Gingerbread Marshmallows

   There's not much that can beat homemade marshmallows in a hot chocolate. I'm sure someone else could give it a much more technical reasoning...but, they just seem to melt loads more. These plump pillows of gingerbread goodness have a strong warming spice on their own that can completely transform any hot chocolate.

   After spending many an hour on Pinterest the other evening, I found my self suffering with a bad case of American marshmallow envy. They always seem to have much more choice of supermarket kinds. Even very cute gingerbread men shaped ones! I gathered it would be a little unreasonable to jet off to The States just to purchase some, so I hunted for some recipes to try my very own!

Spiced gingerbread marshmallows
(Recipe from Annie Rigg's 'Sweet Things')

Ensure that you fully prepare and measure all ingredients before starting. It's also helpful to have all pans, bowls and tools out ready. Marshmallows aren't too technical to make but do involve some good timing and a pan of molten hot syrup. For this molten hot syrup, use a sugar thermometer. So easy to use, and very essential for sweet treats such as these.

     1tbsp icing sugar
     1tbsp cornflour
     6 leaves gelatine
     2 large egg whites
     185g golden caster sugar
     pinch of salt
     2tsp ground ginger
     1/2tsp ground cinnamon
     pinch of allspice
     pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
     100g soft light brown muscavado sugar
     2tbsp treacle
     2tbsp golden syrup

• Lightly grease a 20cm square baking tray. Line with baking paper and lightly grease again.
• In a small bowl, sift together the icing sugar and cornflour.
• Use a few teaspoons of the mix to dust the inside of the greased tray.
• Place the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and set aside.
• Place the egg whites in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add 1tbsp of the caster sugar and the salt, but don't whisk.
• In a separate small bowl, mix together the spices.
• Heat the remaining caster sugar, light brown sugar, treacle and golden syrup in a medium saucepan with 150ml of water.
• Bring to the boil then leave to simmer until the syrup reaches 115 degrees on the sugar thermometer.
• Remove the pan from the heat and quickly turn the stand mixer on to whisk the egg whites to a stiff peak.
• Drain the softened gelatine leaves and stir until melted in the syrup mixture.
• Pour into the whipped egg whites, continuing to whisk on a low speed.
• Increase to a medium speed, add the spices and continue to whisk for a further 3-4 minutes.
• Pour into the prepared tin. Shake and give it a little wiggle to smooth out the top.
• Leave to cool before covering with cling film and leave for a further 4 hours, or overnight, to set.
• Once the marshmallows have set, turn out onto a work surface dusted with the remaining icing sugar and cornflour mix.
• Using a sharp, lightly oiled knife, cut into squares. 
• Toss all squares in the icing sugar to ensure all sides are coated.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

You can find my coconut marshmallow recipe here. 

And if you fancy following my boards on Pinterest, you may find them here.

As part of a blogger's Secret Santa, I sent some to the lovely Leona from Oh! Leona. Check out her blog to see her cute dog, Rex, who is fond of chocolate!

Sunshine Bars

   In attempt to have healthier snacks this week, I thought I'd give one of Gwyneth Paltrow's recipes a go, these sunshine bars. I'm not sure exactly what the difference between a flapjack, granola bar or sunshine bar are. But I like the sound of some sunshine.

   Of course, in true Sophie style, there are sure to be some unhealthy snacks this week as I'm on annual leave for 10 days. Well, I did finish half a packet of chocolate chip cookies whilst making these bars. I also have a special bake planned for some festivities this weekend...so keep your eyes peeled.

   My take on Gwynnie's sunshine bars are probably not as 'clean' seeing as I'm reluctant to fork out on ingredients like a jar of coconut oil that will most likely be finished in one use. But, am willing to give it a go if anyone can persuade me otherwise?

   I'm always on the look out for new recipe books, but have made a pact to myself to try out a few recipes before I buy. There seems to be more and more books out with not much substance and a whole load of bumf. For this reason, Dan Lepard's 'Short & Sweet: The Best of Home Baking' is on my Christmas list. From reviews, and flicking through it every time I walk into Waterstone's, it seems to be one of those books with just about everything you could want to ever bake.

