Peanut Butter and Chocolate Scones
I spent Sunday afternoon in the kitchen. That's not unusual, but I hadn't been able to use my oven for a couple of weeks due to the installation of a wooden floor. Regular readers will know that I've been having a bit of a time of it over the last 18 months or so, with dry rot treatment and rebuilding half our farm house. We are on the home stretch now and the kitchen floor is the final major disruption.
Anyway, back to the baking, I wanted to make something relatively quick and easy but also satisfying, so scones were what came to mind. I'm always looking to fit in my kitchen exploits with one or other of the linky challenges run on other food blogs. I haven't entered
We Should Cocoa for far too long and for August, Choclette at
Tin and Thyme has given us free rein with an 'Anything Goes' theme, so throw in a bit of chocolate and voila!
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Scones
Makes 12-16 scones depending on how you cut them
400g spelt or wholemeal flour
100g oatbran (if you don't have any, then substitute flour)
4 level tsp baking powder
100g soft butter
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
50g soft brown sugar
100g dark chocolate chips
2 eggs, beaten
milk
2 tbsp dark chocolate spread
- Heat the oven to 200C
- Place the flour, oatbran and baking powder in a large bowl and mix together
- Rub in the butter and peanut butter until you have fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Stir in the eggs and enough milk to make a soft dough, reserving a little milk to glaze.
- Add the chocolate spread in teaspoonfuls and swirl through the dough with a knife, do not overwork or your scones will be tough.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Press the dough onto the tray in a rough circle about 1.25cm thick, mark lightly into wedges with a knife. Brush with milk.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, leave to cool slightly then slide onto a cooling tray.
And the result...a huge success. The scones are so full of good things, they are not too sweet with just enough of a crunch of peanuts and swirls of chocolate to make them a great alternative to richer cakes.
Why not link up your chocolate recipe to We Should Cocoa?Labels: baking, chocolate, chocolate spread, easy, oatbran, peanut butter, scone, spelt, We should Cocoa
Double Chocolate Tartlets - Teatime in Paris
It's nice to be able to impress your friends and family with a dessert that looks like it was made by a pastry chef, but I often feel those fancy French pastries are beyond my ability or available time. I had heard that chocolate pastry was really difficult to work with and ganache seems like a tricky thing to make, however nothing could be further from the truth as you can see from these
Double Chocolate Tartlets.
It's all thanks to
Jill Colonna, author of
Mad about Macarons, the book where she debunked the myth that macarons are difficult to make, (see
The Great Macaron Challenge) this time she has taken on the challenge of making French Patisserie recipes accessible to all in her new book
Teatime in Paris.
The book begins with some introductory chapters demystifying Parisian pastry, "How the French eat pastry and yet can stay slim" and a very useful chapter entitled "French Pastry a step at a time". Jill then goes on to provide some notes on ingredients to help you make a success of your bakes. Then we get into the recipe chapters, each has a story sometimes a little history all of which makes this an entertaining read as well as a practical cook book.
Here are a few of the recipes that stood out for me by chapter:
Something for Teatime: Honey, Rose and Green Tea Madeleines; Almond Tuiles and Speculoos Ice Cream.
Choux Time: A step by step guide to making choux pastry; Cream Puffs; Lemon and Verbena mini-Eclairs and Coffee Eclairs (omg)
French Tartlets: Caramel, Walnut and Maple Tartlets, Double Chocolate Tartlets (see below) and Fast Fig, Almond and Lavender Tart.
Millefeuilles; Mint and Strawberry Millefeuille and Wild Blackberry Millefeuille.
Parisian Macarons: Step by Step guide to making macarons; Salted Caramel Macarons; Raspberry, Lime and Tarragon "Maclairs" and Rhubarb and Poppy Macarons.
A French Tea Party: Paris-Brest-Edinburgh Choux-Nut, Lime and Bitter Chocolate 'Maclair' Tartlets and St Honore with Violet.
Towards the end of the book a chapter called
Favourite Sweet Walks in Paris takes you on a guided walk around the "City of Light" pointing out some of the famous and best patisseries in Paris.
Finally there are a few suggestions for essential and luxury baking equipment.
Who is it for? Anyone who likes to bake and is looking for a little bit of a challenge, but likes the idea of a helping hand and simple instructions written not by a pastry chef but by a home baker like themselves.
Pros: A wide range of fancy pattiserie, cakes and dessert recipes are provided. The step by step instructions with pictures are really clear and there are lots of extra tips from Jill. I also like that you have the basis for creating your own variations on the recipe.
