baking – Page 14 – Feasting Is Fun

Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks

I am so loving the longer daylight hours at the moment. Feeling as though I want to make the most of every drop of sunshine. Winter being a distant memory, I’ve been out in the garden, clearing, ready for sowing and planting. Don’t worry I have also been in the kitchen baking and these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are the delicious result.

When the weather is warm and the sun is shining I simply love being in the garden. Listening to the chatter and chirruping of birds, feeling the warmth of the sun on my back, our garden becomes my haven again, after the long, cold winter months.

Easy Recipes For Breakfast On The Go

So being able to eat breakfast, or more usually brunch, outside is very much treasured. These Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are perfect to munch on whilst sitting on our garden bench, hot cup of coffee to hand. Packed with slow energy release oats, they make a tasty, yet filling alternative to toast or cereal.

FF Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks — **Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks** so good with a cup of good coffee.

This recipe is so simple and quick. A few minutes in the kitchen melting, mixing, baking and cooling means that you can have a great, portable bar, that is perfect for breakfast on the go, packed lunches, getting through the late afternoon energy dip. Plenty of deicious bars to see you through the week.

That has to be a winning recipe – right?

I love easy recipes – more so during the warmer months, when my passion for cooking and baking is matched by my passion for gardening. Yes I still have to work around my body (see – Living with siezures ), that just makes the time I have even more precious. Whilst in the winter I can happily spend all day – relatively speaking – in the kitchen, during warm spring and summer days my preference is to be outside.

Baking According To The Weather

My hubby jokes that I was born wearing Wellington boots! Whilst I may not be able to do the heavy digging of years past, I still like to get my hands dirty. I’ve also found, especially during the hotter months of summer, baking is best done first thing in the morning. That way there isn’t a hot oven baking bread, mid afternoon, just as the temperature outside is peaking.

Macadamia Nut Dried Apricot Flapjacks — **Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks** crunchy, chewy and full of flavour.

Easily Made Gluten Free Traybake

Back to the Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks! The macadamia nuts add a buttery crunch to these bars that I absolutely adore, however, I know they can be pricey. A great substitute would be almonds, either flakes or whole almonds that you chop yourself. I have used dried apricots that are the gorgeous tangerine orange of their fresh counterparts, however, if you prefer the darker, unsulphured apricots, use them instead. Good quality rolled oats, absolutely make these flapjacks the stars that they are.

I have specified that these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are gluten free, please check the labels of ingredients carefully to ensure that they are so. This is vital when baking for someone on a restricted diet. Their health absolutely cannot be compromised.

Recipe: Makes 12 Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks

250g/10oz Unsalted Butter – plus a little extra for greasing the tin

100g/4oz Golden Syrup (light corn syrup)

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

125g/5oz Light Brown Sugar

325g/11.5oz Rolled Oats (not quick cook) – I used Delicious Alchemy as they are 100% gluten free

150g/5oz Dried Apricots – chopped into rough quarters

100g/4oz Chopped Macadamia Nuts – I buy whole nuts and roughly chop them myself

Optional – 100g White Chocolate – alternatively use milk or dark chocolate

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F

Making The Flapjacks

Grease and line a 8″ x 11″ – 20cm x 28cm swiss roll tin/shallow baking tin, with butter and baking parchment.
Into a medium saucepan add the butter and sugar. Warm over a medium heat, stirring until melted.
In a large bowl add the golden syrup.
Pour the melted butter/sugar mixture into the bowl containing the golden syrup. Stir continuously until combined.
Add the oats, chopped apricots and macadamia nuts and stir to thoroughly combine.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down using the back of a metal spoon, until the mixture is one even layer.

Baking The Macadamia Nut Apricot Flapjacks

Place the tin in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes exactly.
The flapjacks will be a light golden colour when baked – do not be tempted to bake them for longer as this will result in them being hard, not chewy!
As soon as the flapjacks are baked remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool completely.
When completely cooled remove the entire flapjack bake from the tin, using the excess baking parchment to help lift it out.

**Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks** ready for the finishing touch.

As seen above, cut down the middle length of the bake and then across the width. Cut each quarter into 3 generous bars – you could cut each quarter into 4 making 16 individual flapjacks in total.

Finishing With A Chocolate Drizzle

To finish the flapjacks – chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof, microwaveable bowl.
Zap for 20 seconds at a time, stirring between each heating session.
When the chocolate is half melted, remove from the microwave and stir until completely liquid.
Fill a small disposable piping bag with the melted chocolate.
Snip off the very end of the bag, creating a small hole.
Pipe swirls or zig zags of chocolate onto each flapjack to provide a beautiful finish.

Ooh how completely yummy do these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks look?

A couple of notes: During the summer, once the flapjack bake has cooled to room temperature, if the ambient temperature is 25C or above, it may be worth popping the tin in the fridge for an hour to allow the flapjacks to completely set. Likewise, unless the flapjacks are stored in the fridge I would leave off the white chocolate drizzle. If these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks are going to get warm throughout the day, whether in a packed lunch box, or a bag, the white chocolate will melt and create a whole lotta mess!

This is just my advice as a mum of three and wife to hubby who takes a packed lunch to work.

Im just sayin’!!!

Love these Macadamia Apricot Flapjacks? Here are a couple of other recipes you may like to try as well.

Coconut Almond Date Flapjacks

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks

While spending time in your kitchen, baking and cooking, have you ever thought of making extra and sharing some?

We all have people in our neighbourhood who are lonely and perhaps a little unhappy. Inviting them round for a chat over a cup of tea and delicious slice of cake, or flapjack, may seem such a small thing to us and yet can make the world of difference to someone else’s day.

Time seems to be so precious to many, which is why it is such a valuable gift to give.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Hello my lovely readers, I have a real star of a recipe today. If you have spent anytime on this site, then you’ll know I’m a bit bonkers about all the flavours in a Bakewell Tart. And so I have made these very delicious Bakewell Shortbread Bars.

These actually came about by accident, sometimes that’s the best way with recipes! Because I had made some vanilla shortbread dough, which I had planned to turn into chocolate dipped hearts. Anyway, what with one thing and another, I didn’t get around to making them. Update: I have made them and the recipe is here Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies.

So, a couple of weeks ago, on a Sunday, Hubby was running through what we had for packed lunches that week. I hadn’t managed to make any Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks eek – then I had a moment of inspiration. These Bakewell Shortbread Bars are the result of me needing to make something delicious, that also travels well.

What a massive hit these have been with my family, ooh and me!

All the flavour of a Bakewell Tart

While the buttery shortbread base gives these Bakewell Shortbread Bars a sturdiness that is needed when food is to be transported. Topped with delicious raspberry jam, giving a hint of tart sweetness and then covered in a light, tender almond sponge with flaked almonds added for crunch, flavour and decoration.

Although I love Bakewell Tart, what I really love about this recipe, is that there isn’t any pie crust to roll out. With a pastry crust I certainly don’t want a big, thick wodge of it at the bottom of my bar, whereas, using shortbread dough I am more than happy to have a decently thick base.

