Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desserts. Show all posts
One thing that I found very endearing about the UK was that they called every dessert "Pudding." Coming from North America the term pudding to me meant a custardy dessert meant to be eaten with a spoon, all in its own category, with other desserts being called by their individual names, pies, cakes, etc.
Not so in the UK. If it is a dessert, it is pudding. And oh what a beautiful assortment they have to offer. All delicious. All moreish, with everything from cakes, to pies, to steamed puddings, etc.
This delicious Steamed Ginger Pudding is from the latter category, a steamed pudding. By that I mean a cake type of dessert, which is steamed in a pudding basin for a period of time, turned out and then served with a delicious sauce or custard ladled over top.
This fabulous recipe for a wonderful ginger cake/pudding was adapted from a recipe book I bought used on Amazon entitled, The National Trust Complete Traditional Recipe Book by Sarah Edington.
I love these beautiful old Traditional Recipes. They are hearty and delicious. Also fairly simple, using simple ingredients because, lets face it . . . back in the day nobody had fancy things in the home.
It does require the use of a pudding basin, but no worries if you have a deep heat-proof bowl, that can also be used.
I had brought a pudding basin back with me in my few boxes when I returned to Canada. Unfortunately, like every thing else, it was broken when I unpacked my boxes. I would love to buy another one (Mason Cash) but the cost is prohibitive.
I do have a set of Dowan ceramic mixing bowls, which are microwave oven safe and so I used the medium sized one of those to cook my pudding in. This mean that the pudding was not quite as tall as it would have been had it been cooked in a proper pudding basin, but it was still and excellent pudding regardless of the shape!
I used a steaming pot that I had bought on Amazon to steam the pudding in. But don't worry if you haven't got one of those either. I have given you details in the recipe how to get around that if you need to.
Some people might be intimidated by the aspect of having to pleat a piece of parchment to cover their puddings with prior to steaming. I an understand that. BBC Good Food has excellent instructions as well as a video on just how to do that, and I can promise you they do a far better job of it than I ever could!
I highly recommend you watch their video. They show it perfectly.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A STEAMED GINGER PUDDING
Again, very simple, every day ordinary ingredients. The original recipe did call for the use of preserved stem ginger, but I recognize that is an ingredient which can be somewhat problematic for people to get in North America, so I used crystalized candied ginger in its place.
For the pudding:
- 1/2 cup (110g) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup +2 TBS (110g) caster sugar (can use granulated)
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) self rising flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) stem ginger, finely chopped (I used crystalized ginger)
- 3 TBS golden syrup
For the sauce:
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) full fat milk
- 1 TBS fresh ginger, grated
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) caster sugar (can use granulated)
As I said I used crystalized candied ginger. I do have a recipe on here for making your own preserved stem ginger, which you can find here if you are really keen. It really is very good, but it does take several days to make. The candied ginger worked very well.
You can also easily make your own self rising flour if you wish or cannot find any. I usually make mine 3 cups full at a time so that I always have some on hand for cakes and desserts.
For every cup (140g) of plain all purpose flour, which in 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. Easy peasy. Like I said I make it up 3 cups worth at a time and keep it stored in its own separate container.
Golden syrup can be purchased online via Amazon and is available in the US at specialty stores, or you can use regular corn syrup or even honey.
HOW TO MAKE STEAMED GINGER PUDDING
Its really very easy. Do not be intimidated!
You will need a round deep bowl or pudding basin which is heat proof and large enough to hold the batter, 1 1/2 pint/3 1/2 cup. Butter it well and set it aside.
Cream the butter and sugar for the pudding together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour needed with each egg and beating well after each addition.
Fold in the flour and the chopped ginger, combining well together.
Spoon the golden syrup into the bottom of the pudding basin and then spoon the cake batter on top, smoothing it over.
Cover with a layer of greaseproof (baking parchment) paper and a sheet of foil, pleated to allow for expansion. Secure with a rubber band and trim off any excess.
Place in the top of a steamer and steam for 1 1/2 hours. (See notes.)
Make the sauce while the pudding is steaming. Put the milk into a small saucepan along with the grated ginger and bring just to the boil. Leave to infuse for half an hour, then strain the milk, discarding any ginger solids.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes to cook out the flour taste. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and the sugar.
Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for at least 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Keep warm. (If you think it is too thick, you can thin it with a bit more warm milk.)
When the pudding is done, turn it out onto a plate. Serve warm, spooned into bowls with some of the warm sauce poured over top.
