Beginner's guide to breadmaking

So, who's enjoying the new series of Bake Off? Me, me, me!  I don't know what's behind the success of this little series... is it the ding dong battle between Paul and Mary, where she always balances his fiercest criticism with some kind words? Is it the different characters featured, some of whom seem very unlikely bakers? Or is it just that we all love a good slice of cake?! Whatever the reason, The Bake Off seems to have gripped the nation.  And in honour of last week's episode, I thought I'd write a blog on bread.

Firstly, a disclaimer.  I'm certainly no expert on breadmaking, really I'm a beginner myself. I just thought I'd share some of the tips that have helped me to get started.  I've picked these up from 3 sources.  Firstly, Rachel (obviously!)  Secondly, Paul Hollywood's 'Bread' book which I had for my birthday last year.  This has some really good pictorial guides, and he also suggests a meal to make out of each bread... so it's a really useful cookbook.  I went to see Mr Hollywood at De Montfort Hall in May, and had a great evening.  At one point they asked for volunteers to bake on stage with him.  I put my hand up, and my Mum, sitting next to me, looked horrified. 

 "Oh Heidi, you wouldn't?!"

Oh I would, I'd have loved it! Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for my Mum's embarassment, I didn't get picked.

Thirdly, a couple of years ago I did a breadmaking course at 'Jacques Bakes Cakes' in Hinckley. Now, my previous experience of cookery lessons had been in school.  I had some really scary teachers, and as I'm not the most practical person I often found myself getting shouted at.  At 14 (when school cookery lessons finished) I'd decided I was a rubbish cook. I only really started to enjoy it when I was away at university, and had to fend for myself.  So it was with some trepidation that I walked into Annaliese Jacques' cookery school.  As it happened, she turned out to be the antithesis of the scary school cookery teacher, as you can see...

As you can imagine, Annaliese's lessons were a lot of fun! She was patient and encouraging, and I went home with a yeast loaf; a soda bread and a batch of bread rolls which I was very proud of! I can highly recommend Annaliese's classes.  She doesn't just teach breadmaking either... she does cupcakes; macaroons; sugarcraft; preserves and more.  Her website can be found at www.landgirlscookeryschool.co.uk (They've moved premises since I went, and changed the business name)  I think my dear husband would quite like to do a course after seeing that picture of Annaliese with her... ahem... baps!

Right, to the point.  This is how I'd make a basic loaf.  The quantities are Rachel's, but the method is a mixture of what I've picked up.  Here goes...

1. In a measuring jug, mix 2 tsp sugar with 150mls (1/4 pint) warm water and some yeast - 2 1/2 tsp dried; 20g (2/3oz) fresh; or 1 1/2 x 7g sachets fast-acting.  Let it stand in a warm place for 5 minutes, or until frothy.  If using fast-acting yeast, there's no need to let the mixture stand.
2. Place 750g (1lb 10oz) strong white flour into a bowl.  Paul says there is really no need to sift flour for breadmaking, as modern flours are of such good quality.  Add 2 tsp salt.  Then, rub in 40g (1 1/2oz) chilled butter, and rub in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Alternatively, you can add 4 tbsp olive oil.  In this case, make a well in the centre of the flour and pour the oil in.  Then, pour in the yeast mixture.  Take about 275mls water, and gradually add it, to create a soft dough  (You may not need it all).  When mixing in the water, keep your fingers stiff and outstretched - like a claw.  You aren't kneading at this point, just combining the ingredients.  
3. KNEADING Turn the dough out on to a lightly oiled or floured surface.  Just be careful if using flour, as too much will affect the recipe and your bread may not work!  I've gone wrong here in the past, so for that reason I prefer to use oil.  The dough will feel slightly sticky, but that's OK.  Stretch out the dough, fold it in to the centre and flatten it again, before turning.  Keep stretching; folding; flattening and turning for about 10 minutes.  You will feel the dough getting smoother and stretchier, 'like chewing gum' says Annaliese.  To test when you've kneaded enough, pull out a small piece of dough - it should stretch to at least 20cm without breaking. (Note that you can do all your kneading in a food processor fitted with a dough hook.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Be careful as it's easy to over-knead dough this way.  It's almost impossible when kneading by hand).
4. RISING Now, place your dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a clean tea towel or cling film.  This protects the dough from draughts, and stops a skin forming on it, which would slow the rise.  Don't worry about putting the dough in a warm place, room temperature is fine.  A very warm environment would create a fast rise, and you don't want that.  The slower the rise, the tastier your bread will be (We once tried to make a fast, 1 hour bread in our breadmaking machine.  It was only fit for the birds, and I don't think even they were too impressed!)  So, leave your bread for 1-3 hours.  During this time, the yeast will be feeding on nutrients in the flour and producing carbon dioxide, which makes the bread rise.  Magic! The dough will double, treble or even quadruple in size.  You will eventually see creases starting to form in the top, and you'll know it's about ready.  Don't leave it too much longer, or you'll have a bitter; over-fermented bread.
5. KNOCKING BACK Turn the dough out, and then knock it down to release any air pockets.  (The idea of this is to create bread with a uniform texture).  Knead for 2-3 minutes, to get the yeast working again.  Then, fold the dough in on itself several times to create structure.  'Like folding paper' says Paul - the more times you fold it, the stronger it becomes.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before shaping.
6. SHAPING Divide the dough in half (Rachel's recipe creates 2 loaves).  Shape each loaf into an oval, about 23cm (9in) long, before placing into a lightly oiled 13 x 23cm (5 x 9in loaf tin). Try to keep the dough taut and even as you shape it, as this will help to create structure.  You could also shape the bread into rolls or a plaited loaf (haven't tried this yet, but I do intend to as part of the challenge!)  Now, place a roasting tin in to the bottom of your oven, and preheat to 220C/425F/GM 7.  Nearly there!
7. PROVING This stage develops aeration and structure in your loaf.  Place the loaf tin inside a large plastic bag (I use a clean bin bag).  You need to form a sort of 'tent' over the loaf, so it has room to rise.  This stage should take about 30 minutes.  When the dough is fully proved, it will spring back slowly when pressed. 
8. BAKING Place your loaf into the preheated oven, and as you do so pour about 1 litre of water into the roasting tray.  The steam this creates will help to give a crispy crust.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, turning the oven down to 200C/400F/GM 6 after 15 minutes.  The bread should be well risen, golden in colour and sound hollow when you tap the base.
9. COOLING Turn out your loaf immediately, so that the base doesn't become soggy (Mr Hollywood and Ms Berry would not like!)  Allow to cool completely before eating.