A stack of baked biscuit based, jam filled treats on a white plate. — Bakewell Shortbread Bars

Perfect Picnic Food

Because these Bakewell Shortbread Bars hold together well I will definitely be making them for picnics throughout the warmer months. I am not a fan of packing up food for lunches or picnics that is overly sweet or has any form of icing. I guess it just becomes too much of a bug magnet, or even worse wasps – and both cupcakes and iced cakes simply get too messy. Although our children are in their teens now, I want to relax while eating outside, not constantly dodging bugs or clearing up melted buttercream.

And that is NOT my idea of fun!

Actually, one year that we went to the beach with a big croud of friends, I made a fruit cake and a lemon drizzle cake (I know but the lemon drizzle only had a little bit of icing). I pre-cut them, popped the cakes into tins and mid afternoon we all had a cup of tea and slice of cake. I remember it being a very relaxing happy day and these Bakewell Shortbread Bars would certainly have travelled well and been enjoyed. A must bake for this year’s beach outings!

Now when I say this recipe is simple, it really is, the only slight faff is pre-cooking the shortbread. And I only say slight, because whilst the shortbread is cooking it is the perfect time to whip up the sponge.

Recipe: Makes 12 Bakewell Shortbread Bars

For the shortbread:

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature plus 1tbsp for greasing the tin

150g/5oz Caster Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1 Large Egg Yolk – I always use free range

275g/10oz Plain White Flour

1/4 tsp Sea Salt I use Maldon

For the cake batter:

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

175g/6oz Caster Sugar

3 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 tsp Almond Extract

100g/4oz Ground Almonds

50g/2oz Plain White Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of salt

175g/ Approx 1/2 Standard Jar of Raspberry Jam – I use Hartley’s

50g/2oz Flaked Almonds

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F.

You will need a swiss roll tin 28cm x 20cm x 5cm (12″ x 8″ x 2″) greased with butter and lined with baking parchment.

Making the shortbread base:

In a large bowl whisk/beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
Add the vanilla extract and egg yolk and whisk/beat until combined.
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl.
Mix using a spoon until the dough comes together.
Tip the dough out on to some cling film. Wrap up the dough into a disc shape and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Once chilled break the dough up into large pieces and place them into the prepared tin.
Using clean hands, press the shortbread dough into the tin so that it forms a uniform layer.
Dock the shortbread dough using a fork.

FF Bakewell Shortbread Bars — The shortbread base ready for the oven.

Place the tin into the centre of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the tin after 10 minutes and spread the jam over the part cooked shortbread. Leave a small gap between the jam and the edge of the shortbread.
Turn the oven temperature down to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

Making the almond cake batter, assembling the Bakewell Shortbread Bars and then baking them:

In a large bowl whisk/beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
Add the vanilla and almond extract and the 3 whole eggs. Whisk/beat for 1 minute.
Add the flour, baking powder, ground almonds and salt.
And then mix slowly until the batter is just combined.
Spoon the cake batter over the jam coated shortbread.

Use an offset palette knife, or the back of a spoon to carefully spread the cake batter so that it almost covers the top of the shortbread, Don’t worry it will spread out during baking,
Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

Place the tin into the centre of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. It is fully baked when the top is golden and feels firm to the touch.
As soon as it is baked remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.

Portioning the Bars

When completely cold run a knife around both long sides of the tin.
Using the spare parchment paper, lift the cake covered shortbread free from the tin.
Cut down the middle length of the bake.
Then cut across the width, in the middle.
Now cut each quarter into 3 bars.
Use a palette knife to lift the Bakewell Shortbread Bars free from the baking parchment.

How great do these Bakewell Shortbread Bars look? They can also be cut into squares for tasty party bites.

Store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

See! So easy to make. And such a brilliant addition to a packed lunch, picnic or just to have with a cup of tea or coffee.

I love recipes that are easy, yet produce stunning results. This is one of those recipes. Because all of the flavours work so well together, a buttery shortbread base, sweet and tart raspberry jam topped with almond sponge. The perfect combination. Finally you can have your cake and cookie all in one tasty Bakewell Shortbread Bar!

If you have enjoyed these Bakewell Shortbread Bars, here are some other recipes you might like to try:

Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks

Coconut Date Almond Flapjacks

Oat Topped Lemon Shortbread Bars

Do you have favourite recipes for making good food to go?

Also, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate it and love reading them. If you are on Twitter or Instagram please pop a photo up and tag me in. I love to see what you are baking and making in your kitchens and will happily retweet your pictures.

So, whatever you are making, have lots of fun making your feasts and sharing with friends and family.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Yay it’s the weekend and I have the most fabulous treat for you. These absolutely delicious, 100% gluten free, Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes.

I’m so excited I could almost burst! Delicious Alchemy sent me some of their Vanilla Sponge Cake Mix to try. All of their products are 100% gluten free and so, with friends that cannot tolerate gluten, I was excited and intrigued to see how well this packet mix performed.

My first project was to remake my delicious Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes. The cake mix was made as per the packet instructions and I added 100g of mango before filling the cupcake cakes. Once baked and cooled I topped the cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting. The cupcakes on tasting were deliciously light, tender and moist, with mango distributed evenly throughout each cake. A firm 9 out of 10 marks was given by all of the taste testers who had also tried my original recipe!

Delicious Alchemy are currently running a Crowdfund project, raising funds to create a book for people living on a restricted diet. Why not take a look at their website to find out more and see how you too can a be part of this fantastic project.

Offering my baking skills to help raise awareness for Delicious Alchemy’s Crowdfund Project, led to me creating these delightful Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes, ooh and a bit of playing with fondant and alphabet cutters 😉.

Sugar and Crumbs sell a range of naturally flavoured icing sugars, cocoa, baking ingredients and baking equipment. All of their flavoured icings and cocoas are gluten free! To make these Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes I used their Chocolate Cherry Cocoa added to a Delicious Alchemy Vanilla Sponge Mix. Then topped each cupcake with a buttercream frosting using Black Forest Icing Sugar.

The result, a firm 10 out of 10!

Well they are Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes and chocolate makes everything better right 😉.

Feasting is fun is an inclusive blog. The theme of sharing being it’s very backbone. Creating recipes that more people can enjoy appeals to the nature of who I am as a person. Supporting Delicious Alchemy in their Crowdfund by making these Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes was the very least I could do.

NOTE: All of Delicious Alchemy’s products are gluten and dairy free. The recipe below uses milk, butter and eggs.

