Lemon and Blueberry Cookies

Finished cookies

These are a delicious Spring snack; lighter and fresher than their chocolate counterparts, but still a sweet and satisfying treat!

Try serving with greek yoghurt or creme fraiche as a ligher dessert alternative.

Lemon and Blueberry Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Creamed butter and sugar

Ingredients

250g butter/marg

200g dark brown sugar

250g caster sugar

2 egg

550g self raising flour

small pinch of salt

300g fresh blueberries

zest of 3 lemons
juice of 1 lemon

170oC fan oven/180oC other ovens

With  eggs

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy - once you think you've done give it another minute or so of beating to make your cookies as light as possible!

2. Beat in the eggs in two goes until it's all combined. If it curdles don't worry, it'll come back together when you add the flour.

3. Add the salt, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat until combined. Add the flour, mix thoroughly, and then add the blueberries. Mix gently so as not to pop too many of the blueberries; mix until just combined.

With blueberries

4. Put the mix in the freezer for 10 minutes or fridge for an hour just to make it easier to work with - it will be a very very sticky dough!

5. Once the dough is chilled, using two dessert spoons, put a walnut size ball of dough onto a greased or lined baking sheet. (I roll each dough ball quickly between my hands if I want my cookies to have a more uniform finish). Make sure the dough balls have at least 3 inches between them as they will spread whilst baking.

6. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes; they may look raw in the middle still but they'll continue to cook as they cool and you'll end up with a gorgeous, chewy cookie once they've cooled on a wire rack.

Ready for the oven

These can be stored in an airtight container for 4/5 days, and they're equally delicious whether enjoyed with a cup of tea, or a glass of homemade lemonade.

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Pecan and Hazelnut Blondies

I made these with my friend Hannah after we’d finished our finals at uni – they’re very sweet but the nut content cuts through their richness, making them utterly more-ish! White chocolate has a reputation of being a bit temperamental, because of its lack of cocoa solids, meaning it can split easily, but as long as you melt it slowly, stirring regularly you’ll be fine.

Hazelnut and Pecan Blondies

 

Makes 15 pieces

Ingredients:

75g marg/unsalted butter

500g white chocolate

3 large eggs

175g caster sugar

175g self raising flour

pinch of salt

100g hazelnuts (chopped)

100g pecans (chopped)

1.5tsp vanilla extract

10 x 8 in. baking tin, greased and lined

170oC fan oven/190oC other ovens

Method:

1. Melt 125g of the white chocolate carefully in the microwave – stir regularly to prevent it burning.
2. In a separate, large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until smooth, then beat in the melted chocolate – make sure it’s not too hot or you’ll end up with chocolate scrambled eggs; leaving it to stand for 5 minutes after it’s melted will do.
3. Fold in the flour, salt, remaining chocolate in chunks, nuts and vanilla essence until everything is incorporated, but don’t over mix.
4. Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake in the middle of your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a golden crust has formed on the Blondies but they’re still soft underneath.
5. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, slice into 15 and turn out onto a wire rack to cool further. These are gorgeous hot, cold, warm with tea, coffee or milk – however you fancy, and if there's any left will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

These are ridiculously easy; you can change the nuts to whatever you prefer or use milk or dark chocolate chips instead of the extra white chocolate, they're a great go to bake if you need something quickly!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

Cheddar, Onion and Wholegrain Mustard Couronne

This is a delicious interpretation of a couronne loaf; once you've mastered the twisting process, you really can add any fillings you want. I find the combination of a cheese, a complementary flavour and something to accentuate and complement both base flavours is a foolproof selection of fillings!

Cheddar, Onion and Wholegrain Mustard Couronne

Fillings added

Ingredients:

500g/1.1lb strong white bread flour

25g/1oz marg or butter

2tsp salt

7g/2tsp dried yeast

350ml warm water

200g strong cheddar, grated
6 medium/4 large onions, finely sliced (I used a mix of red and white)
Salt and pepper (and herbs and seasonings to taste)

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Rolled up

200oC oven/180oC fan

Method:

1. Rub the marg or butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add the yeast and salt (to separate sides of the bowl) and mix.

2. Add the warm water in stages until the dough comes together but isn't sticky.

3. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Cut down middle

4. Place into an oiled bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (at least 1 hour).

5. Whilst the dough is rising, gently saute the onions in a little oil until they're soft and translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste. I added a little mixed herbs and garlic salt too for an extra savoury note.

6. Once risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead gently for 30 seconds to knock it back and then roll the dough out into a rectangle (approx. 1m x 50cm).

7. Cover the rectangle with the fillings of your choice, (I did mustard first, then onions, then cheese), tack one of the long edges to the work surface and then roll from the opposite long edge like a swiss roll - do it as tightly as you can.

Twisted halves

8. Cut the ~1m long roll of dough lengthways down the centre of the roll, twist edge half individually until it has an even twist all the way along, then twist the two halves together, to effectively reform the ~1m long roll.

9. Starting at one end of the dough, roll the dough into a flat spiral, like a snails shell. Continue to the other end of the dough and then place your spiral onto the centre of a greased and floured baking sheet.

