Choux Pastry Swans

ashley thomas


These Choux Pastry Swans look really spectacular when put together and I promise they are really easy to do. The hardest part is making the Choux pastry. It's all about being quick when adding the flour and sugar. Putting them together can be a bit fiddly but really has the wow factor for a dinner party. This recipes makes 6 beautiful swans.

You'll need...
For the Choux Pastry...
60g strong white flour
1tsp caster sugar
150ml water
50g butter
2 large eggs, beaten

For the Filling...
150ml double cream

For the Butterscotch sauce...
50g butter
50g Muscovado sugar
50g golden syrup
2tsp lemon juice
75ml double cream

To make...
Preheat the oven to 180oC.
Make the choux pastry first. Sift the flour and sugar together into a bowl.
Put the water and butter into a pan and simmer over a medium heat until the butter has melted, bring to the boil, when it's bubbling add the flour and sugar. Stir quickly and continuously until the mixture forms a dough.
Add the eggs a bit at a time mixing well each time. The mixture should be quite wet, smooth and glossy.
Make the swan bodies by piping the mixture into a cupcake tray, pipe in a circle into a round ball. Save some of the mixture for the swan necks.
Bake the swan bodies in the oven for 20 mins or until golden.
Allow to cool on a wire rack whilst you make you swan necks.
Pipe S-shapes onto a baking tray covered with baking paper.
Bake for 10 mins, or until they are golden. Allow to cool.

Whip the double cream in a bowl with an electric whisk until the consistency changes. It should be very thick and firm. Put in the fridge until you put the swans together.

Chop the top 1/3 off each body and cut the top in half to form the wings.
Spoon the cream into the bottom half of the swan and push the two wings into the cream to form a V-shape. Insert the S-shaped necks into one end of the cream and your swan is formed.

Serve on a saucer of butterscotch sauce.
Make the sauce by melting the butter, sugar and syrup together.
Take of the heat and add the lemon juice then the cream. Allow to cool then pour onto a little saucer and top with you spectacular swans.





Victorian Pound Cake

ashley thomas
This recipe is a Victorian fruit cake recipe from Mary Berry's Baking Bible.
Back in the olden days it was unbelievably made twice the size!
It's called pound cake as the ingredients to make it were measured in pound quantities, hence the name.
In Mary's version it's half pound measurements which makes for a smaller more manageable cake.



You'll need...
8oz light Muscovado sugar
8oz self-raising flour
8oz raisins
8oz sultanas
8oz butter, softened
4 large eggs, beaten
4oz glacé cherry halves
1 tsp mixed spice
1 or 2 tbsp brandy

To make...
Pre-heat the oven to 150oC
Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper
Sift the flour, sugar and spice into a large mixing bowl.
Add the dried fruit mixed well then add all the other ingredients.
Turn out into the cake tin and level the surface.
Bake for 2-2½ hours, cover with baking paper half way to stop the cake becoming too brown.
Test the middle with a skewer to see if it is cooked all the way through.
Leave to cool for 30 mins then turn out onto a wire rack.


Frangipane & Plum Tarts

ashley thomas

These tarts are really delicious. The recipe is from a really lovely cook book called The Vintage Tea Party Year. You could easily make these in advancec and put it all together when your ready to serve them.


You'll need...

For the Pastry...
200g plain flour
20g caster sugar
100g butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten

For the filling...
50g unsalted butter
50g muscovado sugar
50g ground almonds
½ egg, beaten
½ tsp almond extract
4 British plums

To Make...
Make the pastry first as it needs to chill in the fridge for 30 mins before you use it.
Sift the flour & sugar into a bowl. Add the butter and rub into the lour with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and 2 tbsp of cold water. Mix together into a dough. Cover with cling-film and chill.
Make the filling in the meantime, mix together the sugar and butter.
Add the almonds, egg and almond extract.

Preheat the oven to 180oC
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface.
Line six 8/9cm tart tins with the cut, cutting off the excess.
Bake for 15mins. Then allow to cool.
Spoon in the Frangipane filling into the cooked pastry, filling about half way.
Smooth into the corners.
Slice the plums and add to the top of the tarts.
Bake for 15 mins.
Really yummy hot or cold.



Sugar Free Blueberry Muffins

ashley thomas
This week on The Great British Bake Off is alternative ingredients week, I've made sugar free blueberry muffins. They taste no-way near as good as real muffins so an epic fail really. Oh dear first disaster of the series!


You'll need...
Muffin cases
250g Self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
50g butter
5 tbps Splenda
175g blueberries
1 lemon, grated rind
2 large eggs
250ml milk

To make...
Pre-heat the oven to 200oC
Place the cases in two 6 hole muffin molds.
Put the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in the splenda, lemon rind and blueberries.
Mix together seperately the milk & eggs, then add it to mixture quickly, don't over mix it should be lumpy.
Spoon in the mixture into the paper cases filing nearly to the top.
Bake for 25 mins, until they have risen and are golden.




