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

Carrot, Sultana and Mixed Spice Muffins

Finished carrot muffins

These are another type of muffin I've created to take to work with me. An adaptation of carrot cake, they're really moist, and heady with mixed spice, which I love, but if you're not such a fan you can always reduce the amount in it.

In another change from previous muffins I also decided to sprinkle some oats on top of the muffins, just for a different texture; they work really well I think!

Carrot, Sultana and Mixed Spice Muffins

Dry Ingredients

Makes 10/12 muffins

Ingredients:

100g wholemeal/wholegrain flour
50g oats
50g brown sugar
1 large handful of crushed branflakes
75g sultanas
0.5tsp baking powder
0.25tsp bicarbonate of soda
1.5tsp mixed spice

1 grated carrot (approx. 50g)
3tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
juice of 1 satsuma/clementine

Wet Ingredients

100-200ml milk (enough to make a loose, pourable batter)

180oC fan oven/190oC other ovens

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients (keep a small handful of the oats back to sprinkle on the top of the muffins before baking).

2. Mix the wet ingredients, apart from the milk.

3. Combine the two mixtures, beat into a batter and add enough milk to make a loose, pourable batter.

4. Divide between 10/12 bun cases in a bun tray and sprinkle on the left over oats.

5. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 15/20 minutes, or until a knife comes out of the centre of a muffin clean.

Combined Batter

6. Cool on a wire rack, store in an airtight container until you need them.

Like I said, these are delicious, really simple, and a sustaining snack for a busy day - perfect!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger

Ready to eat!

Ready for the oven

Banana, Honey and Cinnamon Muffins

Finished muffins

 I made up this recipe from an amalgamation of several others I’d seen online; I wanted to make something that I could take for lunches at my new job – so it had to be filling and sustaining, hence the wholemeal flour and oats! I also wanted to use some of the delicious thyme flavoured honey my Mum and Dad brought me back from their recent trip to Cyprus.

This recipe makes 6 large muffins, approx. 180 calories each, and they’ll keep in an airtight box all week for your lunchbox! It’s easily doubled if you want to make a batch for afternoon tea.

Dry Ingredients

Banana, Honey and Cinnamon Muffins

Makes 6 large muffins, or 10/12 normal size buns as I've done here.

Ingredients:

100g wholemeal/wholegrain flour

50g oats

50g brown sugar
large handful of crushed branflakes (optional)

0.5tsp baking powder

Wet Ingredients

0.25tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tsp cinnamon

1 banana, thoroughly mashed

1tbsp honey

3tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

1tsp vanilla essence

100-200ml milk (enough to make a loose, pourable batter)

180oC fan oven/190oC others

Pourable Batter with Milk

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl

2. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, apart from the milk

3. Combine the two mixtures, beat into a batter and add enough milk to make a loose, pourable batter

4. Divide between 6 muffin cases (or more if you're making them smaller) in a bun tray

5. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 15/20 minutes for large muffins, 10/15 minutes for small muffins, or until a knife comes out of the centre of a muffin clean
6. Cool on a wire rack, store in an airtight container until you need them

Ready for the oven!

Like I said, these will keep for up to a week in an airtight container, if they get a little dry 30 seconds in the microwave just before eating will freshen it up! They’d make a great pudding with some custard too!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Finished muffins

Fruit Scones

Scones ready for butter and jam!

Impulsively decided to make fruit scones this afternoon, don't know why, but they were just what we fancied! This is an adapted version of Mary Berry's plain scone recipe, so they're not too sweet, but the makes them even better with loads of butter (clotted cream is even better if you've got some...) and jam!

Fruit Scones

Makes 12 big scones

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients

16oz self raising flour

4oz marg/butter

4 tsp baking powder

2oz caster sugar, plus extra for the top

5oz dried fruit (I used 3oz sultanas + 2oz raisins)

2 eggs

0.5 pint milk

Bringing mix together

160oC fan oven/180oC other ovens

Method:

1. Rub the marg into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the baking powder, sugar and dried fruit and combine well.

2. Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, whisk, and make up to 0.5 pint with the milk.

3. Add the egg and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, keeping a little back to glaze the tops with.

4. Bring the mix together, I use a palette knife to stop it getting too messy. Tip out onto a well floured surface and knead lightly to bring it all together into a smooth, soft dough.

Rolled out dough

5. Roll out to an inch thick and cut out rounds using a 2 inch fluted cutter (or into whatever shape you want!). Place onto a lined baking sheet, with at least 2 inches between each scone. Repeat until all the mixture is used. (It should make 12).

6. Brush with the leftover egg and sprinkle on a small pinch of sugar onto the top of each scone.

7. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and firm to the touch in the centre.

Ready for the oven!

8. Leave to cool slightly - these are best eaten straight out of the oven so the butter melts, although they're just as good once they're cool.

They'll keep for 3 or 4 days in an air tight container, if there's any left!

These are so easy, a great stand by for when you fancy a sweet treat for afternoon tea!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Lemon Marmalade and Poppy Seed Cookies

I made these on a whim as I had some leftover lemon marmalade that I needed to use up, so adapted a recipe for orange marmalade cookies, and added poppy seeds too. The batter is very easy to work with, and these cookies make a nice change to rich chocolate cookies, you could even pretend they're healthy...

I used oil as an egg substitute, as it only acts as a binding agent, but you could easily sub an egg back into the recipe - or use dairy free butter and make them vegan.

Lemon Marmalade and Poppy Seed Cookies

Makes 36

Ingredients

Wet ingredients

80g butter

140g granulated sugar

0.25 cup vegetable or sunflower oil

350g plain flour

1.5tsp baking powder

4tsp poppy seeds

6tbsp marmalade (of any variety), plus 1tbsp to glaze

190oC oven, 180oC fan

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar together until it’s pale and fluffy

Pre-oven mix

2. Beat in the oil and marmalade

3. Fold in the flour, baking powder and poppy seeds

4. Use two teaspoons to place small piles of dough onto a lined baking sheet, leaving spreading room between them (approx. 3 inches) 

5. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until light brown, then remove to a wire rack 

6. Put the 1tbsp marmalade for the glaze in a bowl, microwave for 30 second intervals until it becomes spreadable 

Before glazing

7. Apply to the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven using a pastry brush and leave to cool

These cookies are lovely and chewy in the middle, with a nice lemony tang - they go well with a cup of coffee. They will keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days.

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Parsnip Soda Bread

Finished Loaf

I wanted to try some baking that was a bit healthier than usual, and this recipe caught my eye, although I have substituted a few things from the original recipe to make it even healthier – although don’t get me wrong, I am all for full fat baking 95% of the time!

I really like beetroot chocolate cake, so I thought parsnips in bread wasn’t too much of a leap, and this is one of the easiest loaves you will ever make! It uses bicarbonate of soda, rather than yeast, as a raising agent, so doesn’t need any kneading, proving or resting, so it’s super quick and easy!

Parsnip Soda Bread

Dry Ingredients

Makes one large loaf

Ingredients:

250g plain white flour, plus extra for dusting
250g wholemeal flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g parsnips, peeled and grated
100g low fat mature cheddar, grated (plus extra for a topping if you want)
2 tsp ground cumin
approx 5 tbsp seeds (I used a mix of pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and poppy)
1 tsp sea salt

Acidified Milk

large pinch of pepper
400ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk with 2tsp lemon juice

190oC fan oven/200oC other ovens

Method:

1.     First mix the milk with the lemon juice and leave to stand for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to use it. It'll get slightly thicker, to the consistency of single cream.

2.     In a large bowl combine the flours, bicarb, parsnips, cumin, seeds, cheese and seasoning. Mix thoroughly.

Dough coming together

3.     Add the milk/lemon juice mix and bring the dough together – it’ll be sticky and won’t look like your typical smooth dough, but it doesn’t need to, that’s why this recipe is so easy!

4.     Shape the dough in a round, put on a baking tray, score a cross on the top with a sharp knife and sprinkle with extra cheese if you want to.

