United Cakedom

Home Baking by Jo Wheatley {book review & rocky road}

She's done it again! It's only been a year since Jo Wheatley's first book hit the stands and already we have a lovely second installment of Home Baking!!

After reading Jo's books, blog, and following her on other social media sites I can't help but love her down-to-earth personality and family style baking. Following her progress from her win on the GBBO it's hard not to feel like I know her personally as she lets us into her life and kitchen.

I would particularly recommend Home Baking to anyone who may feel a bit unsure about baking in general. Jo's approach is so reassuring and comforting as she assures us that anyone can bake! Saying that there is plenty here for the experienced baker as well.

The book is broken down into ten chapters starting with Biscuits, Bars, and Cookies; Bread and Scones; Cakes; Baking with Children; Crumbles, Tarts, and Pithiviers; Quiches, Pasties, Pies and Savoury Puddings; Quick and Simple Special Occasions; Supper Bakes; and Teatime Treats!

Here is a list of the recipes I can't wait to try:

Oaty Fruit Squares
Blueberry Brioche Rolls
Cheesy Tear and Share
Potato Bread
Parmesan and Pesto Fantail Loaf
Banana, Pecan, and Butterscotch Cake
Lime and Coconut Tray Bake
Lemon, White Chocolate, and Macadamia Bombs
Cheesy Mini Ketchup Scones
Apricot Frangipane
Chicken and Mango Empanadas
Basic Scones
Rocky Road (recipe below)
Apple Turnovers
Fruit and Nut Brownies
Tempura Mustard Sausages
Valentine's Salted Caramel Chocolate Pots
Mince Bakewell Tart
Banoffee Eclairs (pictured)

The list above is massive, but I was looking for something quick and simple for our bank holiday weekend and the Rocky Road was just what we needed. It's such a versatile recipe here is how I made it with Jo's guidance...

Rocky Road:

400g milk chocolate, chopped
handful of mini marshmallows
3 broken biscuits; digestives or anything you have hanging round
handful of Rice Krispies

Other fillings: *what I used
*Maltesers
Chocolate Bars: Mars, Snickers etc...
Turkish Delight
Rolos, *Galaxy Caramel bites, Munchies. Revels
Dried Fruits: apricos, *cranberries, mango, sour cherries, blueberries

Line a 23cm/8in deep, square baking tin before melting the chocolate in your preferred method. In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or carefully in the microwave in 10-second bursts. Stir until smooth and leave to cool slightly.
In a big bowl, if your melting bowl isn't big enough, place your marshmallows, broken biscuits, Rice Krispies, and chosen fillings (chop into bite-sized pieces if they aren't already). Carefully pour the chocolate over the fillings and gently stir until coated. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and chill until solid. Cut into squares with a knife warmed in hot water.

Every time I make Rocky Road I acquire new friends. Fact. It's so easy I get embarrassed with the praise I get for making it. I can't wait to try some more of Jo's gorgeous looking recipes! What have you already made? I would love to know what to try next!

notes: like last time Home Baking is only available at Sainsbury's (£8, RRP £16.99) in store or online! For recipes and competitions follow Jo on Facebook and her site Jo's Blue Aga! She's also on Twitter (@JoanneWheatley) and if you tweet her a picture of anything you bake from her books, she is very likely to re-tweet or reply (this is from my own experience). A Passion for Baking, Jo's first book is also a great addition to any book shelf, last time I was in Sainsbury's they had a great price on it! It is now also available (in a sparkling new cover!) in all good bookshops! My review on A Passion for Baking!

Do you want to know a secret? {book review & birthday cake}

The secret is…I have the biggest crush on CakeSpy aka Jessie Oleson-Moore or is it Jessie Oleson-Moore aka CakeSpy? Either way I think I am in love. Okay that’s not the real secret…actually we’re really here to find out what sort of secrets baked goods have. Not that it makes the first statement any less true.

I have been an admirer of the CakeSpy site and the author Jessie for a few years now and was super excited when her self titled book CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life was published in 2011; then I was super duper excited when I learned that there would be a second book The Secret Lives of Baked Goods: Sweet Stories & Recipes for America’s Favorite Desserts; but I was super super duper excited when I was sent a copy to review!

No baked good’s secret is safe as we learn about the who, what, when, where, and how, in the introductions that precede every recipe in this book. There is even more truth to be had in the recipes. Recipes don’t lie. Ever wonder why we put candles on a birthday cake or the difference between a blondie and a brownie? Maybe there are answers to something you didn't even know to ask like why is the pecan pie more American then the traditional apple pie? Not only is this book a wealth of information, but it also includes a recipe for each baked good discussed, so you can see what all the fuss is about.

