Brown Sugar How Come You Taste So Good?

Those words “brown sugar”, reminds me of the Rolling Stones song, brown sugar how come you taste so good? I remember this song being played as a child on the radio and my father would say, “what’s that racket you’ve got on, turn it down”, * giggle*. Oh well, less of memories and onto what is most important, today’s bake!

I brought a terrific baking book this weekend called, Bars & Squares more than 200 recipes by Jill Snider. It is jammed packed with gorgeous recipes such as, apple blondies with brown sugar frosting, toffee brownies, party pink coconut squares, apricot almond bars, peanut butter candy bars, to name but a few that caught my attention. I was in quite a dilemma of what to bake first if I‘m honest here. I think what made my mind up was, I had a couple of granny smith apples and a few walnuts that needed using up. *I thought you would love these blondies too*.

These bars are brilliant with a cake-like interior and speckles of soft chunks of apple and that little bite of chopped walnuts with cinnamon flavour shining through. The frosting is scrumptious and sweet, which finishes off the all round flavour of these bars. However, the frosting is very sweet and should you wish to omit this, the blondies would taste great on their own.

Apple Blondies with Brown Sugar Frosting

Adapted from Bars & Squares more than 200 recipes by Jill Snider

Ingredients

Blondies
2/3 cup softened butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose (plain) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped peeled apples
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Brown Sugar Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 milk or cream
2 cups of confectioner’s (icing) sugar

You will need a 9in x 13 in (23cm x 33cm) baking tin lined and greased with foil.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Blondies

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and leave aside until later.

In a large bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and thick. Fold in the flour mixture gently then fold through the chopped apples, cinnamon and nuts. Place the mixture into the prepared tin, spread evenly, and smooth the top with a spatula or back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes until set and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool completely in the tin.

Brown Sugar Frosting

In a small pan over a low heat and stirring with a wooden spoon, melt the butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring the mixture to just boiling then remove from the heat to cool until lukewarm. Stir in the confectioner’s (icing) sugar mixing with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Spread evenly over the cold Blondies. Let the frosting set until firm before slicing into squares or bars of your chosen size.

Lastly, sit back and fill your boots with a slice of the apple blondies with brown sugar frosting, while playing in the background, brown sugar how come you taste so good?

On a last note, I have been avidly watching Wimbledon tennis on television especially Andy Murray matches, and I must apologise for my lack of blogging this last week.

Raspberry Jam Coconut Slice

How time has flown since my last post and it only seems like yesterday. I have been neglecting Mr. R. (my hubby) with baked treats, let alone all my ‘dear’ followers here at Baking Cakes Galore! I feel akin to a child stood in a corner with a dunce hat on saying, ‘you must try harder’. To be perfectly honest, I have been somewhat lazy in the baking department of late and Mrs R. must try harder!

Therefore, to put me on the road to baking recovery, I thought I would bake up a little treat that is an old-fashioned favourite within my family. The base to this bake is a light shortcake/pastry with a seam of sweet raspberry jam and finally a wonderful crispy coconut topping. My local bakery still bakes and sells out of this baked good daily. It is amazing how a few simple ingredients brought together and baked from scratch can bring such joy to recipients!

Raspberry Jam Coconut Slice

I cut mine into 14 slices.

Ingredients
90g butter
110g caster sugar
1 large egg
35g self-raising flower
100g plain flour
4 tsp custard powder
220g raspberry jam
Coconut Topping
160g desiccated coconut
55g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten lightly

You will need a baking tin 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12 in) – greased with a little softened butter and fully lined with baking paper, extending it 5cm over the sides.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Sift the flours and custard powder together into a bowl and set aside. Beat the butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Fold in the sifted flours and custard powder until fully combined. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking tin. (The dough does look sparse but it will fully coat the base completely.) Spread the jam carefully over dough base. Make the coconut topping by incorporating all the topping ingredients together then sprinkle the topping over the jam. Place into the preheated oven on a middle shelf to bake for approximately 40 minutes or until fully baked. The coconut will take on a lovely golden brown colour when ready. Leave to cool in the baking tin, then lift out with the baking paper edges and carefully peel away the baking paper. Cut into slices and make them as small or large as you wish. Store in an airtight container.

Notes: If your jam appears a little thick to spread, warm it slightly in a saucepan over a gentle heat on the stove.

Lastly, relax sit back and enjoy a slice of a gorgeous sweet creation you have made from starch! Oh boy, now doesn’t that taste SO good.........

You Say Whoppers I Say Maltesers!

