Category: cakes and biscuits

O Melhor Bolo de Anos :: The Best Birthday Cake

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Ando sempre à procura de uma boa receita para um bolo de anos a sério: alto, denso e preferencialmente de chocolate. Este que fiz ontem é do Baking Bible da Mary Berry – como a receita saiu há uns meses no Sunday Telegraph, suponho que a possa partilhar aqui convosco. As minhas únicas alterações foram omitir o doce de alperce e acrescentar raspa de laranja ao recheio e cobertura.
I’m always on the lookout for a good recipe for a proper birthday cake: one that is tall, dense and preferably chocolatey. This one I baked yesterday is from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible – since this recipe came in The Sunday Telegraph a few months ago, I suppose I can share it here with you. My only alterations were adding some orange grated rind to the icing and filing and leaving the apricot jam out.



(photos: Tiago Cabral)

Bolo de Chocolate e Laranja Amarga :: Chocolate & Marmalade Cake

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O que fazer com frascos e frascos de marmalade demasiado boa para ser deitada fora, mas não suficientemente boa para ser oferecida? Uma das opções é disfarçá-la em bolos. A clássica combinação de chocolate e laranja nunca me desilude e o bolo, apesar de não ser muito fotogénico e parecer seco, é denso, subtil e bastante saboroso. O truque é não o deixar cozer demais. Encontrei a receita aqui.
What to do with jars and jars of marmalade that’s too good to be thrown away but not good enough to be gifted? One of the options is to use it in cakes. The classic combination of chocolate ad orange never fails to please me and this cake, although a bit dry and sad looking, is actually quite dense, subtle and delicious. The trick is not to overbake it. I found the recipe here.

(image: Constança Cabral)

Madalenas :: Madeleines

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Madalenas
200 g manteiga (amolecida)
200 g açúcar
200 g farinha
4 ovos
raspa de 3 limões
1 colher de chá de fermento
1 pitada de sal
icing sugar para polvilhar
Pré-aquecer o forno a 180º C. Untar muito bem as formas de madalenas e polvilhá-las com farinha.
Bater a manteiga com o açúcar. Juntar os ovos inteiros, um a um, e bater. Adicionar raspa de limão e bater. Ir incorporando a farinha (à qual se juntou previamente o fermento e o sal) aos poucos e envolver.
Encher formas até metade. Cozer até estarem douradas (tirar do forno no segundo em que estiverem cozidas!). Polvilhar com icing sugar.
Madeleines

200 g softened butter
200 g sugar
200 g flour
4 eggs
grated rind of 3 lemons
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180º C. Butter and flour madeleine tins.

Mix butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one by one, and mix. Add lemon zest and mix. Gently fold in flour (previously mixed with baking powder and salt).

Pour batter into tins, filling them until just half full. Bake until golden (take them out of the oven the second they’re done… watch them like a hawk!). Dust with icing sugar. 

(image: Constança Cabral)

Baking Day

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Tarte de maçã, bolo de limão, pão… e o fim-de-semana à porta!
Apple pie, lemon cake, a loaf of bread… and the weekend is nearly here!

Classic Apple Pie (Martha Stewart)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 recipe Pâte Brisée
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 pounds assorted apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 13-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Roll out remaining disc in the same manner. Place in refrigerator until firm.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and heavy cream; set aside. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Remove pie shell from freezer, and fill with apple mixture. Dot with butter.

Lightly brush edge of pie with a wet pastry brush. Place dough round on top of pie. Trim edges flush with rim; press to seal. Crimp edges as desired. Make four 1/2-inch slits in center of pie. Brush top with egg wash; sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Place pie plate on a baking sheet, and bake until crust just begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes. If the crust begins to get too dark, drape a piece of aluminum foil over the top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake (Nigella Lawson)
Cake:
125g unsalted butter
175g caster sugar
2 large eggs
Zest of 1 lemon
175g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons milk
Syrup:  
Juice of 1/5 lemons (about 4 tablespoons)
100g of icing sugar
23 x 13 x 7 cm loaf tin, buttered and lined, preheat the oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add eggs and lemon zest, beat in well.
Add the sieved flour and salt, folding in gently but thoroughly.
Add the milk, mix in.
Spoon into loaf tin and put cake in oven for 45 mins, or until golden and a cake tester comes out clean.
While it’s cooking, dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, over a low heat
As soon as you take the cake out, puncture holes all over the top and pour the syrup on to let it soak in. Make sure there are lots of holes in the top so it doesn’t all go down the sides.
Wait until it’s completely cold to take it out of the tin.

