Garibaldi biscuits are something I have fond memories of. Always a treat; reserved mainly for visits to my Grandparents (they are a favourite of my Grandad’s) and known as “Squashed fly biscuits”.

A few days ago I stumbled on this recipe during my internet browsing and knew I had to have a go at making them asap.

Garibaldi Biscuits
From Ursula Ferrigno’s Complete Italian Cookery Course

115 g plain flour
85 g unsalted butter
55 g caster sugar, plus a little extra to finish
115 g dried currants
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease a non-stick jelly roll tin (about 7×11 in), or if using a tin without non-stick properties, line with parchment paper so it overhangs on two sides of the tin.)

Place the flour, sugar and butter in a medium bowl and rub the butter in using your fingertips until it is evenly distributed throughout. Stir in the currants. Add almost all of the beaten egg to bind everything together and form a soft, but not sticky, dough.

Turn the dough into the tin and press down so the surface is even. Brush all over with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the extra sugar, to taste.

Bake in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. When it is out of the oven cut into as many squares as you want, and leave to cool before eating.

Luckily I had just enough plain flour left (literally, spot on)

They didn’t look too pretty in the tin

Or straight out of the oven

But I couldn’t resist nibbling the crumbles that came off whilst slicing; burning my tongue in the process.

And admiring the sweet, sugar glazed flaky topping.

It was like being a child all over again.

Make them. Do it now. I urge you.

When was the last time I did a recipe post eh? Far too long ago for sure! Sunday I finally had a whole day inside the house and time on my hands so I got busy in the kitchen!

Ok, so my first creation was a cheat. I made the Mary Berry chocolate fudge cake mix a few weeks ago, and this time I tried out the Lemon Drizzle Variety
I don’t think it was realllly cheating though, I mean, the ingredients were only pre-weighed, right?
Anyway, I don’t have a verdict on this yet as it is for work but all signs point to excellent. Mary Berry, I love thee.

Next up came Lemon Curd and Blueberry cookies. Two of my favourite things. It had to be a winner.

I used this basic recipe from Good Food: 101 Cupcakes and Small Bakes.

350g/12oz plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
140g/5oz butter, cut into small squares
175g/6oz caster sugar
85g/3oz sultanas
100g/4oz lemon curd
2 eggs, beaten

1. Heat oven to 200’C/fan 180C/gas6.
2. Line 3 baking sheets (I used 2 trays several times). Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
3. Stir in the sugar and sultanas, add the lemon curd and eggs, then mix into a soft dough.
4. Shape the dough into 30 small balls about 2.5cm wide then put on the baking sheets allowing plenty of space between them so that they can spread. Using your fingers flatten the tops slightly (This was a super sticky mix so I just splodge fingerfuls on the tray)
5. Bake for 11-15 minutes until risen and light golden. Leave to cool for 1 min on the baking sheets then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

There was also a lemon icing for this which I omitted.

My twist came when I decided to get creative with my box of Bear yo-yos. I used four packs of the blueberry flavour and simply un-wound them and chopped them to size.
I actually preferred baking with these than normal dried fruit, not only because I am an addict but because they aren’t coated with anything and you could chop them to the size required. I think probably only three packs made it in to the mix because I couldn’t stop munching!

The result?
Some beary good cookies! Bear fans (and everyone else in the world) I urge you to try this. Just think of the combinations you could create! Raspberry and white chocolate? Peach and strawberry? Ohhh the possibilities (and the ever so cute trading cards).

Next I think I shall incorporate some granola nibbles in to flapjack or rocky road. YUM.

Have you had a go at baking with Bear? Or am I just an inspired genius? Either way, do it.

xxx

When in a foul tempered over-tired and all round miserable state there really is no better remedy than throwing together as much sugar/syrup/butter/chocolate as you can find and making a batch of Rocky Road
(that you are then too tired to contemplate eating).

Work are going to love me. Fact.

Pink wafer biscuits, marshmallows, white chocolate chips and honeycomb pieces. I have no idea how much of what I used…it was a case of chuck it all together and hope for the best.

The chocolate coating consists of 225g un-salted butter, 2tbsp cocoa powder, 2tbsp caster sugar, 2tbsp golden syrup and 100g plain chocolate.
Melt all that together, leave to cool for ten minutes or so, then add in your sugary goodness.

(you could use anything you want; dried fruit, malteasers, biscuits, mini eggs, gummy bears….)

I started off with bite sized pieces, then got bored and smushed the rest in to a lined tray.

Chilled it in the fridge for a couple of hours,

and voila!

The bigger one was still setting, hence no photo. Apologies for the shocking photo quality, my camera was throwing a hissy fit and I really didn’t have the energy to fight it!

Onwards and upwards.

((Ironic that I work in a doctors surgery full of chocoholics, right?))

Let me know if you make this and what your favourite combinations are!

xxx

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I had baking planned. Snickerdoodles are something I have seen time after time on blogs but had yet to make, I’ve had a recipe in my folder for quite some time now and decided enough was enough and I.Was.Going.To.Make.Them.

I’d put it off because I thought they’d be complicated. Um, how wrong was I? These were some of the easiest cookies I have ever made. EVER (and I’ve made a lot of cookies!)

The recipe I used was from Nigella Lawson’s “How To Be Domestic Goddess”

Ingredients

250g plain flour
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used mixed spice the first time which was also nice)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
125g butter, at room temperature
100g plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 baking sheets, lined or greased

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
• Combine the flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt, and set aside for a moment.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter with the 100g of sugar until light in texture and pale in colour, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
• Now stir in the dry ingredients until you have a smooth, coherent mixture.
• Spoon out the remaining sugar and the cinnamon onto a plate, mix well.
• Then, with your fingers, squidge out pieces of dough and roll between the palms of your hands into walnut-sized balls.
• Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and arrange on your prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, by which time they should be turning golden-brown.
• Take out of the oven and leave to rest on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 32. They keep well for about 4/5 days in a tin.

Variation: Replace 25g of the flour with cocoa to make chocodoodles.

When I first put these on the tray to bake I was cautious because I’ve had a great big cookie blob far too many times in the past,
but actually these barely spread at all, so don’t be afraid to cram them in!

And how many are left?!

Well, between myself, Mum, Dad and work…3 remain (but not for long!)

xxx

P.S. HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!

As promised, here is part two of my baking epidemic which saw me spend three hours in the kitchen (and another half an hour cleaning up…I’m a messy cook). The fruits of my labour are so worth it though even with the aching arms and flour dusted hair.

First up was the Key Lime Cheesecake. I have no idea where we got this recipe but it’s been stored in Mum’s recipe box for years and gets carted out time and time again…

The Tools:

(side note, condensed milk gets EVERYWHERE.) ((There is oddly no cheese in this cheesecake.))
(((apologies for dad’s cigarettes being in the photo)))

See the rolling pin? That’s for bashing…you could use a food processor but it’s more fun this way!

Ingredients:
75g (3oz) butter
225g (8oz) ginger biscuits, bashed in to itty bitty pieces
1/2 pint double cream
The juice and rind of four limes
218g sweetened condensed milk

+ cream and lime slices to decorate

Method:
Melt the butter and mix in the biscuit crumbs, press in to your tin (we always use a spring form tin as it’s easier to remove the cheesecake). Place in fridge to chill for around 45 mins.

Whisk together all the other ingredients, blending until thick and smooth (I heartily recommend an electric mixer!)

Spread over the chilled base and return to fridge for a few hours to set.

Decorate with slices of lime and serve with cream if you wish.

Ta-da. A super simple but really bloody gorgeous dessert!

Next I made the Malteaser Cupcakes, using this recipe (please note the recipe states it makes 12 cupcakes that bake for 25 minutes. I ended up with 24 that cooked in 12 minutes so be careful when they are in the oven!)

No point in copy/pasting the recipe, it’s easy to click so on with the photos!

My stash of cake cases!

The Russian Doll is my salt shaker

In the end I used the three bags of malteasers in the mix (around 120g) then scavenged another bag for the topping!

My piping bag is older than I am and not the best…so I gave up after half and just dolloped the icing on. When cakes are this good, they don’t need to be pretty!

I made half the quantity of icing that the recipe states and that was enough for the 24 cakes. I also added a tsp of edible glitter whilst mixing it up.

Now the cakes are packed in my stacking cake tins awaiting tonight’s American Supper!

Let me know if you make either of these!

((the cheesecake would also work well with lemon, and experiment with other biscuits for the base!))

xxx