Rona's Homebakes

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD (using the Kilo Shortbread mould)

Ingredients:

200g plain flour 100g caster sugar 50g cornflour 200g butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C

Put the flour, sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Cube the butter, add to the flour and rub in till it resembles breadcrumbs. Knead it together to form a smooth dough over a lightly floured surface. You may think at first that this will never come together but trust me, some elbow grease will get you there.

Dust the mould with icing sugar or plain flour (this is very very important). Take the dough and press in to the mould making sure it is completely covered and even. 

Cook for 30 - 35 minutes till it is golden. Take the mould out of the oven and leave it rest for 30 minutes. With a butter knife slowly pry the edges. Turn the mould upside down to a cooling rack, sprinkle with caster sugar and let it cool completely. I recommend cutting it while it is warm as its less likely to crumble and break.

My mould was bought from Lakeland but this has now been discontinued. I have found it here tho.

OVEN SCONES

I had only done scones once in my life and they came out terrible so  was absolutely over the moon to see these come out good :)

This is just your basic scone recipe but I am sure I will be following up with a few variations, fruit, cheese... So easy to make and great to have in the freezer as a back up just incase you have people over.

Ingredients:

16oz S.R flour 1 tsp salt 3 oz butter or marg 1/2 pint of milk 4 tbsp caster sugar 1 egg or milk to brush on the scones

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 (200C Fan).

Mix flour and salt. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add sugar. Stir in milk to a soft light dough. 

Roll out ¾ inch (2cm) and cut. I used a small scone cutter and this amount made 20 small scones which I prefer to big ones.

TIP Do not twist the scone cutter when cutting the scones apparently this makes them rise less.

Brush the top of the scones with egg or milk and place on grease proof paper on two baking trays. Bake near top of oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Leave to cool. Store in an air tight container for a few days or freeze.

I tend to freeze mine and take them out when I need them, just let them defrost and lace in the oven for a few minutes to warm up before serving.

PEANUT BUTTER BISCUITS

These biscuits are super easy, just 4 ingredients and they are gluten and dairy free :) it makes 20.

Ingredients:

1 cup of smooth peanut butter 1 cup of granulated sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

To decorate: 100g of dark chocolate a hand-full of peanuts

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C (fan)

In a glass bowl add the peanut butter and sugar and mix well, once this is combined beat the egg and add it to the mixture alongside the vanilla essence, mix well. Once it’s completely combined get a teaspoon and roll about 4cm balls. If you have extra caster sugar you can roll the balls in sugar before placing on the baking tray. Place the balls on a baking tray with grease proof paper, they should be at least a couple inches apart, using a fork press the biscuits down in criss cross.

Place the biscuits in the oven and bake for 14 minutes or until slightly golden.

Let the biscuits cool completely. At this point you don’t have to bother with the decoration, but if you want to be extra fancy melt the chocolate and dip the biscuits in it, place on grease proof paper and sprinkle with some crushed peanuts. Leave the chocolate to set and store in a air tight container. 

GOOYEY GINGERBREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

I was a bit sceptical about this recipe at first, I had never used treacle and a recipe without sugar?? not my sorta thing but I do love gooyey! so I thought I would give it a try with a lactose free version which should be easy enough as I would only have to change the milk, margarine and cream cheese.

Ingredients:

200g plain flour 100g margarine, I used the dairy free spread Pure 175ml black treacle 50g syrup 150ml milk, I used the Lactofree milk  1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon mixed spice 2 eggs beaten

For the icing: 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, I used the Lactofree cream cheese 1cup of icing sugar

Method:

Makes a 2lbs loaf, if you want to make two 1lbs loafs bake for only 1 hour.

Melt the margarine, syrup and treacle in a pan at low heat, once they have melted add the milk. Let it cool. 

In the mean time line a loaf tin with non stick baking paper and start preheating the oven at 160C (fan)

Once it has cooled add beaten eggs. Mix all dry ingredients together and add to pan. Mix till totally incorporated, it will look like chocolate sauce but don’t worry it will turn out right! place the mixture in the lined tin and bake at 160C for 1 ¼ hours, I would check after 1 hour, stick a knife in and if it comes out clean take it out of the oven.

ROCK BUNS

I am not a big fan of sultanas in sweets, i much prefer them in savoury dishes but my family and Gareth are a big fan so I thought I would try these out.

These rock buns have orange rind which is a bit unusual, they remind me of Spanish bakes but if you prefer to stick with the traditional just take the orange out. 

Ingredients:

8oz plain flour Pinch salt 2 tsps baking powder 4 oz butter 4 oz caster sugar grated rind of an orange 4 oz sultanas 1 egg

Method:

Place in a bowl the flour, salt, baking powder and butter. Mix to fine breadcrumbs like you would do when doing crumble topping.

Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. You might think there isn’t enough liquid but don’t worry, just persevere and it will come together.

Take a tablespoon of the mixture, be rough, you don’t want balls, just rough little mountains and place on two baking trays lined with baking paper. This recipe makes 12 rock buns so place 6 in each sheet.

FATLESS PISTACHIO AND RASPBERRY CAKE

This recipe uses my grandmas fatless sponge which is ideal as that means no lactose! It is a very simple easy light sponge, perfect to use with fresh fruits and cream.

Ingredients:

For the sponge 8 Eggs 320g Sugar 104g S.R. Flour 104g Plain Flour 1 1/2 dessert spoons of Cornflour 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence

For the filling 300g Raspberries 375ml Cream I used the Lactofree cream so Gareth can eat it :) 100g Pistachios (some whole some broken) 4 big spoons of Raspberry jam 3 tablespoons of Icing sugar

Method:

Fist thing is to prep your tins, I used two 20cm tins, but haven done it now I think I would have used 3 tins instead of two. Once you have your tins line them with baking paper, I just do the bottom and use Lactofree butter to grease the side of the tins.

Next start preheating your oven at 170C fan. 

Get to big bowls out and separate the eggs. Add the sugar to the yolks and vanilla essence, beat with an electric whisk until it is light smooth and creamy. Clean your whisks and beat the egg whites till there are hard peaks. Add the egg whites to the yolks and gently mix till they are incorporated carefully trying not to stir the air out.

Next sieve the S.R. flout, the plain flour and the cornflour in to the bowl and once again stir carefully till it is combined.

Divide the mixture equally between the tins and use a spoon to smooth out the mixture. Place the tins in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes if it’s two tins, less if it’s three. Keep an eye on the cakes and stick a knife in to check if they are ready, if the knife comes out clean they are good to go.

This might sound unorthodox but take the cakes still in the tin and drop them on the counter from about 20cm up. This should break the bubbles in your cake and prevent it from shrinking. 

Leave the cakes to cool for ten minutes, then get a knife and run it around the edges. Take the cake out of the tin and place it in a cooling rack.

Once the cakes are completely cool you are ready to assemble them. Get a glass bowl and pour the cream in it, get your electric whisk and beat the cream. You must be thinking: I thought this was a lactose free cake! It is, we used the Lactofree cream, it is lighter than normal double cream so it will take a bit longer to beat to the right consistency. Once the cream is getting thicker add the icing sugar, I like my cream sweet so I would recommend you don’t add all the sugar at once and try it before you keep on adding more sugar. Spread the bottom layer of cake with a thin layer of jam. Then add raspberries and pistachios followed by half the cream. Add the next layer of cake, add the remaining cream, decorate with raspberries and pistachios.

All done! So light!

Lemon Lactose Free Cake

Last weekend I had some friends over to my house. Gareth made some pulled pork which as usual was amazing, sweet melt in your mouth glory! so I thought I would try making some coleslaw to go with it, I wanted something light fresh and crunchy so I went for something that wasn’t swimming in mayo but a recipe that used yogurt. As Gareth is lactose intolerant we bought the Alpro Simply Plain Soya yogurt pot, it’s a pretty big pot and we only used 3 tablespoons for the slaw so we were stuck with an entire pot when neither of us eat yogurt... but we do eat cake! So here is what I made with the rest of the yogurt.

Ingredients:

For the cake 190g cups of plain flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of Simply Plain Alpro yogurt 260g sugar 4 eggs 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup sunflower oil 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons) For the glaze 130g icing sugar 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:

CHOCOLATE SPONGE

Ingredients:

For cake: 8oz of Margarine 8oz of Caster sugar 10 oz Self-raising flour 4 tblsp Chocolate powder 4 heaped tblsp Syrup 6 tblsp Milk 4 Eggs

For icing: 4oz margarine 3 tblsp chocolate powder 3 tblsp of milk 11 oz icing sugar good pinch of salt

Method:

Pour all ingredients in a food processor until combined. Pour in to a deep 20cm round baking tin that has been lined and bake at 150C in a fan oven for 1hour, checking that the centre of the cake is cooked.

For the icing melt the butter and milk in a pan over a low heat, once its melted remove from heat. Add the sieved icing sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Beat till right consistency (like peanut butter).

Chocolate cream cheese truffles 

Ingredients:

280g of Cream cheese (I use the light version) 560g of Milk chocolate

Method:

Whip the cream cheese and melt half the chocolate. I haven’t got a microwave so I melt my chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl never touches the water, the chocolate should melt because of the steam produced.

