The Cake Slice June 09: Pina Colada Cake

The Cake Slice Bakers chose a perfect cake this month, Pina Colada cake, a great choice for the start of the summer. The cake consists of a brown sugar cake, doused in rum and sandwiched together with a pineapple and lime compote/jam and covered with a fluffy coconut buttercream. I topped my cake off with some twists of mango and some fresh passion fruit to give it that extra tropical appearance and flavour.

The cake was meant to be baked in nine inch tins but I decided to do something a little different by halving the recipe, baking it in a swiss roll tin and then making it into a rectangle cake. The cake rose well and so it turned out wonderfully sky high.

The cake had a slight caramel flavour to it thanks to the brown sugar, while buttermilk kept it very tender and light. I hardly ever bake with buttermilk, but it always produces such good results that I really must use it more often. I couldn’t find crushed pineapple so I used a can of pineapple pieces and attempted to mash it, although rather unsuccessfully (I’ll blend it next time) so my filling stayed rather chunky, but this meant you got a big hit of zesty tropical pineapple every few bites. The coconut flavour in the buttercream really shone through and created a cloud of sweet smelling coconut that wafted around the cake, drawing you to it if you happened to wander past. It really made me think of sun, golden sandy beaches and palm trees – sigh, if only. The rum used to soak the layers worked with the other flavours wonderfully, creating a taste of topical holidays in every bite.

Pina Colada Cake
(Recipe from Sky High Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne)
Brown Sugar Cake
400g American cake flour (or 320g plain flour with 80g cornflour)
1¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
450g light brown sugar
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
380ml buttermilk
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and line the base of three 9inch cake pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk gently to combine. Add the brown sugar, butter and 325ml of the buttermilk to the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low blend to incorporate. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Whisk the eggs with the remaining 55ml buttermilk and the vanilla and add to the batter in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and beating only long enough to incorporate between additions. Divide the batter between the 3 pans.
Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper and allow to cool completely.

For the Pineapple Filling
560g canned crushed pineapple (no added sugar)
225g caster sugar
60ml freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
One inch piece of vanilla bean split in half

Filling method
Combine the pineapple, sugar and lime juice in a pan. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan too. Warm over a medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 2 to 3 minutes.
Raise the het to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the juices have almost completely evaporated and its turned jam-like in consistency. Let the filling cool completely before using. (Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated) (If you can’t find crushed pineapple blend a can of pineapple into small pieces)

Coconut Buttercream
3 eggs whites
225g caster sugar
60ml water
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
150ml unsweetened coconut milk
1½ tsp coconut extract

Buttercream method
Put the eggs whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment so they are ready to go.
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and place over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the sold boil stage on a sugar thermometer, around 120C.
Beat the egg whites briefly at medium speed. Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, being careful to avoid the beaters. Continue to whip until the meringue has cooled to body temperature.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the butter, several tablespoons at a time and continue to beat until a smooth fluffy frosting forms.
Add the coconut milk in several additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well after each addition. Add the coconut extract and mix until smooth.

To assemble
9 tbsp rum – light, amber or dark
Coconut flakes and thin slices of pineapple

Assembly method
Place one layer flat side up on a cake stand. Sprinkle 3 tbsp rum over the cake. Spread half of the pineapple filling over the layer, leaving a small gap around the edge. Add the second layer, sprinkle with more rum and cover with the remaining pineapple filling.
Top with the third layer and sprinkle with the remaining rum. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the coconut buttercream.
Decorate with some thin shreds of coconut and slices of pineapple if wished.
Makes one 9inch triple layer cake

Daring Bakers May 2009 Challenge: Strudel Dough

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

The challenge this month was to make our own strudel dough which is basically filo pastry, a paper thin dough which was filled with fruit, nuts and spices before being rolled and baking into a yummy strudel. We were also provided with the recipe for an apple filling but as this was optional, I decided to create my own using apples, plums and ground almonds.

Creating the dough itself was surprisingly easy but the skill involved with rolling and stretching it out into a see-through thinness is something of an art form requiring a large work space and a well floured tablecloth! As I had neither of these things I decided instead to divide the dough into 8 pieces and make individual strudels instead.

