Gingerbread Henna Hand

Gregory's Gingerbread Henna Hand

Great job Greg - high five!!!!!

Ingredients

• 350g/12oz plain flour plus extra for rolling out
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
• 2 tsp ground ginger
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 125g/4½oz butter
• 175g/6oz light soft brown sugar
  
• 1 free-range egg
• 4 tbsp golden syrup

To decorate

• writing icing (Henna colour)
• cake decorations

Method

• Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon and pour into the 4ltr Stainless Bowl.
• Add the butter and rub together until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. 
• Using the Small Mix n Scraper stir in the sugar.
• Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together using a Bamboo Spoon, add to the Stainless Mixing Bowl and stir until the mixture clumps together. 
• Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap in clingfim and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 
• Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on a lightly floured surface. 
• Using cutters, cut out the gingerbread shapes and place on Rectangle Baking Stone, leaving a gap between them. 
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown. Leave on the stone for 10 minutes and then move to a Stackable Cooling Rack to finish cooling. 
• When totally cooled decorate with the writing icing or cake decorations.

Simnel Muffins

Simnel Muffins

I found this recipe on the The English Kitchen blog - it's a lovely one and my tummy's rumbling just reading the ingredients!  Can't wait to do my Easter baking as friends are coming to stay and I love entertaining.

Makes 12

Like the cake except that they are smaller. Light and fruity with a surprising nugget of marzipan baked in the centre of each.

For the cakes:

• 250g of mixed dried fruit (1 2/3 cup)
• Grated zest and juice of one medium orange
• 175g unsalted butter, softened (3/4 cup)
• 175g golden caster sugar (14 1/2 tbs)
• 3 large free range eggs, beaten
• 300g of self raising flour (2 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp mixed spice (see recipe in side bar on right hand side)
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 tbs milk
• 175g of marzipan (a scant half pound)

For the decoration:

• 200g icing sugar, sifted (1 3/4 cup)
• 2 tbs orange juice for mixing
• Sugar eggs or mini eggs

Measure the fruit in the Classic Batter Bowl.
Using the Microplane Zester zest the orange and juice it into a Prep Bowl using the Citrus Press.
Stir in the orange zest and juice. Microwave for one minute. Let stand until cool.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 12 cup medium muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a large Stainless Mixing Bowl.  Using the Stainless Whisk, beat together until light and fluffy, (about 3 to 5 minutes).
Using the Small Mix n Scraper, stir in the fruit, mixing it in well.

Fill the muffin tins halfway with the batter.
Pinch off 12 equal pieces of Marzipan.  Roll each into a ball and then flatten them slightly. Place these discs over the muffin batter in the pans. Top with the remaining batter.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown, well risen and firm to the touch.
Remove to a Stackable Cooling Rack to cool.

In the Small Batter Bowl, with the Stainless Mini Whisk beat together the icing sugar and orange juice to make a smooth icing which is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Drizzle over top of the muffins and top each with a few eggs to decorate.
Allow to set before serving.

Berry hearts

Sunday afternoons are meant to be lazy, leisurely events... A cup of tea in the sunshine and these attractive - and very simple to make -  Berry Hearts make me think of long summer days and the delicious juicy fresh flavours that are so abundant!  Once again this recipe is from Debbie at Slimming World and is absolutely scrummy!

Serves: 4

Syns per serving:   5.5 Syns on Extra Easy, Green or Red

Ingredients 

100g/3½oz puff pastry
100g/3½oz fat free natural fromage frais
57g/2oz quark
2 tbsp artificial sweetener
a few drops of rose water
340g/12oz mixed berries
icing sugar to dust

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. 
• Divide the pastry into 4 equal portions and using the Baker's Roller, roll each one to make a 4-5in square. 
• Cut a heart shape from each pastry square and place on a Rectangle Stone.
• With a sharp Utility Knife score a border, about  ¼ - ½ inch from the edge of each heart. 
• Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the pastry has risen and is slightly golden. 
• Remove from the oven and place on the Stackable Cooling Rack to cool, push down the centres of the hearts gently to make a case for the filling.
• Place fromage frais, quark and sweetener into Classic Batter Bowl and using the Double Balloon Whisk beat them together.
• Measure the Rose Water using the Adjustable Measuring Spoons and add to fromage frais mixture.
• Using the Easy Accent Decorator pipe mixture onto the bases of each heart. 
• Top with the berries and serve dusted with a little icing sugar (use the Flour/Sugar Shaker to do this for ease).

Chef's tip: Prepare the pastry case and the creamy filling in advance, and then assemble when you are ready to serve.

Strawberry Fromage Fraise Cheesecake

Even though this is a scrummy weekend recipe is not as wicked as it looks!

Debbie from Slimming World was kind enough to share this recipe with me.  It contains 6 Syns per serving in Red, Green or Extra Easy! (Is that some sort of secret language?)

