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Archive for category desserts

Basic Cake Frostings

Nov 2

Posted by the editor in desserts, the recipes | No Comments

frosting

“These frostings make enough to frost 12 cupcakes. To cover a cake (top and sides), double the recipes. They are used in cupcakes and cake recipes throughout the book. Dye the vanilla or Cream Cheese frostings any shade you like with a couple of drops of food colouring mixed in until evenly incorporated. At the Hummingbird, we like our cupcake frostings in pretty candy colours, but you can choose any colour you like.”

Vanilla

  • 250 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 80 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 25 ml whole milk
  • vanilla extract, a couple of drops

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium0slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixture down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Chocolate

  • 300 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 100 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 40 g cocoa powder, sifted
  • 40 ml whole milk

Beat the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Add the milk to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Cream Cheese

  • 300 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 50 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 125 g cream cheese, cold

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Add the cream cheese on one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Do not over beat, as it can quickly become runny.

 

Source : The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook : by Tarek Malouf
Servings/Yield : Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (double the recipe for 20cm cake)

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Dessert

Equipment : Food Processor; Hand Mixer

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Wholemeal Oatmeal Cookies

Sep 3

Posted by the editor in cookies, desserts, the recipes | No Comments

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“These were a huge hit, and came out so moist and chewy that I’ve thrown out all my other cookie recipes”.

  • 227 g butter, Softened
  • 225 g granulated sugar
  • 225 g brown sugar, Packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250 g wholemeal flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1.5 tsp Cinnamon, Ground
  • 3 cups Quick Cooking Oats
  • 200g chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats and chocolate chips if you’re using that option. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar (I personally don’t dip the fork in sugar first).

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes: The Softened Butter is a difficult situation, because I find that when the butter is too soft, the cookies come out very flat and hard. But when it’s too hard it doesn’t mix well. The last time I did this recipe, I cut the block of butter into cubes, and let them sit until i could put a knife into them and they needed a little help slipping off the knife into the batter; too hard and it would be difficult to get them off.

Source : Adapted from Allrecepies.com Soft Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Servings/Yield : 24 Cookies

Difficulty : Easy

Rating : 5 out of 5

Course : Dessert

Preparation Times: Prep: 15 Minutes Cook: 10 Minutes Ready in: 2 Hours Bake: 190 ℃

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Black pepper brownies

Aug 29

Posted by the editor in desserts, the recipes | No Comments

DSCF3043

“Christine McFadden adds spice to these dark, dense and luxurious brownies – the pepper helps to balance their richness”

  • 115 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 200 g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
  • 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 250 g sugar
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp. black peppercorns, freshly ground
  • 150 g plain flour

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4, moving the rack to just below the middle of the oven.

Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment, using enough to hang over the sides.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a heatproof bowl with the butter. Place the bowl over a pan of steaming, but not quite simmering, water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the surface of the water) and stir until the chocolate and butter are melted and well combined. Gradually sprinkle in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, salt and ground pepper until well mixed. Gradually beat in the still-warm chocolate mixture, then stir in the flour, mixing well.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out very slightly sticky – brownies are meant to be gooey in the middle.

Leave the brownies in the tin until completely cool. Lift from the tin using the overhanging baking parchment. Slice into squares and serve.

Notes : For extra texture, stir in 100g chopped walnuts into the brownie mixture.  The brownies will keep for 4-5 days if you wrap them in foil.

We made these in a non stick tefal pot with a removable clamp handle.  The fact that this is a non stick pot didn’t tempt us to bake it without the baking paper, probably because when you take the brownies out with the baking paper and put it in a tin, it adds character to the brownies.  This was a 20cm diameter pot, but you can use a shallower one if you want.  The fact that we used round instead of square, also added to the showmanship of this dessert.

Source : uktv.co.uk : Market Kitchen

Servings/Yield : 20

Difficulty : easy

Course : Dessert

Preparation Times : Prep: 10 Minutes Cook: 45 Minutes

Categories : Baked Goods, Brownies, Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts, Kids

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