Summer Berries Fruit Tart

Over the weekend I took advantage of having a variety of summer berries in the fridge and made another bake from “In the Mood for Entertaining” by Jo Pratt. This second offering from the book is this recipe for Favourite Fruit Tart. On this occasion it became Summer Berries Fruit Tart, this recipe is very adaptable and you could use any fruit combo. I don’t often make my own pastry and normally go the ready-made route but this time I decided to venture out of my comfort zone. I knew there was a reason why I avoid making my own, as the pastry gave me some trouble but I managed to make it work and it didn’t turn out at all bad in the end. Once the pastry was done the rest was child’s play. I was dubious about the tart having no other filling than the berries with the sprinkling of icing sugar but it turned out wonderful. I am definitely going to make this tart again and try it with other fruit combos, especially using apricots! I served this gorgeous summer tart with a generous helping of double cream.

Summer Berries Fruit Tart

Serves 8

Ingredients
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g butter
75g caster sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
750g-1kg of your chosen fruit
Icing sugar, to dust

You will need a 23cm to 24cm plain or fluted shallow tart/flan tin.

To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor and blitz briefly until it resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add the egg a little at a time until the pastry binds together. Knead very lightly on a floured surface to a smooth dough.

Roll out the pastry and line the tart tin. Trimming any excess pastry. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to 2 days) covered loosely with clingfilm.

Preheat the oven to 160oC/fan 140oC/gas 2-3. Place a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

To prepare the tart, work from the outside in, really packing the fruit into the pastry case and dust with a generous amount of icing sugar.

Place in the oven on top of the hot baking tray. Cook for 30 minutes before reducing the oven temperature to 140oC/fan 120oC/gas 1-2 and cooking for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the fruits are becoming golden on top.

Cool in the tin slightly before carefully removing and dusting again with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

St Clement's Drizzle Cake

This week I received Jo Pratt’s new book “In the Mood for Entertaining” from my latest Amazon late night shopping spree. I loved her previous book “In the Mood for Food”, which is totally girly and pink and very me. Her new book has page after page of delicious and inspiring recipes that I am really looking forward to making. I’m excited to present my first offering from this book, St Clement’s Drizzle Cake. Don’t you just love the name of this cake? I presume it originates from the poem about execution turned nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons! I remember playing the singing game associated with this nursery rhyme in Primary school. Only today did I realise its origins but maybe the lines “Here comes a Chopper to Chop off your Head, Chip chop chip chop - the Last Man's Dead”, should have given it away! The cake, in hubby’s words was described as... “mmm that’s really nice”, which was the correct response if he didn't want to lose his head, hahaha! This quick cake recipe produces a very light and moist sponge that is bursting with those wonderful citrusy flavours soaked through, finished with a crunchy sugary top. The perfect refreshing summertime cake!

St Clement’s Drizzle Cake

Ingredients
175g caster sugar
175g softened butter
Grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
4 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
175g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180oC/fan 160oC/gas 4.

Grease and line the base of 1 large (900g) or 2 small (450g) loaf tins.

Place the caster sugar, butter and zest of the lemon and orange in a bowl and beat together until pale and creamy. Add the milk, and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a spoon of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling. Mix in the remaining flour. Spoon into the prepared tin/tins and level the surface flat.

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes for a large cake or 30 minutes for the smaller cakes until they are golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.

While the cake is cooking, place the lemon and orange juice in a saucepan, bring to the boil and allow to reduce in quantity to about 3 tablespoons. Leave to cool, and then stir in the granulated sugar so it just starts to dissolve.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick several times with a skewer, then slowly pour the lemon and orange sugar all over the top, letting it soak into the cake. Leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out and cutting into slices to serve.

White Chocolate Buns

Today I decided to enjoy a lazy Sunday doing a touch of easy baking and bake a recipe I’ve had book-marked for a while. The selected recipe is for these White Chocolate Buns from Rachel Allen’s “Food for Living”, a must have cookbook if you love Rachel Allen. I have all her books and each and every one of them is filled with lovely recipes and this recipe is no exception. If like myself you love white chocolate then these babies are sure to satisfy that craving. The buns have a light and fluffy sponge, finished off with a swirl of melted white chocolate. Perfect to serve with afternoon tea among friends.

White Chocolate Buns

Makes 12

Ingredients
125g butter
75ml milk
75g white chocolate, chopped
200g caster sugar
150g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract

For the topping
75g white chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 170oC/325oF/Gas mark 3 and line a bun tray with 12 paper bun cases.

