Carrot, Orange, & Walnut Muffins

These not so tiny morsels of deliciousness are inspired by the recent Carrot & Orange Cake I baked.  Whilst the cake was absolutely superb, it was quite awkward to store (my storage boxes are the wrong size for the dimensions pre-slicing).  So, my answer to the storage issue is not to buy yet another storage box (you can have too many!), but make the recipe into muffins which will store perfectly in all my boxes!  They are simply more convenient to store and to transport too.

The carrot is not detectable in taste (for those of you who still have yet to be convinced that carrot cake is actually a sweet thing and not a savoury thing!), but does add to the moistness of the cake.  The cake is super fluffy, slightly spicy with ground cinnamon, and the combination of orange zest and walnuts adds a lot more depth of flavour than muffins/cakes without  these tasty ingredients.  The topping combination of cream cheese (low fat is fine, and is what I use), with orange zest, sweetened with icing sugar (but not overly sweet) perfectly compliments the flavours in the actual cake.  Top off with chopped walnuts to decorate! Perfect.

The recipe is exactly the same as the Carrot & Orange cake except obviously it is baked in 12 muffin cases, on 160 C Fan, for approx 20 mins (but do test with a wooden skewer to see if sufficiently baked through).

There is still the orange glaze on top immediately after they emerge from the oven; and there is still the cream cheese topping when they have totally cooled.

One word really sums up these beauties: Delicious!!

Excellent news !!

Following a recent inspection by the Food Standards Agency...The Cakes & Bakes Den is delighted to announce that the following certification has been achieved :

This of course means that our customers can now purchase from The Cakes & Bakes Den with every confidence, in the secure knowledge that we use only the best ingredients; produce delicious cakes, bakes and other delights; and that only the highest food hygiene standards are observed.

There is nothing quite the like the smell of home baked bread

Delicious and fresh from the oven...

Carrot & Orange Cake

I first made a carrot cake many years ago, I think it had just made an appearance in the UK and was

catching on as the latest trendy edible to arrive here from across the pond!  I wasn't too thrilled with the result to be honest, and nor am I greatly enamoured with the many versions of carrot cake on offer in cafes.  Maybe it is the idea of there being carrots in a cake, which puts me off slightly; but it certainly wouldn't have been my first choice of cake to have with tea or coffee.

However, my husband has a penchant for carrot cake; it must fulfill one criteria, and that is it must be moist !  If it isn't moist then back it goes to the counter whence it came...he is unable to eat anything less than a moist carrot cake! :)

So, I have set about seeking and perfecting a recipe that gives a moist carrot cake.  I also wanted it to be slightly different to the more commonly available carrot cakes.  I didn't really want it to taste of spices such as nutmeg and ginger, although I did want a note or two of cinnamon to permeate through.  I wanted to add a different texture to the structural element, and opted for chopped walnuts, and added wholemeal flour as well as ordinary flour.  I didn't want it to be too rough and firm in texture, so I think combining both flours allows a nice, softer, yet slight firmness to the crumb.

I also wanted to add orange, not just the zest, which appears in numerous carrot cake recipes, but I wanted to incorporate the juice.  However, adding the juice to what is almost an exceptionally moist cake (the carrots give a lot moisture) would be too much for the cake to withstand.  So, I added an orange glaze to the baked cake; and just to be absolutely sure of a serious orangey flavour, I added orange essence to the frosting.  Result: a delicious, very delicious! MOIST, extremely tasty, carrot and orange cake.  The frosting adds a new depth of flavour,and is a perfect foil to the cake, in that it enhances the carrot, orangey, nuttyness!

