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Maids of Honour Tarts

MAIDS OF HONOUR TARTS

from allrecipes.co.uk

These individual tarts have a raspberry surprise in the bottom. Vanilla extract may be substituted for the almond extract.

Ingredients

Serves: 12

• 1 recipe pastry for a 23cm pie
• 4 tablespoons raspberry jam
• 60g butter, softened
• 4 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 60g (2 1/2 oz) plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons icing sugar for dusting

Preparation method

Prep: 20 mins |Cook: 20 mins

1.	Move oven rack to bottom position and preheat oven to 190 C (gas 5). Lightly grease 12 (5cm) tart tins.
2.	Roll out pastry and cut 12 (8cm) circles. Fit one pastry circle into each tart tin. Spread one teaspoon of raspberry jam into the bottom of each pastry case.
3.	In a medium mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg. Add flour, baking powder and almond extract and mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour 1 tablespoon of batter into each pastry case.

Baking Essentials for Your Pantry By Mary Sauer

Baking Essentials for Your Pantry

By Mary Sauer

Becoming an exceptional baker requires time and patience, often recreating the same recipes over and over again until they are just right. New and experienced bakers alike need supplies on hand which allow them to follow inspiration at a moment's notice—to tweak each recipe just so or to throw in the towel on a creation gone south and start from scratch.

Whether your pantry is a large closet or a set of recently remodeled cabinets, the team at Modernize believes the extent to which you stock your pantry comes down to how often you plan to bake, as well as the recipes you want to work into your regular rotation. So, for novice bakers we have created a list of basic ingredients, and then we threw in a few speciality items for bakers looking to take their skills in the kitchen to the next level. 

Dry Goods Pantry

• All-Purpose white flour will be the cornerstone of your pantry—you will use this for more recipes than not. Keep plenty on hand and store in an airtight container to keep it fresh and free from bugs.
• Rolled oats is a common ingredients in granolas, breads, cookies and more. For baking, choose a non-instant option.
• At first, salt may seem to be a strange ingredient for baking, especially sweet treets. However, salt adds flavor dimension to baked goods, steadies the fermentation of yeast breads, and increases the shelf life of baked goods.
• As leavening agents, baking powder and baking soda are both essential for adding air to cakes, pancakes, and other baked goods.
• When it comes to sugar, it is best to keep granulated, confectioners, and brown sugar all on hand. Each sugar serves a different purpose and adds a different flavor to recipes. These, too, should be stored airtight to increase shelf life and keep sugar-loving bugs away.
• Dutch process cocoa powder belongs in every pantry. Use cocoa for super chocolatey brownies and flourless cakes and cookies.
• Pure vanilla extract is used commonly in cookies, cakes, and other treats. When in doubt, always buy the pure extract over cheaper imitation extract.
• Keep your spice cabinet well stocked with the most commonly used spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
• Adding a few specialty items to your pantry really comes down to which recipes you love to bake or want to try. Expand your pantry to include dried fruits, various flavors of chocolate chips, shredded coconut and coconut oil, whole wheat all-purpose flour, and perhaps a few additional extracts such as almond or peppermint, which add endless opportunities for more specialized baking.

Baking Items which Belong in the Fridge

There are a few items which are best to keep on hand in your fridge at all times if you plan to bake regularly. These items include:

• Eggs, which are best for baking when brought to room temperature before use.
• Unsalted butter should also be kept at room temperature and may need removed from the fridge several hours in advance.
• When choosing milk for baking, always opt for the creamier, more flavorful whole milk. Consider expanding your dairy options to include sour cream, heavy cream, and buttermilk. 
• Store active dry yeast in the fridge and greatly extend its shelf life.
• Choose specialty items such as a cream cheese for frosting and jams or preserves for tarts. 

For all Fondue Lovers

The most social way to enjoy friends - over a bowl of cheese, chocolate or meat fondue!
felicekitchen

Fruit bar

Now selling amazing fruit bars

WHOLE WHEAT FRUIT BARS

More flavors coming - for now we have FIG and Fig/raspberry

Felice Biscotti | Bakery in Peoria

Felice Biscotti | Bakery in Peoria

Flavor of the Month

Flavor of the Month



Fig Walnut and honey biscotti

new biscotti flavors

I have started new flavors that turned out so well!

This is the flavor of the month for March
Cherry, lemon almond with a white chocolate glaze

YUM

January Deal

Post by Felicekitchen.

January Deal

Date and Pecan Biscotti

New Arrivals!
Date and pecan biscotti in packs of 1 dozen or more
They make wonderful gifts - especially since my Tin Biscuit Boxes have now arrived!

Visit Felicebiscotti to have your biscotti shipped in time for Xmas!

Mince Pies for christmas

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Mince Pies. Why? Take a look at this easy Christmas Mince Pie Recipe full of rich, sticky, sweet fruits wrapped in pastry. Delicious.

Mince pies have been eaten as part of a traditional British Christmas since as long ago as the 16th century. Then they were made of meat but are now made with sweet mincemeat; a mixture of dried fruits, sugar, spices and brandy. Home made mincemeat is quick and easy to make and there are also many great commercial brands out there to use instead.

Shortcrust pastry, using lard (or crisco) as well as butter is my favorite

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Depends on size of tin used.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz/350g all purpose/plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 8oz/ 225g butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
• 1 beaten egg + 1 cold water as needed
• 1 jar of mincemeat, shop bought or home made
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400°F/205°C/Gas 6
Make the Pastry

• Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm.
• Add the egg to the mixture and using a cold knife stir, add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture binds but don't make it too wet that it is sticky.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

The dough can also be made in a food processor by mixing the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of the processor on a pulse setting. When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add the egg a slowly, through the funnel until the dough, then add water a tsp at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill as above.

