Spiced carrot & sultana muffins

Using carrots from Anika & Jon's vegetable patch! Extra yummy :)

Verdict: so good! The actual recipe was for a carrot cake, but it worked as muffins really well!

Ingredients:

175g light muscovado sugar

175ml sunflower oil

3 large eggs , lightly beaten

140g grated carrots (about 3 medium)

100g raisins

grated zest of 1 large orange

175g self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp grated nutmeg (freshly grated will give you the best flavour)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment, or put muffin cases in a muffin tray.

2) Tip the sugar into a large mixing bowl, pour in the oil and add the eggs. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon.

3) Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and orange rind.

4) Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then sift into the bowl. Lightly mix all the ingredients - when everything is evenly amalgamated stop mixing. The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.

5) Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes, until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. Or, if you're making muffins, bake for 25 minutes (ish).

6) If making a cake, cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. If making muffins, leave for a few minutes and then cool on a wire rack.

Zucchini Brownies!

Hello readers,

This is something I have wanted to make for a long while now, strange as it may seem - chocolate brownies with zucchini (courgette to us British folk)! I'd seen such good reviews of various zucchini brownies, muffins and cakes that I just had to try them for myself!

... Made using a courgette from Anika and Jon's garden! :)

Verdict: you'd definitely have a hard time guessing the special ingredient. They do taste different from usual brownies (more squidgy and moist, but not in an eggy uncooked way, as there aren't any eggs in this recipe!)

Try it!

This recipe is from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

For the brownies

120 ml vegetable oil

300 g white sugar

10 ml vanilla extract

250 g plain flour

45 g unsweetened cocoa powder

7 g bicarbonate of soda

6 g salt

250 g shredded courgette

60 g chopped pecans

For the glaze

30 g unsweetened cocoa powder

55 g margarine

240 g icing sugar

60 ml milk

3 ml vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2) In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended.

3) Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture.

4) Fold in the courgette and pecans. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

5) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.

6) To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool.

7) In a medium bowl, blend together the icing sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Toffee Apple Bundt Cake

You might have heard the news by now... Alex and I are engaged!!! It's so exciting - the last week has been such a crazy hyper blur! Sitting in work on Monday, my heart was beating so fast all day I felt so dizzy!

We collected the ring on Tuesday, and I felt it was quite unfair that I got such a wonderful token of love from Alex but didn't give him anything equal back in return. I had heard that it's tradition for a girl to get her fiance a watch, but Alex has a lovely watch already, so that was off the cards. In the end I suggested that he could have a ring of his own.... only that it would be edible... a bundt cake to be precise!

And so tonight I made, and got down on one knee with this sticky toffee apple bundt cake :)

Also, to add to the randomness of the evening, our weighing scales decided to stop working, so I had to guesstimate all the ingredients!

Verdict: sugary sweet (especially after adding the glaze), but a bit hit with us!

This recipe is called "Apple Harvest Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze" and is found on AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

For the cake

400 g white sugar

355 ml vegetable oil

10 ml vanilla extract

3 eggs

375 g all-purpose flour

5 g baking soda

1 g ground cinnamon

6 g salt

318 g apples - peeled, cored and chopped

115 g chopped walnuts

For the glaze

115 g butter or margarine

10 ml milk

110 g brown sugar

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch Bundt pan.

2) In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. 3) Fold in the apples and walnuts using a spoon. Pour into the prepared pan.

4) Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the crown or the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes then invert on to a wire rack.

5) Make the glaze by heating the butter, milk and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat.

6) Drizzle over the warm cake. Place a plate underneath the cake to trap all the drips and then pour over the cake a second time.

New favourite choc chip cookies!

Hullo again!

I have made so many of these over the last few months, and they all get eaten up very quickly, which is always a good sign! The recipe uses white chocolate and raspberries, but other great combinations are....

* white chocolate and dried cranberries

* dark chocolate and crystallised ginger

* milk chocolate with candied orange peel and some orange zest in the batter, and...

