Sunday Bunday Challenge - Swiss Roll

Recently a friend of mine has been setting a challenge to bake on a Sunday, calling it "Sunday Bunday".

I wasn't aware of the challenge for the first week, which was Hot Cross Buns, but since then, I have made Chocolate Eclairs (they looked rather rustic, but tasted fabulous),  last week was Cinnamon Buns (they too had a rather individual look to them, in hindsight I should have put them in a larger tin, but tasted wonderful). The challenge for today was Swiss Roll.

I've actually made one before, but enjoyed making this quick bake, it was done and dusted with in three quarters of an hour.  I opted for a traditional jam swiss roll.  The swirl in the middle is a little flat so definitely wouldn't get a handshake from Paul Holywood but at the end of the day it is home baked and very unlikely to come out uniform.  It tastes ok too!

It's another baking day - Toffee Tray Bake

The poor weather has sent me into the kitchen to bake.  I tend to make the same comfort cakes, so today I wanted to try something a bit different and opted for a toffee traybake. 

I was really impressed with this cake.  The base is light and the toffee topping isn't overly sweet but the sea salt gives it a lovely surprise kick.

Here's the recipe I used:

Ingredients for the sponge base

200g chopped dates
160g light brown sugar
80g unsalted butter
300ml boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
175g self raising flour
75g chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
pinch of salt

Ingredients for the top

200g mascarpone
100g light brown sugar
100ml double cream, whipped
75g unsalted butter
Pinch of sea salt
Walnut pieces to decorate

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We're going to make the sponge mixture first.

• Line the base of a tin approx 25cm x 20cm x minimum of 5cm
• Preheat the oven to 180/gas 4
• In a saucepan, add the dates, bicarbonate of soda and boiling water
• Simmer over a low heat for a minute or so and then remove from the heat and leave to cool and soften (for around 10-15 minutes)
• In a mixing bowl add the butter and beat until creamy
• Continue to beat and add the sugar then gradually add the eggs and vanilla essence
• Add the  pinch of salt and flour and mix till smooth.
• Add the cooled date mixture and the walnuts
• Pour into the prepared lined tin and bake for approximate 25 minutes.  Turn out and leave to cool.

Once the sponge base is cool you can add the topping:

On a low heat, in a saucepan add the sugar, butter and double cream and gently melt.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for 3-4 minutes (I kept stirring mine so that it didn't stick to the pan).  Remove from the heat and then leave to completely cool.

When the toffee is totally cool, add it to a bowl with the mascarpone.  Add the sea salt flakes and stir.  Spread across the top of the cooled sponge base and then top with walnut pieces.

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I also made a chocolate orange sponge too.

A Cake and Ice Cream Day

Yesterday, I had a session in the kitchen making cakes and ice cream.  I made two bar cakes, chocolate chip cookie ice cream, mincemeat pastries and mince meat ice cream.  I also cooked and sieved raspberries to make raspberry ripple ice cream which I will finish making today.

Easy Chocolate Brownies

The day started so well with me baking a batch of brownies, but soon turned pear-shaped when Hubby phoned to say he had broken his leg!

Now for the next 6-8 weeks I will be his taxi and we will be in each others company 24-7 a bit scary after being together 35 years!

(I'm also playing nurse to Rosie our dog who had a fast growing lump removed from her nose by the Vet yesterday).

So back to the yummy brownies.  Here is the recipe:

• 200ml Vegetable Oil
• 125g Dark brown soft sugar
• 125g Golden sugar
• 100g Self Raising flour
• 100g chopped walnuts (optional)
• 60g Cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Sodium Bicarbonate
• 3 Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

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Pre-heat the oven to 180

Lightly oil (brush the base and sides) with Vegetable Oil and add a sheet of baking parchment to the base of a 8'x10" baking tray.

Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat together.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes. (You'll notice the surface will have a few cracks in it.

Leave to cool then cut into approximately 12 pieces.

Rocky Road with Maltesers

The daughter of our friend is eleven and she likes to bake, but her Mum doesn't, so as they were coming to visit, I thought we could make something quick while she was with us.

Fortunately, I had all the ingredients in the pantry so we were able to get cracking.  I did work from a recipe I found on line, but tweeked it a little here and there.

Ingredients

300g Dairy Milk Chocolate (for main recipe)
100g Dairy Milk Chocolate (for the topping)
100g Plain/dark Chocolate (for the topping)
200g Digestive Biscuits (crushed and chunky)
125g Butter
3 tablespoons Golden Syrup
100g Mini Marshmallows
Box of Maltesers

Grease & line a 7-9" square tin (I use a foil tray as it saves on washing up and it is easy to tear the bake away from the foil).

Place the 300g chocolate, syrup and butter into a saucepan and melt gently, stirring to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.  

Add the crushed biscuits, marshmallows and a handful of the maltesers and mix together.  Then press into the prepared tin or tray.

In a bowl, break up the remaining milk chocolate and plain/ dark chocolate and melt gently (I use the microwave but keep an eye on it).

Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the mix in the tin, pushing the chocolate to the edges and corners.  I then threw the remaining maltesers onto the chocolate top.  (My little helper also added mini eggs to the top so it's ideal as an Easter treat too).

Leave to set before cutting up into about 16 portions.  (You can accelerate the setting time by popping it into the fridge for half an hour).

I'm not even going to think about the calorie count of this, but you will definitely need a cup of tea or coffee with this!

Enjoy.

Sam xxx

Good Luck On Your Travels Card

Today I made a good luck card for somebody going on their travels.  I used two Stampin' Up products.  The Sunburst Thinlit die and a stamp from "The Open Sea" stamp set.

I also baked as we're visiting relatives tomorrow.  One cake will be lemon and one jam with butter cream and I'm undecided on the third.  I also made a batch of flapjacks too, so quite a productive afternoon.

Banana & Chocolate Cake

Today I made a couple of banana & chocolate cakes. They seem to be a hit as by 5pm one of the cakes had nearly all gone.

The recipe I used is a standard sponge recipe, but instead of adding the all the 3 tablespoon of milk to make the mixture more moist, I added mashed banana  & choc chips also about 1 tablespoon of milk. Cooked at 180 for about 30 minutes. 

The icing is butter, icing sugar &  cocoa powder mixed together with a touch of milk, then added cooled melted dark chocolate & mixed.

Mary's Bakewell Tart

Today I fancied challenging myself to something that I've not made before, so opted to make a Bakewell Tart.  The recipe I opted for is a Mary Berry one which I found on-line.  If it's good enough for Mary then it is good enough for me.  You can find the recipe here.

As it is so hot here today, I couldn't be bothered to make the pastry so opted for the short cut of buying in a pack of pre-made.  There was one section of the recipe I had to re-read a couple of times to be sure that I had understood it correctly and that was the lining of the pastry case with foil.  But I guess that is to accelerate the heat distribution of the baking beans.  Other than that the recipe was fine.

I had a little pastry left over so made some very ropey looking jam & lemon curd tarts - I'm sure they'll taste wonderful even though they don't look the best!