Tag: sweet

Very berry cookies

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

Sweet and fruity, crunchy on the outside and beautifully soft on the inside.

  • 150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 120g soft light brown sugar
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, cold from the fridge
  • 300g plain flour
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 24-30g freeze-dried berries, roughly scrunched into pieces. I LOVE these brilliant mixed berries from The Rotten Fruit Box but you could choose any other freeze-dried fruit. It’s all great! (Although I’m not 100% sold on the olives)
  1. Pre-heat oven to 150C fan (170C)
  2. Tip melted butter and both sugars into a bowl. Whisk vigorously until creamy
  3. Beat in the vanilla extract and then the eggs, one at a time
  4. The whole mixture should be light and voluminous
  5. Tip in the flour, bicarb, salt and mixed berries. Stir in gently (but don’t over-mix) until combined into a soft dough
  6. Pick up large pinches of dough and roll between your fingers until they are walnut-sized balls, again being careful not to overwork it
  7. Pop them onto a lined baking tray a couple of inches apart to allow for spreading
  8. Bake for 16 mins or so until golden round the edges. Leave to cool on the tray for a minute before lifting onto a wire rack to cool fully (or just enough to pop one straight in your mouth and another for each hand)

Dan Lepard’s chocolate muffins

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Achieves the wondrous magic of being fluffy and cloud-like whilst also being deeply, intensely chocolatey. All thanks to total flipping baking genius Dan Lepard. What can I say, any recipe that starts with making chocolate custard is well on its way to being pretty special. Makes 20 full size muffins.

  • 50g cornflour
  • 3 level tbsp cocoa powder
  • 100g dark soft brown sugar
  • 225ml cold water
  • 75g unsalted butter, cubed
  • 125g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 75ml sunflower oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 125g plain flour
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • Pre-heat oven to 165C fan (185C)
  • First make the custard (ikr!!!) Put the cornflour, cocoa, brown sugar and water into a saucepan and whisk well over a medium heat until boiling, very thick and smooth
  • Remove from the heat, beat in the butter and chocolate until melted and well combined
  • Then add the oil, vanilla and one of the eggs, and beat again until combined.
  • Add the remaining egg and the caster sugar, and beat again until smooth and thick
  • Measure the flour and baking powder, stir together, then tip directly into the custard
  • Beat through until combined
  • Spoon into paper muffin cases sitting pretty in a muffin tin
  • Bake for 13 mins for mini muffins, 25 mins for big ones.
  • Cool on a rack before serving to a rapturous audience

Cherry chocolate brownies

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

Inspired by the amazing Felicity Cloake who was in turn inspired by the marvellous Nigel Slater, these brownies are nothing short of miraculous. Soft, rich, moist and deeply chocolatey with hints of texture, bitterness and tartness from.the walnuts and cherries. And light enough so you can eat 2 without feeling sick. It’s just everything you could ever want a brownie to be.

  • 200g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)
  • 250g unsalted butter, softened
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 60g plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 60g cocoa powder
  • 100g walnuts
  • 90g dried cherries
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170C fan (190C) and line a 23x23cm baking tin with baking parchment.
  2. Break the chocolate into pieces and put into a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate using the microwave in 30.second bursts until it’s just melted
  3. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy
  4. Add one egg at a time, beating between each one until thoroughly mixed
  5. Then, the secret of making these brownies beautifully light and fluffy inside with a fine, crisp top is to continue beating the mixture for 3-5 mins, which will leave it glossy, thick and voluminous
  6. Fold in the melted chocolate and then sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder. I don’t usually bother sifting things but in this recipe, I recommend it
  7. Add the walnuts and cherries and gently fold together until completely mixed
  8. Spoon the mixture gently into the lined tin and then fight your child for the chance to lick the spoon
  9. Bake for 30-40 mins and, while it’s cooking get a larger roasting tin half full of water and ice cubes
  10. When the brownies are ready, remove the tin from the oven and place directly into the cold water bath to stop it cooking (being extra careful not to let the water over the edge of the tin)
  11. Leave in the water for 15 mins then put the brownie tin onto the counter and leave for another 30 mins to cool completely before cutting into squares
  12. Store in an airtight container

Make these beauties gluten free by using GF plain flour or ground almonds instead of the flour.

And adapt endlessly to what you want most in your brownie. Salted pretzel pieces? Chocolate chips? Mini peanut butter cups? Honeycomb? Even a swirl of tahini. The world is your oyster (although metaphorical oyster only, I can’t imagine oysters working here. Or anywhere, to be honest). Maybe I should have said, the world is your brownie

Tarte au Pommes

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Elegant and lovely in shades of palest fawn, buff and cream. A graceful combination of nutty, sweet almond frangipane and fine slices of tart apple. Its full name is the regal-sounding Tarte au Pommes de la Normande. It is Worth. The. Effort.

