May 31, 2007

The Biggest Morning Tea


Work held its Biggest Morning Tea cancer fundraiser on Wednesday 31 May and after the success of my cupcakes at my bosses bbq earlier this year, I couldn't resist whipping up another batch. I use the Magnolia Bakery recipe with a few slight adjustments as the originals are just too sweet for this side of the world.

May 20, 2007

Bored and Baking


I've had a hankering for a good hunk of ginger crunch for a while. Auntie Pauline used to do a good crunchy GC, but since then every piece I've come across has looked the part, but has ended up too base-y, not ginger-y enough or just plain disappointing.

During my trawl through the contents of Nana's Recipe Drawer I found this little gem of a recipe that ticked all the boxes.


GINGER CRUNCH

Base:

125g butter

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 c plain flour

1 tsp ground ginger


Icing:

2 tbsp butter
3 tsp ground ginger

2 rounded tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp water

2 c icing sugar

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line an 18x28cm slice tin with baking paper making sure to have enough at the sides so you can pull the slice out when it's cooled.
  • For the base: Cut the cold butter into cubes and place in a food processor with the flour, baking powder and ginger. Pulse until the texture of coarse breadcrumbs. Press the crumbly mixture into the slice tin firmly and evenly.
  • Bake for about 10 minutes or until evenly and lightly browned. While hot, it will still feel hot. While the base cooks, prepare the icing.
  • For the icing: Place the butter, ginger, golden syrup and water in a saucepan and heat without boiling until melted. Take off the heat and stir in sifted icing sugar. Beat until smooth.
  • When the base is cooked, take it from the oven and pour the warm icing over the hot base. Spread evenly over the base.
  • Leave the slice in the tin to cool and set.
  • When it has cooled completely, remove from the tin. Slice into large squares and store in an airtight container. Do not refrigerate!

May 19, 2007

Fat Pancakes


It wasn't until I started reminiscing about my favourite childhood food memories that I remembered Nana Brownie's Christmas morning breakfast. We'd arrive at 8am with a pillowcase of presents from Father Christmas clutched in our hands all sugared up from eating Chocolate Santas.

Nana would be in the kitchen stirring pancake batter and checking the progress of the bacon, and Grandad would be in the lounge on his chair with a glass of ginger ale.
Christmas morning breakfast was always the same: fat, fluffy American pancakes, crispy bacon (coated in flour before grilling for extra crunch), orange juice and gallons of real maple syrup sent over from Canada by Uncle John. I used to call them "Fat Pancakes" and still do...

FAT PANCAKES

250g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

4 tbsp brown sugar

2 free-range eggs, beaten
250ml milk
50g butter, melted

Butter for frying


  • Sift the flour, baking powder and brown sugar into a bowl.- In another bowl, mix the eggs and milk.
  • Combine wet ingredients into dry and add melted butter.
  • Whisk with a balloon whisk until the batter is smooth.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
  • Heat a frying pan on a medium-high heat, then add a little butter.
  • When butter is foamy, pour in a large cooking spoon of batter. Circle pan to spread the mixture.
  • Cook for 1 minute or until golden, then flip to do the other side.
  • Keep pancakes warm on a plate in a low oven
  • Nana used to put a sprinkling of sugar between each layer.
  • Serve in stacks with your choice of crsipy bacon, caramelised bananas, fresh fruit, real maple syrup, golden syrup or lemon and sugar.