Scrumptious Baked Alaska!!

 

Ingredients

Sponge Base:

50g Self Raising Flour
50g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
Pinch of Salt

Filling:

1 litre block Ice Cream

Meringue Topping:

2 Egg Whites
75g Caster Sugar
1 tablepoon Granulated Sugar

Method

Pre-heat oven to 200°C/Gas 6. 
Lightly grease a 20 – 23cm (8”or 9”) sandwich tin.
Make sponge base by beating the eggs, sugar and pinch of salt and the 2 egg yolks until thick and creamy.
Fold in the flour using a metal spoon.
Transfer to prepared tin and bake for approx. 10 minutes until well risen and golden brown.  
Cool on a wire tray.
When cold, place sponge on ovenproof dish.
Make meringue by beating egg whites(leftover from the egg yolks) and caster sugar together until thick and shiny.
Place ice cream on centre of sponge, swirl the meringue topping over the ice cream making sure it is well sealed.
Shake granulated sugar over the meringue and place in a hot oven for 3 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.
Serve immediately with fresh fruit.

Hints and tips!!

Be sure the meringue is evenly spread to cover the outside of the ice cream for a snowy mountain look.

A few more blogs i like

Another few  pages/blogs I like:
http://joythebaker.com/
http://yumblog.co.uk/
http://cleananddelicious.com/
http://www.simplyrecipes.com//

New Fav Cookery Blog

My new favourite blog is here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Do check it out!

Rocky Road Tutorial

I think this video is amazing have a look!!

Delicious Banana Bread

Ingredients

225g Plain Flour

1 Level Teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Bread Soda

150g Caster Sugar

50g Butter

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence

2 Ripe Bananas (mashed)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4, 

Lightly grease and base line a 2lb loaf tin.

Put sugar, butter and eggs into a bowl and beat until creamy.

Add the bananas and vanilla essence and beat on low speed.

Sieve the flour, cinnamon and soda into the mixture and stir until mixed.

Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes until risen and golden brown or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool in tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire tray to get cold.

Delicious served with butter!

Hints and Tips

I found this recepie to be quite dry so i added a few tablespoons of milk to moisten it.

I also added some chopped nuts and sprinkled then on top to add texture.

Black Forest Gateaux Tutorial

 Found this on you tube and I think it is great so see what you reckon.

Scrumptious Bread and Butter Pudding

I

Ingredients

8 -10 Slices White Bread (crusts removed) 

Butter

450ml  Milk

 2 Eggs

 50g Caster Sugar 

50g  Sultanas

Ground Nutmeg

Method

Butter each slice of bread and cut into fingers or triangles.Grease or butter a shallow ovenproof dish.
Arrange a layer of the bread, buttered side down on the base of the dish.Sprinkle some of the sultanas on the bread and dust with a little ground nutmeg.Cover with another layer of bread, sultanas and nutmeg.Finish with a layer of bread, buttered side up.Beat eggs, milk and sugar together and gently pour over the bread layers.Allow to stand for about 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a pre-heated oven 180°C/ 350°F/ Gas 4 for about 30 minutesuntil risen and “set”.Serve immediately with cream or custard.

Hints and Tips!!

Alternatives to sultanas and nutmeg:

Fresh cherries, sliced peaches, sliced apricots, raspberries or blackberries.
For a quick bread and butter pudding for children who will not eat sultanas ,you could ad some chocolate chips or other fruits.

Delicious Rocky Road Ideal with a cup of tea

 

 

I was making this rocky road for a school bake sale then I realised how nice it was so I made another one hope you like it.

 

Ingredients:

125g Butter
150g Plain Chocolate
125g Digestive Biscuits (roughly broken)
125g Marshmallows

Method:

Line a 7" square tin with cling film.
Melt the butter and chocolate over a low heat.
Stir occasionally to make sure all ingredients are well mixed.
Add the biscuits and marshmallows.
Mix well
Transfer to prepared tin.
Level it on top and press down well.
Allow to get hard before cutting.
Store in a fridge.

Hints and Tips!!

Remember  that rocky road is good broken into chunks and doesn't have to be cut into perfect shapes unless you really want to.
Always take care not to let water mix with chocolate when melting it. Water will ruin chocolate on contact.
You can add nuts,maltesers,crunchie or anything else you wish to add.

 

Yummy Black forest Gateaux. Ideal for Birthday celebration or as a special treat for dessert

 

Yummy Black Forest Gateaux

Ingredients:

 For the cake mixture

150g/200g  Flour
200g Chocolate
2 Tablespoons of milk
200g  Margarine
200g  Caster sugar
3 Large eggs

For the Filling & Decoration

300ml Whipped cream
50g Icing sugar
1 Large tin black cherries
125g Grated chocolate or curls/sprinkles

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6.

Place the chocolate and milk in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. 

Stir until the chocolate has melted. 

Remove the bowl from the heat and beat in the margarine, then the caster sugar. Beat in for 3-4 minutes by hand or use an electric beater.

Separate the eggs.

Fold in the flour and add the egg yolks one at a time. 

Stiffly beat the egg whites and fold into the cake mixture. 

Divide the mixture evenly between the sandwich tines.

Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. 

Turn onto a wire tray to cool.

Mix the whipped cream and icing sugar together.

Spread between the two sandwich sponges and spread over the top of the cake 

Decorate with cherries and chocolate as desired

Enjoy !!!!

Hints and tips

When I was making this cake I using this recepie I found it that the mixture was a little too wet for my liking so I added 200g of flour instead of the recepies 150g .

Also I would advise you use a good quality chocolate like 72% cocoa solids for a richer taste.