2 tart apples
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp apricot jam

Pastry (pate brisee):
200g flour
100g unsalted butter, fridge cold
1 egg yolk
½ tsp salt
2-3 tbsp cold water

Frangipane:
100g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 egg yolk
2 tsp calvados or kirsch
100g ground almonds
2 tbsp flour

  1. For the pastry, mix flour and salt
  2. Grate in the cold butter and rub with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs
  3. Whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tbsp water
  4. Make a well in the centre of the flour and butter crumbs and tip in the egg mixture
  5. Work together with your fingertips until partly mixed, then tip out onto the work surface and gradually work the ingredients into a dough. If it’s too dry, sprinkle over a little more cold water
  6. Press the dough firmly together (it should be soft but not sticky) and knead until it is smooth and pliable
  7. Press it into a ball and roll lightly in flour. Wrap in a plastic bag or clingfilm
  8. Chill for at least 30 mins or until firm
  9. Once firm, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a couple of mm thick
  10. Transfer gently to a 10″ tart tin and press gently into the corners without breaking it. Prick the base lightly with a fork and flute the edges
  11. Chill in the fridge until ready to use

Then, when you’re ready to go…

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C)
  2. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat
  3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  4. Gradually add the whole egg, the yolk and the calvados, beating well between additions
  5. Fold in the ground almonds and flour
  6. Scrape the frangipane into the chilled pastry case and spreading it evenly
  7. Core the apples, peel and quarter
  8. Cut each quarter crosswise into 1-2mm slices
  9. Arrange the slices on the frangipane like the spokes of a wheel, keeping the slices of each quarter apple together but sliding them apart like fanning out like a deck of cards
  10. Press them down gently into the frangipane
  11. Then place the tart onto the hot baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins, until the pastry is beginning to brown
  12. Turn down the heat to 160C fan (180C) and cook for a further 10 mins
  13. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and continue baking for around 10 mins more until the sugar melts and caramelises slightly
  14. Transfer to a rack to cool
  15. Just before serving, melt the jam and use a pastry brush to brush the top of the tart librrally with the glossy sweetness

Serve at room temperature, with a sprinkle of toasted flakes almonds and a spoonful of softly whipped cream (whip it with a touch of sugar and calvados for something extra special)

Gingerbread cookies

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The beautiful lovechild of a soft, chewy cookie and a spiced gingerbread biscuit. For ultimate sweet-spicy dessert, use 2 cookies to sandwich a scoop of salted caramel ice cream.

120g unsalted butter, softened
1½ tbsp black treacle
150g soft light brown sugar
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 egg
250g plain flour
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g golden granulated sugar

  1. Beat together the butter, treacle, brown sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl
  2. Add the egg, then mix in all of the remaining ingredients apart from the granulated sugar, forming a soft dough
  3. Put the ball of dough into a bowl, or wrap in clingfilm, and chill in the fridge 20-30 mins
  4. Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan (200C)
  5. Line two baking trays with baking parchment
  6. Roll the mixture in your hands into around 20 walnut-sized balls
  7. Tip the granulated sugar onto a small plate, then firmly dab one side of each ball into the sugar. Place the balls, sugar-side up, spaced out on the baking tray
  8. Bake for 13-15 mins until golden brown
  9. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack

Tahini and lemon cookies

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This is a slightly tweaked recipe from my date-night favourite restaurant Honey & Co. Seriously, the chefs are complete magicians, the food is always mind-blowingly delicous and their cheesecake is EXTRAORDINARY.

These cookies are fragrantly lemony, delectably chewy and the warm, slightly bitter sesame comes in at the end.

  • 200g sugar
  • 140g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 110g tahini (I love this one)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp bicarb
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 250g flour
  • 2 tbsp marmalade
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Skin of 4 preserved lemons, chopped
  • Sesame seeds
  1. Cream the butter with the sugar and the egg
  2. Then beat in the tahini, followed by all the rest of the ingredients
  3. Mix well to form a smooth dough. Pop it in the fridge for 20 mins to set
  4. Heat the oven to 180C fan (200C)
  5. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into walnut-sized balls gently between the palms of your hands
  6. Tip about 3 tbsp sesame seeds onto a plate and dap each cookie blob into the sesame before placing on a lined baking tray, sesame-side up
  7. Space the cookies out so they have room to spread, maybe use 2 baking trays or do 2 batches
  8. Bake for 8 mins, rotate the tray and bake for a further 5 mins until the cookies are golden
  9. Remove from the oven and cool on the tray before eating.