Recipe: Makes 18 Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

1 packet of gluten free Vanilla Sponge Mix from Delicious Alchemy

50g Cocoa Powder – I used Sugar and Crumbs cherry cocoa

180g Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

3 Free Range Eggs

60ml/4tbsp Whole Milk

250g Black Forest Icing Sugar

50g Cocoa

100g Plain Icing Sugar

200g Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

Approximately 3tbsp Hot Water

Optional – 200g White Chocolate for the chocolate heart decorations – alternatively ensure any decoration is gluten free

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3

Line 2 cupcake tins with 18 cupcake cases.
Add the softened butter, eggs, vanilla sponge mix, flavoured cocoa and milk to a bowl.
Whisk until you have a smooth cake batter – approximately 2 minutes.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the cake cases.
Place the cupcake tins in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The cupcakes are cooked when they are firm and spring back from a light touch.
Once baked remove the cupcakes from the oven.
Allow the cupcakes to cool, either in their tin or transferred to a cooling rack, before icing.

To make the buttercream frosting:

Place the softened butter into a large bowl.
Sift in the flavoured icing sugar, cocoa and plain icing sugar.
Add 2 tablespoons of hot water from a recently boiled kettle.
Whisk, starting on a very slow speed and gradually increasing, until the buttercream is light and creamy – add in the extra tablespoon of hot water if the buttercream is too stiff.
Fit a large piping bag with a large star nozzle – I use Wilton’s #1M.
Fill the piping bag with the buttercream.
To pipe rose swirls, start with the nozzle just above the centre of the cupcake, pipe an e shape and then continue round.

To make the white chocolate hearts:

Chop up the chocolate into small pieces.
Place two thirds of the chocolate into a heatproof, microwaveable bowl.
Zap for 20 seconds at a time stirring in between.
When the chocolate is melted, remove from the microwave and immediately add the last third of chopped chocolate.
Stir continuously until all of the chocolate is melted. This method is a cheat’s way of tempering chocolate and helps prevent any white marks (bloom) appearing on the cooled chocolate.
Spoon the melted chocolate into the heart mould, tapping the mould after every three hearts are filled, to bring air bubbles to the surface.
Leave the chocolate to set somewhere cool. You can chill the mould in the fridge.

Once the white chocolate hearts are firm, press out from the mould, ensuring you have cold hands for handling them, so as not to mark them.
Place a chocolate heart on the top of each cupcake.

These gluten free Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes are so pretty and very delicious. Whilst eating one of these tasty treats I could honestly not tell any difference to ‘regular’ wheat flour cupcakes. Yet the great thing is that more people can enjoy these!

I thoroughly enjoyed making (and eating 😀) these cupcakes and supporting Delicious Alchemy in their Crowdfund campaign. Raising awareness for others who cannot eat freely and creating an ultimate guide to living with dietary restrictions is very close to my heart. Whilst I am able to eat wheat flour, having been a life long sufferer of migraines, there are certain foods that I too have to avoid.

Do you have dietary restrictions?

Are there recipes that you would like converted into gluten free versions?

Let me know and if I can help I absolutely will xx.

If you have enjoyed these gluten free Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes here are some other gluten free recipes you may like:

Lemony Strawberry Pavlova

Autumn Apple Almond Cake

Almond Blackberry Pear Crumble

All of the above recipes are 100% gluten free and I have happily served them to guests who were not aware that wheat flour had not been used!!

Feasting on delicious homemade food should be fun. With these recipes more people can bake at home with confidence. Whilst supermarkets may provide a limited selection of gluten free products, they will never be as tasty as homemade. Having a gluten free cake mix in the cupboard means you can whip up a gluten free treat, for visitors with a restricted diet, without having to re-stock your baking cupboard!

Please let me know if I can help with the questions above?

Sammie xx

Delicious Alchemy provided me with the vanilla sponge mix for this post. All opinions, views, content and photographs are my own. I did not receive any payment for writing this post. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Date Ginger Iced Buns

Easter seems such a long time ago now and yet I still find myself missing the adventure of creating new hot cross bun flavours. So, instead I took one of my favourite flavour combinations this year, the Ginger Date Hot Cross Bun and played around with it. The result is these utterly yummy Date Ginger Iced Buns.

A sweet yeasted bun packed with medjool dates, stem ginger and freshly grated nutmeg. Baked until golden brown and then slathered with thick glacé icing.

These Date Ginger Iced Buns are sticky, not overly sweet, finger licking portions of loveliness.

I adored the flavour combination when I made the hot cross buns, but knew I needed to vamp up the recipe. When toasting hot cross buns, the heat enhances the flavour, as these buns were to be eaten cold I knew I’d have to pack more flavour in. After making these three times I am finally happy with the recipe.

Playing around with recipes is part of the fun of being a food blogger. When Waitrose ran a competition on Twitter for new hot cross bun flavours I was absolutely in my element and went on to make a couple of my suggestions, including the Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns.

Over the recent months, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes, carrying out reviews and writing this blog, has really helped me. My body is still completely messed up, with me having around sixty seizures a week, yet focusing on my blog, although not easy at times, has definitely given me a sense of accomplishment.

It is hard not to become frustrated and I frequently do, that is when I re-read all of the lovely comments you leave. Today I am really struggling with pain, which means it’s hard to concentrate on writing these words – yet this recipe is so good, so delicious, that I really want to share it with you so that you can make the Date Ginger Iced Buns over the weekend.

I write this not to elicite sympathy from you, simply to explain what my reality is – see Adapting to a new normal. Sometimes life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Usually the kitchen is my retreat, somewhere to escape to as a distraction, yet today my bed is my sanctuary.

On a more positive note, one of the most enjoyable reviews has been using the delicious medjool dates from The Medjool Date Co. This recipe has used the last of the dates, sob. They are completely addictive and utterly divine. I might have made more recipes had I not snaffled so many whilst cooking and baking with them!

I will definitely be getting more of these delicious medjool dates. Their sticky, not overly sweet flavour is so versatile in cooking/baking and they are wonderful to snack on too. I highly recommend them.

Recipe: Makes 12 Date Ginger Iced Buns

550g/1lb 4oz Strong White Bread Flour

160ml Whole Milk – warmed to body temperature

120ml Tepid Water

2 Large Eggs – I use free range

1tbsp Honey

10g/1.5 Sachet Fast Acting Dried Yeast

10g/ approx 1tsp Salt

50g/2oz Unsalted Butter

200g/8oz Medjool Dates – pitted and chopped to medium dice

3 Balls of Stem Ginger – removed from the syrup and finely diced

1/2tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg

For the glace icing:

400g/14oz Icing Sugar

2tbsp Syrup from the stem ginger jar

Method:

This method is for use with a bread maker or stand mixer, if you wish to make by hand please do, the quantities are the same, make sure you knead the dough for 10 minutes before adding the fruit.

The ‘bowl’ refers to the bowl of a stand mixer or the mixing compartment of a bread maker.

Add both the milk and water to the bowl.
Next add both eggs, the honey and yeast.
Swish about with clean fingers to mix.
Now add the flour on top of the liquid mixture.
Place the salt and butter on top of the flour.

For a bread maker, set the cycle to dough and press start. When prompted by the machine, or 5 minutes before mixing stops, add the chopped dates, finely diced stem ginger and nutmeg. Allow the bread maker to complete the dough cycle.

When the bread maker has completed the dough cycle, ensure the dough has doubled in size, if not wait until it has. Then re start the dough cycle for 2 minutes, this will ‘knock back’ the dough for you.

