Jo Seagar BAKES

“If baking is a labour at all, it’s a labour of love.  A love that gets passed on from generation to generation.”

These are Jo Seagar’s sentiments, quoted in her new book, Jo Seagar Bakes.  And, while the above quote may be true, she also admits that today few people learn to bake by helping out at the side of their grandmother or mother.  Families live apart, parents have full time jobs and time is precious.  So, that is where Jo steps in.  In Jo Seagar Bakes she’s taking on the role of mother/grandmother/teacher and sharing her recipes with you, explaining all the important steps, as well as all the tips and tricks she has picked up over the years to help you create delicious treats, every single time.

Jo Seagar Bakes is a big, hard-covered, baking bible containing recipes for all the baking favourites you can think of, and then some.  Many of the recipes are ones that have been passed down through the generations in Jo’s family, like ‘Fay’s Mumbles’ – a recipe passed on to Jo by her mum, or the Louise Cake which is a recipe that Jo’s Great Aunt Annie used to make on her coal range.  There’s also some new recipes and ones that have had the flavours updated (the Lemon and Paeroa Scones have caught my eye!).  

The book has been beautifully photographed and designed by Jae Frew, with the pages having a vintage feel to them.  Jo Seagar Bakes hits stores today and has an RRP of $55.00.  To promote her new book, Jo will be undertaking a nationwide tour during November and December.  She is such a fun and lovely person, so take a look at the dates and if you can head along to one of the events, do so; you’ll enjoy yourself. 

But, for now, here’s a recipe from Jo Seagar Bakes that we’ve been lucky enough to be able to share with you…

Butterscotch Date Fingers
This is my Granny Win’s recipe. Very quick and simple but such a complex butterscotch flavour. A frequently requested recipe.

Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes

Makes 24

Ingredients:
250 g butter
2 ½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
2½ cups chopped pitted dates (cut each date into 4–5 pieces)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 x 30 cm slice tin with baking paper.
Place the butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved. Cool in the saucepan.
When the butter mixture has cooled, pour into a mixing bowl and beat in the eggs, then the flour. Lastly, add the dates and mix well. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 18–20 minutes until the surface is shiny and dry. Cool in the tin. Cut into fingers when cold. Freezes really well.

Recipe reproduced with permission from Jo Seagar Bakes by Jo Seagar. Published by Random House NZ. RRP $50.00.  Copyright © recipe text to Jo Seagar; photography Jae Frew, 2014.

White Chocolate Brownie

Doesn’t that White Chocolate Brownie in the picture look divine?  It’s just one of the recipes in the new Sweet: Treats to Share cookbook published by Penguin.  The cookbook shares recipes from many of New Zealand’s best celebrity bakers, and this yummy recipe comes courtesy of Allyson Gofton.  We love Chocolate Brownie, and this white chocolate version with pistachios looks like an awesome twist on a baking classic.  I have to say, I’m loving the props from The Vintage Table which have been used in the styling of the food too.

To celebrate the release of Sweet: Treats to Share, Penguin are also running a giveaway where you can win a baking pack, copy of the book and some gorgeous postcards, so make sure you get yourself in the draw for that! 

Makes about 24–30 pieces

Ingredients:
250g good-quality white chocolate, roughly chopped
250g butter, diced
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 cup pistachio nuts or pecans, chopped

White Chocolate Icing
100g good-quality white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
about 2 tablespoons milk
extra pistachio nuts, finely chopped, to decorate

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Grease and line the base and sides of a 25cm square cake tin.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler and heat over boiling water until just melted.  Alternatively, microwave on high power (100 per cent) for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook the chocolate as it will burn easily. Stir until smooth and leave to cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla together until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
4. Sift the flour over the beaten egg mixture and fold in alternately with the cooled chocolate mixture. This is easiest done with a slotted spoon. Fold in the pistachio nuts or pecans. Turn out the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
5. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is lightly golden but the centre is still a little soft.
6. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Chill for 3–4 hours. Remove from the tin.
7. To make the icing, melt the white chocolate and butter together. Stir in the icing sugar and sufficient milk to make a smooth, thick icing. Ice, decorate with pistachio nuts and cut into pieces.

Reproduced with permission from Sweet: Treats to Share. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $45.00. Copyright recipe © Allyson Gofton, 2014. Copyright photography © Manja Wachsmith, 2014. Available nationwide.

Sweet: Treats to Share

Sweet: Treats to Share is a brand new book (in stores from today) that is packed with more than 80 irresistible recipes from some of New Zealand’s best-loved bakers.  You’ll find recipes from such baking legends as Alexa Johnston, Allyson Gofton, Annabelle White, Dean Brettschneider, and Kim Evans.

You’ll find recipes for cakes, biscuits, slices, loaves, muffins, pies and more.  What we like about the book is that nothing looks too fancy or hard to make.  The recipes are for true baked good favourites; the type of treats to fill the tins with.  There’s recipes for Kiwi classics such as Afghan Biscuits and Ginger Crunch, to more contemporary treats like Fresh Cherry Ripple Cake and Maple Rhubarb Crumble Pie.  We’ll be sharing a recipe for a delicious White Chocolate Brownie from the book at a later date, so do check back here on the blog for that.

The food has been beautifully photographed by Manja Wachsmuth and styled by food writer Penny Oliver.  A lot of the baking is photographed on gorgeous vintage china, which when I checked the credits at the back of the book was pleasantly surprised to find that the photography props came from our friends at The Vintage Table – how cool is that?!  (I knew that plate the Ambrosia on page 165 is photographed on was familiar, it’s the one I used photographed my Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles on and is one of my favourites from The Vintage Table).

Scattered throughout the book are cute little baking related quotes, such as “A baked gift shows you took the time to care” and “Baking is both an art and a pleasure” with which we couldn’t agree more.  The book begins with a rundown of a few baking basics and you’ll find contributor bio’s and a measurement conversion table in the back.  All this, along with the recipes, comes prettily packaged in a padded hardcover book with a marker ribbon.  It’s a delightful book which is sure to appeal, and would make an ideal Mother’s Day or Easter gift for home bakers.

We have a copy of Sweet: Treats to Share to giveaway to one lucky reader.  To enter the draw to win, please leave us a comment (with your name) telling us what your favourite baked treat is to share with friends and family.  Entries close on Friday 4th April at 8pm and the winner will be chosen by a random draw.  However, if you can’t wait until then to get a copy, head along to your nearest good book store.  Sweet: Treats to Share will be hitting the shelves today.

Sweet: Treats to Share. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $45.00. Available nationwide.

Photography credits:
Pumpkin & Prune Cake: Copyright photography © Alan Gillard, 2014. 
Lemon Madeira Load: Copyright photography © Manja Wachsmith, 2014

Little and Friday: Celebrations

A couple of weeks back Mel and I received copies of Little and Friday: Celebrations (we have had a hard time waiting for the release date to be able to share this with you!), it is the beautiful follow up to the incredibly successful Treats From Little and Friday. Author and Little and Friday cafe owner, Kim Evans, is a self taught baker who knows the recipe to success, the Celebrations book which hits shelves today will have you plating up perfection no matter what the event.

Mouth-watering miniature tarts and cakes, savoury galettes, breads, biscuits and decorative cakes cater for simple gatherings, such as a summer picnic, birthday lunches and Mother’s Day. There are chapters devoted to making kids’ parties, Easter, Christmas, weddings and 21st’s occasions to remember forever. All beautifully photographed Tamara West, each turn of the page will get your creative juices flowing and leave you feeling excited and inspired to host your next event.

We are very fortunate today to be able to share with you one of the 100+ amazing recipes from the new book! But trust me, you will want to try more than just this one. Little and Friday Celebrations is available from all good bookstores from today – Friday 18 October, 2013 with an RRP of $45.

Chocolate, Beetroot and Salted Caramel Cake
This flavour combination is sensational

Ingredients:
Cakes
5 eggs
2½ cups caster sugar
300ml canola oil
250g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups flour
1 cup good-quality cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
100ml milk
1 cup grated raw beetroot
3 cups Chocolate Ganache, to decorate

Salted Caramel
1½ cups caster sugar
300ml cream
½ tsp sea salt

Chocolate Ganache
½ cup cream
200g good-quality dark chocolate, grated

Method:
This recipe makes one 23cm triple-layer cake
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line three 23cm round cake tins with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and sugar on medium speed until mixture is pale and creamy and tripled in volume. With mixer on medium speed, slowly drizzle in oil and combine.
3. Melt chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate to egg mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl. Using a large metal spoon, fold a third of the dry ingredients into chocolate mixture. Add a third of the milk and combine. Continue in this way until all combined.
5. Fold grated beetroot through chocolate mixture.
6. Spoon mixture into prepared tins. Bake in centre of oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins before turning out.
7. To assemble, use a serrated knife to cut the domed tops off the cakes. Spread ½ cup Salted Caramel over the top of two cakes and stack to form one triple-layer cake Sandwiched together with caramel.
8. Spread a thick layer of Chocolate Ganache over top and sides of cake using a palette knife.

Salted Caramel - Makes 1½ cups

1. Place sugar in a small saucepan and just cover with water to achieve a wet-sand consistency.
2. Bring to the boil but do not stir. Using a wet pastry brush, remove any sugar crystals from sides of saucepan. Continue to boil until mixture turns amber. Remove from heat.
3. In a small saucepan, heat cream to boiling point. Gradually add to caramelised sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. This takes a while but eventually combines. Season with salt.

Chocolate Ganache – Makes 1 cup
In a saucepan, heat cream to just below boiling point. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Allow to cool and thicken before using.
Kitchen Notes
The ganache can be made a day in advance and stored in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.
You can increase this recipe by using the same ratio of cream to chocolate. For 2 cups use 1 cup cream and 400g chocolate. For 3 cups use 1½ cups cream and 600g chocolate. For4 cups use 2 cups cream and 800g chocolate.

Reproduced with permission from Little and Friday Celebrations by Kim Evans. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $45.00. Copyright © Kim Evans, 2013.Copyright © Photography Tamara West, 2013

Ladies, a Plate: Jams and Preserves

Ladies, a Plate: Jams and Preserves is the newest title out by writer and independent art curator,  Alexa Johnston.  You may have heard of the ‘Ladies a Plate’ books before; Alexa has already published two books under similar names and branding.  There’s Ladies, a Plate: Traditional Home Baking which was followed by A Second Helping: More from Ladies, a Plate.  Both books were combined and rereleased last year in Ladies, a Plate: The Collection.  Alexa takes her classic baking recipes from friends, family, their mothers and grandmothers, and second-hand books, so everything is ‘just like grandma used to make’.  Ladies, a Plate: Jams and Preserves is the perfect new addition to her book family.  Here you will find recipes for making the perfect jams and preserves to accompany your baking (or to simply enjoy on a piece of toast!).

The book includes over 100 recipes and they’re not all just for jams and preserves as the title suggests.  There’s chutneys, pickles, curds as well as fruit cordial and liqueurs.  I’m very intrigued by the ‘Apple Lemon Curd’ and I know Simon would love it if I made him some  ‘Beetroot Relish’.  Also, scattered throughout the book are interesting little stories and notes to accompany the recipes, along with Alexa’s ideas for serving the preserves.

One thing that I find amazing about Alexa’s books is that along with making and testing all the recipes, she also takes all the photographs used in the kitchen of her Auckland home. Which, from running this blog and putting together our baking basics eBook, I can really appreciate the amount of work she has put into the production!

Once you’ve decided on a recipe, have made it and poured it into jars, you’ll find a bunch of sticker labels included in the book to add the perfect finishing touch to your creation.  Brilliant.

We’ve been lucky enough to be able to share the Plum Jam recipe from Ladies, a Plate: Jams and Preserves with you, which is written below.  Plum Jam is simple to make; check out my attempt at it from a few years back in this recipe post.   Details about the book follow after the recipe. 

Plum Jam
I think most people would consider Plum Jam as a standard, satisfactory jam and fairly unexciting, but you can nudge it into the distinguished and varied category by adding a few fresh or frozen berries. Particular favourites of mine are Plum and Blackcurrant, or Plum and Raspberry – and Plum and hazelnut is also a delightful and unusual jam. The method is the same for each, and since sour or slightly under ripe plums are high in both pectin and acid your jam will always set well. (Use ripe, sweet plums in a cake or tart and save the sour ones for jam making.)

Ingredients:
900g dark-skinned plums
250ml water
900g sugar

Preparing the fruit:
Halve the plums by cutting around the natural crease and twisting the halves apart. Remove the plum pit with a knife or a pitting spoon. If the plums are very large cut each half in two.

Getting ready:
Wash jam jars and their lids in hot water, rinse them and put them in the oven set to 250°F/120°C for about 30 minutes to drain and dry. Put a couple of small saucers into the freezer – you’ll use them to test the jam for setting.

Making the Jam:
1. Put the plums into a preserving pan with the water and bring to  the boil, stirring. Cook for 10–15 minutes until reduced to a pulp.
2. Add the sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves and bring the jam to a fast boil, stirring often.  Once the surface is covered with small bubbles begin timing.
3. After 10 minutes test the jam for a set. to do this, remove the pan from the heat, put a small spoonful of jam onto one of your chilled saucers, wait about 30 seconds, then push a finger gently through it. If the surface wrinkles slightly in front of your finger the jam is ready. Turn off the heat, remove the hot jars from the oven and put them on a board.
4. If the top of the jam is frothy, drop in 1 tsp butter, which will, as it melts, make the froth disappear. After 5 minutes, ladle the jam into a heatproof jug and pour it into the jars using a wide-mouthed funnel.
5. Seal the jars immediately and try not to move them until the jam is cold and set. Label and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 4 cups/1 litre jam.

Plum & Blackcurrant Jam:
This darkly delicious confection and the raspberry variant below both appear in a number of Aunt Daisy cookbooks from the 1940s and 1950s. Aunt Daisy’s books were compendia of recipes sent in by home cooks – listeners to her popular radio programmes. Follow the main recipe, replacing about 8 oz/225 g of the plums with fresh or frozen blackcurrants.  Start testing after 5 minutes.

Reproduced with permission from Ladies, A Plate : Jams & Preserves by Alexa Johnston. Published by Penguin Group (NZ), RRP $47.00. Copyright© text of the recipe and photographs Alexa Johnston, 2013

Miss Melicious Cupcakes Book!

Miss Melicious Cupcakes is the debut cook book by Miss Melicious (Missy) and it is out in stores today! Now you can recreate all your favourite Miss Melicious treats at home!

This quirky little book is filled with distinctive Miss Melicious flair. It boasts recipes for a large variety of cupcake flavour combinations sporting names such as Cherry Bomb, Beet Box, French Toast and Fuzzy Navel. There are also cookie and whoopie pie recipes adding to the deliciousness. Each recipe has a fun photograph accompanying it, styled to reflect the ‘personality’ of each sweet treat.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the book launch, an event which suited the book to a T. There was body paint, burlesque dancers, a drag queen, balloon animal creations, boozy slushies, jugglers, and of course, towers of cupcakes to try.

The cupcake book is available now at all good bookstores, so get your hands on a copy. While you are out shopping, why not visit Miss Melicious (Missy) in person at her Auckland store!

In the mean time, here’s a recipe from her book…

Audrey
Simple and elegant but full of flavour. Our ‘star’ of vanilla cupcakes!

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
125 g butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 ½ cups plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
edible pearls, to decorate

Preheat oven to 180 ºC (160 ºC fan-forced).  Line a cupcake pan with liners.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla and beat well.
Combine dry ingredients. Add to batter in thirds alternately with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix well after each addition.
Fill liners two-thirds full and bake for 18–20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched gently.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely before frosting. Decorate with edible pearls.

Vanilla Butter Cream:
125 g butter, softened
4 cups icing sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
a few drops teal gel paste

Beat butter and slowly add icing sugar until crumbly.  Slowly add milk, vanilla and gel paste until the desired consistency and colour is reached. Add more milk if required.  Beat for 3–5 minutes until light, fluffy and creamy, but still firm enough to pipe.

My very own ‘Audrey’ cupcake, which I took home for the boys to share.

*Recipe reprinted with permission from Miss Melicious Cupcakes, published by Penguin Group NZ, RRP$30.00. Copyright © Missy Fleming 2012
Image copyright © Shadbolt