Cheese and Bacon Pull Apart Loaf

When I was younger I lived within walking distance of a ‘Baker’s Delight’, my favourite thing to buy was their cheese and bacon pull apart loaf. Last weekend I decided to try and whip one up myself, I used the same method as my Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf but tried a more savoury dough recipe.  I love the cheese and bacon combo but you could change it up with other savoury fillings or add something like chives if you have them on hand.

Ingredients:
Dough:
1½ teaspoons dry active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons warm water
¼ cup warm milk
1 large egg, whisked
½ teaspoon salt
50g butter, soft cut into cubes
1½ -1¾ cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
250 grams crispy bacon, crumpled into small pieces
25 grams garlic butter, melted

Method:
In the bowl of your mixer stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Leave it for a few minutes until the yeast dissolves and starts to bubble. Then stir in the milk, egg and salt.
Then add the flour and softened butter and combine using your dough hook, this could be done by hand with a wooden spoon as this is quite a soft dough. Let the dough hook knead the dough or knead it vigorously with your hand for a few minutes in the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, knead in a bit more flour by the tablespoon. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside somewhere warm to rise for about 90 minutes, it will double in size.
Grease your loaf tin with butter and set aside. Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out your dough, it should be roughly 20cmx40cm. Use a pastry brush to spread melted garlic butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with the cheese and bacon.
Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal slices once again. You’ll have six stacks of six squares. Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book – you can check out pictures here.
At this stage you can cover your loaf with glad wrap and place it the fridge overnight, you can then remove it the next morning and set it aside for 30-45 minutes for a second rise while you pre-heat your oven to 180°C, or if you want to bake it the same day you can give it it’s second rise straight away and then place it in your preheated oven to bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden and it is cooked through.
After cooking set it aside for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edges and removing it to serve warm.

Lunchbox Bakes - Bacon, Cheese and Chive Muffins

These savoury muffins are perfect for brunch/lunch. I whipped up a batch in no time and they are delicious! This recipe makes 6 good size muffins so if you are serving a larger crowd and you want to make a dozen you will need to double it.

Ingredients:
4 rashers of streaky bacon
30 grams butter
2 tablespoon fresh chives, finely cut
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 egg
½ cup milk
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C, spray or line your muffin tin with papers.
Fry bacon until it is well cooked and slightly crispy, set aside to cool.
Melt butter and set aside.
Put dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir with a fork so you can ‘fluff’ it up. Make a well in the centre of the bowl.
Place egg and milk in a small bowl and whisk.
Pour egg and milk mix and butter and chives into the well in your dry mix and combine using a wooden spoon.
Add cheese and bacon and mix with your spoon so that it is distributed evenly.
Place even scoops of mixture in your muffin tins (you can top with a little bit a grated cheese if you wish) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a skewer can be removed cleanly.
Once cooked remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For more healthy recipes and lunch ideas check out our Lunchbox Bakes page!

Lunchbox Bakes - Sundried Tomato + Cream Cheese Muffins

This is a nice recipe for savoury muffins which have a little bit of cream cheese and tomato hidden inside.  Delicious.  The muffins are alright to freeze too.
When working with sundried tomatoes I like to use an oil free variety; I like the flavour better and they aren’t as chewy.

3 cups flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 eggs
1 cup milk
75g butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Filling:
125g sundried tomato cream cheese
or
115g cream cheese mixed with 5-6 chopped sundried tomatoes

Topping:
3-4 sundried tomatoes, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Lightly grease a 10 hole muffin pan.
Sift the flour and baking powder together in large bowl.  Add the sugar, salt and pepper.
Beat the eggs, milk and butter together in another bowl.  Add the parsley and stir into the dry ingredients until just mixed.
Place a large tablespoon of muffin mix in the base of each muffin tin.  Divide the filling mixture into 10 pieces and place on top of the muffin mix.  Cover with the remaining muffin mix and top with the chopped sundried tomatoes.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin pans.

For more healthy recipes and lunch ideas check out our Lunchbox Bakes page!

Lunchbox Bakes - Pumpkin and Parmesan Mini Cakes

These Pumpkin and Parmesan Mini Cakes are super tasty.  If you don’t have a mini loaf tin you could just make them as muffins.  The cakes are moist enough to eat without having to spread on any butter, cutting out any unnecessary fat.

