Pizza

Making your own pizza is a joy and gives you the opportunity to go crazy with the toppings. Why not give this recipe a go this weekend, take some pics and post them to my facebook page, the most inventive topping wins a prize!

I have been busy making pizza's with the children for the last 2 days and taking lots of photo's but have lost the lot in a ridiculous technical error that took my poor husband all night to rectify. Miranda is so right when she says that once you have a baby you loose the ability to work anything even slightly technical but gain a draw containing cards for all occasions.

I will add some photo's over the next day or so but in the meantime here is the pizza base and tomato sauce recipe.

Ingredients

Pizza base
1 kg Strong white bread flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 x dried fast active yeast sachets
1 tablespoon caster sugar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
650ml water lukewarm

Tomato sauce

4 tablespoons pasata
2 tablespoons tomato puree

Makes 6 large or 8 medium pizzas


Method

Sieve the flour/s and salt on to a clean work surface and make a well in the middle, if this fills you with dread then use a very large bowl. In a jug, mix the yeast, sugar and olive oil into the water and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well. Using a fork, bring the flour in gradually from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in, and when it all starts to come together, work the rest of the flour in with your clean, flour-dusted hands. 

Knead for 2 minutes until you have a smooth, springy dough.

Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl and flour the top of it. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room (I put mine next to the radiator) for about an hour until the dough has doubled in size. 

Now remove the dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead it around a bit to push the air out with your hands – this is called knocking back the dough. You can either use it immediately, or keep it, wrapped in clingfilm, in the fridge (or freezer) until required. If using straight away, divide the dough up into as many little balls as you want to make pizzas – this amount of dough is enough to make about six to eight medium pizzas.

Timing-wise, it's a good idea to roll the pizzas out about 15 to 20 minutes before you want to cook them. Don't roll them out and leave them hanging around for a few hours, though – if you are working in advance like this it's better to leave your dough, covered with clingfilm, in the fridge. However, if you want to get them rolled out so there's one less thing to do when your guests are round, simply roll the dough out into rough circles, about 0.5cm thick, and place them on slightly larger pieces of olive-oil-rubbed and flour-dusted tinfoil. You can then stack the pizzas, cover them with clingfilm, and pop them into the fridge.

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7 22oc 425f

Mix the pasata with the puree and spread liberally over the base, pile your topping onto the base and bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Don't forget to use mozarella cheese for the soft stringy finish.

Little helpers

Dough balls, just add garlic butter!

• 

  Sandie made a achberryepper.tom something for everyone

  
  

  

  Fiona stuffed her crust with mozarella

  
  

  

  Claire and the children with some yummy pepper and mushroom

  
  

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. 

Spiced Flapjacks

I am a believer that the humble flapjack shouldn't be played around with too much but adding a bit of ginger (thank you Sally Lockyer and not for the obvious reasons) and cinnamon adds a bit of warmth. I also think that if you overlook the buttery, syrupy parts with all of those oats in them they must be tremendously good for you!

150g butter
75g light soft  brown sugar
3 rounded tbsp Lyle's Golden Syrup
250g oats
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160Cfan/ gas 4. Grease and line a shallow 20cm square tin with baking parchment.

2. Put the butter, sugar and Golden Syrup into a medium pan and gently heat until melted stir in the spices. 

3. Stir in the oats. Turn into the tin, level and press the mixture evenly and firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 25 minutes, or until just golden around the edges.

4. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes then mark into 12 or 16 pieces whilst still warm. Cool completely before turning out onto a board and cutting again with a sharp knife.

Tip: Flapjacks will keep up to a week in an airtight container.

Lemon Drizzle Challenge

Thank you so much to everyone who took part in the challenge, 27 of you in all, it was an overwhelming success. We have made bakers of all of you, even those of you who have never baked anything before. here are some of the wonderful photo's that you posted on the what's not to love about baking facebook page.



Sue's beautifully dressed traditional
Lemon Drizzle and a crumble topped version



Bev's beautiful mini version sandwiched with lemon curd







  

 Some of the Children getting stuck in to the challenge!

 



First time baking in 30 years!



