Huffkins {inspired by Paddington by Michael Bond} #storybookbakes

I don’t know how many times I have written about my love of books so I won’t go into too much detail all you need to know is that I love books. Okay? Okay, so I have been trying to figure out a way to combine my love of books and food for a while now on a regular basis and I think I have found a fuss free easy way to do it! 

Basically I am going to be baking and making from whatever novel or children's book or autobiography that inspires me to do so! See that wasn't so hard! Originally I was going to make it a linky post, but I started to find that a bit stressful. The stress of getting people involved etc... however I think I've come up with an easy solution for that too! See the notes below! 

I hope to do this at least once a month, possible 2 as I actually have a list of stuff I have been wanting to make inspired by my favorite books! This month I was inspired by Paddington and here's what I made! 

My girls and I went to see Paddington with some friends before Christmas and they loved it. It is very cute! After that my girls started asking for their Paddington book to be read at bedtime. Then they dug out their Paddington Cookery Book and insisted we make something from it.

They choose Huffkins! I tried to convince them to make something else, because I didn't want them to be disappointed. See bread and I have a love hate relationship. Meaning it either loves me or hates me and I never know which it will be!

However, love or luck or something was on my side the other night when we made these! They turned out just fine! The girls loved filling the indent with marmalade and munching on them before bed!

Huffkins

500g plain flour

50g butter

pinch of salt

2 tsp sugar

7g fast action yeast

120ml milk

120ml water

12 tsp marmalade

Start by sifting the flour and rubbing the cold butter into it, to make it look like breadcrumbs. Stir in the salt and sugar before adding the yeast, leave to the side while you heat the milk and water together until it’s just warm to the touch. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients before pouring in the heated milk and water. Using a wooden spoon start to bring the dough together, once it’s started use your hand to finish making the dough into a big ball. On a clean counter surface knead the dough for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and completely combined. Place in a clean bowl and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour.

Heat the oven to 220C and lightly grease a baking tray. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces the best you can, then gently roll them into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Press them down lightly to slightly flatten them, then using your thumb press a hole in the middle of each one (this was the girls favorite part.) Leave them for another 20 minutes to rise, or until they double in size. Once they are ready, bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. They should have a lightly tan/brown color to them, place a teaspoon of marmalade in each indent and enjoy while reading Paddington stories!

What is your favorite Paddington story? Leave a comment below! Mine will always have to be the original and first book about how the Browns came to have him living at their house!

notes: Recipe is adapted from Paddington's Cookery Book by Lesley Young. If you, like me, have been inspired by the books you read then I would love to see what you create whether it be food or a craft or art! Please get in touch in one or more of these ways: on Twitter tag me and use the hash tag and I will like and re-tweet! On Instagram tag me and hash tag and I will like it and leave a comment. If you have Facebook like my page (or not) but add your image to the page and I will share it with the rest of my readers! If you are on Google+ good luck to you! Just kidding I'm just not very good at being active on it. So, if you do share on there please be patient with me. If you prefer Pinterest, I will be starting a group board, if you would like to be added email me at unitedcakedom(@)gmail.com, unless you tell me otherwise I will use the email you emailed me with. 

Looking for inspiration? Here are a few of my old posts that were inspired by books I have read!

• Harry Potter series by JK Rowling: I made a Snitch Cake, Pumpkin Pasties, and Rock Cakes! 
• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: Forgotten Blackberry Pudding from the Hempstock Farm
• Cupcakes at Carrington's by Alexandra Brown: Everything is not as it seems Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Judge Dredd: The Dark Judges: Slo-Mo Cupcakes

Coffee Morning!! with aromo espresso & Jaffa Cake Cupcakes!!

Every week or so my mom/mum friends and get to together to catch up over a coffee and cake or biscuits. As I was hosting and one of my friends expressed interest in the Jaffa Cake Cupcakes from Hummingbird Bakery’s Home Sweet Home that is what I made! I served it with aromo Espresso Made Easy.

I was contacted by aromo and asked if I’d like to try some of their Coffee Pods for my coffee mornings. I unfortunately don’t own a coffee maker that uses pods… maybe one day! So, I was sent their Premium Espresso Ground Coffee. It is their most popular coffee BOUNCE. Aromo specialize in ESE Coffee Pods. 

I like my coffee, but some of my friends prefer tea and were concerned about coffee tasting bitter. There were five of us this morning and all of us agreed that the coffee was far from bitter, but smooth and tasty. Everyone was very pleased and asked if I would make it for our next coffee morning!

The cupcakes went down a real treat too. If you want to give them a try here you are! Enjoy!!

Jaffa Cake Cupcakes:

70g (2½oz) unsalted butter, softened

210g (7½oz) plain flour

250g (9oz) caster sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp Salt

210ml (7½oz) whole milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g (3½oz) smooth orange marmalade

frosting:

 450g (1lb) icing sugar, sifted

6Og (2oz) cocoa powder, sifted

150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, softened

60ml (2fl oz) whole milk

to top:

Mini Jaffa Cakes, to decorate or big ones cut in half

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, and line the muffin tins with paper muffin cases to make the number you require. I made exactly 12, you will make more if you aren’t using the right tin. You will need a muffin not fairy cake tin.
2. Mix the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until they form a crumb-like consistency. Using a stand mixer or hand held either will work.
3. In a jug, mix together the milk, eggs and vanilla extract by hand.
4. On a slow speed, gradually pour half the liquid into the flour and butter and mix thoroughly until combined. Turn up the speed and beat until the batter is smooth and thick with no lumps. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along. Once any lumps are gone, turn the speed back down and gradually pour in the rest of the liquid, continuing to mix until smooth and combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared paper cases, filling them two-thirds full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. If you don’t know how much your ice cream scoop holds, measure it out and pour into scoop!
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden brown and the sponge bounces back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tins and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
7. Slowly mix the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter together on a low speed until combined and there are no large lumps of butter. Gradually add the milk while mixing on a slow speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed and beat until light and fluffy. Mine took a long time to get light and fluffy enough to spread nicely. It also gets visibly lighter in colour or it seemed too for me.
8. Once the cupcakes are cool, use a sharp knife to make a hollow in the centre of each cupcake, approximately 2cm (¾in) in diameter and about 3cm (1¼in) deep. I used a nifty tool that takes the centers out for me. Keep the cut-out piece of sponge. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons of orange marmalade into the hollow. I felt one was plenty. Replace the cutout piece of sponge, trimming to fit and pressing down gently to ensure that the top is level with the rest of the cake.
9. Spoon the frosting onto each cupcake, then gently smooth over with a palette knife. I don't like a huge amount of frosting so I had a good amount left over, but if you want a proper "American" cupcake lump that frosting on!!

top each cupcake with a mini Jaffa Cake.

notes: I was sent aromo Premium Espresso Ground Coffee Bounce to taste and review. We were not instructed to give a favorable review. All opinions are of my friends and mine. Want to try it for yourself? Visit here for the ESE Coffee Pods, they are compatible with many coffee makers! See if yours is here! If you, like me, just have a regular old coffee maker check out their ground coffee here!

Home Sweet Home Amazon UK & USA (Kindle); Waterstones (I reprinted this recipe from the “free” recipe card offered by Waterstones)