Christmas Candy Cane Cupcakes

This is my very own creation and for that reason no recipe post i'm afraid my lovelies... But never the less a feast for the eyes! Merry Christmas xx

Sunday Lunch Apple Tart

I believe apple pie or tart is the only dessert to have after a lovely sunday roast. This week I am lucky enough to be having sunday lunch with my nan. I love having big family sunday lunches, but especially with my nan. I have the fondest memories of sitting round her table with family.  I know no matter how my life changes, one constant will always remain... The love and warmth I get at my nan's as well as the best sunday lunch going! I hope you enjoy this apple tart with family, and if that isn't possible pick up the phone and give them a call.

Ingredients

250g Puff Pastry
4-6 Cox Apples
Apricot Conserve

Roll out the puff pastry to about 2.5mm in depth, then place a 23cm plate on top and cut around it. Place your pastry circle on a baking tray, prick with a fork all over and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 160c, then whilst the pastry is chilling peel, core and thinly slice your apples. Once the pastry is chilled arrange the apple in circles (see pic below,) then bake for 30-40 minutes.

Once the tart is baked and cooled to just warm, heat some apricot conserve in a saucepan.  Then glaze the top of the tart with the warmed apricot conserve using a pastry brush.

I hope you enjoy this simple yet delicious, apple tart! Yum!

My Nan, with Sunday Lunch Apple Tart xxxx

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Another cupcake recipe this week, I'm afraid I saw this in one of my olive magazines and just couldn't resist! I absolutely adore the flavour combination of mint and chocolate.  I promise next week I shall bake something other than cupcakes.

Ingredients

Mint Chocolate Sponge

175g unsalted butter
100g G&B dark mint chocolate
200g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
275g dark muscovado sugar
1tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Heat the oven to 180C/fan160C/gas 4.  Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.  Stir until melted, then cool.  Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate.

With an electric whisk,cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the peppermint extract to the eggs.  With the whisk running, slowly add the egg mixture to the butter and sugar, adding a tbsp of the flour to prevent curdling.  Then add then chocolate.

Fold in the flour and divide the mixture into the papercases.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes, once ready to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Mint Buttercream

200g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar, sifted
Peppermint extract
Green food colouring
Decorations

Beat the butter and icing sugar for a good 5 minutes until really light, then add the peppermint extract to taste and a few drops of green food colouring. 

With a palette knife, spread buttercream onto the cupcakes and decorate.

Enjoy my lovelies, these are truly yummy!

Rose Cupcakes - Primrose Bakery Style

I should say you were a liar if you told me you didn't love cupcakes.  I think there is nothing more glorious that a plate stacked with cupcakes of all the colours of the rainbow.  There is something quite wonderful about the versatility of a cupcake, how many other baked goods are as suitable for a wedding as they are a child's birthday party!  They are indulgent, without being overbearing.  They are beautiful, without being difficult. I love nothing more that whipping up a batch of cupcakes, and I always feel like quite the accomplished domestic goddess when I do!!

This lovely cupcake recipe is taken from the Primrose Bakery book. I made them with a vanilla sponge and Rose butter cream, as I wanted to have a delicate flavour rather then being too overpowering.

Now whenever I bake cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery book, I always edit the flour type.  I find the use of plain flour unnecessary I feel it gives the cupcake the dense texture of a muffin, which is not what I personally like.  I prefer my cupcakes to be light and fluffy!

Ingredients

For 12 Vanilla Cupcakes

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

225g caster sugar, preferably golden

2 large free range organic eggs

275g self-raising flour, sifted

120ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 160C (fan)/180C/gas mark 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tray.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.

Pour the milk into a jug and add the vanilla extract to it.

Add one-third of the flour to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one-third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk has been added.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about to thirds full.  Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until slightly raised and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave the cakes to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before placing carefully on a wire rack to cool.  Once they are completely cool they are ready for icing.

Rose Buttercream

115g unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

500g icing sugar, sifted

good-quality rosewater, to taste

pink food colouring (optional)

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth - this can take several minutes with an electric hand mixer.  Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until smooth and creamy.  Add the rosewater at the very end and beat thoroughly, tasting to check it is scented enough.

