Christmas Yule Log Cake

The Yule Log is an iconic cake which is often made at Christmas?
But why? Where on earth did someone get the idea to go: "Hey I'm going to make a chocolate cake shaped like a log!"

My homemade chocolate Yule log decorated with chocolate boiled buttercream and  marzipan holly leaves .

The origins of the Yule log began with the Celts. They believed that for 12 days at the end of December the sun stood still. If they could keep yule logs burning bright for those 12 days, then the sun would be persuaded to move again, to make the days grow longer.
The Victorians carried on this tradition but instead of letting the log burn for 12 days they let it burn for 12 hours. (Information taken from The Truth About Christmas by Philip Ardagh)
Of course, this tradition has been adapted into the chocolate swiss roll cake that we are familiar with today. Which works out loads better since its more fun to eat rather then burn.  

Yule log cakes are more fun to eat rather then burn.

Recipe: Sponge

• 115g/ 3 Eggs
• 70g water
• 100g plain flour
• 6g baking powder
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 g salt
• 25g flour
• 25g cocoa powder

Equipment:

• Sieve
• Wooden Spoon
•  Bowl
• Mixer
• Baking sheet lined with silicone paper
•    Kitchen towel
•    Mixer
•    Measuring jug

1.  Sieve the 100g of flour, baking powder, caster sugar, and salt together.

2.  Add the eggs into the dry ingredients and mix on a slow speed until the mixture comes together. Then mix on a high speed for 4 minutes. If the mixture looks a little firm, add the water. When you add the water mix for a further 1 minute.

3.  Sieve the cocoa into the cake mixture and fold in.

4.    Bake at 210c/425f/ Gas Mark 7 for 10-15 minutes.

5.    As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, slide it out of baking sheet and take off the paper carefully or the sponge will split!

6.    Lay the tea towel on a dry flat surface and place the sponge on top. Roll the tea towel and the sponge together so you have a Yule log shape. This is best done warm as it is easy to roll when warm. Leave the roll until the cake is cold. 

7.    Once the buttercream has been made then unroll the log and fill with the buttercream but not so much that it leaks from the edges. Roll the log back to its original log shape.

8.  Next decorate the outside with the buttercream using a palette knife. To make Yule log more, erm log-like then lightly scrape a fork along the sides of the log. Finish with icing sugar and marzipan holly leaves.  

Recipe: Yule Log Icing

•        375g/ about 6 egg whites
•        250g Caster Sugar for egg whites
•        375g caster sugar
•        250g butter diced
•        300g icing sugar
•        250g Chocolate (I used milk chocolate)

Equipment:

•        Sieve
•        Mixer
•        Saucepan
•        Bowl
•        Palette knife
•        Fork
•        Sugar thermometer

     1.Weight out the 375g sugar with water, until it looks like wet sand, in a saucepan over a high heat. Stir once at this stage.

     2. Put egg whites and sugar into a mixer and mix until the egg whites are forming stiff peaks.

     3. Boil the sugar and water until it reaches 118c.  This should be easy if you have a sugar thermometer. (If not just use ice cold water by dipping fingers into pan and very quickly dipping them back into the cold ice water. You should be able to form a soft ball. I didn't have a sugar thermometer and it worked out just fine, although be careful as there is a burn risk here! )

    4. Turn off the heat and when the sugar is 121c then pour this into egg whites. Keep the mixer on whilst you pour the sugar water mixture in. This will cook the egg whites and add extra sweetness.

    5. Start adding the diced butter, one cube at a time.

6. Once all the butter has been added, add in the melted chocolate.

This makes a nice Christmas centrepiece or even as a gift to a chocolate lover. 

A lovely homemade gift for a special someone. 

Bake On and Merry Christmas!
Penny 

Genoise Sponge/ Apricot Gateaux with Chantilly Cream

Another traditional recipe which is a very good recipe for a Christmas centre piece. This cake is not for the faint hearted and wear some loose fitting trousers for this. 

Great for a Christmas Lunch Dessert

A Genoise sponge is an Italian cake and is linked to both French and Italian baking that doesn't require any leavening agents such as baking powder. Which means thats its a natural cake, no artifcial stuff in here! It is also traditional flavoured with either vanilla, almond or lemon. This is a whole egg cake which is cooked over a bain marie and whisked. The whisking is important as this is the way to make the cake light and fluffy, and of course makes the cake rise. Remember to make your stock syrup and chantilly cream to decorate (both of these recipes are below).  
Ingredients

• 5 Eggs 
• 250g Sugar 
• 250g Plain flour 
• 25g cooled melted butter
• 2 g natural vanilla essence/ 2 vanilla pods
• 200ml of stock syrup
• 120g strawberry jam
• Toasted almonds, enough to cover the sides of the cake
•   Any fruit (I used apricot but strawberries, blackberries or cherries work very well.)

Equipment 

• Sieve
• Wooden Spoon
• Bowl
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Small bowl for syrup
• Metal spoon
• Sauce pan
• Whisk/hand held electric whisk
•    Piping bag with a star nozzle
•    Pastry brush
•    Baking sheet greased with butter and flour 
•   7 inch cake ring greased with butter and flour

    1. Over a warm bain marie, whisk the eggs until it has doubled in volume. This should look yellow and frothy. Then whisk in the sugar.
2. Continue to whisk the sugar in until the mixture is pale and at the ribbon stage. (The mix should hold its shape for few seconds when dropped back into the mixture.)
3. When you remove the whisk from the bowl. DON’T BE TEMPTED TO TAP IT AGAINST THE BOWL! Very gently fold in half of the sieved flour. Gently fold in the second half of the flour and the melted butter. Pour into an 8 inch silicone line cake ring on a flat tray line silicone paper.
4. Cook at 190c/ 375f/Gas Mark 5 for 30 minutes until cooked. To check if cooked, use a small knife or a cake skewer into the centre of the sponge.
5. Leave the cake in the tin for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
6. To decorate, cut into 3 equal slices. Place the bottom layer on a cake board and brush the top with a little syrup. Spread with a layer of jam followed by a layer of chantilly cream.
7. Place the second layer of sponge on and repeat but add a layer of fruit.
8. Place the last sponge on top and brush the top with the syrup.
9. Mask the gateaux with cream with a palette knife and pipe on a rosette on each portion and garnish with fruit.
  
   Variation: Replace 50g of flour with 50g of cocoa flour to make a chocolate gateaux. Also, this recipe makes a great Yule Log cake.


 Chantilly Cream is a vanilla sweetened whipped cream named after a medieval market town in Paris. It is often used with desserts and puddings. 

   Recipe:Chantilly Cream
   Ingredients:

•    284ml/10 fl oz whipping cream
•    1 vanilla pod
•    Icing sugar to taste

     Equipment:
   ·       Sieve
   ·       Knife
   ·       Chopping board
   ·       Mixer/whisk
   ·       Bowl
    1. Place cream into a bowl. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to cream.
    2. Whip the cream until forms soft peaks. Add the sieved icing sugar, to taste, and mix gently.

This Vanilla and Cinnamon stock syrup will be more then enough to glaze your cake and can be saved for other cakes.

Recipe: Vanilla and Cinnamon syrup 
   ·       200 ml/7 fl oz water
   ·       225g/8oz caster sugar
   ·       2 vanilla pods
   ·       1 cinnamon stick
     Equipment:
   ·       Sauce pan
   ·       Measuring jug

   1.    Place the water and caster sugar into a heavy based pan.
   2.    Add the vanilla and cinnamon and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes. 

This gateaux can be decorated with most fruit

  Bake On and Merry Christmas!
  Penny 

Cheese and Tomato Quiche

With Christmas coming just around the corner, many people are getting their baking sheets ready for Yuletide baking and forgetting the savoury treats for those that don't have a sweet tooth. 

