Mini Egg Tiffin

I can't believe how fast this week has gone. I'm already half the way through my Easter hols. It's now Good Friday and our Easter tree has been up for about a week. I was first introduced to Easter trees 20 years ago in Germany and decided I wanted one in our house this year. Traditionally you are meant to have some branches in buds, but apart from hacking away at nextdoor's plants I decided to use some decorative branches we already had in the house. I picked up the decorations at a garden centre. It's added a nice bit of colour to the lounge.

I've done quite a bit of Easter baking recently; primarily Simnel Cupcakes and Mini Egg Tiffin for work. I've made the tiffin 3 times in the last few week. First was for my work mates, second for Hubby's workmates (who consequently threatened to hold Hubby to ransom until I made them some more!) and then I decided I couldn't let Hubby & I go without. As I have quite a few other things on my plate at the moment it had to be a quick Easter cake...plus Mini Eggs are my weakness. Forget creme eggs, far too sickly sweet for me, I love mini eggs.

The word tiffin originates from the British India meaning a light meal coming from the old English tiffing as in to take a little drink or sip. Oop North it also relates to a refrigerator cake.



This cake is based on my Malteser cake and the basic recipe can be easily adapted to add different fillings. It's really easy for kids to make, so much so we'll be making a similar cake in Cookery Club, and can be prepared in 5 minutes. Julia @ A Slice of Cherry Pie is hosting her Easter Cake Bake again this year and I've submitted my Mini Egg Tiffin.

Mini Egg Tiffin
Fills 1 x 1lb tin

85g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp cocoa
170g digestives, crushed (I usually blitz them in a food processor)
170g mini eggs, lightly crushed
30g mini eggs, left whole

1) Gently melt butter and golden syrup in large pan. Stir in cocoa, digestives and crushed mini eggs.

2) Line a 1lb loaf tin with cling film. Press mixture into tin then press the whole mini eggs into the top. Refrigerate until set.

Simnel loaf and cupcakes

In England it is traditional to make a simnel cake to celebrate Easter. Similar to a Christmas cake in that it is a spiced fruit cake. It features 11 balls of marzipan which represent the 12 apostles excluding Judas. The cake is thought to have been around since Medieval times and the name comes from the Latin simila meaning fine wheat flour.

Tradition dictates that it should be baked on Mothering Sunday by a daughter. If it is still moist when cut open on Easter Sunday it is a sign of a good cook (and potential wife!) As I only found this information out yesterday, and had missed Mothering Sunday I still decided to go ahead with it.

The original recipe for this Simnel Loaf cake featured in this months GFM, I made some alterations due to ingredients I had available. I also made my own marzipan, which is far better than any shop bought version. It is meant to make 1 2lb loaf, but I was left with loads of extra cake batter so made some simnel cupcakes to go with the loaf. It turned out beautifully moist, I'm glad it did or I would have been proved to be a shocking wife and cook! Method wise it is very similar to a Boiled Fruit Cake. Rather than the important 11 marzipan balls being on the top of the cake they are distributed throughout the cake, a bit like a stollen. You can use this recipe to make just simnel cupcakes (I guess this recipe will make about 18), use the same amounts. The cooking times for the cupcakes are below. I've entered the cakes in to Julia's Easter Cake Bake.

It's snowing here at the moment and we've been predicted heavy snow for tomorrow so we could be in for a white Easter.

Simnel Loaf and Cupcakes
Makes 1 2lb loaf and around 6 cupcakes

Marzipan
Makes 250g

125g ground almonds
60g icing sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 egg, beaten well (you won't use all of it)

1) Sift sugar into bowl then mix in almonds.

2) Add the lemon juice then the egg a tiny bit at a time. Beat to a firm paste then knead. It will end up having the texture of grainy dough. If it is too sticky add a bit more sugar and almonds. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in fridge while you prepare the rest of the cake.