The Secret Lives of Baked Goods is a very thoughtful and in depth look at the baked goods that everyone knows and loves and maybe even a few you didn't know about. Usually I make a list of stuff I want to bake from the book I am discussing, but all the recipes included are classics, so if I haven't tried them I must do at some point.

I was happy to see that this book wasn't short of Jessie’s lovely illustrations! It’s one of the reasons I visit her site so often, besides the super sweet treats she shares with us. Maybe I can talk her into letting Cuppie visit me here at United Cakedom. I think Cuppie would enjoy being a royal. :0)

If you read my blog or follow me on twitter you’ll know I haven’t shut up about my birthday (May 16th) as it’s the big 3-0 and I have a lot planned to celebrate! So, I thought I would start early and make the birthday cake for myself.

Yellow Birthday Cake

2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks or 228g) unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, separated

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup whole or 2% milk

Preheat the oven 350F/180C and grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round baking pans and line with baking parchment.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cream the butter for a couple of minutes before adding the sugars, continue mixing until light and fluffy.

Add the egg yolks one at a time ensuring they are completely mixed in before adding the next. Add the vanilla.

Alternate the dry ingredients with the sour cream at a lower speed make sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the milk.

In a very clean bowl and with very clean beaters beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth it over with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before releasing from the pan. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Rich Chocolate Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks or 228g) unsalted butter, softened

½ tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 to 4 cups confectioners’ or icing sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup heavy cream or double cream

Cream the butter until smooth, about 1 minute, before stirring in the salt and vanilla. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder together, and add to the butter mixture in 2 or 3 additions, beat at a low speed or you will be covered in icing sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along. Add the cream, then increase the speed to medium and beat until very very fluffy. Add the remaining sugar until it reaches your desired spreading consistency.

giveaway: And last but not least, Sasquatch Books have kindly agreed to give one of my Northern American readers a chance to win a copy of their very own! So, if you have a valid USA or Canadian address please leave a comment below telling us of your secret sweet pleasure. My secret pleasure is a spoon of peanut butter dotted with M n M's, even better if they are peanut butter M n M's. So, what's yours?? Or if you really honestly don't have a secret sweet pleasure please tell me what your dream birthday cake is! Giveaway is know closed!

The Winner is: C & C Cakery

please email me the address you would like the book sent too at unitedcakedom(@)gmail(dot)com

please do so as soon as possible, if I don't hear back in 48 hours I will pick a new winner!

PS: I didn't count wrong I included the one entry on Facebook as number 30.

A BIG Thank you to:

Liz @Hoosier Homemade

Gretchen @Culinaria Libris

Heather @Sprinkle Bakes

Gem @Cupcake Crazy Gem

Especially Jessie @Cake Spy

(check out her site for tour dates she may be in a city near you!)

and Sasquatch Books

For re-tweeting, facebook-ing, and pinning this giveaway on their sites!

It is very much appreciated!

update: I was contacted by someone saying they had trouble leaving a comment so, if you are having trouble leaving a comment on this post please answer the question on my Facebook page or answer the question on Twitter using the hash tag #secretlives or do all three! (links to my pages are under the header on the side bar)

notes: The Secret Lives of Baked Goods is out today! Also if you haven’t got a copy of CakeSpy PresentsSweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life then you should treat yourself to that one too. You can use my birthday as an excuse if you must. You might also want to book an appointment with your dentist. Check out www.cakespy.com.
How to Make Cake Flour (for UK readers).

giveaway terms and conditions: Winner will be chosen at random from the comments in the comment section, the deadline is midnight (Pacific Time Zone) Tuesday, May 14th.
Open to US and Canadian residents only, if a valid US or Canadian address cannot be provided a new winner will be chosen at random.
Winner will be announced on this post the following day, May 15th. The winner will need to contact me with their details within 48hrs or another winner will be chosen at random.
The winners details will be passed on to the publishing company for their prize to be sent out. Please see my contact/policy page tab for further information.

Pizza, Pizza!!

It’s not very often I share non-sweet things on here. It’s not because I don’t bake savory food, but because I don’t have the time to post everything I ever make. Which is why I limited it to the sweet stuff.

This pizza base has become a regular in our so I thought it was about time I properly shared it with you. This pizza base is simple and quick.

The recipe makes 2 pizzas and is easily doubled. Feel free to play with your toppings and pizza shape!

Classic Margherita:

200g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

7g fast-action dried yeast

pinch of salt

140ml warm water

3 tbsp olive oil (extra if you have it), plus extra for brushing

Prepare 2 baking sheets; brush the olive oil over each sheet and the inside of a large bowl. (about 2 tbsp of olive oil)

Put the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the water with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Use a large spatula or wooden spoon to bring the dough together. It will be wet or as I say sticky.