I tried my best at getting the dough as thin as possible without it tearing, although a few holes did appear. Thankfully these disappeared as the layers were rolled over each other. My individual strudels turned out well and were lovely and crisp, although next time I might try making the dough longer to create a few more outer flakey layers. The apple and plum filling was soft without being mushy and mingled with the mixed spice and almonds well. I served mine with some cinnamon ice cream (sadly not home made) which was the perfect accompaniment, and providing an enjoyable hot with cold mouthfeel.

Thanks Linda and Courtney for such a fun challenge. Click here to see other Daring Bakers Strudels.

Strudel Dough

(Recipe from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers)

Ingredients
200g strong plain flour

1/8 tsp salt

105 ml water, plus more if needed

2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough

½ tsp cider vinegar

Method
Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a jug. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the dough with clingfilm. Allow to stand for at least 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
(It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm) for the next stage).
Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
The dough has become too large to hold, put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.
(I made individual strudels so cut the dough into 8 pieces before stretching which made it a lot easier to work with).


For the apple strudel filling
(Recipe from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers)
Ingredients
2 tbsp golden rum

45g raisins

¼ tsp cinnamon

80g caster sugar

115g unsalted butter, melted, divided

100g fresh bread crumbs

60g coarsely chopped walnuts

900g tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

Method
Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
Heat 3 tbsp of the butter in a large pan over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Make the strudel dough as described above.
Spread about 3 tbsp of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands. Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches/8cm from the short edge of the dough in a 6 inch/15cm wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
Fold the short end of the dough over the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best eaten on the day it is baked.

For the apple plum & almond filling
Ingredients
4 tbsp ground almonds
2 Bramley apples
4 plums
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsp mixed spice
60g caster sugar
60g unsalted butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Make the strudel dough as described above.
Mix the sugar and the mixed spice together in a small bowl. Melt the butter and stir in the almond extract.
Peel, core and finely dice the apples and cut the plums into similar sized pieces.
Divide the strudel dough into 8 pieces. Dust a clean tea towel with flour and roll and stretch each one out into a rectangle shape, making it as thin as you can. Use your fingers and back of your hands to gently stretch it thin.
Brush a little melted butter on top of the rectangle of dough. Scatter over half a tablespoon of ground almonds.
Arrange a line of apple and plum across the width of the dough. Use about quarter of an apple and half a plum for each individual strudel.
Scatter over two teaspoons of spiced sugar over the fruit. Fold the top edge of the dough over the fruit and then fold in the sides – like you would if making a spring roll. Roll up into a sausage shape, using the tea towel to help you if needed.
Place on the baking tray and brush with the melted butter.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until crisp and golden brown in colour.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with custard of ice cream. (I used cinnamon ice cream)
Makes 8 individual strudels.

Lemon & Poppy Seed Biscotti

While sitting at my desk trying to revise I got the urge for some cookies to munch on. Soft and chewy chocolate cookies and all well and good but I was in the mood for something crisp and crunchy. The kind of cookie that I could nibble at and would creating a light scattering of crumbs that I could chase across the plate with my finger, and I immediately decided on biscotti.

I had a rummage around my cupboards and unearthed a pack of poppy seeds and decided that lemon and poppy seed would be the flavour for my biscotti. Traditional Italian biscotti are very hard and brittle and require dipping into a drink of some kind before eating, but American style biscotti use a little butter in the dough which results in a more tender biscuit that are suitable for eating on their own without fear of chipping a tooth but still hold up well if dipped in a hot drink – the best of both worlds.

A lemony fragrance filled my kitchen as these baked, a smell that always gets my mouth watering. Once baked, the poppy seeds contributed a subtle crunch and a slightly smoky tea-like flavour that went well with the zesty lemon. The good thing about biscotti is that they keep for several weeks and I now have a small stash of them sitting in a tupperware box on my desk and whenever I get a bit fed up with revision, I take a break, get a drink and enjoy nibbling on a biscotti or two.

