ꃂ who's got the key?

this is the first time I've made this pie

which isn't technically a pie ~ is it Anna {^_*}

and we can't get our hands on the 'key' limes

that are traditionally used in this recipe:

limes are probably my favourite citrus fruit

{best in a cuba libre made with dark rum}

the tartness of the limes is offset by the

sweet condensed milk:

this is very light and delicious 

and so SO easy to make!

Key{less} Lime Pie

you will need ....

175g digestive biscuits

95g butter

grated zest of about 3 limes

150ml of lime juice

400ml can of condensed milk

3 egg yolks

you'll need a 23cm {ish} loose based flan tin too:

heat your oven to 180°c/ gas 4

gently melt the butter either in a saucepan

or zap it in the microwave:

meanwhile put the biscuits into a bowl and bash

to a lightish crumb: 

☝ more than this!

now add the melted butter and mix well

put this buttery crumb into your flan dish

and press down evenly on the base 

and up the sides of the tin 

using your hands or the back of a spoon

place your tin onto a baking sheet and into 

the oven for 10 -12 minutes so it's toasty brown

put the 3 egg yolks into a large bowl

add the lime zest and whisk them for

a few minutes so they're light and fluffier

add the condensed milk and whisk away

for another 3 minutes or so

add the squeezed lime juice

and whisk just quickly to mix

if you haven't already, take out your crumb base

pour in your lime topping

and bake for another 20 minutes

it should feel set when lightly pressed

cool completely before slicing

chilled is best!

think next time I might make the base with choc

chip cookies for a choco~lime pie!

⸨⸩ nordic noms

I was curious when my Finnish friend Anna

mentioned she had baked some 'slapped ears':

she described these little spiced buns

that are shaped as their name implies:

how delighted I was when she gave me the

recipe, written on a paper bag

complete with diagrams for rolling and

cutting:

Anna says they can be frozen then gently

reheated in the oven for unexpected guests:

korvapuusti {slapped ears}

you will need ~ 

for the dough ....

570ml luke warm milk

150g caster sugar

45g fresh yeast {or dried equivalent}

1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds

180g melted butter

1 medium egg

1kg plain flour

for the filling ....

100g softened unsalted butter

150g soft brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

to make the dough

put the  flour into a big bowl then add the

milk, sugar, yeast cardamon, egg

and melted butter:

gradually incorporate all the ingredients 

and mix until it forms a ball:

sprinkle the top with a little flour

cover with a teatowel and leave

in a warm place for about an hour:

after an hour, punch down the dough lightly

and flour your worktop surface:

using a rolling pin, roll your dough

into a large rectangle 

{about half a cm thick, 30 x 80 cms}

now the filling

spread the butter evenly all over the dough

and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar:

you could add some grated apple too:

roll the dough up from the long side

and cut into triangles about 6cms on the

longest side:

{with the longest side downwards}

press them in the middle so 

the sides protrude a little:

transfer the buns onto lined baking trays

⬆ Anna's little drawing shows 

how to cut and press your ear shapes:

cover with a teatowel and leave in a 

warm place to prove again:

Anna glazes hers with a beaten egg and

sprinkles with pearl sugar: 

preheat the oven to 220°c/ gas 7

bake your 'ears' for 15 ~ 20 minutes

until nicely browned:

{watch them though as they can burn real quick!}

while they were cooking I heated a tablespoon of fresh 

lemon juice with a couple of tablespoons of

caster sugar:

remove the 'ears' from the oven and brush with the glaze:

as you can see, one of them got a bit

brown!

still tasted gorgeous and best eaten warm:

ʘ chocomocha bundt

the first time I saw Bundt cake was in Hamburg:

I was intrigued by the shape and the tin:

the cake I ate was quite plain but light

with a syrup drizzle to add moistness:

finally I have got my hands on a tin for my collection:

my recipe search in books and on the net

was quite meagre:

so I made up my own from the basic 

recipes out there:

chocomocha bundt cake

you will need ....

200g plain flour

200g caster sugar

175g butter {soft}

1 teaspoon baking powder

40g {best} cocoa powder

2 heaped teaspoons espresso powder

{or a shot of cooled espresso}

2 eggs

150ml {or so} of milk

preheat your oven to 180°c/ gas 4:

now this bit is very important so take your

time ....

grease and flour your tin by brushing with a little

melted butter and sprinkle with flour:

don't miss anywhere or your cake will stick!

in a large bowl

either by hand or with an electric mixer

cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy

add your eggs one at time and mix well

now fold the flour and baking powder

adding a little milk so the mixture drops 

from the spoon quite easily

add half the batter to your tin

back to the remaining batter ....

 stir through the cocoa powder and espresso

adding more milk if needed

dollop spoonfuls into the tin

and swirl with a skewer

bake for 45 ~ 50 minutes ....

