Peach Winter Crumble

With January well on it's way, I have been finding it hard to get back into things. College isn't back until the end of this month and I think because I had worked so hard last semester, I deserve an elongated break... whether or not that's right, it is what I am telling myself anyway!

I'm not a fan of January, a strange month. An in between month, sort of a no mans land with a tendency to throw up atrocious weather and consequently, varying degrees of boredom. Now you could say here if I started back into college work I could curb some boredom but then.. I wouldn't have time to bake you see, so really it's best I leave that for another while.

I did find in the absence of activity, the need to look into my kitchen drawers and ponder whether or not they will ever look as good as those you see in the magazines. I noticed the half empty packets of bits and pieces and figured I would put them to good use in a fruit crumble. 

Thing is, tinned peaches were all I had in abundance. And with my kids and husband having a strong aversion to any fruit that isn't chocolate, I was making this crumble for myself. Not that that's a real problem per say, but it is a problem when you are trying to reduce your sugar intake or you know, watching your waistline expand. 

Peach Winter Crumble

The Peaches:
2 cans of peach halves

2  tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

Pinch of ground cloves

The Crumble:

140g plain flour

60g ground almonds

100g porridge oats (not instant)

75g cold butter

50g soft brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F or Gas mark 4.

Drain the peaches and pop them into a deep baking dish. Scatter over the sugar and the spices and then toss everything together.

In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, ground almonds and soft brown sugar.

In another bowl, melt the butter in the microwave and pour into the crumble mix. Mix together with a fork until you have a rough crumbly, squidgy mixture.

Scatter over the peaches, then bake for 25-35 mins until golden and crunchy on top.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

How are you getting through January? Or do you like being marooned on no mans land.. I'd love to know what you think!

Orange Loaf Cake

I am just not ready for the holidays to be over.

It feels like they came and went in a blink of an eye and I don't want to leave home, go back to work and start the humdrum again. It seems to go by faster each and every year. Time has a funny way of speeding up when you don't want it to.

But then we all know little tricks to slow it down, just for moments at a time. To catch your breath, realign. Those times for me is coffee and a slice of something nice. I do love a little loaf. There's something very comforting about a slice of loaf cake. It's not too much, overkill or heavy. Just a morsel of mmm... helping me get on my way.

Orange Loaf Cake

125g softened salted butter
225g caster sugar
275g self raising flour
2 large eggs

zest and juice of 2 oranges
125ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 180C, 350F or Gas mark 4. Grease a one pound loaf tin with butter and dust with flour. Tap out the excess. 

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale.
Add in an egg, one at a time until the yolks have been disappeared.
Dry whisk or sieve your flour and baking powder together.
Add the vanilla to the egg/sugar/butter combination.
Add half your dry ingredients to the butter combo and then half the buttermilk. Mix until combined and repeat. Be careful not to over mix the batter here as you want the loaf to stay light and fluffy. The buttermilk helps with that too. Just make sure all the ingredients have been mixed together.

Fold in the zest and juice.

Transfer the batter into a prepared tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You'll know it's done as the top will be golden, have a slight spring in them when you gently push down on the top or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clear!

The citrus in this loaf is not over powering and the crumb is soft and fluffy. The recipe is simple, basic at best, but a great one for a cup of coffee or tea mid morning.

Enjoy a moment to yourself.

Hello 2016...

A wrap it up posts of sorts. No promises, gimmicks or resolutions just a few thoughts and notions about the year that was 2015. I have included some of my favourite bakes over the past few months... For posterity you see. 

I want to start out by thanking each and everyone of you fine folk for dropping by. I always get overwhelmed by the amount of people who pass through, by their kind words and thoughtfulness in their comments. It's been a busy year, this past one. Busy in the best way! So many new journeys and experiences and a lot of things learned along they way...

• Starting a new blog has given my writing a lot more focus
• Focusing on the new blog of late, has been dismal to say the least
• Keeping functional lists is a huge help in controlling anxiety
• Multiple lists can be overwhelming and in fact can add to said anxiety
• Being a one woman show is great
• Allowing those who surround and love you to help out with your one woman show is even greater
• Doubting your ability is one of the easiest and most unproductive things to do
• Genuinely believing you've got this is by far the most liberating option (and also a work in progress!)

But the biggest thing I have learned is that time is so precious. Being present, not just part of the process is something I had never really thought about. I get it now. Between working full time, doing my Masters and my family, there is little time left for other things... but I have noticed the effort I put into my life now is so much more than before. Because I don't have time to waste, not this year. It all counts!

