HAPPY WORLD BAKING DAY!

Did you know it is World Baking Day today?

We've all been encouraged to step in those kitchens and be a little braver with our baking...step outside the comfort zone and bake a cake, biscuits, just something sweet and delicious that we've never done or attempted before....

...here's a link to the website that has been set up...and for people a little stuck for ideas, they've teamed up with 100 different chefs, from tv fame, restaurants and home bakers etc to supply recipes....suited for all ages and abilities...PLUS an Ultimate Challenge Cream Puff Cake from Buddy Valastro of Cake Boss fame...gone on...dare you make it!

http://worldbakingday.com/#/en-gb

For all you Facebookers, they also have an FB page for you to join in chat and upload pics in order to share your creations of the day.

So...what have I done?

Well...Baking isn't a hardship for me - give me any excuse to get in the kitchen and get those baking utensils out...and I'm there.....but, deciding what to do has been a little bit tricky. Today I'm a little stretched for time....I have commitments today so much as I was really tempted to try the Buddy Challenge, I sadly cannot, and so I picked a couple of things that could be all completed by mid morning before I head off out (after posting this too, of course). What to do that was 'out of my comfort zone' was also a poser...because aside from cooking something I truly hate (no point in that, if I can't enjoy sampling my creations) I'm not easily fazed by baking and will give anything a go....so what to do...what to do....

On searching the WBD website for inspiration, my OH pointed out this recipe

Barbara Richards - 5 Cup Health Crunchies

http://worldbakingday.com/#/en-gb/recipe/5-cup-health-crunchies

...on the basis that it's a sort of healthy thing...and since basically none of my baking creations come under the 'healthy' label...it would be something different for me to try.

There was one problem, however....it contained coconut!

I HATE coconut!...

almost as much as I hate raisins, currants and sultanas!

"Well, since when has something in a recipe ever stopped you....change it...put in something you DO like"...was his reply!

So I did...

and here's the result

The recipe calls for 5 equal cup measures of ingredients (hence the name of course) but I tweaked it slightly and the coconut was substituted by a third a cup each of chopped hazelnuts and walnuts, plus the oats were increased by one third of a cup too...so still maintaining a 5 cup measure in total. I also used dark brown sugar to give more depth in colour and flavour. The recipe instructions and baking times were all the same.

If I may say so, they are stunningly delicious! We've just sampled some fresh baked and warm from the oven and they're slight soft and gooey, and cakey....but I also think once they've cooled and crisped up a bit, they'll be even more moreish!

I have a feeling these are going to become a regular bake in this household and make a lovely change from flapjacks. They are also ripe for even more adaptation - we think adding dried fruit...and even grated apple would work...and maybe some chocolate to create a slightly more sinful version!

Can't wait to experiment!

There will be no waiting for another World Baking Day to come along though...I think next week is more like it!

Aside from that I also baked bread...

nothing new there...but it was Soda Bread, and made with buttermilk (the proper traditional way) and is a little out of my comfort zone because I'm so used to bread made with yeast and kneaded, left to prove etc - this stuff uses Bicarbonate of Soda for the raising agent...and no kneading or proving required...it's a case of mix it, shape it, cut it, bake it...and 30 mins later you're done!

I used a Paul Hollywood (bread god!) recipe from his book 'How to Bake'.

Now, don't laugh!...but Whoops, this is what happened! It sort of exploded out a little too much. Tradition has it that you shape the dough into a ball, and then deeply slash through in a cross shape before baking....this is to let the bread devil out. Paul, in his book tells you to cut almost to the base, but I didn't...and even so it still expanded and opened out to this extent. I think the Devil...AND all his mates have quite comfortably been let out of this one lol!

Oh well...it might look a little misshapen...but as long as it tastes good I'm happy!

Once more...A Happy World Baking Day to you...

now get in those kitchens...and bake!

XXX

MUFFIN MONDAY - Marbled Vanilla & Chocolate AND Oaty Fruity Muffins

It's Monday....and it's Muffins! I baked up a couple of batches of new recipes to try over the weekend and as promised (to my FB friends), after being sampled and some bits slightly tweaked, the results and ingredients are now here for you to try.

