Quick and easy soft pretzels

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup warm water
7g packet active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda 

DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise under a tea towel for about 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a bicarb water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda.  After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about a foot and 1/2 long, 1/2 inch or less thick) - I managed to make 12. Stir the bicarb water bath and dip the rope of dough into the soda solution. Shape into a pretzel and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again for another 10 mins. Bake in 200C oven for about 9 minutes or until golden.

As soon as the pretzels come out of the oven I recommend brushing them with melted butter. I then sprinkled on a mixture of castor sugar and cinnamon - yum!

Pretzel shaping technique:

Irresistible Lemon Drizzle Cake

 

Could this be the perfect cake? Sweet, zingy, extremely moist and light as a feather. It's definitely one of my family's favourites. I've just been asked to make one for my father-in-law's birthday - it always goes down a treat.

I found this recipe in my River Cottage Cookbook. It can also be found online: Link to online recipe 

It's a victoria sponge mixture (equal parts butter, sugar and self raising flour with 3 eggs and added finely chopped lemon zest).

Top tips:

1. Make sure you cream the sugar and butter first for about 10 minutes until it's really light, pale and fluffy - this will make the cake really light.

2. Add a spoonful of flour with each egg to stop the mixture from splitting.

3. Spoon the flour into the wet mixture using a metal knife and fold delicately; this will help retain air and keep the cake light and lovely.

After baking in the oven for 45 mins you will need to pierce the entire top of the cake with a skewer (or cocktail stick) and gradually spoon over a mixture of icing sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The first time I did this I thought there was too much syrup and it would be too sweet - this is not the case - the more syrup the better! Take your time and keep spooning it on until it dissolves through the crust of the cake. Just before the syrup dries I like to sprinkle on poppy seeds to make it look even more appetising.

If you take your time, stick to the recipe and use these top tips I promise you will not regret it... Enjoy!

 

Gender-reveal cake

Ok.. I know this is taking it a bit too far but, as a wise woman once said, there's always an excuse for cake!

My friend found out the gender of her baby today after much anxious waiting. We're looking forward to cutting into this cake tomorrow with our work colleagues and sharing the news... will the sponge be blue or pink???

I used a basic victoria sponge recipe and a thick chocolate ganache to coat the cake, ensuring the coloured sponge is carefully hidden beneath.


It's a boy!...
and the cake didn't stick around for long either..

Truly Scrumptious Mini Cornish Pasties
Made a classic beef skirt filling with finely sliced swede, onion and potato (beef skirt is really cheap and makes a lovely gravy when cooked slow). Added a bit of butter and let the ingredients cook down in a pan with LOTS of pepper to make a thick gravy. Cheated with shop bought shortcrust and folded a spoon-full of mixture in each before (carefully) crimping and eggwashing. Took about 20 minutes. I froze this batch and re-heated in the oven - very easy and great idea for party/packed lunches. Yum!

Peanut butter and banana cupcakes

A bit of an experimentation that paid off- mashed banana into a basic cupcake batter and mixed peanut butter into the frosting. Banana + peanut butter + chocolate shavings = winning combo!

I like my peanut butter crunchy and always add a bit more salt when making extra sweet tasting treats for a nice edge to outweigh the super sweetness.

Happy Fathers Day!

Made this for my dad today; it's his all-time-favourite. Slight twist on Hugh FW's 'Pear (or apple) and almond pudding cake'. I caramelise the pears first in soft brown sugar to add a treacly taste and pour the pear flavoured caramel on to the cake before it goes in the oven to add a lovely chewy sweet topping. I also like to sprinkle flaked almonds on top for added crunch. Excellent served warm with cream - we couldn't wait!
Link to Hugh's recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery book

Watch these carefully as they catch easily in the oven. Mixture calls for cream cheese frosting. I don't like to add too much icing sugar or butter - like the tang of the cream cheese next to the sweet sponge flavour. Crumble you worst looking bun over the top to make your buns look extra pretty!

A twist on Nigella's 'prodigious pavlova' with added white chocolate and raspberries - delish!

Can't beat Nigella for a pavlova recipe... they always come out a treat. Excellent with passionfruit or any tart fruit. Always remember to leave the pav in the oven with the door open when cooling down to avoid big cracks.