Cakes/Cookies – Page 7

Almond cake with whipped cream and strawberries

Published on July 6, 2013July 5, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

When I saw this beauty (then served with almond sorbet and blackberries) on the great Swedish food blog; Skånska Skafferiet (The Scanian Larder), I knew my colleagues would love it.

And I seem to know them pretty well, because this cake was the first to vanish when I baked for the office this time. I had also made a scrumptious lemon cake and some chocolate pots (recipes to follow).

Almond cake with whipped cream and strawberries, serves 6-8

Translated from Anna’s recipe.

The cake:

250 g almonds, whole

250 g caster sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

(pinch of salt)
butter for the tin

To serve:

300 ml lightly whipped cream

200 g strawberries, washed and halved

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Grind the almonds. Beat eggs and sugar, salt and vanilla until pale and fluffy using an electric whisk or Kitchen Aid. Fold the ground almonds into the fluffy mixture, keeping some to coat the tin. Butter a round baking tin/dish and coat with ground almonds. Add any remnants to the cake batter and pour it into the tin.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 55-60 minutes. Remove the cake and let it cool completely before decorating it with whipped cream and berries.

Grädda i mitten av ugnen i cirka 55-60 minuter. Ta ut kakan och låt den svalna ordentligt innan du spänner av kanterna.

Amazing chocolate chip cookies

Published on June 11, 2013June 11, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

These cookies will be the most annoying you’ll ever make. The dough is just so incredibly crumbly. You might swear a little and think there is something missing in the recipe. But then you cut them up and pinch them together on the baking sheet and place them in the oven and suddenly your kitchen smells like heaven. Chocolate heaven.

And then you bite into one, still warm from the oven. And bliss.

Despite the annoying texture pre-bake these cookies are some of the best I’ve ever tried. And according to the blog Smitten Kitchen, where I found the recipe, they could in fact contribute to world peace.

Amazing chocolate cookies, makes about 25-35

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s recipe. Original recipe by Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets.

180 gplain flour

5 tbsp + 1 tsp cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

160 g softened butter

120 g soft light brown sugar

4 tbsp caster sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

140 g chopped dark chocolate

Mix flour, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl beat butter until fluffy. Add both sugars, salt and vanilla and beat until creamy.

Add the flour mixture and place a tea towel over the bowl (to avoid flour dusting all over your kitchen) and beat on low speed until the flour has been incorporated. Beat as little as possible. It needs to be mixed but the dough will have a very crumbly texture. Add the chocolate and pour the crumbs out onto a baking table and divide into two heaps. Press each heao into a roll, 2.5 inches thick and cover with clingfilm. Refridgerate for at least three hours.

Pre-heat oven to 160C. Cover two baking trays with parchment paper. Cut 1 cm thick slices of the cookie dough rolls and place on the trays, about an inch apart. The dough will crumble but just press the crumbs into a rough cookie shape.

Bake for 12 minutes in the middle of the oven. They won’t look done, but they will be. Leave to cool on a wire rack or tray and serve.

Blueberry cake with crispy coconut topping

Published on June 4, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

This summery cake was another favourite with the colleagues last week. A vanilla sponge with plenty of blueberries adding moisture and a crispy coconut topping. It is even delicious for non-coconut fans like myself.

The original recipe suggests serving this cake in more shallow squares but I prefer a whole cake, it looks more impressive that way.

Blueberry cake with crispy coconut topping, serves 10

240 g caster sugar

100 g butter, softened

3 egg

100 ml water

240 g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

250 g blueberries

Coconut topping:

125 g butter

80 g caster sugar

50 ml/50 g golden syrup

2 1/2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp milk

300 ml desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to 175C. Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at the time and beat in between. Add the water dry ingredients. Pour the batter into a buttered round cake tin, 20-23 cm diameter. Scatter the berries on top. Bake until the cake has set a little, about 30 minutes.

Melt the butter for the topping in a saucepan. Add the other ingredients, apart from the coconut, and bring to the boil. Let it thicken. Add the coconut last. Spread onto the cake and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp on top. Leave to cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

The best Pavlova!

Published on June 1, 2013May 31, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

I know that it is promising a lot saying that this is the best Pavlova, but it is. Just ask my colleagues who demolished this earlier in the week. And praised it. A lot.