For a stand mixer attach the dough hook. Start mixing on a low speed. Once the contents of the bowl resemble dough continue to mix on medium/slow speed for 5 minutes. Stop the mixer. Scrape all the dough, from the hook, into the bowl. Add the chopped dates, finely diced stem ginger and nutmeg . Lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed for a further 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes mixing is complete, stop the mixer. Scrape all the dough back into the bowl, it will be very sticky – don’t worry. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a draught free place until doubled in size – 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Once the stand mixer dough has doubled in size, lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, this will ‘knock back’ the dough for you.

Shaping the buns:

Tip the dough out on to a clean, floured surface.
Divide the dough in half and then divide each half into 6 portions. You can use scales if you want to be absolutely accurate.
Flour your hands well, this dough is sticky.
Form each portion of dough into a ball shape.
Place on to a buttered baking tray, leaving space in between each bun to allow it to rise.
When all the buns are shaped cover the baking tray with a clean tea towel. Leave in a draught free place until the buns are doubled in size – approx 1 hour.
When the buns are almost doubled, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6.

When the buns have doubled in size place the baking tray into the centre of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy the smell of these delicious buns baking in your oven. There’s a reason, during the build up to Easter, that you smell Hot Cross Buns as soon as you walk into a supermaket!!!
The buns are baked when they are golden brown and sound hollow whe rapped on the base with you knuckle.
Once baked remove the buns from the oven and immediately transfer them to a cooling rack.

Leave the date and ginger buns to cool completely before icing.

To make the glace icing:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the syrup from the stem ginger jar.
Add just enough water 2-3tsp to the bowl to make a very thick, but still spoonable paste.
Using a dessert spoon, carefully swirl some of the thick icing on to each of the buns. The icing will drip very slightly.
Allow the Date Ginger Iced Buns to set on the cooling rack.

Now it’s time to put the kettle on as all of your neighbours will soon be knocking at your front door, drawn in by the tantalising aroma of freshly baked fruit buns!!

A quick tip, if these aren’t all to be snaffled straight away, is to pop half of them into a freezer bag – un-iced. They can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost fully before icing, or skip the icing and enjoy the buns toasted. with lashing of butter.

The freshly iced buns will keep for 24 hours in an airtight container. I use an old biscuit tin.

Do let me know if you try this recipe. I love getting feedback on my recipes.

If you have enjoyed these yummy Date Ginger Iced Buns you may also like these other recipes using dates:

Coconut Almond Date Flapjacks

Ginger Date Hot Cross Buns

RT Ginger Gate Hot Cross Buns — Ginger Date Hot Cross Buns a complete taste sensation.

Morrocan Lamb Stew

The Medjool Dates were truly a feast in themselves, yet I also found them so versatile in the kitchen. Keep your eyes open for more delicious date recipes on Feasting is Fun!

Whatever you make or bake in your kitchens this weekend,I reallythat hope you have fun and enjoy sharing your feast with others.

Sammie xx

The Medjool Date Company provided me with the dates for this recipe. All views, opinions and content contained within this post are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Classic Coffee Walnut Cake

There are many classic flavour combinations; strawberries and cream, rhubarb and custard, apple and cinnamon. And they don’t need tinkering with because they work so well together. Rather like this delicious Classic Coffee And Walnut Cake.

However, recently a few people have asked if I have a Classic Coffee Walnut Cake recipe and while it’s a cake that I’ve baked many times over the years, I realised it wasn’t on here. So, in a attempt to rectify that and make my Father in law’s favourite cake, here it is.

FF Classic Coffee Walnut Cake — **Classic Coffee Walnut Cake** a real treat.

Baking Cakes To Share

While I tried to make this cake relatively small as it will be shared between two people, in reality I failed! Although this cake was baked in my small 7 inch sandwich tins, I have packed so many walnuts into the centre, this Classic Coffee Walnut Cake will easily feed 8 people!

Alternatively, if you would prefer a slightly smaller cake (don’t laught at me) I suggest cutting down on the walnuts, not the cake!

Baking; A Form Of Therapy

Hubby is, as I write this, undergoing a hospital procedure and as a way of distracting myself and thanking my wonderful in laws for taking him, I made this cake. Also I’m trying to distract myself by writing this post. Although, I’ll have to see how much editing is needed at the end to know how well I managed.

As I mentioned I have made lots of coffee and walnut cakes over the years and I do usually add chopped walnuts to the cake batter. Yet, in this instance, especially as the cake sponges are quite small, I decided to pack chopped walnuts into the centre of the sandwich cake. Because this cake was made to be given away, now I’ve made it I really fancy a slice! Expect another coffee cake recipe on here soon.

The Beauty Of Buttercream Icing

Also, I made a mistake whilst decorating this cake. After piping the 8 swirls around the edge, I piped a monstrously hideous circle in the centre. While I photographed the cake I became more and more disheartened by this huge swirl of buttercream spoiling the look of the cake. Fortunately, this is where buttercream is a dream to work with, using a small palette knife it lifted right off the cake. And I then dusted the cake with icing sugar and replaced a single walnut half, with a dob of buttercream in the centre.

Sometimes less is more (never with glitter) and that was definitely the case with this Classic Coffee Walnut Cake.

I have shown you a photograph of the centre of the cake as this could easily be the top. However, if you aren’t confident piping buttercream just use half in the middle and spread half on top of the cake. There are plenty of walnuts in the recipe, enough for you to chop and cover both the middle and top layers and your cake will still look delicious and inviting.

Recipe: Makes one Classic Coffee Walnut Cake – serves 8

For the cake sponges:

150g/5oz Unsalted Butter

150g/5oz Caster Sugar

3 Large Free Range Eggs

2tsp Instant Coffee dissolved in 2tbsp/30ml boiling water

1tsp Vanilla Extract I use NIELSEN-MASSEY

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

150g/5oz Plain Flour – self raising can be substituted DO NOT add extra baking powder

1tsp Baking Powder

For the buttercream:

2tsp Instant Coffee liquid – leftover from sponge recipe (or 1tsp vanilla extract)

150g/5oz Unsalted Butter

300g/11oz Icing Sugar Sifted plus 2 teaspoonful for dusting the cake

125g/4.5oz Walnut Halves

Method: preheat oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F

Making And Baking The Coffee Cake Sponges

First of all butter 2 x 7″ (17cm) sandwich tins and line with baking parchment.
Place the instant coffee into a cup and add 30ml of boiling water. Stir to dissolve and set to one side to cool.
In a large bowl add the butter and sugar. Whisk/beat until pale and creamy.
Next add the 3 eggs, vanilla extract and 3 teaspoons of the cooled liquid coffee. Whisk/beat for 2 minutes until combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just incorporated. This will ensure a very light sponge.
Divide the batter equally between the 2 prepared cake tins. Use may use digital scales to ensure your quantities are even, or just eyeball it as I did.

