Sainsbury's chocolate macaroon kit

I can't quite believe that I've made it back on here so soon after my last post! Although a little off topic (not cupcakes).

In my quest for gluten free baking ideas, I have been and checked out the GF sections in almost all supermarkets. But that isn't always the best place to look. In fact, I found this macaroon (I challenge the title, a firm believer that they are macarons) kit in the regular baking aisle of Sainsbury's. Being made from meringue, they are what I call "naturally" gluten free (i.e. the original recipe never required wheat).

The £2 kit

I'm not really a fan of baking from kits, but I thought this would be an easy way to dip into something that I consider to be hideously difficult (maybe I'm wrong. Becca from The Great British Bake Off 2014 seemed to make it look so easy!).

Was there much effort required? Absolutely not. I whisked up two egg whites, and then added in the chocolate 'baking mix'. The baking mix was lumpy, and heavy, and I wasn't sure at this point if what I was doing looked right, but I carried on regardless. Oh, and check out the massive egg that I used!

MASSIVE egg. I wonder if this left the mixture too runny.

Next, I poured the mixture into the paper piping bag provided, and piped 24 circles onto some baking paper, put them in a cold oven, turned it to 50 degrees, and baked for 20 mins before turning the oven up to 150 and baking for another 15 mins.

To me, everything looked a bit too flat. But it looks like the cheeky folk at Sainsbury's used a mould for their photo op... maybe that's the key to good structure?

As the meringue-y bits were cooling, I whisked up some butter with a bit of milk and added another chocolatey mixture to create the filling. This probably took about 3 mins. I was able to sandwich my macaroons not long after that... et voila! 

Here we have some very flat, but tasty macaroons from a kit!

I think I now have the courage to invest a bit more skill in project gluten-free. Maybe in time I'll be able to make the macaroons from scratch. And maybe I should ask my landlord for an oven that doesn't just heat up to whatever temperature it wants to...

Challenges for 2014.

I started this blog with the best of intentions, and for a plethora of reasons it has been somewhat neglected (over a year since my last post!).

I have set myself a few goals for 2014 and one of them is to bake every month. But I am now torn between baking with wheat flour (good for my waistline, but no way I can taste.) and baking cupcakes that are gluten free. Perhaps I will alternate.

Gluten free baking has become quite a challenge for me, as nothing ever tastes right. I'd be tempted to say "that's just the way gluten free is", but I know that it isn't. Heavenlies Cakes sell GF cakes on Sheffield Farmers Market every month, and they are always so perfect. 

In January I baked some banana muffins with Doves Farm GF self raising, and I think I overbaked them. They were dry as a bone in less than 24 hours. But I will not let that put me off. Onwards and upwards!

January's Banana muffins... they looked good at least!

It's been a while...

So the hot weather came, the flat got too hot to bake in. Autumn came, I was too busy with other things to bake. Christmas came and my mum bought me some silicone cupcake cases and THIS:

My first ever piping bag! Not just any old piping bag either, one with some pretty funky nozzles. 

So with my new gear, and some free time, my motivation is rocketing back up. I did a little baking at the weekend and I think I have my oven under control, no more burned bottoms! I also realised that one of the recipe books I was working from, creates more "party buns" than cupcakes. So from now on I'll be doubling the amount of mixture that goes into my cases, and halving the amount of cupcakes that I make.

The saddest news of all, is that I am no longer able to taste test my baking :( I'm on a wheat free diet, so I'll have to rely on family and friends for reviews... Until I can find a suitable wheat free alternative of course ;) (suggestions welcome!).

The cupcakes that I made at the weekend were a variation of the Fairy Cupcakes that I made back in May. Only this time I cheated *hangs head in shame*. I baked the cakes as per the recipe, but with 5 visitors imminent  and very little time, I ran over to Tesco and bought Betty Crocker's Buttercream style icing.

I can vouch that it tasted goooood. And it was the perfect opportunity to test my new icing bag! BC claims that this tub will cover up to 32 cupcakes. I thought I was pushing it at 16, and they weren't what I'd call generous toppings.

As you can see, I had a couple of problems with air bubbles, but I'll have the hang of it for next time!

The final "icing on the cake" (groan) was a spot of writing icing.

"Who are Nation Of Warriors?" I hear you cry! (This is the nerdy part). Well. That doesn't really matter. But we had plenty of fun looking for anagrams.

'Til next time!

Fairy Cupcakes

More a kind of regular bun that you made as a kid...

Ingredients (makes 16):

115g unsalted butter
115g caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
115g self raising flour

for the topping:

200g icing sugar
2tbsp warm water
A few drops of food colouring (optional)
Sprinkles/cherries/sugarflowers (whatever takes your fancy for decorating)

How to:

• Preheat oven to 190c/375f/Gas Mark 5.
• Place the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy.
• Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
• Fold in the flour lightly using a metal spoon.
• Spoon the mixture into paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the topping:

• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
• Stir enough water to mix to a smooth paste that is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Stir in a few drops of food colouring (if using).
• Spread the icing over the fairy cakes and decorate as desired.

