CHILDRENS' BIRTHDAY CAKES

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING - STEP BY STEP BAKING

ISBN 0091865794 - PAGE 292

TRAIN CAKE

I made this cake for my grandsons third birthday and chose the design
because he loves everything about trains (although it has to be said Thomas The Tank Engine and friends are his favourites).
The cake was fairly simple to decorate and to make life easier I purchased ready made coloured icings. The liquorice sweet assortment was cut up into small pieces to make the wheels, windows, funnel etc.
This book has a couple more birthday cake designs for children, such as a snow cottage and birthday bear cake.
I thought the cake was really cute and I hope you do too.


CHILDRENS' BOOK OF BAKING BY SARA LEWIS

ISBN 9780753715505 - PAGE 90

MINI BIRTHDAY CAKE SQUARES


This cake was made a couple of weeks ago for my grandsons first birthday and as he would only be having a tiny piece of cake, I decorated it with my three year old grandson in mind.
I thought these mini cakes would make a change from the usual novelty cake. The cakes looked lovely with all brightly coloured icings, sprinkles, sugar strands, smarties and candles on.
This is a baking book with 60 recipes for children to make (and grownups too!).
I love this little book, but would be hesitant to say it was for mainly for children. I am not entirely sure, that small children would thank you for a slice of creamy kiwi meringue gateau or baked strawberry and lime cheesecake, or even iced ginger and date sandwich cake (all of which look delicious). Last year I made peach Melba cake from this book and it really was fabulous. Some of the recipes such as iced star biscuits, triple choc brownies or how about chocolate fudge squares would be ideal for children.

You will need:

A 18 x 28cm roasting tin 4cm deep, greased and base lined with greaseproof paper.

250g soft margarine, 250g caster sugar, 250g self-raising flour, 4 eggs, grated rind of 1 lemon or 1 small orange.

1. Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Put all the cake ingredients in a food mixer and mix for 2 minutes.
3. Spoon into the tin and smooth flat.
4. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes until it is well risen and golden brown.
5. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a round bladed knife and turn out onto a wire rack. Remove the lining paper and leave the cake to cool completely.

For the icing and decoration:

100g unsalted butter at room temperature, 200g icing sugar, 2-4 teaspoons milk, a few drops of your chosen food colouring, 24 candles and candle holders, selection of sweets such as dolly mixtures, mini candy-coated chocolate sweets or mini marshmallows, sugar strands, hundreds and thousands and sprinkles, 24 cupcake cases.

1. To make the icing, beat the butter in a bowl with a little of the icing sugar, then gradually mix in the rest, a few spoonfuls at a time, along with enough milk to make a smooth spreadable icing.
2. Divide the icing into 3 and place two of the thirds in small bowls. Colour the icings with your chosen colours.
3. Put the cake onto a large board and cut into three pieces. Spread a different coloured icing over each piece of cake. Cut into small pieces with a sharp knife.
4. Put a candle holder and candle in the centre of each piece then arrange the sweets and sugar strands around it.
5. Store in an airtight tin for up to 2 days.

Please note: I made a smaller version of this cake by scaling down and using a 3 egg mixture.

HERBED CHEESE BATON

We all agreed this loaf was a winner and earned its place on the cheeseboard. Savoury bread with gruyere cheese, herbs and sultanas is a very tasty flavour combination.
Knowing that you can't go to the supermarket and buy a loaf that resembles your own, makes breadmaking worthwhile. If you take the easy route and use a breadmaker to prepare the dough then the whole process doesn't take very long.
The recipes in this book are for making bread by hand, but if you have had a bread machine for a while you soon get used to making small adjustments to the list of ingredients.


As you can see, I chose to bake the bread on a non-stick sheet which was then placed onto a heavy baking tray. Sometimes the thoughts of bread sticking to the tray and not budging is nothing short of frustrating. As a rule I don't have any problems but somehow when I looked at the dough it said 'trouble'!
Step-by-Step Baking was printed in 1999 and when you flip through the pages it really is a book that seems to be almost timeless. The contents include everything from pies and savoury flans, sweet yeast breads to small cakes and pastries.
An example of some of the recipes are Lemon and Lime Pavlova Pie, Italian Easter Tart, Baked Cheesecake with Exotic Fruits or how about Pistachio Angel Cake?
Leek and Mascarpone Tart, Baked Garlic and Goats Cheese Parcels, Spiced Fig and Ricotta Bread or Taleggio Pizzette with Pancetta and Red Onion - have I tempted you yet?

STEP BY STEP BAKING - GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

ISBN 0091865794 - Page 123

MAKES: 2 loaves (will freeze - simply refresh in the oven or microwave)

You will need:

450g strong plain white flour, 1 tsp salt, ½ x 7g sachet fast-action yeast, 1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence, 2 tsp sugar, 25g finely grated gruyere cheese, 250ml warm water, 30ml olive oil, 50g sultanas, 2 fresh rosemary sprigs (to decorate).