You will need:

• 175 g light muscovado sugar
• 150 ml sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 160 g (fine to medium) grated carrot (approx 3 medium carrots)
• Grated zest of 1 large orange
• 100 g wholemeal self-raising flour
• 75 g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  (freshly ground cinnamon is best)
• 40 g chopped walnuts

For the Orange Glaze:

• Juice of 1 large orange
• 2 tablespoons of caster sugar

For the Frosting:

• 200 g cream cheese (low fat is better)
• Icing sugar to taste (I have left the quantity for you to decide, some like it sweet, some prefer, like me, not so sweet)
• 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom essence
• chopped walnuts to sprinkle over the top

Method:

1.  Heat oven to 160 C (Fan).  Put sugar, oil and eggs into a large bowl, and lightly mix with a wooden spoon

2.  Stir in carrots, orange zest, and nuts

3.  Mix flours, bicarbonate of soda, and cinnamon together, then sift into bowl and lightly mix.  Stop mixing when everything is combined

4.  Pour mixture into prepared tin (18 cm square loose bottomed, greased and lined with baking parchment)

5.  Bake for 45 mins, and a wooden skewer comes out clean

6.  Squeeze the juice of the orange into a pan (sieve to remove all that isn't juice), and add sugar, and heat slowly until sugar has dissolved.  As soon as cake is ready, brush the glaze all over the top of the cake and allow to soak in.  Leave cake to cool completely, then remove from tin.

7.  Mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar, and orange blossom essence.  Add more icing sugar if you prefer it sweeter.

8.  Spread the frosting all over the top of the cake, and swirl it a knife.  Add chopped walnuts to decorate.

Enjoy!

P.S.  since publishing the recipe on the Blog, the BBC Good Food web site has published my recipe.  YOu can see it here http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3104677/carrot-and-orange-cake-

Baileys & Vanilla Ice Cream - Delicious!!

The container on the left is 1 litre, and the container on the right is  800 ml

4 medium eggs - separated
100g caster sugar (white or golden, but I use golden)
300 mls double cream - you can use the lower fat variety by Elmlea (Delight) for a healthier version ;)
The seeds from a vanilla pod
2 tablespoons of Baileys Liqueur

1.  Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form when whisk is removed (remember to first clean your bowl with fresh lemon juice to remove any traces of fat/grease)
2.  Slowly whisk in the caster sugar, then continue to whisk until egg whites are stiff and glossy
3.  Whisk cream and vanilla pod seeds in a separate bowl until soft peaks form when whisk is removed (it is crucial to overall consistency that the cream is not overbeaten, stop before the cream is too firm)
4.  Fold the cream, egg yolks and Baileys Liqueur into meringue mixture until well combined (fold using a figure of 8 movement)
5.  Pour into a plastic container*, put lid on container, and freeze.  It will take at least 2 hours to fully set, but remember to stir it up, scraping in the frozen edges into the softer centre every 30 mins or so.

WARNING:  you may not buy factory-made ice-cream again after making this!!

* as you can see from the top photo, I have filled a 1 litre container to the brim, and not quite filled to the brim an 800 ml container

Creamy, smooth and very, very delicious Baileys & vanilla Ice Cream!

Chocolate Muffins with Mars Bar Pieces

Makes 12 good sized muffins

250g self raising flour
25g cocoa powder (Green & Black's is a good quality cocoa for all chocolate baking!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
175g golden caster sugar
175 ml milk
2 medium eggs (beaten)
100ml sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (not essence)
2 Mars bars cut into small pieces (you can also add a square of any other chocolate you have or prefer)


1.  Heat oven to 170 c (375 F or Gas 5)
2.  Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin paper cases
3.  Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder
4.  Stir in sugar, then add remaining ingredients and lightly mix together (by hand)
5.  Spoon mixture into prepared paper cases, and then push a few pieces of Mars Bar deep into each case (the Mars Bar does tend to bubble to surface and overflow slightly, so pushing it well down into case should limit the amount of overflow!)
6.  Bake for approx 20 mins (don't be tempted to open over door before 20 mins)
7.  When they have risen, spring back to the light touch, remove and allow to cool for 10 mins before removing from tin
8. These are great as muffins, but also served with custard or ice-cream as a dessert. If using as a dessert you can reheat in microwave for about 15-17 seconds
9.  These will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Homemade lasagne