In a medium-sized saucepan on a low heat melt the butter and then add the milk, white chocolate and caster sugar and stir until the chocolate has melted and the sugar dissolved. Stir to mix and set aside to cool for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and beat the egg in a separate small bowl. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture, stir to mix and then pour into the dry ingredients, folding it together. Pour the mixture into the bun cases and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until pale golden and just firm on top. Remove from the oven; take the buns out of the bun tray and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the topping, melt the 75g of chocolate in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water. Allow it to cool slightly until it’s a little thicker, then, using a table knife or the back of a teaspoon; spread the melted chocolate over each cooled bun. Alternatively, drizzle the melted chocolate from a spoon in delicate patterns over the top. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.

Vanilla Fudgies to celebrate Ollie's 1st Birthday!!

Today my gorgeous Ollie celebrated his 1st birthday, a day we didn’t think he would see! Many of my followers will know that back in February Ollie was diagnosed with FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis), with the diagnosis being bleak for him. Despite the vet not giving him much time, he has defied the odds and is doing well. He does have his bad days where it’s a struggle to eat and those days are hard for me to get through. Ollie having his 1st birthday gives me hope for his future but we take each day as a blessing, he's my little fighter!! I couldn’t go today without marking this special occasion and incorporating my other love…baking! I choose these Vanilla Fudgies as the colouring and their name remind me of Ollie and his distinctive cream colour. Fudge was one of the names in my top five list before we settled on Ollie. The muffins were super easy to make, with the chopping of the fudge being the only time-consuming task. These are light and fluffy, with a lovely vanilla flavour studded with melted nuggets of glorious golden fudge. Eat these while they’re still warm to really enjoy the squidgy, soft fudge chunks at their best but they are equally nice once cooled. Be warned these are very moreish!

Vanilla Fudgies

Makes 12

Ingredients
300g/10oz/2 cups self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
115g/4oz/ ½ cup caster sugar
100g/3½oz fudge, cut into pieces (any type of fudge you like – vanilla, chocolate, raisin, clotted)
125ml/4fl oz/ ½ cup milk
100ml/3 ½ fl oz/ scant ½ cup half-fat crème fraiche
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g/2o butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 200oC/180oC fan/400oF/Gas 6. Grease or line a 12-hole muffin pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder and sugar and sift into a large bowl, then scatter the fudge on top.

In a separate bowl or jug, lightly beat the milk, crème fraiche, egg and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the butter. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined, then spoon big dollops of the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

This muffin recipe comes courtesy from my latest new book, Muffin Magic!

Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake~Sweet and Simple Bake!

I’m late posting my entry for Sweet and Simple Bakes; however I am so glad I managed to find time to bake this cake! This month Rosie presented us with one of her all time favourite cakes, Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake! The cake is absolutely amazing and has now entered the top 10 favourite cakes in my home. The sponge is fluffy, light and very moist, with the chocolate and orange blending together perfectly! If you find the orange/chocolate combo irresistible, then this is a “must” bake!! Please pop over to Sweet and Simple Bakes to view more cake entries!

Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake

Ingredients

For The cake

175g (6 oz) softened butter

175g (6 oz) caster (super fine) sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

Finely grated zest of 2 oranges

175g (6 oz) self-raising flour, sifted

2 tbsp milk

For The Orange Syrup

Juice of 1 orange

100g (4 oz) granulated sugar

For The Topping

50g (2 oz) dark chocolate or milk chocolate – your choice

Sprinkles of choice (optional)

You will need a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin – greased with a little butter and lined with greaseproof paper or non-stick baking paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

In a mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy in appearance. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well until fully incorporated. Add the orange zest, flour and milk and fold in gently with a spatula or large metal spoon. Turn into the prepared tin, smooth the top of the mixture and bake in the oven on middle shelf 35 -45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin. When cool make little holes in the cake with a skewer, (this is important for pouring the syrup onto the cake to ensure the syrup soaks in fully.)

For The Orange Syrup

Put the orange juice and granulated sugar into a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for a couple of minutes. Pour over the top of the cake. When all the juice has soaked in, carefully remove the cake from the tin.

For The Topping

Melt the chocolate by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, pour over the top of the cake. Either smooth the top over with a spatula or make a little pattern with the prongs of a fork. Add sprinkles if desired, leave chocolate to set before cutting into the cake.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

This Coffee and Walnut Cake is a British teatime classic and one I have never made before. I’ve eaten other versions of this cake in the past and thought it about time I made one myself. This coffee and walnut cake has a very light sponge studded with walnut pieces and an unashamedly rich and luscious coffee infused mascarpone frosting. Will one slice be enough? Probably not!