What I learned:

• Cooked for 12 mins this time, and although fine on top, the cupcakes were still a bit dark on the bottom
• Still not mastered the craft of "smooth" icing.
• I think I used too much icing on the first few cakes as I only had enough for 12. I topped the last 4 with Jam
• Get the sprinkles on right away while the icing is still sticky!

Feedback:
"They look too cute to eat!"

Weight Watchers points: 5.

Poppy Seed & Orange Cupcakes

This weeks recipe is once again from I love cupcakes. I'm not a fan of orangey stuff, but its good to try something different.

Ingredients (makes 12):

2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp hot milk
85g butter, softened
85g caster sugar
finely grated rind of 1/2 orange
1 large egg, lightly beaten
100g self-raising flour

for the topping:

85g butter, softened
finely grated rind of 1/2 orange
175g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp orange juice

How to:

• Preheat oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4.
• Place the poppy seeds and milk in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes (This is the first time I read this instruction,  not sure of its importance).
• Put the butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the egg.
• Sift in the flour and, using a metal spoon, fold gently into the mixture with the poppy seeds and milk.
• Spoon the mixture into paper cases.
• Bake for 20 mins or until risen and golden brown.
• Transfer to wire rack and leave to cool.

For the topping:

• Put the butter and orange rind in a bowl and beat until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the icing sugar and enough orange juice to make a smooth and creamy icing.
• Swirl the icing over the top of the cupcakes.

What I learned:

• This time, I used the bottom heat only on my oven, and gave the cupcakes 15, not 20 mins. They probably would have been fine at 12.
• I am not very good with icing sugar, the topping is still a little 'gritty' (any hints and tips are welcome).
• My baby knife is pretty useful for spreading the icing on top of the cakes. I've bought an icing bag since, so prepare for some, erm... interesting shapes in future....

Ahhhhhh ready just in time for a nice cup of tea and a sit down

Feedback:
I enjoyed, although the bottom still seemed a little overdone. I'll update after I have shared the rest at work and received the general consensus.


Weight Watchers points: 6.

Pink & White Cupcakes

The first recipe of my Cupcake Challenge is from a book which my Mum bought for me from Next. It's called I love cupcakes, which I do!

The topping for this is less like frosting and more like Meringue, but it gets the thumbs up from my man :]

Ingredients (makes 16):

115g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

115g butter, softened

115g caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1tbsp milk

few drops red food colouring 

for the topping:

1 egg white

175g caster sugar

2tbsp hot water

large pinch of cream of tartar

2 tbsp rasberry jam

3tbsp desiccated coconut lightly toasted

How to:

• Preheat oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl.
• Add the butter, sugar and eggs, and beat together using an electric hand whisk until smooth.
• Mix together the milk and food colouring and whisk into the mixture until evenly blended.
• Spoon the mixture into paper cases.
• Bake for 20 mins or until risen and golden brown.
• Transfer to wire rack and leave to cool.

For the topping:

• Put the egg white, sugar, water and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Using an electric hand whisk, beat for 5-6 minutes until the mixture is thick and softly peaks when the whisk is lifted.
• Spread a layer of rasberry jam over each cupcake then swirl over the frosting
• Sprinkle with the toasted coconut

What I learned:

• I am still getting to grips with my oven, cakes take twice as long as they should, but the cupcakes cooked double quick, and then burned a little, which really annoyed me!! So, the only person judging this batch, will be Dave.
• I have lost one of my electric whisk whisks, it still works with one, but it creates lots of splatters, and took forever to get the topping to peak in the pan.
• 4 big drops of food colouring wasn't enough, couldn't even tell the cakes were supposed to be pink.
• I'd use less sugar in the topping, it looked a lot at the time, and didn't dissolve very well.
• Wait for the topping to cool a bit before adding it on top of the jam, to stop it running off everywhere.

Feedback:

A nice combination, even though they're a little burned.

So I decided to blog!

A few weeks ago I was sat staring at my bookshelf and contemplating all the recipe books I own. I'm very proud of my recipe books, especially some ancient ones that my Grandma has handed to me, with handwritten recipes from her, and her older relatives in them.


I really enjoy baking, and realised that I have many books which I hardly pick up, so instead of getting rid, I decided to USE them, and set myself a challenge to use every recipe in my two books dedicated to cupcakes.


I went off to work that week feeling really motivated to bake and share! On mentioning this to a colleague, she suggested that I blog about it, and what an excellent idea that was, because it means I can share the love to those out of reach of my baking, and pass recipes along. It will also help me to keep track of a few lessons learned too. 


I hope you enjoy! :]