Bake the cakes in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes.
The sponges are baked when they are golden brown and spring back from a light touch.
As soon as the cakes are baked remove from the oven, place the tins on a cooling rack and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes.

When they are cool enough to handle turn the cakes out of their tins, ensuring one sponge is the right way up, for the top of the cake.
Allow the turned our sponges to cool completely before assembling the cake.
Place the walnut halves on to a baking tray and place in the hot oven for 5 minutes to toast. Remove and leave to cool on the baking tray.

Making The Icing And Decorating The Coffee And Walnut Cake

Place the butter, sifted icing sugar and 3 teaspoons of liquid coffee into a large bowl.
Whisk until pale and creamy. Taste the buttercream, add more coffee if desired.
When cooled place the bottom half of your cake, flat side up, onto a cake stand or board.
Using a palette knife spread half of the buttercream over the sponge, not quite reaching the edges.
Set aside 10 nice walnut halves to decorate the top of the cake ( it’s always good to have one spare).
Roughly chop the remaining walnuts and place on top of the buttercream.
Place the top half of you cake, rounded side up, on top of the bottom half.
Fit an icing bag with a French star tip (or whatever tip you prefer).
Fill the icing bag with the remaining buttercream.
Pipe 8 small swirls equally around the top edge of the cake. Pipe the same small swirl in the centre.
Top the buttercream swirls with walnut halves.
Pipe little swirls around the middle of the cake, where it is sandwiched together for a pretty finish.
Dust with a little icing sugar.

Classic Coffee Walnut Cake such a beautifully delicious, easy cake to make and the perfect gift for any coffee cake lover.

Store the cake in an airtight container, in the fridge during hot weather. Eat within four days.

Thank you

I love my husbands parents very much. Hubby and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this year. My relationship with my in – laws has not always been smooth or plain sailing. We have been through a lot together and I honestly love and respect them as if they were my own parents.

Thank you Ma and Pa, we couldn’t have gotten through the last 20 years and especially the last year without you x.

I really enjoy baking for other people. It’s such a fantastic feeling when you see the look of surprise and joy on their face when I give them a cake, or whatever goody I have baked. Finally, hubby should be home soon and I have managed to keep myself distracted whilst he has been gone.

Do you enjoy baking for others?

If you’ve enjoyed this Classic Coffee Walnut Cake then you may also want to take a peek at these recipes:

Raspberry Almond Cream Cake

Baileys Coffee And Walnut Cake

Strawberry Sweetheart Cake

I’d love to see photos of any bakes that you have made as gifts. Please pop a pic on Twitter or Instagram and tag me in. Likewise, do you have a story linked to a special bake? Also tell me about it in the comments section, I love reading all of your comments.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

The cake below features vanilla icing and a sprinkle of edible holographic glitter. Substitute the coffee in the buttercream icing recipe for one teaspoon of vanilla extract. While the addition of sparkles is your choice!

Caramac Caramel Cookies

Hello and thank you for stopping by. I may have a ~~huge~~ teeny tiny confession to make. I love Caramac! Nothing wrong in that except after I’d seen some some amazing Caramac Cupcakes over at Janes’s Pattiserie I asked my Hubby to pick up a few bags of Caramac buttons for ‘baking’. And after I’d eaten all of them my friend bought me some more AND I ate those! So you can imagine my family’s relief when I finally got around to baking these oh-so-good Caramac Caramel Cookies.

Caramac love

If you haven’t tried Caramac before, they are a bit like white chocolate with a hint, just a hint of caramel flavour. When I was younger and even still today, I had to be careful how much chocolate I ate as it triggers migraines in me. Caramac bars were my go-to alternative. And I’d ‘almost’ forgotten about them, until Jane posted her cupcakes!

Caramac buttons! You can buy Caramac buttons now. Forgive me, I am slightly over-excited!

And the rest as they say is history. Because everyone knows chocolate buttons taste better than a bar. Since they fit so nicely in my mouth and are just the best with a hot cup of tea. Finally, you now you know how I became hooked on Caramac again!

The Best Cookies

Although I used Caramac bars to melt and drizzle over these utterly perfect Caramac Caramel Cookies. Because I simply couldn’t bring myself to use the buttons. I will do, just taking things one step at a time.

These light, chewy cookies are a caramel lovers dream. First of all, the brown sugar in the cookie dough, along with the butterscotch chips, give these cookies an underlying caramel flavour, with bursts of pure caramel flavour. While melted Caramac drizzled on top adds an extra creaminess that completely rounds the flavours out and makes these Caramac Caramel Cookies so good.

Absolutely perfect for Caramac lovers, chocolate haters or avoiders and Cookie Monster’s like me!

Recipe: Makes 20 Caramac Caramel Cookies

225g/8oz Soft Light Brown Sugar

150g/5oz Unsalted Butter- at room temperature

2tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1 Large Free Range Egg – plus

1 Large Free Range Egg Yolk

275g/10oz Plain White Flour

1/2tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/4tsp of Salt – I use Maldon

150g/5oz Toffee/Butterscotch baking chips

120g 4 X Caramac Bars for the drizzle – use can use buttons if you prefer. Alternatively you can use Cadbury’s Caramilk or Milkybar Gold as a substitute.

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

Making the cookie dough

First of all line 3 large baking trays with baking parchment.
Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl and whisk/beat for 5 minutes until pale and creamy – whisking for 5 minutes here and then after adding the eggs is very important to the finished texture of the cookie.
Add the vanilla extract and the eggs and continue whisking/beating for a further 5 minutes.
Sift in the flour, bicarb. and salt.
Add the toffee/butterscotch chips.
Fold all the ingredients together until you have uniform cookie dough.

Shaping and baking the cookies

Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, or a spoon and your hands, scoop/roll 5cm/2″ ball of cookie dough and place onto the baking tray.

FF Caramac Caramel Cookies — Space the cookie dough balls apart as they spread whilst baking.

Using clean, slightly wet hands squish the cookie dough balls fairly flat. They should be about 1cm thick.

Place the baking trays in the middle and lower parts of the oven and bake the cookies for 15 minutes exactly.
As soon as the baking time has elapsed remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking trays.

As soon as the Caramac Caramel Cookies are cool they are ready for their Caramac drizzle.

Adding the Caramac drizzle

Break up the Caramac bars and place in a heatproof, microwaveable bowl.
Zap the Caramac in 30 second spurts until it starts to melt, stirring in between each zap!
When the Caramac is half melted (mine took just over 1 minute), remove from the microwave and stir until it is all melted.
Using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted Caramac over the cooled cookies.

Finally, leave the cookies to set.

These Caramac Caramel Cookies will keep for 5 days in an airtight container – if they last that long 😉.

While Caramac bars and buttons are available in most supermarkets and local grocery shops, the buttons were bought from Asda. Most importantly, this IS NOT a sponsored post, I simply want to make sure that you can get hold of these delicious Caramac buttons to try. I take no responsibility for anyone who becomes hooked on them, since they are very more-ish!