10. Cover again with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise again in a warm place for approx. 30 minutes.

Twists spiralled together

11. Brush with milk and bake in the centre of a preheated oven (200oC) for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and makes a hollow sound when the base is tapped.

12. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm with lots of butter. It'll keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

This bread makes a delicious accompaniment to a classic tomato soup, or as part of a really special Ploughmans, but it's equally delicious all on it's own!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Poppy Seed Bagels

Finished bagels!

I didn't realise how few ingredients bagels needed until I started researching recipes for them, there's no excuse not to try them as they're made with things you'll find in any vaguely well stocked baking cupboard.

The hardest thing I found to do was shape the bagels, the first one or two were slightly lumpy but I soon got the hang of it, practice makes perfect, which is the perfect excuse to make these time and time again! It is definitely a recipe I'll be going back to, next I'm thinking cinnamon and raisin bagels, but that's for another time!

Activated yeast

Poppy Seed Bagels

Makes 9

Ingredients:

450g bread flour

4tbsp sugar

2tsp salt

1 sachet dried yeast (7g)

Rough dough

2tbsp milk

2tbsp poppy seed

190oC fan oven/200oC other ovens

Method:

1. In a large bowl add 100ml of warm water to 1tbsp sugar and the sachet of yeast. Leave for 10 minutes to activate the yeast - you'll start to see bubbles appear on the surface of the liquid.

2. Add another 200ml of warm water to the bowl, followed by half the flour and the 2tsp salt. Mix into a dough, and add the rest of the flour in stages until you get a soft, but not sticky dough, you might not need all of the flour.

Smooth, kneaded dough

3. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. (See this previous blog about the best kneading technique.)

4. Once smooth put the dough into an oiled bowl, covered with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size - approx. 1 hour, but don't be afraid to leave it for longer.

5. Turn the doubled dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into thirds and then thirds again to get nine equal portions. Knead each into a smooth circle and then roll between your palms to get a smooth ball.

Making the hole

6. Put a large ban of water onto boil and add the remaining 3tbsp sugar. Bring to a rapid boil.

7. Meanwhile, to make the bagel's characteristic hole press your thumb into the centre of each dough ball, then pick it up, work your other fingers into the space, making the hole bigger by gently pulling the dough outwards and cycling it around between your index fingers. Make the hole approx 3cm across. Repeat for all 9 dough balls.

8. Now your sugary water should be boiling, so add the bagels to the water (do as many in a go as you can fit in the pan without them touching each other or the sides), boil for 1 minute on each side and then remove from the water onto a wire rack with a slotted spoon.

Cycling between your fingers

9. Once you've boiled all of the bagels put the milk in a shallow dish and the poppy seeds in another. One at a time, place a bagel face down in the milk, and then straight into the poppy seeds. Place seeds face-up onto a lightly greased baking tray. Repeat for all of the bagels.

10. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they're golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

11. Cool on a wire rack. These will keep for 3-4 days if kept in an airtight container, but they're best enjoyed whilst still warm from the oven with lashings of butter...

Boiling bagels!

The poppy seeds in this recipe are entirely optional; you can have plain bagels instead, simply glaze with a beaten egg before baking, or add any other seeds of your choice, again using milk as glue.

Like I said, I was really impressed with how simple these were, I can't wait to start experimenting with flavour combinations soon!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Finished article!

Being topped

Ready for the oven

Chewy Chocolate and Nut Cookies

Baked and ready to be eaten!

I made these at the same time as the Salted Nutella Cookies and I've got to admit, I think I prefer these; I'm a big fan of nuts in anything...

The trick to making them really chewy is the light muscovado sugar, if you've only got white sugar that'll work too, your cookies just won't be so chewy and gooey!

They'd work really nicely for elevenses, as part of a spread for afternoon tea, or hot from the oven with loads of vanilla ice cream - yum!

Chewy Chocolate and Nut Cookies

Makes 20 large cookies

Ingredients

Mixture with nuts and chocolate

125g butter/marg

100g light muscovado sugar

125g caster sugar

1 egg

2tsp vanilla essence

225g self raising flour

small pinch of salt

100g chocolate pieces (I used white and milk chocolate)

100g nuts (I used chunks of almonds and hazelnuts)

170oC fan oven/180oC other ovens

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy - once you think you've done give it another minute or so of beating to make your cookies as light as possible!

2. Beat in the egg and vanilla essence in two goes until it's all combined. If it curdles don't worry, it'll come back together when you add the flour.

Ready for the oven

3. Add the flour and salt, and mix until just combined then mix in the nuts and chocolate.

4. Put the mix in the freezer for 10 minutes or fridge for an hour just to make it easier to work with - it will be a very very sticky dough!

5. Once the dough is chilled, using two dessert spoons, put a walnut size ball of dough onto a lined baking sheet. Make sure the dough balls have at least 3 inches between them as they will spread massively whilst baking.

6. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 9 minutes; they may look raw in the middle still but they'll continue to cook as they cool and you'll end up with a gorgeous, chewy cookie once they've cooled on a wire rack - although as usual they're best when still warm from the oven!

Finished article!

