Pizza

Sorry that I have been a bit quiet lately, finding time to write up all my goings on is proving quite hard! But I am taking five minutes to tell you all about some amazing Pizzas that I made this week. Even if I do say so myself! Ever since I found out I can't have cows milk, it has upset me that I can't just order a pizza or get a ready made one from the supermarket anymore. But now I have made my own, I know that it is so easy and they taste so much better!

I used a recipe by Paul Hollywood and it uses figs. Now, I had never had figs before so I decided to have a try and oh my I have been missing out! They are now my new favourite thing! Lovely :)

I made the basic base and changed the topping according to the required taste. My man went for parma ham, mozzarella and sweetcorn.

I myself went for Parma ham, figs and goats cheese! A nice oozy melty goats cheese. How lovely :)

Okay they are not perfectly round, but how the heck do they manage that?! This way they look more home made and rustic, which is always good :)

But I am definitely a fig lady now!

Button Biscuits

I should start my own baking company with the amount that I have made this past week. This time it's biscuits. But not just any biscuits, ones that are shaped like buttons!!
Of course yours don't have to be button shaped, they can be any shape. Just ignore some of the method instructions. But these are tasty and have a good crunch to them. Perfect for tea!

What you need:
* 226g unsalted butter at room temperature
* 227g caster sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 427g flour
* 1/2 tsp salt

What you need to do:
(Now, a little side bar: This may sound complicated and annoying but stick with it)
1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high, mix the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer to medium and add the eggs and vanilla. Then, when mixed, turn down to low and beat in flour and salt until a soft dough is formed.

2. Divide the mix into four equal pieces and pat each into a disk. Wrap each tightly with cling film and pop into the fridge overnight.

3. The next day, roll out each disk between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper to about 7mm thick. Transfer to a baking tray, still on the greaseproof paper and pop back into the fridge for another 30 minutes to an hour.

4. Unwrap two of the disks and using a round cutter around 8cm in diameter cut out as many biscuits as you can. (At this point I actually had enough biscuits and then froze the rest of the mix for future use.) Then using the blunt side of a slightly smaller cutter indent a circle on the cookies to make the border. Then using a straw, cocktail stick or knitting needle pop in the button holes.

5. Then pop into an oven pre-heated to 180C. Bake them for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

6. EAT! As if you needed telling really.

I tried doing different shaped buttons, wiggly edged ones, star ones. They would make a beautiful gift, tied together with ribbons, or even strawberry laces or something. Ooooh ideas :)

X

Cupcakes

Carrying on with my love of baking, I have been baking cupcakes a plenty!! I actually can't believe that I have not shared this recipe before. This is the easiest cake recipe that I have ever used, and seems to work every time. (Touch Wood). It's simple and can easily change to adapt to different flavours.

What do you need: (to make roughly 12 large cupcakes)
* 175g very soft unsalted butter
* 175g caster sugar
* 3 medium eggs, beaten
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 175g self-raising flour, or 150g self-raising flour and 3 tbsp cocoa powder
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 2 tbsp milk

What to do with these things:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

2. Put the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla into a bowl or mixer. Then add the flour (and cocoa), baking powder, and milk and mix thoroughly until it becomes a smooth, thick batter.

3. Half fill the cake cases and put into the over for 12-15 minutes until golden and springy.

4. Munch away!!

Now just to decide on my toppings :)

X

Scones

Ever since visiting the vintage tea room the other day I have wanted to stuff my face with cakes and scones on delightful little tea sets. Unfortunately, being lactose intolerant, I can't just nip out and purchase a big fat cake. So this week, I have actually had some time to bake and decided to make them all!!
Today I am starting with Scones. Some people pronounce them Skons, some Scones (as in stones), I don't mind as long as they are in my tummy!

From looking around at recipes and from what people said, they were difficult to make. But I found these so quick and easy, and even my man complimented them.

So, what do you need:
(to make 8)
* 250g self raising flour
* a pinch of salt
* 50g caster sugar
* unsalted butter, cold
* 1 egg
* 100ml full fat milk
* 50g sultanas (optional)

How do I make these:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. In a bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt.

3. Then cut the butter up and add to the mix. Using your hands rub the butter into the flour until you get breadcrumb like mix. If your using sultanas, add them here.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the egg and the milk together. Then add this to the flour mix. Use a knife and cut into the mix, this prevents the mix from being over kneaded.

5. When mixed into a rough dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently kneed for a few seconds.

6. Pat the dough down until roughly 3cm deep. Then using a 6cm cutter, cut out your scones. Lay on a baking tray. The will rise up, but not expand outwards very much.

7. Using a bit of milk wash the top for a nice golden colour. Then pop them into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until lovely and golden.

When they come out let them cool slightly, then serve. Preferably with strawberry jam and clotted cream!

Now depending on where you are from, you need to make sure  you have your cream and jam the right way around. In Cornwall they butter their scones, then put on jam, and then clotted cream on the top. In Devon, where people argue the cream tea started, they have clotted cream first and then the jam on top.
If you can't get your hands on clotted cream, or can't have it like myself, lightly whipped cream can be used. Some people also have something called 'Thunder and Lightning' which is when you take half of your scone, put on your cream, and then top with honey, or syrup. Yum, yum, yum!

Now to eat mine with a lovely pot of tea :)

Bread and Butter Pud

Last night I made a British classic, Bread and Butter pudding. Until only a couple of years ago I had never tried it. Now I wonder why not. It is amazing! This is the recipe I use, which is a Nigella Lawson one. You can't go wrong with that lovely woman!