Because we always have cookies in our house, I start most days with a cup of tea and a cookie. Also, if I am late eating breakfast or miss it completely (I do try not too), then I have enough energy to keep me going. And it’s always nice to have something on hand to offer visitors when they pop in.

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

And, for an extra yummy, dessert, these cookies make fantastic ice cream sandwiches! Simply scoop a generous amount of ice cream on to one cookie and top with another. And then squish together and enjoy this delicious treat!

You can find the ice cream recipe here Very Vanilla Ice Cream.

So, are you a Cookie Monster? Do you have a favourite cookie recipe?

If you happily munched your way through this recipe for Caramac Caramel Cookies, here are a few more you might like to try:

Chocolate Monster Mini Egg Cookies

Cherry Bakewell Cookies

Rolo Chocolate Cookies

And if you have any favourite cookie recipes, please share them in the comments section and I’ll give them a try!

Finally, reading your comments and feedback is one of the greatest pleasures of having this blog. Thank you for taking the time to write them and please keep them coming? And don’t forget to tag me, @sammiefeasting on Twitter/Instagram with your makes and bakes? Because, you are also an inspiration to me, another great part of having this blog!

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written consent of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins

I love a recipe that is versatile, which is exactly what the Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins recipe is. So, I took that recipe, fiddled a bit and the result was these utterly delicious Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins!

Although I had ordered the ingredients with last weeks shopping, intent on making them during the week, yet I got distracted by other things, until today. Boy was I glad I waited. The cupboards, well fridge are always fairly bare on a Saturday as that’s the day our shopping is delivered. Having Hubby here to unpack and put things away, saves me from spending the following day in bed!

I kid you not see Living With Seizures if you’d like to know more.

Both our girls were out very last night at a concert in London, so I knew the house would be fairly quiet this morning as they snoozed away upstairs. Little man was getting hungry and I suddenly remembered what I had stashed in the fridge. Phew!

While the house is quiet I bake:

I made these Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins in less than 10 minutes, they cooked in 15 minutes. And I had enough for my photo shoot, while letting our little man munch happily away.

Oh my, these are good – I mean really, really, pass me another one good. Because of the Chorizo I was worried they may taste a bit like pizza, nothing wrong with that – but breakfast, hmm not so sure. That’s where the goats cheese kicks in and completely rounds out the flavours, bringing it back to breakfast, brunch time.

Back to the Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins – I cooked the chorizo first so that it would start to release it’s red paprika juices when mixed into the batter. Just a quick reminder, when making muffins don’t over mix the batter. A few floury streaks are ok. While the best, lightest, yummiest muffins come from just mixed, lumpy batter. It is true. Thank you to my friend Liz for her advice on this matter.

It’s definitely worth checking out Liz’s blog, she’s an amazing cook and baker, whose food is so mouth wateringly good. I should know I made her Carrot Soup! She’s a great girl with a wicked sweet tooth, balanced by lots of healthy, beautifully presented recipes. Pop over to Teta Lizza’s Kitchen and say hi.

Recipe: Makes 12 Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins

100g/4oz Sliced Chorizo

150g/5oz Goats Cheese

200ml Whole Milk

2 Large Free Range Eggs

5tbsp Vegetable Oil

350g/12oz Plain White Flour

2tsp Baking Powder

Good grinding of black pepper – to taste

1/2tsp Cayenne Pepper – plus a little extra to sprinkle on the baked muffins – I use Bart

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F

Making and baking the muffins

First of all, chop or dice the chorizo into 1cm pieces.
Cook in a dry frying pan until the chorizo starts to release its delicious paprika juices.
Remove and put on a plate to cool slightly.
Measure the milk into a jug. Add the 2 eggs and vegetable oil. Stir to combine – wet mixture.
Into a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Use a whisk to stir and combine.
Chop or crumble up the goats cheese into roughly the same sized pieces as the chorizo.
Add the chorizo and goats cheese to the flour mixture, stir to distribute – dry mixture.
Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour the wet mixture in.
Stir with a fork until just combined.

Line a muffin/cupcake tin with muffin cases – and yes I found mine!
Divide the batter equally between the 12 cases – ideally an ice cream scoop can be used – I forgot!
Place the muffin tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Mine took 15 minutes.
The Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins are baked when they are firm to touch and golden on top.
When baked remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little bit of cayenne pepper.

These delightful Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins are best served warm and eaten on the day they are made.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days and refresh by warming in the oven. Also, these muffins make a great addition to packed lunches, as a change from sandwiches or wraps.

If you enjoyed this recipe for Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins you may like these too:

Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins

Super Light Scones

Toffee Banoffee Waffles

I must admit I’m yet to be converted to barbecues, yet I love nothing more than throwing a blanket on the lawn, or on rare good days, going to the seaside or park and having a picnic. Some of our best picnics have actually been in the rain, children sitting, welly boots on, on the flat boot of our car munching on scotch eggs, olives, carrot sticks and crisps. These Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins will be a new and very welcome addition to our picnic outings!

Whatever you are making and baking have fun and remember that food always tastes better when it’s shared.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes

I love Spring and all the promise that it holds. Finally the sun is shining for longer than it is dark. Each tree and shrub holds on tightly to their buds, until bursting open to reveal blossom and lime green leaves. Daffodils still abound, their bright sunny faces shining, even when the sun is hidden by clouds. Yellow, for me is a warm happy colour and maybe that’s why I love these Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes so much?

Does this photograph make you feel happy? It certainly does me!

Lemon Drizzle is such a popular cake recipe and for good reason. The lemon in cakes wakes up our tastebuds in a sweet/sour heavenly combination. Whether in a large cake thickly drizzled with lemon icing or a thinner icing that soaks into the warm cake, as here in my Lemon Drizzle Cake. There are many different methods and recipes for this delightful fruit and cake combination.

For me though, these Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes completely steal the show in terms of cuteness!

The correct name for these individual portions of lemony loveliness is Bundtlettes. Slightly larger than a cupcake, with a central hole that is a common element of most Bundt cakes, these individual Bundts are adorable. They are certain to create avid conversation amongst whom ever they are served.

FF Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes — Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes

Remember you only see shadows on a sunny day!

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Photographer

Recently I joined a Food Photography Group on one of the social media platforms – and no I’m not going to say which one! Anyway, photographing my creations is a hugely enjoyable part of food blogging for me. Recently I tweeted that the most ‘cropped out’ feature of my photos were my feet! So in a bid to learn how to improve I joined this group.

Well, let’s just say, I don’t think we were of the same mindset!

I left after I’d posted my second photograph. It seems that whilst I was more than willing and still am, to learn by constructive criticism, there was a dogmatic sense of what was right or wrong. That’s fine, some people are very black and white, but I certainly did not join the group to be bullied!

The reason I mention it, is because, to me and others, the photograph above is perfect, precisely because it is imperfect – I’ll explain. Shadows are bad in food photography, neutral light against a soft background works best. Well maybe, yet it was a gloriously sunny day when I made these Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes and through my eyes, that is reflected in the photograph. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I hold no resentful feelings against the group.