* (the classic) milk choc

Verdict: My quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie is not quite over yet, but these are definitely close to the mark!

Tip: Bake them at 20 degrees less than the recipe says and for less time. Leave to cool on the baking trays, and they will be extra squidgy!

This recipe is from the Nestle Carnation (UK) recipe website.

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened

225g (8oz) caster sugar

170g tube Carnation Condensed Milk

350g (12oz) self-raising flour

150g (5½oz) white chocolate, chopped

175g punnet raspberries

Directions:

0. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 (* tip - set the oven to 150-60 degrees *)

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, until pale and then stir in the condensed milk.

2. Sift in the flour and then work into a soft dough with your hands. Mix in the chocolate.

3. Take a small handful of dough and flatten with your fingers.

4. Place 2-3 raspberries into the centre of the cookie and fold over the sides of the dough to encase the raspberries.

5. Repeat with the remaining dough.

6. Place onto parchment lined baking trays, spacing well apart and bake for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown at the edges, but still a little soft. (* tip - bake for only 10 or so minutes *)

7. Leave to cool slightly and set before transferring to a cooling rack.

The dough without the raspberries will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days or for about 1 month in the freezer - freeze in small slightly flattened chunks and bake as required!

A post so unbelieveably long overdue, I no longer deserve the title "Baking Queen"!

Hello hello hello!

I have baked so much over the past few months, but have been so bad at documenting it here - I do apologise :)

We've made pizzas, tomato and pesto tarts, all kinds of chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, biscotti, gingernuts, toffee apple cake and so much more!!

But I only have pictures of two of the creations I'm afraid, so only two recipes today... more will follow soon, I promise!

Clare

Baked cheesecake with blueberries

Some blueberries appeared in the fridge again... :)

I actually had a bit of an issue when baking this but it turned out really well. I used a spring-form tin as I always do with cheesecake, but this time as soon as I poured in the mixture over the base, it started to leak through the bottom! In the end, I shoved it into the oven as fast as I could with a baking tray on the shelf beneath it to catch the dripping mixture. It stopped dripping after about 10-15 minutes when the mixture started to set...

Tip: Make sure your spring-form tin is a tight fit and that there are no gaps in the base. Alternatively, try lining the base and covering the join with greaseproof paper.

Verdict: Well worth the hassle. This cheesecake was enjoyed by the whole family.

This recipe serves 10-12 and is taken from a cake book by Rachel.

Ingredients
175 g digestive biscuits
75 g butter, melted
175 g blueberries, plus extra for decorating (optional)
450 g cream cheese
150 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Icing sugar, to dust

24 cm diameter spring-form/loose-bottomed tin

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter the sides and base of the cake tin.
2. Place the biscuits in a food processor and whi until quite fine. Alternatively, place them in a plastic bad and bash with a rolling pin. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press down into the base of the tin so that it is nice and even. Spread the blueberries over the base and allow to chill in the fridge while you make the topping.
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and the eggs together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour over the top of the blueberries and then bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until it is pale golden and should only wobble very slightly when you gently shake the tin.
4. Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen it and carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle over a few blueberries, if you wish, then dust with icing sugar. Cut into slices to serve. This cheesecake is best eaten when it is at room temperature.

Victoria Sandwich Cake (a lovely gift)

It was my fiance's grandparents wedding anniversary not long ago and we didn't know what to get for them. We eventually decided to bake them this cake and they absolutely loved it. So much that they ate the whole cake between them... (warning: it is actually family-sized and will easily feed 8 or more!)

This recipe is again taken from my favourite Mary Berry cake book but I have adapted it to include butter cream.

Verdict: I've made this cake several times and it has never gone wrong. If you need to whip up something quick for a family dessert or when you have guests, this cake is reliable and tasty and uses simple store cupboard ingredients.

This recipe makes 1 20cm cake.