   I found this recipe online and with a few of my own tweaks am impressed. So if anyone else has some links for other recipes of hers then I'd love to give them a go.

Sunshine Bars
(Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's 'It's All Good', makes 8 generous bars)
     145g rolled oats
     75g margarine, melted
     25g oatbran
     small pinch of salt
     70ml maple syrup
     40g flaked almonds
     50g sultanas
     handful of chopped hazelnuts
     handful of cacao drops (raw chocolate buttons)
     2tbsp ginger preserve (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, ensuring that all oats, nuts and fruit are coated evenly.
• Pour into the prepared tin and pack down the mixture.
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
• Cut into bars whilst still warm and allow to cool fully before serving.

These bars are no where near as sweet as shop bought granola/flapjacks but I don't mind that.

Use any dried fruit or nuts depending on your preferences or on what you have lying about in the cupboard. I added in the ginger preserve, as since receiving a few jars from Mackays I've been putting it on practically everything for a little warmth and spice! 

Whiskey Marmalade & Pecan Brownies

   Here's my recipe for Mackays #christmaswithmackays challenge. Super fudgey brownies with a whiskey marmalade kick and topped with pecans to give a little crunch.

   I used Smitten Kitchen's cocoa brownie recipe for two reasons; it's cold outside and I wasn't feeling brave enough to walk in the rain to the shops to get lots of chocolate bars and because Huffington Post deems it as 'the only brownie recipe you'll ever need'. With my addition of marmalade and some stray chocolate chunks I found in the cupboard, I can confirm that this is the ONLY brownie recipe you'll ever need.

Whiskey marmalade & pecan brownies
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, Makes 16)
     140g unsalted butter
     250g caster sugar
     65g unsweetened cocoa powder
     1/4 tsp salt
     1/2 tsp vanilla extract
     2 large eggs
     65g plain flour
     4tbsp Mackays Orange Marmalade with Whiskey
     100g milk chocolate chunks
     75g walnut pieces, lightly chopped

• Heat the oven to 160 degrees and line an 8x8 inch square baking tin with baking paper.
• Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Melt either in the microwave or over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot. Set the bowl aside to cool.
• Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter is thick, shiny and well blended, add the flour and mix well. Smitten Kitchen then advises to beat vigorously again for 40 strokes.
• Stir in the marmalade and chocolate chunks before filling the prepared tray with the batter. Smooth out the top with a knife and scatter over the chopped pecan pieces.
• Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the top is shiny. Leave to cool completely in the tin before removing and cutting into 16 squares.

Pumpkin & Pecan Praline Cake

I made this cake quickly after work for a family birthday, on Bonfire Night!

I decided to go for full on autumn flavours with a pumpkin sponge and pecan praline topping. All helped with a good smothering of dark chocolate ganache.

For this I used a combination of Marta Stewart recipes, including the pumpkin sponge I made into mini cakes here, and the pecan praline. The ganache was my first attempt and a bit of guestimating!

Pumpkin cake, with dark chocolate ganache & pecan praline
(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)
     2 cups plain flour
     1tsp bicarbonate of soda
     1tsp baking powder
     1tsp salt
     1tsp ground cinnamon
     1tsp ground ginger
     1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
     1/4 tsp ground allspice
     1 cup packed light brown sugar
     1 cup granulated sugar
     1 cup butter, melted and cooled
     4 eggs, lightly beaten
     1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (I used Libby's)

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease 3 regular sandwich tins.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin puree,
• Divide the batter evenly between the tins. Bake until golden and the tops spring back when touched, roughly 25-30 minutes. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate ganache

     200g dark chocolate

     300ml double cream

     2tbsp golden caster sugar

• Chop the chocolate into small chunks and tip into a heatproof bowl.
• Heat the double cream in a pan, add the sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour over the chocolate chunks.
• Continue to stir until all chunks have melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pecan praline

(Recipe from Martha Stewart)

     vegetable oil, for baking tray

     1 cup golden caster sugar

     1 cup whole pecans, lightly toasted

• Lightly coat a baking tray with vegetable oil and set aside.
• Mix together the sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Cover and cook, without stirring, until an amber coloured syrup has formed, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pecans. Pour mixture onto prepared baking tray and leave to cool completely.
• When the praline has cooled, coarsely chop. 

