Zoe, Author at Zoes Cakes

Name: How To Make Buttermilk
Prep time: 5 min
Yield: 5 Servings
Ingredients: Milk 250ml; Lemon Juice 2tbspn

Budget-Friendly Baking: Delicious Baking Recipes Using Kitchen Staples

Zoe — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 03:26:26 +0000

When it comes to baking, budgeting can be a concern. Yet, with a well-stocked kitchen and a bit of creativity, you can make delicious baked goods. Here are some budget-friendly recipes that use kitchen staples to create delicious baked goods.

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies

You’ll need flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, and chocolate chips. Mix the ingredients together, scoop onto a baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes.

2. Banana Bread

A comforting and cozy bread that is the perfect way to use up overripe bananas. You’ll need flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, mashed bananas, and milk. Mix the ingredients together, pour into a loaf pan, and bake for 50-60 minutes.

3. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

A wholesome and budget-friendly treat that can be made with kitchen staples. You’ll need flour, rolled oats, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, and raisins. Mix the ingredients together, scoop onto a baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes.

4. Blueberry Muffins

A tasty and easy breakfast option that can be made with budget-friendly kitchen staples. You’ll need flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, salt, milk, and frozen blueberries. Mix the ingredients together, scoop into a muffin tin, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Apple Crisp

A warm and comforting dessert that is budget-friendly and the perfect way to use up a surplus of apples. You’ll need flour, sugar, butter, apples, and cinnamon. Mix the ingredients together and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Budgeting in the kitchen doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor or quality. Try out these recipes and see how tasty and budget-friendly baking can be. Additionally, you can also try to make your own ingredients like vanilla extract or homemade nut butter to save on costs. The possibilities are endless, let your imagination and taste buds guide you!

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Scented Wax Melts to Freshly Baked Pastries, it’s the perfect pair

Zoe — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:35:50 +0000

If you love the smell of freshly baked goods, then you’ll love these top five bakery scented wax melts! These soy wax melts will fill your home with the irresistible aroma of warm bread, sweet pastries, and comforting treats.

Apple Pie Wax Melts: There’s nothing quite like the warm and comforting aroma of a freshly baked apple pie. These wax melts will fill your home with the scent of sweet, spiced apples and flaky pastry, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The fragrance is a blend of crisp apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of buttery crust.

Birthday Cake Wax Melts: Celebrate every day with these birthday cake scented wax melts. The sweet and creamy aroma of vanilla cake and buttercream frosting will fill your home, making it feel like a party all the time. The fragrance is a blend of vanilla extract, butter, and sugar, with hints of almond and coconut.

Cherry Bakewell Wax Melts: Indulge in the delicious aroma of a cherry bakewell tart with these wax melts. The sweet and fruity scent of cherries and almond paste will transport you to a cozy bakery, where treats like these are baked fresh every day. The fragrance is a blend of sweet cherries, almond extract, and a hint of buttery pastry.

Warm Vanilla Sugar Wax Melts: Treat yourself to the luxurious aroma of warm vanilla sugar with these wax melts. The comforting scent of creamy vanilla and sweet sugar will fill your home, creating a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. The fragrance is a blend of rich vanilla extract and warm, sweet sugar.

Krispy Marshmallow Treats Wax Melts: Satisfy your sweet tooth with the irresistible aroma of krispy marshmallow treats. These wax melts will fill your home with the sweet and gooey scent of marshmallows and puffed rice cereal, making it feel like a cozy treat anytime. The fragrance is a blend of sweet, sticky marshmallows and crispy, puffed rice cereal.

For the best results, we recommend using these wax melts with a tea light burner. Soy wax melts are known for their ability to hold fragrance oils well and release their aroma at a low temperature, making them perfect for use with tea light burners. Be sure to use only one wax melt at a time and never leave the burner unattended while in use for safety reasons. These melts are long lasting, you can expect them to last for around 8 hours per melt.

No matter which one you choose, these bakery scented wax melts are sure to satisfy your craving for freshly baked treats. So why wait? Grab a bag (or two!) and indulge in the sweet and comforting aroma of your favorite bakery treats.