Ingredients

For the cake
225 g soft margarine (I use butter)
225 g caster sugar
4 eggs
225 g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder

For the filling and topping
4 tbsp raspberry or strawberry jam (although you can use as much or as little as you prefer)
a little caster sugar

For the butter cream filling
100 g butter, softened
200 g icing sugar, sifted

Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line 2 20cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.
2. Measure the margarine (or butter), sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended.
3. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level out.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger.
5. Leave to cool in the tins for a few moments then turn out, peel off the paper and finish cooling on a wire rack.
6. While the cake is cooling, make the butter cream icing. Beat the butter and icing sugar until well blended.
7. When the cake is completely cold, sandwich the cakes together with the jam and butter cream. Spread the butter cream on the bottom half of the cake and spread the jam on the top half and sandwich together.
8. Sprinkle with caster sugar to serve.

Blueberry muffins (a classic)

A couple of packs of blueberries appeared in our fridge a while ago and I thought what better to do with them than use them to make blueberry muffins! So much for the healthy snack... :)

Blueberry muffins are a classic and there are many recipes out there but I would really recommend you try this one as it is particularly scrummy. This recipe makes 12 muffins and is taken from my favourite Mary Berry cake book.

Tip: The recipe states that these muffins need 20-25 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees C. I have a fan oven and they were done in 18 minutes at 200 degrees C...

Verdict: Scrummy - you can't go wrong with these muffins!

Ingredients
250 g self -raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
50 g soft margarine (I use butter)
75 g caster sugar
175 g fresh blueberries
grated rind of 1 lemon
2 eggs
250 ml milk

Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place 12 paper muffin cases into a muffin tin.
2. Measure the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Rub in the margarine (or butter) with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sugar, blueberries and the grated lemon rind.
4. Mix together the eggs and milk, then pour the mixture all in one go into the dry ingredients. Mix quickly to blend. The mixture should have a lumpy consistency.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared paper cases, filling almost to the top.
6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20-25 minutes until well-risen, golden and firm to the touch. Leave the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the tray, then lift out and cool for a little longer on the wire rack. Serve warm.

Ginger and honey snaps (Sorry it's taken me so long...)

I'm back - finally... and I have quite a few posts for today...

I actually made these a while ago but have been too busy to post the recipe on here. They are well worth the wait, I assure you! I love ginger cookies and this is the best recipe I have found for them so far.

This recipe is taken from a recipe book by Rachel (of Rachel's organics range) and it makes about 20 cookies.

Ingredients
225 g self-raising flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
100 g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra, for sprinkling
125 g butter, cubed
100 g runny honey

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a large baking tray with vegetable oil (or butter).
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices into a large bowl, add the 100 g sugar and mix well. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Heat the honey gently in a small saucepan, then pour it into the flour and butter mixture and bring together to form a dough using a wooden spoon.
4. Sprinkle the 1 tbsp of caster sugar over a plate. Using floured hands, roll the dough into small balls, then roll in the caster sugar and place on the greased baking tray about 5 cm apart. Flatten down with the back of a damp fork and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are medium brown.
5. Leave on the baking tray for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Tip: If you prefer your cookies to be more squidgy, take them out of the oven a couple of minutes earlier. Take care not to over-bake these cookies as they will taste bitter if they come out of the oven too dark.

Coconut & Raspberry Slice (getting my baking fix!)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a ever so slightly bored Clare in want of something to do will end up baking....

 .... and eating said baked goods...

.... and feeding them to her b/f (hahaha) and ever-expanding colleagues!

THANK YOU to everyone who has commented so far (and for the recipe!  It looks yummy!)

Today folks it was a brand spanking new recipe for me... 

Coconut Slices 

From the Channel 4 food website: http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/baking/biscuits/coconut-slice-recipe_p_1.html

Verdict: mmmm.... I'd write a verdict down if my brain was able to think of something other than how yummy these slices are!

