Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
When we lived down in the South East of the country we sometimes took ourselves over to France for a day out. We were not all that far from the ferry back then, and it was an easy jaunt and a pleasant trip over on the Ferry.
You could be sitting in Boulogne enjoying a hot drink and a plate of Frites in only a few hours, even faster if you took the car train through the tunnel.
I preferred the ferry over the train for several reasons. For one, you could get out of your car and stretch your legs.
For two, you could spend the journey in their comfy lounge enjoying a drink and one of their fresh almond croissants.
Oh boy . . . one of the things that the French do very well, aside from their beautiful breads and macrons . . . is croissants and my favourite of all are the almond ones.
They are quite, quite, QUITE delicious to say the least!
It has always been my dream to spend a week in Paris, in the Spring time when everything is bursting out in bloom, and it is neither too hot, nor too cold . . .
not too wet, and when I can sit at a sidewalk cafe within the sight of the Eiffel Tower, enjoying a hot drink and a freshly baked almond croissant . . .
Oh yes dreams do come true. I am a great believer in the truth of our dreams, but in the meantime, I make these. . . .
which are not quite as fabulous as the fresh ones you can get in France, but let me tell you, they make a pretty darned tasty substitution!!
I have adapted the recipe from one I found online here.
She adapted it from a recipe that she found here. AND she adapted the recipe from one she found here by Clothilde Dusoulier on Chocolate & Zucchini.
Aren't we just so very, very blessed to have the wide variety of sources to draw from these days online? I think so at any rate.
So much inspiration . . . so little time. There are just not enough hours in the day to do all the things I would love to do. Not enough . . .
I hope you will forgive me for not having the potato recipe which was planned for today.
I ended up having to work on a new recipe for the site I write for and so I didn't have enough time to do the Pillsburg Potatoes, but never fear. It is still in the queue for a later date.
In the meantime I give you tasty, flaky delicious croissants . . . brushed with an almond flavoured liqueur syrup . . .
it soaks into those flaky layers and adds much additional almond flavour and a hint of sweet . . .
Filled with a rich and lush almond filling . . . oh boy, but I could eat that with a spoon . . . buttery and almondy and scrum, Scrum, SCRUMMY!
Brushed with yet more of that almond syrup and scattered with flaked almonds before baking . . .
until the almond filling is all gooey and golden . . .
And the outsides sweet and golden crisp . . . .
Ready to dust with some icing sugar and then sit down and enjoy with a nice hot cuppa. All is right with the world . . . all is right . . .
Yield: 8
Easy Almond Croissants
You can't get much easier or tastier than this!
ingredients:
You Will Need:
- 8 day old medium sized baked croissants
- a handful of flaked almonds
- icing sugar to dust
For the Soaking Syrup:
- 120ml water (1/2 cup)
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1 1/2 TBS Disaronno liqueuer (almond flavoured)
For the Almond Filling:
- 45g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
- 50g ground almonds (1/2 cup)
- pinch salt
- 60g diced butter (1/4 cup)
- few drops almond essence
- 1 large free range egg, beaten
instructions:
How to cook Easy Almond Croissants
- First make the syrup. Put all of the ingredients into a small saucpan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for one minute. Set aside to cool.
- To make the filling whisk together the almonds and the sugar. Using a spatula mash in the butter until well combined. Add the almond essence to the egg and stir into the almond mixture to combine thoroughly.
- Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4.
- Take your croissants and using a serrated knife cut them in half horizontally, leaving a small hinge on the one side so that they are not completely separated. Brush them thoroughly on both cut sides inside and all over the outside. They should be fairly saturated. Spoon a portion of the almond filling onto the bottom cut sides, and fold the tops back over. Place onto the baking sheet, leaving space in between. Brush with any remaining syrup and sprinkle almonds on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the filling has set and the croissants and almonds are golden. Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly, dust generously with icing sugar and serve, slightly warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
It is also my dream one day to bake croissants from scratch . . . hopefully while I still have the energy to cope with laminating doughs and all of the rolling and buttering and faffing about. In the meantime I still have Paris . . . and I still have these . . .
