Salted Nutella Cookies

These are another bake I've invented based around Kate's love of Nutella...

They're dead easy - only 5 ingredients, no chilling time and a dozen gorgeous cookies at the end, what more could you ask for??

I only added the salt to half of the cookies, as it was a bit of an experiment, but it worked really well so I'd definitely recommend adding it to the top of each cookies, although if you're not keen they're still delish without!

Ready for the oven - they're so easy!

Salted Nutella Cookies

Makes 12

Ingredients

300g Nutella

2tbsp any sugar (brown sugar makes cookies chewier)

1 egg (beaten)

65g plain flour

50g chocolate chips (I used half white chocolate, half milk chocolate)

Optional: 12 small pinches of salt (sea salt flakes work best)

170oC fan oven/180oC all other ovens

Baked and ready for eating up!

Method

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly until everything is incorporated.

2. Use your hands to roll walnut size pieces of dough into balls and squash down slightly onto a lined baking tray. Place the dough balls with at least 2 inches between them as they spread a lot whilst cooking.

3. If you're going to add salt, put a small pinch onto of each cookie now.

4. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 10 minutes - don't worry if they still look a bit raw in the middle when you take them out, this will mean they're gooey and chewy once they've cooled!

5. Leave to cool slightly, but these are definitely beset enjoyed warm out of the oven. If there's any left they'll keep for 2-3 days in an air tight container.

These are so easy, quick and delicious, you've really got to try them!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

Ultimate Cheese Scones

I love cheese scones. Along with millionaires' shortbread they're my absolute favourite. 

One of the best things about being at home for a few days (aside from seeing family and friends!) is having well stocked cupboards, which meant I could rustle these up spontaneously on Saturday morning in time for elevenses. They're great hot out of the oven covered in real butter with a cup of strong coffee.

Ultimate Cheese Scones

Ingredients before assembly

Makes 12 big scones

Ingredients:

500g self raising flour

130g butter/marg

4tsp baking powder

2tsp mustard powder

250g mature cheddar

seasoning to taste

2 eggs

0.5 pint milk

170oC fan oven/180oC all other ovens

Dough ready to roll

Method:

1. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the baking powder, mustard powder, grated cheese (keep a small handful of the cheese back for topping the scones) and seasoning; combine.

2. Whisk the eggs and add milk to make up to 0.5 pints. Add 2/3 of the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and use your hands to combine into a soft dough. (You can add more of the milk mixture if it needs it, but don't make the dough too sticky or you'll spoil the texture of the finished scone.)

Topped before the oven

3. Roll the dough of gently on a lightly floured surface to 1in/2.5cm thick, cut with a 2.5/3in ring and place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat for rest of the dough until it's all used, then brush the tops of the scones with some of the remaining egg mix and top with a generous pinch of the remaining grated cheese.

4. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 15/20 minutes until the scones are golden and the sides don't feel soft when they're prodded.

These really are best enjoyed straight out of the oven. If you're going to keep them for a few days reheat them in the oven at 150oC for 10 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds if you can't wait that long!

Finished scones!

If you want to pimp your scones add chopped chives, thyme, garlic granules or cayenne pepper, but I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to scones - if it ain't broke don't fix it!

These are a fab treat for the weekend, so get going!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

Two Way Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes

Finished cupcakes

I made these for some new neighbours who've moved in next door, just as a way to say hello; they were much appreciated!

I couldn't decide whether to make lemon cupcakes with raspberry cream or raspberry cupcakes with lemon cream so I decided to do both - if you want to make them all the same way just double the flavouring you use for the cake and the cream, but the basic ingredients stay the same.

Two Way Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes

Makes 12

Basic batter

Ingredients:

4oz self raising flour

4oz marg/butter

4oz caster sugar

2 eggs

1tsp baking powder

1 or 2tbsp milk

grated zest of 2 lemons

juice of 1 lemon

punnet (approx. 125g) raspberries

300ml double cream

Adding raspberries

2tbsp icing sugar

170oC fan oven/180oC all other ovens

12 hole bun tin, lined with cupcake cases

Method:

1. Combine all of the basic ingredients in a large bowl and beat into a smooth batter. You might need to add a splash of milk to get it to dropping consistency (when the batter drops off the spoon when picked up). 

2. Divide the batter in half. 

Ready for the oven

3. To one half add the zest of one lemon and the juice of half. Leave the other plain as you’ll add whole raspberries to it once it’s in the cases. 

4. Using teaspoons fill each cupcake cases until it’s 2/3 full of either the lemon or plain batters; to each case of plain batter case add a small amount of mixture then add 2 whole raspberries, then top up with the remaining portion of batter. 

5. Repeat until all of the batter is used then place the trays into the middle of a preheated oven for 10/15 minutes until the 

cupcakes are golden brown. 

Baked and cooling

6. Leave the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack whilst you make the toppings. 

7. Whip the cream to soft peaks, but ensuring it is firm enough to be shaped on top of the cupcakes. Sieve in the icing sugar and whisk gently until incorporated. 

8. Split the cream into two. To one half add the zest of the other lemon and a splash of lemon juice. In a separate bowl smash the remaining raspberries with a fork, add half of the sweetened cream and fold together so the cream starts to turn pink, whilst leaving some chunks of raspberry intact. 

Cream toppings

9. Once they’re completely cool top the lemon cupcakes with the raspberry icing and the raspberry cupcakes with the lemon icing.

These will keep for a day or two, if it’s warm keep them in the fridge so the cream doesn't melt. 

They're a really simple variation on a classic cupcake,very easy to play around with depending on what your fancy or the occasion you're baking for!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

Cakes on Gran's old cake stand

My First Foray Into the Blogging World...

My first foray into the blogging world… slightly different to my first baking memories in that I don’t have my Gran standing over me keeping me on the right track, but we'll see what happens!

I really started this blog as I wanted to have a place to keep track of all my baking adventures together, and this has the added benefit of other people being able to sneak a peek at them too! Hopefully we can share our ideas, get inspired and generally do loads of baking because of it!

I'm going to be doing a lot of retrospective things about all the baking I've done recently, as an exam stress buster and something fun to do over the summer - any excuse! - so they'll be lots of pictures and little bits and pieces coming soon!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx