What A Tart

Just spent a healthy 3 hours in the kitchen with my housemate (and another one who pleasantly sat and patiently waited for his tarts).

Raspberry Bakewells & Walnut Tarts

These tarts use exactly the same pastry & filling, but the raspberry ones have more toppings :D

Ingredients (to make 12)
 Pastry
   200g unsalted butter
   450g plain flour
   pinch of salt
(okay, we had some left over & made Jam Tarts!)
 Filling
   110g unsalted butter
   110g golden syrup
   1 tsp vanilla extract
   225g brown sugar
   3 eggs (beaten)

Walnut Tart Topping
   1 walnut halve for each tart
   50g icing sugar

Raspberry Bakewell Topping
   50g Raspberry Jame
   50g icing sugar
   1 raspberry for each tart

To make the pastry
1) Preheat the oven at 200 degrees
2) Sift the flour, add the butter diced and make into breadcrumbs.
3) Stir in salt, add 2-3 tsp of cold water
4) Knead mix into hard dough
5) Cling film and leave in fridge for 20 minutes
6) Meanwhile, butter and greaseproof paper a cupcake tray.
7) Roll out dough, cut into large circles (we used a mug) & then press into cupcake tray.
8) Blind bake the pastry in the oven for 20 minutes (Put more greaseproof paper on top of the pastry & pour dried beans into the middle of the pastries to hold to shape)
...whilst that bad boy's baking...

To make the filling
1) Put the butter, golden syrup, vanilla extract and sugar into a saucepan over a low heat until all the butter has melted.
2) Take off the heat. Add the eggs and mix well.
3) Once the pastry cases are done, remove the beans & greaseproof paper from their tops. Pour the filling into the pastry cases and bake for another 30 minutes. (Reduce the oven heat to 180 degrees)
4) Once cooked, leave on the side to cool.

For the Walnut Tarts
1) Make a fairly thick icing (icing sugar + water). Then, using a knife, dribble the icing over the tarts.
2) Place 1 walnut half on top.

For the Raspberry Bakewells
1) Spread a spoonful of raspberry jam over the top of each tart.
2) Make a fairly thick icing (icing sugar + water). Then, using a knife, dribble the icing over the tarts.
3) Place 1 raspberry on top.

So good!!

xxx

 

The Pretty Way to Organise the Stairs

I saw someone do this on the internet, and thought it was a brilliant solution to stair mess.

To make these all you need is some baskets, card, ribbon & a pen.

Make pretty name tags with the card (I made a template with the notepad).

Then attach to the basket with the ribbon.

Guaranteed to tickle your cat's curiosity. 

xxx

Pancakes with Blueberries, Bacon & Golden Syrup

Who likes brunch? :)

Ingredients (makes 8 pancakes):
 For the Pancakes:
  200g Plain Flour
  50g Self Raising Flour
  Pinch of Salt
  2 Eggs
  1 Pint of Milk
  Butter for the pan
For the Topping:
  Lots of Bacon
  2 Handfuls of Blueberries
  A Generous Spoonful of Golden Syrup

Recipe:
1) Sift all the flour & salt into a bowl. Mix together.
2) Make a hole in the middle of the flour mix & pour in cracked eggs. Whisk together.
3) Slowly add in the milk as you continue to whisk. Once done,your batter is ready (though, if possible, leave overnight).
4) Fry the bacon.
5) Melt a lump of butter over the surface of the pan.
6) Pour in pancake batter. Allow to cook and then FLIP (my favourite part)!!! Allow to cook on both sides.
7) Plate up your pancake, bacon & blueberries. Then add a tasty spoonful of golden syrup.
8) Look at how happy your boyfriend now is...

xxx

Homemade Millionaire Shortbread

It's now the end of term, so it's time to eat up all my random food before I head home for Easter. This is what happens when I find a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk in my cupboard....

Homemade Millionaire Shortbread!!!

Ingredients:

 For The Base:

   12 Digestive Biscuits
   100g Butter

 For The Filling:

   120g Butter
   75g Brown Sugar

   2 Tablespoons Honey

   390g Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 can)

 For The Topping

   225g Milk Chocolate (I'd suggested buying a nice bar of chocolate)

Recipes:
1) Preheat the oven at 180 degrees, grease & line a cake tin with grease proof paper.
2) For the base, melt the butter and crush all the biscuits. Slowly add the melted butter to the biscuits as you mix them together.
3) Cook in the oven for about 12 minutes and then leave to cool.
4) For the filling, pour all the ingredients into a sauce pan. Mix together on a low heat until all the ingredients has joined together and become fairly thick. Pour over base mixture and leave to cool.
5) Melt the chocolate, pour over the filling mixture. Leave to cool for around 2 hours in the fridge.
6) Lift the Millionaire Shortbread out of the tin, peel off paper.
7) Cut using a hot knife.

xxx

Berry Muffins - The Birthday Brunch

So, it's been a long and work heavy month. However, my dissertation is nearly complete and I have the perfect excuse to do some baking...