Coffee and Walnut Cake

Serves 8-10

Ingredients
180g butter, at room temperature
180g caster sugar
3 eggs
180g self-raising flour
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water (I used espresso)
60g walnut pieces

For the frosting
250g mascarpone cheese
85g icing sugar, sifted
1½ teaspoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1½ teaspoons hot water (I used espresso)
Walnut halves, to decorate

2 x 20cm diameter sandwich tins, greased and base-lined

Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC fan/350oF/Gas 4.
Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the walnuts and coffee. Divide the cake mixture between the two prepared tins and level out the surface of each.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and the sponge springs back when gently pressed or a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before removing cakes from the tin. Once cooled carefully peel off the paper.

To make the frosting, beat together the mascarpone, icing sugar and coffee until smooth and creamy. Spread slightly less than half of the frosting over one of the cooled cakes, then place the second cake on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and decorate with walnut halves to finish.

Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Muffins

It has been a while since I last blogged. Hope my readers are keeping well. Over the summer months I generally have a lot of commitments and when it is too hot I don’t tend to enjoy baking. The last place I want to be is stuck in the kitchen, especially in this heat we have been experiencing in the UK recently.

This summer for me seems to be a time for reunion with old friends thanks to Facebook. It has been really nice being back in contact and re-kindling our past friendships, vowing not to loose touch once more and to stay in regular contact.

Last month I had a friend from my childhood come over to visit with her two daughters, seeing my friend after so long was lovely and we have seen each other twice more since. I baked these muffins to serve with tea when she came over and they went down a treat, with my friend hardly able to believe what a domestic goddess I’ve become since the last time we saw each other. Bearing in mind the last time we saw each other, we only lived for the weekends and partying!! Since then I have only baked a few desserts for my sons’ birthday BBQ party, which did not last long enough to get a picture of them. Today I took advantage of the cooler weather and baked a cake, I hope to get time to blog it this weekend.

Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Muffins

Makes 12 (I ended up with 13)

Ingredients
60g rolled oats
260ml milk
225g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
85g plain chocolate chips, extra for sprinkling (or chocolate chunks, which I used)
1 medium egg, beaten with a fork
140g light brown soft sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
90ml vegetable oil

Method
Prepare the muffin tins. Preheat oven to 190oC/170oC fan oven/375oF/Gas mark 5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine oats and milk. Set aside to soak while you prepare the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.

Now to the milk and oat mixture, add beaten egg, sugar, vanilla and oil. Stir well.

Pour all of the wet mixture into the dry. Stir just until combined and no dry flour is visible. Batter should have a good dropping consistency - not too thick, not too thin.

Fill muffin cases three-quarters full and sprinkle chocolate chips. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned and feel quite firm to touch.

Lemon Curd Muffins~Sweet and Simple Bake!

This month over at Sweet and Simple Bakes I presented this delicious recipe for Lemon Curd Muffins. These were very easy and quick to make up and I love the tartness of the lemon curd topping with the flavour creeping in once more as you hit the middle of the sponge. A delectable muffin that all you lemon lovers out there would love! I'm looking forward to seeing another great round-up and reading everyone's entries. Please pop over to Sweet and Simple Bakes to view more muffin entries!

Lemon Curd Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients
200g/7oz self-raising flour
100g/3 ½ oz golden caster sugar
1 large egg
75ml/3fl oz sunflower oil
150ml/5fl oz milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
60ml/12 tsp lemon curd

For the sugar coating:
60ml/4 tbsp lemon curd
50g/2oz golden caster sugar

Heat the oven to 190oC/375oF/gas 5. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Sieve the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar. In a large jug mix together the egg, sunflower oil, milk and vanilla extract using a fork. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently together until just combined. Put a teaspoon of mixture in the base of each paper case. Top with 1 tsp lemon curd. Top with the rest of the muffin mixture.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and firm.

For the sugar coating, microwave the lemon curd on high for 1 minute until melted. Put the sugar into a shallow bowl. Brush on top of each muffin and dip the tops of each one in sugar to coat the tops.

Banana Carrot Bread

I really enjoy making quick breads such as this one and I always buy bananas in the knowledge that if they aren’t eaten at least I will have a good excuse to bake. This moist bread combines banana and carrots for a different take on banana bread and is packed with lots of flavour. It is the perfect breakfast when you want something a little sweet for breakfast but that is also healthy at the same time.