Marbled Vanilla & Chocolate Muffins

I recently found a little book  '1 mix, 50 muffins' with some very interesting variations in, but have really only just got around to trying out some of it's contents. I wanted to make basic chocolate muffins and could have used my normal tried and tested recipes, but found in this book one for a marbled effect - ie the mix is split into half chocolate, half vanilla then randomly spooned into the cases to create a marbled swirled sponge. I decided to give this variation a go...but mainly because the instructions got me a little curious. It called for the whole batter mix to be mixed up as vanilla, then halved into two bowls, and an amount of cocoa powder added to one batch. On reading this I immediately thought...hmmmm surely adding the cocoa to this batch would alter the consistency, compared to the vanilla...

I went ahead with the recipe...and sure enough, the addition of the extra 'dry ingredient' cocoa powder did indeed make the chocolate batch much thicker in consistency to the vanilla half. My concern then, was whether this would affect the baking. I think it did. The batch of muffins came out very uneven and lopsided...and on pulling apart and tasting one, found the chocolate sections much drier and heavier....and maybe even a tad overcooked. The vanilla parts were much nicer in texture....so I wasn't happy...a tweak of the recipe was called for.

Convinced that the dry powder ingredients (ie flour and cocoa) needed to be equal in weights for both batches I took a look at the book again and took the details for a basic vanilla mix and then compared it to the details for a basic chocolate mix. The vanilla one called for 10oz of plain flour, the chocolate one called for 8oz of flour with the remaining 2oz substituted with cocoa powder.....(all the rest of the ingredients were identical) so the obvious thing was to use both of these recipes instead, halve the quantities and just follow the same instructions as to spooning these batches into the cases as before, to create the marble.

The result was a much more evenly baked and risen muffin...and so here is my amended version -

Marbled Vanilla & Chocolate Muffins (makes approx 10-12 standard sized)

for the Vanilla batch -
5oz Plain flour
half tbsp baking powder
quarter tsp salt
2oz caster sugar
1egg
4 1/2 floz milk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1tsp vanilla extract

for the Chocolate batch -
4oz Plain flour
1oz Cocoa powder
half tbsp baking powder
quarter tsp salt
2oz caster sugar
1 egg
4 1/2 floz milk
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Pre heat oven to 200oC/400oF/gas mark 6 (if using fan assisted oven, reduce temperature according to manufacturers instructions)

Prepare a muffin tin, grease and line or use paper cases.

Make up each batch in separate bowls in the order as follows - Sift together dry ingredients, mix together wet ingredients in another bowl or jug, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir quickly but gently until just combined (it will look lumpy but no dry flour should be visible).

Using teaspoons, spoon batter into the muffin tins, alternating the chocolate and vanilla mix.

Bake in oven for approx 20mins until well risen, and tops spring back when touched or a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

These muffins look pretty cool with the swirled two tone sponge but as it was Easter, I tarted mine up a little bit more for an extra sweet treat -

The tops were smothered in chocolate frosting and little chocolate mini eggs placed on as decoration...you couldn't see the marbling and only once the case was peeled back and the sponge bitten into, did the multicoloured mix reveal itself!

Oaty & Fruity Breakfast Muffins (makes 10-12 standard size)

This is from a tried and trusted Susan Reimer recipe for Oatmeal and chocolate chip muffins that has been tweaked and the chocolate replaced with dried fruit....for a slightly more healthier version. I call then 'Breakfast' muffins because I use porridge oats.

2oz rolled oats
9 floz milk
8oz plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
half tsp salt
4oz mixed dried fruit
1 egg (beaten)
4oz light brown soft sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3floz vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 200oC/400oF/Gas Mark6 (if using fan assisted oven, reduce temperature according to makers instructions)

Prepare muffin tins.

In bowl combine the oats and milk and set aside to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt...then stir in the dried mixed fruit.

To the oat/milk mixture, stir in the beaten egg, sugar, vanilla extract, and oil...then pour into the dry ingredients and stir quickly but gently until just combined. Do not over mix....it should be a lumpy batter but with no dry flour visible.