Biscotti are also perfect for sending as a gift through the post as they won’t go stale before they get to the recipient and are sturdy enough to avoid turning up as a bag of crumbs.

Lemon & Poppy Seed Biscotti
(Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour Company)
Ingredients
80g butter
125g caster sugar
265g plain flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
1½ tbsp poppy seeds
Zest of 1 lemon

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and finely grated zest of the lemon together until smooth.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time. It may look slightly curdled but this is ok.
Sift over the flour and add the poppy seeds and baking powder. Mix until a thick but sticky dough is formed.
Divide the dough in half and shape/press each half into a thin log shape (about 20cm x 5cm) and lay far apart on the baking tray. Wet your fingers with water to help you shape the dough without it sticking to your fingers.
Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until lightly golden brown and crusty on top.
Remove from the oven and either spritz with water or lay a damp clean tea towel or wet kitchen roll over the top to prevent the biscotti crust from going crisp and brittle.
Reduce the oven to 165C.
Leave for 5 minutes to allow to cool slightly and the top to soften before cutting into 1cm thick slices using a serrated bread knife.
Stand the slices back on the baking tray and bake for 12 minutes before rotating the tray and baking for a further 5 minutes.
Remove the biscotti from the oven and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container. They will keep well for several weeks. Enjoy dipped into a hot drink, crumbled over ice-cream, as an accompaniment to a fruit fool or on their own.
Makes around 30-35 biscotti.

Daring Bakers April 2009 Challenge: Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

I was very excited when I saw this month’s challenge was cheesecake. I adore cheesecake but find ones you have out are often disappointing. Often they are not what I consider ‘proper’ cheesecakes. Many are just mascarpone mixed with sugar and shaped into a mould or even worse – set with gelatin. However, this cheesecake sounded perfect – lots of cream cheese, a proper biscuit base and baked in the oven – hurrah!

This recipe was given to Jenny by her friend Abbey T. Jenny says it is her favourite cheesecake and thought it would be the perfect recipe for this months Daring Bakers challenge and after making mine, I applaud Jenny for her choice – it’s fantastic!

We were given a lot of free reign on this challenge. All we had to do was follow the basic vanilla cheesecake recipe and modify it in any way we desired. The hardest part of this challenge was choosing what flavour to do, so many great ones kept popping into my head – apple, salted caramel, double chocolate, Amaretto, Coffee, fruity… you get the idea. In the end I decided to make a raspberry ripple cheesecake as I wanted to keep the smooth creamy flavour of the vanilla cheesecake but also include a vibrant fruity ripple of raspberry as a contrast.

When I bought the raspberries they looked so plump and had such a wonderful aroma that I bought two packs and stirred one pack through the cheesecake batter just before placing in the tin, meaning it baked with little pockets of juicy raspberries hidden inside. I am so pleased I did this, as they intensified in flavour and looked so pretty when the slices were cut.

For the ripple effect I pureed the remaining pack of raspberries and sieved out the seeds as I wanted a smooth coulis. I then boiled it with some sugar to make it thick and jammy before swirling it over the top of the cheesecake. The colour of the coulis dulled a little on baking, but the flavour intensified and it tasted wonderful.

The texture of the cheesecake itself was heavenly. With 750g of cream cheese I thought it was bound to be a bit heavy and dense, but it turned out amazingly light and creamy whilst still retaining the body of a baked cheesecake. It was also fantastically deep – just look at how high and creamy it is! It sort of melted on your tongue, coating your whole mouth with vanilla and raspberry flavours. Mmm just divine. The worst part about it was that it tasted so light that it meant you could eat more of it without any trouble – pleasurable but rather detrimental to the figure. I made sure to divide it up amongst my family for fear of eating it all myself.

I served the cheesecake with some leftover raspberries and extra coulis which added a vibrant colour and zingy sweet flavours which went perfectly with the creamy cheesecake. I can’t wait for an excuse to make this cheesecake again and to experiment with other flavour variations. Check out the Blogroll to see what other Daring Bakers did with their cheesecakes. Thanks Jenny for such a divine recipe!

Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake
Ingredients – for the base
180g digestive biscuits
115g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients – for the cheesecake
750g cream cheese
210g caster sugar
225ml double cream
3 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
100g fresh raspberries

Ingredients – for the raspberry coulis
150g fresh raspberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g caster sugar
½ tsp raspberry extract

Method – for raspberry coulis
Place the raspberries in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 1 minute. The raspberries should not be soft and releasing juice. Crush them with a fork and then pass the liquid through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
Place the raspberry juice, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until syrupy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberry extract if using.
Allow to cool and thicken before using.

For the cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 180C.
To start, make the base. Place the biscuits into a strong plastic bag and crush into fine crumbs using your fingers. Melt the butter, stir in the vanilla and pour over the biscuit crumbs.
Mix well to ensure all the biscuit crumbs are evenly coated in butter and press firmly into the base of a deep 8inch/20cm springform tin.
In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until soft and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each one.
Pour over the vanilla, lemon juice and cream and mix well.
Gently fold in the fresh raspberries and pour the mixture on top of the biscuit base, smoothing down the top. Tap the tin a few times on a work surface to remove any trapped air.
Drizzle half of the raspberry coulis over the top of the cheesecake and swirl in into the mixture using a skewer or small knife. Don’t mix too much as you want a rippled effect to remain.
Wrap the base and sides of the tin in foil, making sure to use one large sheet rather than lots of little ones, as you want it to be water tight.
Place the wrapped tin into a deep baking tray and half fill with boiling water from the kettle. Carefully transfer the cheesecake to the oven and top up with a little extra water is necessary.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until the outside is set and the middle remains fairly wobbly. Give it a small jiggle to test it. Once ready, turn off the heat but leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool down gradually. It will continue to firm up during this time.
After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from its water bath. Leave to cool to room temperature before refrigerating overnight.
The next day, run a thin hot knife around the edge of the cheesecake and release it from the tin.
Serve in generous slices with extra coulis and fresh raspberries.
Indulge and enjoy. Makes 1 very deep 8inch/20cm cheesecake.

Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

To me, hot cross buns are as much an integral part of the foodie festivities sounding Easter, as chocolate eggs are to other people. Shops are full of hot cross buns around this time of year but nothing beats the taste and enjoyment of making your own. This also means you can flavour them with whatever takes your fancy – chocolate chips instead of fruit – why not? Orange and cranberry combination – go ahead. For me, it has to be (unsurprisingly) apple and cinnamon hot cross buns.

This recipe started life as a normal hot cross but recipe and over the years I have adapted it into something I now believe to be my perfect hot cross bun. It’s packed with a generous amount of cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg for a lovely spicy note and contains a whole grated apple, skin and all for sweetness and flavour. I have also added some dried apricots into the fruit mix and substituted white sugar for light soft brown which gives the buns a real depth of flavour and seems to accentuate the subtle spiciness. This also makes the dough a lovely spicy brown colour, but as the buns bake and become bronzed and look the same as normal buns, until they are sliced which reveals their soft and spicy interior.

The smell as the hot cross buns baked was amazing; it filled the whole kitchen with a fruity spicy aroma that lingered on until the evening. They taste wonderful when still warm from the oven and spread with a little butter, soft, tender and full of flavour. They are not overly appley but I think the apple adds a moistness and sweetness to the buns and the little flecks of rosy red skin are always pleasing to see. They are also delicious slightly toasted and spread with a little jam. The perfect Easter treat.

Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients - For the Starter

1½ tsp dried yeast or 20g fresh yeast

1 tsp light soft brown sugar

100g white bread flour

200ml warm milk

For the Dough

400g white bread flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 red eating apple

50g butter, softened

50g soft light brown sugar
50g raisins
50g sultanas
75g dried apricots

1 egg

For the Crosses

2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp water

½ tbsp runny honey for glazing

Make the starter: In a large bowl mix together the yeast, sugar and flour. Stir in the warm milk and mix to a smooth batter. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 20 minutes until the surface is covered with large bubbles. (You can prepare the rest of the ingredients in the meantime).