To colour, simply beat in a tiny drop of pink food colouring.

Until next week sweeties, enjoy your cupcakes!

My much neglected blog!

I hereby pledge that from now on I will update you weekly... promise!

Christmas Spiced Chocolate Cake

I made this scrummy Nigella recipe on Boxing Day, and my friend Royston has asked for the recipe.  Can I also apologise for the lack of photos, at the moment I am posting retrospective recipes. I will soon be including photos of all these yummy things.

Ingredients


For the Cake:
150g Dark Chocolate, chopped
150g Soft Butter
6 Eggs
250g Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Essence
100g Ground Almonds
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
Pinch of Ground Clove
Zest of 1 Clementine/Satsuma
4tsp Instant Espresso Powder

For the Topping:
Juice of Zested Clementine/Satsuma
15g Butter
1 x 15ml tbsp Caster Sugar
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
50g Flaked Almonds

Method


Take anything you need out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature.  The only truly important thing, however, is that the eggs aren't cold, so if they are, just put them in a bowl and cover with warm water for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180c/gas mark 4. Butter the sides and line the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl, in a microwave according to the manufacturer's instructions, or suspended over a pan of simmering water, and set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick, pale and moussy.  They should have at least doubled in volume, even tripled.  If you're using a free standing mixer this is effortless.

Gently fold in the ground almonds, cinnamon, cloves, clementine/satsuma zest and and espresso powder, taking care not to lose the air you have whisked in, then, finally, pour and scrape in the melted, slightly cooled, chocolate and butter, folding gently again.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, by which time the top of the cake should be firm, and the underneath still a bit gooey.

Remove from the oven, and sit it on a wire rack, draped with a clean tea towel, to cool completely.

To make the topping for the cake, put the clementine/satsuma juice into a small, preferably non-stick, frying pan with the butter, sugar and cinnamon and melt everything together, then let it sizzle for a minute or so and begin to caramelize before adding the almonds.

Stir everything together, and occasionally tip the pan to keep it all moving; what you want is for all the liquid to disappear and the nuts to look shiny and be coated thinly in a fragrant, orange-scented toffee.

Remove to a plate and cool

Unspring the cake and transfer the cake to a plate or stand; I am brave enough to take it off the base sometimes, but don't if you're scared.  Remember this cake, however intense and elegant within, has a rather ramshackle rustic appearance on the outside.

Scatter with the almonds, mainly letting them pile up in the centre of the cake, but drop a few here and there all over the top, and serve.

Culinary Anxiety

Oh dear on the 5th I will be feeding 17!  This the largest number I have ever cooked for, to say I am scared is the biggest understatement ever, and I still haven't decided on a menu.....eek.

Welcome One and All

A new year, so time for a new blog.  Hello to you all, I am hoping to use this new blog to share some of my favourite recipes and bakes.  Although this blog we predominately showcase my bakes, I am going to start it off with a savoury recipe.  This makes a great side dish at a barbecue or is a lovely warming winter lunch. This recipe is especially for my Mum, as she keeps asking me for it. So here you go Mum......!

Sarah's Scrummy Pasta Salad


Ingredients


200g Feta Cheese, cubed
250g (half a bag) Seeds of Change Trottole Pasta
Frozen Petit Pois (as many as you like)
Spinach or Watercress & Rocket (as much as you like)
230g (approx) Green olives
Fresh Mint, the amount I feel here is definitely a personal preference
1 Lemon, zested & juiced
Olive Oil

1. Bring a pan of water as salty as the Mediterranean (as Nigella would say) to the boil, add a few sprigs of mint and your pasta, cook following the pack instructions.  I must insist on you using the specified Seeds of Change pasta, otherwise the salad just isn't as good.

2. When your pasta is almost ready add the petit pois to the pan.

3. When cooked drain thoroughly, remove the mint, and return to the pan.

4.  Add the feta cheese, green olives, spinach or watercress and rocket, finely chopped mint, lemon zest & juice, olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Stir thoroughly and serve immediately...........yum!

Enjoy....feel free to leave me your comments :)