This really was a fabulously tasty dessert. The cake was moist and delicious and filled with lovely chunks and bits of candied ginger. That golden syrup on the top soaked into the cake as it cooked creating a type of a glaze that was very moreish.
The sauce was also incredibly delicious. Milky and thick, like a ginger flavored custard. Not too sweet. It was just right.
You could also skip the sauce altogether and simply serve it warm with lashings of rich cream, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
STEAMED JAM SPONGE PUDDING - A lush and buttery steamed pudding, steamed with a mix of jam and lemon juice in the bottom of the pudding basin. Once turned out, coconut is scattered over the surface. Delicious served warm with lashings of custard!
STEAMED MARMALADE PUDDING - This one comes with a delicious Orange infused custard, also flavored with Gran Marnier. It is something special indeed. Light and delicious and the custard is to die for!!
Yield: 4
Steamed Ginger Pudding
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 45 M
A delicious steamed pudding that hails from Cornwall on the South Western coast of the UK. Moisty, buttery, gingery deliciousness and that creamy ginger sauce is to die for.
Ingredients
For the pudding:
- 1/2 cup (110g) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup +2 TBS (110g) caster sugar (can use granulated)
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) self rising flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) stem ginger, finely chopped (I used crystalized ginger)
- 3 TBS golden syrup
For the sauce:
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) full fat milk
- 1 TBS fresh ginger, grated
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) caster sugar (can use granulated)
Instructions
- You will need a round deep bowl or pudding basin which is heat proof and large enough to hold the batter, 1 1/2 pint/3 1/2 cup. Butter it well and set it aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar for the pudding together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour needed with each egg and beating well after each addition.
- Fold in the flour and the chopped ginger, combining well together.
- Spoon the golden syrup into the bottom of the pudding basin and then spoon the cake batter on top, smoothing it over.
- Cover with a layer of greaseproof (baking parchment) paper and a sheet of foil, pleated to allow for expansion. Secure with a rubber band and trim off any excess.
- Place in the top of a steamer and steam for 1 1/2 hours. (See notes.)
- Make the sauce while the pudding is steaming. Put the milk into a small saucepan along with the grated ginger and bring just to the boil. Leave to infuse for half an hour, then strain the milk, discarding any ginger solids.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes to cook out the flour taste. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and the sugar.
- Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for at least 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Keep warm.
- When the pudding is done, turn it out onto a plate. Serve warm, spooned into bowls with some of the warm sauce poured over top.
Notes
If you don't have a steamer pot you can use a saucepan large enough to hold a metal trivet and the pudding basin. Place the trivet in the bottom of the saucepan and place the pudding basin on top. Pour boiling water into the pot to come halfway up the sides of the pudding basin. Cover the saucepan tightly and place onto simmer for the allotted time frame. The pudding is done when you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
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I am really excited to be able to bring this latest recipe to you today of a truly traditional Vintage Cake. Traditional Genoa Cake is a cake that I always enjoyed when I was living in the UK.
You could buy small bars of it at the grocery store and it was one of my favorites. It is a brilliant testimony to the love that the British have for fruited types of cakes. This is a cake that is filled with an abundance of sweet sultanas, glace cherries, almonds and mixed peel, but which is not as rich as a Christmas Cake.
I adapted the recipe from one that I found in the book Vintage Cakes by Jane Brocket. I have several of Jane's books. This is one of my favorites. It is stuffed full of lovely Vintage cake recipes, many of which could be considered heirloom recipes.
Her book The Gentle Art of Domesticity is another favorite of mine. As is another one called Cherry Cakes and Gingerbeer. I actually knit myself a tea cosy, black and colorful striped from the first book. It was one of my favorite things that I had in the UK. I should knit myself another one sometime.
I hold a great love and affection for British Cakes. They are much sturdier than North American Cakes. Most are meant to be enjoyed with a hot cup of tea. In fact dessert cakes there are usually called Gateaux.
Genoa cake is the country cousin to the sophisticated traditional fruit cake, which is what you will see in most homes for Christmas. A Genoa Cake is more of an every day cake. The kind of cake that is at home on any tea table. Sturdy, buttery, crumbly, and stuffed with an abundance of dried fruit.
One thing that I loved most about British Cakes, aside from their sturdiness, is that they are not usually as sweet as North American cakes. And this is not a really sweet cake for sure. It doesn't need to be as the abundance of fruit in it more than makes up for any lack of sweetness.
The recipe hails from Victorian times. It was then, and is now, light, soft, crumbly and has an abundant crunchy topping of sweet Demerara sugar. (I believe it is called Turbinado sugar in North America.) I can promise you it is totally delightfully moreish!!!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TRADITIONAL GENOA CAKE
Most of the ingredients are pretty simple and ordinary. If you cannot get glace cherries, you can use maraschino cherries. Just make sure you dry them really well.