For the dough: Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the raisins and currants along with the dried apricots cut into small pieces. Core the apple, leaving the skin on and coarsely grate it into the mix. Add the sugar and the soft butter give it a gentle mix with your fingers.

Lightly beat the egg and add it to the starter along with the flour mixture once the 20minutes resting time is up. Mix everything together to a soft dough. Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface; knead for five minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Knead in more flour if it is still sticky after five minutes, as the type and size of your apple will add varying amounts of moisture.

Leave to prove in a greased bowl for 45minutes to 1hour until nearly doubled in size. Knock the dough back and divide it into 9-10 equal pieces and roll them between the palms of your hands into a ball. Lightly grease a baking tray and place the dough balls, a little apart, in a three by three formation. Oil a strip of clingfilm and gently lay it over the top of the buns and leave to rise for 1½ hours until they have doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 210C.
To make the crosses, blend the flour with the cold water to make a paste. Put the paste in a small food bag and snip off one corner. Pipe a cross on the top of each bun. Bake the buns for 16-18 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Gently warm the honey until runny. Transfer the buns to a cooling rack and brush immediately with the honey glaze, then leave to cool.

Makes 9-10 hot cross buns. The buns also freeze well.

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

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.

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.

Trio of Miniature Fruity Desserts for a Special Birthday Celebration

My mum celebrated a very special birthday in January and rather than have a huge party with everyone she knows, she decided it would be nicer to have a series of celebratory dinners or outings with her different circles of friends and family. One of her wishes was to have a dinner party with 8 of her (and my dads) oldest friends. Rather than let her slave over her own birthday dinner, my sister and I volunteered to cook the meal for her in exchange for freedom over the menu and keeping it a secret until they were sitting round the table. She was more than happy to that suggestion and so the fun and whispered discussions began. First we planned the main course, and wanting to make sure we made something that suited everyone we sent round an email to the guests asking if there were any foods they didn’t like. It’s a good thing we did as here is an example of the feedback we got “carrots, lamb, salmon, shellfish, mushrooms, green veg, beetroot, anchovies, smelly cheese and cabbage.” Oh well, that was the lamb, prawn and beetroot stew out the window then ;)

We decided to do two main courses in the end, to ensure there would be something for everyone. We chose Oriental Chicken by Delia Smith that was marinated in a sticky fragrantly spiced sauce and a Pork, Bean and Chorizo Stew that was in the winter BBC Good Food magazine. It caught my eye as it was a recipe for 10 people which was just what we were after. We decided to make a huge batch of rice and serve it with chanterelle carrots, tender stem broccoli, French beans and ciabatta for dipping so people could pick and choose and those wanting to avoid carrots etc could do so. My sisters boyfriend R also agreed to come dressed up and be the butler for the evening which meant that with 10 guests, the three of us and my brother who was hiding in the side lines we were really having to cook enough food for 14 people and as we didn’t know who would want which dish, we cooked enough for 10 servings of each, so really we could have fed 20!! We had to do a last minute dash to my grandparents to borrow some of their saucepans as we didn’t have enough large ones to cook all the veg in.

We decided against a starter and instead did a variety of canapés for people to nibble on while sipping Kir Royal (Chamapigne and Crème de Cassis mixed) on arrival. We did blinis with crème fraiche and smoked salmon or green olive and coriander tapenade for the salmon haters. As well as some homemade Parma ham puff pastry twists, mini Thai poppadoms with a chili, cream cheese and coriander dip and spiced nuts.

I’m the baker of the family and so the dessert was left up to me, although my sister did of course give her opinions. We decided that elegant miniature desserts were the way to go. I wanted to give a choice and so came up with the idea of doing two different dessert trios – with either a chocolate or a fruity trio option, but with similar components on each. I only realised later this meant I had to make six different desserts – I can’t resist a challenge! Then cheese, grapes, crackers and chutney to finish with coffee and chocolates.