On a side note, and probably one that means nothing to anyone outside of Ireland, owning a really good waterproof jacket ensures you can get away with not having an umbrella. Because I always forget my umbrella but my new snazzy raincoat makes sure I'm covered!!

I want to wish you all  a safe and happy New Year. May 2016 be everything that you hope it to be. That you, your family and all those in between keep well and that we strive to be thoughtful and kind to one another.

While posts may be infrequent, goods will still be baked. They'll have to appear at some stage, I just hope you pop by when you can. The kettle is always on and the cake is always fresh...

Happy New Year!

Zuger Kirschtorte

Back posting a little, shameful blogger, to show you what I made for December' s choice with The Cake Slice Bakers.

This is the second month with our new book Maida Heatter's Cake. I am genuinely loving this book!! I was really impressed with my last choice and I just love how the books reads. It's so straight forward and easy to understand. I do think there are some unnecessary steps, some elements don't need to be as laborious but nevertheless, it's going great!

I opted for the Zuger Kirschetorte, on page 116, and made it for Christmas Day dessert. It was fabulous, but lacked the real cherry bing in the cake layer. I think I needed double the syrup that the recipe called for. I also opted out of using buttercream to sandwich the cake.. I felt it would be too heavy after our dinner and while I am a fan of hedonism, just couldn't bear the thoughts of this being overly sweet or luscious.

This cake is such a treat! From the bottom up it is described as a layer of crisp almond meringue; a thick layer of kirsch whipped cream; a divine, light and airy, buttery sponge; another layer of thick kirsch whipped cream; topped with yet another layer of meringue, then more cream and decorated with meringue kisses.

Not for the faint hearted, definitely for the us gluttons!

Zuger Kirschtorte

adapted from Maida Heatter's Cakes pg 116

The Cake Layer

125g self raising flour
6 tbsp cornflour
5 tbsp soft butter
4 eggs and 3 egg yolks
85g sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F or gas mark 4.
Line, the sides and bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment and set to one side.
Sift the flour and cornflour together.
Cut the butter into small pieces and melt it slowly in a pan over a medium heat, set aside to allow to cool but not harden.
Put the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl and add the sugar. Whisk until the mixture increases in volume, almost tripled, it will look very pale and thick.
Sift about one third of the flour mixture into the eggs and fold in with a rubber spatula, repeat twice, gently folding in the flour.
Add the melted butter in the same way, slowly and gently folding it into the mixture, making sure you keep all the air.

Turn out into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes. Once out of the oven, carefully clip open the spring form, remove the parchment and using your wire rack, invert the cake. Remove the bottom of the pan, but not the parchment.

Leave the cake upside down to cool.

Reduce the oven to 135C/275F, Gas Mark 1.

Meringue Japonaise

85g ground almonds
225g sugar
1/2 tbsp of flour
4 egg whites

Line two cookies sheet with parchment, with a pencil draw two nine each circles on each piece of parchment.
In a small bowl stir the ground almonds and 1/3 of the sugar and the flour together.
Beat the egg whites until they hold a soft shape, gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) add the other 2/3 of sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Make sure the meringue is stiff, do not under-beat here.
Fold the almond mixture into the meringue in two additions, make sure it is evenly incorporated but do not mix more than necessary.
On your marked out parchment, create two circles using the meringue, keeping the meringue about a 1/4 inch away from the edge of the pencil line. Dollop some kisses on the baking sheets also, if you have any left over.
Pop the baking sheets in the oven for 30 minutes, rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and bake for another 30 minutes.

Turn off the oven and allow the meringue to cool in the oven completely.

Kirsch Syrup and Whipped cream

80ml of water
3 tbsp granulated sugar
80ml kirsch
500ml of single cream
2 tbsp of kirsch

Pour the water and sugar in a small saucepan and over a medium heat allow the sugar to dissolve and the mixture comes to a boil. Set aside to cool, once cooled, stir in the 80ml kirsch.

Whip the single cream to soft peaks and fold through the kirsch. Set aside.

Putting it all together...

Starting with a layer of cooled meringue, place it right side up on your serving plate. Add a thick layer of cream. Place the cake, topside down and remove the parchment piece. Using the kirsch syrup, brush it on to the cake and allow it soak through.

Add another layer of cream on top of the cake and the the remaining meringue layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream and decorate with kisses.