Pour into muffin tin/cups (about  three quarters full), bake for 20-25mins until light brown and firm to the touch. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

SIMPLE MOROCCAN BEAN AND VEGETABLE STEW

As, usual....I haven't posted on here for a while. I'm busy with refurbing and redecorating the bathroom, diningroom and kitchen - picking up from where I left off after the professionals came in to fit new suite and kitchen appliances a while back etc (if you follow my blog you'll have seen the photos and such). I'm on the home straight (I think!) and I'll be doing another update and blog post once it's all finished so hang tight...it'll be here soon I hope...

...in the meantime, I'm just posting up a recipe for something I cooked up today. Really enjoyed it...it was a big hit with the OH so I've decided to share on here.

We're in the middle of a snow storm again (it's nearly April for crying out loud...can we please have Spring now...all this white stuff and below freezing temps is becoming a joke!) so we've been hankering after comfort foods. I was watching an old Nigel Slater tv cookery show and he was making a lentil and pancetta stew and that kinda got my mouth watering...

...stew...mmmmmm...stew sounded goooood...

...but I didn't have any lentils (used up my last can a few days ago for a dahl curry) and I didn't have any pancetta....or bacon...or any other meats for that fact...

so a quick scout of the cupboard and armed with an onion, two small leeks, two large carrots, tinned tomatoes and a tin of butterbeans and the herbs and spice cupboard at the ready, I decided to try out moroccan style. I used an old tried and tested combo of spices (normally used for a meat tagine) but the rest was kinda winging it...thankfully it turned out rather good. With the absence of meat it's pretty quick one pot to cook up and serve within the hour...although I daresay, if left over night the flavours would develop even more.

Don't be put off by the long list of herbs and spices...looks a lot, but these really are needed for a good authentic moroccan flavour and are actually in small quantities.

Sorry...but no photos...we were too hungry to stand around prepping and making pretty for piccies!

Simple Moroccan style Bean and Veg stew (serves 4)

couple of tblspns of oil for frying (I used rapseed but olive or veg oil is fine)
1 medium sized onion, peeled and chopped (about 1inch pieces)
1 large leek (or two small), washed and chopped (about 1 inch pieces)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
*1tsp cumin seeds
*half tsp ground cinnamon
*1tsp ground coriander
*half tsp tumeric powder
*half tsp fennel seeds
*1 tsp dried basil
*half tsp sea salt
*small pinch of cayenne
2 garlic cloves (crushed or very fine choped)
1 400g tin Tomatoes in juice
1pt chicken stock (or veg stock if making as a vegetarian meal)
1 400g tin Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
half tblsp grated fresh ginger (optional)
fresh chopped coriander or parsley to serve (optional)

Fry off the onion, leek and carrot in the oil for a couple of minutes, then stir in all the * marked herbs and spices and cook a further 2 mins, Add the garlic, gently cook another min the add in the tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer about 25-30mins...stiring occasionaly and keeping an eye that it doesn't dry up...add extra water or more stock if needed (the tomatoes and long simmering will thicken the liquid but it's a stew so there needs to be ample juices). Add the Butterbeans and gently cook a further 10 mins then stir in the grated ginger (if using), turn off the heat, cover and let rest a few minutes.

Serve scattered with the chopped fresh herbs and with plain cous cous or some pitta bread to mop up the juices.

Enjoy!

BAUBLE A MONTH CHALLENGE - DECEMBER

Well, here we are...it's December...hasn't time flown! The last of my baubles is done and the challenge is now complete! As I've said before, it's been fun and I've thoroughly enjoyed testing myself with lots of different techniques and designs...and sticking with it and completing the full challenge/project. But, to be honest, there were so many more baubles I wanted to make that twelve months wasn't really enough time. I have been tempted to carry on for another year for sure....but in just a few weeks time it'll be a new year and I have new challenges and exciting things ahead (keep on eye out here and more will be revealed). I might make a couple of more baubles at some point just for craftings sake...but this is it....the challenge is all done and here it is -

BAUBLE A MONTH CHALLENGE 2012 -

 

DECEMBER

 

'ORIGAMI / PAPER FOLDED STAR'

 I have tried to alternate each month with one sculptural/mixed media bauble..and one paper crafted piece. Yes, Novembers bauble did include some paper but this last one is pure paper all the way - nothing more involved other than scissors, pencil and paper....

