GBBO Bake Along - Week 3

There were highs and lows in the Great British Bake Off this week, with custard thievery and failed petit fours. But it was with great excitement that I planned this weekend's bake.
In April this year my sister and I had afternoon tea at The Ritz (see here) and since then my (already well established) love of petit four has just grown and grown.

Ruby's showstopper bake just looked so tempting and delicious that I knew I had to give Madeleines a go. Madeleines are another classic bake that I've never even tasted, talk about baked before. In the last two days I have made nearly 80 of them and I can officially say they are AMAZING!

For this recipe I used a mini Madeleine mold, which you can get here, and it makes approximately 72. Also, this recipe requires you to chill the batter overnight, so don't forget to think ahead if you plan to make them.

Lemon & Raspberry Madeleines

Ingredients
3 eggs
130g caster sugar
200g plain flour
10g baking powder
the zest of one lemon
20g clear honey
4 tbsp milk
200g butter
18 raspberries

Firstly melt the butter over a gentle heat and then put to one side. In a large bowl beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale and frothy. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and lemon zest. 
Mix the honey and milk with the cooled butter and then add to the egg mixture. Gently fold the flour into the wet mixture until it is fully incorporated, taking care not to knock too much air out of the eggs. 
Now cover the bowl in clingfilm and put in the fridge overnight (or for at least 6 hours). 

When you are ready to bake the madeleines preheat the oven to 190C/375F. (Place the madeleine mold on a baking tray for ease). Put a teaspoon of the mixture into each mini madeleine shell. If you are using a metal mold for this you will have to grease and flour the mold first, but for the silicone mold that I used it is unnecessary.  
Cut each raspberry into 4 quarters and push a quarter into each madeleine.

Bake for 5 minutes, then turn the oven off for 1 minute, then bake for another 5 minutes at 160C/325F. 

Leave the madelines in the mold for five minutes or until they are cool enough to handle, then pop them out and place on a wire rack to cool. 
You can then quickly wash and dry the mold, and put another batch in the oven. Repeat until you run out of mixture. 

These little dainty treats are mouthfuls of deliciousness and go perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee (I would know, as that is currently what is sitting on my desk beside me as I type. I have definitely had too many!!)

I hope some of you give this recipe a go. Let me know your thoughts!

Enjoy!

Katie

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GBBO Bake along - Week 2

I have to say the idea of making bread feels me with yeast based dread and trepidation. I've never had much success with any bread based recipes and while I watched episode 2 of the Great British Bake Off I genuinely couldn't decide what to try myself.

Then when I watched it back again during the week, while researching recipes, I began actually taking in how easy it is to make breadsticks. Time-consuming, as all recipes that include yeast are, but fundamentally easy. 

And so I braved the technical challenge, the kneading and came up with my own breadstick recipe. These breadsticks are light, tangy and go perfectly with a beer and a film!

Lime and Coriander Breadsticks

Ingredients

300ml lukewarm water

2 teaspoons caster sugar

1 x 6g sachet dried yeast

260g wholemeal bread flour

260g plain flour

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 tsp salt

Grated zest of 2 limes

2 tablespoons of coriander

2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

Mix the water and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the yeast and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

In another bowl mix together the wholemeal flour, plain flour, oil, salt, grated lime zest and coriander. Then add the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Then turn out on to a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (for about 5 minutes).

Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough inside, turning the dough until it is covered with oil. Cover and leave to rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Pre-heat  the oven to 190C/375F and lightly oil 2 baking trays.

Roll the dough out and cut with a pizza cutter to make 24, 12 inch long breadsticks. Twist by holding each end and place on the baking trays 1/2 inch apart.

Finally brush with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. To ensure you know when they are done add a breadstick that you intend to sacrifice for snapping tests. 

Bake on a middle shelf for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and hopefully you'll be left with the classic snap Mr Hollywood is always looking for! 

Enjoy!

Katie

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GBBO Bake along - Week 1

Just when we thought we couldn't wait any longer The Great British Bake Off is back on our screens. We now have week after delicious week of baking highs and lows and I know I will literally be glued to my tv. 

Halfway through the first episode I decided that I was going to attempt to bake-along with the show, choosing either the signature bake, the technical bake or the showstopper.

The technical challenge of week 1 jumped straight out at me. I had vaguely heard of angel food cake, not to be confused with angel cake, but I had never seen, eaten nor made it before. Not only did it look something of a challenge, but it also looked completely intriguing; like a strangely cloudy bath sponge (totally not selling it!). 

And so, after purchasing a crazy amount of eggs and inviting my sister round to help with her electric whisk the GBBO challenge began...

This recipe came from Mary Berry, naturally, and the original is available on the BBC website. 

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd

Ingredients

125g plain flour

300g caster sugar

10 large egg whites

Grated zest of 3 lemons

1 tbsp lemon juice 

5g cream of tarter

1/2 tsp salt

Topping

300ml whipping cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

100g lemon curd

Start by preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

In a bowl mix the flour and 100g of the caster sugar together, then put to one side. In a separate (large) bowl, use an electric whisk to mix the egg whites for a minute or until they are frothy and have doubled in size. 

Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, cream of tarter, salt and continue whisking until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted from the bowl. 

