The simplest bake is often the best, so don’t overthink it on February 14th and simply create some delicious shortbread heart-shaped biscuits. Make a selection of cookies decorated with meringue-based royal icing in various shades of pink and red, and inscribe different messages on the top. We guarantee your boyfriend or girlfriend won’t be able to stop at just one!
Chocolate and romance go hand in hand, which is why nobody will be able to resist a selection of homemade heart-shaped truffles. Despite being simple to make, consisting of just a handful of ingredients, they are delicious to eat and look very impressive when shaped in Valentine’s moulds. Finish the truffles with a sprinkle of sea salt, a dusting of cocoa or with dried raspberry flakes for added effect.
The more experienced among you might want to try baking Valentine’s Day macarons by whisking egg whites till they’re starting to form soft peaks and adding caster sugar and red food gel before slowly folding in a mixture of icing sugar and ground almonds.
Pipe the macaron mixture on to a lined baking tray into heart shapes, kisses or simple circles and leave for one hour before baking on a low heat for 16 to 20 minutes. Once they have cooled, sandwich two together with butter icing and sprinkle some precious pearlised sprinkles on top.
Take a look at our heart-shaped geometric silicone moulds for some inspiration.
]]>Perhaps you have been inspired to don the apron after watching the Christmas Bake Off or have found that baking helps ease anxiety. Either way, you’re sure to have tasty goodies to enjoy at the end of it.
However, if you’re fairly new to the baking scene, you might have encountered a few obstacles, such as US measurements - how big is a cup? - or trying to figure out the difference between baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder. Thankfully, we are here to help!
What is the difference between bicarbonate of soda and baking soda?
Bicarbonate of soda (sometimes called bicarb or bicarb soda) is a pure leavening agent, which are substances that cause the expansion of doughs and batters by releasing gasses within the mixture.
Bicarbonate of soda is an alkaline substance and is used in recipes that mix moisture with an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or chocolate together, to make the batter rise.
Baking soda is the very same thing, but while we call it bicarbonate of soda in the UK, US-based recipes tend to refer to it as baking soda.
However, baking powder is a very different substance.
Baking powder is bicarbonate of soda pre-mixed with a dry acidic ingredient that causes the dough to rise when mixed with wet ingredients. It is typically two parts cream of tartar to one part bicarbonate of soda. Adding moisture to the powder will cause it to release carbon dioxide which then aerates the mixture.
Bicarbonate of soda and baking powder are not interchangeable, as bicarb soda is much more powerful than baking powder, so you would have to amend a recipe if you needed to make substitutions.
With bicarb around three or four times stronger than baking powder, if the recipe asks for a teaspoon of baking powder, substitute it with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. You will also need to add a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to offset the bicarb.
If you’re looking for home baking supplies online, visit our online store today.
]]>Have you ever seen a recipe for a beautifully iced cake, and been disappointed when your own lumpy efforts looked nothing like the alluring sugary confection in the photograph? Icing can be deceptively tricky to get right! Here are some top tips to help you pull off the perfect cake decoration, and wow your friends and family.
1. Have the right tools
Using the right equipment will make the job easier. Ideally, you should have a palette knife and a cake turntable. However, if you do not have these items, a butter knife will do.
2. Mix the icing to the right consistency
The icing needs to be stiff enough so it doesn’t run down the sides of the cake and look thin. However, if it is too stiff, it will be too difficult to spread smoothly. The icing should form soft peaks when a flat knife is placed in it and lifted away. If the peaks melt away quickly, add more icing sugar to the mix. If the icing sticks to the knife, it needs more water.
3. Apply a base layer
Applying a thin layer of icing first, known as a ‘crumb coat’, will seal down the loose crumbs on the surface which can spoil the appearance of the icing. It will also seal any cracks, and give you a more even surface for the top coat. Brush off any loose crumbs with a pastry brush before applying the first coat of icing.
Using the spatula or butter knife, place a dollop of icing on top of the cake which is just enough to cover it. Spread it thinly with a back-and-forth motion, so that the colour of the cake still shows through. Ice the sides in a similar way, taking care to seal the top edge of the cake. Once this is done, pop it in the fridge for half an hour or so to set.
4. Apply the top coat
After at least 30 minutes, or until the crumb coat is stable, remove the cake from the fridge, and, using the spatula or butter knife, apply the final coat. Use more icing this time, and hold the spatula at a slight angle away from the cake. Remove the excess icing that has accumulated with each motion, and place it back in the bowl.
Move on to the sides of the cake, until the whole is covered. Remember to use sweeping motions and pull the knife away slowly at an angle, to avoid lifting crumbs from the surface of the cake, which will spoil the appearance of the icing. Tidy up the upper edges of the cake by gently pulling the icing forwards, towards the centre.
5. You are ready to decorate
Once you are happy with the top coat, leave it to set once more. You can now decorate the cake further if you wish. Here, there are endless possibilities, from piping, to stencils, moulds, sparkles and sprinkles, so you can let your creativity run free!
If you need reusable popsicle sticks, visit our website today!
Now’s the perfect time to get cracking with all your festive baking so you can keep the family well fed and happy between now and the big day. There’s nothing quite like extending the festivities for as long as you can, after all! So, with that in mind, here are a couple of amazing Christmas baking recipes to help get you started. Enjoy!
This BBC Good Food recipe is sure to be a winner, a really fun take on the classic mince pie. It’s a nice easy recipe to get you going if you’re not an experienced baker and uses store cupboard ingredients so you won’t need to source any unusual ingredients.
If you’re looking to test yourself in the kitchen, check out this recipe on the Delicious magazine website. You’ll have to make your own choux pastry but you’ve got plenty of time to practise this recipe before December 25th - and it would make an amazing showstopper of a pudding on the big day.
Christmas truly is a time of indulgence and you can’t go wrong in this regard with this torte recipe from Jamie Oliver.
Again, you’ll need to make the pastry yourself so factor this into your baking and prep time and you’ll need to find yourself some chestnut puree from somewhere… but the extra effort will reveal itself and you’ll have some very happy diners indeed!
]]>