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How To Make Oat Flour In Under 5 Minutes

Zoe — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:15:12 +0000

Oat Flour Can Be Made In Just 3 Easy Steps

I never thought I’d be someone to try and make my own flour with oats. But being in a lockdown and having a national flour shortage meant I wasn’t opposed to try some “crazy” alternatives. After searching online and I fell into a bit of a homemade flour wormhole. I was surprised to learn how easy it is. Not to mention how quick the process is. You end up with a versatile flour that you can use for many different baking needs. It also means it has no added ingredients like shop bought flour. Plus, it’s gluten free and vegan! Don’t get me wrong, I wont be planning to start my own flour making mission and swap out my regular flour. In fact, the urge to get my hands on flour might have caused me to purchase a 16kg bag of regular plain flour online… But I have learnt that if you have no flour, there are other options which allow to to carry on baking til your hearts content! So, here’s how to make oat flour in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Choose Your Oats

The first step is to choose whichever brand of rolled oats you have. I used Quaker Oats but any will work fine.

Step 2: Blend Your Oats

Place the oats in a food processor or blender. Don’t overload your processor; blend them in batches if required. Then, pulse the oats for a few seconds at a time until no lumps remain.

Step 3: You Have Oat Flour

And that’s really how simple it is! You can then pass it through a seive to ensure all lumps are gone but this isn’t necessary. It ends up having a texture similar to sand unlike regular more powdery flour.

What's The Difference Between Oat Flour And Processed Flour?

Oat flour is a great alternative to processed flour. But they don’t always produce the exact same results in texture and taste. The big difference? Oat flour doesn’t contain gluten like all purpose flour. This means it’s perfect for those who are gluten free. But it doesn’t hold and bind together as well, and produces a more crumbly and chewier texture. This is perfect when baking things like banana bread, pancakes and cookies. But not so much for things like bread and cakes. Although, this can be rectified by adjusting your recipe.

Products such as xanthan gum is great to add to oat flour, as well as other gluten free flours. It allows the flour to act more as if it has gluten in it, making it better when baking things like bread and pastry. Add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to every cup of flour. Oat flour also tends to absorb liquid quicker than processed flour. Try to add a little more liquid than stated in your recipe to allow it to bind together easier. So, gluten free baking can be just as easy with a few simple tweaks to your recipe!

There’s also more depth of flavour to oat flour than processed flour, making it a great addition to raisin cookies and banana bread! Of course, oat flour is a great healthy alternative to processed flour. This is because it releases its carbohydrates slower, giving you energy for longer. It’s also a lot cheaper than other flours such as almond flour.

These type of whole grain flours tend to spoil quicker as it contains a high level of oils. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month, 6 months in the fridge or a year in the freezer. This flour makes the most delicious tasting oatmeal and raisin cookies. You have to try my recipe! Happy baking!

This blog has some great recipes to make the most out of your oat flour, check it out!

Enjoyed my page on how to make oat flour in under 5 minutes? Leave a comment below!

The post How To Make Oat Flour In Under 5 Minutes appeared first on Zoes Cakes.

Free Baking Recipe Calculator Tool

Zoe — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:12:56 +0000

As a baker, you’ll find that sometimes you need to convert a recipe’s servings and this can be tricky. In the past I struggled when trying to scale up recipe’s, jotting down endless math equations. This usually would end in the wrong calculation of ingredients and a failed recipe. So, I made it my goal to make an easy to use recipe calculator for all the fellow bakers out there. Here, you can take a recipe that you already have and enter the servings it makes. From there, you can scale your recipe up and down so you can get the perfect amount of servings for you. I must say, having this tool makes life so much easier when baking and I hope it will help you too! I couldn’t have made this tool without the help of my boyfriend who works as a web developer (which definitely comes in handy!). Let me know if you like this recipe calculator in the comments below!

Please note this recipe calulator is for GRAMS & MILLILETRES only.

Enter the recipe's serving amount and your desired servings

Servings

Desired Servings

Now enter each of the ingredients, units & measurements

Ingredient

Units

Measurements

Recipe

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15 Tips For Making The Perfect Cake

Zoe — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:07:32 +0000

Tips For Making The Perfect Cake - Get Superb Results Every Time

I have spent countless years baking cakes. I spent a lot of them frustrated at my many failed cake attempts. Or sometimes not even failed attempts, but not perfect either. From cracked tops, a dry crumbly texture, sunken middles, the list could go on and on. But with years of practice I can finally say I have perfected my cake recipe. I wanted to share it with you, along with some important tips and tricks!

Here’s my basic standard vanilla cake recipe:

230g unsalted butter
230g caster sugar
1tspn vanilla extract
4 large eggs
30ml milk
230g self raising flour
small pinch baking powder

Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Whisk in the eggs. Add the milk and sieved dry ingredients using the flour-liquid method described below. Tap the cake on the counter. Divide between two 8inch tins and bake for 25 minutes.