I used the chocolate and nut combinations that I like, but the basic dough recipe can be adapted to suit your tastes, they're really flexible and once you've made one combination you'll really want to try others! You could add lemon zest to mixture to make the cookies fresh and bring out the flavour of the nuts, it really works, and would be great with other citrus fruits too!

They'll keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container.

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

Easy Peasy Pizza with a Scone Base

Original recipe from school for a 7 year old!

The first time I made these pizzas I was in Year 3 at school - they're that easy! The scone base is a bit different to the usual bread base for a pizza, but it's a lot more flexible; you can add cheeses, garlic, herbs to your scone dough without risking upsetting anything!

Here I've added thyme to the base and topped it with lots of veg, cheddar and basil, but you can literally do anything with it; use up leftovers or go for a classic tomato, basil and mozzarella (I've included the quantities of toppings you'll need for that combo at the bottom).

This recipe will serve 2/3 generously, or 4 if you do an accompanying side salad, garlic bread or veg. They lend themselves really well to a sociable meal, make the bases in advance and then let people top their own individual pizzas, they're fun and tasty, what more could you ask for??

Flour and marg breadcrumbs

Easy Peasy Pizza with a Scone Base

Ingredients:

Base:
8oz self raising flour
2oz marg
100ml milk
salt and pepper
1tbsp fresh thyme (or any other herbs you fancy)

Veggie Supreme Toppings:
half tin chopped tinned tomatoes

Dough with thyme in

4oz grated cheddar
2tbsp sweetcorn
lightly sauted onions, peppers, courgettes (with garlic)
mushrooms
big handful of basil leaves

Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Toppings:
half tin chopped tinned tomatoes
3 beef tomatoes
300g mozzarella (2 balls worth)
very large handful of basil

Other Suggested Toppings:
Smoked sausage, anchovies, olives, ham, tuna, jalapeños, 
pineapple, aubergine (fry before), cooked chicken, 
cooked prawns, smoked salmon, any types of cheese,
whole egg which cooks as the pizza does,

Rolled and ready to go

170oC fan oven/180oC all other ovens
standard size baking tray

Method:

1. In a large bowl rub the flour and marg together into breadcrumbs.

2. Add the baking powder, seasoning and any herbs/cheese you fancy.

Avec toppings

3. Add the milk to bring the ingredients together into a soft dough, turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly just until the dough comes together.

4. Roll the dough out to a size slightly bigger than your baking tray, grease the baking tray with olive oil and carefully move the dough onto the baking tray - fold over the bits of dough that overhang to make edges for your pizza base.

5. Cover with the chopped tomatoes, toppings and then cheese as you like.

6. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the base are golden brown.

Cooked and ready to eat!

They're best enjoyed straight out of the oven, or they're great cold for a picnic lunch, or even breakfast the next day!

These are so easy and flexible you can't not give them a go!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cake with Raspberries and Cream

Ripples from the Bundt Tin

Another variation on the theme of lemon and raspberry - it's a good one!

This was for my brother's birthday, it makes a good celebration cake because it looks as good as it tastes!

Bundt tins are a bit old school, but the cakes they make look really cute, and are perfect for filling with cream on special occasions, what's not to love??

If you haven't got a Bundt tin this would also work as a traybake, with the cream spread on top.

Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cake with Raspberries and Cream

Bundt Tin

Ingredients

Cake:
4oz self raising flour
4oz marg
4oz caster sugar
2 eggs
1tsp baking powder
1tbsp milk

Extras:
zest and juice of 3 lemons

Batters ready to go

3oz sugar
1tsp red/pink food colouring
150ml double cream
2tbsp icing sugar
150g raspberries plus extra to decorate

Bundt tin
170oC fan oven/180oC other ovens

Method

1. Put all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat into a smooth batter. Add the lemon zest.

Marbling done!

2. Divide the batter equally between two bowls and add the food colouring to one - make it as bright a colour as you'd like, they fade when they're cooked so be bold!

3. Thoroughly grease the Bundt tin with marg (use kitchen roll to apply it, or your fingers) and fill with alternate spoonfuls of each batter to get the marbled pattern. You can also then drag a skewer or knife through your batter to make the marbling even more pronounced.

4. Bake in the centre of a hot oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and coming away from the edge of the tin.

5. Leave to cool slightly before attempting to remove from the tin - tapping the bottom of the tin and gentle shaking are the best ways I've found to do this! Whilst it's cooling combine the juice from the lemons with the 3oz sugar in a small pan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Mid drizzle

6. Once your cake is out of the tin pour over the lemon juice and sugar - this is the drizzle part of the lemon drizzle. Leave the cake to cool completely. You can get to this point a day or so before you need the cake and keep it in an air tight container and then fill with cream just before serving.

7. When you're ready to eat the cake whip the cream to soft peaks, sieve in the icing sugar and smash up the raspberries before adding them too. Fill the centre of the cake with the cream and pile it high! Decorate with raspberries if you want to. (You can do this a couple of hours before eating - just keep it in a cool place afterwards)

Completed cake!

Like I said this cake is great for birthdays or celebrations but it'd make a really special dessert too, it's one of our new family favourites!

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