I am in awe of those who can bake. My sister and mother in law are very good and my sister in law is a baking demi-goddess (the kind of good that goes on courses about how to make cake decorations) so I have been feeling the pressure to perform. My problem is that I am not sufficiently precise to bake. I understand why it is necessary to make sure the ingredients are exact, but I can't really be bothered to measure everything perfectly. I prefer things like casseroles and stews where I bung in whatever I find in the cupboard and it doesn't really matter.
But given the new husband, baby and house, and enough counter space to put my lovely stainless steel bowl'd Kenwood Chef, I am being a good little Wifely and learning how to use the crazy oven. The thermostat is all over the shop, so I have to guess by how much to reduce the temperature. Initial efforts suffered a minor flaw, being as they were, inedible. I made a lemon drizzle cake for Beautiful Girl's christening which had a chargrilled exterior with a moist, lemony interior. However, a few pounds of butter and flour later, I managed to produce a cake which was quite tasty even if it needed a butter icing face lift. Thank God for strawberries; they cover a multitude!
Anyway, today is the jewel in the crown of my baking career. With thanks to Rachel Allen I made a very creditable orange madeira cake (http://www.rachelallen.co.uk/recipes_april09.html#r4), and even more tasty, vanilla melting moments - nom, nom, nom! (I can't find the recipe on any of her sites, so it's below if you want it.) Anyway, if you fancy a change from the vanilla scented glory of the butter icing, they are also yum with the lemon butter icing left over from the christening cake or nutella, and I'm thinking about trying a bit of raspberry jam with the vanilla butter icing. I can see a cholesterol test in my near future...
Rachel Allen's Vanilla Melting Moments
Biscuits:
175g self raising flour
125g cornflour
50g icing sugar
225g butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Butter Cream:
50g butter, softened
125g icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 160 C/ (325 F) Gas mark 3. Place the flour, cornflour and icing sugar in a food processor and whizz briefly to mix. Add the butter and vanilla and whizz until it comes together (a minute or two, I do it slowly). Roll into 40 small balls the size of a large marble. Place trays on (no need to grease or line) and flatten down a bit with a fork. Bake for 10-15 minutes until still very pale in colour but, slightly firm. Remove carefully and cool on a wire rack.
Keep the same bowl in the processor and whizz the ingredients for the butter cream until they come together. Sandwich the biscuits with the butter cream. Makes 20.
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