What you need (serves 8-10):
* 3 free range eggs
* 3 tbsp caster sugar
* 435ml of milk and cream combined (half and half of each)
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* A loaf of nice bread (or the equivalent in croissants, brioche, or panettone)
* Butter
* A hand full of raisins (I didn't use them as you will notice, but it's just because I didn't have any in my cupboard, usually we put them in)

What you need to do:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Mix the eggs, sugar, milk/cream mix and vanilla extract in a bowl.
3. Slice the bread, butter it and arrange it in overlapping slices in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Scatter the raisins over the top and then poor the mixture leaving some bread sticking out the top for crunchy bits.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven and serve warm with custard or cream.

Gorgeous!

What are your favourite desserts? X

Pancake Day

Tomorrow is pancake day, and while traditionally it is the day proceeding the first day of lent, it is just an excuse to pig out on scrummy pancakes!!

Yesterday I couldn't wait for the day itself and decided to make myself a stack of Blueberry and Banana pancakes. I threw into the mixture a handful of blueberries and chopped up a banana and I must say it was extremely scrummy!

I am not one for English pancakes I must admit. For a start I can't flip them right and I have been known to dispose of them on the floor or even the ceiling. So a big podgy American pancake it is! The recipe I use is here, and it is great whether you are going for sweet or savoury! I have been known to stick a lot of different things in my pancakes, but this has to be one of my most favourite fillings :) That and covering it with Bacon and Maple Syrup, mmmmmm, nom nom!

But what other ideas are there out there that I have found?
Check out some of these!

Wow look at the colours! Not sure I would want to eat that it looks so pretty!

This looks like a giant Oreo cookie stack! Or a big ooozy chocolate cake. Whatever I want it in my tummy now!

This is so cute, and you could have it as a combined pancake/valentines day treat :)

MMM, I do have a thing for blueberries at the moment!

What is your favourite filling?
X

Coconut Macaroons

These Coconut Macaroons are from this gorgeous cook book from Leon, a restaurant chain from London. I have never been to this chain before as they are all a little too far away for me, but their food looks amazing. So homely and lovely. Nom nom. So getting the cookbook for my birthday last year was great! Their recipes are all traditional family style recipes. I can't believe this is the first time I have made something from it. But it was worth it, and I suggest you try them too!

What you need:
* 3 free range egg whites
* 150g caster sugar
* a pinch of salt
* 2 tsps honey
* 150g desiccated coconut
* 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional, it's not essential)

What to do:
1. Heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, honey and coconut in a large pan over a medium heat.
3. Stir in the mixture constantly until everything is dissolved and it just begins to scorch on the bottom.
4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
5. Let the mixture cool completely, then use an ice cream scoop (about 50ml) to scoop out 12 even-sized macaroons, and place them on the baking sheet.
6. Bake in the over for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden and set. Let the macaroons cool completely before peeling off the paper.

The hearts are a sneak peak at a little valentines gift :)

Focaccia

On Friday night we had a couple of friends round for dinner. We decided to go Italian for the menu, and what's more Italian than scrummy bread! For the starter, we did a bit of Antipasti, a spread of meats and breads, olives etc. I decided to make my own Focaccia.

I have been making bread a lot recently and I have really enjoyed it. So I pulled out my Baking made easy book by Lorraine Pascale. I have also found the recipe here.

The bread went down a treat but we made so much more than we needed. So what is a girl to do other that waste it? Well today I knocked up a scrummy (even if I say so myself) sandwich! I took two pork chops, then in the pestle and mortar I ground up some rock salt and sage. Then on a board I coated both sides of the chops with olive oil, rubbing it into all the cracks. I then sprinkled the salt/sage mix and rubbed it all over the chops, before popping them into a really hot frying pan until crispy.

The Focaccia I warmed up a little in the oven to make it softer and cut in half through the centre. I spread over some apple sauce and then popped on some left over stuffing from last nights dinner.

When the meat was cooked I sliced it up and added it to the sandwich. I was given a large compliment by my man so it must have been good. Very stuffed now though. Time for an afternoon nap I think!

Bread

 

 

 

Making bread is something that I love to do. The smell of freshly baked bread is one of my favourite smells. I decided to test out the theory that you can get bread to prove in the bottom of a fridge overnight, not just in a warm place. It works, it's not a myth! I found this recipe and purchased my ingredients, getting a huge bag of flour so I can make lots more bread. The only change I made was that I mixed it and left the mix to rise overnight in the bottom of the fridge, it tripled in size, amazing!! I shall be making more x

Chocolate Brownies

After visiting the Hummingbird Bakery on Wednesday I have had major Chocolate Brownie cravings! So today I got out my cookbook and got my bake on!!

 

Start by melting butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water

Add dark chocolate and melt in the same bowl as the butter

I then poured the chocolate and butter mix into a bigger mixing bowl

Add sugar and then mix until blended

Add flour and mix until it becomes almost like a thick paste

Add eggs and mix until smooth

Add to a baking tray lined with paper

When cooked and cooled take out of tin and paper and cut into even squares, decorate with icing sugar if you want to, they taste amazing either way to be honest!

They really are a scrummy recipe and you can get the book from 'all good book retailers', definitely worth it if, like me, you live nowhere near a Hummingbird Bakery...

Happy Baking :)