Where I live these delightful confections of malted milk balls are called Maltesers but perhaps in your part of the world you would know them as Whoppers? However, wherever you live they still remain the same temptations of light and crunchy, in a sphere-shaped with malted centres and dressed in a layer of creamy chocolate - *slurp*. Now if you’ve not tried these little beauties you really are missing out, but if you are like my Mr R. (hubby) you’re already totally hooked on them!

These bars are simplicity itself to make by melting and mixing a few ingredients; baking the chocolate base and spreading over the malted topping with a sprinkling of chopped Maltesers. All that remains to do is cut into bars and sit back and enjoy!

*My apologies for my absent lately once again in the blogosphere! I evidently spoke too soon when I mentioned my back felt on the mends because I've spent since my last post here resting up in bed. Oh well on the upside of things, it has given me chance to bookmark bakes that took my fancy in magazines and books. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things once again*.

Malteser Bars or Whopper Bars

Ingredients

Chocolate Base:
175g (6 oz) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
175g (6 oz) good quality milk chocolate, broken up into squares
350g (12 oz) granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
225g (8 oz) plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Malted Milk Topping:
100g (4 oz) malted milk powder, (Horlicks)
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
40g (1½ oz) butter
150g (5 oz) icing sugar
150g (5 oz) maltesers /whoppers, roughly chopped

You will need a metal baking tin measuring 33cm by 23cm (13 inch by 9 inch) lined with foil (over lapping at each long side with foil) grease foil.

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

For the chocolate base: In a small bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder set aside for later.

In a large saucepan melt the butter and chocolate stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs until blended in and then lastly the flour mixture until it’s fully combined. Spread the mixture over the prepared baking tin levering the top with a spatula. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.

For the malted milk topping: In a small bowl stir together the malted milk powder, milk and vanilla extract until combined into a smooth mixture. In another bowl, add the butter and icing sugar and beat together until blended, add to the malted mixture and beat together.

When the chocolate base is nearly cold spread all the malted topping over with a spatula until fully covered and then top with the chopped maltesers. When the topping is firm, transfer with the foil to a chopping board. Cut into bars to the size you wish each bar to be.

Lastly, sit back and relax arming yourself with one of these gorgeous bars and relish in its wonderful delights......

For The Love of Lemon & Lime & My Birthday Cake!

Sub-lime Lemon & Lime Squares

My love for citrus flavours began as a child when I would visit my ‘dear’ aunt. She would always make sure a home baked lemon meringue pie would be on the tea-table, I would always eagerly accept a slice to eat too! As my teeth sunk whole heartily into firstly the crispy meringue, then the velvet yellow lemon curd and lastly but not least the magnificent sweet pastry base – oh this is a dessert to behold! Today I still enjoy a slice of home baked lemon meringue pie which I now bake myself and when I take that first bite it transforms me back to sunny child free days and fond memories of my aunt.

Lemon Square

Lime Square

These lemon and lime squares are such an easy bake but packed with such delicious flavours. The base is somewhat like a buttery shortbread followed by a silky smooth lemon or lime topping. They make a tempting treat to have with a cuppa and also a delicious dessert too.

Sub-lime Lemon & Lime Squares

Either use finely grated lemon zest and juice or finely grated lime zest and juice, depending on which citrus flavour is desired.

Ingredients
125g (4½ oz) softened butter
40g (1½ oz) icing sugar
150g (5 oz) plain flour - plus 2 tablespoons of plain flour

3 eggs
225g (8 oz) cater sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon or lime zest
125ml (4½ fl oz) lemon or lime juice

You will need 20cm (8 in) square tin, line the base and sides with tin foil, extending the tin foil 2cm (¾ in) above the edge of the tin. This will help to ease out the bar when ready for slicing.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in the 150g (5 oz) of flour. Press the mixture evenly over the base of the prepared tin. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes until browned lightly. Meanwhile, place the eggs, caster sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons flour, zest and juice in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the hot base. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until firm. Cool in the tin on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Dust with extra sifted icing sugar, if desired or a slice of thinly sliced lemon/lime. Store sliced, covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Lastly, sit back, relax and enjoy a slice or two of your delicious citrus bar(s) you have created.... oh yes what joy....mmmmm!

I would also like to share with you my birthday cake that Mr. R. (hubby) purchased for my birthday today. As he would tell you himself, he is no baker what-so-ever, so he brought me this beautiful rose cake to enjoy. I couldn't resist showing you :0)

It has been a very busy period for me since Easter. Hopefully now that things are starting to calm down I will be back to ‘normal’ baking and blogging once again. Gosh I have missed you guys!!