my favourite of all the recipes I have tried. It involves very little effort as the ingredients and mixed and then left in the fridge overnight before being used, meaning you don’t have to worry too much about kneading or proving times as it works its magic overnight and always produced a lovely elastic dough. The dough can be kept for up to 5 days in the fridge meaning you can make it Sunday evening and then its all ready to go any evening of the week, whenever the pizza cravings kick in after a bad day, it can be on the table in under half an hour with no hassle. I think the dough actually improves over time and becomes more like a sourdough, it has a good crisp and slightly chewy crust and a great flavour. The tomato sauce can also be made in advance, so everything is ready to go and the only preparation required is forming the dough and adding a few topping. Faster than a takeaway and much tastier too.

The pizza is cooked at the highest temperature your oven can manage, meaning it’s done in only a matter of minutes. By placing a pizza stone or sturdy baking tray in the oven while it heats up to temperature, you then simply slide your pizza onto the hot tray and it immediately starts to cook and crisp up underneath, ensuring a lovely crisp crust – no more soggy bases!

Another great thing about pizzas is that you can put almost anything on them and I’ve found a whole host of ingredients which work well, if not considered a little unusual by some, including grated carrot and apple. This week’s find was beetroot, the fresh kind, not the pickled variety. I had some boiled beetroot sitting in the fridge and though – why not? So I added a few slices along with some peppers, mushrooms, red onion and slices of jarred artichoke hearts that were another fridge lingerer. I loved the taste of the beetroot, its short oven roasting really brought out its flavour and added a little zing against the other components and created a moody purple ring into the surrounding sauce. I don’t know why more restaurants don’t offer it as a pizza topping; I bet it would be fantastic finished with a bit of crumbled goats cheese.

Midweek Veggie Pizza
For the pizza dough
320g strong plain white flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp instant yeast
30ml olive oil
210ml water
2 tsp caster sugar

Tomato topping
1 onion
1 large can of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp sundried tomato paste
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings
2 mushrooms
2 artichoke hearts from a jar
½ red pepper
¼ red onion
Grated cheese or slices of mozzarella
1 cooked fresh beetroot (not pickled)

Method – For the pizza dough
Add the flour, salt, yeast and sugar into a bowl. Mix with your fingers and make a well in the centre.
Pour over the olive oil and water and mix together using the tips of your fingers until a sticky dough is formed.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth, around 5 minutes. The dough should become less sticky although still tacky to the touch.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place in the fridge overnight or up to 5 days.
Tear off chunks of dough when required. Enough for 3 x 9inch pizzas.

For the tomato topping
Peel and finely dice the onion. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and oregano. Cook until soft, then finely crush the garlic and add to the pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, sundried tomato paste and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Allow to simmer for 15 minutes until the mixture has reduced and thickened.
Allow to cool in the pan, then transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge until required.
Makes enough sauce to cover 3 pizza bases.

To assemble
When ready to eat the pizza, preheat the oven to its hottest setting, usually around 250-275C. Place a pizza stone or baking tray into the oven to heat up.
Have a sheet of baking parchment or a silicone mat ready and dust the top with flour or fine cornmeal.
Lightly dust your hands with flour and tear off a third of the pizza dough. Gently stretch it, pulling from the middle outwards, to your desired thickness.
When the dough is quite thin, lay it onto a sheet of baking parchment or a silicone mat and pull into shape. (Can create a 9inch/23cm circle or 25cmx15cm rectangle).
Spread a third of the tomato sauce over the top, leaving a small rim around the edge.
Add slices of mushrooms and other assorted vegetables or meats of your choosing.
Grate or crumble the cheese of your choice over the top.
Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and quickly slide the sheet of baking parchment with your pizza on it, onto the baking tray and return to the oven.
Bake for 8-9 minutes until the crisp, golden brown and bubbling.
(If you pile lots of topping on, then baking may take a couple of minutes longer).
Eat and enjoy.

