Age is Just a Number {lemon poppy seed scones}

Today is my birthday.

Not just any birthday, my thirtieth. See I wrote it out as it looks better then in-your-face numbers.

Honestly though I am not overly bothered about turning thirty. I knew it was going to happen one day. Next year will probably make me freak out a little, but that's a whole year away!

I need to focus on today and tomorrow. Today while you read this I will be baking with Eric Lanlard in his Spring Baking Mad course. Thanks to my Mom & Dad! I can't wait to share my experience with you! And on my way back to Berkshire I plan to stop at Outsider Tart with my amazing friend Lauren, who is picking me up!

Then Friday, I have family and friends coming round for drinks and snacks and drinks. Should be a good night. It will be even better if it doesn't rain all day like predicted. So, I made these Lemon and Poppy Seed scones as an offering to the Sun God(s). That is if there are any left to offer. 

I will let you know if it works, as soon as these were out of the oven the sun shone through the clouds! I used John Whaites recipe from his new book!

I probably will be absent from social media the next few days as I'm off having a fun birthday weekend! But follow me on Twitter (@unitedcakedom) on Sunday May 19th as I will be baking and tweeting live my Banana CinnaMuffins (level10) for World Baking Day!

notes: Happy Birthday to me! Eric Lanlard's cooking school; Outsider Tart; Sun God(s); my review of John Whaites Bakes; World Baking Day check out the site for recipes and Bake Brave this Sunday May 19th!

Cinnamon Glazed Baked Doughnuts! {National Doughnut Week}

The whole selling baked good for a worthy cause is not a new one. Who hasn't attended or helped out with a bake sale before? Well this week, National Doughnut Week, independent bakers are raising money for the The Children’s Trust, through the sale of doughnuts!

A local bakery, Warings, is taking part! Not only are they donating 10p per doughnut sold, but they are hosting various competitions. One contest I am going to have my Mini Baker partake in. They are asking 5-15 year-olds to design a doughnut. I am going to get my Mini Baker to enter. I think she’ll really enjoy that! To find out if your local bakery is taking part please check out the links below!!

Baking doughnuts at home is pretty easy. I think frying them is too, but I like to make them with the girls and therefore easier to bake. The recipe I used here comes from Wilton. It was on the packing of my new heart shaped doughnut pan.

Cinnamon Glazed Baked Doughnuts 

2 cups cake flour

¾ cups granulated sugar

2 tsps baking powder

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp salt

¾ cups buttermilk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp butter (about 14g), melted

Preheat oven to 425F/240C grease your doughnut pan. I used melted butter and a pastry brush. Sift all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and beat until just combined.

Half fill each doughnut hole (about 2 tbsp all depending on your pan). Bake for 4-5 minutes. If you over fill, like I did, then you will need a few extra minutes. If when touched they spring back then they are done. Let cool for a few minutes before removing. Repeat until all the batter is used, then glaze…

Cinnamon Glaze

1 cup confectioners’/icing sugar

3-4 tbsp milk (add slowly)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all the ingredients until sugar is completely dissolved. Use immediately to glaze the doughnuts. I just dipped mine into the bowl and then place on a cooling rack, with parchment paper underneath, to catch the drips.

notes: Find out if your local bakery is taking part and join in the fun! - National Doughnut Week; Warings are not sponsoring this post, I have mentioned them because I do enjoy their baked goods!. I recently picked up this Wilton heart doughnut pan from Home Sense. Home Sense is like a TK Max for household items including kitchen stuff! How to Make Cake Flour 

Waste not, Want Not {meringues}

In my last post I made ice cream for the very first time. So, in this post I’m going to share my first experience making meringue! I think I've been put off meringue because I found whisking them, even with a handheld whisk, a bit of a chore.

It just shows that I shouldn't have been so daunted. There really was no reasoning to why I haven’t tried making meringues before. I think of all the egg whites I have wasted in the past. I feel ashamed.