Recently I was 'told off' for not making savoury dishes. So, luckily in my pastry class we ended up making short pastry which can be used in both sweet and savoury tarts.

This recipe is super easy and is so tasty. The custard filling can be made with onions, peppers, or whatever vegetable you like! Also if you like a little heat, try some cajun seasoning or chopping up a little chilli and mixing it into the custard (but don't go nuts with the chilli!). 

Cheese and Tomato Quiche

Recipe: Short Pastry

•        200g Soft Flour (plus extra for greasing tray)
•        50g Marg/Butter (plus extra for greasing tray)
•        50g Lard
•        50 ml water
•        Pinch of salt

Equipment:

•        Sieve
•        Wooden Spoon
•        Bowl
•        Measuring Jug
•        7 inch ring
•        Baking sheet
•        Rolling pin
•        Pastry brush
•        Ruler
•        Knife
• Baking beans
• Silicone paper

1.    Rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

2.    Make a well and pour in water.

3.    Mix ingredients to a smooth paste.

4.    Rest in fridge for 10-15 minutes.

5.    Warm the dough a little by rolling out the dough to 3-4 mm thick.

6.    Butter and flour the ring and tray. Don't use the silicone paper at this stage. Got that? NO PAPER!

7.    With finger push around the edges of the ring. Use a piece of dough to push it in even further.

8.    Trim the dough so that there is a little edge around the tart and let it rest in fridge for 10 minutes. You dont want to trim the tart so you have a neat edge yet. This type of pastry has a reputation of shrinking whilst cooking.  

9.    After resting put in oven at 160c/ 325f/ Gas Mark 3 for 15 mins with silicone paper and baking beans in. If the pastry is still soft it's underdone, so take the paper and beans out and let it cook for a further 5 mins in oven. It shouls be pale but dry. The dryer the better.
10. Trim the tart of any excess pastry, so that it has a nice neat edge. Do this as soon as the tart comes out of the oven because its easier to cut and cut with a serrated knife as it makes the job tons easier. 
11. Make the custard filling (see below) and fill the tart until it's almost full. Cook for 15 mins or until the top is slightly golden. When the tart comes out of the oven it should wobble a little but not liquidy or super stiff. It will set as it comes to room temperature. Thats it! Enjoy hot or cold. :D

Recipe: Savoury Custard

•        225g Milk
•        11/2 Eggs
•        100g Cheese
•        Half of a tomato
•        Pinch of salt
•        Pinch of pepper
•        Pinch of paprika

Equipment:

•        Measuring Jug
•        Fork
•        Grater
• Knife
• Chopping board

1.    Whisk the egg and milk together.
2.    Add the seasonings and mix again.
3.Chop the vegetables and grate the cheese
4.    Put the cheese and tomato into the short paste case
5.    Pour on the milk mix when near the oven to avoid spillage.

Bake On!
Penny 

Tutorial: Princess Mini Cakes

As the title suggest this is a tutorial. My first ever tutorial. (Yay!)

Where did the idea come from? I'm going to Euro Disney and love all things Disney, otherwise what's the point of going to Disneyland? Anyways, I wanted to do something that celebrated my love of Disney take took form of a cupcake without going over the top. 

As the idea of a cupcake is to keep it simple and elegant. So this tutorial is really simple and is a good excuse to sing well known Disney songs around the kitchen and maybe wear a crown as well.

