Urban75 Home About Offline BrixtonBuzz Contact

What are you baking?

Yu_Gi_Oh said:
I was wondering if it was time yet, it is isn't it! :cool:

Do you have a favourite recipe? I made my first Christmas cake ever last year using Nigel Slater's recipe and it went quite well considering I had no clue what I was doing, especially with the icing bit. :oops:
Click to expand...

I've always used Delia's rich fruit cake recipe (page 533 in the Complete Cookery Collection book). Easy to make, and always turns out well. When I make it I tend to double the quantities to make two large cakes, as two tins fit inside my oven so this makes the most of having the oven on for 4 and a half hours. :)

I need to make it this year as I've been very slack for the last few years. The fantastic smell of it cooking is enough justification to make it. :cool:
 
spanglechick said:
But then I take out all the fruit I don't like (peel, prunes, too many sultanas and raisins) and replace it with nicer stuff (dried strawberries, dried blueberries etc).
Click to expand...

I always monkey around with the dried fruit too, makes it much more interesting. Also add nuts. My usual MO is to say "I'm not going to make a Christmas cake this year", then crack at the last minute and do one on Christmas Eve or something.
 
spanglechick said:
Umm. I also made my first one last year. If you google "Paul Hollywood Christmas cake" there's a daily mail (spit) webpage with the recipe I used last year. It makes enough for two cakes (although it says one).

But then I take out all the fruit I don't like (peel, prunes, too many sultanas and raisins) and replace it with nicer stuff (dried strawberries, dried blueberries etc).

It works out much, much more expensive than just buying two Christmas cakes, but I suppose I'm paying to entertain myself this weekend and the weekend I ice them.
Click to expand...

That is genius, why didn't I ever think of that? :facepalm: I love the idea of homemade Christmas cake but hate raisins, sultanas and marzipan.
 
Fez909 said:
Why do you need any of that though? I don't like sweet bread and don't see what the oil is for?
Click to expand...

Aswell as the flavour, fat (be it butter or oil) helps make a nice soft crumb and makes it last longer. A small amount of sugar gives a nice crust :)
 
mr steev said:
Aswell as the flavour, fat (be it butter or oil) helps make a nice soft crumb and makes it last longer. A small amount of sugar gives a nice crust :)
Click to expand...

I'll give it a try next time as the crust on this one is a little softer than I'd like.

Here's todays, btw. A wholemeal. Sat on the cooling rack now, temping me. But I'm going to resist...I think :facepalm:

tjTrAFl.jpg
 
Rutita1 said:
Fair point. :D Maybe I'll just stop being envious and bake a loaf tomorrow...maybe ;)
Click to expand...

It's dead easy, but there's a lot of waiting involved (with the method I'm using). I made the dough for that last night. It needs 12 hours raising/proving/whatever time, minimum. Then 45 minutes baking it.

So actual time doing stuff = 10-15 minutes. Actual time from beginning to loaf = 14 hours or more.
 
May Kasahara said:
That is genius, why didn't I ever think of that? :facepalm: I love the idea of homemade Christmas cake but hate raisins, sultanas and marzipan.
Click to expand...

The Nigel Slater recipe just tells you how many grams of fruit to put it, so you can choose whatever. :cool: I had to swap the muscovado for brown sugar though as it's not a thing here. And I couldn't get allspice either. But apart from that it was great!

I am going into the city to find the baking shop tommorw now, you've got me all inspired spanglechick! :cool:
 
May Kasahara said:
That is genius, why didn't I ever think of that? :facepalm: I love the idea of homemade Christmas cake but hate raisins, sultanas and marzipan.
Click to expand...

Me too, well, I like sultanas but hate raisins and marzipan.
Thing is though, I would be making it for other people to eat mainly and I think for lots of people the marzipan is the best bit :hmm:
 
kittyP said:
Me too, well, I like sultanas but hate raisins and marzipan.
Thing is though, I would be making it for other people to eat mainly and I think for lots of people the marzipan is the best bit :hmm:
Click to expand...
Hand rolled marzipan snowmen on the side?
 
kittyP said:
Me too, well, I like sultanas but hate raisins and marzipan.
Thing is though, I would be making it for other people to eat mainly and I think for lots of people the marzipan is the best bit :hmm:
Click to expand...
marzipan decorations on the top?

you can be as creative as you want, but I've done this as simply as having the kids mush up marzipan into somehting resembling squares and call them christmas pressies, so they could have the marzipan and the single marzipan hater in the house (who wasn't the cook) could have cake made the way he wanted it rather than the way the cooks wanted it.

cause if you're cooking it, do it how you like it. and tick some on the top if it stops ructions.
 
toggle said:
marzipan decorations on the top?

you can be as creative as you want, but I've done this as simply as having the kids mush up marzipan into somehting resembling squares and call them christmas pressies, so they could have the marzipan and the single marzipan hater in the house (who wasn't the cook) could have cake made the way he wanted it rather than the way the cooks wanted it.

cause if you're cooking it, do it how you like it. and tick some on the top if it stops ructions.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea :)
 
kittyP said:
That's a good idea :)
Click to expand...

I'll be doing the same this year. and for me, it works because blob shaped things on the top can be made with any level of skill above that of about a year old where she was still on shovel as much in gob as possible and then paint yourself with the rest mode.
 
Ideas for decorations? Assuming rolled icing. Although the rock hard royal icing made rough to look like a snowy field has childhood appeal.

Last year I did three dimensional iridescent holly leaves and berries.
 
I've made bread a few more times now but I want to make bigger quantities of dough now I'm satisfied I've got the right method etc. But how do I do it?

I'm doing a 12-15 hours ferment at the minute, then after that it goes straight in the oven. If I made a larger quantity, then I'd be freezing it or refrigerating it for the next day. No bother.

But when the next day comes, do I just let it come back up to room temperature again before whacking it in the oven? Also, any idea how long dough takes to defrost at normal room temperatures?

Cheers, Bakurbs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

UnderOpenSky
Are these Port glasses?
Replies
15
Views
369
dessiato
dessiato
danny la rouge
  • Poll
What do you call this biscuit?
2 3 4 5
Replies
149
Views
5K
Monte
Monte
ElizabethofYork
Teeth whitening -what can you tell me?
Replies
1
Views
177
weltweit
weltweit
Dystopiary
  • Poll
What do you keep in your ear?
Replies
29
Views
371
moonsi til
moonsi til
danny la rouge
My neighbours are at it again.
2
Replies
39
Views
1K
Saul Goodman
Saul Goodman
Back
Top Bottom