Cons: If you already have Mad about Macarons, then you already have the instructions on macaron making, although there are some new flavours to entice your palate.
The Verdict: Programmes like the Great British Bake off have brought pastries like Paris Brest, macarons and all manner of fancy tartlets into the British consciousness as something that can be made at home. This book gives you the tools to create these yourself and, if my experience is anything to go by, Jill's recipes make them much easier than you would think.
Here is Jill's recipe for Tartelettes au Chocolat, and the story that goes with it:
Having visited Sacré-Coeur and dodged past the giant rolls of colourful fabrics at the bottom of Montmartre’s bustling hill, head to Rue des Martyrs to escape the summer crowds. The further south of Pigalle (SoPi) you walk towards the 9th district, the more tempting pastry and chocolate boutiques appear. One of my favourites is Sébastian Gaudard and just across the road is a little chocolate shop and yet more pastries at Arnaud Delmontel. The beauty of these chocolate tartlets is that the variations are endless. Serve them plain with a simple dusting of unsweetened Belgian cocoa powder, or spoon a tablespoon of jam on the bases before pouring on the ganache and topping with fruits.
Tartlettes au Chocolat/Double Chocolate Tartlets
Makes 8 tartlets
Preparation time: 25 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes, Chilling time: 1 hour 30 minutes, Temperature: 160°C/320°F fan (Gas 4)
Chocolate pastry cases:
125g butter, at room temperature
75g icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
½ tsp salt
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
240g plain flour all-purpose), sifted
20g unsweetened cocoa powder
Ganache filling:
160g dark chocolate (at least 60% solids)
80g milk chocolate
230g single cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle beater, slowly mix the butter, sugar and salt until pale and creamy. Just for a few seconds, gradually add the other ingredients until the dough is well mixed, then stop. Form a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Cut out eight tartlets.
- Bake the tartlets for 10–15 minutes at
160°C/320°F fan (Gas 4). Allow to cool, and remove from their moulds.
- To make the ganache filling, break the chocolate into chunks in a bowl.
Heat the cream with the vanilla extract in a saucepan until nearly boiling.
Pour over half of the hot cream directly into the bowl of chocolate.
- Stir using a wooden spoon and combine until the ganache is smooth. Top
with the rest of the hot cream and stir until completely melted and silky.
- Pour the hot ganache into each tartlet and top with a cherry, berries or
keep plain. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least an hour to set. Take the
tartlets out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating.
Variations:
- Infuse the seeds of 12 cardamom pods and a teaspoon of
grated ginger in the cream while making the ganache and
serve with a mango and passion fruit salad.
- Why not spread the bases with thick cut marmalade and top
with Cape gooseberries?
Teatime in Paris! A Walk Through Easy French Patisserie Recipes
Author: Jill Colonna
Published by Waverley Books, 7th May 2015
RRP £14.99
For recipes and more information about Jill Colonna's books visit the
Mad about Macarons website
NEWS FLASH!!!
I have one copy of Teatime in Paris to give away.
Simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget below. UK entries only please.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I'm entering the Double Chocolate Tartlets for three different challenges.
Labels: chocolate, Cook book review, ganache, giveaway. win, Jill Colonna. Paris, pattiserie, Perfecting Patisserie, review, tart, tartlet, Teatime, Treat Petite, We should Cocoa
Easy White Chocolate Eton Mess Ice Cream
Ice Cream in January, with all the snow and ice? What am I thinking about? Indeed, I am shivering just looking at the picture, however it's nice to have a change from the rich fare we have been eating in December.
This particular ice cream is the result of me defrosting the freezer, you see I found a small carton of strawberry puree from summer 2012! I let it thaw and had a taste and it was fine, but needed to be used. I also had a single white chocolate meringue left over from New Year, a teeny tiny bar of Green and Blacks White Chocolate and a tub of Creme Fraiche in the fridge, it was either Eton Mess or Eton Mess Ice Cream.
Easy White Chocolate Eton Mess Ice Cream
250g ripe strawberries
100g caster sugar
300g Creme Fraiche
1 left over meringue crushed into chunks not powder
25g white chocolate
1. To make the strawberry puree, hull the strawberries and crush them with the sugar, either in a food processor or with a fork, it will take you a bit longer but you do get some nice chunky bits of strawberry.
2. Mix the strawberry puree with the creme fraiche, cut the chocolate into chunks and mix it into the strawberry mixture. Put in an ice cream maker to churn or put the bowl into the freezer until the ice cream is firm. I would recommend using a shallow flat dish as it will freeze quicker.