Baked Blueberry Cheesecake

ashley thomas
This week on The Great British Bake Off is Dessert week. We've made a Baked Blueberry Cheesecake here at AT HQ. This dessert is quick to make but takes a while in the oven. It can be made in advance as it tastes better chilled we think. The topping can get a little messy at the end so it's best to use a glass worktop saver for easier cleaning up.

 

You'll Need...
125g digestive biscuits
125g gingernuts
90g butter
550g cream cheese
125g caster sugar
2 tsp lemons juice
seeds from 1 vanilla pod
200g crème fraiche
100g Natural yogurt
3 eggs

For the topping...
2 punnets of blueberries
2 tsp cornflour
3 tbsp water
50g caster sugar

To Make...
Crush the biscuits.
Melt the butter and stir into the biscuits crumbs.
Press the mixture into a 20cm loose bottomed cake in.
Beat the cheese, sugar, lemon and seeds together.
Mix in crème fraiche, yogurt and eggs until smooth.
Pour filling over the base, smooth the top.
Bake at 160oC for 50mins or until it is set
Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile mix the topping ingredients together in a saucepan and Heat gently until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens.
Leave to cool, then spoon over the cheesecake. (Can get very messy!)
Put in the fridge to set overnight.


Miniature Bagels

Bagels
Week three of The Great British Bake Off is Bread Week.
There is nothing better than the taste of homemade bread. I've never made bagels before so I thought I'd try them myself and do a miniature version. This would be great for little get togethers if you're doing a homemade spread. Honestly they were really easy to make, just a lot of waiting around for the dough to rise. So I recommend to do them over an evening when you're free to tend to them.
They turned out really well and look very sweet once filled with lots of yummy toppings.
I've put together a Roast Beef, Stilton & Grape.
A cream cheese, Smoked salmon, Fresh Dill.
And a Ham, Brie & Apple.


You'll need...

For the dough...
1 Cup water, tepid
4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups strong white flour
1 ½ tsp yeast

You'll also need...
25g caster sugar
yolk of one egg
1 tsbp water

For the fillings...
Roast Beef slices, Stilton & Grape
Cream cheese, Smoked salmon, Fresh Dill
Ham, Brie & Apple slice

To Make...
Make your dough by mixing the above ingredients for the dough.
Knead together for 5-10 minutes
Place the dough in a bowl and cover with cling film, leave to rise in a warm place for about 30-40mins or until it has doubled in size. The dough should spring back when you poke it.

Divide into 16 pieces. Shape into sausage shapes.
Join each piece together at the ends and pinch together them gently.
Place the circles on a oiled baking tray and cover.
Leave to prove for 20 mins

Preheat the oven to 200oC
Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and the sugar and stir.
Place 2/3 bagels into the water for 45 seconds, turning half way.
Lift each bagel out of the water and drain.
Return to the baking tray and repeat with all the bagels.
Beat the egg and water together and brush onto each bagel before baking fir 20mins or until golden brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Cut the bagels in half and top with your chosen fillings.


Orange & Walnut Florentines

Bake along
Week two of The Great British Bake Off is Biscuit Week.
I love biscuits! I thought I'd attempt a Florentine as they are more of a special occassion biscuit and worth the extra effort of making yourself.
They were really easy to bake, the chocolate coating at the end can get a little messy though!

You'll need...
45g butter
125ml single cream
125g caster sugar
100g walnut pieces
Zest of 1 Orange
50g plain flour

To make...
Preheat the oven to 160oC
Put the butter, sugar & cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Remove immediately and stir in the nuts, zest & flour
Leave to cool

Scoop a headed teaspoon of the mixture onto lining baking trays, leave about 3cm between each one.
Bake for 20mins, until golden at the edges.
Using a bain-marie melt the chocolate and spread on to the back of each biscuit.

Banana & Walnut Cake

Bake along
Bake off is back on our tellies this week! I'll be baking along every week in my kitchen with a humble recipe which everyone can easily try at home. This week is "Cake" week so we've made a lovely Banana & Walnut Cake Loaf at Ashley Thomas HQ. This cake is perfect to watch the first episode with, teamed with a cup of tea of course. It's not too sweet, lovely and sticky in the middle, oh and it's super easy to make!


You'll need...