Make sure you stop by the other bakers and see what they made... you'll find them all below!

Emily's Rum and Raisin Cake
Carlee's Cinnamon Buns
Laura's Ginger Ginger Cake
Annabel's Cinnamon Buns
Elle's Cinnamon Bun Wreath

Merry Christmas to you all!

An Irish Whiskey, Pecan Fruit Loaf

Oooh poor, sad, little neglected blog! How you must think me so mean? But I have good reason... There are simply not enough hours in the day.

I did a simple maths equation. I calculated what I need to do each day and how much time each thing would take. In order to successfully accomplish, home, work, study, life, blog, fun, friends etc etc.. I need another 3 point something extra hours per day. Rounded up to 4.

I need 4 extra hours a day to do what I just need to do. Simple.

But that's not going to be happening any time soon. So some things get neglected. Sorry blog...

This cake was baked along with my baking group The Cake Slice Bakers and honoured the start of our new book Maida Heatter's Cakes. It was a simple choice this month.. I'm the only Irish baker in the group, I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to make the Irish Whiskey Cake!

Irish Whiskey, Pecan Fruit Loaf

- adapted from Maida Heatter's Cake pg 169

450g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
zest of two lemons
juice of one lemon
zest of one orange
juice of one orange
140g soft butter (+ 1 tablespoon for after baking)
1 teaspoon vanilla
250g light, soft brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
125ml Irish Whiskey (I used Jameson)
125g raisins
180g toasted chopped pecans

Pre-heat your oven to 180C, 350F or gas mark 4.
Line a large loaf tin with parchment.
Chop the pecans and pop them on a baking tray and into the heating oven for about 10 minutes to toast.
In a small bowl, mix the lemon, orange juice and zest together and leave to one side.
Cream your butter and sugar until soft and and sandy, then add the vanilla and the eggs yolks until mixed well. 
Dry whisk or sieve all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Alternate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using half a cup of whiskey at a time. 
Add the fruit mix and fold it in with a rubber spatula. 
Fold in the juice and zest.
Fold in the toasted pecans.
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks have formed. Fold them through the mixture, being careful not to over work the egg whites.
Transfer to you lined tin and smooth out the top.

Bake in your preheated oven for up to an hour. Check it from 50 minutes on. Cover it loosely in tinfoil to stop it over browning on the top if you want to. 

A skewer when inserted in the middle should come out clear or clear-ish. It's a moist cake, you might get some crumbs! Once the cake is out, smear that extra tablespoon of butter on top and allow to cool.

Leave the cake in the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Take it out and allow it to cool fully. I popped this into the fridge over night as the recipe directed and then sliced it cold. I much preferred it at room temperature, so wouldn't bother with the fridge part. But that is up to you...

This book is just wonderful to read through. The tidbits of information as to why things are done a certain way, were just old worlde delightful. But in my current real world terms, not very time friendly.

I have skipped a few steps in the book and left out a few ingredients because I didn't have them to hand. I am sure, the cake made to the exact specifications would have been truly amazing.

This cake was fabulous. It was dense and soft and had all the traditional charm of an Irish fruit loaf. A thick slice toasted and smeared with some real butter made a delicious on the go breakfast. Another one in my cake-for-breakfast category.

Have a gander at what my other lovely baker buddies made.. I think we've got another good year ahead of us!

An InLinkz Link-up

Mango and Ginger No Bake Cheesecake

I should really fill you in, before you even read on any further; that this cheesecake is made with cake. An actual cake base, not biscuit. Cake.  

I don't like cheesecake with a biscuit base. Unless it's a baked cheesecake. I know that might sound mad, but I just think no bake cheesecakes are all kinds of gross if they have a biscuit base. 

I love the cheesecake toppings of a no bake. Just not the usual biscuit bases... You feel me? I just don't like them!  I will always, when I can, substitute the bottom of the cheesecake with a sponge type bottom. Red Velvet Cheesecake, Vanilla Cream Mascarpone Cheesecake, Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake and now Mango and Ginger Cheesecake... you get the idea.

It's also a no make, no bake, you just putting together ingredients kind of recipe so in all fairness, this could not be any easier! You buy a few small, readily available ingredients and bobs your uncle, you have a cheesecake. It's domestic god/goddess at it's finest and you really won't have lifted a finger!

