Top Trump of Traybakes - Caramel Shortcake

Caramel shortcake, in my opinion has to be the top trump of the traybakes. I mean what isn't there to like? On the bottom is a delicious shortcake, the kind that melts in your mouth. The middle layer is of course the squishy caramel, not too runny and sickly sweet but perfectly set. The top layer has to be a decent milk chocolate. All too many a caramel shortcake is ruined by cheap nasty chocolate.

Working on a recipe for gluten-free was pretty straightforward. The top two layers are fine, it's just the base that poses a wee problem. After a couple of attempts and a wee tweak to the quantities I think I have it pretty much sussed.


Wheat Free Yes Gluten Free Yes   
Makes approx 15 squares but of course this depends on how big you like them!

Ingredients 

BASE
175g GF plain flour
125g butter cut into small pieces
50g soft brown sugar (sieved)

TOPPING
50g butter
50g sugar
400g can condensed milk
150g good quality chocolate
 
Method 

1. Preheat oven to 190oC/ Gas Mark 5.
2. Grease a baking tin (the oblong ones used for tray bakes)
3. Sieve the flour in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix to form a firm dough.
4. Press the dough into a pan and prick with a fork.
5. Bake in oven for 20mins.
6. To make the topping place the butter, sugar and condensed milk in a non-stick saucepan ad cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to the boil.
7. Reduce the heat and cook for 4-5mins until the caramel is pale, golden and thick and is coming away from the sides of the pan. Pour the topping over the shortbread.
8. When the caramel has cooled, melt the chocolate, spread over the caramel and leave to set in a cool place.
9. Cut into squares.
10. Enjoy!

GF Muffins are Best!

Here is a little fact that I keep forgetting to share. I always thought that I was just really good at making muffins but it seems that GF flour is the magic in the muffin mix!

When I was on Britain's Best Dish last year I got the opportunity to talk to Ed Baines (one of the judges) about gluten-free cooking. I can't remember why we got onto the subject of muffins but he reckons GF flour actually works better than plain flour in muffins. It is something to do wth the gluten reacting with the wet ingredients (hence why it is really important not to over mix muffins). He even said that some of the bakeries in the States use GF flour as a matter of course.

I therefore always make GF muffins (nothing to do with the fact I can eat them!).

So what is the best tasting muffin? In our house there is a big debate on this. Some go for a nice simple blueberry muffin, I am quite partial to a raspberry and white chocolate muffin but the kids tend to go most crazy over the double-chocolate Nutella muffin (our own concoction!).

These are best serve warm with the chocolate Nutella spread oozing in the middle. Yum!

I've posted the basic recipe before but here is a specific one.

Chocolate & Nutella Muffins

Wheat Free Yes
Gluten Free Yes 

Ingredients
------------

Sift together:
2 cups gluten free plain flour (minus 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1tsp xanthan gum
3 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat together:
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup of chocolate chips (optional)
Nutella



Method
--------

1. Add the wet ingredients to the sifted ingredients. The trick with muffins is not to over mix. Stir until only combined (batter will be lumpy).
2. Add chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cases (makes about 9 large ones) with a spoonful of the mixture. To make good quality muffins it is best to sit paper cases into a muffin tin.
4. Put a tsp Nutella in the middle of each mixture.
5. Add the remaining mixture to the cases (covering over the Nutella).
6. Cook in oven for approx 20mins at 170oC
7. Enjoy warm!

Note - Can be frozen and reheated in the microwave.

Shoestring cooking...

So this week's challenge is to cook for a week with just the ingredients at home. No 'big Tesco shop' and no nipping out when I haven't got something I need. It's all about using up what's in the freezer and the store cupboards (both which are pretty full).

We started last night and tea wasn't a big hit. I got some cheap pork a couple of weeks ago which I slow cooked in onions and cider and then mixed in some creme fraiche at the end. It tasted nice at the time but its journey from the freezer through to the microwave (because I forgot to take it out to defrost!) meant the meat had either shredded in the sauce or was a bit dry.

On a plus note the roast spuds and mashed potato were fab!

To compensate I threw together six mini chocolate puddings and served them with ice-cream. Yum!

The recipe I use for the chocolate pudding is actually one for I created for a birthday cake but it is lovely served warm and is very light and moist. I have a lovely tin which I purchased a number of years ago from Lakeland which has six individual min-cake sections. You can also make wonderful mini Victoria sponges in it too.

