Friday Fun - Limoncello

  

When I saw these lemons at the market I knew I had to buy them and use them in something special.  The weather had been so dreadful here, non stop rain and overcast skys so I decided to make some limoncello. 

I googled several recipes and they are all pretty similar.  This is the quickest version using a sugar syrup - only two weeks wait before you can drink it!

Ingredients:
1 Litre of vodka
3 large lemons or 6 small ones
500g caster sugar
200ml water

Method:

Peel the lemons - trying not to get any of the white pith.  Squeeze all the juice out of the lemons and set aside. 

Place the caster sugar and water into a large saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the lemon peel, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Add the juice, bring back to the boil and simmer for another 5 minutes.   Leave to cool for about 20 minutes.

Pour into a large jar and add the vodka.  Leave for 2 weeks shaking the jar gently every day.  Strain and pour into bottles. 

 

Serve chilled and drink while waiting for the sun to shine!

I am planning to experiment with other fruits and see what flavoured vodkas I can create!

 

Have a lovely weekend.

Bakebakegirl.

 

Monday Bake - Orange and Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

We are back after our lovely week away, the weather wasn't great (still isn't) but that didn't stop us doings lots - visiting castles and pebbley beaches.  I'll be back at work tomorrow and it will feel like I've never been away.....

This blog post came about as I needed a cake that I could make a few days in advance for some visitors. This is quite a dense cake and is actually better eaten the next day (or the day after that!)  There are three stages to this cake but don't let that put you off - they are very straight forward.

Cake:
175g margarine
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs
4 tbsp milk
175g self raising flour
Zest of one orange
25g poppy seeds, plus some for sprinkling on top

Syrup:
4 tbsp caster sugar
5tbsp water

Icing
5 tbsp icing sugar
Juice of one orange

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c/GasMark4
Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner (I use Lakeland)
Place the margarine and sugar in a large bowl.
Cream with an electric whisk until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well between each one.
Whisk in the milk.
Sift in the self raising flour, add the orange zest and poppy seeds fold in until all combined.

Spoon into the tin.

Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes.
While the cake is in the oven make the syrup.  Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring to the boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Boil for a couple of minutes until thick and syrupy.
Check the cake is cooked - when an inserted skewer comes out clean - if it doesn't pop the cake back in the oven for another 5 minutes - then check again - repeat as necessary.

When the cake is done, prick several times and pour over the syrup.
Leave to cool in the tin.
While the cake is cooling make the icing by mixing the sifted icing sugar with enough orange juice to make the icing as thick or as runny as you like.  Remove the cake from the tin and pour over the icing, sprinkle with some poppy seeds.

Enjoy a slice with the remaining orange juice.

Thanks for visiting, hope to see you next week, bring the sunshine with you please!

Bakebakegirl.

Todays top three random Ipod songs:

1. Rehab - Amy Winehouse
2. Safety Dance - Men Without Hats

3. Foundations - Kate Nash

Monday Review - Jubilee Holidee

My work held a Jubilee party in the grounds last Friday lunchtime.   There was a barbeque and a cake competition.  I was full of ideas but I finally decided on a basic victoria sponge cake recipe adding some food colouring for the red and blue layers with buttercream for the white part.  I decorated the top with red and blue M&M's.  Minibakebakegirl enjoyed separating the M&M's, the first two large packets had lots of blue ones but only had about 6 red.....and we could only find peanut jubilee packets but eventually we had enough to decorate the cake.  

On Thursday evening after we had been to the fun fair I was in the kitchen sticking on the M&M's - I was worried the colours might bleed into the icing but they were fine.   If I had had enough I would of decorated the sides too.

It isn't the best photo of a slice but you can see the effect I was aiming for!  It didn't win a prize but everyone said they enjoyed it and it was all polished off :o)

We are on holiday this week in East Sussex so as I won't be baking I thought it might be fun to review places we have had coffee and cake so far!

Pigwidgeon & Pye - Tunbridge Wells

We spotted this Independent coffee shop as soon as we arrived.  It has lots of seating, including some outside and upstairs.  We ordered cappuccinos and Minibakebakegirl a pot of tea.  Hubby had a brownie and we had Jubilee cupcakes.  It was delicious and we especially liked the little wooden tray the tea came on.    If I am ever back in Tunbridge Wells I would go back either for coffee or lunch as that looked good too.

De La Warr Pavillion - Bexhill On Sea

Their website states: The De La Warr Pavilion is a Grade I listed Modernist icon and an international centre for contemporary arts on the seafront in Bexhill On Sea.  It is a beautiful building and has a lovely cafe on the first floor.  It was a bit to chilly to sit outside but I can imagine it would be gorgeous on a sunny day.

I had the mincemeat tart, Minibakebakegirl had a chocolate hazlenut brownie and Hubby the fruit and nut flapjack.  I have only ever had mincemeat at Christmas so this made a nice change.  All three were very generous portions.  Coffee and tea were good too and we liked the arty cups. 

I hope everybody has had a lovely jubilee weekend - even though the weather hasn't been great for parts of the UK I'm sure it won't have stopped the barbeques and street parties!

Bakebakegirl.

Todays top three radio songs:

1. Picking up the Pieces - Paloma Faith

2. The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Tight Fit

3. Sing - Gary Barlow and The Commonwealth Band

Monday Bake - Bacon and Herb Loaf

The better weather is here (to stay for a while I hope) time for picnics and nearly time for Jubilee street parties.  For this weeks bake I have gone savoury, I get tired of sandwiches and I'm always looking for savoury alternatives - this is perfect for eating outdoors.   