Flourless chocolate mousse cake

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The most beautiful celebratory chocolate cake/dessert, managing the extraordinary magic of being both lightly cloud-like and deeply rich. The addition of frangelico makes it ever so slightly nutella-adjacent (although there are many other alcohol choices which work). AND it’s gluten free, just in case that’s important too. Based on Nigella’s amazing chocolate cloud cake recipe.

  • 6 eggs, 4 separated and 2 whole
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 250g dark chocolate
  • 125g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp frangelico (or dark rum, brandy, amaretto, cointreau)
  1. Pre-heat oven to 170C fan (190C)
  2. Line a springform tin with baking parchment
  3. Snap the chocolate up and cut the butter into pieces, putting both into a heatproof bowl
  4. Heat the chocolate and butter together until only just melted – I use the microwave on 30 second bursts for this. Be careful not to overdo it. Once melted set on one side
  5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy and starting to hold the bubbles
  6. Tip in half of the sugar a tbsp at a time and whisk into glossy ripples. Set on one side
  7. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole eggs, remaining sugar and frangelico
  8. Tip in the slightly cooled chocolate/butter mixture and whisk thoroughly until creamy and thick
  9. Gently fold in the egg white mixture until well combined
  10. Pour the batter into the prepped tin and place in the oven
  11. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is risen and cracked with the tiniest wobble in the middle
  12. Cool on a rack in the tin. It will sink in the middle and that’s totally fine!
  13. Only remove from the tin when you’re ready to serve

Serve at room temp with a tumble of ruby raspberries and a dollop of softly whipped cream (150ml double cream, whipped with 1 tbsp sifted icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the same alcohol)

Tiny jam tarts

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Mini jewelled bites of jammy love. The Queen of Hearts would be proud.

Simplest of simple to make. You’ll need a mini muffin tin, rolling pin and just 2 ingredients.

  • 100g shortcrust pastry, or whatever you’ve got left – this is the perfect way to use up leftover scraps of shortcrust pastry (perhaps from making quiche…)
  • Jam, whatever variety you like. Ideally a fancy one. I favour apricot
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan (200C)
  2. Roll the pastry out to 1.5 to 2mm thick
  3. Cut circles with a cutter about 1cm wider than the holes in the tin
  4. Press each circle gently into a hole
  5. Squeeze up the scraps of leftover pastry in your hands and re-roll to make more circles
  6. Put half a teaspoon of jam into each little cup
  7. Pop into the oven and bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is golden and the jam is bubbling
  8. Flip them out with a teaspoon and cool on a wire rack

Munch.

Raspberry cheesecake

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Tart, sweet, tangy and creamy, this delectable cheesecake is a study in yummy contrasts.

  • 150g ginger nut biscuits (or digestives if you prefer)
  • 60g butter, melted
  • 600g cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 175g golden caster sugar
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 2 eggs
  • 150g sour cream
  • 350g raspberries
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar
  1. Heat the oven to 160C fan (180C)
  2. Crush the biscuits and mix well with the melted butter
  3. Press the buttery crumbs into a 20cm spring-form tin and bake for 5 mins, then put on one side to cool
  4. Beat the cream cheese with the flour, sugar, lemon zest, eggs and sour cream until light and fluffy.
  5. Stir in half the raspberries and pour the mixture into the tin
  6. Bake for 40 mins and then check – it should be set but slightly wobbly in the centre. Leave in the tin to cool
  7. Put the rest of the raspberries in a pan with the icing sugar
  8. Heat until they start to break apart and then press through a sieve
  9. Once the cheesecake is cool, de-tin it and drizzle with the raspberry sauce before serving

Marzipan baked apples

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Apple and almond is such a delicious combination, a definite favourite of mine. This recipe combines them in a brilliantly quick and easy pudding for a chilly day. Serve with custard for maximum comfort.

  • 4 large eating apples, braeburn or similar – anything crisp and tart
  • 200g golden marzipan
  • 2 tsp unsalted butter
  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C fan (200C)
  2. Use an apple corer to remove the core from each apple. If you can be bothered, you can carefully scoop the core out bit by bit with a sharp knife to leave a cm of apple in the bottom. I am not that patient so my holes go all the way through
  3. Run a sharp knife around the circumference of each apple, just going through the skin to leave it space to expand a bit without exploding
  4. Divide the marzipan into 4 pieces and roll each one between your fingers into a roughly cylindrical shape about the size of the removed cores
  5. Stuff the apples with the marzipan, pressing in with your fingertips until they’re as full as they can get
  6. Place them right side up into a snug-fitting foil-lined oven dish
  7. Pop a little blob of butter on the top of each one and a splash of water in the bottom of the dish
  8. Bake for around 30 mins until the apples are cooked all the way through
  9. Serve hot (but not so hot you burn your mouth on the marzipan!)