Anyway here's the recipe for my mini-cakes:

Chocolate mini-cakes

Wheat Free Yes Gluten Free Yes
Makes 6
  
Ingredients 

100g softened butter
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp GF baking powder
80g GF self raising flour (I like to use Doves)
20g GF Cocoa powder

 
Method 
1. Preheat oven to 180oC
2. Mix all ingredients together
3. Put into 6 individual mini cake tins (or ramekins would work fine)
4. Cook for 10mins or until the cakes are springy to touch.
5. Enjoy warm with cream, ice-cream or custard

Perfect Pancakes

Wheat Free Yes Gluten Free Yes
Makes lots!  

Ingredients 
2 cups GF self raising flour
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups milk (might need more or less depending on the shape of pancake)
 
Method 
1. In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar and salt.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the milk and eggs.
3. Using a whisk mix until smooth.
4. Leave for 10 mins.
5. Coat a griddle or non-stick pan with a little oil (wipe excess off with some kitchen roll). Put on a medium-hot heat. 
6. Using a ladle pour onto the pan and use the back of the ladle to smooth it out. Once bubbles appear all over the pancake flip over.
7. Keep warm under a clean teatowel and repeat until all the mixture is used up.
8. Enjoy!

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Wheat Free Yes  Gluten Free Yes
Makes 1 Large Cake  

Warning - This cake is super-chocolatey and a trust me, a tiny slice will suffice!

I made this cake for my son's birthday. He does not follow a gluten-free diet however there is unwritten rule in our house that if I can't eat it, I don't make it! I also made it for my sister's Silver Wedding anniversary bash. It is very rich, some kids find it too rich so I would class this as a real 'adult' indulgence. 

The recipe is based on a BBC Good Food recipe however I have tweaked quite a few of the ingredients, the number of tins used, oven temp and time so I would class it now as my own.

Ingredients

175g good quality dark chocolate , about 70% cocoa solids

25g good quality milk chocolate

200g butter, softened

1 tsp instant coffee granules mixed with 125ml cold water

85g Gluten free self-raising flour

85g gluten free plain flour

1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g light muscovado sugar

200g golden caster sugar

25g cocoa powder

3 medium eggs

100ml milk 

grated chocolate or curls, to decorate 

For the ganache:

175g good quality dark chocolate , about 70% cocoa solids

25g good quality milk chocolate
284ml carton double cream 

 
Method 

1.  Preheat the oven to fan 160C/ gas 3
2. Grease and line three shallow cake tins
3. Break the chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then  pour in the coffee mixture. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted (don't overheat). 
4. While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the milk.
5. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Divide this evenly between the three tins and bake for about 25 minutes. If you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When the cakes are cold make the ganache. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
7. Put the ganache in the fridge to firm a little (spreading consistancy) 
8. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Using a palette knife cover the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with grated chocolate, chocolate icing (shop bought fudge writing icing is fab) or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

 Enjoy!

Oat, Chocolate Chip & Cranberry Cookies

Wheat Free Yes
Gluten Free Yes (if you use GF flour, baking powder and oats)

Makes 24

125g Butter
125g Light brown soft sugar
1tsp Vanilla extract
1 egg
90g Plain flour sifted (gluten free specialist flour or rice flour. If using rice flour also add a splash of milk otherwise they will be quite dry)
1/2tsp Baking powder mixed with 4tsp warm water (check label as some powders contain gluten)
140g Porridge oats (for gluten free cookies uses GF oats)
185g Milk choc chips & cranberries (you can use one or the other or I like a mixture of both)
25g Dessicated coconut
75g Raisins

Method
--------
1. Preheat the oven to 170oC
2. Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence
3. Add the egg, flour and baking powder mixture and mix together
4. In a separate bowl mix the remaining ingredients
5. Mix both mixtures together
6. Place rounded spoonfuls onto a baking tray
7. Bake in the oven for approx 10min
8. Leave for a couple of minutes to cool then cool completely on a wire rack
9. Enjoy!

Muffins

Wheat Free Yes (if you use Spelt flour then No)
Gluten Free Yes (if you use Spelt flour then No)

Ingredients
------------

Sift together:
2 cups gluten free plain flour (I use spelt flour, but my wheat intolerance is not affected by it)
1tsp xanthan gum
3 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat together:
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup of extras (this list is extensive but I have so far tried):
blueberries
raspberries
choc chunks
fudge chopped into small bites (lovely and gooey when they melt)

all are delish!

Method
--------

1. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. The trick with muffins is not to overmix. Stir until only combined (batter will be lumpy)
2. Add 'extras'
3. Fill muffin cases (makes about 10 large ones). To make good quality muffins it is best to sit paper cases into a muffin tin.
4. Cook in oven for approx 20mins at 170oC
5. Enjoy warm!

Note - Can be frozen and reheated in the microwave.

Verdict
Jerry (age 12) 10/10
Craig (age 10) 10/10
Alistair (age 8) 10/10