Thursday 21 April 2011

Easter Week Creations...

Fresh Raspberry Shortcakes....delivered this morning & two were ordered before I left the shop! Looked so pretty...
I use mascarpone instead of cream inside...it holds it's shape better and keeps a little longer too...I'll be making these again in a month or so, when English strawberries arrive at the market...

Peach & Apricot Shortbread...buttery polenta shortbread top and bottom, sandwiched with fresh ripe peaches and tart apricot preserves...

Lemon Curd Layer Cake....I have a real weakness for anything lemon...so  I make sure there is lots of zest in the sponge and juice in the frosting so it's really sparkly & zingy in your mouth...

Malted Coffee Cake....in the UK, coffee cake means that it's coffee flavoured! I know my friend Nancy will be curling her lip at that...as she doesn't like it at all - so apologies to you sweetie & I hope you enjoy some of the other treats in this post instead!! I use malted milk powder in the sponge, and real espresso...but it's quite a subtle coffee rather than a caffeine smack in the mouth!

And with the Malteser decoration, it looks so yummy doesn't it?

Monday is ANZAC Day....more on my Mozart's Girl blog later in the weekend about that. But the traditional biscuits/cookies to commemorate the day are called....Anzacs! They are actually incredibly popular all year round at The Coffee Tree...so I make plenty...

oaty, coconutty, syrupy & crunchy. I'm giving you the recipe in case you want to make some...they keep really well in an airtight tin. Apologies for the metric measurements...

Anzacs (makes 16)

Preheat oven to 180c/375f

Line a large baking sheet with non-stick parchment

85g oats
85g coconut
100g plain flour
100g sugar
100g butter
1tbsp golden syrup/dark corn syrup
1tsp baking soda
2tbsp boiling water

Place oats, coconut, flour & sugar in a bowl and mix well. Melt butter in a small pan with the syrup and set aside. Dissolve soda in boiling water in a small cup. Add soda mixture to butter & syrup...it will foam up! Quickly add liquid to dry ingredients and mix well. Take small balls of the mixture (I find it easier to have wet hands for this) and place, spaced about an inch apart, on baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the heel of your hand & bake for 8-12 minutes, turning pan halfway through baking time. They will be dark golden brown when ready. Remove from baking sheet with a palette knife and cool on a wire rack - they will firm up as they cool down. Store in an airtight tin.

Enjoy - with love from me! xoxo

6 comments:

  1. Oh Rachel,
    Such delicious treats you have baked for Easter week! They all look beautiful and delicious! I love your take on the shortcakes, filling them with mascarpone, instead of cream. Another favourite of mine is the lemon curd cake. Gorgeous, every one! Thank you for sharing your recipe for the anzacs! I've never tried them before. Happy Easter sweetie! I am sure you will be making lots of people happy this Easter! xoxo

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  2. Thank you for the recipe Rachel will definitely give them a go! The lemon cake is the one for me though. Have a lovely weekend in the sunshine xx

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  3. Oh those shortcakes look so wonderful, I'm oohing and ahhing. I think you should portion those Anzacs with an ice cream scoop (I have two small ones for cookies and they come out so much better, and all identical size). In fact I do meringues with them too instead of piping. If ever I do make Macarons, I will use a scoop and not pipe. By the way I prefer recipes in weights, love to use my scale, way easier. And sort of alchemical. Hmm I make these nut cookies like Mexican Wedding cookies & others and I use the scoop, then roll in palms and the ones that are dunked in sugar or whatever, do that after. LOVE the scoops.

    You're right about the coffee, but oh seeing those candies on top reminds me of the Broadway show I saw with Dustin Hoffman in it. I was munching on some candies like that, forget the name, very sticky and dense, and right in the middle of the show, the candy pull one of my dental crowns loose. PAIN! Haven't eaten one since. At least I didn't swallow the crown (or scream and ruin the show).

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  4. Oh yumm everything looks amazing!! You are such an amazing baker!!!

    Blessings..
    xoxo Gert

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  5. Oh thank you for the recipe. I love a recipe that is tried and true....incredibly wonderful!!!! I think I'm going to love them because I love all of the ingredients. Rod would adore the coffee cake as he is very fond of malted milk candies. I LOVE lemon as well....I'll have a spoon of lemon curd and sip tea actually....it's a terrible thing, I suppose but so delicious!!! I hope you have a lovelier than lovely weekend in London!!! Rest much as you have been a busy pre-Easter baker my dear!! Everything is just beautiful!!
    xx
    Joann

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  6. It all looks so lovely. Anzac day is huge for us as you know, so will be thinking of you on Tuesday, and Great Uncle Cyril xxxxxxxx

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