3. Take the ice cream out of the freezer every 30-45 minutes and break up the ice crystals by whisking with a fork. The third time you do this, the ice cream should be firm enough to mix in the crushed meringue, then leave it to freeze until firm.
4. To serve, take the ice cream out of the freezer and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes until it is soft enough to scoop.
As I used half-fat creme fraiche, the ice cream was more crystallised. You get a better result with full fat products but it is still delicious.
I'm entering this ice cream for the double-bubble blog event
We Should Cocoa/
Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream being jointly run by Choclette at
Chocolate Log Blog and Kavita at
Kavey Eats.
I am also entering this for the
No Waste Food Challenge run by
Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary. The strawberry puree I used was rescued from the freezer and the single meringue was left over from New Year.
Labels: Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream, chocolate, Eton Mess, ice cream, meringue, No Waste Food Challenge, We should Cocoa
Bring us a Figgy Pudding (with chocolate)
This is a very simple dessert, the sauce is sweet and a good contrast to fleshy figs, the flaked almonds add texture and crunch to an otherwise soft dish.
Poached Figs with White Chocolate Sauce
Serves 4
6 fresh figs, stalk removed and halved
1 dessert spoon of honey (I used Scottish Heather Honey)
100ml water
50g good quality white chocolate (I used Hadleigh Maid white chocolate buttons)
25g flaked almonds
1. Place the figs cut side upwards in a pan, add the water and the honey, poach gently until the fig skin is soft, it won't take to long about 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove the figs to a plate, increase the heat and reduce the honey sauce by half.
3. Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate buttons, stirring until they have melted and combined with the honey sauce.
4. Pour a little sauce in each bowl, top with three fig halves and sprinkle some flaked almonds around the figs.
I'm am entering this dish for the
December We Should Cocoa, the monthly blog event run by Choclette at
Chocolate Log Blog. The theme this month is figs which are paired, of course, with chocolate. If you would like to join in, the linky is open until 28th December.
Labels: almonds, figs, honey, poached, We should Cocoa, white chocolate
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
300g (10oz) plain flour
100g ( 4oz) caster sugar
200g (8oz) butter
100g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
caster (superfine) sugar for dredging
1.
Sift the flour into a bowl and add the sugar. Work in the butter with
your fingertips - keep it in one piece and gradually work in the dry
ingredients. Knead well adding in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate once the dough has come together.
2. Pat down on a work surface and use a
rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/2 cm (1/8 in) and cut out with a
cookie cutter. You will probably have to keep pushing the dough back
together again as it is very crumbly.
3. Slide the cut biscuits off the work surface with a knife and onto a baking sheet.
4. Bake in the oven at 170C (325F) Mark 3 for about 8 minutes until firm and pale golden brown.
5. Lift onto a cooling tray with a spatula and dredge with caster (superfine) sugar.
Butter, sugar, flour, chocolate, what more do I need to say? Delicious!
I am entering these cookies for
We Should Cocoa, the blog challenge run by Choclette of Chocolate Log Blog and this month hosted by Rebecca at
BakeNQuilt.
Labels: chocolate, chocolate chip, cookies, shortbread, We should Cocoa
Chocolate Lime Ice Cream
What do you want to eat when the temperatures rise?
Why ice cream of course!
When I was at the Highland Show, the lovely Claire from
Mackays, gave me some samples to bake with as part of "Baking with Mackays". I don't know about you, but I'm not all that keen on standing by a hot oven when the sun is shining outside, so I looked for another way to use the delicious preserves, made in Scotland, in a creative way. I love Lemon Curd but have never tried
Lime Curd, Mackays Lime curd includes eggs, butter, limes and sugar and is delicious spread on hot buttered toast. Eggs, butter and sugar are the ingredients needed to make a custard and in many ways a curd is a custard, by adding cream it's a short cut to making ice cream. I was conscious that the theme for
We should Cocoa this month was ice cream, so thought about how I could include chocolate. I have a bit of a soft spot for those, old fashioned sweets, Chocolate Limes, it's such a great combination of flavours that I thought it was worth trying in ice cream too.
Chocolate Lime Ice Cream
300ml double cream
1 jar (340g) Mackays Lime curd
½ lime juice and zest
100g chocolate chips
1. Whip the cream until it is floppy, add the lime curd, zest and juice.
At this point I put the mixture into my ice cream maker, it churned away, but 20 minutes later when it should had been turning solid, it was just slightly more chilled. I picked up the bowl of the ice cream maker and realised that it was leaking bluey green stuff from the bottom. Fortunately none of this came near the ice cream, so I scooped it up and put it into a box, mixed in the chocolate chips and put it into the freezer for at least four hours or, preferably, overnight.