Then turn the speed up and add the remaining 200g of caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until firm, but not stiff peaks are formed.

Gently sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture into the bowl of egg whites and gently fold in. Continue gently adding the flour mixture and folding in until all is combined. Make sure there are no pockets of flour mixture, but be careful not to knock the air out of the egg whites. 

Gently pour the mixture into a 25cm tin (DO NOT GREASE OR LINE!!) and cook in the oven on a low shelf for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 

When cooked, remove for the oven and immediately turn upside down on a wire rack and leave to cool. 

Once cool remove from the tin by running a knife round the edges and a pallet knife between the base of the cake and the tin. 

While the cake is finishing cooling you can make the topping. 

Whisk the cream and vanilla extract in a bowl until soft peaks form. Then spoon the topping over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it down to form smooth sides.  

Finally spoon the lemon curd on to the top of the cake and pull a cocktail stick across in parallel lines to finish. 

Naturally the next step is to cut a slice and try out this cake! 

I have to say, I was unsure about this cake to start off with, but it really started to grow on me. The texture, if you are not used to it, is surprising. But it's a light cake which doesn't leave you feeling full. Not to mention that anything lemon flavor is good with me! 

Enjoy!

Katie 

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p.s. Posted just in time for GBBO Week 2.!! (Trying not be apprehensive about bread week!) 

Time for Coffee

Some cakes are just so decadent that they call to you. This is one of those cakes. First you get the teasing smell of coffee when you are mixing up the cake batter. Then you get the delicious waft filling the house as the cake cooks. Then, finally, it's time for the taste.   

This is a very simple recipe and the cake it produces is not only scrumptious but it lasts for days (if you can make it last that long!) 

Coffee & Walnut Cake

Ingredients

175g butter

3 tbsp instant coffee 

100g walnut halves

150g self raising flour

50g wholemeal flour

200g soft light brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

Filling and Topping

400g icing sugar

200g butter

2 tbsp instant coffee

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease and line 2, 20cm sandwich tins. 

Mix the coffee powder with 2 tablespoons of water from the kettle and finely chop half of the walnuts. 

Put the flours, sugar, baking powder in a bowl and combine. Then add the wet ingredients, the butter, eggs, coffee mixture and chopped walnuts. Beat until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Divide evenly between the 2 tins and put them in the oven for 25 minutes on a middle shelf.

Once the cakes are done, check that a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean, remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

For the filling and frosting beat the butter and icing sugar together in a large bowl. Mix the coffee powder with a tablespoon of boiled water, and then add to the buttercream, stirring until combined. 

Put the first cake on a serving plate and then coat with a thick layer of coffee buttercream, place the 2nd cake on top and then cover the top of the cake with the remaining buttercream. 

To finish, place the remaining walnuts round the edge of the cake and then dive in!

Enjoy

Katie 

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A Classic Challenge!

I think I literally jumped in at the deep end with this one. Until last Christmas I had never even tried marzipan, and I had never eaten a Battenburg, talk about make one. After a little bit of research (Wikipedia...) I was disappointed to learn that the origin of Battenburg cake is unknown. So sadly, there's no interesting fact about it, other than it's a teatime classic.

Half of the challenge of this cake is the construction, and trying to keep it neat. But it can be done and have no fear, this post will be picture heavy! This recipe makes two cakes, which when you make this for the first time is a blessing. It means you can work out how to do it on the first cake without worrying too much about keeping it tidy. My second cake was a dream!

I used Edd Kimber's recipe for this as a guide.

Battenburg Cake

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
275g caster sugar
185g unsalted butter
235g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
red and yellow gel food colouring
500g marzipan
170g raspberry jam

Stick the oven on and pre-heat to 180C/160F and line a 23 x 33cm brownie pan with baking parchment, creating a divide down the centre. 
Put the eggs, vanilla & almond extract and 70g sugar in a large bowl. Whisk using a machine or by hand until the eggs are thick and fall from the whisk slowly in a ribbon, adding the remaining sugar as you go.
In another bowl mix the softened butter, flour and baking powder. Add a quarter of the egg mixture, and combine, then add a little more, and combine. Continue until all the egg and flour mixture are combined. 
Then divide the mixture equally between two bowls and add a small amount of food colouring to each (gel food colouring is potent, so be careful not to overdo it!) Pour the yellow mixture into one half of the prepared tin and the pink batter into the other. 
Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, or until a cocktail stick comes out from the centre of the cake clean. 
Allow to cool completely before the construction!

Once cool, trim the edges of the cakes (including the top if it forms a skin), then cut the cakes length-ways into four equal sized pieces. You should then have 8 pieces in total, 4 yellow and 4 pink. 

Now divide your marzipan into 2 and roll out each piece (dusting the surface with icing sugar), ensuring each piece is long enough for the length and width of the cake. 
Brush the marzipan with the jam and stack the cakes, coating each side with a layer of jam. (Don't forget to alternate the colours).
Finally, roll the remaining marzipan around the cake and trim the excess length (as close to the cake as you can). Cut a slice off each end to create a neat finish (and eat the scraps). 
Repeat with the second cake. 

The result will be two Battenburg Cake's, a slice of which go perfectly with a cup of tea!

Good Luck!

Katie 

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