Mango Cheesecake with a 

Mango Mirror Glaze on a Ginger Cake Base

Start off in the supermarket and grab yourself the following ingredients;

2 loaves of ginger cake

2 tubs of cream cheese

250ml single cream

1 vanilla pod

60g caster sugar

1 250ml bottle of mango puree

1 tsp from a sachet of gelatin powder

1 tbsp hot water

Cut up the two loaves of ginger cake and squash them into the bottom of an 8 inch round spring form tin.

Whip the cream cheese together until smooth and add the cream and vanilla seeds from inside the pod. Add the sugar and whip until soft and light. Be careful not to over whip. 

Fold in half the bottle of mango puree into the cream/cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.

Pop half the mixture in on top of the ginger cake and smooth it out. Add the other half in and smooth out the top as best you can.

Put the pan in the fridge for at least two hours, or until set. Over night is best.

After about one hour, the cake should be firm enough to hold the mango mirror glaze.

Add one tablespoon of hot water into a bowl and sprinkle in the gelatin powder, stir around until it's fully dissolved. If it doesn't fully dissolve put the bowl into a hot water bain marie, and keep stirring until it does.

Pour in the rest of the bottle of mango puree into the dissolved gelatin and give it a quick stir. Pour that mixture than straight on top of the cheesecake mixture and smooth it out evenly.

Put the whole thing back in the fridge to set up, again, over night is best.

Removing the cake... 

To remove the cake from the spring form tin. Put a sharp knife under some hot water and run arounf the edge of the inside the tin, before popping the clasp. The cake will come away much cleaner from the sides.

The Great Irish Bake Off has started up again and this year I have a  friend baking in the tent. I got to know her through my own time on the Bake Off in Season 2 and I was delighted to see she got off on a very good start the other night!! This week was desserts, and the technical challenge was a very persnickety gelatin infused, biscuit baked, no bake mango and something or other (I really can't remember!!) cheesecake.

On account of my dislike for biscuit bases, I refused t follow the recipe exactly but have paid homage to the mango in the recipe above. So it's almost the same thing right? A no bake, cheats make, cheesecake that is genuinely great!!

One to pull out for the next dinner party... You're friends will love you for it!!

Green Tea and Pistachio Bundt

This week.. let's see.. Oh wow! That was some week. 

It started with green tea donuts. Fail. Then double chocolate macarons. Fail. 

And I really did not feel like baking anything else. Because, well see I just can't handle my entire kitchen and cupboards of ingredients conspiring against me! But I remembered I had to bake my last cake with my lovely group The Cake Slice Bakers.. This month is the last month of our book, The Southern Cake Book, and it was a free choice. I remember there being a matcha bake way back when as a choice, and figured since I bombed on one matcha bake this week.. why not make it a two for.

Just feeling incredibly sorry for myself in case you hadn't figured.. Self pity party, table for one.

But then this one worked... and I was very happy with it! Well as happy as one can be after the realisation I forgot to marble it.. ooops! I also didn't have the required ingredients for the glaze that the book called for so made a vanilla sugar glaze and loaded it with yummy pistachios! But it did restore my fate in myself as a baker and as I went to take pictures...

Champ got sick. And I got sick and now I am back to feeling super sorry for myself and have nothing but a few photos on a bake I can no longer taste thanks to my smashing new head cold!

Can we just write this week off and start fresh after the bank holiday on Monday??

Green Tea and Pistachio Bundt 

adapted from The Southern Cake Book's Green Tea- Honeysuckle Cake pg 205

225g soft butter
575g caster sugar
60ml honey
6 large eggs at room temp.
675g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
125ml buttermilk
2tsp green tea (matcha) powder
1 tsp vanilla
250g icing sugar
60ml milk
100g chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F or Gas Mark 3. Grease a bundt pan with butter and flour until coated. Tip out any excess flour.
Beat the butter until creamy and slowly add the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the honey and mix until just blended.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing a little after each addition.
Sift the flour, baking powder and add to the butter mixture in batches, alternating with the milk.
Fold in the matcha and combine until blended through.
Bake for at least one hour to one hour 15, on the middle shelf, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack. When cool, remove from the tin and poor over the glaze.

Make the glaze:

Add the vanilla, milk and icing sugar to a pot and allow to melt together over a low heat, until just heated. Pour immediately over the cold, turned out cake and sprinkle with the chopped pistachio.

Want to check out what the rest of the bakers choose as their final bake.. Have a peek at the linky below.. BUT also come back next month, for our new book reveal!! It's such a pretty one...

An InLinkz Link-up