Bakewell Slices

Soft, sweet, buttery and yummy jammy



Cake tins needed

30 x 23cm (12 x 9in) traybake

For the shortcrust pastry

175g (6oz) plain flour

75g (3oz) butter

For the sponge mixture

100g (4oz) softened butter

100g (4oz) caster sugar 175g (6oz self raising flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

2tsp milk

½ tsp almond extract

To finish

4 tbsp raspberry jam

Flaked almonds for sprinkling

To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add 2-3 tbsp cold water gradually, mixing to form a soft dough.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Roll the dough on lightly floured work surface and use it to line the tin.

Measure all the sponge ingredients into a bowl and beat until well blended.

Spread the pastry with raspberry jam and then top with the sponge mixture.

Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed in the centre with your fingertips.

Leave to cool in the tin and then cut into slices.

Bishop's Fingers

Lovely and crumbly fingers

Cake tins needed

18cm (7in) shallow square tin

Ingredients

100g (4oz) plain flour

25g (1oz) ground almonds

25g (1oz) semolina

100g (4oz) butter

50g (20z) caster sugar

Few drops almond extract

25g (1oz) flaked almonds

caster sugar for dusting

Makes 12

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Lightly butter the tin.

Mix together the flour, ground almonds and semolina in a bowl.

Add the butter, sugar and almond extract and rub together with your fingers until the mixture is just beginning to bind together.

Knead lightly until smooth.

Press the dough into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a metal spoon.

Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a very pale golden brown.

Mark the shortbread into 12 fingers with the knife, sprinkle with caster sugar and leave to cool in the tin.

When completely cold, cut into fingers, lift out carefully and store in an airtight tin

Mini Heart Cake for my hubbie

Little cake for my hubbie.

Victoria Sandwich cake cut into 2 heart shapes.
Spread each with warmed apricot jam.
Sandwich together with nutella and marshmallow from the jar.
Melt 150g plain chocolate and 150ml double cream gently in a bowl over a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally.
Cover with melted chocolate and leave to set at room temperature.
Write your message with white melted chocolate.

Double Chocolate Cookie

Very chocolatey, rich and  yummy cookies.



Cake tins needed

2 baking trays lined with greaseproof paper

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter

450g chopped dark chocolate

2 eggs

170g soft light brown sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

85g plain flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

This will make 12 cookies.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Put the butter and half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave until melted and smooth.

Mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract with a paddle attachment and beat until well mixed.

Pour in the chocolate mixture, beating on slow speed until well combined.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a separate bowl.

Stir into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in the remaining chocolate until evenly mixed.

Spoon 6 equal amounts of cookie dough on each tray.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until tops start to crack and look glossy.

Leave to cool slightly on the trays before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

Carrot and Walnut Cupcakes



Moist, light and delicious cupcake

Cake tins needed

2 x 12-hole cupcake trays lined with paper cases

For the cake

2 cups granulated sugar

2½ cups plain flour

1⅓ cups vegetable oil

3 extra-large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

1 tbsp plain flour (to toss walnuts and sultanas in)

2 tsps ground cinnamon

2 tsps bicarbonate of soda

1½ tsps salt

1 cup sultanas

1 cup chopped walnuts

450g grated carrots

For the topping and filling

500g Mascarpone cream cheese

125g cold Philadelphia full fat cream cheese

50g softened unsalted butter

500g icing sugar

6tsp vanilla essence

50g chopped walnuts

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow.
Add the vanilla.  

In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour - this will stop raisins sinking to the bottom.
Fold in the carrots.

Add to the batter and mix well.

Divide the batter between 24 cupcake cases.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool for 5  minutes in the trays and then transfer to a wire rack.

For the frosting

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Add vanilla extract.

Add Mascarpone and Philadelphia in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.

Turn the mixer up to medium-­high speed.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Fold in chopped walnuts.

Transfer the frosting to piping bag with star nozzle and decorate the cupcake when completely cooled.





Meringues

Leftover egg whites - always useful and freeze well.