Once you have your melted chocolate combine it with the cream cheese and mix it well till its all one colour. Put the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes, I then take the mixture and make little teaspoon balls of it on baking paper. Pop them back in the fridge for an hour. Now melt the other half of the chocolate. Once the chocolate has melted take the little balls and dunk them in the melted chocolate. Make sure you cover them completely and sprinkle with whatever topping you like. Pop back in to the fridge and wait till they are set. 

GINGERNUTS

Ingredients:

4oz plain flour 1/4 teasp salt 1 teasp baking powder 1 teasp bicarb 1 teasp ground ginger 1 teasp ground mixed spice 2oz butter or marge  2oz caster sugar 1 heaped tablespoon of syrup

Method:

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, bicarb, ginger, and mixed spice. Add the butter cut in to pieces and rub in. Stir in the sugar.

PINEAPPLE FRUIT LOAF 

Mixture makes 3 loafs 

Ingredients:

300g Brown Sugar 600g Mixed Fruit 200g Chopped glace cherries 200g Stork margarine (I used dairy free spread so Gareth could eat them) 300g Del Monte Pineapple Chunks (drained and finely chopped) 350ml Del Monte Pineapple juice 4 Eggs 400g Self Raising flour

Method:

Mix together all ingredients (except eggs and flour) in a pan and bring to the boil. Boil for ten minutes and leave to cool. Once cool add the two eggs and the flour to the mixture, mix with a wooden spoon till combined.

RAISIN DROPS (COOKIES)

Ingredients:

200g of Self Raising flour 100g Margarine 100g Sugar 1 tablespoon of syrup 25g of raisins ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda pinch of salt 

Method:

Nigella’s London Cheesecake

Ingredients:

for the base

200 grams digestive biscuits

100 grams unsalted butter (melted or very soft)

600 grams cream cheese

150 grams caster sugar

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

for the topping

145 ml sour cream

1 tablespoon caster sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Process the biscuits until they are like crumbs, then add the butter and pulse again. Line the bottom of a 20cm / 8 inch springform tin, pressing the biscuits in with your hands or the back of a spoon. Put the tin in the fridge to set, and preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4/350ºF.

Beat the cream cheese gently until it's smooth, then add the sugar. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, then finally the vanilla and lemon juice. Put the kettle on.

Line the outside of the chilled tin with strong foil so that it covers the bottom and sides in one large piece, and then do the same again and put it into a roasting dish. This will protect the cheesecake from the water as it is cooked in its water bath.

Pour the cream-cheese filling into the chilled biscuit base, and then pour hot water from the recently boiled kettle into the roasting tin around the cheesecake. It should come about halfway up; don't overfill as it will be difficult to lift up the tin. Put it into the oven and cook for 50 minutes. It should feel set, but not rigidly so: you just need to feel confident that when you pour the sour cream over, it will sit on the surface and not sink in (it should have a slight wobble in the centre). Whisk together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla for the topping and pour over the cheesecake. Put it back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies 

makes 50 biscuits

Ingredients:

330g salted butter, room temperature

200g caster sugar

1 large egg

455g plain flour

3/4 jar raspberry jam

Vanilla essence

100g icing sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and a 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence, and beat until completely combined. With mixer on low, add flour, and mix just until incorporated.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoons each). Place on baking sheets, at least 3 inches apart.

Melting Moments or custard creams as we call them up north.

Ingredients:

250 g butter, room temperature

½ tsp vanilla bean pasta

250g plain flour

85g icing sugar

40 g custard powder

¼ tsp salt

ButterCream

75g butter, room temperature

150g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

pinch salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 160C (140C fan-forced) and line two baking trays

Place the butter and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy

Sift the remaining ingredients into the bowl and gently mix together until you form a soft dough (you can use a wooden spoon or your hands).

Using your hands roll the dough into small balls, and place onto the prepared trays ensuring you leave an inch or two between each ball.

Using a fork, press the fork onto the centre of each biscuit leaving an indent.

Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

Allow to cool on baking trays for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Whilst the biscuits are cooling, make the buttercream.

Place the butter into a large bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy, then slowly add in the icing sugar little at a time, beating until fully combined. Once you have added all the sugar add the vanilla and salt and beat together until light and fluffy.

Cocoa salted caramel

you will be eating it by the spoonful! great present too

Ingredients to make one big jar:

220g butter

175g dark brown sugar

250g golden syrup

1 can of condensed milk

1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes (I normally add a couple pinches of table salt to mine because I like it slightly saltier)

1 tablespoon of cocoa sifted

Method: 

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Gradually whisk in the sugar until well combined with a hand whisk. Add the golden syrup, condensed milk and salt and increase the heat to high. Cook for 15 minutes stirring continuously or until thickened whichever happens first (be careful and wear an apron!) Remove from the heat and add the sifted cocoa powder and mix well.