Merry Christmas - 2011

Can't find the Christmas cakes pictures... but here's one of my Christmas decorations!

Dinosaur toast!

Ok - it's not exactly baking, but usually we ask our little cupcakes whether they want their toast in squares or rectangles (quarters of halves).  Making the mistake of asking what shape they want their toast elecited some interesting responses - this one was dinosaur toast - and here is the T-rex and a Stegosaurus...

My birthday cake - 2011

After feeling seriously uninspired for what to make for my own birthday cake I got my hubby to take me to my favourite cake supplies shop and I decided just to copy one of theirs.  I've only got a pic of my cake - theirs was remarkably similar, but with pastel icing.
Anyhoo - here's my cake!

Halloween cupcakes for work

The pale ones with the white topping are Jack O'Lantern cupcakes - made with pumpkin with a cream cheese icing, and the chocolate ones are vegan chocolate cakes with regular vanilla icing and chocolate drizzle.  I put little Halloween cupcake picks in them to serve!

Not a cupcake - Sausage Mummies for Halloween...

These aren't a cupcake - they're sausage mummies - we had them for halloween.  I got my mum to make them for all of us as I was at work all day!

Happy Halloween!

Ok - I copied this picture from the lovely people at the Magical Cupcake Company and I don't know if it's one of theirs or it it is in turn off someone else's cupcake website and they had copied it from someone else - so - if someone provides me with credits I will credit them, but I love love love this but now don't know exactly where it's from!

Bread in the Kenwood - for Fay!

Here is how I make our weekly bread in my fabulouso Kenwood mixer... This makes 2 standards loaves.

First weigh out 2lb of flour and a big pinch of salt into a bowl, then add 1 sachet of yeast, 1 pint of tepid water and a couple of tablespoons of oil:

 

Then put the bowl on the mixer and mix until it all comes together....

I then add a bit of flour and give it a couple of turns with my hand in the bowl to bring it together and make it smooth.

Take the bowl off the mixer, cover with a cloth and leave to rise.  NB do not be tempted to leave the bowl on the mixer under the plastic cover - I have done this and when the bread rises you end up with bread in every nook and cranny of the mixer - it's not good...

When the bread is risen prod it a couple of times to release the air and then scoop it out onto a floured bench to knock back (do not put it back on the machine to knock it back as this will kill it!).  I just turn it over a few times to make it nice and smooth again.

Then when it's nice and smooth I gently cut in in half, then turn the halves over to smooth them off and pop them into a greased and floured tin.

Cover the tins with the tea towel and leave to rise again.  I also put my oven on as high as it will go to warm up, but it depends on how long your oven takes to heat up for when you should do this.  

When it's nicely risen pop the bread in the oven - in my oven it takes 25 mins to be done in the loaf tins I use, but your timing will depend on your oven and whether you use tins or do it freestylee!

Here's our bread for the week.