Snow Day Cupcakes!

Snow is a beautiful sight. Its fun to build snowmen, get into a snowball fight and generally have a day off. Sadly I still had to go into work. No snowball fights for me boo. (I did take a couple of photos but haven't got my camera with me. I'm on my nans iPad)
I am lucky because I've got more then half the week off to see my Portsmouth hospitality crew (Big it up for the Portsmouth crew!!!) 
I seriously miss you guys! Its going to be one amazing catch up!
And I get to see my lovely boyfriend, who I'm making a very special cake for. (Can't post what it is cause he'll guess and that ruins the surprise). More on that when its finished. 

In the mean time, I've been busy making some snowy cupcakes. I got this from a random recipe book. To be honest they didn't turn out the way I wanted them to. They taste so chocolately and moist but don't look so hot (or cool since there snow cupcakes). My suggestion is that you try the cupcake sponge with the icing from here. The yeti marshmallow icing is amazing and would go well with the chocolate sponge in this recipe. (Pictures soon to follow. Edit: Pictures added.)

Recipe: Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes.

•        2 Eggs
•        90g/ tbsp diced unsalted butter, room temperature
•        170g/ ¾ cup of caster sugar
•        140g/ 1 cup plus 2 tbsp of plain flour
•        1 teaspoon baking powder
•        30g/ ¼ cup cocoa powder
•        ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•        125ml/ ½ cup milk
•        35g/ ½ cup mini marshmallow, plus extra to decorate
•        Store-bought chocolate sauce to drizzle

Recipe: Marshmallow frosting

•        180g/ 1 scant cup of caster sugar
•        ¼ teaspoon cream of tartare
•        3 egg whites
•        1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•        100ml/ 1/3 cup water

Equipment:

•        Sieve
•        Bowlx2
•        Mixer
•        Measuring jug
•        Scraper
•        12 hole muffin tin filled with cupcake cases
•        Saucepan
•        Sugar thermometer  
• 
  

1.    Preheat oven to 180c/350c/Gas Mark 4. Line the muffin tin with cupcake cases.

2.    Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder in a bowl.

3.    Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy using a mixer. Stop occasionally to scrape down the bowl.

4.    Crack all the eggs into a jug.

5.    Add the eggs a little at a time with the mixer on a higher speed. (if the mixture splits add a little bit of flour)

6.    Add the sifted dry ingredients and milk in alternate batches and beat on a low speed until combined. Fold in the marshmallows.

7.    Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middles comes out clean.

8.    Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool.

9.    To make the frosting, put the sugar, cream of tar tar and water into a saucepan and mix well.

10.  Heat until the sugar has dissolved and a sugar thermometer in the mixture reads 115c/242f.

11.Meanwhile, in a separate, grease-free heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks forms.

12. Pour a thin, slow stream of the sugar syrup into the egg whites and doesn't hit the beaters otherwise sugar crystals will form. Stir in the vanilla and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

13.Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula. Top with mini marshmallows and chocolate sauce. 

Bake On!
Penny 

Yeti Cupcakes with a Snow Capped Marshmallow Frosting

It's only 3 more days until Christmas! 

I'm hoping that all of you have finished all of your Christmas shopping. No last minute panics. 

Because the big day is nearly here!

I'm still hoping for a snowy white Christmas, I think I may be dreaming only. So once again thanks to this idea I thought I would make some Yeti Cupcakes.

I think most people know the story of the huge snow coloured ape like creature, that lives on cold snowy mountains, that's what these cupcakes are named after. 

Recipe: Cupcakes makes around 18

•       300g plain flour
•        2 teaspoons baking powder
•        1 teaspoon salt, plus a little for egg whites
•        125g unsalted butter, room temperature
•        250g caster sugar
•        160ml milk
•        1 teaspoon vanilla extract (peppermint, lemon or almond extract works well)
•        3 egg whites
•        100g mini-marshmallows

Equipment:

•        Sieve
•        Electric hand mixer/mixer
•        Saucepan
•        Bowl x 3
•        12 hole Muffin tray  x 2 filled with 18 cupcake cases

1.    Preheat oven to 180c/350f/ gas mark 4.

2.    Mix flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

3.    Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mix and beat until the batter is really smooth. Add the flavouring at this stage.