There’s no order of significance here – all of these tips are important in their own way.

1: Be Precise When Measuring Your Ingredients

Baking a cake isn’t just chucking stuff in a bowl and mixing it – there’s a science behind it. That’s why it’s crucial to measure your ingredients with accuracy. I recommend a good set of digital scales (these ones are great). I’ve had mine for 7 years now and they’re still going strong!

2: Line Your Cake Tins With Greaseproof Paper

Sometimes you can get away with greasing it with butter. But to ensure your cake never sticks to the tin, first grease your tin with butter or oil. Then cut out circles of greaseproof paper and fit them into your tin, as well as strips to line the sides. Reusable cake tin liners are a great way to save on paper waste.

3. Make Sure You Use Softened Butter

A good way to test if your butter is soft enough is if you can poke it and your finger goes in with little effort. If your butter is straight from the fridge, it wont whip up and capture as much air as room temperature butter. If your butter is too cold, warm it up in the microwave in 10 second intervals.

4. Use Room Temperature Eggs

Like butter, eggs whip up and become more airy when they are at room temperature. As well as this, your cake will take longer to cook if your eggs are cold. If you don’t have time much time, put your eggs in a bowl and heat them in the microwave for 5 seconds or so. This will bring them to room temperature in no time.

5. First Whisk, Then Fold

A whisk is great for whipping lots of air into the butter, sugar and eggs. But when it comes to adding in the flour, use a spatula and gently fold to avoid over working it.

6. Use Baking Powder & Self Raising Flour

Yes, I always use both. Self raising flour promotes a good well-rounded rise in a cake. But I find whenever I use self raising flour alone in my cake recipes, they wouldn’t have the height I desired. So, I use self raising flour along with a small pinch of baking powder. My cakes are always taller, fluffier and lighter when I use both. Although, be careful not to add too much as this will actually cause the cake to sink. A small pinch is more than enough and makes a big difference.

7. Always Sieve Your Dry Ingredients Together

This ensures there are no lumps and is a good way to mix the ingredients together evenly. Try to sieve your ingredients from a height to capture extra air in the mixture.

8. Add Milk To Your Cake For Extra Moistness

I like to add milk to my cakes (full fat for extra creaminess!) and there’s a particular way that you should combine your wet and dry ingredients that I’ll explain in the next step.

9. The Flour-Liquid Method

This is when you add most of the flour to the creamed butter and sugar, then add the milk, then the rest of the flour. This is all about lessening the gluten production in the flour. If you’d like a more in depth description on this process, this page does a great job at explaining it.

10. Don't Overmix

Gluten is the enemy when making cakes. When you work flour, it produces gluten. If you overmix your cakes once you’ve added the flour, it will create a dense, tough texture. So, once you’ve added the flour, only mix enough that is necessary for it to become combined and smooth.

11. Give Your Cake A Few Taps On The Counter Before Putting It In The Oven

This tip I only learned recently, but it’s made a big difference to my cakes lately. If you give your cake tin a firm few taps on the counter before putting it in the oven it helps to pop any large air bubbles. This gives your cake a more well-rounded stable rise.

12. Cooking Times Can Vary

The recipe says it takes 15 minutes to bake, but when you check, it’s not ready. This is a common occurrence when baking, as like I said earlier, every oven is different. What might take 15 minutes to cook in one oven may take 25 in another. It’s all about trial and error, lots of practice, and getting to know your oven. And also a lot of checking on your cake like it’s a baby.

13. Don't Open The Oven Too Early

Or it’ll make your cake sink. We’ve all heard this one, and it’s true. Letting a big rush of cold air into the oven while your cake is at crucial rising stages is detrimental. It halts any reactions taking place to make the cake rise, and to be honest, there’s not much you can do to come back from it. So if you can’t open the door and don’t have a modern oven which has a light so you can see your cake… what’s the best way to tell if a cake is ready?

14. You Can Always Smell When A Cake Is Ready

This is the best piece of baking advice my nan gave to me. She was a pro cake maker and always baking. I always wondered how she could tell when a cake was ready without even looking at it. Then she said, “it’s because I can smell it!” and she was always right. When baking a cake – if you can’t smell it, chances are it’s not done. Once that glorious smell fills the house, that’s the best sign that your cake is ready.

15. Dry Cake? Add Sugar Syrup

We’ve all been in the situation when we’ve forgotten about our cakes and they’ve been in the oven a bit too long. What you end up with is a dry, crumbly cake. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be salvaged! A sugar syrup is a simple 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. Simply boil the mixture gently in a saucepan for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Drizzle the sugar syrup on your cakes (it helps to use a squeezy bottle) and voila! Your cake is moist and moreish again.