  

Serves: 8

113g/4oz ginger nut biscuits
28g/1oz butter, melted
1 sachet + 2 level tsp gelatine
5 tbsp boiling water
227g/8oz strawberries
340g/12oz Quark (skimmed milk soft cheese)
227g/8oz fat-free natural fromage frais
Artificial sweetener, to taste
Strawberries, for decoration

Method

• Using the Food Chopper, crush the biscuits with a and then mix in the melted butter. Press evenly over the base of a 20 cm/8 in Springform Pan and pop into the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
• Dissolve the gelatine in the boiling water, stirring it well, and then leave it until it is cool.
• Meanwhile, purée the strawberries quickly in the Manual Food Processor or mash roughly using the Mix n Masher – the purée should have some texture and not be too liquid.
• In a bowl, beat together the Quark and fromage frais and, using the Small Mix n Scraper, fold in the puréed strawberries and the cooled gelatine, mixing well. Sweeten to taste with artificial sweetener.
• Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the chilled biscuit base and chill in the refrigerator until set (about 1 hour).
• Serve sliced, decorated with strawberries.

Slimming World Tip:   

• You could save 1½ Syns per serving by mixing the crushed ginger nuts with a beaten egg white instead of using butter. However, it would have to be baked in a moderate oven for 10 minutes and then cooled before adding the cheesecake mixture.
• Agar agar can be used instead of gelatine if preferred.

Vanilla Muffins

Ingredients:

• Oil or meled butter for greasing
• 280g plain white flour (up to 50% can be swapped out for plain wholemeal flour)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ bicarbonate of soda if using buttermilk or yoghurt
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 115g sugar (brown or white)
• 2 medium eggs
• 9 fl oz milk (can substitute buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, cream, coconut milk, fruit juice or fruit puree)
• 6 tbsp sunflower oil or 85g butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the  oven to 200oC or 400oF or Gas mark 6.

Grease 12 cup muffin pan or Muffin Pan and line with paper cases

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into 4lt Stainless Mixing bowl.

Stir in  sugar.

In Classic Batter Bowls. beat together eggs, milk and oil.

Make well in dry ingredients and pour in liquid ingredients

Gently stir together until just combined using Silicone Scraper – it’s important not to overmix

Put a generous Large Scoop of batter into each well of the prepared muffin pan

Bake for 20 minutes until well risen, goldlen and firm to the touch

Leave to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to Stackable Cooling Rack

When muffins cold, split and spoon in some jam or icing if desired and dust with icing sugar.

(If icing required, put cream cheese and butter in a bowl and sift in icing sugar

Beat together until light and fluffy

Chill until ready to serve.)

Carrot Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

• Basic Muffin mix
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• Use  dark brown sugar
• 200g grated carrot
• 50g coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 50g dried mixed fruit
• 1 orange
• Zest or nuts for decoration

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200oC or 400oF or Gas mark 6.

Grease the Stoneware 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper cases

Sift together flour, baking powder, measure the mixed spice and salt using the Adjustable Measuring Spoons and add into 4lt Stainless Mixing bowl.

Using the Course Microplane Grater, grate carrot and stir in, along with sugar, walnuts and dried fruit.

In Classic Batter Bowl beat together eggs, milk, oil, orange rind and orange juice.

Make well in dry ingredients and pour in liquid ingredients

Gently stir together until just combined using the Small Mix n Scraper – it’s important not to overmix

Put a generous Large Scoop of batter into each well of the prepared muffin pan

Bake for 20 minutes until well risen, goldlen and firm to the touch

Leave to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling rack

To make icing, put cream cheese and butter into the 2ltr Stainless Mixing bowl a bowl and sift in icing sugar

Beat together until light and fluffy using the Double Balloon Whisk

When muffins cold, pipe on icing using the Easy Accent Decorator and decorate with orange zest or chopped unts

Chill until ready to serve.

Molten Camembert Muffins

I love the idea of warm muffins for breakfast and these savoury treats tick all the boxes for me!

MOLTEN CAMEMBERT MUFFINS (March 1 2012)

3 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

1 round (250 g) ripe Camembert cheese (about 10–11 cm in diameter)

250 g plain flour
60 g wheatgerm
65 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated
5 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pot (284 ml) buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
20 g walnut pieces, coarsely chopped

Method:

ð Preheat oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC/Gas 4.

ð Brush wells of Muffin Pan or Stoneware 12 Cup Muffin Pan with sunflower oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush; set aside.

ð Cut rind off sides only of Camembert cheese using Utility Knife (leave rind on top and bottom of cheese); discard rind.

ð Cut trimmed cheese into twelve 2-cm cubes; set aside. Save remaining cheese for another use.

ð Combine flour, wheatgerm, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 4 tablespoons of the snipped chives, the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in Stainless 4-Litre Mixing Bowl; mix well.

ð In Small Batter Bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, milk and remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil; whisk together well using Stainless Whisk.

ð Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®, using as few strokes as possible until just combined. (Mixture will have a slightly lumpy, wet appearance. Do not over-mix.)

ð Using Large Scoop, place one generous scoop of mixture into each well of prepared pan, dividing mixture evenly.

ð Gently press one cube of Camembert cheese into centre of each muffin. Using Small Spreader, spread mixture over cheese cube to cover; sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

ð Bake 15–20 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch.

ð Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; let stand 5 minutes.

ð Carefully remove muffins from pan; sprinkle with remaining snipped chives. Serve warm.

Alternative ideas:

Oak-smoked mature Cheddar cheese, extra mature Cheddar cheese or ripe Brie can be substituted for the Camembert, if desired. These muffins are best eaten warm on the day they are made.

Pampered Chef recipe (Spring/Summer 2012)