Raspberry and Almond Cake

175g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
4 large eggs
75ml sour cream
125g ground almonds
115g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
200g fresh or frozen raspberries
25g flaked almonds
1tbsp caster sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to gas 4.
Grease a 20cm spring-form or loose bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the sour cream. The mixture may look as though it is curdling, but don't panic.
Add the almonds, flour and baking powder. You should now have a smooth, creamy batter.
Stir in three-quarters of the raspberries and spoon into the prepared tin. Scatter over the remaining raspberries, the flaked almonds and the extra tablespoon of caster sugar.
Bake the cake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, testing it with a skewer after an hour. If the skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake, it is ready.
The top of the cake should be wonderfully golden, crispy and cracking slightly.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes before removing.
Cut into wedges and serve warm or cold, just as it is or with a spoonful of sour cream.

Christmas Pudding

When I was a child the tradition at my school was for all the children to stand in line and take a turn in giving the Christmas pudding a stir, whilst all singing a rather repetative song about stirring a pudding. Thankfully times have changed and I have a mixer, so don't rely on child

labour for such things.....

Ingredients
100g ready-to-eat dried figs, roughly chopped
150g sultanas
150g raisins
150g currants
50g chopped mixed peel
1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
50ml Guinness
50ml brandy
150g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
100g molasses sugar

Put the dried fruits, peel, apple, lemon zest, Guinness and brandy into a large bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, spices and a pinch of salt.

Melt the butter in a small pan, then allow to cool slightly. Pour over the dried fruit mixture, then add the breadcrumbs, eggs, molasses sugar and spiced flour. Mix well.
Grease and base line a 1.5 litre pudding basin. Tip in the pudding mixture and level the surface. Cut a circle of foil larger than the top of the pudding basin and make a pleat down the centre. Use to cover the pudding and secure in place with string – tie this around the basin rim, loop over the pudding and tie at the other side to make a handle.




Put an upturned saucer in the base of a deep saucepan. Sit the basin on top and fill the pan with boiling water to come halfway up the basin. Cover the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and steam the pudding for 5 hours, keeping the water level topped up. Using the tie-handle, carefully remove the basin from the saucepan. Set aside to cool. Cover with clean foil and store in a cool place for up to 6 months.

To reheat, place on an upturned saucer in a large saucepan of simmering water. Cook for 1 hour or until piping hot throughout.

Don't forget to add a silver charm for luck.....

Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies

150g plain flour

1/2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp salt

75g rolled oats

125g butter

75g brown sugar

100g caster sugar

1 egg

1tsp vanilla extract

75g dried cranberries

150g whit choc chips

Preheat the oven to Gas 4 and grease a baking sheet.

Cream the butter and sugars in a bowl, beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the foulr, baking powder, salt, oats and fold in the cranberries and choclate chips.

Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls, then place on the baking sheet and flatten with a fork.

Cook for 15 minutes, until golden, and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Berry Slump

100g butter

100g caster sugar

100g SR Flour

2 eggs

2tsp vanilla extract

600g mixed summer berries

In a mixer, whizz together the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla, until smooth. Lightly grease a baking dish and tip in the summer berries.

Dollop over the cake mix, cover the fruit.

Cook for 45 minutes in an oven Gas 4. Serve warm with custard, vanilla ice cream, or extra thick cream.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

175g butter

175g unrefined golden caster sugar

65g walnut pieces

3 large eggs

175g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp very strong coffee

200g butter

400g icing sugar

2 tbps very strong coffee

You will also need 2 x 21cm loose-bottomed sponge tins or a 2lb loaf tin, which is what I used.

Beat the butter and sugar till it is light, pale and fluffy. Set the oven at 180°C/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, line the base tin with greaseproof paper and chop the walnuts. Crack the eggs into a bowl, break them up with a fork and add them a little at a time to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.

Mix the flour and baking powder together and mix into the butter and sugar gently, with the mixer on a slow speed or by hand, with a large metal spoon. Stir in the coffee to the mixture. Chop the walnuts and fold gently into the cake.
Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin, smooth lightly, and bake for 40 minutes. If your using 2 round tins this will probably reduce to 25 minutes.

To make the frosting, beat the butter till soft and pale with an electric beater, then add the sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. Stir in the coffee mix it into the buttercream. Decorate with walnut halves.

Lavender Biscuits

50g caster sugar

130g butter

200g self raising flour

1tbsp lavender flowers

Cream together the butter and sugar, add the four and lavender flowers, blend until it comes together. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes, then roll into little balls, and flatten. Bake for 7-8 mins at Gas mark 4.

I received the lavender from my dear friend Terry, and have been pondering for a while how best to use it. These are definately making full use of my lovely gift.

Apricot and Almond Traybake

250g butter
225g golden caster sugar
275g self raising flour
2tsp baking powder
finely grated zest of 1 orange and 2tbsp orange juice
75g ground almonds
5 medium eggs lightly beaten
225g chopped ready to eat apricots

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Grease a 20.5x33com tin and baseline.