Up Tomorrow: Pan Seared Mahi Mahi with a Honey & Lime Coleslaw
This cake I am sharing with you today is very dangerous. Very, very dangerous, and on several levels. Its rich and chocolaty, and probably loaded with calories that you don't want to think about. You best be making it when you have someone to share it with.
Trust me on this. Second . . . the danger level for me is that my husband doesn't like chocolate cake . . . so what am I going to do with a whole chocolate cake all on my own. Oh boy . . . why do I do this to myself. Its a tough job but someone has to do it, right!
Its probably been about 35 years since I have made this cake. When I was in my late 20's and the mother of four young children, I collected the McCall's Cooking School recipes and binders. I never got to finish collecting all of them, but I did collect quite a few.
You could trust the McCall's Cooking School. They were reliable, and this was one of my favourite recipes from the series. Actually they were all favourites, but we won't go there!
This cake consists of a rich chocolaty layer cake . . . filled with a scrumptious fruit and nut caramel filling . . . whipped cream and then frosted with a scrumptious sour cream bittersweet chocolate frosting!
Its not an every day kind of a cake . . . its a special cake.
This is the kind of cake you might want to bake when you have something you want to celebrate . . . occasions like anniversaries, or, perhaps a birthday spring to mind!
Oh yes . . . Tuesday is my Birthday. Happy 64th Birthday to me! That's a great reason to celebrate. Its been a hard year this past year, but I made it.
So, chocolate hating husband's aside . . . I do think a rich, delicious, moreish chocolate cake is due me!
Bear in mind that this cake is so rich and so delicious that, even though it is only 8 inches in diameter . . . it feeds 16 people.
You wouldn't want a really large piece of this!
Trust me on this . . . a narrow slice is quite enough!
The many times I have baked this luscious cake through the years, I have never managed to get the sides perfectly iced on it. But I do my best . . . and nobody really complains.
Least of all me . . . Back in 2001 two of my sons came over for a visit. We had bought them tickets to come, and they were here for my 46th Birthday.
My oldest son baked me a lovely chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache frosting. It really cheered my heart. Other than my mother, not many cakes have been baked for me through the years, other than by myself.
But I am not complaining. I love to bake and so baking myself a Birthday Cake is a real treat for me!
The only way this could get any better would be if everyone who looked at this recipe donated a couple pounds to the blog . . . but that ain't going to happen. Can you imagine?
I'd never have to work again. Whatever would I do with my time! I'd rather bake cakes and cook pies, and create daily tastiness! I can't imagine ever retiring, no matter how old I get . . .
Yield: 16
Creole Chocolate Cake
A sinfully delicious chocolate cake that you will be unable to resist. From the McCall's Cooking School of the late 1970's early 80's.
ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 280g plain flour (2 cups all purpose)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 120g butter (1/2 cup)
- 120ml salad oil (1/2 cup)
- 3 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate (broken into squares)
- 380g sugar (2 cups)
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
- 120ml sour milk (1/2 cup)
- 240ml water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 60ml water (1/4 cup)
- 150g evaporated milk (5.3 ounce tin) (NOT the sweetened condensed)
- 150g sugar (3/4 cup)
- 40g seedless raisins chopped (1/4 cup)
- 125g chopped dates (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 60g chopped toasted walnuts of pecans (1/2 cup)
- You will also need 120ml/1/2 cup of chilled heavy cream
For the Frosting:
- 170g semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
- 60g sour cream (1/2 cup)
- pinch salt
instructions:
How to cook Creole Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter two 8 inch cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Place the chocolate for the cake, salad oil and butter in a saucepan. Cook, stirring to melt the chocolate and amalgamate everything. Stir in the water. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
- To make sour milk, add 1 1/2 tsp of vinegar to a cup and fill with milk to measure. Do this now.