Banana Carrot Bread

Ingredients
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 cup grated carrots
½ cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas. Stir in carrots and pecans. Transfer to a greased 9 x 5 x 3-in/2lb loaf pan. Bake at 180oC/160oC fan oven/350oF for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

White Chocolate & Orange Cookies

I seem to be on a cookie mission this week since receiving my new book, 500 Cookies. This book is definitely a cookie lovers must have, with an extensive variety of recipes. My boys are appreciating this book no end, no sooner has a batch of cookies cooled they are flying out of cookie jar and barely touching the sides! The Neiman Marcus cookies were a perfect example of this, not lasting 12 hours. This latest batch of White Chocolate & Orange Cookies have been another roaring success and since baking them yesterday afternoon there is only a handful left. These cookies are light, crispy, chewy and full of intense orangey chocolate flavour. I dare you to make them and have them last more than a day!

White Chocolate & Orange Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients
115g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
1 egg
Grated zest of 1 orange (2 to 3 tsp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ baking powder
¼ tsp salt
225g white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 190oC/170oC fan oven/375oF/Gas mark 5. Beat the butter and sugar. Add the egg, orange zest and vanilla extract.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients and chocolate chips into the butter mixture and combine.

Roll into balls. Use your fingers to flatten onto a non-stick baking sheet 5cm/2in apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

When cool, store in an airtight container for up to four to five days.

The Infamous Neiman Marcus $250 Cookies!

The rumour that gave this cookie its rise to fame tells of a customer who inadvertently paid $250 for this cookie recipe, thinking she was being charged $2.50! Apparently the story is one of the most famous urban legends in baking history. The story has been going around for over 50 years and it is completely untrue! Neiman Marcus nonetheless published the cookie recipe to quell rumours. If you love your cookies crispy and chewy then you will love these, they have the perfect texture. The centres are chewy, chocolaty and sweet, with the espresso powder adding a sophisticated element, which is wonderfully balanced with the rest of the cookie. If you have never made these famous cookies, I think you should go and get your butter out right now and make them!! These babies will fly out of the cookie jar once my boys arrive home and take that first bite of what has to be one of the most expensive chocolate chip cookies in the world, even if it is untrue.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients
115g unsalted butter, softened
200g light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp instant coffee powder
225g plain chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 190oC/170oC fan oven/375oF/Gas mark 5.

Beat the butter and sugar together, and add the egg and vanilla extract.

Sift together the remaining dry ingredients, including the coffee powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix in the chocolate chips.

Roll into balls. Use your fingers to flatten onto a non-stick baking sheet 5cm/2inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and then place on cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.

Snickerdoodles

After his two days away I had to bake something for hubby’s return and had promised him cookies. I received my inspiration whilst browsing through blogs when I stumbled on these Snickerdoodles at Living with a Boy blog (check out her Snickerdoodles, gorgeous)! Having made Snickerdoodles before from a recipe by Nigella Lawson, I knew they would be a hit and I had yet to try Rachel Allen’s version from her latest book, Bake. These Snickerdoodles have a speckled, crinkly surface that is formed from the flecks of cinnamon and sugar, while the interior has a soft and cakey texture. They are very moreish and you won’t be able to stop at just one cookie!

Buttery Cinnamon Goodness!!

Snickerdoodles

Makes about 26 biscuits

Ingredients
125g butter, softened
110g caster sugar, plus 1 dessertspoon extra, for rolling
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain flour
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¾ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 dessertspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas mark 4.

Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the 110g caster sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.

Sift in the flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt and gently mix together to form a dough.

Mix the dessertspoon of sugar and the cinnamon together in a medium-sized bowl. Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut-sized balls then roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture and place on two baking trays (no need to grease or line), each ball spaced about 3cm/1 ¼ in apart. Flatten them down with the palm of your hands.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until they feel firm around the edges.
Allow to stand for 2 minutes on the baking trays, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Triple Chocolate Muffins

Triple Chocolate Muffins=Chocolate heaven! Why have just regular chocolate-chip or even double chocolate chip muffins, when you could be having Triple Chocolate Chip muffins? That’s right, THREE times as much chocolaty goodness! These decadent muffins are seriously good, quick and easy to make and taste fantastic. If your a chocoholic these muffins are sure to satisfy and hit the spot.

Triple Chocolate Muffins

Makes 15 large or 30 small muffins

Ingredients
450g self-raising flour
225g caster sugar
1 level teaspoon baking powder
225ml milk
225g unsalted butter
2 medium-sized eggs, beaten
75g each of white, milk and dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180oC/gas mark 4 and have 15 muffins cases ready in the muffin tins.

Mix the flour, caster sugar and baking powder together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Heat the milk and butter together until the butter melts. Allow to cool, then add the dry mixture with the eggs. Add the chocolate chips and stir through.

Spoon into the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes (6-8 minutes if you are doing mini ones).

This muffin recipe comes courtesy from my latest new book, Avoca Tea Time!