I'm sure most folk make their own Lasagne, as they do Spag Bol !  I must say though, I prefer Lasagne to Spag Bol, the flavour and texture have a greater depth, and it feels more substantial in a special way, than a bowl of Spaghetti Bolognese! As with most cooking and baking, though, I am sure this a highly subjective area to debate :)  If you want to recreate my version of Lasagne you will need:

• 500 g of minced beef (the better the quality, the better the results will be) 
• 1 medium onion - chopped into small pieces
• 10 (approx) medium mushrooms - halved and sliced 
• 2 garlic cloves - crushed
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 2 cans of plum tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons of red wine
• a good turn of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of dried basil
• 1 jar of white Lasagne sauce, or same quantity of home made bechamel sauce
• 9 Lasagne sheets (your Lasagne dish should be roughly the same size as 3 Lasagne sheets laid side by side)
• 150 g  mozzarella (grated)
• Parmesan cheese (a few teaspoons sprinkled over the top)

Method:

1.  Brown minced beef in a large frying pan, no need to add any oil, but do keep stir the minced beef to break it up

2.  Add chopped onion to minced beef, and stir this in, put lid on pan, and cook on medium heat until onion is soft

3. Add mushrooms, stir well to combine, and add garlic, tomato puree, 2 cans of tomatoes (stir tomatoes in well and try to break them up into the minced beef etc), and wine

4.  Bring to the boil, then add black pepper, basil, sugar.  At this point if it's looking like it needs more liquid, add some boiled water from kettle (or pour some into one of the tomato cans and swish around to gather up remnants of tomato, and add this to pan)

5.  Turn off heat, and begin to assemble the lasagne by  first spooning in a sufficient quantity of the meat sauce to cover (but not to deeply) the bottom of your lasagne dish

6.  Put a layer of lasagne sheets on top of the meat sauce (3 sheets side by side)

7.  Spoon a layer of white sauce over the lasagne sheets (not too deeply just enough to cover them and spread over them)

8.  Repeat steps 5, 6, & 7 twice more, resulting in 3 layers of each of the meat sauce, lasagne sheets, and white sauce

9.  Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper over the white sauce topping

10.  Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top to ensure a good coverage

11.  Sprinkle a small quantity of dried basil over the top, and finally some Parmesan cheese grated finely over the top

12.  Stand lasagne dish onto a baking tray (in case it bubbles over) and place on top shelf of oven on 180 C (fan) for 40 minutes.  It should be a deep golden brown and beginning to form a crust on top (see photo).

13.  This should give you 6 decent sized portions; eat immediately or leave to cool, and slice into 6 portions, and when ready to eat, you can microwave each portion (in a dish covered in cling film) for approx 3 minutes.  Store any remaining portions in fridge, covered, but eat within 2 days.

In search of the perfect Fairy Cake!

The title is not as crazy as you might first think; I have scanned my recipe books, and just about every recipe online for these little cakes, and the variation is immense!  Not only are the ingredients, and the quantities (even though most recipes are for 12 cakes) different across my research; but also the method differs, oven temperature, and cooking time!

There is a bit of background to my search...I will admit here and now that I am not a huge cupcake fan.  Well, that's not exactly true, I do like a good cupcake, and by good, I mean a tasty cake, and not just a foundation on which to build copious amounts of overly sweet, and in some instances, garishly coloured buttercream frosting.  Apparently, we have our American cousins to thank for this very popular trend, according to my research!!

The thing I do not like about cupcakes is the frosting;  and will actively remove it from the cake.  Now, I totally understand that this practice will not be shared by everyone, and I may well stand alone on this view, especially among other females!  But I would like to see a growing trend towards the actual cake part of the cupcake, and efforts to make it as good as it can be, and tasty too!  Too many are just too dry, fairly tasteless, and are completely overwhelmed by the over-the-top adornment of oh so sweet frosting.

Incidentally,  cupcakes are so called because once upon a time (in USA) cakes were made in coffee cups; why this was I don't yet know, but I will delve deeper to find out more about the origins of cupcakes, and why they require so much decoration for such a relatively small cake!

