All posts tagged 'hristmas baking'

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Less than a week to go until the big day; is everyone else as excited as we are? If you're looking for a way to use up some of that extra energy from the pre-Christmas anticipation, or you'd like a family activity to help distract the kids, then fear not! We have another festive recipe coming your way today, courtesy of Amy over at Baking With Granny.

We've brought you festive bread, biscuits and confectionery, so we thought it was about time that we featured a classic cupcake recipe, which is always a popular treat with adults and kids alike. As cupcakes go, they don't get much more festive than these delectable gingerbread delights, which combine Christmas spices and charm in neat little packages!

These cakes are an ideal way to incorporate your favourite flavours into a bake that isn't as commonly made at Christmas, and it's also far less stressful than trying to put together a gingerbread house!

To see Amy's full recipe, and to browse more of her tasty Christmas bakes, click here

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes

150g of Butter (room temp)

150g of Soft Brown Sugar

3 Eggs

150g of Self-Raising Flour

1 tsp Ground Ginger

11/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Mixed Spice

1 tbsp Treacle

1 tbsp Milk

For the Icing

200g of Butter (room temp)

200g of Icing Sugar

1 tbsp Caramel

Pinch of Ground Cinnamon

Method:

Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 170C, and line your cupcake tray with 10 cases

Step 2 - In your mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy.

Step 3 - Sift flour and spices in a separate bowl.

Step 4 - Add One egg into the butter and sugar mixture, until well combined. Add a third of the flour and spices, alternating with the rest of the eggs and flour mixture. This prevents the ingredients from separating.

Step 5 - Following this, add the treacle and milk until just combined.

Step 6 - Using an ice cream scoop, fill each case until they are 1/3 full.

Step 7 - Bake for around 20 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

To Make the Icing:

Step 1 - In your mixer, combine icing sugar and butter until it is light and fluffy.

Step 2 - Add the caramel and cinnamon for flavour (optional).

Step 3 - Pipe the icing on top of cooled cupcakes, and finish with decorations of your choice, such as mini gingerbread men or crushed biscuits.

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Sammie's Christmas Spiced Fruit Loaf

Christmas Spiced Fruit Loaf

December is just around the corner, which makes it the perfect time to start testing your Christmas baking skills, with a winter warmer recipe that's sure to fill your home with a gloriously festive aroma. To help you do just that, our featured recipe for this week is this Christmas Spiced Fruit Loaf, created by Sammie over at Feasting is Fun

Here at British Bakeware, we always look forward to seeing what delicious creations Sammie will be whipping up next, and luckily for us, the feeling is mutual. Sammie loves using our 3lb Farmouse Loaf Tin to bake savoury and sweet creations over on her blog, and this latest spiced loaf is sure to be a real treat for those who try it!

Filled with dried fruits and Christmas spices, this brioche style loaf is a treat for all the senses, from it's mouth-watering taste to its soft crumb texture!

To find out how to make this festive loaf as a pre-Christmas treat, or as your Christmas morning breakfast, check out the full details for Sammie's recipe here

Ingredients:

2 large, free range eggs
Approx 320mls of whole milk
1tsp caster sugar
7g of easy bake dried yeast
500g/1lb/2oz strong
50g/2oz unsalted butter - at room temp and cut into cubes (plus extra for greasing)
7g salt
1tsp vanilla bean paste
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2tsp allspice
100g/4oz medjool dates
100g/4oz dried cranberries
50g/2oz glacé cherries&nbsp
1 egg whisked with a teaspoon of water for egg wash

Step 1 - Measure out 320mls of milk into a microwavable jug, and zap on full power for 20 secs. Stir and check the temperature, which should be at body temperature. If it is a little too warm, leave to one side to cool.

Step 2 - Into the slightly warmed milk, add 2 whole eggs, which should create a total volume of 350 mls. Tip away an excess milk.

Step 3 - Pour the milk and eggs into the large bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 4 - Next add the sugar a yeast, before stirring with a spoon to break up the eggs and mix the ingredients.

Step 5 - Now add the flour on top of the liquid ingredients. This forms a barrier so that the yeast does not come into contact with the salt.

Step 6 - Add the salt and cubes of butter.

Step 7 - Fit the dough hook, and mix on a slow speed for 10 mins.