5.     Bake in the centre of your pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Ready for the oven!

This bread makes amazing toast, freezes well and will last for up to a week in an airtight container - it's too easy and tasty not to give it a go!

Happy Baking!


The Baking Ginger xx

Finished slices!

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

Gran's Peanut Butter Biscuits

This is a recipe from my Gran, I've had them lots of times when we've gone to visit her, but never made them before - they were part of my Mull baking spree, and I was surprised how simple they were. The key is the chilling step - it really does make everything after that easier and a lot less messy!

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Makes 40 (seems like a lot, but they keep for up to a week in an air tight container, if there's any left!)

Peanut Butter Biscuits ready to travel to Mull

Ingredients:

9oz butter

11oz peanut butter

16oz granulated sugar

1 egg

11oz plain flour

1tsp baking powder

large pinch salt

5oz peanuts (peeled and finely chopped)

Demerara sugar (optional)

150oC fan oven, 160oC all other ovens

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl using an electric whisk or wooden spoon cream the butter and peanut butter together until they’re thoroughly mixed.
2. Add the sugar and continue to cream until the mixture has become pale and fluffy.
3. Add the beaten egg gradually, beaten after each addition.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and peanuts and mix until combined.
5. Cling film the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes – the longer you leave it for the easier the next bit will be!
6. Once your dough is thoroughly chilled weigh out 1oz, roll into a roll between your palms and put onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof. Squash down slightly and sprinkle generously with demerara for extra crunch. Repeat for the rest of the mixture, ensuring the biscuits are well spaced out (with at least 2 inches between them).
7. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, or until a light golden brown. If you want your biscuits slightly chewy take them out of the oven whilst they’re still soft, if you’d like them to have a good crunch to them cook them for a few minutes longer until crisp.
8. Leave your biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack. They’re great with a cuppa or some proper coffee.

The Complete Mull Line Up

These were one of the most popular things I made for Mull, I'll definitely be making them again soon, they're so good!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

Nutella Filled Shortbread

Nutella Filled Shortbread

Kate asked me to make some kind of Nutella based biscuit housing today, and this is what I invented!

It's a basic shortbread recipe pimped with vanilla and filled with enough Nutella to make a small horse hyper. 

They're really easy - the only time consuming thing is chilling the Nutella down and the dough too - it's an essential step or you'll end up with an epic chocolate mess, which isn't always a bad thing...

Quenelle of Nutella

Nutella Filled Shortbread

Makes 9 generous biscuits, depends on the size of your Nutella fillings

Ingredients:

4oz butter/marg
2oz caster sugar
6oz self raising flour

1 capful vanilla essence

9tsp nutella (or as many as biscuits you're aiming for - chilled in fridge for at least 2 hours or freezer for 1)

Nutella and Dough

Caster sugar for sprinkling

Baking tray with grease proof paper

170oc fan oven/180oc for any other oven

Method:

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until it becomes light and fluffy.

2. Beat in the vanilla essence.

3. Gradually add the flour, stirring well after each addition. The dough will become much stiffer, but keep going until all of the flour is incorporated.

Mid-roll

4. Put the dough in the fridge for at least two hours to chill (along with the Nutella if it's not already chilling).

5. When everything is chilled make a quenelle of Nutella by passing it between two teaspoons until it's in a smooth oval shape, leave on one of the teaspoons whilst you shape the dough.

6. Take a small handful the dough, roll it between your hands into a ball and then flatten into disk about the thickness of a pound coin.

7. Put the quenelle of Nutella into the centre of the dough disk, bring the edges of the dough up around the Nutella and crimp together.

Ready to bake

8. Gently roll the Nutella filled shortbread between the palm of your hands to make it a uniform shape and then flatten slightly, place on the baking tray and sprinkle with caster sugar.

9. Repeat for the rest of the dough and then bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 10/15 minutes or until they turn a light golden brown.

10. Cool slightly on a wire rack, and then dig in!

Finished biscuits!

These are best enjoyed warm, when the Nutella is still molten - yum!

These are dead easy, and so flipping worth it!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx