Baking – The Food Wife

No-knead no-fuss Focaccia

10th September 2025
by thefoodwife

Makes one 9×9 focaccia

Wow, this is so easy and so delicious. A no-knead no-fuss focaccia. 24 hours with little intervention, just letting it do its thing. Give it a go, you wonâ€™t be disappointed.

Ingredients:

400g organic white bread flour

350g warm water

7g fast action yeast

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

For topping:

More olive oil

Flaky salt

Rosemary (optional)

Olives (optional)

Step 1: Start by putting the flour, water, salt, oil and yeast in to a large bowl, and mix together loosely. You shouldnâ€™t have any visible dry ingredients left, but it will be a rather sloppy mess! Fear not! Simply leave it covered in the fridge for 24 hours! You simply need to take it out occasionally (I did it 3-4 times) and gently stretching and folding the dough, turning to reveal its smooth side after each go before covering and returning to the fridge.

Step 2: After 24 hours, stretch and fold again but this time leave out of the fridge until doubled in size (an hour or so). Then take a 9×9 inch baking pan, oil it well with olive oil and slip the dough into the pan. Drizzle more olive oil on top and use your fingers to gently stretch and push the dough out to the edges.

Step 3: Allow the dough to rise again for another hour and the. Use your fingers to dimple the top without disturbing the bubbles that have formed. Adorn with rosemary and torn olives, a scrunch of salt and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Step 4: Bake in a 220c oven for half an hour.

Allow it to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Soft Sugar Thumb Cookies with a Chocolate Filling

30th August 2025
by thefoodwife

Makes approx 20 cookies

Easily made dairy-free, these cookies are soft, sweet and chocolatey! Perfect!

You want a chilled, firm dough so start making these a few hours before you need them so the dough can chill in the fridge until ready to bake. Even better, make the dough the day before for a quick bake!

We made a batch of these and they made the perfect lunch box treat or afterschool snack.

Ingredients:

170g unsalted butter (dairy-free if required)

150g sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

280g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

20 chocolate buttons (dairy-free if required)

Step 1: Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Next add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again until combined.

Step 2: Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat again until you have a smooth dough. This should not take long but you may need to scrape down the sides of the bow to incorporate everything.

Step 3: Take a large sheet of grease-proof paper and tip the dough out into the centre. Roll the dough into a thick sausage shape, about 20cm long and twist the ends tight. Store in the fridge to chill until firm.

Step 4: When ready to bake, prepare a large baking sheet with grease-proof paper and preheat the oven to 180c fan.

Step 5: Cut the chilled log into 20 pieces, and roll each into a ball, slightly smaller than a ping pong ball. Next place each onto the prepared baking sheets about 5cm apart. Use your thumb to press down into the centre of each ball. This will create a hollow (make sure itâ€™s central). Bake for eight minutes.

Step 6: After eight minutes remove quickly from the oven and pop one chocolate button in each thumb dent. Return to the oven for a final four minutes.

Step 7: Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Store in an airtight container and theyâ€™ll last a few days. Alternatively, freeze if you like and remove however many you need the night before or a couple of hours before you need them.

Savoury â€œPizzaâ€ Muffins

30th August 2025
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

In the quest to make some lunch-box fillers to cut down on processed food and also add a bit of variety to sandwiches I made these pizza style muffins. They can be frozen and then taken out of the freezer the night before (or morning of) the lunch. Theyâ€™ll defrost by lunchtime and have been a hit with my seven year old.

You can mix up the flavours. Omit the salami for vegetarian muffins, add chopped up olives or sundried tomatoes if you like (30-50g should do it). Swap the tomato puree for pesto. If youâ€™re dairy free swap out the milk and cheese for a suitable alternative.

Ingredients:

230g self-raising flour

100g grated cheese

50g salami, cut into small pieces

1 tbsp tomato purÃ©e

1 tsp black olive tapenade (optional)

1 tsp Italian seasoning

4 eggs

60ml olive oil

120 ml milk

Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 180Â°C fan. Lightly oil a 12 hole non stick muffin tin (or line with cases).

Step 2: In a large bowl stir together the flour, cheese and salami.

Step 3: Separately mix together the eggs, olive oil and milk. Add the tomato puree, olive tapenade (if using) and the Italian seasoning. Season generously with salt and pepper and whisk together until combined.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined.

Step 5: Spoon mixture into the greased muffin tin.

Step 6: Bake for 18 minutes. They should be nicely domed and a skewer should come out clean when inserted in the middle.

Step 7: Remove from the oven and once cool enough to handle transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Once completely cooled these can be frozen and then remove the night before (or in the morning), pop them in the lunch box and they will be defrosted ready for lunch. They will stay fresh for a couple of days unfrozen but a little zap in the microwave will freshen them up and theyâ€™re lovely eaten warm too.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

13th August 2025
by thefoodwife

Serves 8-10

This is a banana loaf cake with the addition of chocolate chips. An easy bake and great to make with kids. I used dark chocolate chips which contained no dairy and with the cake mix also being dairy free itâ€™s a great bake to make if you donâ€™t want to use dairy in your baking.

Ingredients:

2 large/3 medium/4 small very ripe bananas, mashed

110g vegetable oil

60g caster sugar

170g self raising flour

2 large eggs, beaten

Pinch of salt

50g (dark) chocolate chips

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix the bananas, oil, sugar, flour, eggs and salt together.

Step 2: Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 3: Pour into a lined 1lb loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180c (fan) for 50 mins, or until golden, risen and springs back to the touch.

Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for half an hour before transferring (out of the tin) to a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container and it can last a few days.

Ginger and White Chocolate Flapjacks

25th May 2025
by thefoodwife

Makes 16

I love a flap jack. A real crowd pleaser plus itâ€™s an easy bake with kids. Very portable (hello lunchbox ideas!) and adaptable. Need it gluten-free, simple. Need it dairy-free or vegan, an easy swap and youâ€™ve got the perfect bake.

The combination of ginger and white chocolate here is a winner. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

165g butter/vegan butter

125g soft light brown sugar

60g golden syrup

Pinch of salt (leave out if butter is salted)

250g porridge oats (gluten-free if required)

50g white chocolate, melted (dairy free if required)

Step 1: Line a 9×9 inch tin with baking parchment. Preheat your oven to 180c (fan).

Step 2: Measure the butter, sugar, syrup and salt into a small saucepan. Place on a medium-low heat and stir occasionally until the butter has melted and everything is combined when stirred. Stir through the glacÃ© ginger.

Step 3: Measure the oats into a large bowl and carefully add the molten mixture (avoid getting this on your skin as it will burn). Stir everything together.

Step 4: Pour into your lined tin, use the back of the spoon to delicately spread the mix into all the corners and level out the mix. Donâ€™t press too hard.

Step 5: Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, cut into 16 squares. Then drizzle (you can use a piping bag if if you like) the white chocolate over the top and allow to set. Break into the 16 cut pieces. Store in an airtight container.

No-knead no-fuss Focaccia

Soft Sugar Thumb Cookies with a Chocolate Filling

Savoury â€œPizzaâ€ Muffins

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

Ginger and White Chocolate Flapjacks

Savoury â€œPizzaâ€ Muffins