And that's it!  I've discovered that bread making really isn't scary or complicated.  Yes it takes time, but most of that is waiting time.  It can be really therapeutic, and the results so much nicer than anything you'd get in the shops.

In another of Rachel's books (Everyday Kitchen) she suggests rising and proving bread in the fridge if you have time (you'll remember that a slow rise produces a better flavour) The rising takes 12-24 hours, and the proving up to 8 hours.  I'm thinking this could work well for me... I could make a batch of dough last thing at night, after the bairns are in bed.  Leave to rise until the following evening, then knock back; shape and prove.  The bread should be ready to bake the following morning.  I'll let you know what happens!

Bakewell Bars

'I love the classic combination of light almond sponge and buttery shortbread, sandwiched together with a tasty layer of raspberry jam.  You can use any type of jam you wish, of course - apricot would be a delicious alternative in this recipe'.

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p22

July marked a big milestone for my little chap, as he came to the end of his time at preschool. He's had a wonderful 2 years, and the staff have been fantastic... but onwards to the next chapter! Of course, his last couple of weeks were a busy whirl with leavers' sports day; final parents' evening; visits to 'big boy school' and meeting his new teacher.  By far Evan's highlight was the end of term trip.  This year's trip was to Twinlakes, near Melton Mowbray.  It's a theme park with farm animals; outdoor splash zone; indoor soft play and of course, plenty of rides.  The whole family went, and Evan had a wonderful time charging around.  Plenty of energy needed, so we took a nice big picnic.  These Bakewell Bars were my special treat!  Here's the recipe...

• 75g (3oz) butter, softened
• 25g (1oz) caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Half a jar (approximately 200g/7oz) raspberry jam

Topping

• 100g (3 1/2oz) butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs, beaten
• A few drops of almond essence
• 100g (3 1/2oz) ground almonds
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) semolina
• 100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
• Flaked almonds, for sprinkling

• 20 x 20cm (8 x 8in) square cake tin or, you can make double the quantity to fit a 23 x 30cm (9 x 12in) Swiss roll tin.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4.  Butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
2. First, make the biscuit base.  Cream the butter in a large bowl, or in an electric food mixer until soft.  Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolk and mix well, then sift in the flour and mix together to form a dough.
3. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to the right size to fit the base of the tin, and then press into the prepared tin.  Spread the raspberry jam over the top, then allow to chill in the fridge while you make the topping.
4. Place the melted butter in a bowl, add the beaten eggs and almond essence and mix well.  Stir in the ground almonds, semolina and caster sugar.
5. Take the tin out of the fridge and spread the almond dough over the jam, being careful not to mess up the jam up too much (I usually place the almond dough in dots over the jam, then join it all together using the back of a spoon).
6. Sprinkle the top with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden and set in the centre.  Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into fingers

These were fantastic, really moist and pretty similar to traditional Bakewell tart.  They also brought back memories of Sunday teatimes at home.  Typically, we'd have ham sandwiches; a cup of tea and then a Mr Kipling's Cherry Bakewell or apple pie.  My brother really doesn't have a sweet tooth, but he loves both of those... oh, apart from the cherry on the bakewell.  Not keen on those, so I used to get an extra one!  Making (and eating) these bars really brought back memories of Sunday teatimes; Songs of Praise; Antiques Roadshow and Last of the Summer Wine!  Actually, I'm wondering if I could ice these bars, and top them with glace cherries, for that authentic Sunday experience?!  I'll let you know what happens!

I really struggled to find the semolina for this recipe, couldn't believe how elusive it was! Our 3 local, moderately sized supermarkets didn't have it.  I popped into our local healthfood shop, who didn't have it either.  However, the owner told me it's a typical Asian ingredient.  Never realised that, it always makes me think of British school dinners!  I was considering a trip to Leicester's 'Golden Mile' (famous Asian shopping area) to get some, but found it in a big Sainsbury's.