Put all of the ingredients except the apricots into the bowl of a free standing mixer and mix until thouroughly combined.

Fold in the apricots. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the surface with a pallet knife. You might want to sprinkle the surface with some flaked almonds.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until risen and golden.

Cool in the tin and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

This is increadibly easy to make, and tastes out of this world. I liketo think its healthy because it contains fruit!!

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients
For the ferment starter:
1 large egg, beaten
215ml warm water
15g fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
55gstrong white flour
For the dough:
450g strong white flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice
85g butter cut into cubes
85gsugar
1 lemon, grated, zest only
170g mixed dried fruit
2 tbsp plain flour
oil, for greasing
1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing


1. Prepare the ferment starter for the dough by combining the beaten egg with enough warm water to give approximately 290ml/½ pint of liquid. Whisk in the yeast, sugar and flour, cover and put in a warm place for 30 minutes.
2. make the buns: sieve the flour, salt and spice into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre and put the sugar and lemon zest in the well. Pour on the ferment starter.
3. Gradually draw in the flour and mix vigorously, then knead to a smooth, elastic dough.
4. Carefully work in the mixed dried fruit. Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a warm, greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
5. Turn out the dough and knead to knock out any air bubbles and give an even texture. Shape it into a ball again, put back into the bowl, cover and put back to rise for another 30 minutes.
6. Turn out the dough again and divide into 12 even pieces. Shape them into buns and leave to rest for a few minutes on the work surface covered with the tea towel.
7. Place the buns on a lightly greased baking sheet. Slightly flatten each bun and then cut into quarters, cutting almost all the way through the dough, so that as each bun rises, it has a well-marked cross on it.
8. Grease a large polythene bag and place the tray with the buns in it and tie the end. Put in a warm place and leave to rise for 40 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8. Make a paste for the crosses on the buns with the plain flour and 2 tbsp cold water. Mix until it is soft enough to pipe through a nozzle.
10. Remove the polythene bag and pipe a cross on each bun. Bake the buns for 8 -12 minutes or until risen and golden. Brush the buns with hot golden syrup as soon as they are ready. Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Seed Loaf

Zest of 1 lemon

200g sugar

250g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1 medium egg

100ml semi-skimmed milk

2tbsp soured cream

2tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 2lb loaf tin, or line as I do with a paper case.

Mix together all the ingredients, except for the milk in a mixer. Continue mixing and add the milk, the mixture will turn into a lovely lemoney batter. Turn into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 55-60 minutes until cooked through ( you might need to cover lightly with tin foil after approx 40 mins).

Leave to cool in the tin for a good ten minutes before turning out onto a rack.

So having become addicted to the lovely DaniK's newest blog, http://www.daisybakery.co.uk/daisy-bakery-danis-blog/index.php, I had to accept the challenge and join in the Flavour of the Month Competition. Having trawled through my cook books there was nothing for it but to submit this, which has been adapted from The Good Housekeeping Great Cakes book. Now I just have to see how stiff the competition is........

The original recipe uses plain yogurt, and a sticky syrup to drizzle on top. I much prefer this addition of soured cream, and too keep it as a simple, non-sticky loaf, perfect with a cup of afternoon tea.

Love Buns

125g plain flour
125g caster sugar
125g butter
2 eggs
1/2tsp bicarb
2tsp baking powder
2tsp vanilla extract
2-3tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6.

If you have brought all the ingredients to room temperature, put everything except for the milk into a food mixer and blitz unil smooth. Add the milk to make a smooth dropping consistency.

Divide the mixutre into a muffin tin lined with papers and bake for 15-20 minutes. They should be risen and golden.

I find the topping in Nigella's book for these to sweet and sickly, so used a simple vanilla icing. The bling is obviously optional.....

Pancakes

110g plain flour,
2 eggs
200ml milk mixed
Butter for the pan

Method
Sift the flour and a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets a airing. Whisk the eggs into the milk. Add the flour to the egg mixture and whisk like furry, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. I like to leave my batter to stand in the fridge for at least an hour.

Melt a tiny amount of butter in a pan. I found it easier to use a pastry brush and smear the pan with that, after it had been dipped in the butter. Get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake. I use a nearly full ladel of batter per pancake. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then slide it out of the pan onto a plate.Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper.

To serve, spinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

As an alternative drizzle with mapel syrup, melted chocolate or a fruit coolie.

And you must, must, must at least once try tossing in the traditional manner!

Chocolate Orange Cake

2 small oranges (approx 375g)
6 eggs
1/2tsp bicarb
1tsp baking powder
200g almonds
250g caster sugar
50g cocoa

Put the oranges in a pan of water and bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours until soft. Drain and cool, then pulp in a food processor.

Preheat the oven (Gas 4), butter and line a 20com tin.

Add the eggs, baking powder, bicarb, almonds, sugar and cocoa to the food processor. Mix together with the orange pulp into a batter. Pour into the cake tin and bake for an hour. Test with a cocktail stick, or cake tester if your posh! After 45mins you may need to cover with foil to prevent burning.