The recipe is my mother’s and it always goes down a treat. It requires quite a lot of beating so use an electric whisk or a standing mixer. It only needs baking for 16 minutes and then to cool leaving a crispy outside and gooey middle that you then fill with whipped cream and berries just before serving.

It is a real showstopper and looks impressive because of its size. But don’t let this fool you, it disappears quickly. Even though the recipe says serves twelve, it doesn’t. More like six or seven.

Pavlova roll, serves 12 although count about 6-7

7 egg whites

500 ml caster sugar

plain flour for dusting

Filling:

500 ml whipping cream (or double cream)

500 g fresh berries, I used strawberries, washed and hulled

Pre-heat oven to 175C. Beat the whites until stiff foam. Add the sugar (all at once) and beat for another 10 minutes until very firm peaks. Line the largest baking tray you can find (that fits your oven) with parchment paper. Dust with flour and spread out the meringue evenly onto it with a spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for exactly 16 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool in a dry place.

To assemle, cover the meringue with a parmchment paper and flip it over. Beat the cream and spread it onto the meringue in an even layer. Add the fruit. Carefully roll the meringue from the longer side into a roll, using the parchment paper to steady it. Place on a serving tray and serve immediately.

Frosted chocolate cake with almonds

Published on May 3, 2013April 29, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

We’re serious about our cakes and other baked goods in Sweden, but sometimes I roll my eyes at the names the cakes get. This cake is called ‘Success Cake’ in Swedish, don’t ask me why, and I just refuse to call it that in English, but the more describing name frosted chocolate cake with almonds, doesn’t really do it justice either.

I mean, yes, it is a frosted chocolate cake, but a very yummy one. Just go ahead and make it and see for yourself!

Frosted chocolate cake with almonds, serves 10

150 g salted butter
180 g caster sugar
1 1/2 eggs
75 ml cocoa
90 g plain flour
3/4 tbsp vanilla sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Frosting:
150 ml double cream
120 g caster sugar
1 1/2 tbsp golden syrup
100 g dark chocolate
75 g butter

Decoration:
50 g almond slivers

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Butter a normal sized baking tray.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar and eggs. Mix cocoa, flour, vanilla sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and incorporate well. Pour into the tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.

Mix cream, sugar, syrup and chocolate in a saucepan. Let it simmer until the frosting has thickened and the chocolate has melted, it takes about 15 minutes (less on a gas hob). Remove from heat and add the butter in chunks and beat it into the frosting. Pour the frosting over the cake, spread it evenly, decorate with almond slivers and place in the fridge to set.

Sponge cake with vanilla filling

Published on April 29, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

In Sweden a sponge is as common as here in the UK, even though we normally make them without butter which gives you an airier lighter cake.

This cake is just like that, a simple airy sponge but with a very simple filling adding both moisture and lots of flavour. It is incredibly simple to make, and yet wonderful to eat.

I got the recipe from my mother, and although I remembered it was very good I was surprised how good it actually is! And needless to say it went down a treat in the office as well…

Sponge cake with vanilla filling, serves 8

Cake:

3 eggs

300 ml (240 g) caster sugar

300 ml (180 g) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

100 ml lukewarm water

Filling:

125 g butter (I used salted)

100 ml milk

3 tbsp icing sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs and sugar until pale and pluffy. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir it in. Add the water and incorporate well. Pour the batter into a buttered springform tin, lined with parchment paper in the bottom. Bake in 200C (180C fan) for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin while preparing the filling.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the milk and let it simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add the icing sugar and vanilla. Leave to cool slightly.

Loosen the cake from the tin and cut in half. Place the bottom piece on a serving plate and pour over the filling. Place the other sponge on top while still warm. Decorate with icing sugar and serve.

Raspberry gateau

Published on April 6, 2013April 4, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

Last time I baked for the office I made Mary Berry’s fantastic white chocolate cheesecake and this traditional Swedish gateau.

It is easy to be home blind, and I didn’t realise how much cream we use in Sweden until I moved here. We have it in a sauce instead of gravy and in or with pretty much any cake.

This is a pretty standard gateau with jam (crushed berries with sugar works too), custard and cream. The sponges are made without butter and that makes them slightly less moist, but also less crumbly and lighter, so it is very easy to assemble this cake.

