Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
One of my favourite things is nutmeg. I love the way it smells and I love the way it tastes. It is a member of the sweet baking spices, and very fragrant, but its very unique, sweet, nutty and almost astringent flavour, enables it to be able to stand on its own, much more acceptably than the others. In fact, its flavour is almost improved when used on its own. It is the fruit of a tree called Evergreen, which grows in Indonesia, and it is a spice which works well with both sweet and savoury dishes.
It is one of the major flavourings used in breakfast sausage and I always add a pinch of it to my cooked carrots. (Its my secret ingredient!) Everyone loves my cooked carrots. It is also a vital component of my bechamel sauce. It works majorly in these beautifully fragrant and delicious muffins I am sharing with you today.
The recipe uses 1 1/2 whole nutmegs grated. I can no longer truly remember where I got the recipe from, as I have it handwritten in a small notebook of mine. I do believe however, that the original recipe might come from The Breakfast Book, by the late Marion Cunningham.
At
first glance one might think that 1 1/2 nutmegs is a whole lotta
nutmeg, and it looks like a whole lotta nutmeg, but trust me when I say,
it works beautifully! There are NO other flavours added to these and it doesn't need them. No vanilla. No cinnamon. No nothing. Just nutmeg.
You could use already ground nutmeg, but if you do, make sure it is a fresh jar. The really lovely flavour comes from the use of FRESH nutmeg, which is why I highly recommend that you buy some whole nutmegs and grate your own. It doesn't really take that long and is well worth the effort, both in smell and flavour. 1 1/2 whole nutmegs. I looked up on line how much that would be the equivalent of and it says 3 tsp. Mine looked like a whole lot more than that however. So judge accordingly.
These are moist and delicious with full on nutmeg flavour. You might think the flavour would be obnoxious, but in reality it isn't. Its perfect. I do not use papers. I like to bake them directly in a well greased pan.
The edges get all crispy. I love that quality of a muffin . . . these also peak very nicely.
Just look at that beautiful highly speckled texture. They are great served warm, with some butter and jam, but I like them just as they are with nothing added. Just the warm muffin, and perhaps a warm cuppa something . . . or maybe a cold glass of milk. Whatever floats your boat.
I think these are a muffin you will truly fall in love with. I had not made them for quite some time and I have to tell you, I fell in love with them again today. So much so that I very naughtily ate not one but two. True confessions. I will repent tomorrow.
*Nutmeg Muffins*
Makes one dozen
These
muffins smell gorgeous when they are baking. You might think it is a
lot of nutmeg, but trust me, they taste beautiful. However if you are
not a lover of nutmeg, you may not like them. I adore nutmeg.
280g plain flour (2 cups all purpose)
140g sugar (3/4 cup)
1 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 whole nutmegs, grated (3 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1 large free range egg
72g butter, melted (5 TBS)
180ml heavy cream (3/4 cup)
180ml milk (3/4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a non-stick 12-cup medium muffin tin really well. Set aside.
Whisk
together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together all of the wet
ingredients. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in
the wet ingredients, and stir together until just moistened without any
dry streaks. Lumps are okay. Divide equally amongst the prepared
muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20
minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one
comes out clean. Serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight
container.
If you don't like nutmeg, you won't like these, but if you do like it, you are going to fall in love with these beautiful muffins. I think it would be worth baking these and popping them into the freezer so that when the weather gets really hot a bit later on in the season, you have something tasty to enjoy that won't heat up the kitchen. Simply pop into a microwave and warm on high for about 30 seconds. Bon Appetit!
Mmmm . . . is there any smell on earth better than the smell of cinnamon anything baking in the oven??? I think not!!!
It has to be the most comforting, homey, hug-me smell that there is, next to Vanilla. That smells pretty good too.
You are going to love this wonderful breakfast cake I am showing you this morning. It is absolutely perfect in every way!
It has a moist and nutty batter . . . moist from the use of sour cream.
Sour cream is a great moistener when it comes to cakes . . . and this cake has plenty of that.
Finely chopped toasted pecans. This cake has plenty of those too . . .
Finely chopped and stirred through that beautiful batter, so that every forkful brings you some of that moreish nuttiness . . .
And then there is the cinnamon sugar . . . a whole 4 tsp of cinnamon in that cinnamon sugar mix . . . swirled through that lovely nutty batter . . .
It makes lovely cinnamony . . . sugary . . . moreishly tasty rivers and canyons of cinnamon tastiness throughout the cake!
Perfect for a weekend brunch . . . I guarantee the smell of it baking alone will get everyone hopping out of bed and clambering to the table, bellying up for a taste!
"By the Rivers of Cinnamon . . . la la la . . .!
Wait no, I guess it was Babylon, never mind. Drat . . . now I'll be singing that song all day in my head. Urrrrggg! I hate it when that happens.
