Thyme and Parmesan Crackers

Another part of the christmas hampers! They go fabulously with butter and cheese, although they already have parmesan in them so you don’t really need the cheese that much.

Crispy, cheesy, herby- delicious!! Whack them out this christmas after dinner to impress everybody, they’re actually really easy, but you can tell everybody how skilled you have to be to make them (I promise I won’t give the game away!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 115g unsalted butter
• 90g grated Parmesan
• 155g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1. Cream the butter, then add the Parmesan, flour, salt, thyme and pepper and combine. Add a splash of water if the dough does not come together.
2. Dump the dough on a lightly floured board and roll into a 13-inch long log. Wrap the log in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170C.
4. Cut the log crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a lined baking tray and bake for 22 minutes.

ENJOY

 

Gingerbread Biscotti

ahhhh, my favourite time of year- christmas! Mainly because of all the baking that goes with it, I just love the traditional smell of christmas in the kitchen, the spices, the warmth of it is just sooooo good!

This year, we’ve decided to present my family with small hampers of food gifts instead of bothering to actually buy presents, so what better and christmasier than gingerbread biscotti!? Perfect!! It’s sooo gooood!

INGREDIENTS:

• 75g butter
• 200g sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 85g molasses (solid or liquid- I prefer solid)
• 1tsp vanilla 
• 320g plain flour
• 120g wholewheat flour
• 1tbsp baking powder
• 11/2 tbsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tbsp cinnamon 
• 1/3 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt

METHOD:

1. Preheat your oven to 170C. Line a baking sheet with paper and set aside.
2. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until combined and fluffy. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla extract.
3. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl. Sieve into wet ingredients and stir until fully incorporated.
4. Divide your dough into two equal parts. Shape each piece into a roll slightly shorter than the tray. Press down to 1/2 inch thickness. Bake for 25 minutes.
5. Let the cookies cool 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice 1/2 inch pieces and place flat onto your tray.
6. Bake 10 minutes on each side at 160C.

Dip in your coffee AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS!!

 

Small Vanilla Birthday Cake

I am always the go-to-girl when it comes to baking for birthdays and christmas etc. It was my grandma’s neighbor’s birthday the other day, so I was commisioned to do my thing, and this was the result.

I like that it’s quite simple, and it was absolutely delicious, which is just perfect because it means you don’t over complicate things for yourself yet it still manages to blow people away.

It’s quite a small cake, for roughly a 15″ pan, but it’s the perfect size for a small party and if there are other desserts then it means everybody can have a small slice with coffee.

INGREDIENTS:

• 175g margarine or softened butter
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 175g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

For the buttercream:

• 200g butter
• 400g icing sugar
• splash of milk, if necessary
• food colouring (or flavour of your choice)

METHOD:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease the tin with a little extra butter or margarine and line with greaseproof paper.
2. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or a hand-held mixer for 1 minute, or until just combined. It’s important not to beat the batter too much – just long enough to make it smooth, otherwise the consistency won’t be as light and airy as it should.
3. Pour or spoon the mixture into the tin, smooth the top and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45-50 minutes. The cake is cooked when it looks well risen and golden.
4. Let the cake sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge and turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.
5. While it is cooking, mix the butter and icing sugar for the icing in a food processor, and if necessary add a bit of milk to make it to the right consistency. Add a few drops of food colouring of your choice (I chose pink- it’s my favourite :)) or add some lemon or orange juice for a bit of extra flavour. You could also substitute 50g of the icing sugar for cocoa powder for chocolate icing. When the cake has cooled, cut in half and spread the butter cream and a layer of jam across the centre. Place the top half back on, then cover the whole cake in the buttercream. Decorate if you want- I just put candles in.

ENJOY!