Bonus tip: Cake strips -they are my new must-have in the kitchen! They are adjustable cloth strips (you can even get ones with all different patterns on if you fancy) which you dampen in water, then wrap around your cake. It then creates a extra barrier between the cake and the fiercely hot oven temperature. This keeps the cake fluffy and moist all the way through and stops it from getting crispy caramelised edges. It also gives you perfectly flat cake layers perfect for stacking – no more cutting off the rounded top of your cake! The fact that it’s adjustable means you can use it for any size of cake. Get them here! If you don’t want to buy them, you can also make your own for a fraction of the price. Just dampen some kitchen roll and then wrap it into a long strip that will fit around your cake tin – it works just as well!

Now, you may be thinking that this all sounds a bit of a faff. But I promise that if you encorporate these tips and tricks into your cake making process that your cakes will thank you for it. Once you learn the science behind why cakes are made the way they are, it makes more sense as to why recipes can seem so specific in their steps and methods. I hope you found these 15 tips on how to make a perfect cake helpful!

The post 15 Tips For Making The Perfect Cake appeared first on Zoes Cakes.

Oven Time & Measurement Conversions

Zoe — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 23:59:45 +0000

This page is designed with all fellow bakers in mind! It can be frustrating to have to look up measurement and oven conversions and sometimes I get different results from different websites. So, I wanted to have them all in one page where I can easily access them all, and you can too. I hope you find this page useful, happy baking!

Length Conversions

Length
Centimetres	Inches
1/2 cm	1/4 inch
1 cm	1/2 inch
2 cm	3/4 inch
3 cm	1 1/4 inch
4 cm	1 1/2 inch
5 cm	2 inch
6cm	2 1/2 inch
7 cm	2 3/4 inch
8 cm	3 1/4 inch
9 cm	3 1/2 inch
10 cm	4 inch
12 cm	4 1/2 nch
15 cm	6 inch
17 cm	6 1/2 inch
18 cm	7 inch
20 cm	8 inch
23 cm	9 nch
24 cm	9 1/2 inch
25 cm	10 cm
30 cm	12 inch

Liquid Conversions

Liquid Conversions
Imperial	Metric
1/2 FL oz	15 ml
1 FL oz	30 ml
2 FL oz	60 ml
4 FL oz	120 ml
8 FL oz	240 ml
16 FL oz	480 ml

Weight Conversions

Weight
Imperial	Metric
1 oz	25 g
1 1/2 oz	40 g
2 oz	50 g
2 1/2 oz	60 g
3 oz	75 g
4 oz	110 g
4 1/2 oz	125 g
5 oz	150 g
6 oz	175 g
7 oz	200 g
8 oz	225 g
9 oz	250 g
10 oz	275 g
12 oz	350 g
1 lb	450 g
1 lb 8 oz	700 g
2 lbs	900 g
3 lbs	1.35 kg

Conversions For Common Ingredients

Conversions For Common Ingredients
Ingredient (American Cups)	Grams
1 cup Flour	125 g
1 cup Icing Sugar	125 g
1 cup Caster Sugar	225 g
1 cup Brown Sugar	200 g
1 cup Butter	225 g
1 cup Honey/Syrup	350 g
1cup Rolled Oats	100 g
1 cup Ground Almonds	110 g
1 cup Cocoa Powder	100 g
1 cup Raisins/Sultanas	200 g

Oven Temperatures

Oven Temperatures
Gas Mark	Faranheit	Celsius
1	275°F	140°C
2	300°F	150°C
3	325°F	170°C
4	350°F	180°C
5	375°F	190°C
6	400°F	200°C
7	425°F	220°C
8	450°F	230°C
9	475°F	240°C

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How To Make Buttermilk

Zoe — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 23:50:38 +0000

5 mins prep 0 mins cook 5 servings

Choose serving amount

Buttermilk

Homemade buttermilk

Buttermilk Recipe Recipe

Milk: 250 ml
Lemon Juice: 2 tbspn

Buttermilk Recipe Method

Get any kind of milk you have (I prefer whole milk for a creamier flavour) and pour it into a jug. You can even make your own vegan buttermilk with oat/nut milk! Then, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, vinegar or cream of tartare into the milk and give it a stir.
You'll begin to see lumps form as the milk curdles
That's it. You can now use it in any recipe that calls for buttermilk in the same way.