I all seriousness however, this is one very delicious cake. And it is simple. As simple as stirring together a batter, and spreading it into a pan . . .
As simple as mixing together a quantity of granulated sugar and another quantity of ground cinnamon and sprinkling that over top of the batter in the pan . . .
As simple as taking a round bladed knife and swirling that layer of cinnamon sugar through that sour cream batter . . .
and then simply waiting . . . for half an hour or so while it bakes . . . and you sit there smelling that lovely smell . . .
And then you take it out, wait a few minutes until it cools down a bit . . . and dig in. Mmmm . . . so lovely served warm with something to drink. Tea. Coffee. Milk. Hot Chocolate, or . . . in my case . . . diet coke. (I know naughty me.) Yum!!
*Cinnamon Cake*
Makes one 8 or 9-inch cake
This light and moist cake smells heavenly when it is baking and makes a great addition to a weekend brunch!
210g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
120g butter softened (1/2 cup)
135g sugar, divided (3/4 cup)
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla
120g sour cream (1 cup)
60g finely chopped pecans (1/2 cup)
4 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 8 or 9 inch square baking tin. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.
Cream
together 90g/1/2 cup of the sugar with the butter. Beat in the eggs,
one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients, just
to blend, in two lots, alternating with the sour cream. Stir in the
pecans. Spoon into the prepared cake tin. Combine the remaining sugar
and the cinnamon. Spoon evenly over top of the cake batter. Swirl in
with a round bladed knife to marble it.
Bake
for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out
clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan
for 15 minutes and serve warm, cut into squares.
Todd enjoyed his with some squirty whipped cream on top. I cannot afford that indulgence myself. In fact I cannot afford even eating the cake, but I do treat myself to a tiny smidgen. I hope you will too! Bon Appetit and happy weekend!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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Ahhh . . . the weekend, time to pull out the stops a tiny bit and bake something the family will enjoy. A tiny treat, a bit of an indulgence. Something like these fabulous Nut Jumbles. A deliciously moreish cookie that is a jumble of coconut and toasted nuts, topped with a shiney and sweet, incredibly tasty browned butter glaze.
These truly are wonderful cookies. If you can eat just one of them you are a much better man than I Gunga Din! They are nice and chewy . . . and stogged full of lovely shredded sweetened coconut . . . don't be tempted to use dessicated. It doesn't have the right texture and is a bit dry. I buy my shredded coconut online at Skyco. Its the cheapest. I usually buy it in bulk and keep it frozen in the freezer so I can keep it for a long time.
You can use either toasted walnuts or pecans. Today I used pecans. Both are equally as delicious.
I always toast my nuts before baking with them. Toasting really does enhance their nuttiness and freshens them up a lot. You can also do this well ahead of time and keep them frozen until you want to use them. Just bring them to room temperature first.
10 minutes or so in a moderate oven does the trick just nicely. Just bang those nuts onto a baking sheet and into the oven. 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. They will smell lovely and nutty. Let them cool before chopping. If I don't have some stored in the freezer, I will usually do this a day or so before I know I am going to bake with them. But you can also do it on the day, just make sure they are thoroughly cool before using them.
Mmmm . . . there is something about toasted nuts in a cookie that ticks all my flavour boxes.
Don't get me started on this browned butter glaze. Oh boy . . . that really tips a delicious cookie over the edge into FAB-U-LOUS!!
You need to put it on the cookies almost as soon as they come from the oven, while they are still hot. It will be kind of thick, but the heat from the cookies will make it quite spreadable.
Try not to lick your fingers too many times . . .
The glaze helps to keep them nice and chewy, so its purpose is really a two-fold one . . . taste and texture.
This is the kind of cookie your granny would have baked. Just coz she loves you and you are such a good little girl/boy. There is nothing like lovin' from the oven to make you feel all warm and toasty inside!!
Of course a little glass of ice cold milk is the perfect accompaniment.
*Nut Jumbles*
Makes 4 dozen approx.
Moreishly chewy drop cookie topped with a shiny browned butter glaze!
8 TBS unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
95g granulated sugar (1/2 up)
100g dark soft brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
1 large free-range egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g plain flour (1 1/4 cups)
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 tsp salt
76g shredded sweetened coconut (1 cup)
60g chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (1/2 cup)
60g sour cream (1/2 cup)
For the glaze:
3 TBS butter
195g icing sugar (1 1/2 cups) sifted
2 TBS milk
few drops vanilla 
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line several large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
Cream
together the butter and both sugrs until light and fluffy. Beat in the
egg and vanilla. Sift the flour, soda and salt together and stir in
just to mi. Stir in teh coconut, toasted nust and sour cream to make a
stiff dough.
Drop by TBS onto the prepared
baking sheets, leaving 2 inches in between. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes,
until the cookes are set and no impression is left when lightly touched.