{you know the drill, test by poking a skewer through

if it comes out clean then it is done yAy}

you can eat the cake just like this

but not me

oh no

drizzled with some butter and chocolate melted

together then sprinkled with walnut pieces

coffeewalnutchoc deliciousness

◉ oreo~eo~eo

always looking for new recipes:

different recipes from the usual

Libbie found one for these cupcakes:

and you know what?

they are rather nom!

well they are after some tweaks:

oreo cupcakes

you will need ....

a pack of oreos

120g softened unsalted butter

120g caster sugar

120g plain flour

60g cocoa powder

3 eggs

1½ teaspoons baking powder

60ml milk

preheat your oven to 180°c/ gas 4

line your muffin tin with paper cases

then twist each oreo to separate the top and bottom

put the creamy side of an oreo into each paper case

cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy

then mix in the eggs one at a time

in a separate bowl ~ mix all the dry ingredients

then add them, with the milk to the bowl

and mix carefully

pile this mixture onto your prepared cases

and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or so

they should be springily firm

leave to cool completely before icing

I iced these with a mixture of cream cheese and

sifted icing sugar: 

then blitzed up the remaining oreo halves

and sprinkled them on the top:

can you see the oreo half in the bottom of the cake?

it left an imprint on the empty case!

{if you're not too jazzed for the chocolate cakey part then 

you could omit the cocoa powder and add a few 

drops of vanilla extract}

☤ corny good

after being struck with the awful norovirus

and my appetite returned

I wanted a cake without gluten:

something lemony:

thumbing through the internet

turned up a recipe that claimed 

'if you try to imagine what lemon curd 

would taste like in cake form,

this would be it':

lemon polenta cake

you will need ....

200g softened butter

200g caster sugar

200g ground almonds

100g fine polenta {cornmeal}

1½ teaspoons baking powder {gluten free}

3 eggs

the zest of 2 unwaxed lemons

for the syrup .....

the juice of 2 lemons

125g icing sugar

preheat your oven to 180°c/350°f/gas 4:

line the base of a 9in/23cm springform cake tin

and grease the sides well

either with a gadget or by hand

mix the butter and sugar together until

pale and fluffy

mix together the flour, almonds, baking powder

and polenta

now add some of this to the butter mixture

along with one egg and mix well

repeat this for the other 2 eggs

stir through the lemon zest then  

spoon into your baking tin

bake for about 40 minutes testing with a 

skewer to for 'doneness'

it should come out cleanish

cool in the tin on a rack

while you.....

make the syrup by heating the lemon juice 

and icing sugar until dissolved

pierce the top of your cake all over

then drizzle on the syrup

leave to cool before taking out of the tin

super moist and soft

eat on its own or with a dollop of

something creamy!

♨ good vintage

I recently found a copy of a book 

that I've wanted for a while:

eager to see what delicious baking

Delia has for me in this 1977 edition:

all the old favourites are there and

some that I haven't seen for a while:

the dated pictures are quite funny

but the recipes are still good:

we chose these biscuits as they are

simple to make without any rolling out 

and cutting:

love this packaging for organic oats ^_^

ginger oat biscuits

{makes approx 18}

you will need ....

110g butter

1 dessertspoon golden syrup

75g demerara sugar

110g self raising flour

110g oats

1 teaspoon ground ginger

a pinch of salt

preheat your oven to 170/ gas 3:

line and grease two baking sheets:

gently heat the butter, sugar and golden syrup in

a large saucepan, until the butter is melted:

turn off the heat and add the oats, ginger, salt and flour:

stir together well:

now take small spoonfuls of mixture and make into

about 18 little balls:

place onto your baking sheets, flatten slightly

and bake for 10 ~ 15 minutes until golden:

leave on the trays to cool slightly then turn

onto a rack:

gorgeously crunchy with a cuppa:

sadly no picture of the end result as they got eaten 

so quickly!

ჶ buzz buzz

first recipe of 2011!
happy new year to you:


 rummaging around for an old photo it sparked a 

memory of a stay in Holland:

I remembered eating the most delicious cakes there:

dipping dark sticky ginger cake into a curious 

custard in cartons called vla :

I can't recall eating this recipe anywhere else but Holland!

it's cake is light, naturally sweet and easy to make:

dutch honey cake

you will need ....

125g self raising flour

75g butter {cold & cut into cubes}

50g soft brown sugar

6 tablespoons of honey

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon ground ginger

half a teaspoon of baking powder

a pinch of salt

20g flaked almonds

preheat your oven to 180°c/ 350°F/ gas 4

line and prepare an 18cm square baking tin

in a large bowl sift in the flour, ginger and baking powder

add the pinch of salt and butter

now rub the butter into the flour until it looks like rubble

then stir through the sugar

in a separate bowl beat the egg, add the milk and honey

stir together then add to the dry mixture

mix all this together with an electric mixer 

{or proper elbow power if you prefer}

mix it until pale in colour and fluffy {about 2 mins}

pour into your prepared baking tin

sprinkle with the flaked almonds

and bake for 30 minutes or until firm to touch

cool on a rack before cutting and eating

{keeps in an airtight tin for 3 days or so}

smaken goede honing

^_^