Chocolate & coconut bars

'These chocolately treats are perfect for picnics and parties'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake' p19

This post follows on from my previous entry (Dutch apple cake).  As part our church fundraising week, it was announced that there would be a bake sale.  This was to take place after the service, and before we went in for lunch and the talent auction.  Seemed a lot to fit in but hey-ho, double opportunity to flex my baking muscles!  Couldn't see much sign of a bake sale after the service, and I asked a few people - including the minister's wife - who all looked at me as if I was nuts.  Bake sale, what bake sale?!  Eventually I asked somebody who said "oh yes, that was cancelled as it was felt to be too much!"

Oops, must have missed that one! Still, it was an extra contribution for lunch and they were polished off, so my efforts weren't wasted.

I'd chosen to make these for the sale as Nigel isn't a big fan of coconut, so if I'd made them at home, would probably have ended up eating them all myself! (When we have a box of chocolates, he usually gets his mitts on them first and I get left with coconut; nougat and Turkish Delight.  Not that I really mind, any chocolate is fine with me!)  If you like Bounty bars, you'll definitely enjoy these.  They have an unusual crunchy texture from the cornflakes.  Here's the recipe if you'd like it...

• 225g (8oz) butter, softened
• 150g (5oz) golden caster sugar
• 150g (5oz) desiccated coconut
• 75g (3oz) crushed cornflakes
• Pinch of salt
• 150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder, sifted
• 175g (6oz) good-quality dark chocolate
• 18 x 28cm (7 x 11in) Swiss roll tin

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4.  Butter or line the Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Cream the butter in a large bowl, or in an electric food mixer until soft.  Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the coconut; cornflakes and salt, then gradually add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and bring the mixture together to form a fairly dry dough.
3. Place the dough in the prepared tin, and spread it out evenly (Rachel suggests placing a layer of cling film over the mixture, and rolling it with a rolling pin or empty jam jar)
4. Remove the cling film, if used.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until dry to the touch.  Allow to cool in the tin.
5. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, then spread over the cooled biscuit base in the tin.  Place somewhere cool (preferably not the fridge) until the chocolate has hardened, then cut into about 16 bars.  

I'm thinking of trying out this recipe with cherries, instead of coconut.  I really love the combination of dark chocolate and cherries, although I suppose then I might have to share with my husband. Hmmm...

Dutch apple cake

'This cake has been made at Ballymaloe for years. We even have guests who ask for it specifically every time they visit. The fruit sinks to the bottom as it cooks, leaving a light sponge on top with a lovely sugary crust'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p49

We had a busy week at church in early June, fundraising for our linked charity 'The Centre Project'*.  'The Centre' aims to support vulnerable people in Leicester, in a variety of ways - including cheap hot meals; support and advice.  Like many charities, they have really suffered in the recession and lost some important grants.  So, for the last 2 years, we've had a dedicated fundraising week.  Last year, our minister spent a day wearing baked bean boots; this year he completed a series of walks around Leicester.  Both years, the week has culminated in an 'Auction of Talents', where church members pledge a talent that they can share with others, for example an evening's babysitting; a homecooked meal; a carwash... get the idea? I pledged a set of homemade cards (another of my hobbies) and a 'crafternoon', offering someone tools and tuition.  All money pledged goes to the charity.  It's a really fun way of raising money, and has been well supported both times.

This year's auction was held over a shared lunch, with savouries provided by the church and desserts brought by the congregation.  A good excuse to bake!  My contribution was this apple cake, and it went down pretty well! A versatile bake, as you could eat it cold; as a cake, or warm; with custard or cream (Or ice-cream, go on, knock yourself out!)  Very easy to make as well, and as we always have a glut of cooking apples from our tree, a recipe I will probably use often.  An added bonus is that apart from the apple, it is made from storecupboard ingredients.  Here is said recipe...

• 2 eggs
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar, plus 15g (1/2oz) extra, for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3oz butter
• 75mls (2 1/2fl oz) milk
• 125g (4 1/2oz) plain flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 small (or 1 large) cooking apples
• 75mls (2 1/2fl oz) double cream, to serve
• 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8in) square cake tin

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/GM 6.  Line the sides and base of the cake tin with parchment paper.
2. Using an electric whisk, whisk the eggs; 175g (6oz) caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until the mixture is thick and mousse-like and the whisk leaves a figure of eight pattern (this will take about 5 minutes).
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the milk, then pour on the eggs, whisking all the time.  Sift in the flour; cinnamon and baking powder and fold carefully into the batter so that there are no lumps of flour.  Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
4. Peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices, then arrange them over the batter.  They will sink to the bottom (this is meant to happen!)** Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/GM4, and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown.
5. Allow to cool in the tin, cut into squares and serve warm.  It is delicious with cream!

* If anyone would like to know more about 'The Centre Project', please visit their website at http://www.centreproject.org

** Trust me, my fruit didn't sink!  This is the sort of thing that used to happen to me in school cookery lessons... the unexpected would always go wrong and I'd have a dragon teacher breathing down my neck! However, I was still pleased with my bake so there! Curious to know why it happened though? Maybe I'll ask Rachel if I ever get the opportunity to meet her!