While
the cookies are baking make the glaze. Heat the butter in a small
skillet over low heat until it turns a nut brown, abot 3 to 4 minutes,
swirling it occasionally. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar,
milk and vanilla to give you a smooth shiny glaze.
I really betcha can't eat just one. Happy Bank Holiday weekend and Bon Appetit!
When I made my declaration about not doing any more fancy eating posts for a while, I had forgotten about these delicious little jam tarts I had baked the other day for the Royal Occasion. Nevermind, it may be too late for the wedding, but this fabulous recipe is sure to come in handy for any tea party/special occasion you have in mind that you want something a tiny bit special for. Jam Oysters. Sounds funny to you I am thinking, a name like Jam Oysters. But let me explain . . .
They are really only jam tarts. Fancy jam tarts. Little almond frangipane filled short crust pastry tarts that you bake until the frangipane is golden brown and then the magic happens . . .
You take the tip of a sharp knife and carefully remove the frangipane once the tarts have cooled, taking care to keep it intact. You then fill the baked and now empty tart shells with a portion of raspberry jam, and a layer of piped vanilla buttercream. At the end you pop that frangipane layer back on top and dust with icing sugar. I suppose it looks a bit like an opened oyster shell, but with what is a much tastier filling than an oyster . . in my honest opinion.
They look quite pretty on a tea table . . . and are just that tiny bit more special than a plain old jam tart.
They are as light as air . . . and oh so tasty. Use a good raspberry jam for this. If you don't have homemade, us a good store-made one, which in my case is always Bonne Maman. And not just because of the jar . . .
Although to be sure that little gingham red and white cap draws me like an ocean siren draws a sailor.
I just love Bon Maman preserves, both the contents and the jars. So pretty and pretty tasty!
And when you are talking about something which has the main ingredient as jam, quality speaks for itself.
I thought they looked quite pretty balanced on top of these little Jenny Wren egg cups . . . just like the little Jenny's are about to take to the air with their sweet little surprises . . .
A flight of delicious fancy . . .
Such pretty little birds . . . such pretty little cakes . . .
Incredibly tasty too and sure to be a big hit at your next soiree!
I have given recipes for the tarts as well as the pastry (a sweet shortcrust) and for the buttercream. YUM!
*Jam Oysters*
Makes 18
Makes 18
Not only are these a real treat for the eyes, but they are delicious as well. They look complicated but they really are very easy to put together.
175g of prepared shortcrust pastry (make your own or use ready made) (1/2 pound)
70g butter (1/3 cup)
70g ounces of caster sugar (1/3 cup + 1/2 TBS)
85g ground almonds (scant cup)
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
Few drops of almond essence
You will also need:
Raspberry jam to fillVanilla Butter Cream icing to fill
Icing sugar to dust
Pre-heat the oven to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5. Roll out the pastry thinly and cut into rounds, using a 3 inch fluted pastry cutter. Use this to line 18 patty tins.
Cream the butter together with the sugar until fluffy and well incorporated. Stir in the ground almonds, beaten egg and the almond essence. Mix well.
Place a small spoonful of the almond mixture into each pastry case. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until set and nicely browned.
Remove from the oven to a rack to cool. Once they are thoroughly cooled, carefully remove the almond filling with a knife. Fill the pasty cases with the jam and pipe a bit of butter cream on top of each. Replace the almond filling on top, dust with icing sugar, and serve.
*Rich Sweet Shortcrust Pastry*
makes 1/2 pound
makes 1/2 pound
The best way to make short crust pastry that has a crisp crumble in the mouth texture is to do it by hand, rather than by machine. Using a machine tends to overwork the gluten in the flour and the pastry has a tendency to end up springy and shrink when cooked.. Resting the pastry for a half hour in the fridge is also an important step because of the high proportion of butter to flour, which makes it difficult to roll out when warm.
280g plain flour (2 cups)
4 ounces cold butter (1/2 cup)
6 TBS icing sugar, sifted
2 egg yolks
2 TBS water
Sift the flour into a basin. Add the butter, cut into pieces and rub it into the flour until it resembled fine dry bread crumbs. Add the icing sugar. Whisk in well. Make a indentation in the centre of the butter mixture. Beat the egg yolks and water together. Pour into the indentation and then, using a fork, mix together to a rough dough in the basin. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball and then place into a zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, while you make the filling. Proceed as per the recipe requirements for whichever recipe that you are using to fill the tart with.
*Perfect Vanilla Buttercream Icing*
Makes enough to fill and frost a layer cake
Makes enough to fill and frost a layer cake
225g butter, softened (1 cup)
390g icing sugar, sifted (3 cups, confectioners, powdered)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 to 2 TBS double cream
Beat the butter and sugar together on low until well blended and then continue to beat on mdeium for another few minutes until it begins to become fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and 1 TBS cream, only adding the second one if needed until you have a frosting of spreading consistency.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
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