On a well-floured surface knead the dough for about five minutes, or 2 pop songs, until smooth and elastic. Place in the oiled bowl, brush the top with oil and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rise at room temperature for about 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/gas6

Once risen, turn out the dough and divide in 2 equal parts (as best you can). Use your hands to push each one out from the center, to create 2 round discs (sometimes oval) about 25cm in diameter. Place the pizza bases on the prepared baking trays.

for the topping:

200g passata (sieved tomatoes)

2 mozzarella balls, drained and cut into cubes or slices

a handful of grated parmesan (up to you)

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

8 fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Spread the passata evenly over the prepared dough and season with salt and pepper. Then divide the cheeses over the pizzas and drizzle over the olive oil.

Bake for 18 minutes until golden brown. Two minutes before the end of the cooking time scatter over the basil and finish cooking.
I always make a salad to go along with this homemade pizza!

See super easy! It’s also super tasty!! My girls don't like the basil leaves so I left them off. Also you can play with flavored passata. These pizzas I used a garlic and onion passata. An easy way to get yummy flavors!

notes: You have seen this pizza here before. Italian HomeBaking by Gino D’acampo

Memory Triggering Cherry Oatmeal Bars

My sister, Janet, and I always have conversations about memory. It seems to be that mine is a bit better then hers and we wonder why? What makes me remember things that she doesn't or things she does that she wouldn't have expected me too?

In my opinion it has a lot to do with triggers. The obvious trigger being someone bringing up a memory "hey remember...." and the second obvious would be photos. But there are a lot of triggers in our senses.

When my husband came to visit me in the early days he brought Davidoff Cool Water, his choice of scent at the time. Every time I catch a whiff of it now I am automatically overwhelmed with the memories of that time we spent together in the early days of our story. Music and even books trigger a similar reaction.

I was looking for a bar to take along on a picnic and for no particular reason I grabbed my Fat Witch Brownie book by Patricia Helding. After opening the book I was transported back to when it was one of five baking books and I had yet to start my blog and I was still just dipping into the whole baking thing. It's hard to put into words how I felt as it was a realization of how far I've come. How much I have learned. How big my book collection has grown ... scary. I bet my husband is glad it's not a shoe obsession, though it hasn't been cheap, shoes are way more spendy!

Anyhow, Janet and I will probably never know why my memory seems to trigger easier? Maybe I just dwell on the past more then she does? Maybe it's because I spent most of my childhood observing more then participating? Either way now any time I make or even look at these Cherry Oatmeal Bars, I will be transported back to a sunny day spent with my youngest daughter and long for the days when she was still little.

Cherry Oatmeal Bars:
190g/12tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of rolling oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
75g/about 1/2 cup of dried cherries
handful of chopped cashews (optional)

Grease a 9in baking pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350C/180F. Melt the butter, brown it to have a nuttier taste, or not. Let it cool before adding in the vanilla.
Combine the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Make sure there are no lumps before pouring in he melted butter and vanilla mixture and mix well. Fold in the cherries and nuts if using.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pan, using your hands to flatten.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for an hour before enjoying!

I have a tendency to always over bake oatmeal aka granola bars. I don't know why I'm always worried about under baking them? When ever time I over bake? Anyway even though these were a bit on the brown side they were still tasty! Perfect treats for a picnic and I used the rest for my breakfast the next day, I just poured a little milk over them. Yum!

notes: Now that summer is approaching there will be a lot of picnics to be had so be prepared for a lot of bars and other easy transportable baked goods! - Fat Witch Brownies by Patricia Helding Amazon UK & USA;

Chocolate = Happy & Coffee = Relief {a book review and mocha choca madeleines}

I cannot express enough how refreshing John Whaite's debut cookbook is! The book is full of original flavors and ideas. After a read through it’s apparent that the book is very aptly named, John Whaite Bakes: Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood, as there are plenty of recipes to either lift one out of a bad mood or relax after a hard day and so on…

My favorite time to bake is when the girls are in bed and the house is quiet. I do love baking with them too, but there is something about having the kitchen to myself and loosing myself to the process of baking. It’s during that time I know I will be reaching for this book for inspiration.

Just by the titles of the chapters you know this book is going to be full of emotionally charged bakes. Chapters include an Introduction; Baker’s Notes; All-Important Armoury; Simple Essentials; Seeking Sweet Solace; Calming a Bag of Nerves; The Mood for Food and Love; Edible Nirvana; Memoirs of a Baker; Simple Speedy Solutions; Deepest Darkest Desires; The Artist Within; and Happy Hour

So, the only question is where to start? Here is a list of recipes I can’t wait to try out. They are mostly sweet, but there are a nice amount of savory recipes too that aren't listed here.

