I have been asked for so many recipes now that I thought I would include a page on the website to make it easier for everyone to access. This is therefore, a work in progress. I only do easy things so anyone could have a go at these recipes and few of them require strict adherence to amounts so they are only there for guidance. As I have learnt, ovens seem to have a mind of their own when it comes to temperatures (I have 3 and they all cook at different rates on the same temperatures) so I am sure that you will know more about your own ovens than I can tell you. We will add some photos as soon as we can – as I will need to make everything again, this could take some time! I will also include some recipes for larger quantities – it has always been a problem for me to find recipes that will cater for 12 people or more and there never seems to be enough mixture in the recipes to make the amounts that they say for cakes and scones etc. In my view, the secret to success with cooking is not to be frightened to use your own common sense and judgement and give it a go.
Where I can, I will credit those people who have given me recipes and if you would like me to add a recipe of yours that you know works, please let me know.
Almond Glazed Amaretto and Cherry Cake
Although there seem to be a lot of ingredients here, this is much easier than it may look and is a firm favourite in our house. I came up with this recipe having searched in vain for a moist cherry and almond cake recipe that tasted like the one that you can sometimes buy along the road at Abbey Parks Farm Shop (if you haven’t been, I recommend it). It appears that there are more recipes for almond cakes in America and I have adapted my recipe from several of the recipes that I found. It is an incredibly moist cake that keeps really well; it is a brilliant accompaniment to coffee or tea and makes a good desert with creme fraiche or cream. As nearly all of the recipes I found include almond paste, I made my own for use in this cake (it keeps in the fridge for several weeks). I use my kitchenaid mixer to make this, which makes it really easy. If you haven’t got one, you are in for a lot of beating. The glaze is entirely optional but my family insist that it wouldn’t be the same without it. This will serve 12 easily.
Almond Paste
10oz Ground Almonds
5oz Icing Sugar + 1 cup
2-4tbsp amaretto
1 egg
Beat together until the paste comes together (don’t overdo it), lightly knead into a ball and store in an airtight container in the fridge. (There is enough here for at least 3 cakes).
The Cake
You will need: a 23 cm loose bottomed cake tine lined with baking parchment
Oven temperature: 180ºc
Baking time: 60-90 minutes. Set the oven shelf roughly in the middle.
Ingredients:
11/3 cups granulated sugar (this seems to work better than caster sugar)
3/4 cup almond paste
10oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large eggs at room temperature
vanilla extract (optional)
glace cherries roughly chopped and tossed in a tablespoon of the flour
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1-2tbsp milk if needed
flaked almonds for the top of the cake
Beat together the sugar and almond paste until the paste is finely broken up. Add the butter and beat until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk the eggs together with a fork then dribble into the almond mixture whilst still beating. Add the vanilla extract if you are adding. Sift together the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture gently. Fold in the cherries. Add the milk if needed. The cake mixture shouln’t be too stiff. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and place in the oven. Cook for about 1 1/4 hours or until a cake skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes whilst you are making the glaze then remove from tine and place on a cooling rack. Pour over glaze whilst the cake is still warm.
Amaretto Glaze
1 -2 oz butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup amaretto
1 cup sugar
Melt the butter in a saucepan then add the other ingredients. Stir to dissolve the sugar then bring to boil and stir for 2-3 minutes. Place a plate underneath the cake and pour over the glaze so that the top is covered and some runs down the side. If needed pour over the glaze that you have caught on the plate. Leave to cool, preferably overnight.
Tracey’s Chocolate Brownies
Many thanks to Tracey for this recipe – it deserves to be included as the very first recipe on the website. I have spent hours over the years with fussy chocolate brownie recipes and this is, without doubt, the best and the easiest – Tracey promised me it would be! Although the recipe states baking in 2″x8″ round times, I usually make this in an oblong tin about 12″x8″ and 2″ deep. Metric measurements are below.
You will need: 30cmx20cm baking tin (I usually line mine with baking parchment)
Oven temperature: 180ºc
Baking time: 25-35 minutes (do not be tempted to leave in the oven any longer – these are better undercooked than overcooked)
Ingredients:
250g butter melted
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 (100g) packs of choc chips (I use 300g of dark chocolate chips used for catering and they are brilliant)
Instructions:
Mix melted butter and cocoa powder. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and stir. Stir in baking powder and flour (don’t beat). Stir in choc chips. Put in tin and bake. I usually take them out of the oven after a maximum of 30 minutes and leave to cool in the tin before turning out and cutting into squares.