 

...and I've posted it up as a tutorial so you can all have a go - it's a great one for using up all those bits of spare paper offcuts and you can create some really colourful and decorative effects.

 

So, firstly...lets talk about what this technique is called - is it origami....or is it just paper crafting? quite frankly I'm gonna sit on the fence over this one and let you make your own minds up. I first came across the technique in a book that described itself as for origami techniques...but I was led to believe that true origami is only formed from one piece of paper - and this one, although it involves paper creasing and folding in a simple form, is actually made up of a dozen or so identical but clearly individual pieces that slot together to create a form (and some people also glue these sections together for stability - which is another origami no no). However, I've also, via my Internet searches, seen it described as a Swedish paper crafting design and when it is made up in white and red paper it certainly lends itself to that sort of thing.

 

So, be it origami or not...wherever it's origins lie - it looks a complex and rather lovely piece...and yet it is VERY simple to make and assemble (a great crafting session for kids too!).

 

TOOLS REQUIRED-

 

Paper (pattern of your choice but make sure it's not too thick that it becomes difficult to crease and fold)

pencil, ruler and scissors (to measure and cut out accurate and identical sized squares)

thread or ribbon for hanging

glue (optional to secure and adhere segments together)

1) First you need to prepare your squares. To make a nice rounded star shape you need a minimum of 14 pieces (points) but bear in mind that if you want to create a tri-coloured star...you will need to have a minimum odd number of 15 pieces for the colours to be evenly spaced out in an alternating pattern. The size of the squares depends on how big you want the star to be. For my bauble I used 7x7cm squares which formed a star with an overall diameter of 15cm and I also used 16 points as I found this all fitted into a snug circle that didn't require gluing.

Each square now needs to be folded in the following way -

2) Fold in half where indicated by the red line in the above photo. It makes no difference if this is a valley or mountain fold.

3) Flip the paper over and fold and crease the corners into the centre to form an envelope (use the initial crease from part2 as a guide)

4) Fold the two corners (A & B) across to the centre to form a kite shape.....

5) ...like this.

6) Flip the paper over. The crease you made in part2 should run from point A to B as in the photo above.

7) A crease now needs to be made where the red line indicates in the photo above....

8) ...and the top corner folded over like this.

9) Using the initial crease made in part2, mountain fold the paper in half. This completes your first piece...or  'point' of the star.

10) You need to make a minimum of 14 of these 'points'....all the same size. You can now begin to assemble the star.

11) Each 'point' has two pockets either side of the mountain fold (See A & B in the photo above). Start by taking one....

12) ...and then take a second 'point' and slot the two corners (A & B as indicated in the photo above) into the pockets of the first piece...

13) ...like this series of photos.

14) Continue adding each remaining point in the same manner. They will automatically form a curve and your final last point will then join up and slot into the very first one you started off with...to complete the circle and form the star.

If you wish to secure your star, you can glue each piece together. Personally the paper I have used is quite firm and stable and the piece holds together well on its own...however if you do glue it...it's advisable to use something that is not instantly drying...so that you have time to tweak and adjust the shape in order to get a perfect circle.

15) All that you need to do now, is add string or ribbon etc as a hanger...and the bauble is all done! I used a piece of thin wire and just adhered it to the back.

Here's the finished star, using just one pattern of paper

and here it has different but complimentary papers to form a star with alternative colour and patterned points.

Here a second, smaller star has been made and layered on top to create further depth and interest. The top image shows the points all lying in the same direction and the lower image shows the smaller star has been flipped over so that the points run in the opposite direction...just one small alteration but adding lots of interesting texture.

(This basic star can now be used as a base to put your own creative stamp onto - use different papers, colours and textures, add embellishments like glitters and ribbons...you could even use it as a frame for a photo.....)