We were having the party on a Saturday and my sister was working away from home all week which meant it was up to me to shop for and buy all the food, some of the drinks and serving dishes etc. You should have seen the three page shopping list I took with me to Tesco’s – 20 chicken thighs, 2kg carrots, 3kg pork etc. I was having to swing my whole body along with the trolley to try and get it to turn corners by the end, good thing a small child didn’t run into my path or else they might have been crushed. I have never done a shop like it but it was rather thrilling! It then didn’t all fit in the boot of my car – it’s only small. Once home I then realised I had to try and not only find fridge space for all the food, but I had to try and hide most of it too as we were keeping the menu a secret. I ended up hiding some things too well and it was a game of hunt the crackers for the cheese during the evening (they were behind some books on the bookshelf – obvious place for them really!)

I wanted to serve the desserts on flat plates and I knew I wanted the desserts to all be individual and miniature and spent a while browsing through all the shops in town looking for suitable plates and serving dishes. Every time I thought I had found something I liked they never had 10 of them. I was thinking of serving some mini crème brulees in tiny glass bowls but when I found some plain white egg cups I knew I had to use those – they were just perfect. Do you know what we used as plates in the end for the desserts? Bathroom floor tiles! My parents redecorated their bathroom a couple of years ago and we still had two packs of spare tiles tucked away in the garage. They were a little on the large side, but nicely flat, quite neutral and when washed and polished they did the job perfectly.

So without further ado here are the recipes for the fruity dessert trio which comprised of a mini lemon tart served with a butterfly tuile courtesy of this months Daring Bakers challenge, an almond and blueberry frangipane square which was topped with a small blob of ice cream and an egg cup crème brulee! It’s a shame he photos are a bit poor, it was dark by the time we got round to serving dessert. See back soon for the chocolate trio.

Mini Lemon Tart
Recipe adapted from Delia Smiths Winter Collection
Ingredients
2 lemons
2 eggs
60g caster sugar
70ml double cream
10 – 12 mini sweet shortcrust pastry cases (see below)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grate the zest from the lemons and set to one side.
Beat the eggs and sugar together until combined but you don’t want them to thicken, so don’t overbeat.
Add the juice from the lemons and the lemon zest.
Finally gently beat in the double cream.
Divide between the 10-12 mini pastry cases and bake for 12-15 minutes until set.
Leave to cool before serving. I served mine with a butterfly tuile biscuit from the January Daring Bakers challenge.


Sweet shortcrust pastry
Recipe from Bake by Rachel Allen
Ingredients
200g plain flour
1tbsp icing sugar
100g cold butter
1 medium egg

Method
Put the flour, icing sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse gently until the mix starts to resemble chunky crumbs.
Beat the egg and add half to the flour mix, blitz again, adding more egg until the crumbs begin to stick together but it is still crumbly in texture.
Pour the pastry mix onto a large square of clingfilm, gather the film together and squeeze the pastry into a dough. Flatten slightly and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry until around 3mm thick (Rachel suggests between two sheets of clingfilm to avoid adding extra flour).
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Cut out circles of pastry and press into miniature tart tins. Trim off any excess. Chill for a further 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 ready to use.
Makes 20 mini tart cases or one 20cm tin.


Blueberry & Almond Frangipane
Ingredients
110g butter
110g caster sugar
2 eggs
50g self raising flour
60g ground almonds
½ tsp almond extract
½ tsp baking powder
100g fresh blueberries

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line an 8inch/20cm baking tin and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs and almond extract.
Add the flour, ground almonds and baking powder and beat until well incorporated.
Spread the batter into the cake tin and scatter the blueberries over the top (they will sink to the bottom during baking).
Bake for 22-25 minutes until risen, golden brown and springy to the touch.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Leave bottom side up – as this will show off the blueberries.
Cut into squares or rectangles and serve with a small scoop of ice cream.


