Kindly donated by Holly Bell (finalist in The Great British Bake Off 2011). You can read Holly's blog here.
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate (I use 75g per silicone mould, but really it all depends on how large your mould is)
Method
Find a gorgeous mug and teaspoon you plan to give as a gift. Next take the silicone mini cake mould and check it fit into the mug. There can be nothing more disappointing than having a lovely chocolate stick and it not fitting into your hot milk...
- Break the chocolate up into pieces and fill your silicone mould with it until it's almost full, but not with chocolate poking out over the sides.
- Place chocolate filled silicone thing into the microwave on the outside of the spinning plate and cook on high for 40 seconds, but do keep watching it as all microwaves are diferent in power and you don't want to end up with burnt chocolate.
- Open the microwave and have a little poke about with a wooden toothpick. If the chocolate has melted down and left room for more chocolate then add some more and give it another 30 second blast.
- Repeat the last step until the mould is full with about 3mm at the top of the mould free of chocolate.
- Carefully remove the little mould from the microwave - remember it could easily wobble and spill your molten chocolate.
- Leave on a plate, chocolate still in mould, to cool slightly.
- When the chocolate is starting to re-set, pop your teaspoon into the middle of it and leave to fully cool and set at a 90 degree angle - if it's solid enough at this point you won't have ot hold the teaspoon up.
- Pop some little marshmallows onto the top of the almost set chocolate and leave to completely set until rock solid, at room temperature.
- Remove from the silicone mould and wrap in a cellophane type packaging.
- Write a little label with the suggestion that a tired person swirl the chocolate stick in scalding milk until disssolved, and then drink until feeling content and sleepy.
Mini Cocktail Cupcakes
Each recipe makes 30
MOJITO
Cakes
140g caster sugar
40g unsalted butter, softened
140g plain flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon mint, very finely chopped
120ml milk
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 170 C.
Line mini muffin tins with paper cases.
Whisk together the sugar, butter, flour & baking powder until the mixture
is the texture of fine breadcrumbs.
Slowly beat in the mint, milk & egg until the mixture is smooth.
Divide the mixture equally between the cases.
Bake in the centre of the oven for about 12 minutes until well-risen, golden
& springy to touch.
Syrup
100ml Bacardi
30g caster sugar
While the cakes are baking, make the rum syrup.
Bring the Bacardi & sugar to the boil and reduce by about half.
Allow to cool.
Pour over the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven.
Frosting
250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter, softened
zest of 2 limes
splash of Bacardi
splash of milk
mint leaves to decorate
Whisk the icing sugar, butter & lime zest together until light &
fluffy.
Whisk in the rum & milk.
Use a palette knife to cover the cooled cupcakes in the frosting.
Decorate with a mint leaf on each cupcake or some grated lime zest.
STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI
Cakes
140g strawberries, chopped into 30 peieces
140g caster sugar
40g unsalted butter, softened
140g plain flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
zest of 1 lime
120ml milk
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 170 C.
Line mini muffin tins with paper cases.
Put a piece of strawberry in each case.
Whisk together the sugar, butter, flour & baking powder until the mixture
is the texture of fine breadcrumbs.
Slowly beat in the milk & egg until the mixture is smooth.
Divide the mixture equally between the cases.
Bake in the centre of the oven for about 12 minutes until well-risen, golden
& springy to touch.
Syrup
100ml Bacardi
30g caster sugar
While the cakes are baking, make the rum syrup.
Bring the Bacardi & sugar to the boil and reduce by about half.
Allow to cool.
Pour over the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven.
Frosting
250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter, softened
zest of 1 lime
splash of Bacardi
splash of milk
slices of strawberry to decorate
Whisk the icing sugar, butter & lime zest together until light &
fluffy.
Whisk in the rum & milk.
Use a palette knife to cover the cooled cupcakes in the frosting.
Decorate with strawberries.
B52
Cakes
140g caster sugar
40g unsalted butter, softened
140g plain flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon mint, very finely chopped
120ml milk
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 170 C.
Line mini muffin tins with paper cases.
Whisk together the sugar, butter, flour & baking powder until the mixture
is the texture of fine breadcrumbs.
Slowly beat in the mint, milk & egg until the mixture is smooth.
Divide the mixture equally between the cases.
Bake in the centre of the oven for about 12 minutes until well-risen, golden
& springy to touch.
Syrup
100ml Grand Marnier
30g caster sugar
While the cakes are baking, make the rum syrup.
Bring the Bacardi & sugar to the boil and reduce by about half.
Allow to cool.
Pour over the cupcakes as soon as they come out of the oven.
Frosting
250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter, softened
zest of 2 limes
splash of Bacardi
splash of milk
mint leaves to decorate
Whisk the icing sugar, butter & lime zest together until light &
fluffy.
Whisk in the rum & milk.
Use a palette knife to cover the cooled cupcakes in the frosting.
