Pretty Please with a Cherry on top - Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and Chocolate Ganache

Well hello dear readers! It has been over eighteen months since I last posted, can you believe that?! Why has it been so long you may ask? Well after moving back home to Australia from the UK and jumping head first into my teaching job, I seriously haven't had time, not to mention the energy after the working week to bake, photograph, edit and write a post. I felt like I really needed the time to focus on my job and get my head in the right space and I know that this would mean doing a mediocre job in the baking and blogging world. 

It's my favourite season; autumn. The change in weather and the gorgeous scenery at the moment has really made me home-sick, well I guess my home-away-from-home sick. I am really missing Ol' Blighty. I miss rugging up and discovering new villages, pubs and tea-shops and having all the time to appreciate these things. When I thought more about why I have been missing England so much, it was also my fortnightly ritual of baking up something wonderful and new, staging props and photographing for the blog. I haven't done that since June 2013 and I have a virtual folder bursting at the seams with photos of cupcakes and sprinkles ready to grace the interwebs. 

Another reason which has brought me back to blogging is the release of Sweetapolita's book. Rosie Alyea was my inspiration for starting this blog many years ago and I was very excited to have received my copy in the post on Friday. Combine memories and nostalgia with a new baking book, a free Saturday night AND a new Almond Cream KitchenAid and voila - you have yourself a new post. Here's a new recipe to sweeten your Saturday. Enjoy, here's hoping it's not too long until I visit the lovely blogosphere again xxx

Don't they look darling? Almost like a old fashioned sundae. I thought it was very fitting to use a Sweetapolita inspired recipe so here are...

Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and Ganache
Recipe from Rosie @ Sweetapolita 

275grams or 2 ½ cups cake flour

OR

100 grams corn flour

175 grams plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup full cream milk

2 large egg whites

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

300grams caster sugar

115 grams butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and center the oven rack. Line 2 muffin/cupcake pans with your favourite standard-size cupcake liner, and put the first cupcake pan on a baking sheet. (You will place the second cupcake pan on the same sheet in the oven once the first tray is baked.)

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup.

3. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk or paddle attachment (I used the whisk), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 5 minutes.

4. With the mixer still on medium speed, alternate additions of the flour mixture and milk-egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 dry additions, 2 wet), beating after each addition until incorporated. Continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes.

5. Divide batter evenly among your cupcake liners–about 2/3 full–and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs only, about 16 minutes.

6. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool on wire racks. Repeat with second tray.

Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting

227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

175 grams white chocolate

½ vanilla bean, seeded and scraped

Pinch of salt

375 grams sifted icing sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 3-4 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.

2. Melt chocolate in microwave in a small heatproof bowl, or over a pot of simmering water on the stovetop, stirring often. Let cool.

3. Add melted chocolate to butter and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla bean and salt and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add sifted icing sugar, beating on low speed until just combined, increasing to medium speed until well combined. (I added some pink food colouring and strawberry essence to mine.)

Ganache

260 grams dark chocolate 
1 cup double cream

1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil (watching very carefully) then swiftly remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute and then whisk until smooth.

2. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a frosting. 

Zucchini (Courgette) Slice

Zucchinis or courgettes, whatever you want to call them, are a deliciously versatile vegetable available all year around. Zucchini slice is undoubtedly an Aussie favourite, but to my surprise, the Brits had not heard of our classic dish. I have made this loads of times whilst being here and it has been very well received. I had never considered putting it on the blog as I always thought it was a bit too simple, but as they say, simple things are quite often the best. So here it is... my Zucchini Slice recipe (or for the English playing at home) Courgette Slice!

Ingredients

2 zucchinis finely grated

1 onion finely chopped

150g diced bacon or ham (I prefer bacon)

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

6 large beaten eggs

1 cup (80g) cheddar cheese

1 clove of crushed garlic

Salt & Pepper

Handful of breadcrumbs (for sprinkling on top)

Method

♥ Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a rectangular oven dish.

♥ Place zucchini, onion, bacon, flour, eggs, cheese, garlic and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.

♥ Pour mixture into oven dish making sure it has been spread evenly, sprinkle the mixture with a generous handful of breadcrumbs.

♥ Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean from the centre.

♥ Cut into squares and serve either hold or cold. Enjoy!