Overnight Rustic Loaf

Midnight Blues Tart (picture above)

Plait of Worries Loaf

Apricot and White Chocolate Flapjacks

Coconut and Lemon Bakewell

Italian Feeding Frenzy Focaccia

Eastern Sweet Spring Rolls

Plum and Pinenut Loaf Cake

White Chocolate and Raspberry Melting Cake (picture)

Tropical Sponge Pudding

Lemon and Poppy Seed Scones

Strawberry and Custard Shortbreads

Bakewell Muffins

Sunflower Seed Soda Bread

Mocha Choca Madeleines w/Chocolate Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

Individual Apple Strudels

Spiced Sticky Toffee Pudding

Cherry Brandy and Brazil Nut Brownies

& all 8 cocktails (think some of these will be tested in a few weeks on my birthday)

Madeleines have been showing up everywhere and have been on my list of stuff “I must bake one day” for ages. So, after purchasing another special tin, much to my husband’s dismay, I made John’s …

Mocha Choca Madeleines w/Chocolate Dipping Sauce

100g salted butter

2 large eggs

100g caster sugar

1 ½ tsp instant freeze-dried coffee or 1 ½ tsp coffee extract

85g plain flour

15g cocoa powder

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/Gas5 and prep your madeleine tin. Just like when making anything in a mould it needs to be greased, usually with butter or odorless oil, then lightly dust flour and tap out excess. Done.

Melt the butter either on the hob or in the microwave just be sure not to let it boil.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and coffee until light, fluffy, and tripled in size. This is very easily done in a freestanding mixer, but possible using a hand-held electric whisk. Will take about 15 minutes give or take a few.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the egg mixture and carefully pour in the butter. Gently and John means very gently fold in the additions until smooth and silky.

Using a teaspoon fill the madeleine tin, about 2 tsp per mould. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the madeleines are slightly brown around the edges, John also says to turn them out of the tin as soon as they are baked or they will stick. It was my first ever time making them so I took his advice and they came out no problem!

To make the sauce whisk together 2 tbsp golden syrup, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, and 1 tbsp water.

Then dip and enjoy!!

These can be made in a shallow bun tin if you don’t want to buy yet another baking tin. I love to have any excuse to buy another tin, but that's just me! Just use about 2 ½ tsp of the mixture in each cavity and bake for a minute or two longer.

I was very pleased with these!! It was my first time every baking and trying madeleines! These ones were perfect: not too chocolaty, but a perfect amount to satisfy a craving. Also, I think the addition of coffee takes it up a notch. I made my own coffee extract ages ago, but I have seen it in online and in stores that sell baking stuff. Or use instant freeze-dried coffee like John says too! :0)

Ever since John was announced as the winner of last years Great British Bake Off; he seems to be everywhere! I ~~stalk~~ follow him on twitter and I can’t help wonder when he finds time to sleep? I also wonder what he’ll do next? If this book is anything to go on, we can only expect great things from him!

notes: book gifted by publishers

How to Make Cake Flour

As far as I am aware Cake Flour isn't available here in the UK. I have in the past just substituted plain flour and ended up with varying results. Therefore I wouldn't suggest doing that.

After a little research I have found the secret to making my own. You will need a US measuring (1) cup, a measuring tablespoon, plain flour, and corn flour (known as corn starch in the US).

Place two tablespoons of corn flour into your measuring cup.

Then fill up the cup with plain flour. I usually pour my flour into the cup because the bag is hard to get a cup in and out of without making a huge mess.

If you are of the dipping and leveling then do that with your flour, then take out 2 tablespoons and add in 2 tablespoons of corn flour. Which ever method is easiest for you.

I have a few cakes and bakes to make that are American that require Cake Flour so I made 2 cups to start with. It's so easy that you can make it as you need it or make it in advance and store it in the cupboard!

Bake Brave!

May 19th is World Baking Day!

#bakebrave

World Baking Day is about asking everyone to step out of their comfort zone and bake brave!

This year I was asked to be an ambassador! I submitted a Banana Cinnamuffin recipe that has been tried and tested over the years first by my sister, Janet, before she passed it on to me.

On the official World Baking Day site, you can choose your level and it will suggest recipes accordingly. Banana Cinnamuffins are leveled at 10. 1 being the easiest all the way to 100!

Join me and many others on the 19th of May while we Bake Brave!

Challenge yourself by choosing a level or more above what you think is your skill level!