Because of the high sugar content in the curd, the ice cream doesn't go rock hard, nor does it form ice crystals so you really don't need an ice cream machine to make it.
I used this excellent
Trigger Ice Cream Scoop from
Oxo Good Grips to serve up my ice cream. I have three ice cream scoops, none of which have ever been terribly satisfactory, but this one scoops like a dream and the trigger action deposits the ice cream into your dish in a neat ball, it also goes in the dish washer which is a real bonus.
The Chocolate Lime Curd ice cream was very creamy but the sharp lime flavour cut through the richness and the little nuggets of dark chocolate really did make it taste like those Chocolate Lime sweets from my childhood.
I'm adding this post to the
Fab First Fridays linky at
London Unattached, a blog event to share your favourite post of the month.
Many thanks to Claire for the Mackays Lime Curd and to Cherelle and Oxo Good Grips for providing the Trigger Ice Cream Scoop for review. I was not paid for this review and my opinions are my own.
Labels: chocolate, cream, ice cream, lime, Mackays, OXO Good Grips, Trigger Ice Cream Scoop, We should Cocoa
Rhubarb, Mango and White Chocolate Almond Cake
Are you fed up with rhubarb recipes yet? When I asked Twitter for suggestions of recipes using rhubarb, Vicky Saunders of
Yum Yum Bubblegum replied to tell me about the
Rhubarb and Orange Cake, the recipe for
which she had snipped from Good Food Magazine some years ago.
It sounded like just what I was looking for to create a cake which meets the requirements of this month's
We Should Cocoa, the blog event created by Choclette at
Chocolate Log Blog and Chele at
Chocolate Teapot. As always, the recipe must contain chocolate and this month it is guest hosted by Shaheen at
Alottment to Kitchen (A2K) who has chosen the star ingredient as
'Mango'.
Rhubarb, Mango and White Chocolate Almond Cake
Cake:
350g rhubarb, cut into chunks
100g dried mango pieces
200g golden caster sugar
grated zest and juice of half an orange
140g butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon baking powder
85g self-raising flour
100g ground almonds
50g chopped white chocolate
Topping:
25g butter
25g light muscovado sugar
grated zest of half an orange
50g slivered almonds
1. Mix the rhubarb with 50g of the caster sugar and the orange zest, then
set it aside for an hour, giving it a stir or two.
2. Cut the mango pieces into small bite sized chunks and cover with orange juice, leave to soak for at least an hour.
3. Pre-heat the oven to
190/gas 5 and grease and line a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
4. Cream the
butter and remaining 150g sugar until light and fluffy. Drain any remaining orange juice from the mango pieces and add to the butter and sugar with the eggs,
baking powder, flour and ground almonds and beat gently
until smooth. Stir in the chopped white chocolate.
5. Turn into the tin and level with a spoon. Spoon over the drained mango pieces, drain the
rhubarb and spoon the chunks over the cake.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the topping by melting the butter and stirring in the
sugar, zest and almonds.
8. Take the cake out of the oven, reduce the
temperature to 180/gas 4, sprinkle the topping over it and quickly
replace it in the oven for another 15-20 minutes until firm in the
centre.
9. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes or so before transferring to a
rack. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm or cool with thick cream.
I was a little concerned that adding the mango as well as the rhubarb might make the mixture too wet, but it baked perfectly and, I have to say, the topping is genius! The almonds caramelise with the sugar and butter and provide a sweet and crunchy contrast to the moist almond sponge and sharp/sweet taste of the fruits.
I served the cake slightly warm with Greek Yogurt, but it would be equally good with cream or icecream or served cold with a cup of tea or coffee. Many thanks to Vicky for passing on this fantastic cake recipe and to Shaheen for hosting this month.
As I bookmarked this from
Yum Yum Bubblegum, I'm also entering it in
Bookmarked Recipes run by Jacqueline at
Tinned Tomatoes
Labels: almonds, chocolate, mango, orange, We should Cocoa
Chocolate Cherry Energy Bars for Breakfast Week
I know that lots of people find it difficult to find time for breakfast and grab a cereal bar in preference to sitting down to eat. There's nothing wrong with that especially if you make your own so you know exactly what you are getting. These particular energy bars were created to meet the rather exacting requirements of this month's
We Should Cocoa challenge over at Chocolate Log Blog. We should Cocoa is hosted alternately by Choclette at Chocolate Log Blog and Chele at
Chocolate Teapot.