Raspberry gateau, serves 8-10

Sponge:

4 eggs

200 g caster sugar

1 1/3 tbsp water

160 g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

Flling:

150 ml thick custard

150 ml firmly whipped cream

200 ml seedless raspberry jam

To decorate:

300 g whipped cream

20 g fresh raspberries

Beat sugar and egg until pale and fluffy. Add the water. Mix flour and baking powder and incorporate well. Divide the mixture between two even sized spring forms, greased and lined with a round of parchment paper. Bake in 175C for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the sponges cool completely before assembling the gateau. Mix custard and cream. Spread raspberry jam on top of the first sponge base then slather with the custard cream mix. Spread jam underneath the second sponge and place on top. Cover the whole cake with cream and pipe decorations on top. Decorate with fresh raspberries.

White chocolate cheesecake

Published on April 3, 2013 by Hanna1 Comment

The March cakes for the office were only two as some people took time off to have a longer Easter break. And since we had burgers for lunch the same day I expected some cake to be left over. But no, they went down a treat!

Especially this white chocolate cake courtesy of Mary Berry was very popular! It is not too sweet, and that is probably part of the success. That, and using good quality chocolate. There are so many bad and far too sweet versions of white chocolate in the shops. I used Green & Blacks and it was good enough to eat plain and really worked in the cheesecake too.

I decorated my cake with Easter eggs as it was the Thursday before Easter, but other choccies or some fresh berries work well too.

White chocolate cheesecake, serves 8

Adapted from Mary Berry’s recipe.

Base:
50g butter
25g dark chocolate
150g digestive biscuits, crushed

Filling:
300g white chocolate, broken into pieces
400g full fat cream cheese
150 ml soured cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

To serve:
Dusting of cocoa powder

Pre-heat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base of a Ø 20 cm spring form cake tin with non-stick paper. Melt butter and chocolate in small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in crushed biscuits and press evenly over the base of the tin – chill in the fridge.

Break the white chocolate into a bowl and melt very gently over a pan of hot water (do not allow the chocolate to become too hot), stir occasionally with a spoon until runny and smooth.

Whisk the cream cheese and eggs together in a large bowl until smooth, add soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix together.

Pour in the tin and spread evenly over the chilled base. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes until firm around the edge and just set in the middle. Remove from the oven. Using a small palette knife run the knife around the edge of the tin and then allow to cool and chill. Remove the outside ring and lift base onto serving plate.

Chocolate cheesecake

Published on March 19, 2013 by HannaLeave a comment

It really annoys me that I didn’t take a picture of this lovely cake. Note to self: the camera doesn’t work without a memory card. So above is a borrowed picture.

I always trust The Hummingbird Bakery’s recipes, and especially their first book is utterly brilliant, but I still wasn’t sure if I needed a chocolate cheesecake in my life and repertoar. But it turns out I did. I see this cheesecake more as a delicious chocolate cake that happens to be a cheesecake then just a cheesecake. The cream cheese makes it creamy yet still light in texture but the flavour focus is the chocolate, so it is important to choose a good quality chocolate for this. I don’t like mine too bitter so 60-70% cocoa solids is perfect for me.

Chocolate cheesecake, serves 8-10

Adapted from the The Hummingbird Bakery’s recipe.

Base:

200 g digestives

2 tbsp cocoa

150 g butter, melted

Filling:

900 g full-fat Philadelphia

190 g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

200 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 150C. Roughly break up the digestive biscuits and put them in a food processor with the cocoa powder. Process until finely ground. Add the butter and mix until you have the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture into the base of a round springform (about 20 cm Ø), using the back of a spoon works well. Refrigerate while you make the topping.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract with an electric whisk on slow speed until you get a very smooth, thick mixture. Add one egg at a time while still mixing. Scrape down the sides in between.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Let it cool a little. Spoon a little of the cream cheese mixture into the melted chocolate, stir to mix then add a little more. This will even out the temperatures of the two mixtures. Eventually you can stir all the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate mixture until combined.

Pour the mixture onto the cold base. Cover the base and sides of the tin with tin foil and put it inside a deep baking tray and and fill with water until it reaches two-thirds of the way up the cake tin. Bake for 40 -50 minutes, checking regularly after 40 minutes. Don’t overcook, it should be wobbly in the centre. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, then cover and refridgerate overnight before serving.