Bread
A brilliant book that we recommend if you fancy taking up baking bread as a hobby. There are a few favourites of ours already.
The recipes are easy to follow and if you have a mixer all the better (it takes a lot of the hard work out of it). The end results are amazing!
Sticky Toffee Pudding
85g sugared, stoned chopped dates
85g light soft brown sugar
45g unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
115g plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tbsp vanilla extract
for the toffee sauce:
150g demerara sugar
85g unsalted butter, softened
4tbsp double cream
1. Preheat the oven to 180c/gas 4. Butter a 16x12cm ovenproof dish.
2. Put the dates into a bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover them.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together the soft brown sugar and the butter. Beat the egg into the creamed mixture with some of the flour before adding the rest of the flour.
4. Add the bicarbonate of soda and vanilla extract to the dates and then stir into the creamed mixture until well mixed. Pour into the ovenproof dish and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until well risen.
5. Make the toffee sauce, put the demerara sugar, butter and cream into a suacepan and heat gently. Let simmer for 3 minutes.
Served the pudding warm with the hot sauce poured over the top and homemade vanilla ice cream.
Nut and Fruit Biscotti
250g plain flour
250g caster sugar
1tbsp espresso powder
½ tbsp baking powder
3 med eggs, lightly beaten
zest I lemon
100g almonds
100g hazelnuts
100g pistachios
100g sultanas
100g dried apricots, sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 180c/gas 4. Mix the flour, sugar, espresso and baking powder in a large bowl. Add half the eggs and the lemon zest and mix well.
2. Gently mix in the remaining eggs, add the nuts and dried fruit and mix well (the dough will be very sticky, so it may be easier to turn out and kneed it on a lightly floured surface using lightly greased hands).
3. Divide into 6 equal pieces and, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into chunky sausage shapes about 3cm in diameter. Place them on baking paper-lined baking trays, at least 6cm apart.
4. Lightly flatten the pieces and bake until golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 mins to firm up.
5. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 140c/gas 1. Using a serrated knife, cut the biscotti at an angle into 10cm thick slices and place on the lined baking trays.
6. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-12 mins, then turn them over and cook until pale brown for 10-15 mins more.
7. Remove the biscotti from the oven and cool on wire cake racks, then store them in airtight jars for up to 3 weeks.