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Dumpling Bonanza! Shanghai Pork & Prawn and Chive Dumplings

Now I am as Italian as they come, but if someone was to offer me a plate of pasta or a bamboo steamer of dumplings, I'd choose the dumplings every time, hands down. 

I first became a lover of the dumpling years ago in my beloved home town of Melbourne in "Chinatown". They are a cheap and delicious treat and your opportunities for Yum Cha and Dumplings are endless in Chinatown. We're really spoiled for choice in terms of our Asian cuisine in Melbourne. I've now been living in the UK for almost a year now and I have been so disappointed with the scarce number of Yum Cha/ Dim Sum restaurants, so on Saturday after much Googling, we found an Asian grocer about 20 minutes away and thought we might have a go at making some dumplings at home. 

Chinatown Melbourne, image from madlyjuicy.com

Now I must confess I did not make my own dumpling pastry as making pastry is the one thing I HATE to do in the kitchen. We did manage to buy some square wonton wrappers and some round dumpling pastry. I turned to my favourite foodie blogger Not Quite Nigella for the Shanghai Dumpling recipe and to Super Food Ideas for the Prawn & Chive Dumplings, both equally delicious! 

Shanghai Dumplings (Pork & Prawn)

Yield: approx 50 dumplings

450 grams minced (ground) pork

125 grams prawns (shrimp) shelled and finely chopped

3 stalks of green onion finely minced

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

2 teaspoons of salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Method

1. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together using hands or a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.

Prawn and Chive Dumplings

Yield: approx 30 dumplings

600g green king prawns, peeled and deveined

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon ginger

Method

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse for a few seconds, you don't want the mixture to be a paste so you still should have some prawn chunks.

(Please see wrapping/ assembly instructions below for both types of dumplings)

Wrapping/Assembly for both dumplings

1. Fill the pastry disc with a ball of filling and wet the edges with water. Pinch and pleat the edges together on top of the dumpling to make a parcel and ensure they have been firmly sealed. Or similarly you can make crescent shaped dumplings as well by placing the filling on one side and pinching and pleating around one side.

2. Steam in a bamboo steamer over a wok for around 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Leave dumplings in steamer hen serving so the pastry doesn't go hard.

4. Serve with soy sauce.

Prawns for the Shanghai Dumplings

Shanghai Dumpling filling

Prawn and Chive filling

Prawn and Chive filling

Jamie Oliver's Chocolate Tart

It's true what they say about English weather, you get a patch of sun for a week every summer and you're done for the year. This couldn't be more true at the moment, we've had a few scattered days of sunshine and now I'm sitting here typing this up whilst it rains again, just for something different. Well one of those days way back when the sun was shinning for a brief period in time, I made this delightfully summery chocolate tart with berries. This was my first time using a sweet Jamie Oliver recipe, it was super delicious and delectable.

Ingredients

Base

1 packet of Chocolate Digestive Biscuits or Chocolate Wheatons

250g butter

Filling

300ml double cream

2 tsp caster sugar

A pinch of fine sea salt

50g unsalted butter, softened
200g 70% cocoa cook’s chocolate, broken into small pieces (I used Lindt)
50ml whole milk
Berries, sea salt flakes or crème fraîche or ice cream, to serve

Method

1. Crush biscuits in food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add butter and mix together, mixture should be firm when pressed together.

3. Press biscuit mixture evenly and firmly into a tart tin and leave to cool in refrigerator whilst you make the filling
4. Put the cream, sugar and salt in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove as soon as the mixture boils up. With the pan off the heat, add the butter and chocolate. Stir until blended.
5. Take a couple of minutes for a breather, then stir in the milk. Keep stirring till it's shiny.

6. Pour into the tart shell and leave at room temperature for 4 hours to set.
7. Once ready add your berries, salt or whatever your desired topping is and serve with cream or ice-cream.

Wholemeal Vanilla Yoghurt & Blueberry Muffins

Spring has definitely sprung here in the UK, it is no exaggeration when I say the sun has been shining for a whole week, as in 7 days of sunshine. I'm no stranger to the sun being an Aussie, but I am a stranger to celebrating the sun like the Brits do, because it is a sight they rarely see. I saw bright yellow daffodils in the garden and a crisp green lawn and I knew I had to bake some spring time Blueberry Muffins and get out in the garden and take some pictures. These muffins aren't as unkind to the waistline either... you're welcome ;-) ! What's cooking at the moment in your kitchen?