Makes 6 mini cakes

2 eggs
70ml olive oil
70ml milk
120g flour, sifted
70g Gruyère or cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g pumpkin, grated (squeeze out excess liquid)
100g Parmesan cheese, grated
3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Grease the cake mould and dust with flour.
In a bowl lightly beat the eggs with the milk, oil, pumpkin and Parmesan cheese.  Add the flour, Gruyère cheese and sage.  Season with the salt and pepper and stir together.  Mix in the baking powder.
Divide the mixture into the tins then bake for about 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out cleanly.  Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

If you want to take part in Lunchbox Bakes, check out our Lunchbox Bakes page for more details.  We will feature a link to your blog post at the bottom of our next Lunchbox Bakes post!

Lunchbox Bakes - Potato, Bacon and Cheese Frittata

I whipped this up for lunch today for lunch with a friend, it is quick, easy, delicious and perfect as a hot lunch now the cold weather is starting to settle in.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
6-8 strips of streaky bacon chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons of chives finely chopped
6 eggs
2 tablespoons cream or full fat milk
100 grams Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to season

Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and leave to cool slightly before cutting into cubes. (I did this the night before to make things quicker at lunch time).
Pre-heat your oven grill to 180°C.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan. Pour olive oil into pan. Fry the bacon until golden.
Add the diced potatoes and cook for a few minutes over a medium heat.
Beat the eggs, adding half the Cheddar and half the chives. Season with the salt and pepper.
Pour the eggs over the bacon and potatoes. Stir gently in the pan for a few minutes, allowing the frittata to cook over a medium-low heat until it begins to set, leaving a moist surface.
Sprinkle the remaining chives and Cheddar on top and warm under the grill until the top has set and the cheese melted.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting the frittata into wedges to serve.

Lunchbox Bakes - Bacon and Corn Muffins

1 egg
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup creamed corn
1 cup grated cheese
2 rashers bacon, cooked and chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line or grease a 12 hole muffin tin.
Make the egg up to ¾ cup with water.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spoon into the prepare muffin tin and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

For information on how you too can take part in lunchbox bakes, check out our lunchbox bakes page.

Lunchbox Bakes – Ham, Cheese and Broccoli Quiche

This is my first attempt at a quiche.  I didn’t really like eating quiche as a kid, I suppose it is because the usually have onions in them.*  Ick.  However, this one was quick and easy to make and it tastes delicious.  It smelt amazing while it was baking and looked pretty impressive when I took it out of the oven.  Simon and I have been eating it cold as a part of our lunches this week. 

1 sheet pre-made savoury short crust pastry
1 ½ cups cooked ham (either cubed or shaved and sliced)
1 ½ cups cheese, grated
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped (if using frozen broccoli make sure it is thawed and well drained)
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon mild mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Line a 22cm tart tin with the pastry.
Layer ham, cheese and thawed broccoli on top of the pastry.  In medium bowl, beat all remaining ingredients (eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper) until well blended.  Pour over broccoli.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.  Cut into wedges.

Remember, you too can take part in Lunchbox Bakes – just flick us an email to bmtbblog@gmail.com.  You can read more about this event on the Lunchbox Bakes page.

*Courtenay and I hate onions.  We probably hate them more passionately than we love baking.

Lunchbox Bakes – Herb Cheese Muffins

This week for Lunchbox Bakes I tried out another muffin recipe.  I made some chorizo and cheese muffins last week but they were yuck (bland and boring – ended up not being eaten), so I didn’t end up sharing them.  These muffins are quite nice re-heated for about 20 seconds in the microwave.  I think they would be extra nice with a bit of butter on them, but since the whole point in me making stuff for lunches was to try eat healthier, I’ve resisted the urge to smear some on.

Makes 12.

1 ¼ cups reduced fat milk
¼ cup no-added-salt tomato paste
2 eggs, plus one egg white extra
50g 97% fat free shaved ham, finely chopped
½ cup finely grated reduced-fat tasty cheese
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 ½ cups wholemeal self raising flour
½ cup white self-raising flour

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Grease a 12 hole muffin tray.
Whisk the milk, tomato paste, eggs and egg white together in a large bowl until well combined.
Sift the flours directly over the egg mixture, add in the husks.  Gently fold the mixture until just combined.
Spoon into the prepared tray.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Stand in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Remember, if you’ve made something lunchbox worthy drop us an email at bmtbblog@gmail.com.  We would love to hear from you and if you have your own blog we will stick up a link to your post on our next Lunchbox Bakes recipe post.

Cheese and Chive Muffins

I whipped these up for morning tea with Melissa this morning, it is a very quick and easy recipe from ‘The Muffin Bible’.