I know you can freeze egg whites and many people have tips on how to freeze them. I just know myself well enough to know that I would forget about them or they would go funny, that is if they do, before I even got around to using them. So, it just better if I use them right away!

Some people prefer more crisp meringues I like them a little more chewy. These were smaller so these were pretty crisp, but a couple were on the bigger side had a nice chewy middle. Here is the recipe I settled on with. It’s not really from one source as I combined a few different recipes from different places. It is just a meringue, egg whites and sugar! 

Meringues:

6 large egg whites

300g caster sugar

1 tsp cornflour

Preheat the oven at 100C/200F/gas ½

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks with electric hand whisk or free, standing mixer (so much easier). Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar at a time, whisking constantly until the whites come to a stiff peak. Add the cornflour and whisk until combined.

Using a circle cookie cutter any size, depending on what size you are after. I used a 2 ¼ in/58mm circle cutter. Then I used a pencil to draw many circles on the sheet. They can be close together but not touching. Then make sure you turn the parchment paper over before placing on the baking sheet. I didn't and had pencil lines on my meringues.

Then I used a star tip and filled a piping bag with the whisked egg whites. Towards the end they didn't seem to keep the shape so much I’m assuming (there I go again) because my hands were warm and it started to loose it’s stiffness.

I just swirled them around staying as best I could with in my lines.

Then I placed in the warmed oven, for about 2 hours until dry and crisp. Time will vary on how big they are. Smaller less time, bigger more time I probably wouldn't leave them in for longer then 3 hours. Turn the oven off, but leave in the oven to cool. Over night is best from what I read, but a couple of hours would probably be all right.

Meringues are delicious on their own. However there are many ways to enjoy them! My favorite way is add them to a yogurt that has a fruit layer. Any fruit peach, blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry!

Last summer with all the British pride The Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Muller came out with an Eton Mess Corner. I was in love. However I do prefer Greek yogurt so I bought one with strawberries then crumbled my meringue on top! As Dora’s backpack would say: Delicioso!!

How do you like you're meringues? Chewy or Crispy? & How do you prefer to eat them?? 

Homemade Very Vanilla Ice Cream!!

The scent of vanilla is intoxicating. Whenever I make anything with vanilla you will find me wafting the scent towards me or continuously trying the batter/custard/frosting and so on.

I decided to make ice cream this weekend. I have had an ice cream maker for over a year now and not once used it. Sometimes I do wonder if there is something wrong with me?

The big debate was where to start? Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry… maybe Coffee, Cinnamon, or Raspberry Ripple? The choices were endless…. So, to make my life easier and the fact that I absolutely adore vanilla I chose to start with vanilla.

Very Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups whole milk

½ cup double cream or heavy cream

6 large egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 vanilla bean split

½ cup sour cream

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Ice cream maker

Ice for the ice bath

Have an ice bath at the ready before… Combine milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a blender until smooth and aerated. Pour into a saucepan and add the vanilla bean and cook on a medium heat, stirring often. I used a rubber spatula so I could scrap the bottom and sides of the pan. Once the mixture has thickened it should coat the spatula/spoon and you should be able to run your finger through it and the trail should remain. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the rest of the caviar into the pan.

Pour the custard through a sieve into a large bowl nested in the ice bath you should have already prepared. Stir until the custard until it is cool to the touch. In a clean blender pour the cooled custard in to it and add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Blend for about a minute before pouring back into your bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs or overnight.

Once it’s chilled in the fridge pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

notes: When I chose vanilla I went straight to the vanilla bible Pure Vanilla by Shauna Sever, check my book review. Do not throw out the vanilla bean pod, if rinsed and dried add it to a bag of sugar to make vanilla sugar or get a copy of Shauna’s book for other vanilla bean pod uses! Also do not discard the egg whites, make an omelet or make meringues like I did… post will be up soon!! It's the first time I have ever made meringues as well.... 

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