The Cake Slice February Cake: Southern Coconut Cake

This is Februarys cake of choice for The Cake Slice Bakers and what an unbelievable cake it was. It looks quite unassuming, all elegantly white and rather like a giant snowball which was perfect considering the snowy weather we had earlier this month. Don’t let its snowball appearance fool you into thinking it’s a plain boring cake, for it contains a whole host of wonderful flavours and textures. The cake layers themselves are so soft and tender thanks to the addition of coconut milk into the batter which gives it a fantastic smooth and sort of creamy mouthfeel. It is also made using only egg whites which resulted in a wonderfully light texture. This is going to sound odd, but imagine the feel of silky soft cotton wool on your skin, well it’s a bit like that, soft and smooth in your mouth – (without the nasty woolliness) I know its sounds strange but that was honestly the first thought that came into my head when I ate it. It’s got quite a close texture with no large air holes and yet it’s so light, I’ve never had a cake like it before.

The frosting was a new revelation for me too. It’s your basic cream cheese frosting, but it then has Italian meringue whisked into it which made it much lighter and allowed it to sort of melt on your tongue. Creamy and slightly sweet but without being too rich. I added the grated zest of a lime to my frosting too, as I think coconut and lime complement each other so well. It wasn’t obviously limey but it just added a subtle zesty undertone while still allowing the coconut to be the prominent flavour. A word of advice though is to ensure you use an American cream cheese when making the frosting, such as Philadelphia, I don’t normally suggest brands but I used a UK own brand first time but it sort of collapsed into a wet mess and I ended up with an icing that was more like soup and had to start again – lesson learned. I also reduced the sugar to 400g for the cake without any ill effects.

Topped off with desiccated or flaked coconut for a nice contrasting texture this cake was a joy to eat. I’ll be making it again soon as I’m sure it will be a hit with my family back home. Click to see the other Cake Slice Bakers coconut cakes.

Southern Coconut Cake
(Recipe from Shy High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman & Peter Wynne)
For the cake
5 egg whites
110ml milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
360g plain flour
475g caster sugar
4½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
220g butter at room temperature
225ml unsweetened coconut milk
250g desiccated or flaked coconut for decoration

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base of three 8inch/20cm sandwich tins and set to one side.
Put the egg whites into a bowl and whisk gently until slightly foamy but not so that they become white and fully aerated. Add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Add the soft butter and coconut milk and beat with an electric whisk until combined. Increase the speed and whisk for 2 minutes until light and creamy.
Add the egg white mixture a third at a time, whisking well between each addition.
Divide the batter between the three tins and bake for 30 minutes until risen, springy when pressed and lightly golden in colour.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Cream cheese meringue buttercream frosting
(Use Philadelphia or other American brand of cream cheese – UK own brands for some reason collapse into a wet mess during this method)
350g cream cheese
200g butter at room temperature
125g icing sugar
2 tsp granulated or caster sugar
55ml water
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg whites

Method
Beat the cream cheese and smooth and fluffy. Add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, beating well until combined.
Sift over the icing sugar and add the vanilla and mix until well incorporated. (Add any additional flavouring you wish – I added the grated zest of 1 lime).
Mix the water and caster sugar in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to bubble for 2-3 minutes until syrupy and measuring 112C on a sugar thermometer.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until foamy, then slowly drizzle in the sugar syrup while combining to whisk until the syrup is all incorporated. Continue to beat until the mixture cools and a stiff meringue has formed.
Continue to whisk the meringue and beat in the cream cheese mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating well until smooth and fluffy.
To assemble
Place one cake layer on the serving plate and cover generously with the meringue buttercream. Top with another cake layer, more buttercream and the final cake layer.
Use the remaining buttecream to completely cover the top and sides of the cake.
Scatter the desiccated or shredded coconut over the top of the cake and press it onto the sides using a cupped hand (I sort of tossed mine at the sides and scooped up any bits that fell off).
Place the cake in the fridge to chill for at least an hour before serving to allow the buttercream to firm up.
Takes even better the next day when the flavours have melded together.
Serves 12 generously.

Individual Apple & Cinnamon Oat Crumbles

Today is my blogs 2nd birthday! I can’t believe it’s rolled round again so quickly. It doesn’t feel as though 12 months have passed since I made the spiced apple cake for the blogs 1st birthday last year. Keeping with the apple and spice tradition, and as I’m still in the ‘everything individual is so cute’ stage I decided to make some apple and cinnamon crumbles to celebrate.

