Limoncello Valentine Creams and Valentine Heart Shaped Biscuits

Valentines day is only one day away. I finally managed to make both  Limoncello truffles and Valentine Heart Biscuits. I didn't think that I would be able to make anything this year as I've been busy with work and home life etc etc. 

But I managed so woo!

Limoncello is a lemon based liquor originating in Italy. It's a really nice drink with lemonade in summer or neat but I don't recommend it! I know a certain friend, that can't stand the smell of limoncello because she got drunk and I wont name name's. Right Sof? Haha. 

You will need about 3 days to make these but that's because the truffles go into freezer twice. 
Day 1: Make truffle centre, pop in freezer
Day 2: Roll into balls. Back in freezer.
Day 3: Cover in chocolate and place in fridge to set. 

Before you go steaming in with this recipe, there's a little warning. Work with the truffle filling as quick as you can, as it's prone to melt at room temperature and at hand temperature. I wrapped some in little bags to give out as gifts, which were tied with floss, because I couldn't find any string. 

Recipe: Makes 36  

      ·   200g/7oz white chocolate

      ·   4 tbs double cream

      ·   Grated zest of 1 lemon

      ·   4 tbsp limoncello liqueur

      ·   100g/4oz butter

      ·   600g/22oz white chocolate, for tempering

      ·   Sprinkles/glitter

      ·   Pink food colour paste (optional)

Equipment:

     ·   Heatproof Bowl

     ·   Saucepan

     ·  Wooden Spoon

     ·  Whisk

     ·  Sealable container

     ·  Tablespoon

     ·  Teaspoon

     ·  2x Boards or plates covered with parchment paper

     ·  Fork 

    1.    Heat 5cm/2 inch water in a saucepan. Put a heatproof bowl on top of the pan, making sure the bottom of bowl does not touch the water. Place the 200g of chocolate in the bowl with the cream and heat gently to allow the chocolate to melt. If using put the food colouring into the mix at this stage.

    2.    Take the bowl off the heat and toss in the lemon zest, limoncello and butter. Whisk until the mixture looks like lemon curd.

   3.  Spoon into a sealable container, put the lid on and chill in the fridge overnight.

    Now go read a book or have a nap or just go about your business.

    4.    Scoop small teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Put on a board lined with baking parchment and freeze overnight.

   
   Once again go outside and play in the snow (It's been snowing here in London again but now it's all slush by now.)
  
  5.   Temper the 600g chocolate by chopping it into pieces, then place it into a microwavable bowl and melt at 800-1000W, checking it 15 seconds and taking care that it doesn’t overheat. When the chocolate looks nearly melted but there are still a few bits bobbed on top, take it out of the microwave and stir in the chocolate gently until smooth.

    

   Look at the intense concentration on my face as I coat each truffle. I don't do photo's that well and it was on my bad side, of course. 
   6. Using a fork and spoon dip each truffle into the chocolate. Toss about to coat then lift out and place back onto the parchment paper, roughing the chocolate with a fork for a textured effect. Decorate while still wet. Repeat with all the truffles.

    7.    Place them in the fridge to set.
    8. Eat or wrap in bags to give away.

These biscuits are easy to make and make great gifts for that special someone. They will need a few hours to completely dry. I recommend that you make them a couple of days ahead of when you need them. 

Recipe: Makes 20 biscuits

    · 125g unsalted butter

    · 125g caster sugar

    · 1 medium egg

    · 1 tsp vanilla extract

    · 250g plain flour, sieved plus a little extra to flour your work surface.

Equipment:

   · Electric whisk

   ·      Bowl

   ·      Sieve

   ·      Heart shaped cutter

   ·      Whisk

   ·      Cling-film

   ·      Baking sheet lined with parchment

   ·      Rolling pin

   1.    In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.

   2.    Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix together.

   3.    Sift half the flour into the bowl and mix in, then sift in the other half and mix again.

   4.    Knead the dough until smooth, then wrap in cling-film and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

   5.    Pre-heat your oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4.

   6.    Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to around 4mm thick and cut out into heart shapes.

   7.    Place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool before decorating.

Recipe: Stiff peak royal icing

    · 500g icing sugar/confectioners’ sugar

    · 2 medium egg whites

    · 1 tsp lemon juice

    · Red and pink food colouring paste

Equipment:

    ·  Electric whisk

    · Bowl x 4

    ·  Sieve

    · 6 disposable piping bags

    · Scissors

    · Forks x 3

    · Toothpick

    · Tissue

    · Tablespoons x 3

1.    Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.

2.    Add the egg whites and the lemon juice to the icing sugar and mix together for about 5 minutes.

3.    The mix should look smooth and shiny. If it looks a little dry then add one drop of lemon juice and mix for a minute.

4.    Once your icing makes a stiff peak put it in 3 clean bowls.

5.    Colour 2 of the bowls of icing red and pink. Leave one of the icing bowls coloured white.

6.    Quarter fill, 3 of the piping bags with each colour. Snip a small hole in the top of each bag.

7.    Take a heart biscuit and starting from the top centre, pipe an outline around the inside edge of the biscuit to the tip of the heart. Stop and move the bag away from the biscuit quickly. Then repeat on the other side. You can do this in a combination of colours including half and half colours.

8.    Make sure there are no holes or missing gaps in the hearts, if there are fill them in with the correct colour.

9.    Once all the hearts have been outlined, add a teaspoon of water to each of the colours until the consistency of each icing is runny. Keep adding water, carefully, until it reaches running consistency.

10.  Fill each 3 more disposable piping bags and cut 3 small holes in the ends.

11.  Flood the inside of the biscuit starting at the edge and zigzagging up and down until completely flooded.

12.  Working as quick as you can, decorate your biscuit with other colours, by holding the tip of the bag just above the iced biscuit using a gentle pressure.

  13.  If you pipe 2 lines of icing on your biscuit and then using a toothpick drag lightly through the icing to create a marbled pattern. Wipe the toothpick with tissue to clean. You can even put dots instead of lines to make mini hearts.

I hope you all have a lovely Valentines day! Happy Baking!
Bake and Love On!
Penny

Stained Glass Decoration Cookies

The Christmas season is well and truly upon us and everyone is dashing around the shops for their last minute presents, makes me glad I'm finally finished! Phew!! I have been a busy (student) baker and I have quite a few bits planned, so watch this space. But as I was decorating the tree, which is finally up and decorated, a little inspiration hit me.

At school, I used to do Food Technology (in the U.S the class is called Home Economics) and my teacher showed me a basic biscuit recipe that was not just yummy and not only a great decoration for the tree BUT super duper easy to do. This is a simple recipe and is easy for kids to do with a little adult supervision.  

Jewel centred cookies look amazing but are effortless.

Recipe: Makes about 12 depending on the cookie cutter size

• 175g plain flour, sifted 
• 75g butter
•  3 tablespoons caster sugar 
•  1 egg white 
• 2 tablespoons orange juice 
• 225g hard sweets/candy in various colours

Equipment:

• 2 x baking sheets 
• Baking paper/greaseproof paper 
• Sieve 
• Bowl
• Various Christmas cutters 
• Skewer
• Thread or ribbon

 1.    Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/ Gas Mark. Line baking sheets with baking paper.

2.   Sieve flour into a bowl and blend in butter with your fingers so it looks a little like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, egg white and orange juice to mix into a soft dough. Knead lightly.

3.    Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes. Cut out the centre of the cookies using a similar shaped cutter or a plain round cutter.

These cookies really catch the light and can be coloured themed to suit your Christmas decorations.

Bake on and Merry Christmas!!

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