Category: Baking

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead

White chocolate and custard powder cookies

Belinda

One of the simplest, flakiest and tastiest cookie recipes to make.
The only “special” ingredient you need (because it’s a British recipe) is custard powder, which seems to be more readily available in the USA these days. The brand pictured here called “Birds” is the one you can find in many supermarkets and certainly online and is the best one to use.

Makes about 25 cookies.
5 oz butter, softened
6 oz superfine sugar (caster sugar)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp good vanilla extract
8 oz self-raising flour
4 oz Birds custard powder
4 oz white chocolate , chopped into small chunks

Heat the oven to 350 F
Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with baking parchment.
Put the butter and sugar in a food mixer and whizz until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well.
Sift together the flour and custard powder, then tip into the bowl and pulse to mix into a dough.
Scrape out the food mixer and work the chocolate in by hand.
Roll the dough into balls a little smaller than a walnut, then place on the baking sheets, a little apart to allow for spreading.
Press each cookie down lightly with your fingers.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Nuts

The “Hello Dolly” bars

Belinda

These are very sweet but oh so good and oh so easy!

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 or 2 (12 oz) packages chocolate chips
2 (6 oz) packages butterscotch chips
1 (3 oz) package dessicated coconut
1 cup chopped nuts  (walnuts are nice)
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 9 x 13 pyrex dish.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs over the butter, mix and press to form a crust in the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut and chopped nuts evenly  over the crust.
Pour 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk over the top.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
Cut into squares. The recipe makes about 36 squares and may be refrigerated before cutting – they become VERY hard, so you might need a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife!

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts

Easy, healthy homemade fruit, nut and seed chocolate

Belinda

This is the most divine chocolate you can eat, and you choose exactly what you want in it and how dark the chocolate is. Everyone swoons with this chocolate.

It almost doesn’t need a recipe so I will give you the guidelines;

This makes about 40 pieces, at least

You will need;

A double boiler, or a bowl to sit on top of a saucepan without the bottom of it touching the water you put in the saucepan.
A shallow 9” by 13” baking tray lined with aluminum foil (however, you can make as little or as much as you want and vary the size of the tray.

Ingredients

12 x 4oz bars of really good quality chocolate. I use Lindt and use 8 x 85% bars and 4  x 70% bars, sometimes using a couple of the “Lindt Intense orange” flavor, or “mint” flavor but you can put in anything you want.

Salted, skinned peanuts (It’s nice to have something salted against the sweetness of the chocolate)
pumpkin seeds
pistachio nuts
sunflower seeds
toasted slivered almonds
any other nuts you like, chopped very coarsely
raisins
dried cranberries
dried blueberries
dried apricots
crystallized ginger
any other dried fruit

2 fresh oranges, grated zest only (if you like a lovely orange flavor)

Method

You can really improvise with this, but all you do is break up the chocolate and put it in the top bowl of a double boiler.

Cut all the nuts until they are pretty similar in size and sprinkle all the fruits, nuts and seeds of your choice onto the lined baking tray.

Finely grate the zest of the two oranges and add to the chocolate in the bowl over medium heat so the water underneath is gently simmering. Stir occasionally until it has all melted.
Take off the stove and pour over all the fruits, nuts and seeds in the baking tray, shaking the baking tray so it spreads evenly into all the holes and crevices. Sprinkle a few bits and pieces of the fruit, nuts and seeds over the top for decoration and then refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours until set.

Remove the foil from underneath the chocolate, and start cutting it into chunks . Store in a container in the fridge and you will have divine chocolate for weeks!!

Baking · Do-ahead

Coconut lemon traybake

Belinda

These are very lemony, “coconutty”, soft and gooey,  Very easy to make with no “creaming the butter and sugar” something I am allergic to doing!

Combine;

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Crumble it together lightly with your hands until it resembles fine bread crumbs and press it into a 9 x 9” baking pan.
Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool a little.

Mix together;

2 slightly beaten eggs
3 tbsp lemon juice or more if you like things really tart and lemony.
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sweetened desiccated coconut (and extra for sprinkling n the top)
1/4 tsp salt

Pour this over the baked crust.
Put in the oven for 30 minutes

If you want it to look really nice, sprinkle it with icing sugar or more coconut when it has cooked so it looks like a snowfall.
You can also sprinkle the top with more coconut “before” cooking and it will brown a little, but be careful it doesn’t burn

Baking · Do-ahead

French lemon yoghurt cake

Belinda

One word; Gorgeous!

Serves 8

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch Kosher salt
1 cup goat milk yoghurt
1 1/3 cups white sugar, divided use
3 large eggs
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Grease a loaf tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, mix together the yoghurt, 1 cup of the sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir in the canola oil and mix well.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. (I use a skewer)

Allow the hot cake to rest for 10 minutes before turning onto a baking rack.

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1/3 cup sugar with the lemon juice, just until the sugar dissolves.

Place the rack with the cake over a large plate and drizzle the glaze over the cake until it is absorbed

 

Baking

Divine Roquefort cookies

Belinda

These just melt in your mouth and are gorgeous to serve with a nice red wine.