To finish, I sandwiched the three layers of pumpkin cake with lashings of chocolate ganache. Then, poured the rest over the top. Did a little tidying up and sprinkled over the chopped pecan praline.

There was enough praline left to cover one more cake...Martha advises to store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Great British Food Magazine: Mulled Wine, Cranberry & Marmalade Tea Bread

Following on from my last post, you'll now know why I've been in such a festive mood recently. In September I started working on a Christmas recipe for Mackays to be published in this month's Christmas edition of Great British Food Magazine. The magazine is now out so I thought I'd share to recipe here too.

 My festive take on a classic tea bread uses Mackays Dundee orange marmalade paired with cranberries, spices and mulled wine. All my favourite festive flavours!

Mulled wine, cranberry & marmalade tea bread

     500ml mulled wine

     75g dried cranberries

     75g chopped mixed peel

     75g currants

     175g butter, softened,

     3 eggs

     160g Mackays Dundee Orange Marmalade

     250g self raising flour

     1tsp baking powder

     2tsp ground ginger

For the topping (optional)

     75g dried cranberries

     2tbsp icing sugar

     1 large orange, juiced, plus zest

• Leave the fruit to soak in the mulled wine for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 180 degrees and lightly grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and line with baking paper.
• Beat together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add in the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• Stir through the marmalade before folding in the flour, baking powder and ginger. Drain the fruit and gently fold into the batter.
• Transfer into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
• Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Then removed and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the topping, mix the icing sugar with enough orange juice to make a smooth, runny icing. Drizzle over the cake and top with the dried cranberries and a sprinkle of orange zest.

Boy Loves Food and I bought 4 copies of the magazine this morning for family. I think the lady who served us was a bit confused!

Find Great British Food Magazine here.

And, Mackay's marvellous marmalade here.

buyagift: Christmas Carol Hamper

   I'm starting to feel a little festive. Tell a lie, I started to feel a little festive in September when my brother bought me a new Christmas jumper. And yes, I have worn it already. It's never too early. Unless you're scrooge.

   The lovely James from buyagift sent me this amazing box full of treats from their Christmas hamper range. Not only am I now thoroughly in the mood for festivities, I've started planning some Christmas gifts. Who wouldn't love to receive something like this. Perfect for those friends and family members who live a little further afield.

   This box includes a good mix of luxury treats like mince pies, fudge, Guylian chocolates and a Christmas pudding. One of my favourite items in this is the Ahmad Breakfast tea, which is my favourite breakfast time blend.

Find their full range of festive fancies here.

*buyagift kindly sent me this hamper, but all views are my own.

Spiced Pumpkin Mini Cakes

Spiced pumpkin mini cakes
(From Martha Stewart, makes 24)
     2 cups plain flour
     1tsp bicarbonate of soda
     1tsp baking powder
     1tsp salt
     1tsp ground cinnamon
     1tsp ground ginger
     1/4 freshly grated nutmeg
     1/4tsp ground allspice
     1 cup packed soft brown sugar
     1 cup caster sugar
     1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
     4 large eggs, lightly beaten
     1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease trays and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, caster sugar, butter and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
• Divide batter evenly among the trays, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, or a cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

I had some chocolate custard left over from my Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes, which goes perfectly with the spicy pumpkin cake. Recipe here. Then topped with some blitzed cake crumbs and a pecan half.

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

   As it's Chocolate Week I made some super chocolatey Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes. These cupcakes were made popular by Ebinger's Bakery in Brooklyn, New York. A rich chocolate cake filled with rich chocolate custard and frosted with the same rich custard and covered in cake crumbs. 

   These cakes were named after the blackout drills in New York in World War II performed by the Civilian Defence Corps. All lights in the city were turned off and windows were covered with black material to practice so that ships sailing off to battle could not be spotted by enemy planes.

