Keep Calm...and Bake on...

As lockdown continues, I’ve been spending some time in the kitchen baking.  As we needed a change of taste one Saturday, I baked pizza three ways.  The first was feta cheese and tomato on a hummus base; the second sausage with spring onion on harissa and the third, pepperoni and goat’s cheese with red pepper, also on harissa.

Good Friday found me in the kitchen baking Hot Cross Buns.  These didn’t last long!

And my favourite Easter treat - chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate ganache and mini eggs.  (I managed to save some of these and had one, complete with a candle, on my birthday, which was Easter Monday.)

Yesterday, I made a marzipan fruitcake from a Nigella Lawson recipe - I’ve made this before and it’s a favourite.  Then I tried a new recipe for malt loaf.  This was absolutely delicious still-warm from the oven with butter.

I managed to save the marzipan fruitcake until this afternoon, when I served it with a cup of Yorkshire Gold tea.  

How are you getting through lockdown and what are you baking?

Easter

Well, Easter has come and gone and it is still cold and miserable here - we had sleet again this morning.  I’m wondering if spring will ever arrive.  

I did do a bit of baking for Easter - hot cross buns from Mary Berry’s recipe, which turned out great and were delicious.  Also, our favourite chocolate Easter cupcakes.

The weeks have passed by in a blur and I was surprised to find that I’ve only posted on my blog five times since January.  There has been a lot on my mind - more of which in the next post.

Hot Cross Buns

I spent some time baking today.  Making hot cross buns is a lengthy process, but so worthwhile.

I love hot cross buns and Good Friday is the only time that I make them.  To make good buns, it is necessary to allow the dough to rise three times, which takes up to three hours.

They were ready just in time for a cup of afternoon tea and a still-warm bun, fresh from the oven.  After a month of healthy eating, this was a welcome treat.  

Wishing you all a happy Easter.

Easter Baking

 

I've been busy in the kitchen this morning.  There are certain recipes that I will always associate with Easter, such as these delightful Easter cupcakes, decorated with mini eggs.  What better combination than 70% organic chocolate ganache and chocolate cake?

 

Other recipes may not be traditional Easter bakes, but more of a twist on the theme.  I have made a Simnel cake in the past, but it was not my favourite recipe.  Instead, I've taken the theme of fruit cake with marzipan, but used Nigella's recipe for Marzipan Fruit Cake from How To Be A Domestic Goddess.

 

 

This is a moist and delicious fruit cake and I'm looking forward to enjoying it with a cup of tea.  Care to join me?  I'll put the kettle on.

Happy Easter

As a special treat, I baked some delicious chocolate cupcakes this morning.  Iced with chocolate ganache and topped with mini Easter eggs.  Very rich, so quite an indulgence, but definitely worth it for a little Easter celebration. 

 

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.