(images: Constança Cabral)

Bolachas Boas, Fáceis e Rápidas :: Good, Easy, Fast Cookies

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Vou fazer um breve intervalo nos relatos da viagem a França para falar de actividades de fim-de-semana. Entre passeios pelo campo, costura, jardinagem e festas de aldeia (Junho é um mês intenso por estes lados) – e, no caso de muitas pessoas cheias de sorte, idas à praia -, vale a pena reservar meia-hora para fazer as bolachas mais deliciosas de sempre.
A receita é esta. Deixei de fora o extracto de baunilha (que, na minha opinião, deixa todos os bolos e bolachas a saber a Dan Cake), reduzi a quantidade de açúcar e acrescentei uma mão cheia de pistachios. As bolachas são boas, demasiado boas. E tão fáceis de fazer! A sério, experimentem. Prometo que não se arrependerão.
I’m taking a short break on posting about France to talk about some weekend activities. In between walking, sewing, gardening and going to village fêtes (June is a busy month around here) – and, for some lucky people, going to the beach -, it’s worth setting aside half an hour to bake the most delicious cookies ever.

The recipe is this one (for Imperial measurements, try this one here). I left out the vanilla extract (which, in my opinion, makes everything taste like Dan Cake), reduced the amount of sugar and added a handful of pistachio nuts. The cookies are good, too good. And so easy to make! I urge you to give it a try. I promise you won’t regret it!


(image: Constança Cabral)

Bolachas de Chocolate :: Double Chocolate Cookies

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Deixem-me dar-vos um gostinho da edição deste mês da Food & Travel: estas são as bolachas de chocolate que estão na capa e são de comer e chorar por mais! E fazem-se num instante. Querem experimentar?
Let me give you a taste of this month’s Food & Travel: these are the chocolate cookies that appear on the cover and they’re to die for. And you can bake them so quickly! Wanna try?
50g unsalted butter
450g chocolate, roughly chopped
2 eggs
170g soft light Muscovado sugar
85g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas 3. Put the butter and half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave until melted and smooth.
Put the eggs and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until well mixed. Pour in the chocolate mixture, beating on slow speed until well combined. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a separate bowl then stir into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions mixing well after each addition. Finally stir in the remaining chocolate until evenly dispersed.
Arrange equal amounts of cookie dough on 2 baking trays. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes, checking regularly after 10 minutes. They are ready when the tops start to crack and they look glossy. Leace the cookies to cool slightly on the trays before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

(image: Constança Cabral)

Máxima Interiores

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Em honra da equipa da Máxima Interiores que me visitou hoje, comprei flores e fiz madalenas. E respondi a muitas perguntas, fui fotografada e até filmada! Obrigada às cinco senhoras que cá vieram a casa pelo interesse e extrema simpatia. A reportagem sai no número de Novembro. Estou toda contente!
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In honour of the Máxima Interiores team that paid me a visit today, I bought flowers and baked madeleines. And I also answered many questions, was photographed and even filmed! I’d like to thank again the five ladies who came here today for their interest and kindness. The piece will be out in the Novembe issue. I’m so happy!


(image: Constança Cabral)

Chocolate Bundt Cake

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De vez em quando faço um bolo. Gosto de o fazer ao fim da tarde, quando a luz na minha cozinha (virada a poente) está mais agradável. Este bolo é óptimo para pequenos-almoços, lanches e ceias. À semelhança de todos os bolos que levam sour cream (natas azedas), a consistência é óptima: esponjosa e húmida. Querem experimentar? A receita está aqui.
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Once in a while I bake a cake. I like baking it in the late afternoon, when the light in my east-facing kitchen is most agreable. This is a great cake for breakfasts, teas and late night suppers. Like all cakes made with sour cream, the texture is great: spongy and moist. Want to give it a try? The recipe is here.

(images: Tiago Cabral)