Makes 36 small ones

4 oz self raising flour
4 oz butter
2 oz really mature Cheddar cheese
2oz Roquefort or other blue cheese that is pungent
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Sift the flour into a bowl and add the butter
Crumble in the Roquefort.
Grate the cheddar cheese and add to the bowl.
Using your fingers, mix all the ingredients together well to form a dough.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 mins to 1 hour.
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until golden, stirring and watching they don’t burn.
Remove and set aside to cool.
Roll the dough into 36 balls and toss each ball in the sesame seeds, pressing to coat well.
Place the balls on a greased baking sheet and press on each one lightly with a fork to flatten a bit.
Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes or until golden.
Store them in an air tight container. (but you won’t have any left to store!)

Baking · Breakfast · Dessert · Do-ahead · Egg based · Fruit · Holiday Food

Blueberry and brioche brunch bake

Belinda

Another fab Holiday brunch dish prepared the night before. This one oozing with sweet blueberries then covered in a warm blueberry sauce for good measure.

Makes 6 servings

For the breakfast casserole

4 brioche (about 14 oz in all)  or 8 x 1” thick slices of brioche or other white bread, cubed
1/4 lb cream cheese, cut into cubes
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 1/2 tbsp grated orange zest
6 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

For the blueberry sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 12 x 9 x 2 (approx) baking dish

Arrange half the brioche slices or cubes in the bottom. Scatter the cream cheese cubes, 3/4 of the blueberries and the orange zest over the brioche or bread. Top with the remaining brioche or bread cubes.

In a bowl, stir the eggs, milk and maple syrup to blend. Pour this egg mixture evenly over the entire casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it.
Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered until puffed and golden, about another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the blueberry sauce;

In a large saucepan, blend the sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils, thickens, and becomes clear, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the blueberries. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the blueberries burst, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon juice and keep warm until the casserole is done.

Cut the baked casserole into 6 squares, and transfer to plates. Pour abut 1/4 cup blueberry sauce over each portion and serve hot.

 

 

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Easy Breton apple cake with salted caramel sauce

Belinda

This is very easy to make, mostly in one bowl.  Very moist and the caramel sauce is divine!

For the cake:

10 tbsp butter, melted and cooled, plus 2 tbsp for the apples
1 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp Kosher salt (not regular table salt)
1 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
Zest of a lemon
3 large eggs
4 firm apples (you can mix varieties too) peeled, cored and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Butter and flour an 8” cake pan (It’s easier to use a spring form tin)

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, 10 tbsp of melted butter and the lemon zest.
Add in the dry ingredients and mix well to form a batter.
In a heavy medium skillet, heat the 2 tbsp of butter and add in the apple slices.
Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of sugar and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat until the apples are juicy and caramelized.
Keep stirring, so the apples don’t stick.
Lay half the apples on the bottom of the prepared cake pan and spoon half the batter over them.
Don’t worry if the batter doesn’t completely cover the apples.
Layer with the rest of the apples, then the rest of the batter.
It’s easiest if you have a rubber spatula to spread the batter.

* It’s nice to sprinkle the cake with some cinnamon sugar before putting into the oven.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness.

Salted caramel sauce

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (not regular salt)

In a small, heavy saucepan, heat the water and sugar on medium boil until turning golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
You can scrape the brown bits on the sides of the pan down with a wet pastry brush. Take the golden liquid off the heat and carefully add in the cream. It will bubble fiercely, so be very careful not to splatter yourself.
Place back on the stove and stir for 2 minutes.
Add in 3 tbsp butter and salt and cook for another minute or two until the butter and mixture is nice and smooth.

Transfer to a heat resistant vessel, and place in the fridge to cool. You can make the caramel sauce 5 days in advance

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Easy pumpkin pie fudge

Belinda

This recipe is from the food blogger “tasteandtellblog.com” and I want to share it as is, no tweaking.
Such a great idea to get that  concentrated pumpkin pie blast of flavor in a small bite.

Yields 48 pieces

1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
12 oz white chocolate chips
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 tsp really good vanilla essence

Line an 8” by 8” baking dish with non stick aluminum foil.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
Heat over medium heat.
Bring to the boil and allow to boil for 12 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from the heat and stir in the white chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Stir in the vanilla.
Pour into the prepared pan and chill until set.
Cut into squares.

 
 

Baking · Do-ahead

Blackberry and coconut tray bake

Belinda

Tray bakes are very “Commonwealth.” I was brought up with them in New Zealand and they are also very popular in Great Britain. They are usually very easy to make and so delicious. My son, Oliver made this to take to work, it was spectacular and everyone wanted more.

8 oz self-raising flour
4 oz oats
5 oz soft brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
7 oz cold butter, cut into pieces
4 oz sweetened shredded coconut
2 large eggs
14 oz fresh blackberries

Heat the oven to 350 F

Tip the flour, oats, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until only pea sized pieces remain.

Stir through the coconut, then fill a tea cup with the mixture and set this aside.

Stir the eggs into the bowl of mixture, then spread over the bottom of a lined baking tin, (like a 9” by 13” shallow Swiss roll tin or a square tin)
Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon, then scatter over the blackberries so they cover the mixture.

Scatter over the reserved teacup mixture and bake for 1 hour  – 1 hour 20 minutes until golden and cooked through (if you poke a skewer in, it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet mixture).

Leave to cook, then remove from the tin and cut into squares.
Serve with some extra berries, if you like.