Baking with Ali: LAMINGTONS!

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Easter Baking Ideas

Easter baking is some of the most delightful baking of the year. With the Easter message of reflection and renewal, after the sombre days of the feast have passed a joyful celebration with merry colours and appropriate dishes confirms that life can begin again. Baking itself is more of a pleasure as well at this time of year as kitchens are becoming cooler after the summer's heat.
Leading up to the celebration day, a traditional Easter baked good served for Good Friday breakfasts, and one with a very long history, is the hot, crossed bun. In London in 1592, the Clerk of the Markets decreed that bakers were allowed to sell such spiced breads only at burials, the Friday before Easter, or at Christmas.
Hot Crossed Easter Buns
These round, soft, yeast buns are flavoured usually with cinnamon or mixed spices, and have sultanas kneaded into the dough before baking. There are many variations to the recipes with some adding currants, citrus peel, and other dried fruits, such as apricots, as well.
As the name suggests, the top of the bun has a simple decoration of a cross. Sometimes the cross was incised with a knife before baking; often it was made by adding strips of pastry. In modern times, it is likely that the cross shape is piped on with icing after the buns have cooled slightly.
If baking Easter buns is a bit out of scope for you, then another great Easter baking idea is biscuits, also a wonderful tradition.
Easter Egg Biscuits
Easter biscuits can be quite elaborate, if the fancy strikes you. For something simple, an easy idea for including children in the preparations is to start with a plain arrowroot biscuit.
Give each child a blunt butter knife and dishes with different coloured icing, as well as a bowl containing lollies, jelly beans, shredded coconut or sprinkles. They can use the lollies and sprinkles to decorate the biscuits they have spread with the icing mixture so it looks like an Easter egg.
Icing can also be spooned into a small snap-lock bag. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag and the children can use it to pipe stripes and other designs onto their biscuits.
Home-baking your Easter biscuits will add more options to your decorating as you can cut the homemade, rolled dough into the shape of bunnies, chicks and crosses.
Baking an Easter Cake
A little bit outside of the box for Easter baking, but always a favourite, is an Easter carrot cake. Carrot cakes can be very rich and a small slice will make a full serving. The recipe below is an adaption of this favourite in a loaf form that makes the dessert easier to transport or to give as a gift.
Easter Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

Baking with Lorraine: Cupcakes!

Lorraine wants to be a housewife. She just wanted to bake. Song: Coconut Records "Nighttiming"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rLwIoXX5pI&hl=en

Baking Coconut Sponge Part 4

The icing and jamming part.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MdIW3k8V6c&hl=en

Baking - Angel Food Cake Recipes

Angel food cakes are basically sponge cakes that have no fat or egg yolk in them; they are leavened with air and steam instead of the more common leavenings such as baking powder and baking soda. This means that the egg whites need to have the greatest amount of air beaten into them that's possible. Take special care when folding the other ingredients into the egg whites; if you aren't gentle, they'll lose some of their volume. Make sure that all the utensils and bowls that you use with the egg whites are clean, dry and totally grease-free; the slightest speck of grease will keep the whites from gaining volume when they're beaten.

Use medium speed when beating the egg whites; the goal is not to beat them stiff, but to beat all the air into them that you can. You need to use a very large bowl to beat them in, because a dozen egg whites will fill up a large bowl after they're beaten to a soft peak. Using cold egg whites will help prevent overbeating-they have air bubbles that are smaller and sturdier compared to room temperature egg whites that produce large and fragile air bubbles. Using cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites and makes the cake white. Your batter should not be stiff, and you should be able to pour it into the pan when done.

Use regular granulated sugar and sift some with the flour to prevent clumping in the batter. Sugar that isn't mixed with the flour is beaten with the egg whites. Never just pour your flour into the egg whites; sift it one-quarter at a time over the whites and gently fold each one-quarter flour addition into the whites. Use a whisk or a rubber spatula (with no grease on it) to fold additions into the egg whites. Take your time and don't hurry.

An angel food cake pan has a flat bottom that can be removable. It also has a tube in the middle of it that supports the cake while it's rising in the oven. Do not grease or flour pans that angel food cake is to be baked in; it won't bake like it should because, it's not able to cling to the sides and central tube to rise. Do make sure your pan is clean, dry and grease-free.