- Sift the flour and soda into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, eggs, sour milk and vanilla to combine. Stir in the chocolate mixture, just to combine and divide between the two cake tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in the tins for 5 minutes before tipping layers out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the baking paper and discard.
- To make the filling combine the water, milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the raisins and dates. Cook, stirring until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and nuts. Set aside to cool.
- Whip the cream for the filling until stiff peaks form.
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with the filling. Top with the whipped cream to cover and then place the remaining layer on top.
- To make the frosting, melt the chocolate pieces in the top of a double boiler over hot water until smooth. Stir in the sour cream and salt. Beat until smooth and then allow to cool until it is of a spreading consistency. Spread over the top and sides of the cake. Chill one hour prior to serving.
I am in a real quandary now as to what I am going to do with the remainder of the cake. I think my next door neighbour is in for a treat. After all if I want to make it to 65, I don't want to be eating this whole cake all by myself!
Tastes You Can Look Forward to in the Week to Come:
(always subject to change according to my whims)
Monday: Easy Boston Baked Beans
Tuesday: Stilton Steaks with Sweet Potato & Garlic Mash
Wednesday: Chicken Schnitzels
Thursday: Chunky Puy Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Friday: Back to the 60's Shrimp Cocktails
Saturday: Perfect Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes
Sunday: Lemon Mousse
Now that's a lot of tastiness to look forward to! I hope you will pop back to see how I am getting on with it all!
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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You are absolutely going to fall in love with this cake recipe that I am sharing with you today. It is a dense and delicious pound type of cake that goes beautifully with a hot drink.
I confess, little slivers of it are lovely washed down with milk. (Yes, I am naughty that way.)
I treat myself to little slivers, telling myself its only a sliver . . . until I have slivered a whole slice away and enjoyed it.
Oh well . . . once a glutton, always a glutton I suppose.
I love baking Bundt Cakes . . . they always come out looking like a pretty celebration without even having to do anything to them!
And to be sure this cake is fabulously tasty and dense . . . with a rich butter golden batter flavoured with lovely ground cardamom, swirled together with a tasty coffee/cocoa batter . . .
Oh so pretty don't you think? And very easily done!
This cake is a feast for the eyes on the surface, especially with that lovely coffee glaze icing . . .
And a feast for the eyes in the centre with those beautiful rich swirls . . .
Its a simple thing, and very easy to do . . . and what a pretty result!
I love cakes like this . . . dense and rich . . . they go so well with drinks . . .
I toasted some walnut halves to decorate the top of the cake. I thought it would be a really pretty addition, and I think I was right . . .
They make it look a bit like a tasty crown!
The recipe is an adaptation of a pound cake recipe found in Rose Levy Bernbaum's Cake Bible for Perfect Pound Cake.
Coffee & Cardamom Bundt Cake
Yield: 10 - 12
prep time: cook time: total time:
This beautiful cake is an adaptation of the Perfect Pound Cake recipe found in Rose Levy Bernbaum's Cake Bible. Its rich, dense and delicious with a wonderful cardamom batter swirled with a tasty coffee and cocoa swirl. This is a cake that gets better tasting with each day that passes.
ingredients:
For the cake:
- 90ml whole milk, room temperature (1/3 cup plus 1 TBS)
- (you will also need an extra 1 1/2 TBS)
- 6 large free range eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 200g self raising flour (scant 1 1/2 cups)
- 100g plain flour, plus more for dusting (scant 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 300g caster sugar (1/2 cup plus 1 TBS)
- 300g unsalted butter, barely softened (scant 1 1/3 cup, or 11 ounces)
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 TBS instant coffee granules
- 2 tsp cocoa powder (not drink mix)
For the glaze:
- 1 1/2 TBS instant coffee granules
- 45 ml warm full fat milk (3 TBS)
- 240g icing sugar, sifted (scant 2 cups)
- 30g butter, softened (2 TBS)
- Toasted walnut halves to decorate (optional)
instructions:
How to cook Coffee & Cardamom Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 195*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Butter a medium bundt tin and dust well with flour, shaking out any excess.