These were so quick to make as no pre cooking of the apple is required. I didn’t think they would need it as the crumbles are baked in individual ramekins and so would get a good heat exposure on all sides. It’s simply a matter of chopping the apple and topping with crumble mix before baking. You can be eating it in under an hour which is always a bonus when you get the sudden urge for something sweet. I think it’s nice to get a whole individual dessert to yourself, rather than having a spoonful out of a bigger dish, as I find it seems to satisfy me without creating the urge to go back and have another scoop as can happen with bigger dishes. Plus it prevents squabbles that someone has got more topping than someone else or they’ve taken the crispy edge bit that they wanted.

I found some new cooking apples in my local market recently, not the usual Bramleys I often get and I found them to be much sweeter than normal cooking apples (can’t remember what they are called though – sorry). So much so that I didn’t add any sugar to the apple mix itself, as I like my apple to be a little tangy. However, if using Bramleys I would suggest tossing the apple in a tablespoon of caster sugar before you use it, to prevent it from being too sharp. Served with a little cream or custard these make wonderful quick and tasty desserts.

Individual Apple & Cinnamon Oat Crumbles
Ingredients
2 medium or 1 very large cooking apple
100g rolled oats
75g butter
150g plain flour
2 tsp cinnamon
100g soft brown sugar

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Peel, core and finely dice the apple. Depending on the sharpness of your apple, toss in a tablespoon of caster sugar or if sweet then leave plain. Divide the apple between 4 ramekins.
Add the rest of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and rub the butter into the flour-sugar-oat mixture until it resembles crumbs.
Scatter handfuls of the crumble mixture over the top of the apples, pressing down lightly.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and the crumble has turned golden brown.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with custard, cream or ice cream.
Makes 4
Update: I have since found out that the apples I used are called Howgate Wonder.

Cinnamon Heart Cookies

Valentines day is just around the corner and if your in need of a little something extra for your girl/boyfriend then don’t go down the road of a box of store bought chocolates (unless it’s a special kind you know they love), why not bake them some special cookies instead. It’s so much more personal and shows that time and effort has been put into baking something especially for them. And if they are anything like me, they may still have plenty of half eaten boxes of chocolates lingering over from Christmas and not in need of any more!

These cookies and wonderfully crisp and packed full of wonderful cinnamon flavour to add a bit of tongue tingling spice. They are very easy to bake and when simply topped with a thin layer of icing and a scattering of sprinkles they produce a cookie that’s guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face. I found some adorable heart shaped napkins in my local supermarket – never seen these before and couldn’t resist getting them.

So if you want to give that special someone a homemade gift then give these a go. You can flavour and decorate them any way you wish. Why not have some fun and write little messages on them ‘I love you’ or ‘Kiss me’ come to mind. Also, if you are harboring a secret crush for someone and haven’t the courage to ask them out why not write it on a cookie instead ‘Fancy a date?’ Whatever you get up to this Valentines day, I hope you get to share it with someone you love, be it with friends, family, that special someone (or even George the goldfish).

Cinnamon Heart Cookies
Ingredients
45g butter
60g caster sugar
85g plain flour
½ tsp cinnamon
3 tsp vegetable oil

Method
Beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat in until all incorporated and the butter has lightened in colour.
Add the cinnamon, oil and flour and mix into a crumbly dough.
Use your hands to bring the mixture together, add a drop of water if needed.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and place in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
Preheat the even to 180C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Lightly dust a work surface and roll out the dough until 3-4mm thick. Cut out hearts or other shapes and place on the baking tray.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
When cool, top with royal icing and decorate with the sprinkles of your choice.
Store in an airtight container until needed.
Makes 12 cookies.

Trio of Miniature Chocolate Desserts

As promised, here is the chocolate trio for the choice of desserts made for my mums birthday. It comprised of a rich chocolate, orange and Cointreau tart, a moist chocolate brownie and a velvety smooth chocolate mousse served in espresso cups, complete with cream ‘foam’ and tuile biscuit ‘stream.’

I tried to choose desserts which would look good as individual miniature desserts as we wanted everyone to have their own complete dessert rather than a slice of one. I know the brownies were served as a slice, but I think that’s allowed. I deliberated over exactly what to choose for some time, I wanted each dessert to have different tastes and textures, no two things with pastry or no two spongy things etc.