Baked cheesecake

'This wonderful cheesecake is equally good made with other fruit.  Use whatever is in season, or whatever you happen to have in the freezer.  Raspberries and blackberries are particularly delicious'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p76

Well, just after Megan's dedication some friends who had been unable to make the party popped round for dinner.  Good excuse to try out a new pudding recipe! I've made cheesecake before, but never a baked version.

Rachel's original recipe suggests using blueberries, however I decided to make a raspberry version with some of last year's crop from the freezer. As I was making it, I realised that I was short of cream cheese, with no time to go out for more.  Oops! I happened to have a luxury raspberry amaretto yoghurt in the fridge*, so used this to make up the difference.  Bit of a gamble but it worked really well.  I also found a jar of raspberry coulis lingering in the pantry, and drizzled this on top.  Unusually creative for me!  The final result was very much enjoyed by all.  Here's the recipe for you...

• 175g (6oz) digestive biscuits**
• 75g (3oz) butter, melted
• 175g (6oz) blueberries, plus extra for decorating
• 450g (1lb) cream cheese
• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• Icing sugar, to dust

• 24cm (9 1/2 in) diameter spring-form/loose-bottomed tin

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4.  Butter the sides and base of the cake tin.
2. Place the biscuits in a food processor and whiz until quite fine.  Alternatively, place them in a plastic bag 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 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.

* The yoghurt was made by 'The Collective Dairy Company' and was a limited edition, so you might struggle to get hold of the exact version.  However, you could try any flavour which complements your cheesecake.

** Rachel suggests experimenting with different kinds of dry, sweet biscuits or cookies for the cheesecake base.  She gives the example of a chocolate biscuit base, omitting the fruit. I've seen recipes which use ginger nut biscuits; rich tea or chocolate chip cookies as the base.  See what you can come up with, and let me know!

*** Removing a biscuit-based dessert from the tin is something that has always foxed me.  I usually wimp out and just serve it from the tin! However, here I tried one of Rachel's tips which worked well.  When using a springform tin, turn the base upside down before pressing in the biscuit base.  This gives you a flat surface, rather than one with a lip.  Makes perfect sense when you think about it!  I've also found that with some recipes, you need to add a little more butter to the biscuits than stated.  If the base is still a bit crumbly when pressed down, it will probably fall apart when you try to serve it.  But if it does, don't get too stressed (unless you're trying to win the Bake Off!)  It's the taste that counts!

Fairy cakes

'These are the prettiest little cakes for a birthday party or just for a special treat; they are also known as butterfly buns' 

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p39

Right then, part deux of Megan's party food (see previous post).  When I was planning her dedication party, I had grand plans to make fancy, girly pink cupcakes.  In the end I was pushed for time, and just had time to do these.  I also wanted to do fancy piped icing, but didnt have time to work out how to use a piping bag.  I ended up just spooning the icing on, and adding some lovely 'strawberry glimmer crunch' that I picked up in a supermarket.  They looked OK I think, and tasted lovely.  

Being totally truthful, they didn't actually make the party.  By 2am on the day, I'd just finished icing the main cake and was crawling into bed (at which point Megan woke for a feed... grrr!) Didn't have a spot of energy left for the cupcakes.  I ended up icing them the next evening, and they went to Megan's singing group and to pre-school for Evan's teachers.  They were much appreciated!

Well, if you're decidely more organised than me, these are definitely worth making alongside a celebration cake.  As they use all the same ingredients, I just whizzed the batter up in my KitchenAid straight after making the cake.  No need to wash the bowl out.  And I just made up a load of buttercream, which i shared between the cake and fairy cakes.  For that, I use a recipe from my Great British Bake Off cookbook... it adds a little melted white chocolate which makes it extra yummy (and extra naughty... but who cares when you're celebrating?!)  I won't include the fairy cake recipe here, as I'm sure most readers will have made them at some point.

Going back to the piping bag issue, it's something I do intend to master by the end of this challenge - and will need to when I come to making profiteroles.  It's got me thinking of which other skills I'll need to master. So after a flick through 'Bake',  here goes...

1. Rolling a Swiss roll or roulade
2. Making praline
3. Removing a biscuit based dessert from the tin (more about this next time!)
4. Making meringues
5. Making a steamed pudding
6. Making yeast bread
7. Using fresh yeast
8. Making a plaited loaf
9. Making sourdough bread
10. Jointing a chicken
11. Collaring a cake tin
12. Making shortcrust pastry (Hooray, tick, made Quiche Lorraine)
13. Making choux pastry
14. Making hot water crust pastry
15. Making puff pastry
16. Making flaky pastry
17. Piping, including making a piping bag
18. Making American-style frosting
19. Making creme patissiere
20. Making crystallised flowers
21. Making chocolate curls
22. Making marzipan
23. Making candied peel
24. Preserves, including jam; marmalade and curd, and sterilising jars.

Hope that's given you some insight into what's coming up.  It seems like a long list, but I'm looking forward to mastering (or maybe just attempting) all these new skills!

Party food!

OK, so I'm going to cheat a little here and blog 3 recipes in 1.  I have 9 recipes to write up, and thought this was the best way to catch up!

On 18th May this year, we had Megan's church dedication.  For anyone who doesn't know, this is a Baptist version of a christening.  We don't baptise babies - instead we have baptism by full immersion, as adults.  Here's me being 'dunked' in 2003...

