Plain Scones

My children love these, not sure why but they prefer them with out any fruit in them. So if you wanted to put some sultanas (or another dried fruit) use about 3 oz and mix it in with the flour, sugar, baking powder and butter stage.
Also be very light handed when making scones.
I used one of my large round cutters when cutting out the dough. It is about 3 1/16 in.

what you need:
500g string white flour
2 eggs, beaten.
3 oz Golden caster sugar
1 oz baking powder
3 oz butter
8 fl oz milk

1 egg for an egg wash

what you do:
Line 2-3 baking trays with grease proof paper
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and butter into a large bowl.

In a jug put the milk and egg, mix slightly.

Pout your milk mix into the flour and mix to combine.

very lightly flour your worktop and knead very briefly. I did mine for a matter of seconds.

Roll out your dough to about 3 to 5 cm thick and cut out your shapes.
Place these onto your baking trays.

Brush with egg then place into the fridge for 30 minutes or more. (this is to help them rise and not spread out)
Near the end of your resting time preheat your oven to about 210 o'C.
brush the top of the scones only with egg wash.
Place your scones on the shelf just below the middle and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. ( I check mine with a skewer put through the side just to make sure they are cooked through)
place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Baking
Shelly
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Brownie based baked cheese cake.

Here is a recipe for those of you who love Cheese cake and brownies as this to me is heaven on a plate.

The cheese that I used was philly.

Now when it comes to mixing the cheese, use a whisk I had to use my spoon for the first part as I was waiting for my washer upper to clean it for me. 

what you need:

Brownie

4 oz butter

4 oz plain chocolate

7 oz Golden caster sugar

2 eggs beaten

50ml of milk

4 oz plain flour

Cheese cake

500g soft cheese

4 1/2 oz Golden caster sugar

3 eggs beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 oz natural yogurt

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 180 o'C and grease and lightly flour your tin. I used my deep 8 inch round tin for this.

Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and place over a pan of simmering water.

 heat until melted mix occasionally to combine. 

Beat in the sugar.

Beat in the eggs and the milk

Whisk in the flour until just blended.

Pour the mixture into your tin making sure it is evenly spread and place in the oven on the middle shelf for 25 to 30 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 160 o'C

In a large bowl whisk cheese and sugar together. 

Whisk in the eggs and extract making sure that it is well blended.

Whisk in the yogurt.

Pour this over the brownie, making sure that it is evenly spread. 

Put this on the second from bottom shelf and bake for 50 minutes. Or until the centre is just set.

Remove from the oven and very carefully use a sharp knife and run it around the edge of the cake. This will stop the cheese cake from sticking while cooling. 

Leave to cool completely in the tin. Once cooled carefully remove from the tin. 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Happy baking 

Shelly

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Fruit (Strawberry) Tart.

Walking around my local Tesco I found the strawberries where half price so I thought I would make a tart. Now this pastry and filling you can put any fruit on that you like but my kids are picky when it comes to fruit and tarts. No jam aloud and it is bound to be eaten if it has strawberries in it. So I have gone for the vanilla type custard and strawberry topping. No jam or glaze in site.

This tart is ideal to make in the morning as it does need a few hour in the fridge. You find that leaving the tart in the tin during assemble then sticking it back in the fridge until you are ready for it prevents it from breaking.

What you need:

Pastry

8 oz plain flour

pinch salt

5 oz butter

1 oz caster sugar

1 egg yolk

2 - 3 tbsp cold water

Filling

2 egg yolks

240ml milk

3 tbsp caster sugar

3 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp cornflour

1 vanilla pod

pinch of salt

2 tbsp double cream

Topping

Fruit of your choice. I have used strawberries.

What you do:

Pastry:

In a large bowl sieve the flour and salt and rub in the butter until you have what looks like bread crumbs.

Using a round ended knife stir in the sugar

then stir in the egg yolk and water.

Once it is all combined turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth dough.

Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out your pastry and line your tin. Prick the base cover with grease proof and put your baking beans inside it.

Place in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven, make sure you put a baking tray in the oven, to 190 o'C bake for 10 minutes. Remove the grease proof and beans. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes 

Remove from oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.

Filling

In a medium size sauce pan. Put your egg yolk, caster sugar, plain flour, cornflour, salt and 3 tbsp of your milk. Whisk till smooth.

In a small sauce pan put your milk. Split your vanilla pod and put your seeds into your milk.Gently heat until it starts to simmer.

Very gently pour your milk in to your egg mix. Whisking the whole time.

Put your medium sauce pan onto a medium heat and constantly whisk this until it starts to boil and thicken.

Remove from heat transfer to a bowl and whisk in your cream. Cover this with cling film (this will prevent a skin forming) leave to cool then place in the fridge for 2 hours.

Once ready beat again and spread evenly in you pastry case.

Topping:

Prepare your fruit. As I am only using strawberries I will only need to wash and hull mine. then arrange your fruit ontop of your filling.

Put your tart back in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Happy baking
Shelly
xxx

The Ultimate Gooey Brownie

Ok so to me you can not call a brownie a brownie unless it is nice a crunchy on the outside and gooey on the middle. Now I have tried many brownie recipes and none have made me feel that I am in crunchy gooey heaven until I have found this one. I must admit I have played about with the recipe a bit and removed some ingredients then put something else in, until I had it just the way I think a brownie should taste like.

Now I cooked mine for only 35 minutes which made mine extra gooey (just the way I like it) I also cut some off before it was completely cool. My justification is that I am pregnant and just simply had to eat it warm. mmmm was all I could say. I was could and did leave some for my children but do have to admit that I ate most of it much to my dads disappointment (normally take a box of what ever I have baked at the weekend) as he likes his brownies just like I do.

What you need:
100g butter
150g plain dark chocolate (make sure it is 70% or more cocoa)
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g ground Almonds
6 oz caster sugar
4 eggs separated

What you do:
Preheat your oven to 180 o'C and grease and line you brownie tin ( mines about 20 cm square tin)
In a large bowl put in your chocolate and butter then place this over a pan of simmering water. Make sure that the water does not touch the bowl.

Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted.
Remove from heat and put to one side to cool.

Stir your extract, Almonds and sugar into your chocolate using a spatula. Make sure that it if fully combined.

Lightly beat your egg yolks

 and then mix them into your chocolate again make sure it is fully combined.

In a separate bowl whisk your egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Take about 2 tbsp full and mix this into your chocolate mix this will help loosen up your mix.

 Then very carefully fold in the rest of your egg whites, using your spatula, until it is fully combined.

Gently poor this into you prepared tin

 and place in your oven on the middle shelf and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Or until well risen and firm on top but still slightly gooey in the middle.

Leave it in the tray until completely cool remove from the tin and slice.

Enjoy

Happy Baking

Shelly

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