Leave to cool on a rack, take out of the tine when the cake is cold. Can be eaten as it is decorated with orange peel strips.

However I've taken to covering this with the following icing:-

75g butter
175g dark chocolate melted
300g icing sugar
1tbsp golden syrup
125ml sour cream
1tsp vanilla extract

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a pan over simmering water, add the golden syrup to the melted mix once its cooled. Then add sour cream, vanilla, and icing sugar. Mix together and decorate your chocoalte orange cake.

Christmas Cake

12oz plain flour

1tbsp mixed spice

4oz ground almonds

8oz currants (although I changed this to chopped dates)

8oz sultanas

8oz raisins

4oz cherries
8oz butter

8oz soft brown sugar

6 eggs beaten with 8tbsp milk

1 tbsp black treacle

Mix flour, spice and ground almonds together. Mix fruit ( I let mine soak in a good splash of brandy for about an hour).

Beat butter and sugar to a cream, beat milk and eggs together. Mix together all ingredients. Add the fruit last.

Bake for four hours. First hour 180C (Gas 4), then slowly 150C(Gas2).

Mince Pies

Ingredients

1 quantity shortcrust pastry

450g mincemeat

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

55g caster sugar

60ml milk

Method1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6.

2. Roll out the pastry until it is 2mm thick. Stamp out 24 7.5cm/3inch rounds with a pastry cutter and put in the base of 2 patty trays.

3. Fill each case with 2 tsp mincemeat and brush the edges with a little milk.

4. Stamp out 24 6cm/2½ in rounds for the lids and put on top of the mincemeat, sealing to the edges of the bases. Brush the egg wash over the pies and sprinkle with the caster sugar.

5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and cool or serve warm.

6. If you make them in advance, store in an air-tight tin and re-heat when needed.

Apple Spice Cake

2 eating apples, diced

200g self raising flour

125g butter

125g light muscavado sugar

2 large eggs

1tsp mixed spice

juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Cream together butter and sugar, add the eggs. Stir in lemon juice, zest and spice. Fold in the flour and add apples.

Bake at Gas 4 for 40/45minutes.

I can not tell you how delicious this cake is served, slightly warm, with a good splodge of clotted cream!

30-minute Fruit Cake

125g unsalted butter
125g light muscovado sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 medium eggs
few drops vanilla extract
150g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
50g glace cherries
175g mixed dried fruit
25g desiccated coconut
25g demerara sugar
50g flaked almonds


Preheat the oven Gas mark 5, grease and line a baking tin (I used a 2lb loaf tin).

Beat together butter, sugar, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Stir in cherries, fruit and coconut. Add the almonds and demerara sugar.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

For a more decorative finish sprinkle the almonds on top along with the demerara sugar.

Cinnamon Hearts

100g butter
100g caster sugar
1 large egg
250g plain flour
1tsp cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugar, add flour,egg and spice. Mix to a dough. Chill dough for approx 1 hour. Roll out dough on a floured surface to approx 1/2cm thick. Cut out heart shapes. Bake for 10 minutes Gas 4, cooling on a wire rack when cooked.

Decorate with icing if desired.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe:

226 g butter, room temperature
150 g granulated white sugar
160 g light brown sugar
2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
420 g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking-soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
270g chocolate chips

Preheat oven to gas mark 4 with rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl cream the butter. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until incorporated, adding the chocolate chips about half way through mixing. If you find the dough very soft, cover and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).
For large cookies, use about a 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop or with two spoons, drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake about 12 - 14 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Cool completely on wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen - 3 inch round cookies

Madeleines

Madeleines were made famous by Marcel Proust in his novel 'Remembrance of Things Past' in which he wrote: "She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called 'petites madeleines', which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim's shell....... An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses....".

115g unsalted butter melted
140g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
130g granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


First, melt the butter and allow it to cool while you make the batter.
In a small bowl place the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until well blended.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.





Sift a small amount of flour over the egg mixture and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the beaten eggs to lighten it. Sift the rest of the flour over the egg mixture and fold in being sure not to overmix or the batter will deflate.
Whisk a small amount of the egg mixture into the melted butter to lighten it. Then fold in the cooled melted butter in three additions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours, until slightly firm.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to Gas mark 5. Generously butter two 12-mold madeleine pans. (Make sure the pans are well greased or the madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.)
Drop a generous tablespoonful of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the batter mounded in the center. (This will result in the classic "humped" appearance of the madeleines.)
Bake the madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers spring back when lightly touched. Do not overbake these cookies or they will be dry.

Remove the pans from the oven and rap each pan sharply against a countertop to release the madeleines. Transfer the madeleines, smooth sides down, to wire racks to cool. The madeleines are best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.

Easy Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cacaopowder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven on Gas mark 6.
Stir all the ingredients together (add nuts or dried fruit if you want) and pour the mix in a greased 2ln loaf baking tin. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Or until a skewer comes out clean.