The dedication is a sort of 'welcome to the church', and a bit less formal than a christening.  We had a lovely day - the sun shone brightly and many friends and family members came to celebrate with us.  And of course, there was plenty of food.  The week before truly was a 'baking frenzy', as I filled up the freezer with lots of make ahead treats.  From Rachel's 'Bake', I made the following:

• Chocolate and vanilla marble cake.  I forgot to photograph this, but you'll have to believe me!  It's such a simple, classic recipe that nonetheless tastes fantastic.  I froze it for about a week beforehand, and it came out well.  I've never frozen cake before, but certainly will again if we're expecting visitors or planning a party. *
• Banana and chocolate loaf.  Another really simple recipe, that froze beautifully.  Here is the evidence!  I've made banana loaf before, but the chocolate added another depth (and many more calories I guess, but who's counting?!) *

• Carrot and pecan squares.  These are similar to carrot cake, but use wholemeal flour to produce a denser bake.  The recipe is supposed to make 16 squares, but I cut them very small and made about double that.  We were worried that there wouldn't be enough food so I was trying to stretch it... needless worry, we were eating leftovers for a week!  Anyway, I digress.  I'll share the recipe here, if you fancy a go.  You will need...

175g (6oz) wholemeal self-raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground ginger

50g (2oz) raisins (optional)

150mls (1/4 pint) sunflower oil

150g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g (8oz) carrot, finely grated

50g (2oz) shelled pecans, chopped, plus 25g (1oz) for sprinkling

For the cream cheese icing

75g (3oz) chilled cream cheese

25g (1oz) softened butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

75g (3oz) icing sugar, sifted

20 x 20 cm (8 x 8in) square cake tin

To make...

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4.  Butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
2. Sift the flour; salt; baking powder and spices into a large bowl.  Add the raisins (if using) and mix well.
3. Whisk the oil; brown sugar; eggs; vanilla extract; grated carrot and chopped pecans in a separate bowl, then mix in the flour and spice mixture.  Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until springy to the touch and a skewer, when inserted in the centre, comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool, then remove from the tin and place on a serving plate. 
5. To make the icing, beat cream cheese and butter together until combined.  Add the vanilla extract and sifted icing sugar, and mix to combine.  Should be smooth and quite thick.  Using a palette knife, spread over the cooled cakes, dipping the knife in hot water if the icing is hard to spread.
6. Sprinkle the cake with chopped pecans, and cut into squares to serve.

Rachel says that these cakes would be equally good un-iced, but who could resist a good dollop of cream cheese icing?!

Here are my finished cakes, all ready for the party...

As Rachel would say, "yum!"

I also made Rachel's fairy cakes for the party, but they can wait for next time!  I'll close with a photo of the party girl, who had a great time and certainly enjoyed sampling some cake.  The dress was mine, made by my mum when I was about 2.  A real family heirloom!

Until next time!

* I've decided not to share all 3 recipes on here, for several reasons.  Firstly because it would make a really long blog!  Secondly, as they are recipes that most of you will be familiar with (or something very similar at least!)  Thirdly, I never intended to share every recipe as I'm not sure if that counts as plagarism.  Although you could probably Google any of them these days so maybe it doesn't matter.  But just to be on the safe side!

Apple & oat crumble, and Megan's new adventure!

'Adding oats to a good old fashioned crumble gives a lovely nutty flavour and crunchy texture'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p81

Firstly, many apologies for the long break in blogging.  It's been such a busy couple of months - in May we had Megan's dedication (Baptist version of a christening) which gave me plenty of excuses to bake, but no time to blog!  Once I'd caught my breath from that, it was time to prepare for our first family holiday abroad.  We had a wonderful time, just returning last Friday.  I'm now trying to ignore my huge stack of ironing and catch up here!

Well, this bake happened over 2 months ago.  For once, it was nothing really new for me.  I have a very similar crumble recipe, which I got from a 'healthy heart' leaflet that I picked up in a GP surgery once.  It really does add something to the classic crumble recipe.  For anyone who'd like to try it, Rachel's recipe is as follows...

• Place 100g (5oz) plain flour and 1tsp ground cinnamon (optional) into a large bowl.  Add 75g (3oz) chilled, cubed butter and rub in until it resembles very coarse breadcrumbs.  Don't overwork, or you'll lose that lovely crunch.  Add the oats and sugar, and mix to combine.
• Sprinkle over stewed apple and bake at 180C/350F/GM4, for 15 minutes (small crumbles) or 30-45 minutes (large crumble) until golden.

Easy peasy!  Rachel suggests serving it with whipped cream or ice cream, but I do enjoy a good dollop of custard with my crumble.

This was one of Megan's first weaning foods, and she loved it!  We're doing baby led weaning, as we did with her brother, so a word on that if you're not familiar with it.  Basically, it involves forgetting purees and just letting baby share your food.  That's it!  There are very few hard and fast rules, apart from that the baby should always be in control and choose how much they eat.  The theory is that the baby learns to control their own appetite, rather than being persuaded to have 'just one more spoonful'.  Some also say that it produces less fussy children.  Unfortunately this didn't work with Evan!  He'd eat anything and everything until about a year, and then found his stubborn little personality.  I'm sure this is common for a lot of children, baby led weaned or not!  So I'm making the most of Megan at the moment, while she'll try anything and everything.  We're having lots of fun!