Cake

140g unsalted butter, cubed
175g golden caster sugar
250ml orange juice
75g dried apricots, quartered
275g mixed fruit
220g glace cherries
200g marzipan (see above)
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
50g flaked almonds

Icing
1 egg white
250g icing sugar
50g marzipan

1) Preheat oven to 150oc. Line 2lb with baking parchment. Ensure it goes high up the sides as the cake will rise.

2) In a large saucepan slowly heat butter, sugar, orange juice, dried fruits until boiling. Simmer for 10 minutes then allow to cool for 15 min. While this is cooling shape the cake marzipan into 11 balls around 2cm across.

3) Sift flour, spice and baking powder into the pan, then stir in eggs and almonds until everything is well combined.

4) Spoon cake mix into tin until it is about half full. Arrange the marzipan balls evenly over the cake mix then cover with the remaining cake mix (don't over fill the tin). Smooth over the top. Bake loaf for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 until a skewer will come out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 15 min, then remove and finish cooling on wire rack. Allow cake to cool fully before icing.

If cooking cupcakes bake for 30 minutes at 150oc.

5) Lightly whisk egg white then beat in icing sugar until you have thick spreadable icing. Spread over the top of cake. Roll remaining marzipan into balls and brown with a blow torch (you could do this under the grill). When the icing is almost set press the marzipan balls along the top.

Hot Cross Buns - 2nd attempt

These hot cross buns were the third thing I baked on Sunday during my marathon baking session; However they never got to work. I was so ashamed of them, I have a reputation to upkeep! The crosses went a great deal better than last year as I pipped the crosses on, but they still looked like something one of the kids in Foundation had made. I also didn't leave long enough for the dough to rise so they ended up dry and quite heavy. The photo features the one bun that was remotely decent looking.

I wasn't prepared to throw the whole batch away so was really glad when I came across Margaret's post for Jamie Oliver's Hot Cross Pudding. I made an individual portion tonight and it was lovely. A perfect antidote for the cold, frosty evening.

Don't forget the Hotel Chocolat Easter Egg hunt finishes tonight. Enter now to have you chance of winning a fab easter egg.

Hot Cross Buns

As promised my attempt at Hot Cross Buns. The recipe is from GFM - April 07. I think they went well apart from probably the most important part...the crosses. They certainly don't look as posh as shop brought ones, but they taste better! At first the cross paste was too thick so I thinned it down, then it was too thin and just dribbled off the buns. Next time I'll make the cross indents deeper in the hope the paste will stay better.

Hot Cross Buns
Makes 16

FOR THE DOUGH
175ml/6fl oz milk
50g/2oz butter
zest of 1 orange
1 clove
2cardamom pods
400g/14oz bread flour
1 tbsp caster sugar
7g (1 pkt) easy blend yeast
100g/oz mixed dried fruit
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 egg
1 egg beaten with a little milk

FOR THE CROSS ON THE BUN
3 tbsp plain flour
½ tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp water

FOR THE SUGAR GLAZE
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp boiling water

1) Heat the milk, butter, zest, clove and cardamom pods in a saucepan until the butter melts, then leave to infuse. Mix flour, sugar, yeast, dried fruit and spices. When the milk has reached body temperature, take ourt clove and cardamom pods and beat in egg. Pour this liquid into the flour mix.

2) Knead the dough until it is silky and elastic. Add a little more warm milk if it is too dry. Form into a ball and place in a butter bowl covered in cling film and leave to prove overnight in the fridge.

3) Take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to room temp. Knead dough again until it is smooth and elastic. Divide into 16 balls (each should be about the size of a ping pong ball)

4) Sit the buns on a lined baking sheet close together, but not touching. Lightly score a cross on the top of each bun. Cover with a tea towel and prove for another 45 min.

5) Heat oven to 220oc (200oc fan). Brush buns with egg wash, then mix flour, sugar and water together to make a thick smooth paste. Using a teaspoon dribble a cross into the indents. Bake for 15-20 min.

6) When the hot cross buns come out of the oven mix sugar and boiling water and brush over buns.