Assemble the Pies

• Choose a muffin or bun tin for the size of the pie you want. Choose from a standard 12-cup muffin tin down to small canapé size. The number of pies will depend on the size of cup you choose.
• Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out two-thirds of the pastry to 1/8"/3mm thick. Cut circles to line the cups of your tin, don't worry if the pastry doesn't come to the top.
• Fill the pastry lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids on the tarts or to be decorative, cut stars or other fancy shapes.
• Dampen the edges of the tart bases with a little cold water and press the lids on. Make a small hole in the surface of each pie with a small sharp knife to allow the steam to escape (you can omit this if using star-shaped lids).
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins (15 mins if making canape size) or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the icing sugar.
  
  Mince pies are delicious served hot or cold on their own or with Brandy Butter. They will keep well if placed in an airtight tin - up to seven days. Sometimes they benefit from a gentle warming in the oven before serving. 

thanks to british food  http://britishfood.about.com/od/christmasrecipes/r/mincepies.htm

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake

I never thought I would be using pumpkin so much! I got this recipe off my mum - its really easy and very moist and tasty. I made it for Thanksgiving Lunch as a Dessert.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tbs mixed spices (i used cinnamon, ginger and all spice with a dash of cloves)
3 eggs
1/1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin - I actually used the canned one here and its not that bad!

Method.
Sift first 4 ingredients together.
In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla.
Add the pumpkin and beat some more.
Add the dry ingredients.

You can divide mixture in 2 pans or use one.
Bake at 350 for about 40 mins or until cake passes the toothpick test.
Let cool.

I used a cream cheese topping made this way:
8oz cream cheese ( a packet of Philly)
2 cups  icing (powdered) sugar
1/2 cup butter  (melt 1/4 cup until browned then pour it over the rest until all is melted)
Put all in a bowl and beat well

Cut cake in half and spread mixture on one piece, use the rest of the topping to cover the cake.
I also used some crushed walnuts as decoration.

The colour of the cake rather surprised me - its rather orange!!But looks great with the white topping!

Biscotti for Xmas

We are having a great promotion for Xmas - from now until December 13th, all orders from FeliceBiscotti will have a little something extra and also be gift wrapped!
what are you waiting for?
You can also build your own biscotti and have them customized to your taste

Easy Homemade Bread

Easy to make loaf of yeasted bread that can be made in less than 2 hours, without kneading or shaping. This recipe was inspired by batter bread, an old-fashioned recipe made with a very wet dough, which produces a coarse crumb. In our recipe, thorough mixing and higher-protein flour yield a more refined, though still homey, loaf.

Easy Bread

Makes 1 loaf

We like the nutty flavor that a small amount of whole wheat flour brings to this bread, but you may substitute an equal portion of bread flour for an all-white loaf if you prefer. For best results, be sure to use your mixer’s paddle attachment, not the dough hook, to mix this dough, and be sure to mix for the full four minutes. To prevent the deflation of the risen loaf, do not allow the dough to come in contact with the plastic wrap covering. This loaf is best eaten on the day it is made, but leftover bread may be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored for 2 days at room temperature or frozen for up to one month. The leftovers of this loaf make very good toast.

2 cups (10 ½ ounces) bread flour

6 tablespoons (2 ounces) whole-wheat flour

2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons water, heated to 120 degrees

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¾ teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water and pinch salt

1. In bowl of stand mixer, whisk together bread flour, whole wheat flour, and yeast. Add 1 ¼ cups water, honey, and 2 tablespoons of butter. Using paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and mix for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl and paddle with greased spatula, and mix on medium speed for a further 2 minutes. Remove bowl and paddle from mixer. Scrape down bowl and paddle, leaving paddle in dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, dissolve salt in remaining 2 tablespoons water. Grease 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. When dough has doubled, attach bowl and paddle to mixer. Add salt-water mixture, and mix on low speed until water is mostly incorporated, about 40 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix for 1 minute, scraping down paddle if necessary. Transfer dough to prepared pan and smooth surface with greased spatula. Cover and leave in warm place until dough reaches ½ inch below edge of pan, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, and allow to rise until center of dough is level with edge of pan, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

3. While loaf rises, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Gently brush top surface of risen loaf with egg mixture. Bake until deep golden brown and registers 208 to 210 degrees, 40 to 45 minutes. To remove loaf from pan, invert immediately onto wire rack. Re-invert loaf, and brush surface with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cool completely before slicing.

Gluten Free Biscotti

My latest addition to felicebiscotti.com is Gluten Free biscotti.
It took me a while to figure out the correct proportions of flours and the right assortment but I cam eup with a mix that worked perfectly!
I actually prefer them to the wheat flour biscotti

Take a look here

Help me fund my project!

I am selling my biscotti at great rates to fund my project
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/felicebiscotti/help-me-start-my-bakery

any help would be appreciated!

Mother's day is soon!

12th of may will be here before we know it!
As a mother's day promotion, all orders placed by 30th April, with have 50% more included free of charge! You dont even pay for extra shipping!
http://felicebiscotti.com

If you want them gift wrapped just let me know

My biscotti contain no butter, oils or greasy stuff so they are great to dunk into coffee - or wine!
Happy Mothers Day!!

Looking for the real biscotti recipe...

I think i have found it - NO BUTTER

anyone else got any ideas??


http://felicebiscotti.com