Anything goes really, with baby led weaning.  There are a few things they can't have, such as added salt and honey (before a year).  It's best to start with 'sticks' of food that stick out from a closed hand, as intitially they can't open their fist to get food inside.  So carrots; broccoli; strips of melon; slices of apple; asparagus {if you're feeling posh!) are all good.  And lack of teeth doesn't seem to be an issue!  Evan didn't get a tooth until he was 9 months, but he could have a good munch on an apple.  Megan loves meat at the moment, and she still hasn't got any teeth.  Here's a photo of her enjoying that yummy crumble...

We did 'loaded spoons' for the custard, so filled the spoon and let her take it to her own mouth.  She did really well for not quite 6 months.  And she was able to pick up large lumps of crumble with her fingers and shovel it in!   Messy but lots of fun.

Here are some of her other first foods... 'Dippy egg'; stir fry with noodles; and calamari in Menorca.  The latter kept her amused for ages!

So there you are, a little digression this time, but I hope you've enjoyed it!  If anyone wants to find out more about baby led weaning, I can highly recommend the forum at www.babyledweaning.com/forum.

Back soon (I hope!) with some of the party recipes that we enjoyed at Megan's dedication.

Creme Egg cookies

If you saw my 'basic cookie' post (3rd March 2014) you'll know that I felt inspired to try out new flavour combinations.  I asked for suggestions from my Facebook friends, and Creme Egg cookies were the brainchild of my good friend Sonia.

So, Evan and I had a play last week while Megan was napping (hooray, she's having a couple of hours in the afternoon again!)  We simply cut mini Creme Eggs in half, and pressed them in to the middle of each cookie before baking.  I thought they'd melt a bit more than they did, but they stayed pretty solid in the middle of the cookies.  If I was to try these again, I'd either break up the eggs or melt them, before mixing in to the cookie dough, so that the flavour mingles a bit more.  If you fancy having a go, we bought 2 bags of eggs and they were enough for 1 batch of Rachel's cookie dough, with a few left over to munch!

Not the prettiest cookies you've ever seen, but they made a tasty and different Easter treat and as you can see, Evan was very proud of his creation.  We'll try and make them again, while Creme Eggs are still in the shops. Maybe we'll get some on Co-op's bargain shelf ;-)

Easter chocolate tart

'This divine tart is a 'must have' for any self-respecting chocoholic.  It looks adorable decorated with little eggs on top'

Rachel  Allen, 'Bake', p208

Ok, you can see that my tart definitely didn't look 'adorable'.  In fact, I was a little embarassed to share this photo but, would this be a real baking blog without some disasters?  You see, Rachel didn't specify how to put the eggs on. I suspect that she just sprinkled them on loosely.  Well, I thought I'd be clever and stick them on with edible glue.  All was fine, but on the way to Granny & Grandpa's we had a trip to see CBeebies live.  Poor tart got left in the hot car, and the glue melted.  Hence the streaky mess!  Still tasted good though - it was our Easter Sunday pudding.  

To make the sweet shortcrust pastry, follow the recipe in my 'Quiche Lorraine' post, but replace the salt with 1 tbsp icing sugar.  I admit, I cheated and used a ready made shortcrust pastry then tried to knead in some icing sugar.  It wasn't a great result, the pastry shrunk quite a lot and didn't taste particularly sweet.  I definitely preferred my effort at making pastry from scratch.

To make the tart filling, heat 175mls (9fl oz) double cream and 125mls (4fl oz) milk in a saucepan, to boiling point (I used single cream as I had some in the fridge).  Take off the heat, and immediately stir in some chopped chocolate - 125g (4 1/2 oz) milk chocolate and 175g (6oz) good quality dark.  Stir to melt, and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Then stir in 2 beaten eggs.  Pour into the prepared pastry case, and bake at 180C/350F/GM4 for 15-20 minutes, until softly set.  Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, before decorating with chocolate eggs.

Ooh, this filling was delicious, the 2 types of chocolate giving it a great depth of flavour.  I could have dived into the warm liquid mixture!  OK, I confess I did have a spoonful... or 2... or perhaps more!  As the pastry case had shrunk so much, there wasn't as much filling in it and plenty left over.  I made 4 mini tartlets for Nigel (who we've left at home earning the pennies this week).  There was still a fair amount left, so I've frozen it as an experiment, to see if it creates some sort of ice-creamy thing.  

Will definitely make this again, but with my own pastry.  I'd love to try it really deeply filled with the chocolate mixture!  Rachel suggests a variation made with chopped hazelnuts instead of mini eggs, so I won't have to wait until next Easter to try.  Watch this space!

Hot cross buns

'Homemade hot cross buns are a special Easter treat, but are really wonderful at any time of the year.  They go down extremely well (in all senses!) at the cookery school.  Eat fresh from the oven, split in half and spread with butter, or toasted and buttered a day or so later. They will also freeze very well'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p210

Happy Easter!  Hope you've had a wonderful, choctastic day!  Evan, Megan and I are enjoying a lovely Easter break in Wales with Granny & Grandpa.  Of course, it's been a great excuse to rustle up some baked treats!  Rachel has 3 Easter recipes in 'Bake' - Simnel cake; Easter chocolate tart and hot cross buns.  I made the latter 2 this year, Simnel cake is saved for Easter 2015!