4.    Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry. It should still be shiny but stiff enough to tip the bowl upside down without the contents spilling. (Also avoid tapping the bowl or doing any unnecessary bowl banging, or you’ll lose the air in the egg whites.)

5.    Fold in the egg whites into the batter and fold the marshmallows.

6.    Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool. The cakes may look a bit lumpy and strange but that’s because of the marshmallows.

Recipe: Marshmallow Snow Frosting (Should mask 12 cupcakes generously or 18 if your sparing) 

•        3 egg whites
•        150g caster sugar
•        60ml golden syrup
•        Pinch of salt
•        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment:

•        Heat proof bowl
•        Whisk
•        Electric hand mixer
•        Saucepan filled with water
•        Timer
•        Spoon
•       Christmas Themed Decorations. (The edible snowflakes are from the lovely: SugarRobot)

      1. In a large heat proof bowl mix the egg whites, sugar, salt and golden syrup until combined.

      2. Place the bowl over simmering water and whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot. This should take about 3 minutes.

     3. Remove from heat (be careful as there is a burn risk here!) and beat for 7 minutes until the frosting is cool stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla extract.

    4.Spread using a spoon as this frosting doesn't hold its shape. 

  Have a very Merry Christmas and Bake On!

  Penny 

Killer Snow-woman, Boyfriends and Cranberry and Orange Cupcakes

"It's only cupcakes Penny, the ingredients don't have to be exact."

"Hey let's eat the batter."

"Look it's a Snow-woman in a Lush bath. It looks like you!"

Some of the best quotes that my boyfriend had blurted out when we were baking cupcakes. 

He doesn't bake much, bless. 

Baking is one of these things that can bring people together. The combination of doing something fun with someone you love as well as dancing around the kitchen to some tacky music to finally decorating the cupcakes and stuffing them in our faces afterwards. 

We did bake and decorate the cupcakes in the end and not just flinging flour at each other. It was lovely to spend some down-time in the kitchen with my better half. We, (well I did really,) decided upon Cranberry and Orange cupcakes with an Orange Cream Cheese Frosting.  

Cupcakes makes 12

•      228g plain flour
•      ½  tsp of baking power
•      1/4 tsp salt
•      ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
•      1 tsp ground cinnamon
•      200g caster sugar
•      2 large eggs
•      100g sunflower oil
•      135ml sour cream
•      1 tsp vanilla extract
•      Grated orange zest about 1 tea spoon
•      140g fresh or frozen cranberries, finely chopped

For the Frosting:

•     175g cream cheese
•     450g icing sugar, sifted
•     125g unsalted butter at room temperature
•     Grated zest of one orange

Equipment

•  12 hole muffin tray lined with cupcake cases
• Sieve
• Knife and chopping board
• Bowl x 2
• Electric hand whisk/ mixer 
• Christmas themed decorations 
• A bit of tacky Christmas music (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150c/300f/Gas Mark 2. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with 12 cupcake cases.
2. Cream the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy. This should take around 3-5 minutes with an electric hand whisk. Slowly pour in the oil, a little at a time, beating well after each addition, repeat this process with the sour cream and vanilla extract, making sure that everything is well combined. Add the orange zest once everything is well combined.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add to the batter and beat well. Finally, fold in the cranberries.
4. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
5. To make the frosting place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat well until well combined and the icing is smooth and pale.

My Boyfriend came up with a story for the snowman on these cakes: "This is a single snowman all on his own and no one to talk too."

 "Next he meets a lovely snow-woman called Penny and they fall in love."
"Awww That's sweet."
"Not for long. The snowman is beginning to annoy the snow-woman. He keeps messing up the cupcake decorations and weighing out the ingredients...."

"So she kills him for messing up her cupcakes."

 "To celebrate her cupcakes no longer getting messed up. She has a Lush bath. THE END!"

I stood there in an annoyed silence with which he stroked my arm and said:
"LOVE YOU!" and he turned back to decorating cupcakes with a silly smile on his face. 

 <<<<<<Something like this<<<<<<
So sweetie, you wanted a mention on the blog and here it is! That's what you get for saying:
"It's only cupcakes, Penny"
Well too baking mad people like me, its not just cupcakes. Its bite sized cups of heaven. 

Bake on and Merry Christmas! (And you have been warned in boyfriend baking)

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

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