Anyway, I digress...my search for the perfect Fairy Cake continues!  Mary Berry advocates the all-in-one method which surely seems to defy the laws of science surrounding the art, or science, of baking!  I simply don't understand how the creaming method is strongly put forward in most cake recipes, yet it seems suddenly acceptable to dump all the ingredients into your mixing bowl for delicate and light Fairy Cakes!  Or am I simply being a purist?

Other methods do say to cream the butter and sugar together first, then slowly add the beaten eggs (with a little flour to begin with to prevent curdling), then gently folding in the remaining flour in order not to build up the gluten in the flour by over-beating at this stage.

There are recipes that say include baking powder, and recipes that say not to.  Some add vanilla extract, others do not.  Some say ONLY butter to be used, others say margarine.  So, no wonder we mere mortals who dabble on an amateur level into the world and its mysteries of baking get so confused!

Trying to be as objective as I can be, and in the spirit of objective scientific research, I have tried the all-in-one method as advocated by the Great baking Queen herself, and the cakes were passable.  They did have rise to them, and fairly light if somewhat dry-ish texture.  However I have to say they did taste as though something was missing from them (probably air!!).

I have tried recipes were the specific measurements for every ingredient has been given (i.e 100g of butter, 100g sugar, 100g self-raising flour, 2 eggs), and again they were passable.  Remarkably, they did have a much better aroma whilst baking.

Having made sponge cakes of the larger variety using the weight of the eggs (minus their shells) to determine the weight of the remaining ingredients, I decided to give this a try today to make today;s batch of Fairy Cakes.  The results were much lighter and indeed more airy.  I think, just how a Fairy Cake should be (which is why they are so-named...surely?).

I wanted a very understated and simple (and not too sweet) topping for my Fairy Cakes, so went with a simple glace icing...I did have an urge for a bit of experimentation and decided to add a drop (and I mean 1 tiny single pin head drop) of green food colouring to the icing mix, which gave a very pale pastel green hue.  very understated !  Just enough to make them interesting without being the central focus of attention (and taste).

You will need:

• 2 eggs (I used medium) beaten(weigh them and write the weight down so you don't forget, as all other ingredients will need to weigh the same as the eggs)
• Butter (or margarine, I used Utterly Butterly) - same weight as eggs
• caster sugar - same weight as eggs
• self-raising flour - same weight as eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder (added to flour)

Method:

1.  Cream together the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy.  When you think it is beaten enough, beat for 5 minutes more!

2.  Add a tablespoon of beaten egg together with a tablespoon of flour, and mix in thoroughly before adding more egg.  If it looks like it may be curdling add a bit more of the flour

3.  When all egg has been beaten into butter and sugar, gently fold in flour, do not beat at this stage as you do not want to knock the air out of the batter

4.  When the mixture is smooth spoon it into your cake cases (12) which need to be placed in a 12 hole bun tin 

5.  Bake at 170 C (Fan) for 15-19 mins or until golden and springy to the touch

6.  Remove from oven and allow to cool, then decorate

French-style chicken

This dish is so very tasty, and makes a very special plate of food, but can also satisfy weekday meals as well as it can for special dinner parties!  For special occasions you can add some extravagant vegetables to serve with the chicken; for my weekday meal however, I served it with roasted carrots and new potatoes.  I could easily imagine a Cheffy-style pureed celeriac dashed in a designer fashion on the plate, with some baby vegetables to enhance the appearance of this dish.  The sauce is very tasty, and quite a dark colour (getting the colour from the de-glaze of the pan, this is good, so don't discard any of that crucial flavouring before you de-glaze.

The recipe below was sufficient for 3 persons, if you are cooking for more than 3 please adjust the quantities accordingly.

You will need:

• 3 fairly large chicken breasts(skinless and boneless), each one cut from one side through to just about the other, but not quite through to the other side, and open it like a book, or like a butterfly!
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 6 mushrooms sliced (I used chestnut for their dark and earthy flavour)
• A little olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons of creme fraiche
• a couple of turns of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 crushed garlic clove

For the sauce:

• 75 ml vermouth (or good quality white wine, or Noilly Prat)
• 60 ml chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon creme fraiche
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• half teaspoon of tarragon (dried is best)
• half a teaspoon of honey
• half a clove of crushed garlic
• half a turn of freshly ground black pepper
• a sprinkle of flour to thicken

Method for chicken:

1.  Cover the chicken breasts with cling film, and pound with a rolling pin to flatten slightly, taking care not to over-pound as they may break up, and you need them in one piece so that they can be rolled up

2.  In a saute pan, saute the sliced leeks and sliced mushrooms in the olive oil, until softened and the moisture has all but disappeared

3.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the mushrooms and leeks, and heat through, and stir to combine

4.  Pour the mixture into a food processor until smooth

5.  Spread the smooth leek and mushroom mixture over the surface of each chicken breast (you may have some left over.  If you have ensured you have not touched the leek and mushroom mixture with any utensil that has touched the raw chicken, then you could store the surplus in a container in the fridge for a couple of days.  This could be used to top jacket potatoes!)

6.  Carefully roll up each chicken breast with the mixture spread evenly, but thinly over the surface.  Once you have a tight roll (or as tight as possible without forcing the leek and mushroom mixture out of the ends), tie each roll with kitchen string to secure the roll whilst cooking

7.  Using the same pan you used for sauteeing the leeks and mushrooms, put each rolled chicken breast into the pan which should be hot with a little olive oil added to help brown the chicken breast rolls to a golden colour, turn frequently

8.  Once you have achieved a good colour all over each roll of chicken breast, remove from the pan (and remove pan from heat, but keep as you need the caramalised juices to make the sauce), and place the rolls onto a baking tray cover in foil and place in oven (180 C Fan) for approx 10 minutes whilst you make the sauce

Method for sauce:

1.  Pour the vermouth into the sautee pan, and over a moderate heat, stir the caramalised chicken bits from the bottom of the pan into the vermouth, it should now be changing colour to a rich dark gravy, although this will depend on how long you panfried the chicken for, and the depth of colour you achieved on the surface of the chicken; but remember that this is where the flavour will be packed into your sauce so do try to achieve a good colour on your chicken, which in turns leave a good colour on the bottom of your pan!

2.  Once the bottom of the pan is clean and smooth, and the sauce looks dark with bits of chicken mixed in, add the chicken stock and bring to boil, then turn down heat to a simmer

3.  In a small bowl or ramekin, mix together the creme fraiche, Dijon mustard, black pepper, garlic to a smooth paste, add a little of the heated vermouth and chicken stock to the ramekin and stir this in well into creme fraiche mixture, add this then to the pan of vermouth and chicken stock, mix well to combine

4.  Brink this to a boil, then reduce heat to a mild simmer, if the sauce is a little think and not really coating the back of a teaspoon, add a sprinkle of flour to help thicken slightly, but not too thick.

5.  Add the tarragon and honey, taste to see if the balance between sweet (from honey) and the savoury element is right, adjust as necessary

6.  Remove chicken from oven, remove string, and slice the chicken into thick slices onto a serving plate, and spoon the sauce over the top of the chicken, add the vegetable of your choice, and serve!

Photo's to follow!

The Cakes and Bakes Den: Cupcake baking frenzy!

The Cakes and Bakes Den: Cupcake baking frenzy!: My son announced on Friday he needed enough cakes for his entire office to be taken in the following Monday! His 'treat' because ...

Extremely tasty pasta dish...

This pasta dish is so delicious and versatile, it can make great tea time treat, a special supper, or very desirable dinner party dish! It is creamy and garlicky, with the tender crunch of fresh vegetables (the nutty flavour of just beginning to soften cauliflower and broccoli).

With the exception of the pasta, it's an all-in-one-pan meal, and can be reheated* (if you have any left over) the next day.