I have giggled over one photo of mine that has received numerous positive comments and shares!! I’m an inclusive person and bullying, whatever the form it takes, will never be allowed to have a place in my life.

Recipe: Makes 12 Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes

Alternatively, halve the quantities if you only want 6.

You will need a Bundlette tin like this from Nordic Ware

Cake Release Spray – I use Wilton’s or alternatively use melted butter & flour to grease the tin (see note below)

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter – softened at room temperature

225g/8oz Caster Sugar

4 Large Free Range Eggs – I use Burford Brown eggs from Clarence Court

225g/8oz Plain Flour

2tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Salt

2 Lemons – scrubbed with a nail brush under hot water if waxed, then zested using a grater/lemon zester and squeezed.

200g/7oz Icing Sugar

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

Making And Baking The Mini Bundt Cakes

First of all, prepare the Bundlette tin by spraying with Cake Release. If you choose to use melted butter, brushed on and then coat in flour – NOTE there is a slight chance that the cakes may stick. I have had mixed results so recommend cake release.
In a large bowl add the caster sugar and butter.
Whisk/Beat until pale and creamy.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl – dry ingredients.
Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 2 eggs to the butter/sugar.
Mix together until just incorporated.
Repeat the last 2 steps.
Add the final 1/3 of dry ingredients and the zest of 2 lemons.
Mix until all of the ingredients are combined.
Spoon the lemon cake batter into each individual mould in the Bundlette tin.

Smooth the top (actually it will become the bottom!) of each mould with a teaspoon.
Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
The cake is baked when it is golden brown and springs back from a light touch.
Once baked remove the cakes from the oven.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Making the lemon drizzle:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
Add the juice of 2 lemons and whisk until smooth.
Whilst the cakes are still hot, spoon the lemon drizzle over them (saving half for the other 6 Bundlettes).
The lemon drizzle will be absorbed into the hot cake and creates a fantastic crunch on cooling.

Rinse the Bundlette tin, dry, prepare, fill and bake the other 6 cakes – spooning the rest of the lemon drizzle over them whilst they are hot.
Leave the cakes to cool – if you can wait!

The texture of these Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes is wonderful. Beautifully light sponge with the added crunch that comes from the soaked in lemon drizzle. If you like lemon cake I guarantee that you will love these cute Bundlettes!

With warmer weather promising, these Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes are perfect for taking on picnics, afternoon tea in the garden, o just because they taste soo darn good!

As soon as the weather warms up I love to spend time in our garden, listening to the birds, watching busy bees going about their business, enjoying the warmth that the sun brings. Oh and trying not to notice all the ‘jobs’ that need doing. I’ve got a trick for that, I just lay down on our swing seat and close my eyes 😉.

Do you feel better in yourself when the sun shines and the warmer weather arrives? I know I do!

If you have enjoyed these fruity Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes here are some more recipes you may like to try:

Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt Cake

WB Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt — **Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt** easy to make and easier to eat!

Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

I love baking in the sunshine with the back door open and in the midst of winter with the heating on. Today most certainly is on the chilly side, yet these Mini Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cakes have brought some sunshine indoors!

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, please keep them coming? It is one of the best things about writing Feasting is Fun, interacting with you, my amazing readers. Also I’m on Twitter and Instagram, so put up a photo of your make or bake and tag me in. I love to see what you’re up to in your kitchens and I’ll be sure to give you a shoutout or retweet.

So, whatever er you are doing this weekend, I hope you have lots of fun and enjoy feasting on delicious home cooked food!

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut

Do any of you, my lovely readers have fears? I like to think that I don’t, yet I am never too happy with heights – the bridge in ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’. I’m pretty sure I’d have to be blindfolded, gagged and carried across!! Another irrational fear I’ve had for a while has been baking with silicone. Because it looks like plastic to me and plastic melts in the oven – right? Well today I faced my fear and baked this delicious Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut using a silicone mould!

And guess what – it didn’t melt!

Yep you can always trust Sammie to ~~NOT~~ be at the forefront of new baking technology 😉.

I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally baked using a silicone mould. So much so that I have to agree with friends that bake with silicone all the time, they are an absolute dream to work with. I’ve had these silicone giant doughnut moulds since the January sales, I like to ease into things gradually!!

FF Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut — **Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut** such a light fluffy sponge.

Seasonal Fruit And Vegetables Are Unbeatable

When baking and cooking I really try to use seasonal fruit and vegetables. So this Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut has defrosted frozen raspberries in the middle. Because raspberries are most definitely not in season, however I find the frozen British raspberries from Waitrose are fantastic quality and perfect for use, as fresh fruit, during the colder months.

We grow quite a bit of fruit in our back garden, including raspberries, strawberries, cherries, apples, plums and pears – ooh blackcurrants, redcurrants and blackberries too. Last year wasn’t brilliant for raspberries in our garden, yet we had buckets full of cherries. Our children are duly dispatched to various neighbours houses, sharing the fruit.

FF Raspberry And Cream Giant Doughnut — Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut perfect for afternoon tea.

In a good year when there is an abundance of raspberries I always try to freeze some down. Usually there are only enough for our trifle on Christmas Day, as we love eating them fresh, or turning them into jam. Raspberry jam has to be my absolute favourite and I was going to make a small batch of fresh jam to use in this Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut – however, my body had other ideas.

Keeping Positive

Rather I focus on the positives, those being: this Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut is so easy to make, bake and decorate. And on top of that, once the doughnut is assembled and sliced into – well, the flavour is outstanding. Resulting in a sponge that is lighter than light, the ‘fresh’ raspberry tartness works well with the sweetness of the jam and the hint of almond in the glacé icing, adds that extra level of flavour.

Recipe: Makes one Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut

At a guess I’d say this should serve 8-10 people, but there again if they want seconds…….

200g/7oz Unsalted Butter – softened plus 1tbsp extra for grasing the doughnut moulds

200g/7oz Caster Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – can substitute for vanilla extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

5 Large Free Range Eggs

200g/7oz Plain Flour

1.5tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

For the filling:

3-4tbsp Raspberry Jam for my homemade recipe see here

150g/5oz Fresh or Defrosted Raspberries

300ml/ 1/2 pint Double Cream + 1tsp Caster Sugar

For the icing:

100g Icing Sugar – sifted

1/2tsp Almond Extract – again I use – Nielsen-Massey

Pink Gel Food Colouring

Sprinkles of your choice

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F

Making The Doughnut Batter

Grease both of the doughnut moulds with butter – remembering to grease the middle section that will make the doughnut hole.
Into a large bowl add the butter and sugar.
Whisk/beat together for 5 minutes. This is important as it will help the sponge be very light and tender.
Add the vanilla bean paste and whisk/beat for a further 2 minutes.
Add all 5 eggs to the bowl.
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whish/beat slowly until the ingredients have just come together.
Use a rubber/silicone spatula to give the mix a couple of stirs, ensuring all the ingredients, especially from the bottom of the bowl are combined.
Carefully spoon half of the batter into each of the doughnut halves.
Smooth the top of the batter for an even bake.
Place the doughnut halves, making sure they do not touch, on a baking tray and place in the middle of the oven.