This tutorial will make 4 pretty Princess Cakes depending on how much buttercream you want to use. I did mine thick so I only make the 4 Princess Cakes.
You will need:
Basic Butterscotch Cupcakes- Make 12 little cakes

• 100g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 125g unsalted butter
• 50g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 75 ml whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon of butterscotch essence

For the Butterscotch Buttercream

• 400g icing sugar
• 200g unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of butterscotch essence

Equipment You Will Need:

• Cupcake Tin
• Hand whisk
• Jug
• Cupcake Cases

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4. 
2. Place flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter together in a bowl.  
3. Mix together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  
4. In another bowl whisk eggs, milk and essence together until well blended. 
5. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking all the time.  
6. Whisk gently until smooth, being careful not to over-mix. Pour the cake batter into jug to make it easy to handle. 
7. Place 12 paper cupcakes cases into the cupcake tin. 
8. Carefully pour all the cake batter into the cases, filling each one only half way.  
9. Bake for 20-25 mins until springy to touch. 
10. Leave for a few minutes, the transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.  
11. To make the frosting, combine the icing sugar, butterscotch extract and butter in a bowl. 
12. Beat with an electric whisk for around 5 mins until light and fluffy.  
13. Check the cakes have completely cooled or they will melt the frosting.

So while your cake's are cooling you need to make your toppers:
Equipment You Will Need:

• Princess Toppers (I got these from Kreations Parties )
• Lolly-sticks/sucker-sticks/toothpicks
• Scissors
• Tape

Method:

1. Cut out your princesses carefully. Remember when using scissors be very careful.
2. Place your sticks in the middle of the cut out at the back. 
3. Tape the stick in the middle and make sure that its secure. 

Cut out your princesses carefully. Remember when using scissors be very careful.

Place your sticks in the middle of the cut out at the back.

Once you've got your princess cake toppers ready and your cupcakes are cool need to start building your cake 'dresses'. Essentially, its 2 cupcakes to one dress just like the picture below. To secure the two cakes together, level the cakes carefully with a knife and spread a layer of buttercream between them.

To secure the two cakes together, level the cakes carefully and spread a layer of buttercream between them. 

To Decorate the Cakes You Will Need:

• Buttercream used with the recipe above
• Food Paste Colours in princess colours (See left)
• Glitter
• Piping bag with a star nozzle
• A small palette knife.

Method: 

1. Once the cakes have been 'glued' together with the buttercream. Separate the buttercream according to which colour's you want. 
2. Cover your cakes in a layer of buttercream and put in the fridge to create a crumb layer. Do this for every cake.
3. Once the cakes have chilled in the fridge for an hour, smooth on the buttercream and decorate to your liking!

Cover your cakes in a layer of buttercream and put in the fridge to create a crumb layer

I used plain simple colours with a little glitter and piped on a couple of details. I wanted it to remain simple but here are the results:

Snow White and Belle Princess Cupcakes

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Ariel (The Little Mermaid) Princess Cupcakes

I'm quite proud of my little princesses! Aren't they so sweet? If you try this tutorial, post pictures on the blog, email me pictures, post them on the facebook page or on twitter.
I hope that your enjoyed the tutorial and had fun reading!

Bake On!
Penny

Banana Honey Cake- with thanks to Louise

I've got to thank my friend Louise for inspiring this recipe, if it wasn't for her, I would have never even considered making a banana cake.
Thanks so very much Louise I loved making it :D  
This recipe also uses up stuff that's hanging around in the cupboard. 

For the cake you will need:

• 100g butter
• 6 tbsp honey
• 300g self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 150g sugar
• 2 ripe banana's 
• 250ml milk and 2 eggs, beaten

Equipment needed:

• 450g loaf tin
• small saucepan
• tablespoon
• sieve
• 2 large bowls
• fork
• wooden spoon
• metal spoon
• skewer/knife

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/180c/350f, and grease and line your loaf tin.



Melt butter with the honey in a small saucepan.

2. Melt butter with the honey in a small saucepan.



Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir.



Mash the bananas, mix them with the milk and eggs, and then add the melted butter and honey.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir.
4. Mash the bananas, mix them with the milk and eggs, and then add the melted butter and honey.
5. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, and fold it in with a metal spoon.
6. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean.

Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean.

Orange Cream Cheese Icing. 

This seriously is the most yummy icing and it really goes well with the banana cake. 