Gemma and the boys making their first successful cake ever!



Sandie and Oscar's delicious cake (I tasted it)
So Heather what have you done today to make you feel proud!!!!

 



Fiona Thomas looks lovely



Claire Cooper and family polised there's off nicely



Leigh's looks fab



Lydia got there in the end!



Team Conyards yummy succesful bake



Lucy took hers to family who had just had a baby 




 

Matt even made his own lemon curd!



10 year old Nicole made this fabulous cake, her brother marked her 5/5




 

Tonya's looks like sunshine on a plate!



Rufus looks like he enjoyed Lorna's cake made with dark soft brown sugar

 



OK so this is what you need to make your cake. The challenge has been set for the weekend of 17/18th November and there are lots of people taking part.

I will post step by step pictures and the method during the week.

Equipment

I x bowl

I x wooden spoon

I x tin mine is 22cm x 11cm but don't worry too much if yours is smaller then you will have more mixture to lick out the bowl and if it's bigger then make 1 and a half times the mixture.

A hand held electric mixer will really help if you intend to make an occasional cake. I found one is Argos for £5.97 http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4219529.htm. Of course if you have a free standing mixer then you can and should use that instead.

You will also need a grater for the zest of the lemon but I forgot to put it in the photo!

Ingredients

5oz Self raising flour

4oz Soft margarine such as stork

4oz caster sugar

1 tablespoon (or 2 level dessert spoons) lemon curd

2 Large eggs

grated zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

For the lemony crystallised topping

the grated zest and juice of the other half of the lemon

1 dessert spoon granulated sugar

Method



1. Preheat the oven to between gas 3 and 4 or 150c

2. Grease the inside of your tin with some of the stork on a piece of greaseproof or baking paper. Cut out a rectangle of baking paper and place it in the bottom of the tin so it doesn't stick.

3. Measure all of the ingredients carefully and place in a large bowl

4.Using an electric whisk (or a wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease) combine all of the ingredients until pale in colour and light and fluffy.

5.Spoon the prepared mixture into your lined tin, fill to a little over 3/4 full and smooth the top.

6.Put on a high shelf in the oven and bake for 4o minutes. Check the cake is ready by pressing the top lightly, if it springs back then the cake is ready, if not then put it back in for 5 minutes.

7. Whilst the cake is in the oven combine the topping ingredients.

 8. As soon as you remove the cake form the oven spoon over the topping making sure the whole cake is coated in a thin layer.

9.Leave to cool in the tin and then run a knife carefully around the edge of the tin, remove and serve sliced.

When you have made your cake take a picture of it and post it on my what's not to love about baking facebook page. Ask a family member or friend to rate it out of 5 for taste and texture and let us know the outcome.

1= yuck  2= alright  3= pretty good  4=rising star 5=blooming fantastic





Andy Wood's Chocolate Malteaser Cake

I made the cakes for this creation and my sister Ria decorted them. I use Peggy Porschen's chocolate cake recipe which is absolutley marvellous and works for any sized cake from cup cakes to big cutting cakes.

Peggy Porschen Chocolate Cake

This makes an 8" round cake or 20 - 24 cupcakes

125g plain chocolate (same as above) chopped or buttons

165ml milk

285g light brown sugar

105g unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

180g plain flour

pinch of salt

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarb of soda

8g cocoa powder

1. Pre heat your oven to Gas mark 3
2. Place the chocolate, milk, and half the sugar to a saucepan and gently bring to a boil while stirring.
3. Cream the butter and the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Lightly beat the eggs together then slowly mix into the butter mixture. 
5. Sift all the dry ingredients together; then add to the butter mixture in two batches. Slowly mix until combined.
6. Again slowly add the hot chocolate mixture into the batter and mix. Scrape the bowl down with a spatula to make sure it’s well combined. If using for cupcakest ransfer to a measuring jug as the mixture is a batter. Pour into the cases until 2/3 full only and bake for 15 minutes.
7. For a big cake line the bottom and the sides of the tin with baking parchment. Pour the batter into the tim and bake in the oven for 55 - 65 minutes.