Choclette has challenged us to make something, using chocolate of course, but without any cane sugar. Honey and other sweeteners are allowed. It also gave me a chance to use some of the
Sugar and Crumbs cherry flavoured cocoa powder which has really natural cherry flavour and really enhanced the energy bars.
Chocolate Cherry Energy Bars
100g butter
200g clear honey
150g rolled oats
50g cocoa powder (I used
Sugar and Crumbs, Cherry flavoured cocoa powder)
130g mixed seeds
10g
Chia Bia Powder (optional)*
10g
Baobab Superfruit powder (optional)*
100g chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
100g dried cherries (alternatively sultanas or cranberries)
50g ground almonds
*If not using the Chia or Bilbao powders then add an additional 20g mixed seeds.
1. Heat the oven to 180C
2. Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and press into a 22cm square baking tin
4. Bake for 15 minutes
5. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into bars
6. Leave to cool completely before removing.
This is also another recipe for
Breakfast Club 'Cooked or Baked' open until 24th February.
And fits nicely with the 'Healthy' bakes theme for Calendar Cakes hosted this month by
Laura Loves Bakes and in alternate months by
Dolly Bakes
Labels: Baobab Superfruit Powder, Breakfast Club, Calendar Cakes, Chia seeds, Farmhouse Breakfast Week, Sugar and Crumbs, We should Cocoa
Choc-ful Christmas Muffins!
Muffins are such great little cakes, they are easy to make and you can pack them full of delicious things. Muffins also make great gifts and are always appreciated at bake sales and Christmas Fairs. These muffins are full of Christmassy flavours: cranberries, orange, cinnamon, nuts and chocolate.
Choc-ful Christmas Muffins
150g chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
50g caster sugar
200g caster sugar
450g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
170g butter or margarine
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250ml milk
100g chopped pecans or walnuts
50g chopped chocolate (white, milk or dark)
1 tbsp grated orange rind
1. Mix the chopped cranberries with the 50g caster sugar, set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and the 200g caster sugar.
3. Cut in the butter or margarine and rub in until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
4. Combine the eggs with the milk and stir into the flour mixture until just moistened, do not over mix.
5. Gently fold in nuts, orange peel, cranberries and chopped chocolate.
6. Fill paper-lined muffin tins two thirds full.
7. Bake at 190C for 20-25 minutes.
Makes about 18 Muffins.
Baking is so much easier when you have the right equipment, so when I was asked to review some items from the
Dunelm Mill Christmas Collection I chose items that would make baking and giving muffins so much easier and would also make great gifts for friends and relatives who like to bake.
I couldn't resist this gorgeous
Red Mason Cash 'Let them Eat Cake' baking bowl with it's crown and 'Let them Eat Cake' embossed in the side! It cheers me up just looking at it.
Then there is this
Holly and Berries Collection Oval Platter, perfect for presenting any kind of Christmas fare but particularly good for cakes and muffins.
Transporting muffins can be a bit precarious, even more so when they are decorated, so this Portable Muffin Set is ideal and would be a welcome gift to anyone who bakes.
It's so cool, the carrying handle folds flat and the 'doors' slide round to open and close, you also get a 12 cup round muffin tin (on the bottom) and if you use both layers you can carry 24 muffins secured in their little cups. If you have muffins or cupcakes which are decorated and sit up high you might just want to use the one layer.
 |
| Let's go! |
The final item I chose was a bit of fun, a
Novelty Santa apron which really appealed to me.
No, that's not going to work, you really can't get the full effect of this cute apron - cue Santa...
What is it they say? Hat is model's own - hee hee! I will be modelling this little number on Christmas day and offering my guests Christmas cakes, cookies and muffins on my holly decorated platter. Apologies for the dodgy pink slipper boots!
And these muffins really are 'Choc-ful' of deliciousness, so I'm entering them for Christmas Tea Time Treats, the challenge run by Karen at
Lavender and Lovage and Kate at
What Kate Baked. This month Kate is hosting and the theme is
Chocolate.
Fortunately, this bake also contains
'Cinnamon' which is the ingredient to be combined with Chocolate for the
We Should Cocoa blog challenge run, and hosted this month, by Choclette at
Chocolate Log Blog and Chele at
Chocolate Teapot.
There are loads more great
Dunelm Mill Christmas Gifts for Cooks and essential
Dunelm Mill cooking and baking equipment in
Christmas Cook and Dine
I received these products for review from Dunelm Mill, I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.Labels: chocolate, Christmas Muffins, Cinnamon, cranberries, Dunelm Mill, Holly and Berries Oval Platter, Mason Cash, Muffins, Novelty Santa Apron, orange, Porable Muffin Set, Tea Time Treats, We should Cocoa
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