- Place the first quantity of milk for the cake along with the eggs and vanilla into a bowl and whisk together just to combine. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and briefly whisk together. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix for about 1 minutes, scraping down the sides. Slowly beat in the remainder of the egg mixture, making two additions and making sure the first is completely incorporated before adding the second. Scrape down the sides and then remove half the batter to another bowl. To the first bowl add the cardamom, folding it in to combine. Heat the milk and then whisk in the coffee granules and cocoa powder. Stir together to give you a smooth paste. Stir this into the second bowl, mixing all well together.
- Layer the batters alternately into the prepared bundt pan, making two cardamom and two coffee layers, beginning with the cardamom. Once you have them layered in the pan take a thin knife or skewer and swirl through the batter once to make a zig zag pattern. Don't be tempted to overdo it or you will ruin it.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake tests done. (It has a tendency to dome in the centre, so you can trim that bit off if you want it to sit properly on a serving plate. )
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minute before loosening and removing the cake and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the icing combine the coffee and warm milk in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar along with the butter and beat together until smooth and thick. You will want a glaze that drips unevenly down the sides of the cake. Spoon the glaze over the cake and allow to set completely before serving. You can decorate the top with some toasted walnut halves if you wish.
I really hope you will bake this delicious cake. I think if you do you will agree with me that it is one you will want to repeat often, bound to become a family favourite!
Up tomorrow: Quick Bolognaise and 9 easy Pasta Sauces
Have a great day!
This is probably one of my favourite Banana Breads. It is the one I used to make for my boss when I worked at the Manor. The Mr loved it for breakfast in the mornings.
For him I would have to toast it beneath the grill in the toaster oven until it was golden brown and crisp on the edges, almost burnt, but not quite. He wanted it very crisp.
After that I would lay slivers of cold sweet butter onto its surface and serve it to him on a hot plate while the butter was still melting down into those crisp edges and golden surface . . . he really did enjoy it.
No small wonder as it is a truly beautiful banana bread. Moist and rich. It is the sour cream that makes it so . . .
He liked it with toasted pecan nuts . . . I prefer it with toasted English walnuts . . . a love that hearkens back to my father's own love for walnuts . . . maple walnut was his favourite ice cream. As it is mine.
I like to sprinkle more chopped walnuts onto the surface of the loaf prior to baking . . . they look really nice sitting there on top . . .
This is a loaf that cuts beautifully on the first day. Most loaves you need to wait overnight to slice. Not this one.
Todd enjoys it in thick slices spread with softened butter . . .
It really is a lovely bread, on the first day, and on the second day, the third, the fourth . . . and so on and so on . . .trust me when I say you won't have it hanging around for long.
Yield: one medium loaf
Rich Banana Bread
Moist and delicious and studded with crunchy toasted walnuts. Everything a good banana bread should be.
ingredients:
- 120g butter, melted (1/2 cup)
- 190g sugar (1 cup)
- 2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 210g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 60g sour cream (1/2 cup)
- 60g chopped toasted walnuts, plus more to sprinkle on top (1/2 cup)
- 2 medium bananas peeled and pureed
instructions:
How to cook Rich Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a medium loaf tin (9X5) and line with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, soda and salt together. Set aside.
- Whisk together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth, then fold in the sour cream and bananas. Stir in the walnuts. Spread batter in the prepared pan, levelling the top. Sprinkle with a few more walnut pieces if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, until well rise and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve. We like it buttered. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and use within 4 to 5 days. This also freezes well.
I had this bottle of Monin Butterscotch syrup and I thought it would add a special touch to just brush some of it on top of the loaf while it was still warm . . .
I think I was inspired . . . it made something which was already perfectly delicious even more so!
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