- 1 2/3 cup (250g) sultana raisins
- 3/4 cup (150g) glace cherries, washed and halved
- 1/2 cup (75g) mixed candied peel
- 1/3 cup (50g) flaked almonds
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- 2 TBS rum or brandy (I used orange juice and some rum extract)
- 1 cup (230g) butter, softened
- 1 cup +3 TBS (230g) caster sugar
- 4 large free range eggs
- 2 cups (230g) self raising flour
- demerara sugar to sprinkle on top
I just use salted butter and indeed the recipe does not make any suggestion of using unsalted butter. I only have salted in the house. There is no addition of salt to the recipe either.
Caster sugar is a type of granulated sugar commonly used for baking in the UK. It is much finer than their regular granulated sugar. I find that the granulated sugar here in Canada at least is quite comparable and not as coarse as the British granulated sugar, so it works fine.
I use organic unrefined golden granulated sugar.
If you can get the candied peel that you dice yourself, so much the better, but here where I live I have to make do with the already chopped candied citrus peel. Every year I say I am going to make my own and every year I forget!
You can easily make your own self raising flour. For every cup (140g) of flour whisk it together with 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. I usually make my own flour up 4 cups worth at a time and store it in my cupboard, ready to use for cakes such as this.
HOW TO MAKE GENOA CAKE
This is a really simple cake to make. It does require rather a long time to bake, so make sure you plan on baking it when you are going to be home for at least a few hours!
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/gas mark 3. Butter an 8-inch round deep cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
Measure the fruits and almonds into a bowl. Add the grated lemon zest and the brandy or rum. Set aside to macerate.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in the flour and the macerated fruits gently and thoroughly with a large metal spoon. Spoon into the prepared baking tin and level the surface off with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the top generously with demerara sugar.
Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until the surface of the cake is golden brown and is slightly cracked. A skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin completely before turning out.
This is a lovely cake and one of my favorites. If you are expecting a light, fluffy, spongy North American style cake. This is NOT your cake. You will be disappointed.
But if you are like me and you really enjoy a buttery crumbly cake that goes well with a hot cuppa, then, like me, you best prepare yourself to fall in love. This cake is for YOU! I find it is one of those cakes that (properly stored) gets better and better with each day that passes!
If you love traditional tea time bakes then you are sure to love these delicious bakes:
LEMON & PISTACHIO CAKE - This is a lovely moist, and buttery cake, filled with crunchy pistachios and lemon, and topped with luscious candied lemon and lime slices and of course, some more crunchily addictive pistachio nuts.
MIDNIGHT FEAST WORTHY CHERRY CAKE - This cherry cake is well worthy of sharing. Cut into thick slices . . . buttery and moist, studded with plenty of glace cherries . . . and topped with a sweet drizzle glaze icing and the crunch of toasted flaked almonds.
Yield: 10
Traditional Genoa Cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 45 MTotal time: 2 Hour
This is a traditional every day kind of a fruit cake. Studded with plenty of sultana raisins, glace cherries, mixed peel and almonds, there is also plenty of lush buttery batter between the fruits. Perfect served with a hot cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup (250g) sultana raisins
- 3/4 cup (150g) glace cherries, washed and halved
- 1/2 cup (75g) mixed candied peel
- 1/3 cup (50g) flaked almonds
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- 2 TBS rum or brandy (I used orange juice and some rum extract)
- 1 cup (230g) butter, softened
- 1 cup +3 TBS (230g) caster sugar
- 4 large free range eggs
- 2 cups (230g) self raising flour
- demerara sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/gas mark 3. Butter an 8-inch round deep cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
- Measure the fruits and almonds into a bowl. Add the grated lemon zest and the brandy or rum. Set aside to macerate.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Fold in the flour and the macerated fruits gently and thoroughly with a large metal spoon. Spoon into the prepared baking tin and level the surface off with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the top generously with demerara sugar.
- Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until the surface of the cake is golden brown and is slightly cracked. A skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin completely before turning out.
Notes
Genoa Cake keeps well for 4 to 5 days if wrapped in grease-proof paper or foil and stored in an airtight container.
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Hello. My name is Marie and I am a peanut butter-aholic. I love peanut butter. I love it in savory goods and curries. I love it in sweet baked goods.
I love (close your eyes if you are British) peanut butter and jam sandwiches. I love peanut butter and cheese crackers. Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter. I could not live without it. I am so glad that I do not have a peanut allergy. That would be awful.
