Getting in the Festive Spirit!

Until Christmas last year I had never tried Stollen. One day in December 2012 my workmate brought some in that she didn't want and as they say the rest is history.  

So this year I decided it was time for me to return the favor. Suffice to say it went down pretty well at work and also at my parents house when I took round the leftovers.
Now, this Stollen does keep quite well (I've been eating it for my elevenses for most of the week) but is best eaten on the day of baking. Also, the recipe says that this will make a 'large' loaf. For 'large' see 'absolutely gargantuan'! It can easily feed 12!

The recipe is taken from Ed Kimber's Say it with Cake, with a few of my own adjustments and ingredient switch ups.

Stollen

250ml milk

100g butter

500g strong bread flour

1 tablespoon mixed spice

50g golden caster sugar

1 teaspoon salt

7g fast action yeast

1 large egg

150g raisins

25g chopped glace cherries

25g halved almonds

200g golden marzipan

50g melted butter for glazing

icing sugar for dusting

Firstly put the milk and butter in a pan over a low heat until the butter has melted. Allow this to cool until it is lukewarm. (This is important, if you don't let it cool you will kill your yeast!)

In a large bowl mix in the flour, mixed spice, sugar, salt and yeast together, making sure to put the salt and yeast on separate sides of the bowl (salt will kill your yeast too). Then pour in your milk and butter and work together with a wooden spoon and then your hands to form a soft dough. 

Turn this out onto a floured work surface and knead for 15 minutes or until you have formed a smooth, elastic dough. 

Then flatten the dough out and sprinkle over the fruit and almonds. Knead until the fruit is all evenly distributed. 

Lightly oil a bowl, plop your dough inside, clover with clingfilm and leave in a consistently warm place until the dough has doubled in size. (My flat is freezing during the day in the winter so I find the best place is actually in the oven on the lowest setting possible for an hour).  

Once risen turn out onto a floured surface and lightly knead to knock some of the air out. It should look all stringy and holey underneath. Since this dough is very soft it is now best to press it out (instead of rolling) to a large rectangle. About 25 x 30cm. 

Take your marzipan and roll out to a sausage of the same length as your dough rectangle. Place this in the middle of your dough and fold the dough over, pressing it around all sides to seal the edges. 

Now the challenging bit. Gently lift the dough onto a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. (This was mildly terrifying, but its very forgiving dough! Also it's a loaf, so it really doesn't matter if it looks a little messy!)

Place back in your warm place for 30 mins or until it has grown in size. 

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 190C/374F. 

Before you put the loaf in the oven brush with half of the melted butter. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the loaf is browned and there is a hollow sound when you tap the bottom. Keep an eye on it towards the end of the cooking time as it will turn quickly. 

Allow your loaf to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes then brush with the remaining melted butter and dust with icing sugar. 

Leave to cool completely before eating. 

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Katie x

It's now December and we are in the official run up to Christmas! I can't even tell you how excited I am. This has always been my favorite time of year. Not so much the day itself, but the next couple of weeks are always so magical.

I have been using the recipe for years for various different shaped and size biscuits. I scaled it down by 2 thirds for these biscuits (makes 32 5cm stars), so it can be scaled up for more or bigger biscuits.
These are crunchy, nibbly biscuits that are perfect when dunked in hot chocolate, tea or coffee. They are flavored with what I have always called 'Winter Spice'. It's the kind of flavor that I always associate with this time of year. (Also, your house will smell AMAZING when they are cooking!!)

Winter Stars

30g butter
30 light brown sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon black treacle
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
half teaspoon bicarbonate soda
80g flour

Preheat the oven to 180C/356F. 
Put the butter, syrup, treacle and spices in a small saucepan and heat gently until everything is dissolved (be careful not to overheat or your biscuits will taste burnt). 
Put the flour and bicab in bowl and mix in the melted winter spice. Combine until it forms a smooth soft dough. 
Roll out on a lightly floured work surface to a 5mm thickness. Using a cutter of your choice cut out and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. 
Bake for 10 mins on a middle shelf (keep an eye on them as they cook very quickly!)
Allow to cool on a wire rack and definitely try one when they are still warm! 

Happy Baking!

Katie

x

Autumn Cookies

We are in that weird transition season at the moment. One day you are wrapped up with your scarf, gloves and winter coat and then the next day you are stripping them back off!
But even with all the clothing drama my favorite thing about this time of year is to curl up on the sofa with a massive woolly jumper, a mug of hot chocolate and a couple of crunchy biscuits.

Chocolate and Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies

This recipe makes about 20 small cookies and takes about 1hr 20mins for prep time and cooking.

For the vanilla biscuit
50g butter
25g golden caster sugar
25g cornflour
50 plain flour
1/2 egg
teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the chocolate biscuit
50g butter
25g golden caster sugar
25g cornflour
40g plain flour
15g cocoa powder
1/2 egg

Put all the vanilla biscuit ingredients in a bowl and mix together to form a soft dough.. Then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 mins. Then do the same for the chocolate biscuit. 
On a floured work surface roll out both the chocolate and vanilla dough's to about 5mm thickness, ensuring both are the same size. 
Lay the vanilla dough on top of the chocolate dough and roll up like a swiss roll. Wrap this in cling film and then pop in the freezer for 15 mins. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 180C/356F and line a baking tray with parchment. 

Using a sharp knife cut the roll into slices and place on the tray. Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until they look golden in color. Allow to cool on a wire rack and then pop the kettle on and enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Katie 

x

Stuffed Bonfire Night Apples

"Remember Remember, The Fifth of November, Gunpowder Treason And Plot. I See No Reason Why The Gunpowder Treason Should Ever Be Forgot!"

Today when I left for work it was absolutely freezing and I seriously wasn't dressed for it! So when I got home I was in the mood for something autumny and wintery. For me, this time of year is all about cinnamon and cloves and mixed spice. I just love that smell and just can't get enough of them. 

I feel I have to warn you that when you cook this your entire house will smell so good that you'll have your nose pressed up against the oven like some kind of winter spice junkie! 

Stuffed Bonfire Night Spicy Apples

2 Braburn Apples 

a handfull of raisins

a handfull of granola (I used Quaker Oats Granola - best cereal EVER!)

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of mixed spice

2 tablespoons of demerara sugar

2 nobs of butter

approximately 40 whole cloves

Preheat the oven to 180C/356F. 

Firstly core the apples and score them around the middle (this stops them bursting open in the oven). 

The skin of a braburn apple is quite soft so it will be easy to poke the apple with the cloves. Make 3 lines of cloves around each apple.

Then in a bowl mix together the sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, granola and raisins. 

Put the apples in a deep sided brownie tin and fill the middle of each apple with the mixture. 

Put a nob of butter on the top of each apple and pour a little bit water into the tin. 

Then bake for 30 minutes and enjoy the delicious smells!

Once cooked leave to cool for at least 5 minutes (they will be like an inferno inside so be careful) and then enjoy! 

I hope everyone has a lovely Bonfire Night!

Katie 

x

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone has had a great Halloween! Bring on Bonfire Night!

Katie

x