Ingredients:
1 egg (beaten)
¾ cup water
1 cup self raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups grated cheese
1 tablespoon fresh chives
coarse sea salt (optional)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 190°C. Spray one muffin pan with oil (or line with muffin cases).
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together until combined.
Spoon into well greased muffin pan and sprinkle with the sea salt.
Bake at 190°C for 15 minutes.

There you go – quick easy and yummy!

Coffee Group Treats: Cheesecake Brownie Swirls and Savoury Scone Scrolls

It was my turn to host coffee group for the Mum’s and Bub’s Max and I hang out with every week so I had to whip up some treats.  I got this amazing ‘Cheesecake Brownie Swirl’ recipe from one of the Mum’s on a baby forum that I chat on – the bonus of living in this age I guess is that when you are at home with bubs you don’t have to be ‘alone’.  So thank you for sharing Caroline (or maybe not, as these are SO good that they have to be absolutely no good for me or my waistline!).  Baked cheesecake on a rich brownie base, truly irresistible!


Ingredients:
Cheesecake mix
1 egg
250g full fat cream cheese
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownie mix
115g plain chocolate
115g unsalted butter
150g soft brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
50g plain flour

Preheat oven to 160°C, grease and line a 20cm square shallow cake pan.
To make the cheesecake mixture, put all the ingredients into a bowl and beat well together.
To make the brownie mixture melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water, or in the microwave.  When melted, remove from the heat, stir well then stir in the sugar.  Add the eggs a little at a time and beat well.  Gently fold in the flour.
Spread ⅔ of the brownie mixture into the base of the prepared tin.  Spread the cheesecake mixture on top.  Spoon the remaining brownie mixture on top in heaps.  Using a skewer, swirl the mixtures together.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until just set in the centre (there will still be a wobble to your cheesecake), Leave it in the oven with the door ajar for 30-60 minutes then remove to further cool on the bench.
Remove it from the baking tin when completely cool and cut in to squares to serve – I cut mine into 16 but you could go bigger for a dessert.
* Note, if you leave your cheesecake to cook for too long it will crack, don’t be afraid to turn the oven off as long as your center has set, this was my first go at making a baked cheesecake and I probably left it 5 minutes too long and as you can see below, some small cracks in formed on the surface of cheesecake.


I also whipped up some savoury scone scrolls using this recipe Melissa posted earlier in the year, except I filled mine with shaved ham and a sprinkling of the new ‘Egmont’ cheese that Mainland have released (they are right – it is great in baking!).


And just because I can’t resist – here is a pic of Max with his ‘birthday buddy’ Sophia at coffee group this week :-)

Chicken Meatballs wrapped in prosciutto

 

There wasn’t any of these left over after our high tea, they were yum!  I used turkey mince when we made them because our supermarket didn’t have any chicken mince (but yeah, they randomly had turkey!) which I think worked quite well because I kinda like the flavour of turkey.  I’ve re-made these at a later date with chicken and they were just as good and went just as fast!  The picture above is are the chicken ones and the photo at the bottom of the post are the turkey meatballs.

Makes about 24.

500g minced chicken or turkey meat
100g grated haloumi cheese
finely grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley or sage
1 egg yolk
50g dried breadcrumbs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10-12 slices prosciutto

Preheat the oven to 180˚C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Place the chicken, haloumi, lemon zest, parsley, egg yolk and breadcrumbs in a bowl.  Season with the salt and pepper and combine well.  Shape the mixture into small meatballs, no bigger than a golf ball.
Cut the prosciutto into thick strips, wide enough to wrap around the meatballs.  Wrap each meatball with a strip of prosciutto and place on the baking tray.  Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until cooked through.

Cheese and Ham Scones

 
To make you will need:

3 cups of plain flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
75g butter cut into small cubes
1 - 1 ½ cups milk
1 cup grated cheese (of your choice - edam and tasty work well)
1 handful of cut up shaved ham

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, cut in butter until the mixture in the bowl resembles bread crumbs.  Add the milk and vigorously mix with a knife until dough is soft.  Add the cheese and ham and mix with the knife.  Use your hands to knead dough a few times (can be done in the bowl but I find it easier to do on a flour dusted bench top).  At this stage you can chose to place the dough on a flour dusted oven tray, mould the dough into a round shape and cut into wedges like the picture above or alternatively cut into 8-12 square pieces.  If you are cutting the mix into pieces leave a 2cm space between them on the tray.  Bake at 220˚C for 10-15 minutes or until an inserted skewer can be removed cleanly.

 
Enjoy!