Christmas Battenburg

This is not a simple cake to make but if you follow the instructions it is straightforward and the children love it

Equipment

 

20cm square tin - the tin size is very important to ensure you make a successful cake

1 piece of greaseproof paper

 

For the cake

• 175g/6oz softened butter plus extra for greasing
• 175g/6oz golden caster sugar
• 3 free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• red  and green food colouring

For the covering

• 6 tbsp apricot jam
• 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made marzipan
• 2–3 tbsp icing sugar, for rolling.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Grease a 20cm/8in square cake tin with butter.
3. Take a 30cm x 20cm/12in x 8in strip of baking parchment and make a 8cm/3in fold in the centre. This will create a division in the cake so that the two differently coloured sponges can be cooked at the same time.
4. Line the tin with the baking parchment, keeping the division in the centre.
5. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a mixer until thoroughly combined.
6. Transfer the batter to a bowl set on scales, remove half of the batter and put it in a different bowl.
7. Add half a teaspoon of of red food colouring to one bowl and fold it into the batter until it is well blended, then do the same with the green.
8. Spoon the cake batters into each side of the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
9. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the sponges have risen. Cool in the tin for five minutes, then slide a knife around the outside of each sponge and turn them out onto a wire rack. If the sponges have risen unevenly, press the surface gently until level. Leave until completely cold.
10. To assemble the cake, first place one sponge on top of the other and trim off the crusty edges so they are both the same size. Cut the sponges in half lengthways to make four long rectangles.
11. Warm the apricot jam in a saucepan then press through a fine sieve.
12. Brush the long side of one of the sponges with jam and sandwich together with a sponge of a contrasting colour. Do the same with the other two sponges.
13. Sandwich the two pairs of sponges together like a checker board and brush the top and sides with jam.
14. Place the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar and roll into a rectangle of about 40cm x 20cm/16in x 10in; it should be large enough to wrap the cake completely, leaving the ends exposed, and be about 5mm/¼in thick.
15. Turn the cake upside down on the marzipan and brush the underside of the sponges with jam.
16. Wrap the marzipan around the cake, pressing it gently onto the surface of the sponges, and press the edges together to make a firm join.
17. Turn back over with the seam underneath, trim a thin slice off each end and place on a serving plate.
18. Decorate with holly!

Crumble Mince Squares

These are a very simple yet credible alternative to the mince pie and so light and delicious.

Preparation time is 10 minutes and there is no need to make pastry its just crumble mix top and bottom with mince meat sandwiched in the middle.

Equipment

1 tin 28cm x 18cm (11" x 7")

Ingredients

10oz / 275g plain flour

2oz  / 60g  self raising flour

8oz  / 225g slightly salted butter

6oz / 175g caster sugar

1 jar mincemeat

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 / 375f / 190c

2. Grease the tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper

3. Place the flours, butter and sugar in a large bowl and rub the fat into the flour using the tips of your thumbs and index fingers. The crumble should resemble course breadcrumbs.

4. Tip half of the crumble mix into the bottom of the tin and lightly press the mixture into the tin. pour over the mincemeat and spread evenly over the base. sprinkle over the remaining crumble mix and once again press down lightly and smooth the top.

5. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 35 - 45 minutes.

6. Cool in the tin and slice into 24 squares, serve warm or cold dusted with icing sugar.

Muffin Challenge

Are you ready for the second challenge?

32 of you made a Lemon drizzle with excellent results so why not try making a muffin or 12?

This basic recipe can be made into Chocolate Chip, Christmas Spiced or Blueberry Muffins so choose your favourite and get baking!

Muffins are about combining the dry ingredients and then combining the wet ingredients and then adding them together and mixing quickly (not overworking) to combine.

Equipment you will need:

a 12 hole muffing tin (cup cake tin will do fine, I have a few if you would like to borrow one!)

Muffin cases

Bowl

Wooden spoon

Chocolate Chip Muffins

9 oz /250g  Plain flour

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

4 oz / 100g caster sugar

7 fl oz / 200ml  Full fat milk

2.63 fl oz / 75ml Vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)

1 egg

6oz / 175g cadbury's milk chocolate cut into small chunks

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar into a large bowl.
3. Measure the milk and oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg to the milk, and lightly beat until just combined.
4. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
6. Fold in the chocolate, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. 

1. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Christmas Spiced Muffins

• 9 oz /250g  Plain flour
• 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 4 oz / 100g caster sugar
• 4.39 fl oz / 125ml  Full fat milk
• 2.63 fl oz / 75ml Vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)
• 1 egg
• 6 oz / 175g dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg (or good grating of fresh nutmeg)
• 2 clementines (or satsumas)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl; grate the zest of the clementine/satsuma over (using the fine part of your cheese grater), and combine.
3. Squeeze the juice of the clementines/satsumas into a measuring jug, and pour in the milk until it comes up to the 200ml mark.
4. Add the oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg to the milk, and lightly beat until just combined.
5. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
6. Fold in the cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. 
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Blueberry Muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins

9 oz /250g  Plain flour

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

4 oz / 100g caster sugar

7 fl oz / 200ml  Full fat milk

2.63 fl oz / 75ml Vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)

1 egg

6oz / 175g blueberry's (make sure they are dry) 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar into a large bowl.
3. Measure the milk and oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg to the milk, and lightly beat until just combined.
4. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
5. Fold in the blueberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. 
6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.