Baking The Doughnut Halves

Cook for 40-50 minutes. Mine took 45 minutes.
The doughnut is cooked when it is golden and springs back from a light touch. You will also notice, from the picture below that the cake has started to come away from the side of the mould.
As soon as the giant doughnut halves are baked remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes cooling in the mould has elapsed, gently tip each doughnut half out of its mould.
Allow to cool completely on the rack

Filling And Decorating The Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut

As soon as both halves are cooled the doughnut can now be decorated.
Place one half, flat side up, on a pretty serving plate, board or cake stand.
Carefully spread the raspberry jam so that it covers the flat surface.
Arrange the raspberries in a pattern, on top of the jam.

In a bowl add the double cream and sugar.
Whisk until it just holds a stiff peak.
Fit a large piping bag with a #1M Wilton large star tip.
Fill the piping bag with the whipped cream.
Pipe a swirl pattern around the middle of the bottom layer.
Pipe stars all around the inside and outside edge of the doughnut half.

Place the other doughnut half on top of the fruit and whipped cream, curved side facing up. You now have a giant doughnut!!
To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a small bowl, add the almond extract.
Add 2tsp of water and mix, then add a tiny bit of pink gel colouring using a cocktail stick.
The icing consistency needs to be thick but still pourable – add a little extra water to achieve this.
Using a spoon, drizzle the thick icing over the top of the doughnut, as shown in the picture.
Finally add your sprinkles before the glacé icing sets.

Serve the Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut sliced with a nice cup of afternoon tea.

If you have enjoyed this Raspberries Cream Giant Doughnut recipe you may also like these:

Raspberry Almond Cream Cake

Lemon Drizzle Whipped Cream Filled Giant Doughnut

Black Forest Giant Doughnut

While Sunday tea may not be a national tradition anymore, sometimes it’s nice to have a beautiful slice of something delicious, mid afternoon, just because you can!

Since I find baking a pleasure not a burden. Yet, sometimes it is nice to share things out, that way we all get to enjoy each other’s bakes!

Personally I’m all for tradition and think bringing back a proper Sunday afternoon tea, where all the family gathers together, is a brilliant idea. Perhaps not every week, although there is nothing wrong with that. Rather, once a month, with everyone contributing so that the burden of baking doesn’t fall on only one pair of shoulders.

Whatever you make and bake in your kitchen, remember feasting really is fun, especially when we share with others.

Sammie xx

Rolo Chocolate Cookies

Ooh I am so excited to share this recipe with you. And, I may have just found the perfect chocolate/caramel cookie! Meet my Rolo Chocolate Cookies.

Since I have been wanting to make these cookies for absolutely ages, I finally got round to it yesterday, while I was also baking my Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt Cake.

Homebaked Cookies

While using the recipe from my Monster Mini Egg Cookies as a starting point, I jiggled things about a bit. Especially changing from light brown sugar to dark muscavado sugar and adding some cocoa, amongst other things. Resulting in my humble opinion, the best soft chocolate cookie that I’ve made so far!

R Rolo Chocolate Cookies — **Rolo Chocolate Cookies** unbelievably good.

Oh my, these Rolo Chocolate Cookies are the stuff of dreams. Or to put it in the words of our children, like the ones you get at Sainsbury’s!

Instead, the difference is that I know exactly what has gone into these cookies and their smell as they are baking. And as you may know, I adore the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven, chocolate cookies are right up there with the bread, in terms of deliciously teasing aromas.

Because I am a self proclaimed Cookie Monster, sometimes I want a nice crisp biscuit that I can dunk in my cup of tea like my Lemon Shortbread Cookies and other times I want to bite into a soft, yielding cookie. Exactly the type of cookie that goes really well with a glass of ice cold milk – these Rolo Chocolate Cookies are it.

Chewy, ooey and gooey.

Yep I know that sounds like cartoon characters 😉.

So, if you like chocolate cookies, you’ll love these Rolo Chocolate Cookies.

Recipe: Rolo Chocolate Cookies makes 18-20

225g/8oz Soft Dark Brown Muscavado Sugar

150g/5oz Unsalted Butter- at room temperature

1Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – I use Nielsen-Massey if you don’t have any paste you can substitute 2tsp of vanilla extract

1 Large Free Range Egg – plus 1 Large Free Range Egg Yolk

50g/2oz Cocoa Powder – I use Callebaut

225g/8oz Plain White Flour

1/2tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/4tsp of Sea Salt – I use Maldon

4-6 packs of Nestle Rolos – depending on how decadent you want your cookies – I’m not going to lie, I went for the full 6 packets!!!

Making The Rolo Chocolate Cookie Batter

Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan, gas mark 3, 325F

First of all, place the sugar and butter in a large bowl and whisk for 5 minutes until pale and creamy. Importantly whisking for 5 minutes and then again after adding the eggs is very important to the finished texture of the cookie.
Add the vanilla bean paste and the eggs and continue whisking for a further 5 minutes.

Sift in the cocoa, flour and sodium bicarbonate into the bowl.
Add 4 packets of Rolos.

Portioning The Cookies On The Baking Sheet

Using a metal spoon, gently stir all of the ingredients together, trying not to bash the Rolos too much.
Line 3 baking trays with baking parchment.
Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of cookie dough onto the baking trays. Leave a decent gap between each mound as these cookies spread.
Top each cookie with a single Rolo.

Baking The Rolo Topped Cookies

Bake the cookies in the centre of the oven for exactly 15 minutes.
The cookies will still be very soft after the baking time has elapsed.
As soon as the cookies are baked remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking tray.

Cookie Love

Once cooled store the Rolo Chocolate Cookies in an airtight container. It is important to separate each layer of cookies with baking parchment. Because these cookies can get very sticky where the caramel oozes out and like to hang on to each other in the tin.

I tell you this from experience 😉.

Also, if you have any Easter chocolate left, you could break it up and add it to these cookies instead of the Rolos, or melt it and use it in my Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites.

If you had a look of horror on your face when I suggested ‘leftover chocolate’ fear not I happily bought the Rolos for these yummy Rolo Chocolate Cookies!!

In our home we have have an ‘eating chocolate’ stash and a completely separate ‘cooking/blogging chocolate’ stash. Although sometimes the lines are blurred – when the need arises, either way!

So, can you keep chocolate in the house without it constantly ‘calling to you’?

If you’ve enjoyed these Rolo Chocolate Cookies here are some other cookie recipes that you may also like:

Chocolate Monster Mini Egg Cookies

Cherry Bakewell Cookies

Bakery Style Soft Triple Chocolate Cookies

I love reading your comments so please keep them coming. Also if you are on Twitter or Instagram please pop up a photo of your bakes and kitchen creations and tag me in. Since I really enjoy seeing what you’ve made and will be sure to retweet or give you a shoutout.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

@sammiefeasting Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy

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Cookie Love

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