1. Place all of the ingredients except the sultanas and the 2 fresh rosemary sprigs in the bread machine, on the raisin dough setting, in the order as specified in your instruction book.
2. When your machine bleeps add the sultanas.
3. Remove the dough from the machine.
4. Knock back the dough and divide into two. Shape each piece into a baton. Place on a large baking sheet and sprinkle with flour. Slash along the length of each baton and top with the rosemary sprigs. Cover loosely and leave to rise for 30 minutes (or until double in size).
5. Bake at 220°C/210°C Fan/Gas Mark 7 for about 25 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

GOAT'S CHEESE AND ROSEMARY BUNS

These little buns are flavoured with rosemary and thyme, plenty of black pepper and hidden pockets of goat's cheese. Of course, you could substitute another herb such as lovage or sage.
I made these in both mini loaf tins and muffin tins lined with squares of parchment paper. The downside to using this method is the dough isn't in direct contact with the tin, and therefore, the buns may need to be cooked for a longer time.
These can also be made in dariole moulds or small terracotta flowerpots.
This book is one of the best bread maker books I have come across and is split into several sections Simple Breads, Savoury Enriched Breads, Savoury Bread Doughs, Sweet Enriched Breads, Sweet Bread Doughs, Gluten-Free Breads and Cakes and Tea breads.
How about Toasted Seed and Nut Bread, Basil, Manchego and Serrano Bread, Pepper and Pancetta Buns, Fig,Lemon and Cardamom Plait or Pistachio and Rosewater Stollen.
So far I have made several recipes from this book and not one of them has left me disappointed.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING GREAT RECIPES FOR YOUR BREAD MACHINE -

JOANNA FARROW

ISBN 1855859874 - Page 68

Makes: 8 Buns

This recipe has been slightly adapted.

You will need:

1 tsp easy-blend dried yeast, 350g strong white bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 tsp golden caster sugar, 50g butter, 3 garlic cloves (sliced) optional, 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp thyme, 175ml water. 100g firm goat's cheese with rind, milk to glaze.

1. Put all the ingredients except the cheese into the bread maker bucket, following the order and method specified in the manual, adding the garlic (if using) and herbs with the water.
2. Fit the bucket into the bread maker and set to the dough programme. Press start. Oil the base and sides of eight 125ml dariole moulds or small terracotta flower pots. (Dust with flour if using flower pots.) Cut the cheese into small chunks.
3. Once the dough is ready, turn it out on to a floured surface and punch it down to deflate. Cut the dough into 8 even sized pieces and flatten slightly into thick rounds.
4. Take one piece and press several chunks of cheese into the centre. Bring the edges of the dough up around the cheese and pinch together to seal in the cheese. Roll the dough lightly between the palms of the hands to elongate it, then drop into a mould, with the pinched ends of the dough underneath. Repeat with the remainder.
5. Place on a baking sheet and cover loosely with oiled greaseproof paper. Leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes until the dough has risen well above the rims of the moulds. Preheat the oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C), Gas Mark 6.
6. Brush the tops of the buns with a little milk and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden. Check the underneath sounds hollow when tapped.
7. Loosen the buns and turn out of the moulds, transferring to a wire rack to cool.

PASTA WITH SPINACH AND CHERRY TOMATOES

I think it's a while now since I posted something that can be cooked quickly. Well I'm making up for it now with this pasta dish that can be rustled up in about 20 minutes.
If only pasta will do, time is short, you need to feed the children plus yourselves with something that is nutritious, filling and colourful then this ticks all of the boxes.
In an ideal world you would need warm sunshine, colourful garden, table and chairs and eat this outside in a large pasta bowl - but Autumn has arrived. This recipe is guaranteed to brighten up a grey day and the good thing is you haven't had to slave over a hot stove!

This is a slightly adapted recipe:

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING - THE COOK'S CLASSIC COMPANION

ISBN 009186366 - Page 291

Serves: 4

400g dried pasta, such as orecchiette or shells, salt and pepper, 45ml olive oil, 2tbsp pine nuts (obviously omit this for very small children), 450g very ripe cherry tomatoes, different coloured ones would be good(halved), 75g spinach or rocket leaves, 50g Parmesan cheese, freshly pared (to serve).

1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente.
2. A few minutes before the pasta will be ready, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan. Add the pine nuts and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden. Add the tomatoes and cook for barely 1 minute until only just heated through, not disintegrated. (Although I cook mine until they start to break down a little).
3. Save a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta thoroughly and toss with the remaining olive oil. Add the pasta to the tomatoes, then add the rocket. Carefully stir to mix and heat through. If the pan ingredients seem a little dry add some of the pasta water. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve immediately topped with plenty of Parmesan shavings.

MUSHROOMS WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

This recipe is very easy as lots of the best recipes are. These look stunning served with steak or poultry. Or, how about serving them on a thick slice of toasted bread with some of the cooking juices poured over.
I have cooked lots of sweet and savoury dishes from this book and find it is one of those books that you keep going back to, time and again. Good Housekeeping have some brilliant recipes in their books - try them for yourself.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING NEW RECIPE BOOK

ISBN 0007116918 - PAGE 238

SERVES: 6 people (can easily be scaled down)

6 large flat or portabella mushrooms
oil for greasing
2 finely sliced garlic cloves (optional)
6 sprigs cherry tomatoes on the vine
3 tablespoons olive oil

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan oven/Gas Mark 6. Put the mushrooms into a greased roasting tin, scatter over the garlic, arrange a sprig of cherry tomatoes - still on the vine - on top of each mushroom, then drizzle with olive oil.
2. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
3.Take the foil off the mushrooms and continue to roast, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes.

Fabulous.