Step 8 - While this is mixing, prep the fruit. Remove the stones from the dates and cut in half, before cutting each half into 4 pieces. Cut the cherries into quarters, before placing the cherries, dates and cranberries in a bowl together.

Step 9 - After 10 mins, stop the mixer and lift the dough hook, and stretch a small piece of dough. It is properly kneaded when it can stretch without tearing, thinly enough to see light through it.

Step 10 - If the dough tears, lower the hook, and continue mixing for a further 2 minutes, after which test it again.

Step 11 - Once the dough passes the test, add the fruit and spices, before lowering the hook, and mixing on a low speed for a further 2 mins.

Step 12 - After the fruit is incorporated, stop the mixer and lift the dough hook.

Step 13 - Use clean hands to crape out the dough and place it into a bowl.

Step 14 - Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel, and place it somewhere warm, and away from drafts. Leave to double in size.

Step 15 - Due to the spices, the action of the yeast may slow, so this could take up to 2hrs or more.

Step 16 - While proving, thoroughly grease your loaf tin with butter.

Step 17 - Once the dough is ready, scrape onto a lightly floured surface.

Step 18 - Press the dough into a rough rectangular shape, folding the bottom third up, and the top third down, so that it slightly overlaps the previous fold.

Step 19 - Finally, tuck either side under, leaving you with an oval-ish shape. Place into the loaf tin, and cover with the tea towel again leaving to double in size once more.

Step 20 - While the dough is proving, preheat the over to 240C/22C fan, gas mark 8.

Step 21 - Once dough is ready, remove the towel and prush over the egg wash, using a pastry brush.

Step 22 - Place into the centre of a preheated oven, and bake for ten mins, before reducing to 220C/200C fan. Continue to bake for 20 mins.

Step 23 - Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack, and rap the base of the loaf with your knuckle. The bread is baked if it produces a hollow sound. If not, place back into the oven, and check every 5 mins until baked.

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Vanilla Christmas Cookies

Picture this, it’s Christmas Eve and you looking for something to do with the children to distract them from the fact that Santa is on his way! These Vanilla Christmas Cookies are the perfect Christmas treat for you and your children this Christmas!

We are all guilty of having an extra sweet tooth at Christmas time! These Vanilla Christmas Cookies are the perfect pre-Christmas treat and a great way to entertain your children in the days leading up to Christmas. Very simple to make, these Vanilla Christmas Cookies take just 12 minutes to bake and you can decorate them as you wish to fill your home with Christmas spirit! We love these cookies and thanks to the people at BBC Good Food, you can bake them at home! Merry Christmas!

Ingredients:

For the Cookies

140g of icing sugar
2 tbsp caster sugar
375g of plain flour
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 egg yolk

For Decoration

200g of icing sugar
Edible silver and gold balls
2 metres of thin ribbon cut in to 10cm lengths
Edible food colouring

Instructions:

Step 1-Take a large mixing bowl and pour the egg yolk, 250g of butter, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and the 140g of icing sugar in. Mix together using a wooden spoon until you are happy that it is well combined. Then add in the 375g of plain flour to make the dough. You should mix this until it is rather firm in consistency. Once you are happy with the mixture, shape it in to two flat discs and wrap it in clingfilm. Place it in your refrigerator for no more than half an hour. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees celcius/170 degrees celcius for a fan oven/gas mark 5.

Step 2-Take the dough out of your refrigerator and remove the clingfilm. Pour some flour on to your kitchen surface and roll the dough to the thickness of two £1 coins, then cut the dough using a Christmas shaped cookie cutter. Line two baking sheets or baking trays with baking paper, before placing each piece of dough on the sheet. Cut a small hole in the top of each cookie with a skewer or the end of a teaspoon. Place in the centre of your preheated oven and cook for between 10 and 12 minutes.

Step 3-Remove the cookies from the oven when they start to turn a delicious golden brown colour. Place on a plate or wire cooling rack to allow them to cool down properly. Now you can start making the icing by adding a few drops of cold water to the icing sugar and mixing. You want the icing to be quite thick but still a bit runny. Add the food colouring if you wish, but you don’t need to. Spread this on the cookies before decorating further with the edible golden and silver balls.

Source: BBC Good Food