Baking Bo

  Surprise! If you thought I was done with the festive bakes, think again! I couldn't resist making one extra BONUS Christmas recipe! Thank you Jonny for the suggestion - white chocolate and cranberry cookies!  Ingredients: 125g butter 100g light brown sugar  75g granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract  300g plain flour 1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp salt  200g white chocolate chips 100g dried cranberries Method: 1. Cream the butter and sugars together with a standing mixer or electric whisk. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again.  2. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix until it forms a cookie dough. 3. Add the white chocolate and dried cranberries and combine. 4. Divide into 8 large balls (or 12 smaller balls) put on a plate and pop in the freezer for 30 minutes or the fridge for an hour.  5. Preheat your oven to 200/180 fan. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Take the ...

Bake 12 - #12BakesofChristmas  The big day is nearly here and *in my humble opinion* I've saved the best recipe til last! I hope your presents are wrapped, your Christmas dinner planned and the festive specials you want to watch on TV already highlighted in the Radio Times. I thought for my final bake, I would share a perfect pud for Christmas Day! To be enjoyed whilst watching The Vicar of Dibley or something similarly brilliant. These are Ferrero Rocher inspired Profiteroles. Crispy choux pastry, filled with hazelnut cream, topped with chocolate and a sprinkling of nuts... Heaven!  I also just wanted to say a HUGE thank you. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know I've never done anything like this before. It was a big undertaking but I have absolutely loved uploading all these bakes! I hope you've enjoyed seeing them and *hopefully* trying them as much as I have enjoyed making them and writing these blog posts! See you in 2021 for lots more baki...

Bake 11 - #12BakesofChristmas  This recipe is a bit of a mad invention of mine. I wanted to combine the lovely fruity filling of a traditional Chelsea Bun, with the fun method of Richard Bertinet's Cinnamon Twist Buns. So I had a little play around and found that THIS is the best way to combine the two together! A perfect bake to rustle up or have ready in the freezer to bake fresh on Christmas morning!  Ingredients for the dough: 200ml full fat milk 2 eggs 600g strong bread flour 7g dried yeast 50g caster sugar 2 tsp salt 200g butter, softened  For the filling: 150g butter, softened 250g light soft brown sugar 2 tsp cinnamon zest of 1 orange/lemon 75g dried apricots 75g sultanas For the glaze: Apricot jam Splash of water  Method: 1. To make the dough, put the milk and eggs into the bowl of a food mixer then add the flour. Put the yeast on one side of the bowl. Then put the sugar, salt and butter on the other side. Mix on a slow speed for 4 minutes. Turn it up to a m...

Bake 10 - #12BakesofChristmas  The big day is fast approaching... Father Christmas and his reindeer will be getting ready to make their big journey. If you want some inspiration for what little treat to leave out for them, here's an idea. Inspired by the traditional 'Carrot for the Reindeer,' here are my Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches! Ingredients for the cookies: 115g unsalted butter 95g light brown sugar 115g granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract  195g plain flour  1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 55g oats 45g desicated coconut  1 large carrot (roughly 75g) grated  Ingredients for the filling: 115g cream cheese 60g unsalted butter, softened  200g icing sugar  Method: 1. Beat the butter and two sugars together with an electric whisk or standing mixer until light and creamy. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and mix again. 2. Add the flour, bicarb, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix again. Add...

Bake 9 - #12BakesofChristmas  I was on the hunt for some kind of twist on the traditional Christmas Cake for this challenge and my wonderful friend Emily came up trumps with this recipe which her family makes every year. She kindly shared it with me, to share with you so thank you Emily! This recipe, unlike a traditional Christmas Cake, is alcohol free, so perfect for all the family! A great recipe to make as a family as you can lovingly decorate the cakes however you like. I added these little iced decorations I found in Lidl, but you can use whatever you fancy!  Ingredients for the cakes: 175g butter 175g light brown sugar 3 eggs 175g self raising flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp ground mixed spice 115g mixed dried fruit 2 tbsp orange juice Ingredients for the icing: 115g icing sugar 1/2 tbsp hot water Method: 1. Preheat the oven 170.  2. Place the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. 3....

  Bake 8 - #12BakesofChristmas  Christmas is going to look a little bit different for all of us this year. But one thing will remain. We will all want to eat and bake our festive favourites. This Yule Log Roulade hybrid would be the perfect dessert to make ahead of time and just defrost on the day. I borrowed and adapted this recipe from good old Mary Berry ! Ingredients: 4 eggs 100g caster sugar  65g self raising flour  40g cocoa powder icing sugar, for dusting 300ml double cream  Method: 1. Preheat your oven to 200/180 fan. Grease and line a baking tray (roughly 23cmx33cm)  2. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl using an electric whisk or standing mixer until pale, light and creamy. Gently, add the flour and cocoa powder and carefully fold in using a metal spoon until fully incorporated.  3. Pour into the prepared tin and spread evenly into the corners. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until well risen and firm to touch.  4. Place a piece of baking...

  Bake 7 - #12BakesofChristmas  Now, I know what you're thinking! What makes it "Christmas" Rocky Road? Well, I used Terry's Dark Chocolate Orange and dried cranberries to make this classic recipe more festive! Of course, Rocky Road is wonderfully versatile and can basically be made from anything you've got hanging around in the cupboards.  I would recommend making a batch of this, then wrapping all your presents (writing the labels and everything!) while you wait for these to chill and then enjoy a generous chunk as reward! But not before, or you'll get sticky, chocolatey fingers all over your wrapping paper!   Ingredients: 200g digestive biscuits 135g butter 1 Terry's Dark Chocolate Orange  100g dark chocolate 2 tbsp golden syrup 100g mini marshmallows 100g dried cranberries  Method: 1. Grease and line a 7inch square tin with baking paper. 2. Put the biscuits in a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin until they are broken into pieces.  3. In ...