I once heard a church minister talking about the significance of hot cross buns.  Apparently every ingredient has a significance - the cross of course; the spices represent those that were sprinkled on Jesus' body; and the currants that develop a red ring when cooking, to represent blood!  His point was that all these fancy variations, which add ingredients such as chocolate; cranberries and various other fruits, are missing the real meaning.  I looked to Google for an authentic recipe, but couldn't find one.  In fact, most of the articles point to it being a pagan idea (as many symbols seem to have been originally) with the cross dividing the bun into 4, to represent the seasons.  Whatever the real meaning, I'm very much in agreement with my Mum, who doesn't like to eat them before Good Friday.  Like mince pies and Christmas pudding, some things just belong in their season.  I hate to see hot cross buns for sale in January!  Ooh, sorry Rachel, I've just disagreed with your above quote!

Hot cross buns are quite time consuming as, like bread, they need time to rise and prove.  However, also like bread, much of this is just waiting time.  It's really a case of being organised, and ready to attend to the dough at the correct times.  Here's Rachel's recipe...

• 100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
• 225-300ml (8-10fl oz) warm milk
• 15g (1/2oz) dried yeast or 25g (1oz) fresh yeast or 2 x 7g sachets fast-acting yeast
• 450g (1lb) strong white flour
• 75g (3oz) chilled butter, cubed
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 75g (3oz) currants
• 50g (2oz) sultanas
• 25g (1oz) chopped mixed peel

• Egg wash made of 2tbsp milk; 1 tsp caster sugar and 1 egg yolk
• For the cross - 110g (4oz) shortcrust pastry, rolled out about 3mm thick and cut into strips about 5mm wide

1. In a measuring jug, mix 1 tbsp sugar with 60ml (2fl oz) milk and yeast.  Let stand in a warm place for 5 minutes until frothy.  If using fast-acting yeast, there is no need to leave to stand.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter.  Add the cinnamon; nutmeg; mixed spice; salt and remaining sugar.  Mix well.  Add the beaten eggs to remaining milk,  pour in the yeast mixture and mix together.  Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add most of the egg and milk and mix to a soft dough, adding more egg and milk if necessary.
3. Knead for 1 minute until smooth.  Add the currants, sultanas and mixed peel and continue to knead until the dough is shiny.  Alternatively,  knead in an electric food mixer using the dough hook.
4. Cover the bowl with cling film, then leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until it doubles in size.  Knock back by kneading for 2 minutes, then leave in the bowl (or covered with a clean tea towel on the work surface) to rest for 5 minutes.
5. Pinch off sections of the dough approximately 40g in weight and shape into buns.  Place on an oiled baking tray, gently brush with egg wash and, with a sharp knife, mark the top of each bun with a cross.  Place a cross of shortcrust pastry onto each bun, tucking the pastry loosely underneath.
6. Allow to rise for 30-45 minutes to double in size.  Egg wash again carefully.
7. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/GM 7.  Bake the buns for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200C/400F/GM 6.  Bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden.  Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack.

Well, my attempt wasn't entirely successful.  At the last minute, I realised my yeast was 2 months out of date, but thought I'd give it a go anyway.  The buns didn't really rise, although they tasted OK.  The picture above shows the buns ready to go into the oven... I forgot to take a 'baked' photo before we munched them all.  So, they couldn't have been that bad!  But, lesson learned, check yeast before starting!  I'll have to try again next year.

Gone midnight now so I'll say goodnight, but hopefully write to you tomorrow about chocolate tart and Creme Egg cookies!

Quiche Lorraine

'Named after the Lorraine region of north-East France, this classic quiche is delicious served with a green salad and tangy relish.  It tastes great cold, too'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p145

One of my goals when starting this blog was to become more confident at making pastry, particularly shortcrust.  I did learn how to make it in school... memories of a scary teacher checking our hands to make sure we only had flour on our fingers, not our palms! But somehow I lost the confidence, or maybe I never had it to start with.  Lately I'd taken to buying ready made pastry, usually from Co-op's bargain shelf, and then freezing it until needed. But this always felt like a cop-out!

So, I decided to start with a quiche and was really chuffed with the result.  Here's what I think made the difference...

• My whizzy new Kitchen-Aid, which took the hard work out of mixing and did it thoroughly
• Treating myself to a good loose-bottomed quiche tin.
• And, of course, following Rachel's technique.  I'd seen it demonstrated on the TV series of 'Bake'.  Of course she made it look easy, but I wasn't sure it would work in practice.  It did!  Here's her method...