The cake must be inverted immediately to cool when it comes out of the oven. If the pan doesn't have feet on it, put the tube over a glass bottle to support it. Cool the cake completely upside down so that it doesn't collapse when it's turned upright. Use a serrated knife with a sawing motion to cut angel food cake; a regular knife will make it compact and squish together. An angel food cake should keep for at least 2 to 3 days, but they don't freeze well.

For topping, try drizzling the cake with a glaze made with fruit, or just use a plain sugar glaze. Fresh fruit really goes great with angel food cake-don't forget whipped cream, too! Seven-minute or White Mountain frosting looks and tastes fantastic on angel food. Sprinkle coconut on the tops and sides and press lightly into the frosting to make a great special occasion cake. Just make sure to eat it all within 2 to 3 days; this type of cooked frosting breaks down in hot or humid conditions. Buttercream frostings are good on angel food. You can also split the cake into layers and fill with buttercream or whipped cream.

Overnight Ginger Snaps - Add Spice to Your Holiday Baking

Recently it dawned on me that many of the recipes I love contain spices-cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg, and I wondered why that is. Why do recipes for Pumpkin Pie, Molasses Crinkles, Tomato Soup Cake, Cinnamon Buns and War Cake appeal so much to me and make me recall happy childhood memories? Why do I choose these recipes over and over again?

Perhaps it has to do with aromas, with the sense of smell invoking memories. According to research I did on the internet, the word 'spice' refers to a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf, or vegetable substance, and the earliest evidence of its use by humankind was around 50,000 B.C. Back then, spices were connected with magic, medicine, religion, tradition and preservation (think mummification).

During the Middle Ages, spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves were imported to Europe from plantations in Asia and Africa, and with the discovery of the New World additional spices found their home in the kitchen. Who can imagine cooking without vanilla, allspice, bell and chilli peppers, and even chocolate? What a bland world we would live in.

So now this makes sense to me, my predilection for sharing spicy recipes and the memories each recipe evokes in me. I'll do my best to offer a variety of recipes in the future, recipes that contain no cinnamon or cloves or ginger, but not today.

Today I'm sharing a recipe for Overnight Ginger Snaps, another one of my favourite recipes that have been passed down from mother to daughter. I hope you try these-they are simple to make, oh so tasty (even the raw dough is good), and will certainly be a hit with your family this holiday season. These crisp, crunchy cookies dearly beg to be dipped into a steaming cup of coffee or tea or hot chocolate, so you may want to have the coffee brewed or the kettle on when you offer these treats to your loved ones.

Overnight Ginger Snaps

1 cup shortening

½ cup molasses

½ cup brown sugar

2 tsp. ginger

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. cloves

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

2 ½ - 3 cups flour

Directions

Cream together shortening and molasses. Add brown sugar, spices, salt and baking soda. Add flour last. Mix together well. Roll in long rolls, wrap in waxed paper and place in refrigerator until firm. Slice and bake in moderate (350° F) oven for 10 - 12 minutes until lightly browned.

Note: Cookie dough keeps in refrigerator for several days or can also be frozen to bake when you wish.

Easy Cake Recipes For Baking Newbies

If you fall into the novice rank of baking, you are probably on the lookout for less complex but tasty recipes. Sometimes a nice home baked cake is just the thing to brighten a dull afternoon, but you don't have to be a trained baker to pull off a simple, yet delicious cake. In this article, I've included a few of my favorite cake recipes that should be quite do-able for people with all kinds of baking experience (or lack thereof!). I hope you enjoy them!

Cherry Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
5 (8-oz) packages of cream cheese (softened)
1 (21-oz) can cherry pie filling
3 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 cup sour cream
3 tbsp flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
4 eggs

Directions:
Line a 13 x 9-in baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure that he foil extends up over the sides of the baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the butter and the Oreo crumbs together. Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan (this will be your chocolate graham-like crust). In a large bowl, use a fork to soften the cream cheese a bit, then add the flour, sugar, and vanilla. Use a mixer set to a low speed and blend the ingredients together. Pour this over the Oreo crust. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until the center of the cheese cake is nearly set. Allow the cake to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Top with the cherry pie filling. Use the foil to lift the cake from the pan for easy cutting and serving.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 can sliced pineapple rings, drained
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter

Directions:
Coat a large cake pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of brown sugar onto the butter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of coconut over the brown sugar. Arrange the pineapple rings (no overlapping) on top of the coconut, then place a cherry in the center of each ring and in between rings, if you like. Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box, then pour the batter over the pineapple rings. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 - 50 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Cool for about 20 minutes. To transfer to a serving plate, place the plate on top of the baking dish, then carefully turn over. The cake should slide out of the baking dish and onto the serving plate.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 tsp baking soda
2 very ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:
Mix the yellow cake batter according to the directions on the box. Mash the bananas together with the baking soda. Stir this into the cake batter and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13-in baking dish. Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for one hour. DO NOT preheat the oven before placing the cake in. Let the cake cool thoroughly before serving. Can be topped with cream cheese frosting after it has cooled.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 package instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
4 eggs
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Grease a 10-in Bundt cake pan (or a 9 x 13-in baking pan). Stir together the cake mix, butterscotch pudding mix, and vanilla pudding mix. Add the oil, water, and eggs and blend together well. In another bowl, mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nuts. Pour half of the cake batter into the pan, then sprinkle half of the nut mixture on top. Pour the remaining batter into the pan, then top with the remaining nut mixture. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, then turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F and bake for another 40 minutes.

Baking For Memories

Baking. It's fun, and full of wonderfully made memories, but do you realize what it is? It's one of the less favorable cooking processes today because, well, it just takes too much time to do. People know how to do it, but the problem is it's not convenient. It's easy to just go ahead and buy something from the store. However, there is a small resurgence in baking and more people are becoming more receptive to it, because it can be quite fun. By decorating your cup cakes and other baked goods you are ensuring that you are building lasting memories with you and your family.

To get started, you need some kind of bakeware that is high in quality and can take the heat (no pun intended). One of the most popular options of baking are cakes and cup cakes. Both are made from the same batter. One is just smaller and more formed than the other. Whichever way you go, you simply can't go wrong. You can find all the information on baking and find different recipes on baking cup cakes and cakes.

There are cake pans and other bake ware that you can purchase for this venture, but it's important to buy them at a trusted source, instead of buying them at your local cooking store. Open up all your options and start thinking about what kinds of things to bake. You should never be too busy to bake. It's a fun process and best of all it will build lasting memories to be remembered forever.

Is Canola Oil Good For Baking?

Canola oil is good for your heart and to use in the kitchen for cooking but have you ever wondered if it's good to bake with?

One of the healthiest for your heart and most versatile cooking oil in use today, Canola oil is used widely by both home cooks and professional chefs alike. It's light, clear and has a mild taste, which makes it ideal for cooking, fondues, stir-frying, salads and marinades. And, yes, even baking!

This oil can replace the other types of unhealthy fats or oils you've used previously in baking to help lower the saturated and trans fat content of your favorite recipes. Besides using it in the recipe itself, use it to generously grease your cake pans and cookie sheets so you've eliminated even more fats from your diet. Every little bit you can change in the kitchen will count toward your better overall health.

When using Canola oil as a substitution for shortenings or margarines, replace it in the following measurements:

Solid Fat to Oil Conversion Chart

Solid Fat-------------------------Oil

1 cup---------------------------3/4 cup

3/4 cup------------------------2/3 cup

1/2 cup------------------------1/3 cup

1/ 3 cup-----------------------1/4 cup

1/4 cup------------------------3 Tablespoons

1 teaspoon--------------------3/4 teaspoon

1 Tablespoon------------------2 1/4 teaspoons

2 Tablespoons-----------------1-1/2 Tablespoons

Now get ready for some delicious recipes using Canola oil for baking:

BEST BROWNIES EVER

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1 Cup White Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Cocoa

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Beat Canola oil and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, add vanilla. Slowly add flour, salt, cocoa and nuts. Beat until thoroughly mixed together.

Grease 8x8 inch pan with Canola oil (spray is OK). Spread mixture in pan and bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Test several places in middle of pan with cake tester for doneness.

Cool in pan and then cut into squares. Frost if you would like.

COCONUT-DATE MACAROONS

3/4 tsp. Canola Oil

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Egg

1 1/2 Cups Finely Chopped Dates

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1 Cup Coconut

Beat egg and sugar in medium size pot. Add chopped dates. Over low heat, cook-stirring constantly until dates are softened and stringy. About 15 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes. Stir in oil, vanilla and cereal. Mix very well.

Roll into a walnut size ball and then roll in coconut. Place on waxed paper.

Transfer to containers when completely cool. These may be frozen for later use.