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes
(Adapted from Hummingbird Bakery, makes 12 cupcakes)
     100g unsalted butter, softened
     260g caster sugar
     2 eggs
     45g cocoa powder
     1/4 tsp vanilla extract
     3/4 tsp baking powder
     3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
     a pinch of salt
     170g plain flour
     160ml whole milk

For the chocolate custard:
     500g caster sugar
     1tbsp golden syrup
     125g cocoa powder
     200g corn flour
     85g unsalted butter
     1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Heat the oven to 170 degrees and line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Slowly beat in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well mixed.
• Add half the flour, then all the milk, and finish with the remaining flour.
• Mix well until everything is well combined.
• Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes.
• Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.
• For the chocolate custard, put the sugar, golden syrup, cocoa powder and 600ml of water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, whisking occasionally.
• Mix the cornflour with 120ml of water, then whisk into the cocoa mixture in the saucepan. Bring back to the boil, whisking constantly. Cook until very thick, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
• Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill until very firm.
• When the cupcakes are cold and custard cooled, use a pairing knife to cut out a cone shape from each. Put all 12 into a food processor and blitz to make fine crumbs.
• Fill each cupcake with a piping bag (I didn't use a nozzle for this) and then finish with a swirl on top. 
• Sprinkle the cake crumbs over each cupcake to decorate.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake

Sometimes you just need to bake a cake. A really indulgent one!

Salted caramel chocolate fudge cake
(Adapted from Great British Chefs)
     125g caster sugar
     100g soft brown sugar
     4 large eggs
     1tsp vanilla extract
     240ml vegetable oil
     200g self raising flour
     75g cocoa powder
     1tsp baking powder
     1tsp bicarbonate of soda
     a pinch of sea salt
     2tbsp plain, natural yoghurt

For the salted caramel buttercream filling:
     250g unsalted butter, softened
     500g icing sugar
     3tbsp Bonne Maman Confiture de Caramel
     a pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate fudge topping:
     200g dark chocolate
     125ml double cream
     2tbsp Bonne Maman Confiture de Caramel
     chopped fudge pieces to decorate

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Butter three sandwich cake tins and line the bottom of each with baking paper.
• Using a mixer or electric whisk, beat the caster sugar, soft brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together for about four minutes until creamy. Slowly add the vegetable oil and mix again well.
• Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and stir together well with a metal spoon or spatula. Add a pinch of salt and stir in the plain yoghurt, mix well.
• Divide the mixture equally between the prepared baking tins and bake for 30 minutes. Once a skewer comes out clean, take the sponges out of the oven and leave to cool in the tins.
• To make the filling, beat the butter until soft and a little fluffy. Carefully add the icing sugar a little at a time and keep mixing until the whole amount is added in. Add the caramel sauce and a punch of sea salt and mix well.
• Once the sponges are completely cool, sandwich them together with equal amounts of buttercream.
• To make the chocolate fudge topping, melt the chocolate and stir in the cream and caramel once slightly cooled. Leave to cool entirely, before spreading the fudge topping over the entire cake. (I found it easier to do a crumb coating, although the second layer was a lot cooler and a lot less spreadable). Decorate with chopped fudge pieces.

Mini Caramel Coffee Cakes

   I thought I'd share a quick recipe of one of my midnight bakes this week. These mini cakes were a little experiment with a jar of caramel that's been sitting patiently in the cupboard. Of course they were waiting for a little java buzz and some chocolate caramel buttercream.

Mini caramel coffee cakes
(Makes 6 mini cakes)
     85g unsalted butter, softened
     55g soft dark brown sugar
     1tbsp golden syrup
     1 large egg, lightly beaten
     100g self raising flour
     1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
     2tbsp espresso coffee

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a bun tray with 6 cases.
• Beat together the butter, sugar and golden syrup until light and fluffy. 
• Gradually beat in the egg.
• Sift in the flour and nutmeg and, with a spatula, gently fold in with the 2tbsp espresso coffee.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes. Until golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before topping.

For the topping,

     150g unsalted butter, softened

     1tsp vanilla extract

     280g icing sugar

     2tbsp caramel sauce

     115g milk chocolate, melted

• Place the butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat until the butter becomes pale.
• Gradually sift in the icing sugar, beating well after each addition.
• Add the melted chocolate and caramel and continue to beat until well combined, light and fluffy.
• Pipe swirls onto the cooled cakes (I used a Wilton 2d...my favourite!)

Find me on Instagram, @S_LovesFood.