Decorate with a mint leaf on each cupcake or some grated lime
Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
This recipe is kindly donated by Sarah-Jane Willis and Cathryn Dresser who have been such firm favourites on the Great British Bake Off, definitely two absolute darlings that we didn't want to see leave the contest. They are offering their support to Harrison's Cake Time Party along with this recipe. Many thanks from all at Harrison's Fund and sending one of Harrison's biggest smiles.
They have a great blog full of delicious recipes, do take a look here
Ingredients
4 sticks of rhubarb, cut into lengths
2tbsp soft brown sugar
85g soft unsalted butter
85g stork for baking
170g caster sugar
3 eggs
170g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
a splash of milk
Toasted flaked almonds and icing sugar to decorate
2lb Loaf tin, lined with baking paper
Method
Pre heat the oven to 160 ° (fan)
1. Place the rhubarb in the bottom of the tin in a
nice pattern, I did a checker board effect, and sprinkle over the soft brown
sugar.
2. Beat together the butter, stork and sugar until
light and fluffy.
3.In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour,
baking powder and ginger.
4. Add in 1 egg at a time, with 1 tbsp at a time of
the dry ingredients.
5. Fold in the remaining flour and add the milk at
the end.
6. Spoon the mix over the rhubarb and bake in the
pre heated oven for 45 minutes.
7. Turn the cake out onto a plate, sprinkle over
the toasted almonds and dust with icing sugar.
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Portuguese Custard Tarts
These little tarts look far more difficult than they really are and are so worth the effort of making them, no pastry to make and the custard is not difficult! They taste so light with melt in the mouth puff pastry and a delicious custard filling. This recipe is from the Good Food website so do have a look at the assortment of tried and tested recipes that they have available here.
Makes
12
Ingredients
250g golden caster sugar
2 lemon slices
2 cinnamon sticks
250ml semi-skimmed milk
30g plain flour
20g cornflour
few drops vanilla extract
3 egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
3 egg yolks, plus 1 whole egg
375g puff pastry
flour , icing sugar and ground cinnamon, for
dusting
butter , for the muffin tray
- Tip the sugar, lemon and cinnamon into a pan with 125ml water and bring to a boil. Mix the flour, cornflour and vanilla ith a small amount of milk until you have a smooth paste. Bring the rest of the milk to a boil, then pour it onto the flour mixture, whisking continuously. Pour back into a clean pan and bring to a simmer, whisking until the mixture thickens. Remove the cinnamon and lemon then stir both mixtures together and add the eggs, bring back to a simmer and whisk until smooth. Pour into a jug, cover the surface with clingfilm and allow to cool.
- Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and put a baking sheet in the oven for bottom heat. Roll out the puff pastry on a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour and icing sugar. Cut the pastry in half and lay one sheet on top of the other. Roll the pastry sheets up like a Swiss roll and cut the roll into twelve slices about 1 cm - 2cm thick.
- Lay each of the pastry slices flat on the work surface and roll them out into 10cm discs. Press a pastry disc into each of the wells of a buttered muffin tray. Divide the custard between the pastry cases.
- Bake the tarts for 18-20 minutes on the preheated baking sheet, or until the custard has puffed up and is pale golden-brown, and the pastry is crisp and golden-brown. Allow to cool in the tin. Before serving dust with some cinnamon and icing sugar.
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John Whaite's Coffee & Walnut Cake
John Whaite is a contestant on the third series of Great British Bake Off, was the star baker in episode two and is currently in the last five! We are all wishing him good luck for the last few rounds.
You can follow him on Twitter @JohnWhaiteBakes and do take a look at John Whaite's blog
Sometimes coffee
alone isn’t quite enough to give us that ‘pick me up’ in the afternoon when we
often get fatigued from the day’s slog. Panic not, with your coffee you can
indulge in a slice of this cake. That having been said, it does contain quite a
bit of coffee in its own right, so best not to give it to hyperactive children.
You could, though, just use decaffeinated coffee.
Ingredients
225g butter, softened
225g golden caster sugar
4 large, free range, organic eggs
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g chopped walnuts
2 tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 tbsp whole milk
(for the
buttercream)
140g butter, softened
500g icing sugar
2 tbsp instant coffee granules,
dissolved in 2 tbsp milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C). Grease 2 x 22cm cake tins, and line the bases with baking paper.
- Place all of the ingredients for the cake into a large mixing bowl and mix together until you have a smooth cake batter. This is why it is vital that the butter is soft; to help it mix.
- Divide the mixture betwe en the two tins (I weigh it to ensure it is even) and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out completely clean. Cool the cakes on a cooling rack until completely cool.
- For the buttercream, in a large mixing bowl place the butter and icing sugar. Using your hand (the warmth will help the process) squeeze the icing sugar into the butter until it is well incorporated and crummy. You should be able to squeeze clumps together. When you have reached this stage, add the milk (into which you have already dissolved the coffee) and mix well, using a wooden spoon, into a smooth, creamy buttercream. Ensure it is well beaten, and that there remain no clumps of buttery sugar.