• 175g cream cheese
• 450g icing sugar
• 125g unsalted butter
• the zest of one orange

Equipment needed:

• Sift
• 2 bowls
• Hand mixer
• Knife

1. Sift the icing sugar in one of the bowls
2. Mix all the other ingredients together in the other bowl.
3. Once combined, mix the icing sugar a little at a time. 
4. Spread the icing onto the cooled banana cake. 

If you don't have the time to make the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, then just decorate with warmed honey.

Bake On!
Penny 

Sexy Choux Pastry

There's something decadent, irresistible and just a little sexy about choux pastry. Its versatile and comes in different forms. In this post we'll be looking at  Eclairs, Choux Buns, Beignets and paris brest.

Beignets(bottom left), Paris Brest (top left), eclairs (bottom right) and choux buns (top right)

Choux (prenounced shoe) means cabbage in French, this may be because of its resemblance to the vegetable. This pastry is made with water, flour, egg and butter; it is first cooked on the stove to let the water evaporate from the pastry, the moisture is then replaced by the eggs. 

·   

        250ml of water

·       Pinch of sugar

·       Pinch of salt

·       100g Butter, margarine or oil

·       Strong Flour sieved 125g

·       4 eggs

Equipment:

·       Sieve

·       Wooden Spoon

·       Saucepan

·       Bowl

1.    Bring the water, sugar, salt and fat to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat.

2.    Add the sieved flour and mix in with a wooden spoon.

3.    Return to a moderate heat and stir continually until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.

4.    Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

5.    Gradually add the beaten eggs beating well. Don’t add the eggs in all at once- check the consistency as you go. The mixture may not take all the egg. It should just flow back when moved in one direction.

Choux Buns (top) and Eclairs (bottom)

The first éclair recipe translated into English appeared around 1884 and was thought that it was invented by Antonio Careem, a famous french chef. It is an oblong hollow pastry traditionally filled with cream. 

The history of the choux bun (profiterole) is unknown but is essentially a small round pastry which filled with cream. In the US its called a Cream Puff 

Recipe: Chocolate Eclairs/Choux Buns

·       125ml Choux pastry

·       ¼ litre Whipped Cream

·       25g Chocolate

Equipment:

·       Sieve

·       Wooden Spoon

·       Saucepan

·       Bowl

1.    Place the choux paste into a piping bag with a 1cm plain tube.

2.    Pipe into 8cm straight line onto a lightly greased, damped baking sheet. (To make choux buns just pipe a small circle instead of a straight line.)

3.    Bake 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4 for 20 mins.

4.    Allow to cool. Slit down one side with a sharp knife.

5.    Fill with sweetened, vanilla-flavoured whipped cream, using a piping bag and small tube.

6.    Decorate with chocolate sauce. (To make a nice professional line, put a spoon into the melted chocolate and tilt the eclair to one side and let the chocolate side along the pastry and back into the bowl.) 

Recipe: Chocolate Sauce

·       125g water

·       40g sugar

·       30g chopped chocolate

·       8g dark cocoa powder

·       4g cornflour

Equipment:

·       Wooden Spoon

·       Saucepan

·       Bowl

·       Whisk

·       Conical strainer

1.    Bring to the boil 100g of water and sugar

2.    Mix to a paste the cocoa, cornflour and 25g water

3.    Add to the boiling water and sugar and whisk until mix returns to the boil and thickens

4.    Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and pass through a conical strainer.

A Paris Brest is a dessert that was invented in 1891 to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race, traditionally filled with praline cream. However I used whipped cream instead. It is made in the same method as the choux buns, but is piped into a circle like a bicycle wheel and bake at 180c/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 15 mins.

A Paris Brest filled with Whipped cream

Beignets translate as 'bump' in French and is similar to the English fritter. Beignets are well known in the US, especially in New Orleans as a desert served with icing sugar. I made mine with cinnamon and sugar. 

Fry and left over choux pastry in little clumps until golden at 160c in a deep fat fryer and roll them in cinnamon and caster sugar. Easy!

Beignets (best eaten hot!)

Bake On!

Penny