Meanwhile, I'm preparing for a Wedding function for 100 on Saturday. I'm glad the forecast is fine.
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Thursday, March 3, 2011
a little something . . .
Brrrr. With an apparent temp. of 4.8° C in the beginning of March, I thought we might need a little something to sweeten ourselves up!
It's a good day for the boys & I to stay indoors; think I'll be making another batch of my not so nicey picey choc chip, salted peanut & organic sultana biscuits. Chewy, crunchy, irresistible!
Meanwhile, I'm preparing for a Wedding function for 100 on Saturday. I'm glad the forecast is fine.
Meanwhile, I'm preparing for a Wedding function for 100 on Saturday. I'm glad the forecast is fine.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Happy Birthday
A scrumptious hazelnut & citrus Birthday cake for an old family friend, (no pun intended).
Six sugared pansies from my garden, (one for each decade), atop my favourite Swiss Buttercream icing. This icing is so dreamy! Light, not too sweet, glossy and holds up really well!
I'm not one for over the top decorations. For a special occasion such as this, I think something simple, classy and delicious is perfect.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Nigella's perfect muffin!
How hard can it be? How hard can it be to bake a muffin? As I'm sure you know, it isn't difficult. Wet into dry, add flavour and boom! Breakfast-y, morning-tea-y, afternoon-tea-y, after dinner with a cuppa-y, old-fashioned indulgence. Easy. BUT, the perfect recipe for the perfect easy-peasy muffin, now THAT can be a little harder to find.
In my years in cafe-land, many a co-worker has lamented the little lost scrap of paper with the perfect muffin recipe. And at least one occasion I can recall a sneaky whisper of 'do you have a copy of *cafe down the road's recipe*?
So here it is. It isn't my recipe, and it isn't the *cafe down the road's* recipe either. Straight from the kitchen goddess herself. The gorgeous Nigella Lawson. I'm sure she won't mind if I share it with you.
Not too oily, not too massive, a lovely crumb, and sweet enough - but not like eating cake for breakfast.
Nigella's perfect muffin!
Preheat oven to 200°C (these are quick to make so you want the oven good and ready). 12 x 1 cup muffin tin lined with baking paper or paper cases.
Dry mix
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
75g (plus a little extra for sprinkling) brown sugar
1 tsp ginger (or cinnamon, nutmeg etc. whatever takes your fancy)
Wet mix
3 tbsp sourcream (I have also used yoghurt without dire effect)
125ml vegetable oil (olive oil if you want a denser fruitier flavour)
1 tbsp honey
2 eggs
Fruit
300g of fruit sliced/diced (use your imagination or whatever is languishing in the fruit bowl).
Measure and mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix wet ingredients in separate large jug or the like.
Add the wet to the dry mix. Quickly and gently combine, do not overwork at this point or you'll have little rocks on your hands. I like to employ the 3 year old's labour at this stage - he is deft and light of hand, plus can't be bothered mixing for too long.
Add in your fruit of choice. Sometimes I chuck in some fresh ricotta too, but it is just a muffin. It is meant to be simple.
Fill the tins and add a sprinkle of brown sugar to each.
Into the oven for around 20 min. Cool on a wire rack.
Lovely. Feel free to write this down on a scrap of paper and lose in the bottom drawer. ♥
In my years in cafe-land, many a co-worker has lamented the little lost scrap of paper with the perfect muffin recipe. And at least one occasion I can recall a sneaky whisper of 'do you have a copy of *cafe down the road's recipe*?
So here it is. It isn't my recipe, and it isn't the *cafe down the road's* recipe either. Straight from the kitchen goddess herself. The gorgeous Nigella Lawson. I'm sure she won't mind if I share it with you.
Not too oily, not too massive, a lovely crumb, and sweet enough - but not like eating cake for breakfast.
Nigella's perfect muffin!
Preheat oven to 200°C (these are quick to make so you want the oven good and ready). 12 x 1 cup muffin tin lined with baking paper or paper cases.
Dry mix
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
75g (plus a little extra for sprinkling) brown sugar
1 tsp ginger (or cinnamon, nutmeg etc. whatever takes your fancy)
Wet mix
3 tbsp sourcream (I have also used yoghurt without dire effect)
125ml vegetable oil (olive oil if you want a denser fruitier flavour)
1 tbsp honey
2 eggs
Fruit
300g of fruit sliced/diced (use your imagination or whatever is languishing in the fruit bowl).
Measure and mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix wet ingredients in separate large jug or the like.
Add the wet to the dry mix. Quickly and gently combine, do not overwork at this point or you'll have little rocks on your hands. I like to employ the 3 year old's labour at this stage - he is deft and light of hand, plus can't be bothered mixing for too long.
Add in your fruit of choice. Sometimes I chuck in some fresh ricotta too, but it is just a muffin. It is meant to be simple.
Fill the tins and add a sprinkle of brown sugar to each.
Into the oven for around 20 min. Cool on a wire rack.
Lovely. Feel free to write this down on a scrap of paper and lose in the bottom drawer. ♥
Thursday, November 4, 2010
BOOZE!
Couldn't help but share - the kitchen is super boozy with a mega amount of fruit soaking for mini Christmas cakes.
Plus, I break all the rules & use RUM in my cake, so there!
Plus, I break all the rules & use RUM in my cake, so there!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Not sourdough (gasp)
As a result of the busyness of late, my poor sourdough starter languishes on the bench. An upside of this is that it encourages me to seek out alternate bready things to bake that require other leavening agents.
Yesterday I got friendly with a new cookbook addition, Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'The Bread Bible'. Absolutely jam packed with recipes, techniques & tips; this is a book for the baker & not so much of a 'picture book' - I'm happy with that. I think I could happily work my way through this book & without a doubt come away with a better understanding of what it is to bake.
First up I got started on a hearth bread that promised a crunchy crust, chewy crumb & rustic appearance. Although a yeasted bread, the 'heart of wheat' wheatgerm bread utilises a 'sponge' pre-ferment & long proofing - like a good sourdough this sounds promising for improved flavour & texture. With two 'smalls' running about the 'leave & check' method of bread baking suits me well also!
So, the result? Lovely simple bread, with an as promised crunchy crust; a not so chewy crumb that is nevertheless delightful for a simple sandwich, with a slathering of butter & spoonful of 'Yay I found plum jam at the back of the cupboard' jam. Or as small number 2 decided, just fine straight from the toaster sans topping.
Yesterday I got friendly with a new cookbook addition, Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'The Bread Bible'. Absolutely jam packed with recipes, techniques & tips; this is a book for the baker & not so much of a 'picture book' - I'm happy with that. I think I could happily work my way through this book & without a doubt come away with a better understanding of what it is to bake.
First up I got started on a hearth bread that promised a crunchy crust, chewy crumb & rustic appearance. Although a yeasted bread, the 'heart of wheat' wheatgerm bread utilises a 'sponge' pre-ferment & long proofing - like a good sourdough this sounds promising for improved flavour & texture. With two 'smalls' running about the 'leave & check' method of bread baking suits me well also!
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