It's my friend's birthday tomorrow. Although he doesn't know it yet, I've made him some Birthday Brunch Berry Muffins... and I'll tell you now, they are delicious (of course I've already tried one!). So, here are the delicious goods from my evenings bake....

Ingredients:
50g Fresh Blueberries
100g Mix Dried Berries (Strawberries, Cranberries, Raisins etc.)
100g Unsalted Butter
300g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs, Beaten
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
150ml Milk
25g Porridge Oats

Recipe:
1) Preheat the oven at 160 degrees. Place muffin paper cases in a muffin baking tray.
2) Cream the butter & sugar together until fluffy.
3) Slowly whisk in the eggs (one at a time).
4) Add in the milk & vanilla extract and whisk away!
5) Sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold into the mixture.
6) Add in the blueberries, dried fruit & oats. Mix well. (It should be quite a firm dough)
7) Separate dough into the muffin cases.
8) Cook for 30 minutes, until golden
9) Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then gobble them all!

I he likes the BIRTHDAY MUFFINS (and I hope you do too) !!!

xxx

Next Day Tea & Cake Party

For the Ski Trip reunion party I hosted a Tea and Cake Party (Only after a night of excessive drinking, awkward but awesome shapes on the dance floor, and an impressive inability for one particular guest to avoid pressing the 'attack' button on our burglar alarm).

Here is the delicious cakey spread served to my hung over guests:

(Click on name for recipe)
Oats & Raisin Cookies
Carrot & Walnut Cake
Banoffee Muffins
Banana Bread (with added chocolate chips)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cheese Scones (baked by Chloe)
Poppy Seed & Orange Cake (baked by James)
Sainsbury's Chocolate Brownie Bites
A Giant Jaffe Cake Cake (See Recipe below)

Giant Jaffe Cake Cake

Ingredients:
Sponge Mix:
175g Self-Raising Flour
175g Caster Sugar
175g Unsalted Butter
4 Eggs
Jelly Filling:
1 pack of Orange Jelly
4 tbspoons Marmalade (without any bits)
Buttercream:
100g Icing Sugar
50g Unsalted Butter
Chocolate Topping:
3 x 100g Dark Chocolate (70% cocoa +)
1 pack of Jaffe Cakes

Recipe:
1) Line one of the cake tins with cling film. Pour jelly (made via packet instructions) & marmalade into tin. Freeze until set.
2) Preheat the oven at 180 degrees. Grease two cake tins.
3) Cream the sponge mix's butter & sugar together until light & fluffy. Add the eggs & mix well. Fold in the flour. Separate the mix equally into the two cake tins and bake for 25 minutes (until golden brown).
4) Leave sponge on a cooling rack until cool.
5) Make the buttercream by creaming the butter and icing sugar together. Then spread liberally over one of the sponges.
6) Place the jelly ontop of the buttercreamed sponge. Place second sponge on top.
7) Melt the dark chocolate & pour all over the cake.
8) Whilst chocolate is still setting, stick Jaffe Cakes around the outside of the cake.
9) Leave to cool before serving.

All in all, the party was amazing. Thank you everyone who came for a lovely weekend!

xxx

Chili Pesto, Olives, Feta & Sun Flour Seed Bread

The weather is cold, you've got some time to spare & you're in the mood for something tasty...

Why not try making this yummy loaf:

Ingredients:
For the Bread:
500g White Bread Flour
7g Yeast
1 1/2 tsp Salt (be carefully not to use heaped teaspoons!)
1 tsp Sugar
350ml Luke Warm Water

For the Topping:
Chili Pesto
8 Chopped Up Olives
25g Crumbled Feta
Handful of Sun Flour Seeds

Recipe:
1. Put all of your bread ingredients into a bread maker & set to knead the dough... or alternatively do it by hand (I know my preference)
2. Preheat the oven to 230 Degrees
3. Put the dough into a greased bread tin, place a tea towel on top & leave to prove for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the tea towel & place bread into the oven. Leave to bake for 25 minutes.
5. Remove the bread from the oven, leave to cool slightly.
6. Spread the chili pesto liberally over the bread. Add the olives, feta and sun flour seeds on top.
7. Bake the bread for a further 20 minutes, or until golden brown & baked throughout.
8. Leave to cool, but best served still warm.

My advice: eat with ridiculous amounts of hummus.

xxx