Ingredients:

Base:

100g butter, plus extra for greasing

200g self-raising flour

50g caster sugar

2 egg yolks

Topping:

7 tbsp raspberry jam

3 egg whites

100g caster sugar

150g desiccated coconut

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.  Grease a dish (about 17.5 x 27 x 4cm deep) - I used a lasagne dish which worked quite well.

2) In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour, then stir in the sugar.  Mix the egg yolks and 2 tbsp cold water to form a moist dough.  Press evenly into the base of the tin, then spread the jam on top.

3) In a clean (glass) bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks (preferably with something whisk-like and  electric - I did this by hand.. with a fork!)

4) Using a metal spoon, fold in the sugar and coconut.  Spread over the jam.  Bake for 20 miutes, or until the topping is golden.

5) Cool in the tin, then cut into 21 squares to serve (or fewer, larger, squares if you're got a particularly bad case of the munchies!)

 

Banana muffins (aka yes I do have a baking problem!)

Why do I end with so many bananas?!

It seems like every other week I have half a dozen overripe stinky bananas to use up!  I did come to the bottom of it, though - Alex was buying them for me because he thought I liked them, and I was buying them for him because I thought he liked them.. hence the persistent mountain of bananas in our kitchen :)

I made banana muffins a while ago now, but felt a bit guilty for having so many consecutive posts (letting the team down Anika :P ) and so didn't put the recipe up.  But this may be the only way to stop me eating all my baked creations before Alex gets back home... and so I post.....

Banana Crumb Muffins

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Crumb-Muffins/Detail.aspx

Verdict: I think I'm losing my (insanely!) sweet tooth - these were faaaar too sweet for me, and it's rare I say anything bad about sugary goodness!  Next time, I'll lose the crumb topping - straight up banana muffins are definitely the way to go!

Ingredients, Directions etc... since I didn't change the recipe at all (and I'm feeling very lazy) use the link above!

Classic Bakewell Tart

This is one of my all-time favourite things to bake!  It takes quite a bit of effort but is great for a special treat.  OOooh the almondy goodness!

Verdict: I LOVE this recipe (adapted from Waitrose.com)!  Today it wasn't quite as good as usual though, due to me being in a bit of a rush, but still went down well :) 

Ingredients:

Pastry

200g plain flour

2 tbsp icing sugar

100g unsalted butter, chilled

2 large egg yolks, beaten

Filling

100g unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs, beaten

6 tbsp strawberry (or raspberry) jam

125g caster sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract

150g ground almonds

To decorate

Icing sugar

(Cooking) chocolate

Directions:

1) First make the pastry: sift the flour, a pinch of salt and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Cut the butter into the mixture and then rub in with fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (or use a food processor).

2) Stir in the beaten egg yolks, a bit at a time, until the mixture comes together.  

3) Push the pastry together and shape into a flat circle.

4) Chill in the fridge for a half-hour.

5) Roll out the pastry and use it to line a tart tin (20cm with a removable base, preferably).

6) Chill for another half hour in the fridge.

7) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

8) Lightly prick the pastry with a fork to stop it rising.  Line with baking parchment, fill with baking beans (or rice if you don't have baking beans).

9) Place the tart tin on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes (the original recipe says 15 minutes, although I have always preferred softer pastry, so prefer to cook it for a shorter time).

10) Remove the baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes (max).  Turn the oven down to 170 degrees

11) To make the filling, place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together until pale and fluffy.

12) Add the eggs a little at a time.

13) Add the almond extract and fold in the ground almonds.

14) Spread the jam over the base of the tart and then spoon the filling on top, spreading it around carefully.

15) Return to the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the filling is golden on top and feels firm in the middle.

16) Remove, leave to cool slightly and then remove from the tin.

17) When cool, ice using the icing sugar and a little warm water.

18) When set, melt the chocolate and drizzle on top.

19) Enjoy!