For the cake...
50g Unsalted butter
250g self-raising flour
225g caster sugar
50g desiccated coconut
65g walnuts, finely chopped
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
435g can crushed pineapple, drained
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
150ml vegetable oil

For the icing... 
50g softened butter
200g mascarpone cheese
400g icing sugar
1tsp lemon zest
dried banana chips


To make...
Preheat the oven to 180oC
Grease a loaf tin and line with baking paper
Mix together the flour, caster sugar, coconut, walnuts and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl.
Then mix the pineapple, egg and banana and oil
Add to the flour and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for about 1 hour.
Leave to cool for 5 mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
In the meantime make your icing. beat together the cheese and butter.
Add the icing sugar a bit at a time until the consistency is smooth and not too runny.
Then add the lemon zest.
Top the cake with the icing and decorate with banana chips.



Macaroons

Bake along

For the shells...
100g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
2 medium egg whites
Food colouring gel, any colour

For the filling...
150g unsalted butter, softened
75g icing sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
To make...
Sieve the sugar and almonds into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites and salt until they form soft peaks.
If you are making coloured macaroons, add your food colouring gel until you are happy with the colour. Whisk until the egg whites are very thick.
You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the mixture falling out.
Gently stir in the sugar and almond mix. The mixture will lose some air and become quite loose again.

On some baking paper draw 10 circles as a guide for shape.
Then spoon on the macaron mixture into the middle of the circles. 
The mixture will spread so bare this in mind.
Preheat the oven to 140°C
Gently tap the baking tray to help the macaron mixture settle.
Bake the macarons in the preheated for 15 minutes.
The macarons are cooked when they feel firm and haven risen slightly.
Leave to cool on a wire rack whilst you make the filling.
Beat the butter until it is fluffy, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla extract.
Sandwich the macaroons together with the filling.

Baklava

Bake along

You'll need...
125g butter, melted
200g walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 packet filo pastry
100g caster sugar
100ml water
6 tablespoons Greek honey
1 piece of lemon peel

To make...
Turn the oven to 180oC. Grease a small baking dish.
Chop the nuts and mix with cinnamon. Put to one side.
Unroll filo pastry. Cut the pastry to fit the baking dish.
Take two sheets of filo and put into the dish, butter the top. Add another two sheets, repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top of the pastry.
Then start layering, layer two sheets of filo, butter, nuts until you reach the top of your dish.
The top layer should be thicker (8 sheets)
Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond shapes all the way to the bottom of the dish.
Bake for about 40 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Boil sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Add honey and lemon peel. Simmer for 15 minutes then remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove lemon peel.

Remove the baklava from oven and spoon over the sauce.






Tunisian Briks

Bake along


These little savoury pasties are quite tricky to fold but once you get the hang of it they are great fun to make. Nice for lunch or picnics. Fantastic served with minty yoghurt and tomato salsa.

You'll need...

For the filling...
A tin of tuna in spring water, drained
(Or for a veggie alternative use 100g crumbed feta cheese)
100g frozen chopped spinach, thawed
5 spring onions, sliced
3tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 carrots, grated
115g cooked rice,
1 egg, beaten
lemon zest

12 sheets of filo pastry
3tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 190oC
Mix together all the ingredients for the filling and season to taste
Take one sheet of filo pastry flat brush with oil and then lay another ontop.
Cut lengthways to make to strips
Spoon the filing on the end of one strip
Fold a bottom corner of pastry over the filing to the other side, then turn over the opposite way, continue to fold over down the length of the strip to make a triangular pasty.
Seal the end with a little oil, repeat with the second strip
Repeat this process (this recipe makes 12)
Place or a baking tray, brush with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds
Bake for 15-20 mins

Swiss Wild Strawberry & Walnut Cake

Bake along
This week on The British Bake Off the contestants are making European cakes. I've made a classic Swiss Wild Strawberry & Walnut Cake. This super light sponge is a little tricky to make, the mixture needs lots of air and best made with an electric whisk. My first attempt ended up more like a pancake as I didn't whisk it enough! Traditionally made with wild strawberries, but of course they are out of season now so I've just used shop brought ones and some wild strawberry leaves and flowers from my garden.


You'll need...
3 large eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
75g self-raising flour
50g chopped walnuts

For the filling...
300ml whipping cream
300g strawberries

To make...
Pre-heat the oven to 180oC
Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper
Put the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until stiff and forms peaks when you remove the whisk. Slowly add the sugar whisking as you go.
Then add each egg yolk one by one, again whisking as you go.
Whisk well for a few minutes and then slowly sift in the flour, stirring with a knife as you sift each section. Stir in the walnuts and turn into the cake tin.

Bake for 40mins until well risen and golden brown. 
Leave to cool for 5 mins and turn out onto a wire rack.

Once completely cool, cut into two sections horizontally. Whip up your cream until it is stiff. Add dollop to top of the first section and spread out until covered, then add some sliced strawberries. Add the top section, spoon on your left over whipped cream into the centre and decorate with strawberries, dust with icing sugar before serving.



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