For a woman who is constantly making pancakes of sorts – thin, Scotch, puffy, buttermilk, Dutch – it would seem surprising that I have never made a Crepe Cake.
Until now.
Bake. Share. Enjoy
For a woman who is constantly making pancakes of sorts – thin, Scotch, puffy, buttermilk, Dutch – it would seem surprising that I have never made a Crepe Cake.
Until now.
These easy tea cakes are a great way to use up any remaining Bramley apples you may have from this summer’s harvest. Throw in some blackberries, fresh or frozen, to enhance this seasonal, fruity, light cake. [Read more…]
If you follow this blog regularly you will know that I have a real soft spot for sweet dough – mixing, proving, baking and of course, consuming. In my mind, there is nothing better than a freshly baked pastry and your favourite hot drink. [Read more…]
It may come as a surprise, but I have never really been a huge fan of ice cream.
As a child I used to enjoy the occasional treat from the local ice cream van – my favourite being an ‘oyster’ – two shell shaped wafers joined together with a coconut coated marshmallow, filled with soft, whipped vanilla ice cream. As an adult I could really take-or-leave ice cream, apart from two very notable occasions. [Read more…]
Nothing says late summer to me more than blackberries and apples. Foraging for blackberries is a summer past time for us and the abundance of glorious apples cannot be ignored. Nature intended for these fabulous seasonal fruits to be served together! [Read more…]
The Contented Baker turns ‘1’ today and to celebrate I thought cupcakes might be in order.
So what have I made of my first year of blogging? Well, it has been an incredible learning journey. To put it in perspective probably until 18 months ago I had no knowledge of blogs, had minimal contact with social media and my IT skills were stuck in the early ‘noughties’. Then, through my passion for home baking I stumbled across beautiful food and baking blogs. What better way to document your bakes, learn from others and share inspiration with like-minded folk? I wanted to try it! The Contented Baker came into being. [Read more…]
I think you will like these Marbled Brownies.
They are intense dark chocolate brownies swirled with crème de cassis, soaked berries and a creamy soft cheese topping. I baked them a couple of weeks back when I hosted a charity coffee morning, a ‘Great Pink Bake Off’ for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. It was a very popular bake and many of my friends requested the recipe, so here it is.
I have adapted it from an excellent article in The Guardian, ’10 Best Chocolate Recipes’. I have adapted mine by increasing the chocolate intensity, reducing the sugar slightly, substituting the raspberries for various dark berries and currants that I have in my freezer. Those of you who have followed the blog know I have a freezer full of gorgeous summer berries, the fruits of our numerous pick your own labours this summer. I have soaked these blackberries, blackcurrants and blueberries in crème de cassis but this is purely optional. I have used salted butter as I love the ‘salty/sweet’ taste with the dark chocolate. I have also changed the quantities of goat’s and cream cheese. I find there is nothing more irritating than buying an ‘out of the ordinary’ ingredient – for example, the goat’s cheese here and having to buy two packs, knowing you will only use one and a half of the quantity. I have played around with these quantities to make this bake more practical and economic, at the same time as making it still taste delicious.
These brownies are very easy to make and there is little room for error. They are deliciously ‘fudgy’, which goes wonderfully with the tartness of the berries and the creaminess of the soft cheese topping.
These Brownies go a long way too – you will get 24, good portions from this bake. Perfect with morning coffee, afternoon tea, or served with a spoonful of cream for a lovely dessert. Just as well really…
Approximately 24 portions
Ingredients
Instructions
Source: Adapted from Faith Durand’s recipe as seen in The Guardian’s ’10 Best Chocolate Recipes’
These fruity flapjacks are homework ‘fuel’ for the whole family.
We are now in our second full week back at school and the carefree summer holidays are a bit of a distant memory. After school, homework is order of the day – spellings, maths, reading, times tables with two weary children, plus a keen two year old eager to join the fray. It is not just the children that need a pick-me-up snack…I need it!
These chewy, fruit flapjacks hit the spot. (Indeed, even my husband has commented that I need to stop making these – I have made three batches – as they taste too good).
To be honest, I have never been a huge flapjack fan. They can so easily be dry, too hard, too greasy or just too sickly sweet. I think these have the potential to convert any flapjack cynic.
Yes, slightly more labour intensive as the fresh fruit is layered between two layers of flapjack, they are still quick and easy to make. So what makes these special? They are light, chewy, a little moist as a result of the fresh fruit content yet have a ‘crunch’ thanks to the addition of rice and buckwheat porridge flakes, in addition to the regular oats. I have used unrefined brown sugar and either, agave or golden syrup. Use whichever you have in the cupboard. I have also added a little salt to give that lovely salty/sweet aftertaste.
Not only do these taste good, but I think they look pretty. A great way to use the end of season blackberries and of course, all those apples that are abundant at the moment.
Enjoy!
Approximately 16 slices
Ingredients
Instructions
Source: The Contented Baker
These fruit ‘roll ups’ are a fun, homemade confection I wanted try for the children as they go back to school tomorrow.
I thought they would be great as a quick, after school pick-me-up snack but having made them, they would also be a hit at children’s parties. ( I am now thinking alternative flavour combinations for Halloween…)
As fresh berries are still so abundant for us right now, these ‘roll ups’ are a great use of them, and a completely different way of enjoying fresh fruit.
I have used a combination of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries along with Bramley apples which form the basis of this homemade confection.
The taste of these beauties is amazing! They give a sweet, fresh, blast of rich berries so intense that you instantly want to try another. Although I intended the ‘Roll Ups’ for the children, grown ups love these as well.
The method for making these is relatively easy – basically heat the fruit, puree in a blender, sieve and spread on a baking tray. The only drawback being the drying out time. They are not ready in an instant. If you want to give these a go, I would suggest starting them late afternoon/early evening, dry them on a low oven for 4-5 hours, transfer the papered rolls to a cooling rack and return to the oven (now switched off but still warm) and leave there overnight to dry out thoroughly.
This gorgeous snack, which I can’t rate highly enough, is also freezeable. The fact of the matter is though, that these will never make it to the freezer.
They taste so good they will be gone before school even starts.
Makes approximately 25-30 Roll Ups
Ingredients
Instructions
Source: Adapted from ‘Waitrose Food Illustrated’
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