Cake tin needed

Baking sheet

Ingredients

2 egg whites

110g (4oz) sugar

Preheat the oven to 120 ° C.

Line the baking sheet with baking parchment.

Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Add sugar a tablespoon at the time until stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy.

Transfer into piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe small blobs onto a baking tray.

Bake for about 1 hour for mini ones (or 2 hrs for medium size) until completely dried out and crisp.

Leave to cool on baking sheet.

Transfer to plastic container.

They freeze well.

Croatian Black Pepper Cookies (Paprenjaci)



Unusual flavour, spicy and delicate.

Cake tin needed

Baking sheet

Ingredients

500g plain flour

200g margarine

2 tbsp honey

1 egg

3 egg yolks

150g ground walnuts

150g caster

¼ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp cinnamon

a pinch of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 150 ° C.

Line the baking sheet with baking parchment.

Combine all the ingredients well to make a dough.

Leave to rest in the fridge for 2 hours.

Sprinkle some flour on the work surface.

Roll out the dough quickly.

Cut out into shapes that you like.

Place on baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.

Leave to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer on to cooling rack.





Banana and Cinnamon Muffins

Moist and sweet banana and cinnamon muffins.

Cake tin needed

12-hole muffin tin

Ingredients

350g plain flour

¾ tsp salt

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp cinnamon plus extra to sprinkle

160g caster sugar plus extra to sprinkle

375ml buttermilk

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

70g melted unsalted butter

400g mashed peeled bananas

Preheat the oven to 170 ° C.

Place muffin cases into the muffin tin.

Put the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon in a large bowl and beat with whisk until combined.

Put the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract in a jug and mix to combine. 

Slowly pour into the flour mixture and beat on slow speed until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Pour in the melted butter and beat until incorporated.

Stir in the bananas with a wooden spoon until evenly dispersed.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and sprinkle a little extra sugar and cinnamon over the tops.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Leave the muffins in the tray to cool slightly and then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Frosted Brownies

This brownie is more cake-like, contains nuts and is topped with chocolatey cream-cheese frosting.

Cake tins needed

Bake tray 33 x 23 x 5 cm

For the brownies

5 eggs

500g caster sugar

120g plain flour

100g cocoa powder

250g melted unsalted butter

30g chopped walnuts

30g chopped dark chocolate

For the frosting

200g icing sugar

75g softened unsalted butter

30g sifted cocoa powder

150g cold cream cheese

This recipe makes about 12 brownies.

Preheat the oven to 170 C.

Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the flour and cocoa powder and beat until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Pour in the melted butter and mix through.

Stir the walnuts and chocolate in by hand.

Spoon the mixture into baking tray.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is firm and centre is still soft.

Leave to cool.

For the frosting

Beat together the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.

Continue beating on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

Do not overbeat, as it can become runny.

Spread the frosting over cold brownies.

Croatian Baked Pancakes with Cottage Cheese (Palacinke sa Sirom)

Delicious rich pancakes

Cake tins needed

Frying pan

Bake tray

For pancakes

3 eggs

250g plain flour

200ml sparkling water

pinch of salt

little oil

For the filling

3 eggs

120g sugar

grated rind of ½ lemon

400g cottage cheese

100g sour cream

100g Mascarpone

100g Ricotta

butter

For the top

50g sour cream

50g Mascarpone

2 tbsp sugar

To make pancakes

Mix the eggs, salt and water.

Gradually add the flour and mix until smooth.

Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.

Make the pancakes.

Filling

Whisk the egg whites until stiff.

Mix the egg yolks with sugar until pale.

Add grated lemon, cottage cheese and egg whites.

Mix until all is incorporated.

Fill pancakes with the filling.

Roll them up and place in the tray bake that has been buttered.

Mix Soured cream, Mascarpone and Ricotta.

Once all pancakes have been rolled up and placed in the tray, cover with soured cream and mascarpone mixed up.

Top with a sugar.

Bake

For 30 minutes on 200 C.

Best eaten just out of the oven.