Ingredients:
200g margarine
50g caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
4 rashers of grilled smoked bacon
1 onion – chopped and fried until soft and golden
1 tbsp thyme leaves

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c/GasMark4
Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner (I use Lakeland)
Place the margarine and sugar in a large bowl.
Cream with an electric whisk until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well between each one.
Sift in the flour and baking powder, add the salt and fold in.
Fold in the bacon, onions and thyme.

Spoon into the tin. Bake for about 50 minutes.
Check the cake is cooked - when an inserted skewer comes out clean - if it doesn't pop the cake back in the oven for another 5 minutes - then check again - repeat as necessary.

Leave to cool in the tin. Serve sliced and buttered.

Thanks for visiting, have a lovely long bank holiday weekend and lets hope the sun keeps shining.

Bakebakegirl.

Todays top three random Ipod songs:

1. Temptation - Heaven 17
2. The Look of Love - ABC
3. New Song - Howard Jones

Monday Inspiration - Red Velvet

My name is Bakebakegirl and I own a lot of cook books...... ;o)

I have been enjoying sharing my tried, tested and tweeked recipes with you so far but I soon realised that my blog wouldn't last for many weeks before I ran out of my adapted recipes....I will do some savoury recipes too but I have decided that I will also blog when I try out new recipes from my many, many books.

As I am taking a recipe straight from a book and therefore I can't blog it I called this post "Inspiration".   I was thinking that these posts might inspire you to find a recipe for whatever I am trying out, in this case Red Velvet. 

I love Marian Keyes,  I have all her novels so when I heard she was bringing out a baking book I hinted heavily and received a copy for Mothers Day.   Saved by cake didn't disappoint - it is a great read - in short it describes how Marian suffers from depression but the methodical ways of baking helps her.  Have a look at her website, she has some little videos on there http://www.mariankeyes.com/Home  - I now say "cookie cutter" with an Irish Accent!

I have made several of her bakes already but today I made her Red Velvet Cupcakes - my first ever attempt. These ones have a Philadelphia mixture through them.

It did seem to be the recipe of many bowls (Minibakebakegirl enjoyed licking the chocolate and philadelphia ones clean!) 

Also they didn't come out red at all (I used Dr Oetker red food gel), next time I will add more colouring  but they were delicious and I loved the marble effect with the Philadelphia.

Thank you for the lovely comments about my blog, I am so pleased that people have been trying my recipes and sending me photos of their cakes.   I plan to do an update post at some point so tweet me a picture if you have made one of my recipes and I will include it.

Also tweet me a picture if you make any red velvet cakes - hopefully they turn out more red than mine!

Bakebakegirl

Todays Top Three Random Ipod Songs (first two were sung quite loudly!)

1. The Phantom of The Opera - Sarah Brightman & Steve Harley
2. Jolene - Dolly Parton
3. Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

Monday Bake - Banana Loaf Cake

I am a "just ripe" banana girl (recently green - no brown bits!) As soon as bananas go brown I am looking for new recipes to use them up. This is one of my favourite banana recipes probably because it contains alcohol :o) The alcohol does burn off during cooking so this cake can be eaten by children.  Alternatively you could use orange juice instead of rum.  This cake makes the house smell amazing while baking.

Ingredients:
100g sultanas
75ml rum
175g margarine
175g light brown soft sugar
2 large eggs
225g ripe bananas - mashed (weight is after peeling - approx 3)
225g self raising flour

Method:
Place the sultanas and rum in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. The sultanas will plump up and absorb most of the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c/GasMark4
Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner (I use Lakeland)
Place the margarine and sugar in a large bowl.

Cream with an electric whisk until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well between each one.
Stir in the sultanas (along with any remaining liquid) and mashed banana.
Add the self raising flour and mix until all combined.

Spoon into the tin.

Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Check the cake is cooked - when an inserted skewer comes out clean - if it doesn't pop the cake back in the oven for another 5 minutes - then check again - repeat as necessary.
Leave to cool in the tin.

Thanks for visiting, hope to see you next week.

Bakebakegirl.

Todays top three random Ipod songs:

1. Sing - Travis
2. Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols
3. Happy Now - Take That

Monday Bake - Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

I tweeted a picture of some rocky road I had made using gluten free digestives for my friend who is coeliac and received my first request from a twitter friend for a recipe on my blog :o)

Sister gave me this recipe and I actually prefer it to brownies made with flour.  Minibakebakegirl always makes this with me, she pretty much does it all - I am only required to supervise and fold in the egg whites these days!

Ingredients:
150g plain chocolate -  good quality approx 70% cocoa
100g margarine
100g ground almonds
175g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs - separated

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c/GasMark4.
Grease and line a 22cm square cake tin with baking paper.
Place the chocolate and margarine in a large bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, stirring occasionally until melted. 

Remove from the heat and add the almonds, sugar and vanilla, mix well.
Beat in the egg yolks - until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff. 

Fold the egg whites in to the chocolate mixture. (Mix in one third first to loosen the mixture and then gently fold in the rest - try not to knock out too much air)  Pour into the prepared tin and cook for approximately 40 minutes. 

Cool and cut into squares.

This is also really good served warm with vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate sauce.

Thanks for visiting, hope you have a lovely bank holiday Monday - happy baking!

Bakebakegirl

Todays top three random Ipod songs:

1. I'm In Love With A German Film Star - The Passions
2. Summer Son - Texas
3. All You Need Is Now - Duran Duran