COLD OVEN POUND CAKE

1/2 lb. Butter

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

3 Cups White Sugar

5 Large Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 Cup Milk

With mixer, beat butter until well creamed. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and slowly add the oil and sugar, alternately, while beating well. Add eggs one at t time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add them alternately with the milk to the butter mixture. Beat well.

Pour into a well greased and floured tube pan. Put cake in a COLD oven, and THEN turn on oven to 350°. Bake for about 60 to 75 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then turn upside on wire rack to finish cooling. Cake should slide out of pan as it cools.

Serve with berries or ice cream or frost with a drizzling of powdered sugar frosting in the flavor of your choice.

WHEAT AND POTATO CORN BREAD

1 Pkg Active Dry Yeast

1 Tbs. Sugar

2 Cups Warm Potato Water, Divided

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

1 Tbs. Salt

3/4 Cup Mashed Potatoes-no butter, milk or seasonings

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

3 Cups Whole-Wheat Flour

1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal

Mix the yeast and sugar well with 1/2 Cup warm potato water and let set for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, salt and the remaining potato water. Add the mashed potatoes, stir in the yeast/sugar/water mixture and beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours and cornmeal, stir.

Add the flours gradually to the wet ingredients to make stiff dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead until the dough is no longer sticky-about 10 minutes.

Place in a well-greased glass bowl and turn over in bowl to coat the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel and allow to rise in a draft free place until doubled-about 2 hours.

Punch down the dough and knead another 3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise again for about 30 minutes.

Place on a well-floured board and divide into 2 parts. Leave the dough on the board, cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 400°.

Place into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough appears just above the top of the pans-about 1 hour. Dust the loaves lightly with flour.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes OR until brown and hollow sounding when tapped with your knuckle or a butter knife handle.

Immediately turn out of the pans onto a clean cloth and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

These are just a few of the great tasting recipes using Canola Oil that are good for your heart and your tummy! Enjoy!

Happy Baking Recipes

Finding happiness in baking can come from many things. The first whiff of chocolate from a freshly opened bag of chocolate chips. The joy on a child's face when they are able to crack the egg into the bowl by themselves. The absolutely delightful smell that fills every corner, nook and cranny of your home as your baking creation comes to life in the oven. The smile on the faces of friends and family when you bring that special dessert to the table. But sometimes the most simple joy can come simply from the fun and creative names of the treats that we bake. These two recipes brought a smile to my face simply because of their names. I hope that they do the same for you.

Happy Day Cake

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add in the shortening, milk and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat the mixture for 2 minutes. Add in the egg and beat the mixture for an additional one minute. Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan. Pour the mixture into the cake pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Frost with your favorite frosting (chocolate in our house) or top with berries and whipped cream.

Cloud Nine Butterscotch Squares

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 package (3 3/4 ounce) butterscotch instant pudding mix

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat the butter until it is creamy. Add in the pudding mix and mix well. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Alternately add in the milk and the flour. Mix well. Stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Put the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 Degree oven for 20 minutes. Cool and then frost with the following.

Chocolate frosting

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons milk

1 1 / 2 cups sugar

1 / 2 cup chocolate chips

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, milk and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil heavy. Allow the mixture to boil rapidly for 30 seconds. Remove the mixture from heat and add chocolate chips. Allow to cool slightly, then frost the bars.

We wish you ahappy, cloud nine kind of day!

Baking with Beth: Mango Bread

This recipe is a recipe for the first time for me. And 'famous titles Hunky Bunch Hawaiian Mango Bread 2 cups flour 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 / 2 tsp. 2 teaspoons salt. 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Baking powder 1 cup flaked coconut 1 / 2 cup raisins (I do not use, but the nuts Mac - Put delish) 2 cups fresh mango, diced 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 tsp. Vanilla sugar 3 / 4 cup vegetable oil Prepare four bread pans (2-1/2 x 5 inches) with a Teflon spray or coating them. I used a regular bread pan and a smaller one. Mixtureflour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir in coconut and raisins (or mac nuts). Next, add mango. Mix well and then add eggs, vanilla extract and vegetable oil until blended. Don't over mix. Fill prepared pans two thirds full and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes for smaller pans or 1 hour (mine was 70 minutes) for larger pans. Serving size: 1 slice 310 calories 6 gm protein 14 gm fat 43 gm carbs 35 mg cholesterol 2 gm fiber 115 mg sodium



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6izxUR6IFiM&hl=en