Mini Egg Cup Crème Brulees
Recipe adapted from Delia Smith
Ingredients
4 egg yolks
3tsp cornflour
1½ tbsp caster sugar
380ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g caster sugar for the caramel

Method
Put the cream into a small saucepan and allow to heat gently until just beginning to simmer.
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and cornflour together until well combined.
When the cream is hot, slowly pour over the egg yolk mixture, whisking all the time.
Whisk to ensure it is smooth and then, pass the mix through a sieve back into the pan.
Stir constantly over a low heat until the mixture starts to thicken. DO NOT allow to boil or it will split.
When the custard coats the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and immediately divide between the egg cups or other moulds, filling nearly to the top.
Allow to cool before covering with cling film and refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
Shortly before serving, place the sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has melted and a golden caramel has formed. Shake the pan from time to time, but do not stir during the melting stage.
When melted, spoon or carefully pour a layer of caramel over the top of each custard. Allow to stand for 1 minute to set before serving.
Makes 12 egg cup crème brulees.
If making bigger crème brulees in ramekins, then you can scatter the sugar for the caramel over the top of the custards and caramelise under the grill or with a blowtorch if you prefer.

Festive Fruit and Orange Choc Chip Mini Panettones

Sorry for my absence over the last few days, what with winter flu and colds, family gatherings, uni work and general holiday hectic-ness I haven’t found the time to sit down and blog. However I have been keeping my camera at my side and so now have a little backlog of recipes to post about, so if you see a few festive recipes here in the next couple of weeks don’t be confused – I know its nearly the middle of January, but its still cold and icy outside and I’m trying to catch up.

Over the Christmas and New Year I baked a range of goodies for friends and family, both as gifts and as sweet treats to have on hand should any visitors call in. One of the festive treats I love over Christmas is panettone. A real Italian panettone is a baking masterpiece, light and buttery, and studded with fruits, nuts or chocolate and I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t like one variety or another.

This year I decided to try and make my own miniature panettones to give away as gifts as I had been given some pretty card muffin cases which reminded me of the small panettone cases I have seen in bakeries. I couldn’t decide on what flavour to do and so I made a plain dough with just a hint of orange zest and then divided it in half and made one batch dark chocolate chip and the other a mix of colourful festive fruits.

The dough is quite straightforward, although you need to plan in advance for making these as you have to make a biga, a sort of starter, which has to ferment overnight before you can begin work on the main dough. So it’s a slightly lengthy but fun process. The dough itself was a little sticky but smooth and supple and very easy to work with. I was so pleased when they came out of the oven with their golden tops and soft buttery interiors. I wrapped most of them in cellophane and attached little labels and gave them away as gifts, but I made sure to keep some back for myself. I found the texture to be slightly heavier and denser than a true Italian panettone (and how do they get it that wonderful golden colour inside?) but it was soft and buttery with a lovely flavour so I was by no means disappointed.

Festive Fruit and Orange Choc Chip Mini Panettones
(Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour Company)

Biga
180g plain flour
115ml water
¼ tsp instant yeast

Dough
3 eggs
115g butter cut into chunks
300g plain flour
60g caster sugar
5 tsp instant yeast
1½ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
Zest of 1 orange

Extras
125g dried fruit (figs, raisins, apricots & cherries)
125g dark chocolate chips
40g butter for brushing

Method – for the biga
Sieve the flour into a bowl, mix with the yeast and pour over the water. Mix together with your hands until a dough is formed. Knead for a few minutes until soft and springy.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a fairly cool place for 12 hours or overnight until light and bubbly.
To make the dough, simply place all the dough ingredients and the bubbly biga into a food mixer and mix with the dough hook until it forms a soft yet sticky dough. You can do this by hand, but it takes a lot longer.
Divide the dough into two equal portions place in greased bowls to prove for an hour until slightly risen.
Turn out onto a work surface and knead the chocolate chips into one half and the fruit (roughly chopped) into the other half.
Tear off chunks of the dough and roll into balls. Each ball should weigh around 100-120g in weight.
Place the balls into sturdy card muffin cases. (I got 6 balls of each variety from the mix). Place the muffin cases on a large tray and leave to rise in a warm place for a further 2hours until well risen.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the panettones for 15 minutes until golden brown, then quickly cover with a sheet of foil and bake for a further 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and transfer the panettones in their cases to a wire rack.
Brush a little melted butter over the top of each panettone and leave to cool before either serving or wrapping in clingfilm and storing in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.