Each one holds 2 kg. (about 4 1/2 pounds.) So now you know just how much I love Peanut Butter.
My sister Cindy stopped by yesterday on her way to get the oil changed in her car and she brought me two of her freshly baked peanut butter cookies. I enjoyed one in the afternoon. Oh my goodness! It was fantastic.
I had the other one before I went to bed.
As soon as I ate the first one however, I just had to message her and ask her for the recipe. She was quite happy to share it with me. I am not kidding when I tell you they are fantastic.
The full recipe makes about 4 dozen of the most deliciously scrumptious peanut butter cookies you could ever want to enjoy. Crisp and filled with loads of peanut butter flavor. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.
Of course I did not need 4 dozen cookies and so I downsized the recipe to make just 2 dozen cookies. I have already eaten two. Yes. I am a glutton. I am hoping and praying that I can leave it at that! For today anyways!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CINDY'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (SMALL BATCH)
Again, simple store cupboard baking ingredients.
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter
- 1/2 cup (90g) peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Let it be noted, I always bake by weight. It is much more accurate. A cup is not always a cup. Cups can vary in their sizes greatly. An Australian cup is not the same as a North American cup.
You might pack more into a cup than another person by measuring it into the cup improperly. There are all sorts of reasons why a cup might be a whole lot different for each person who is baking with them.
Grams never change. Grams are always grams. Weight never fluctuates. It is always consistent, meaning you always end up with a consistent bake.
It is very easy to pick up a set of digital scales and they are not all that expensive. I would not be without one. I will get off my soap box now.
I used ordinary smooth Kraft brand peanut butter for my cookies. I think my sister used crunchy. Any commercial brand will work. I am not sure about the natural peanut butter, not having used it. Ever.
I also just use salted butter. I always just use salted butter with very few exceptions. I find it is much easier to keep and use just one kind of butter in my home and I will cut back on the salt required in a recipe instead.
I use organic granulated sugar, which hasn't been bleached, but this is a personal preference. Ordinary granulated sugar will work. I use normal light brown sugar. In the UK I used to use Muscovado sugar, which has a higher molasses count, but I have not seen that here in Canada.
HOW TO MAKE CINDY'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
They are quite simple to make. I use a cookie scoop to scoop out mine. If you don't have a cookie scoop, then use a spoon to scoop out about 1 1/2 TBS and roll into a ball, placing the balls evenly spaced on the cookie sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and peanut butter until combined and then cream in both sugars.
Beat in the vanilla and egg.
Sift the flour, soda, baking powder and salt together and stir this combination into the creamed mixture until well combined.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie to allow for spreading.
Pop into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set and golden brown on the bottoms.
Leave to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat until you have used up all the cookie dough. Store any baked cookies in an airtight container.
As I said, I like to use a cookie scoop. This is for several reasons. One, it is less messy than using your hands to roll the cookie dough into balls.
Two, you get uniform sized cookies. All of your cookies will be the same size and shape.
There is no need to press these peanut butter cookies down with a fork. They will spread out evenly and perfectly without that extra step and I love the crackle look baking them this way gives to the tops of them.
They are one very attractive cookie.
This is one very delicious peanut butter cookie. Just sweet enough. If you use crunchy peanut butter you will have little bits of peanut in the cookies. I used smooth. My sister used crunchy, I adored them both.
They are crispy edged and chewy middled. In short, they are the perfect peanut butter cookie. I hope you will give them a go!!
PEANUT BUTTER BLONDIES - This is what you get when a dessert bar collides with a jar of peanut butter and a bag of peanuts. Simply scrumptiously addictive. This small batch recipe makes six incredibly moreish cookie bars.
SALTED CARAMEL PEANUT BUTTER SNACK CAKE - Flavored beautifully with peanut butter and brown sugar. The use of buttermilk in the batter makes for an exceptional cake. The brown sugar also adds to the moist crumb. Topped with a gorgeous salted caramel frosting.
Yield: 2 dozen
Cindy's Peanut Butter Cookies (small batch)
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 22 Min
This recipe for peanut butter cookies is one I got from my sister. I small batched it to yield just 24 delicious moreish peanut butter cookies!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter
- 1/2 cup (90g) peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and peanut butter until combined and then cream in both sugars.
- Beat in the vanilla and egg.
- Sift the flour, soda, baking powder and salt together and stir this combination into the creamed mixture until well combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Pop into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set and golden brown on the bottoms.
- Leave to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat until you have used up all the cookie dough.
- Store any baked cookies in an airtight container.
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