The brownies were moist and tender and full of chocolaty flavour. Served slightly warm with a small blob of ice cream they are heavenly. This is my go to recipe whenever the need for brownies arises.

I had recently found some gold food dust that said you could dilate a little in water to make into a paint. I was longing to try it out and so used it to add some shiny dots to the top of the chocolate and orange tart, which I think really finished it off and made it look special. The tart had a wonderful rich chocolate flavour and as the chocolate melted on your tongue the fresh orange flavour came through and finished with a subtle boozy note. I’m not a fan of orange flavoured chocolate, but the mix of dark chocolate with fresh orange is divine.

The chocolate mousse is silky smooth if eaten straight away but firms up slightly after a few hours in the fridge. It dissolves seductively on your tongue, filling your whole mouth with a chocolate intensity, so good quality chocolate is a must. I think this was my favourite dessert of the bunch and I loved the look of it in the espresso cups.

Chocolate Brownie
(Recipe from Leiths Baking Bible)

Ingredients
140g butter

200g dark chocolate

180g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 eggs

85g plain flour

¼ tsp baking powder

80g white chocolate

Method

Preheat the oven to 175C. Grease and line the base of a 8inch/20cm square tin.

Break the dark chocolate into pieces and place into a large bowl along with the butter. Melt gently over a pan of simmering water until smooth. (The water should not touch the base of the bowl)

Remove the bowl from the heat and beat in the vanilla and the sugar.
Beat the eggs in one at a time, until thick and glossy.

Sift over the flour and baking powder and beat until no flour streaks remain.

Chop the white chocolate into small chunks and fold in the brownie batter.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes until slightly risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs, rather than wet batter, sticking to it.

Allow to cool almost completely in the tin. Remove from the tin and cut into 9-12 pieces.

Store in an airtight container lined with greaseproof for up to three days.
Great when served slightly warm with a blob of ice cream.


Chocolate, Orange & Cointreau Tart
Ingredients
250g sweet shortcrust pastry
150ml double cream
150g dark chocolate
1 orange
1 tbsp Cointreau
Gold food dust/dye or white chocolate for decoration

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Cut out circles of pastry and press into miniature tart tins. Trim off any excess. Chill for 30 minutes.
Lay a small square of clingfilm on top of the pastry tins and fill each cavity with baking beans or rice. Gather the clingfilm around it to use as a weight.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, then remove the rice weight and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
Set aside until cool.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and grate the zest from the orange on top. Heat gently until small bubbles begin to appear.
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place into a bowl. Pour the hot cream over the top of the chocolate and stir gently until smooth.
Stir in the Cointreau and immediately fill the pastry cases with the chocolate mix.
Leave until set.
Dissolve a little of the gold food dust in water and paint dots over the surface of the chocolate tart. (Use melted white chocolate in place of dust if you prefer).
Makes 12-15 miniature tarts.


Chocolate Espresso Cup Mousse
Ingredients
40g caster sugar
2 tsp honey
3 tsp water
3 egg yolks
175g dark chocolate
350ml double cream

Decoration
Tuile squiggles
150ml double cream
Dark chocolate for grating

Method
Place the sugar, honey and water into a small saucepan and heat to simmering point, then allow to bubble for 3 minutes until syrupy but still clear in colour.
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with an electric whisk until pale, thick and more than doubled in volume.
While still whisking, slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the egg yolks. Continuing to beat until the mixture has cooled, around 3-5 minutes.
Brake the chocolate into pieces and add to a small saucepan along with 50ml of cream. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted and it looks smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat and pour into a separate bowl to cool slightly.
Whip the remaining cream until soft peaks form. Take a third and beat it into the melted chocolate to slacken the mix. (It may take a while to fold in, but keep mixing and it will suddenly turn).
Add the chocolate mix to the egg yolks and fold in using a spatula.
Fold in the rest of the cream until no streaks remain but do not over mix to try and keep it as light as possible.
Spoon the chocolate mousse into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle.
Pipe into espresso cups, filling almost to the top. Store in the fridge until required.
Just before serving, lightly whip the double cream and pipe on to create the ‘foam.’ Grate over a little dark chocolate and top with squiggly ‘steam’ tuile biscuits.
Makes 10-12 espresso cup mousse