Plum Frangipane Traybake

I bought the plums from Bridgnorth market last weekend, they were perfectly ripe, none of this ripen at home nonsense which basically means they go mouldy and never get to ripen.

A cake cum pudding is always a favourite here and the cake batter can all be mixed quickly in one bowl.

I made my own custard but hubby said Bird's custard is best with everything!

Unlike me don't forget to bang your tin down on the work surface a couple of times before baking
otherwise you'll end up with large air bubbles in your bake like above

I made the cake in my Thermomix (the instructions are in italics) conventional instructions are below. For best results make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.

200g softened butter
200g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
250g self-raising flour
50g ground almonds
1tsp almond extract
2 tbsp milk
6 red plums, halved and stoned
25g flaked almonds

You will need: 30cm x 20cm x 3cm baking tin - greased and lined with baking parchment.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Add the butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs, almond extract, ground almonds and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
Place the butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs, almond extract, ground almonds and milk in the TM bowl Mix 20 Secs/Speed 5.  Scrape down and Mix 10 Secs/Speed 5.
3. Dollop the cake batter into the tin and level. Press the plums into the top of the cake mixture in rows cut-side up. Scatter the flaked almonds over the cake batter and plums. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until risen and golden.
4. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool before turning out. Sift icing sugar over the cake. Serve with custard or cream.
5. Cut into squares. Can be frozen, thawed and warmed in a microwave.

Winter Puddings - Free ebook

It's that time of the year again when we turn to comfort food and delicious warming British puddings. Kitchen Delights has put together a free ebook of delicious recipes including a family favourite apple crumble, Bakewell tart with a crunchy iced topping, steamed lemon Pudding with mixed berry jam, baked apple and the above, only for grownups, luxurious bread and butter pudding with sultanas soaked in brandy!

The PDF is very quick to download here.

Apple Frangipane Tart

Sometimes there isn't the time or inclination to make pastry and crushing a few biscuits to make a tart case is perfect. Anyway, who doesn't love bashing biscuits with a rolling pin.......

This is a luscious tart, easy to make and you'll be sure to go back for another slice.

175g digestive biscuits
75g butter
200g Bramley apples
lemon juice
For the frangipane filling:
75g butter, softened
75g caster sugar
2 free-range eggs, beaten
75g ground almonds
1 tsp almond extract
50g flaked almonds

You will need: 20cm fluted loose-base round tin

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the biscuits into a large jug and using the end of a rolling pin crush until fine crumbs.
3. Melt the butter in a small basin in the microwave, pour onto the crushed digestives, mix to coat the biscuits and tip into the tart tin.  Press the crumbs evenly over the base and sides of the tart tin. Place in the fridge to chill.
4. Add the butter and sugar  to a bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, now add the ground almonds and almond extract mix until well combined.
5. Peel and core the apples, cut into thin slices. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to help prevent browning. Arrange the slices over the biscuit base. Dollop the frangipane filling onto the apple slices and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and set.

You may like:
Apple Ginger Cakes with lemon icing
Nora's Apple Pie
Blackberry and Apple Crumble Tart

How to Make the Perfect Thermomix Fruit Scones

Making scones in a Thermomix is totally different to using either your hands or a food mixer. The liquid content along with the other ingredients usually all go into the jug to be mixed at exactly the same time. It's a very strange concept compared to rubbing the butter into the flour and then adding the liquid cautiously until the correct consistency is achieved, but it's always far better to be cautious and add the liquid in a steady stream until you are happy with the dough.

I've tried a few scone recipes that have been especially written for the Thermomix but I've returned to my own favourite which I've converted for the Thermie. My recipe is a rich dough made with a mix of egg and buttermilk (for lightness) and it works for me! I'd definitely recommend using a straight sided cutter though, and not the crinkled cutter I used, because you'll get a far better rise.

Instructions for making the scones conventionally are included in the blog post too.