1. To make 400g (14oz) pastry, take 200g (7oz) sifted plain flour; a pinch of salt; and 100g (3 1/2oz) butter, chilled and cubed.  Whiz briefly in a food processor.  Add half a beaten egg, and continue to whiz.  Add a little more egg if necessary, but only until the mixture is just moist enough to come together.  If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then add just enough egg to bring it together.
2. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until about 2cm (3/4") thick, then wrap in cling film or place in a plastic bag.  Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove the pastry, then place between 2 sheets of cling film, larger than your tart tin. With a rolling pin, roll out to no thicker than 5mm (1/4") or thinner for tartlet tins.  If the tin is round, keep the pastry in a round shape and ensure you have enough to line the sides of the tin as well as the base.  (Using the cling film means you don't have to add flour to your worktop when rolling out, which can change the chemistry of the pastry.  This is somewhere I'd often come unstuck in the past)
4. Remove the top layer of cling-film, then turn over and place in the tin.  You can retain a layer of cling film to help shape the pastry in the tin.  Press the pastry into the edges then, using your thumb, 'cut' the pastry along the edge of the tin.  Remove the cling film, then prick over the base with a fork.  Chill again, in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes (At this point, it can be frozen 'for weeks')
5. When ready to bake, line the pastry with foil; greaseproof paper or parchment paper,  leaving plenty to come up the sides.  Fill with baking beans or dried pulses.  Or, for a really smooth finish, line the pastry case with 2 sheets of cling film, add the beans and bring edges to the centre.  (Rachel must get through a lot of cling fim!)  Bake 'blind' at 180C/350F/GM4, for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry feels dry.
6. Remove the paper/film and beans, brush with beaten egg, and return to the oven for 2 minutes.  If there are any cracks or holes in the pastry, patch them up with leftover raw pastry before returning to the oven.
7. Remove from the oven, and set aside while you make the filling.  The pastry can be baked a day in advance if necessary.

Hooray, pastry made with no soggy bottom and no shrinkage. It's definitely given me the confidence to do more.  Rachel also gives variations of sweet; sour cream and herby shortcrust pastry, which I hope to try at some point.

I was pleased with the filling as well - full of flavour, and it tasted really substantial, unlike some of the shop-bought quiches with can be little more than scrambled egg.  It's made as follows...

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan.  Take 175g (6oz) streaky bacon, chopped into 1cm lardons.  Fry until crisp, remove and dry on kitchen paper.  Sweat 100g (4oz) peeled and chopped onions in the same oil for 10 minutes.
2. Whisk 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks in a medium sized bowl.  Add 250mls (9fl oz) double cream; 1 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tbsp chopped chives; 50g (2oz) grated cheddar; 50g grated Gruyere cheese; cooled bacon and onions.  Season well.
3. Pour filling into the pastry case and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the centre has set.

I used some really nice organic eggs, which I picked up reduced in Co-op.  They had lovely rich yellow yolks, and I'm sure this made a difference to both the finished look and flavour.

I had single cream to use up (Co-op's bargain shelf again!  You get the message, we visit it frequently.  We may have contributed to their recent huge drop in profits!) Used that instead of double, and it seemed to work.

I Googled 'freezing quiches', and the consensus seems to be that they freeze very well, unless they contain a lot of vegetables which tend to go soggy.  Planning for Megan's dedication party next month, so I might make a few in preparation!

Right, this has been a long and rambling blog tonight, but I was really pleased with my creation, and hope it inspires someone else to have a go.  Until next time!

Date bars

We used to make these sticky sweet bars when I worked in a food shop in Vancouver.  They're great for a little afternoon pick-me-up and much better than any bought variety.  They are perfect for lunchboxes, too, and will keep very fresh in an airtight box for up to a week.  They can also be frozen'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake', p26

I made these for a special, girly day out!  One of my great loves - apart from food of course -  is card making.  And one of the highlights on my calendar is the Hobbycrafts show at Birmingham NEC.  Mum and her sister, Aunty Peg, both love sewing so they go to the sewing section and we meet up every so often.  Of course, all that busy browsing takes some energy.  We usually take some cereal bars, so I thought I'd try out Rachel's recipe for this occasion.  

A really simple recipe, I was very pleased with the result.  I think I was expecting something crunchy, more akin to a cereal bar or flapjack.  They are actually quite soft, but none the worse for it.  They really work to give you a lift when energy levels dip.  Here's the recipe for you...

250mls (9fl oz) water

200g (7oz) dates (stoned weight), chopped

175g (6oz) plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

175g (6oz) soft light brown sugar

100g (3 1/2oz) porridge oats

Good pinch of salt

175g (6oz) butter, diced

20 x 20cm (8 x 8in) square cake tin

1.  Preheat the oven to 180c (350F), GM4.  Butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

2.  Place the water and chopped dates into a medium sized saucepan and bring up to a simmer.  Cook for about 10 minutes, uncovered, on a low-medium heat until the date mixture is very soft and thick, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. 

3.  Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.  Add the sugar, oats and salt and mix well.  Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it in until moist clumps form.

4.  Press half of the oat mixture evenly over this, then sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture.  Press gently with the palm of your hand to flatten it on top.

5.  Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown at the edges and set in the centre.

6.  Allow to cool completely in the tin, then cut into bars and serve.

Easy peasy!

I made these with gluten free flour as Mum was sharing them, not sure if it affected the finished result but they tasted fine to me!

I'm thinking this would be a good addition to packed lunches when my boy starts school in September (gulp!), especially if I can freeze a batch and take them out as I need them.

As a postscript to this story, we had a lovely day out,  Spent far too much money as usual, and now wish I had twice as many hours in the day to use my new things!  Megan enjoyed her first crafty experience.  Here we are having an encounter with Crafty Bob!