I have simply glued a Chinese coin into the centre of this piece...to compliment the coin pattern paper.

and finally.....my December bauble - I went one step further and added a third star to really add lots of layer and texture. I've been contemplating whether to add a little inking to it...or possibly add a tassel follow through with the oriental design....but for now I'll leave it simple and as is. If I do decide to embellish further...I'll post a photo up.

Hope you like it...and find the tutorial of use. If you decide to try this out, please let me know how you get on.



BAUBLE A MONTH CHALLENGE - NOVEMBER

Wow...just one more bauble to go and the challenge will be over! It's been fun but I'm happy it's coming to an end....not that I'm sick to death of baubles....but rather that I'm looking forward to a new year around the corner and new challenges are on the horizon.

This months bauble has taken some time and has been quite a challenge for me. It doesn't look much but required quite a bit of thought and preparation and was actually remodelled and reshaped a number of times before I finally reached the design I was happy with.. No prepurchased bauble bases involved, this one was all made and formed from scratch using just wire, old vintage music paper sheets, a little air dry clay and some glaze.....

BAUBLE A MONTH CHALLENGE 2012 -

 

NOVEMBER

 

'WIRE FORMED BIRD CAGE'

 



I wanted to create a wire wrapped bird cage for some time and thought a small bauble would be an ideal opportunity. Two gauges of wire were used, both garden wire purchased from a local hardware store - unless I am creating jewellery, then all my wire for forming artwork, sculpture armatures etc is from this source because it's cheap and I can buy reasonably large spools rather than the small and costly ones marketed purely for crafts. The base is a 15gauge - a thick, slightly difficult to work but once formed holds its shape really well...the thinner wire used for wrapping, spiral work and forming the leaves is a 21 gauge, thin so it can be wrapped tightly and coiled with ease.

It took me a couple of attempts to get a design I was happy with. Not because it was difficult to form...but that I found that the actual cage base had too much wire involved, I originally had horizontal wires as well as the verticals, which, once the bird, swing, and the leaves were added, looked too busy and fussy. So the final design was pared down to just having three circles of wire for the verticals,which I formed around a mug...and I omitted the horizontal pieces all together. This final piece is now very open and airy...and gives a sense of freedom for the bird - I don't actually like to see birds in cages (even though I have kept some over the years as pets) so there are no locked doors and it has wide open bars....this little fellow could fly out and off when ever he wants...which yes, technically isn't true...cuz he's not real...but you get my point?

Once the cage was formed, this dictated the size of the swing and the bird. He is made out of a tiny bit of air dry clay, then covered over with scraps of vintage music sheet, sanded and inked to age.

The circles of wire forming the cage needed to be anchored securely together at the base and top, so a little bit of wire wrapping in a similar technique used in basket weaving was used. The hanging loop was also incorporated and fixed into this, and also has loops for the swing to be attached. It was fiddly trying to hold all the bits together but I found masking tape and large lumps of plasticine very helpful in anchoring parts down temporarily while I worked.

The tendrils and leaves were formed with one whole length of wire, these forms were then filled in with scraps of the vintage music sheet and glazed over with JudiKins Diamond Glaze. It was draped over and around the bauble base in a very loose and freeform fashion just like a real plant creeper would cover a frame.

Small flowers were then formed from the same music paper (using a tiny paper punch) and glued to the leaf bases (using Pinflair gel glue - great for adhering mixed materials).

Everything had a little ageing treatment using brown inks and some white acrylic paint dry brushed over sparingly...and tiny splash of extra colour added by way of green glazed centres to the flowers.

And, so...the final piece! It was very difficult to photograph, to get all the parts in focus...but I hope it comes across well to you. I'm very happy with how it turned out...and it's been fun doing wirework other than that in jewellery for a change. Yes, it's not very Xmassy in colour...but I never set out to create a collection of Xmas themed baubles...and this one is quite vintagy, suits Autumn as well as Spring and in fact could be hung up as a decoration throughout the whole year.

 

Hope you like!