Step by step photographs........Instructions below 7 - 10

Conventional instructions in Italics

Makes: 8

You will need:  A large floured baking tray and 5cm pastry cutter

200g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of cream of tartar
50g salted butter, cubed
15g golden caster sugar
1 large egg
60g buttermilk
100g sultanas

1.  Preheat the oven to 230°C/Fan 210°C.
2.  Mix the egg and buttermilk. Reserve a little for glazing the scones.
3.  Add all the ingredients except the sultanas and egg/buttermilk mix to the TM jug.
Add the Self Raising Flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, pinch of salt and cubed butter to a large mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. 
4.  TM20 Secs/Knead setting - pour the egg/buttermilk mix into the jug in a steady stream whilst checking to see if the dough has come together.
5.  Scrape down the jug.
6.  If the dough hasn't come together now add a little more buttermilk to the jug along with the sultanas TM10 Secs/Knead.
Stir in the caster sugar.and sultanas. Add most of the egg and buttermilk mix gradually to make a soft sticky dough.
7.  Remove the dough onto a lightly floured board and shape into a round, don't worry if it's a little sticky the flour should take care of that.
8.  Fold into three and gently roll out.
9.  Now fold into three in the opposite direction.
10.Roll out to 1cm and using a floured 5cm plain round cutter. place onto the tray. Brush the tops with the reserved egg and buttermilk mix.
11. Bake for approximately 12 minutes until well risen and golden.
12. Place the baked scones onto a cooling rack and cover with a clean tea towel.
13. Eat now spread with butter or freeze for later.

Note: On the sconeometer the Thermomix makes the most delicious scones!

You may also like these scone recipes:
Raspberry and Coconut 
In Search of the Perfect Scone
Fresh Berry

Brioche Berry Pudding

I wonder if the Olympians can indulge in a pudding this week as a reward? Or maybe they are programmed never to go anywhere near sugar. For those of us who like an indulgent dessert/pudding this is one of my favourites because it is as light as a feather to eat, quick and easy to make and reheats quickly in the microwave.

All you need is a sliced brioche loaf, which I mostly buy from Aldi, berries of your choice, eggs, sugar, milk and a pot of whipping or double cream.

You will need: large buttered ovenproof dish

1 small sliced brioche loaf about 200g
75g fresh raspberries
75g fresh blackberries
250ml semi-skimmed milk
250ml whipping or double cream
3 medium eggs
25g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Cut off the crusts. Lay half the brioche over the base of a 1.5 litre x 6cm deep ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over half of the raspberries and blackberries, cover with the rest of the brioche squares. Scatter over the rest of the berries.
3.Whisk the milk, cream, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar together in a jug. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the brioche and leave to soak for 5 minutes.
4. Put the dish into a deep roasting tin and pour boiled water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and the tin. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, dust with icing sugar, serve on it's own or with whipped cream.

Bread Made in a Banneton Proving Basket

Some time back I bought a banneton, it's been sitting in the cupboard waiting patiently for me to do some online research and get some use out of it.

The  first thing I found was that it has to be 'seasoned' otherwise the bread will stick for ever and a day. Here's how I did it - take a clean spray bottle and spray the inside of the banneton. Now dust the inside with cornflour. Hold the banneton by it's edge and keep on turning it round until the inside is coated and the excess falls onto the work surface. Leave to dry.

My first attempt was a bit rubbish but not to be outdone I had another breadmaking session and whilst I'm not saying it's perfect, I was more than a bit chuffed with my attempts.

Bread which has been baked until black and slashed to within an inch of it's life with intricate patterns adorn galleries on Instagram and whilst I may have bread envy I'm more than happy with my efforts.I decided against slashing the bread in case the dough deflated, maybe next time..... At least the dough came out!

Instructions are for making in a stand mixer - Thermomix instructions in italics

7g sachet easy-blend yeast
or 15g fresh yeast
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
300ml lukewarm water

You will need: round banneton which has been well floured and the excess tipped out.

1. Tip the flour into a mixing bowl. If using easy blend dried yeast, stir this into the flour. For fresh yeast, crumble it and rub into the flour  Add the salt and sugar.
Add the fresh yeast (defrosted to room temperature if previously frozen) to the jug with the water 2 min/37°C/speed 1.
2. Mix the oil into the 300ml lukewarm water and pour into the dry ingredients.
Now add the olive oil, salt and flour. Knead 4 minutes.
3. Fit the dough hook to the stand mixer. Mix on a slow speed for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Tip out the dough onto an oiled silicone mat. Shape into a round and place into a greased bowl. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until double in size.
5. Remove the risen dough from the bowl and knock back until smooth.  Shape into a round and place upside down in a floured banneton.  Cover with clingfilm and rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
7. Perhaps not a conventional way to remove the dough from the banneton but my way - place a piece of baking paper over the risen dough, take a baking sheet and place over the baking paper, tip over and the dough should come away easily.
8. If you wish slash the bread with a very sharp knife and bake for 40 minutes until cooked through and brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.