I tend to use the same vegetables each time I make this, however I do tend to vary the protein element, often choosing between tasty prosciutto ham, or smoked salmon or poached salmon with some very nice prawns. However, you could add any protein you wish, and indeed any vegetables you wish, having a sort of variation on a theme!  The recipe below gives 2 decent portions with a smaller amount left over for a quick lunch for one the next day!  Serve with pasta (fusilli or conchiglie) and hot garlic bread!

*I would not recommend you reheat this dish if you use shellfish or chicken

You will need:

• 2 leeks, halved lengthways, and thinly sliced widthways
• Approx 8-10 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 courgette, medium slices or strips
• Approx 5 florets of broccoli (try to seperate into smaller florets)
• Approx 5 florets of cauliflower (try to seperate into smaller florets)
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• Approx 5 tablespoons of creme fraiche
• a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
• A sprinkle of flour
•  2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• A small amount of single cream or milk
• Small amount of olive oil
• Prosciutto ham trimmed of all fat, and cut into strips (or your preferred protein element) 
• A sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional) 

Method:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large sautee pan (with lid) and add all vegetables

Click on photo for a larger image and you can see the vegetables more easily!

2.  Stir occasionally, and sautee (without burning) until beginning to soften

3.  As soon as vegetables are beginning to soften, spoon the creme fraiche into a jug, and add mustard, black pepper, and garlic.  Mix these ingredients together, and add a little milk to make the sauce into a more pouring consistency

4.  Sprinkle a little flour over the softened vegetables and stir this in.

5.  Add the Prosciutto ham (add it in individual strips laid over the top of the vegetables as it has a habit of sticking together into a clump which is then difficult to separate)

the Prosciutto Ham before it is trimmed of its' fat, and cut into strips

6.  Add the sauce mixture and stir well to combine all ingredients

7.  Add the Parmesan cheese if using

8.  Add a few tablespoons of water from the cooking pasta to the sauce to make it more fluid, but it also has a thickening effect too, and gives the sauce a more coating consistency

9. Serve immediately with pasta (you can add a few spoonfuls of the cooked pasta to the pan if you wish), and garlic bread.

Enjoy!

The simple things in life...

It is often said that the simple things in life are the best!  Well, I am inclined to agree...I have just made a batch of  extremely simple fairy cakes and the aroma in the kitchen and emanating around the house is delectable.  I added the zest of an orange to the cake batter, and the juice of half an orange to the buttercream (just to be a little different) and this adds another level to the beautiful smell.

I was going to top them with some equally simple icing, but decided on a buttercream so that I can use my new Wilton 1M nozzle to practice larger swirls.  These are the sort of cakes found at any self-respecting kids' party; and the sort of recipe mums can happily make with eager children, and let them go wild with the decorations such as Jelly Tots, Dolly Mixtures, Hundreds & Thousands (Sprinkles), or whatever else takes their fancy!

You will need:

• 100g butter (or Utterly Butterly as I used)
• 100g caster sugar (golden)
• 100g self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 medium eggs beaten
• Optional: zest of 1 orange (or you could use lemon if you wish)

Method:

1.  Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and pale in colour

2.  Add beaten eggs a little a time so as not to curdle the batter

3.  Stir in (with a spoon) the flour and baking powder, and add zest

4.  Spoon into 12 cake cases that are placed inside a 12 hole cake tin

5.  Bake on 180 C Fan for 15 mins until a light golden colour and slightly firm to the touch

6.  Remove them from oven, and allow to cool before decorating

For the buttercream frosting:

• 100g of Butter (or again, Utterly Butterly )
• 225g icing sugar
• juice of half an orange (or lemon if you used lemon zest)
• Sprinkle with your chosen decoration and eat!  These cakes don't keep too long and are at their best eaten the same day as baking

p.s. I need to add that if the buttercream is a little too sloppy, add more icing sugar until you reach the firmness you desire.  The addition of the oranage juice and/or the use of Utterly Butterly do make the buttercream less firm