скачать книгу бесплатно
One 12-hole or two 6-hole
deep muffin tins
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5, and line the tin with muffin cases.
2. Sift together the flour, 115g (4oz) of the caster sugar, the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and place in a large bowl or the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Pour the milk into a jug, add the eggs and vanilla essence and mix together by hand.
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and, mixing slowly in the freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand-held electric whisk, pour in the milk and egg mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to catch every bit of the mixture, increase the speed to medium and continue beating the batter until smooth. Then pour in the melted butter and beat again to incorporate.
4. Stir in the berries by hand, making sure they are evenly spaced throughout the mixture, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases, filling each up to two-thirds full and sprinkling the tops with the remaining sugar.
5. Bake in the oven until the muffins are golden brown on top and bounce back when lightly pressed. Leave in the tin for a short while, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
MOTHER’S & FATHER’S DAY
PISTACHIO WHOOPIE PIES
The addition of pistachios makes this an oh-so-elegant whoopie pie variation. Serve them with pistachio ice cream, which can be found in Italian ice-cream shops.
Makes 8–10 pies
FOR THE SPONGE
1 large egg
150g (5½oz) caster sugar
125g (4½oz) plain yoghurt
25ml (1fl oz) whole milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
75g (2½oz) unsalted butter, melted
275g (10oz) plain flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g (2oz) ground pistachios
FOR THE FILLING
170g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened
280g (10oz) icing sugar
220g (8oz) vanilla marshmallow fluff
1. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, whisk the egg and the sugar until pale and fluffy. Pour the yoghurt and milk into a jug, add the vanilla essence and stir together, then tip this mixture into the creamed eggs and sugar and mix on a medium speed until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Add the melted butter and mix again.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, then add to the creamed mixture in two batches and mix in thoroughly after each addition, slowly at first and then on a medium speed. Stir in the ground pistachios by hand, making sure the nuts are evenly mixed into the batter, then place in the fridge to cool and set for 20–30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
4. Once the batter has cooled down, spoon the mix on to each tray in 8–10 mounds (16–20 in total), each 3–5cm (1¼–2in) in diameter and spaced 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) apart. Place in the oven and bake for 10–13 minutes or until the sponges are lightly golden on top and bounce back when gently pressed. Allow the cooked sponges to cool completely, on a wire rack, before assembling.
5. While they are cooking, make the filling. Using the electric whisk or freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, slowly mix together the butter and the icing sugar until fully blended. Mix in the marshmallow fluff, then increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy. Place the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up slightly.
6. Spread the flat side of one of the sponges with about 1 tablespoon of the filling, adding a little more if needed. Sandwich another sponge on top, with the flat side facing down, then repeat with the remaining sponges and filling.
TIP
If you can’t find ready-ground pistachio nuts in a shop, whole roasted (unsalted) pistachio nuts will do instead. (You will need 80–100g/3–3½oz of whole nuts for 60g of ground pistachios.) Just shell the nuts and chop them very finely with a sharp knife, or grind them in a food processor with the blade attachment or using a spice grinder, if you have one.
APRICOT CRUNCHIES
We love these fruity slices drizzled with melted white chocolate. You can substitute raisins or other small, dried fruits for the sultanas if you like.
Makes 12 slices
200g (7oz) soft dried apricots, roughly chopped
100g (3½oz) sultanas
50ml (1¾fl oz) orange juice
200g (7oz) unsalted butter, chilled and diced
150g (5½oz) wholemeal flour
150g (5½oz) rolled oats
½ tsp finely grated orange zest
75g (2½oz) soft dark brown sugar
75g (2½oz) soft light brown sugar
One 22 x 31cm (9 x 12½in)
baking tray
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, and line the baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Mix the apricots in a bowl with the sultanas and orange juice, and leave to soak for a few minutes.
3. Place the butter in a separate large bowl, along with the flour, oats and orange zest. Rub all the ingredients together by hand into a crumb-like consistency, then stir in the dark and light brown sugar.
4. Drain the orange juice from the dried fruit and stir the fruit into the oat mixture. Tip the mixture into the prepared baking tray, pressing it down into the base and corners of the tin. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until deep golden-brown in colour, then remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray before cutting into slices.
VARIATION
To make these crunchies extra-special, try drizzling about 30g (1oz) melted white chocolate over the top of the cooked mixture and allow to set before cutting into slices.
CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE
Rich, dark and chocolaty, the Guinness gives this sponge extra depth and keeps it moist. We’ve matched this cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, which goes just perfectly.
Serves 12–14
FOR THE SPONGE
250ml (9fl oz) Guinness
250g (9oz) unsalted butter
80g (3oz) cocoa powder
400g (14oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
140ml (5fl oz) buttermilk
280g (10oz) plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
FOR THE FROSTING
50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter, softened
300g (10½oz) icing sugar
125g (4½oz) full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
Cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)
One 23cm (9in) diameter
spring-form cake tin
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, then line the base of the tin with baking parchment.
2. Pour the Guinness into a saucepan, add the butter and gently heat until it has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the cocoa powder and sugar into the warm liquid. Mix together the eggs, vanilla essence and buttermilk by hand in a jug or bowl, and then add this to the mixture in the pan.
3. Sift together the remaining sponge ingredients into a large bowl or into the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Using the mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, set on a low speed, pour in the contents of the pan. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are incorporated.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool, and then remove from the tin on to a wire rack, making sure the cake is cold to the touch before you frost it.
5. Using the electric whisk or the freestanding mixer with paddle attachment, mix the butter and icing sugar together until there are no large lumps of butter and it is fully combined with the sugar in a sandy mixture. Add the cream cheese and mix in a low speed, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
6. Place the cooled cake on to a plate or cake card and top generously with the cream cheese frosting. The cake can be decorated with a light dusting of cocoa powder.
BOSTON CREAM CUPCAKES
A variation on the famous Boston cream pie, we couldn’t stop eating these cupcakes during our research! Essentially a moist vanilla sponge filled with custard and topped with a rich chocolate frosting.
Makes 12–16 cupcakes
FOR THE SPONGE
80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened
280g (10oz) caster sugar
240g (8½oz) plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
240ml (8½fl oz) whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
FOR THE FILLING
250ml (9fl oz) whole milk
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 large egg yolks
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