- To ice the cake, place one of the halves top down on a cake stand and spread 1 third of the buttercream right to the edges. Place the other cake on top, so that the cakes are base-to-base, and spread the remaining buttercream over the top and down the sides. Decorate with any pattern you see fit. I like to add whole walnuts and coffee beans.
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Danny Bryden, or now known as Danny the Baker, at the time of writing, one of the last 5 contestants on the Great British Bake Off kindly donated this recipe and another that I will add shortly. Wishing her luck, inspiration and no 'soggy bottoms' for the final contest weeks!
These delicious brownies can also be made with ordinary flour if preferred and works equally well but it is great to have a recipe that will cater for those who need to limit or exclude the gluten in their diet.
Danny has lots of other recipes and insight into their development on her blog Baking As Therapy Do take a look, and don't forget to also read her About This Blog pageIngredients
100g figs
1 tablespoon Amaretto
300g golden caster sugar
250g salted butter
250g chocolate (100g Maya Gold and 150 g plain 50-55% cocoa solids)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise full fat or 1 egg yolk
60g plain flour (I use Doves Farm gluten free bread flour)
60g cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon orange extract
23cm square cake tin
Set oven at 180 degrees C (160 degrees fan), Gas 4
Makes 12
Method
- Grease and line the bottom of the cake tin with baking parchment.
- Cut the figs into small pieces about 1cm square. Leave to soak in the Amaretto.
- Chop the Maya Gold and 100g of chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Chop the remaining 50g chocolate into small rough pieces.
- Put the sugar and butter in a food mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat the eggs and mayonnaise lightly together in a small bowl.
- Sift together the flour, coca and baking powder.
- Add the egg and mayonnaise mixture slowly to the sugar and butter mixture, still beating.
- When all is mixed in, fold in the flour and cocoa mixture using a metal spoon. When almost completely folded in, add the figs,orange zest and orange extract.
- Spoon into the cake tin and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes. The mixture should be sticky in the middle but not raw and look softer in the middle than at the edges. If the brownie is not cooked return to the oven for 3-5 minutes.
- Leave to cool and get solid before cutting into squares.
- Enjoy!
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Natasha's Lemon, Passion fruit and Elderflower Cake
Natasha was a finalist in this year's Great British Bake Off and this recipe is an absolute stunner! Her blog contains lots more lovely recipes Tasha's Temptations
12oz of self raising flour
12oz of castor sugar
12oz of stork margarine ( I find gives better results In a plain sponge then butter )
6 medium eggs
2 tsp of baking powder
1tbsp of vanilla essence
6 tbsp of cold water
Method
•Cream together the stork and sugar until light and fluffy
•add the beaten eggs
•now add the sifted flour and baking powder and whisk/beat until light and fluffy.
•divide the mix between 3 x greased 9 inch sandwich tins.
• bake in a preheated oven at 180c for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Ingredients - The cake fillings
1/2 of a jar of lemon curd.
2oz of clear jam (e.g apricot) or shred less marmalade.
3 passion fruits.
5oz of unsalted butter.
10oz of icing sugar.
2 tbsp of milk.
A few drops of vanilla essence.
Method
•butter cream - cream the softened butter, vanilla essence, milk and icing sugar until light and fluffy
•passion fruit jam - take your clear jam then add the pulp and seeds of the 3 passion fruit, gently simmer together for 2 minutes, voila- there you have passion fruit jam.
•sandwich the 1st and 2nd layers of sponge together with the lemon curd, then add the passion fruit jam, then the buttercream to the top of the 2nd sponge. Finally top with the third sponge.
Ingredients - The cream cheese frosting
2 x 150g tubs of full fat cream cheese ( I use supermarket own brand as it keeps the cost down).
I small tub of mascarpone cheese.
100ml of elderflower cordial.
Method
Whisk together the soft cheeses and the elderflower cordial.
Use this to cover your sponge, this is the chance to use you imagination you can spread the frosting or pipe it on !
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Beeny's Brownies
This is the recipe with which Sarah Beeny beat Gordon
Ramsey on 'The F Word'.
100g melted butter
250g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
100g plain flour
5 tbl cocoa Makes 8
Method
Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease and line an 8 inch springform cake tin with a loose base (or a 1lb loaf tin).
Stir flour and cocoa into a bowl and add the sugar.
Beat the eggs and then add to the mixture
Stir in the melted butter and then pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes and leave to cool in the tin.
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Nati's Really Hard Rock CakesNatalie is one of Harrison's cousins - her husband Ben is part of the Fat Boy Swim team
Ingredients
230g self-raising floura pinch of salt
1/2 level tsp of mixed spice
1/2 level tsp of ground nutmeg
55g sugar
55g dried fruit
55g butter
15g mixed peel
1 beaten egg
a splash of milk Makes 8
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C
- Grease a baking tray.
- Rub the butter into the flour, salt and spices until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the sugar
- Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the beaten egg
- Stir in the dried fruit & mixed peel
- If the mixture is still stiff, stir in a splash of milk
- Spoon the mixture into small uneven piles on the tray
- Bake towards the top of the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden
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