Baking – Page 3 – The Food Wife

Fruit and Coconut Flapjacks

9th October 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 16 small pieces or 8 regular sized

I decided to do some baking ready for the afterschool demand for snacks. These turned out excellently. Just the right amount of chew, that hint of spice that youâ€™d notice if it wasnâ€™t there but canâ€™t quite put your finger on and then sticky sweetness from the dried fruit. The coconut adds an extra yum. I did a half and half mix of vegan butter and coconut oil, to complement the desiccated coconut.

Great for hungry kids (and adults!)

Ingredients:

165g butter/vegan butter/coconut oil (or combination of the following to make up 165g)

125g granulated sugar

60g golden syrup

Pinch of salt (leave out if butter is salted)

75g (mixed if you like) dried fruit

250g porridge oats (gluten-free if required)

50g unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Step 1: Line an 8×8 inch tin with baking parchment. Preheat your oven to 180c (fan).

Step 2: Measure the fat, 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. Add the dried fruit and cook on low for a few minutes until they have plumped up a little.

Step 3: Measure the oats, coconut and spices 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 before cutting with a sharp knife into pieces.

Store in an airtight container.

Soft Sugar â€˜Skullâ€™ Cookies

17th September 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes approx 20 cookies

Easily made dairy-free, these cookies have a spooky decoration which is oh-so cute! You want a chilled, firm dough so start making these a few hours before you need them so they can chill in the fridge until ready to bake. Even better, make the dough the day before for a quick bake!

Ingredients:

170g unsalted butter (dairy-free if required)

150g granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

280g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Jam (smooth/seedless)

Chocolate (dairy-free if required), melted

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: At this point either keep the log of dough round, to have rounded cookies, or use your hand through the grease proof paper, to create a narrow jaw section to create more of a skull shape. Slice the cookies evenly, about 1cm thick, and place onto the prepared baking sheets about 5cm apart. Use your thumb and little finger to make two indents in each cookie in place of eyes. Fill each indent with a little jam. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Pipe the chocolate into a spooky smile once fully cooled. Allow to set.

Store in an airtight container.

Popped Rice Ghosts

16th September 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 24

I absolutely love gooey marshmallow rice crispy treats. These cake bars are shaped roughly into ghosts which make them the perfect Halloween treat. There are a fun addition to any spread that you have for a Halloween party with children and theyâ€™re so easy children can help make them too!

Ingredients:

100g butter

150g condensed milk

400g marshmallows

350g of Popped Rice cereal

48 chocolate chips

Step 1: Using a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan melt the butter, condensed milk and marshmallows over a low heat. Stir constantly until smooth.

Step 2: Once smooth, remove from the heat and gradually add the rice krispies, stirring as you go until combined. It will be VERY sticky!!

Step 3: Next divide the mixture between 2 round cake tins (8-9 inches) that have been lined with greaseproof paper. Place another sheet of grease proof paper on the top and use a potato masher to even out and flatten the mixture. Keep covered with the grease proof paper.

Step 4: Leave to cool and once firmed up, cut the cakes into wedges (you should get 12 pieces per cake).

Step 5: Use dark or milk chocolate drops in place of the eyes these will be about halfway up. You can display the cakes with their wide base at the bottom and their point on the top!

These do have a tendency to go stale fairly quickly so make these on the day that you would like to eat them or if necessary the day before.

Spooky â€œMummyâ€ Sausage Rolls

16th September 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

A fun twist on sausage rolls for the Halloween season! Using chipolatas and shop-bought ready-rolled puff pastry makes these a super easy activity to make with the kids.

Ingredients:

12 chipolatas

1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry

American Mustard

1 egg, beaten

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 180c (fan) and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.

Step 2: Un-roll the puff pastry and brush with a thin layer of the American mustard. Then using a sharp knife cut 24 strips roughly 5mm wide (you will probably have a little bit of pastry leftâ€¦cheese straws anyone??).

Step 3: For each chipolata you will need two strips. Press one end of each strip together to create one continuous strip of pastry. Begin winding it (mustard side in contact with the sausage) around the chipolata. Place them on the lined baking tray. Repeat until all sausages are wrapped.

Step 4: Brush the tops with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool slightly (or completely) before serving. You can also use some more mustard to dot on some little eyes onto one end of the sausage before serving!

Coconut Ice

2nd July 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 900g

If there is one thing that takes me back to my primary school fayre it is the little bags of pink and white coconut ice, tied in small cellophane bags that the year 6 children had made. I couldnâ€™t wait until I was old enough to make them to sell. Well, here we are 28 years since I made them for my year 6 stall, and Iâ€™ve made my own (neon!) pink and white morsels.

These are super simple, can be scaled up or down and require no cooking, just vigorous stirring and setting in the fridge until ready to cut into cubes.

Ingredients:

300g condensed milk

450g icing sugar

150g desiccated coconut (unsweetened)

Red/Pink food colouring

Step 1: Combine the condensed milk and icing sugar in a bowl, it will take a lot of mixing and be a very stiff mixture.

Step 2: Divide into two equal amounts in two bowls. Add a drop of food colouring to one bowl and stir until fully combined.

Step 3: Add 75g of desiccated coconut to each bowl and mix again.

Step 4: Line a 7×7 or 8x8inch tin with grease proof paper. Spread one bowl of mixture evenly (you could use a sheet of clingfilm or grease proof paper over the top and press with your hands to create a smooth, flat layer). Remove the clingfilm/paper and top with the next bowlâ€™s contents. Use the same sheet of paper/film to smooth again.

Step 5: Set in the fridge until set (a few hours or overnight) before cutting into squares.

Store in a sealed container (they should last a couple of weeks like this).

Fruit and Coconut Flapjacks

Soft Sugar â€˜Skullâ€™ Cookies

Popped Rice Ghosts

Spooky â€œMummyâ€ Sausage Rolls

Coconut Ice

Spooky â€œMummyâ€ Sausage Rolls