Ingredients

1¾ cups wholemeal flour

¾ cup raw sugar 

½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs 

125gm butter or margarine
1 cup vanilla yoghurt (I use Danone Vanilla)
1½ cups of blueberries

1 tsp of vanilla extract
Cinnamon for sprinkling 

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 170°C (fan forced)

2.   Cream butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, I use the paddle attachment.

3.   Add eggs to the mixture.

4.   Gradually add salt and flour in 3 batches.

5.   Once combined gradually add the yoghurt.
6. Fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula.

7.   Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups ⅔ full and sprinkle muffins with a touch of cinnamon and raw sugar.

8.   Bake at 180°C (fan forced) for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake with Coconut

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago. I turned the ripe old age of 26, obviously cake was going to be a big part of my birthday. I was starting to get excited because I could pick a recipe and it didn't really have to please anyone else, after all, it was my day! I was then told it would be "sad" if I made my own cake, so the condition was that I was not allowed to bake but I was allowed to decorate! I settled on the Donna Hay Melt and Mix Chocolate Coconut cake. Coconut is one taste I've acquired as an adult and I think it is perfect in cake. However when I thought back to the Donna Hay cake, there was nothing technically wrong with the recipe, in fact I love the flavour, but I really did want a super moist cake, and that one is just a tad dry for my liking. I'd long heard the urban cake myth about using mayonnaise in a cake to make it extra moist and when you think about the main ingredients (oil & eggs) , it really does make sense, so I thought if I could find a good choc-mayo recipe (thank you Serious Eats) and then add some coconut, I'd have my Donna Hay favourite with extra moisture... So here it is, it was perfectly moist, perfectly cocnutty and perfectly fun for a birthday. I was channeling my inner cake inspiration with the decoration on this one, Sweetapolita as I droooled every time I saw this post!

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake with Coconut

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, generous
• 1 1/3 cups hot water
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Chocolate "Galaxy" Frosting (enough to fill generously between layers and frost outside)

• 440 grams salted butter (room temperature)
• 380 grams (sifted) icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 250grams of your favourite plain chocolate ( I used Galaxy/Dove)
• 1 tablespoon of Nutella
• 1 tablespoon of milk

Cake Method

• 1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line two or more 9" cake tins (I used 3).
• 2. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until thick and very light in color; about 6 to 8 minutes. 
• 3. Add the mayonnaise and vanilla extract, and beat on medium speed until combined.
• 4. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt, and beat on low speed until combined. The mixture will look thick and fudgy. 
• 5. Add the water and mix on low speed until it's incorporated. The batter will be much thinner. 
• 6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake for about 30 minutes (check it at about 25 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.Allow the cakes to cool on a rack, in their pans, for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. Invert them onto the rack and allow to finish cooling to room temperature.

Frosting Method

• 1. Combine icing sugar and butter in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes or until combined.
• 2. Add vanilla, melted chocolate, Nutella, and milk and mix until combined (approx 3-5 mins)

Best Ever Scones

I love scones. I love the simplicity. I love a good Devonshire Tea and what I really LOVE is a good scone recipe. We all have our favourite scone recipes, maybe even ones that have been passed down from generation to generation, well not mine. Mine is actually from Super Food Ideas and ever since I found this gem, I've been making them ever since. The beauty of them is, that there are only four ingredients... just four. They are quick, easy and tasty and this recipe is a great classic to have in the recipe book.

Ingredients 

3 cups self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1 cup of double cream
1 cup of lemonade or sprite for you Americans

Method

Yield- 24 small or 12 large scones

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in cream and lemonade.

2. Mix with a knife or with an electric mixer with the dough hook until mixture has come together.

3. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and kneed until smooth, being careful not to over-kneed.

4. Cut with a scone cutter or even cut with a knife in squares, whatever takes your fancy. I normally keep my dough at about an inch thick, because I like big scones, but this is completely up to you. 

5. Bake for around 10-15 minutes or until golden, again this will vary on the size of your scones. Best served with jam and freshly whipped cream!

Happy Baking xxx