Buttermilk has many uses in baking. It makes cakes, pancakes and muffins tender and moist. This is because it reacts with the raising agent, causing air bubbles to form while baking. It’s also used a lot in savoury dishes too; think buttermilk fried chicken. In this case, the enzymes in buttermilk help break down the proteins in the chicken – making it tender and juicy.

How To Make Buttermilk

Have you ever gone to make a recipe that requires buttermilk only to find you didn’t have any? Well, all you need are 2 ingredients and you can make it yourself in just 5 minutes. Find out how in this recipe on how to make buttermilk.

What Is Buttermilk?

Buttermilk was traditionally the liquid leftover from churning butter from cultured cream. It was thin, liquidy with small lumps of remaining butter. However nowadays in modern times, it’s made very differently. When you add a special kind of bacteria culture to milk and left to ferment, it results in the thick sour buttermilk we know today. Contrary to its name, it doesn’t taste anything like butter. In fact, it’s even lower in fat than regular milk.

For this recipe you will need:

Milk – any kind will do, even plant-based milk.
Lemon juice (or vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice), either will work!

How to make it:

Simply combine your milk with the lemon juice or vinegar at room temperature and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
You will begin to see the milk curdle, which will make it look lumpy – this is what you want!
There you have your buttermilk that is ready to store in the fridge until you\re ready to use it

How Do I Store It?

Cover your homemade buttermilk tightly with clingfilm and store for up to two weeks. You can also freeze it for up to three months. Keep in mind though that freezing it will change it texture and cause it to become quite lumpy. It’s still good to use though. It’s good to know that the longer you leave buttermilk in your fridge, the more sour the taste will become.

After seeing how easy it is to make buttermilk, I’ve never bought it from a shop again. It’s so convenient to be able to make it whenever you need it and the ingredients are always in my kitchen already. Buttermilk is a great addition to baked goods and I hope this page inspires you to make it too.

The post How To Make Buttermilk appeared first on Zoes Cakes.

Different Types Of Pastry Creams

Zoe — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 15:02:02 +0000

Different Types Of Pastry Creams

There are many different types of cream used in baking. Each has their own unique properties and uses. Some are great for piping in choux buns, while others are best poured over hot pudding! Here is a breakdown of the different types of pastry creams.

Pasty Cream (Creme Patisserie)

Pastry cream, also known as crème pâtissière in French, is a rich and velvety custard that is a staple in baking. The name “pastry cream” comes from the fact that this type of cream is excellent as a filling in pastries. This is because it doesn’t make the pastry soggy. Its thick and sturdy consistency allows it to hold its shape in even the flakiest of pastries.

To make pastry cream, the first step is to whisk egg yolks and sugar together. You then gradually add hot milk to the egg mixture. This is a process called”tempering” to prevent the eggs from scrambling. The mixture is then heated while whisking until it reaches a thick and smooth texture.

The next step is to add the flavouring, which is usually vanilla. Once cooled it’s used as a filling in various desserts. These include choux buns, cakes, pastries, and raisin swirls.

Creme Anglais (Custard)

Creme anglais translates to “English cream”. It is the wonderful custard we all love to pour all over our apple crumbles while it’s steaming hot. Its consistency is slightly thickened but still pourable, unlike pastry cream which is thick and holds its shape. This is because no cornflour or flour is used, with only the egg yolk itself being the thickening agent. The egg, milk and sugar mixture is heated until it coats the back of a spoon, then the flavouring is added. It can used as a base for ice cream, bavarian cream, chocolate mousse, or poured straight onto a dessert!

Types Of Creams

Here is a list of the main different types of creams used in baking and patisserie. It includes their uses as well as their storage times. It’s a handy table that hopefully makes it easier as it can get confusing with all the different types!

Creme Diplomat

Creme patisserie with whipped cream and gelatine
Uses: fillings for cakes, choux buns, tarts
Storage: up to 24 hours
Learn how to make it here

Creme Madame

Creme patisserie mixed with whipped cream
Uses: tarts, cakes, choux buns
Storage: up to 24 hours
Learn how to make it here

Creme Madame

Creme patisserie mixed with whipped cream
Uses: tarts, cakes, choux buns
Storage: up to 24 hours
Learn how to make it here

Creme Mousseline

Creme patisserie mixed with whipped butter
Uses: croquembouche, mousse cakes
Storage: up to 2 days
Learn how to make it here

Chiboust Cream

Pastry cream mixed with Italian meringue
Uses: Saint-Honore cakes, desserts,tarts
Storage: Up to 24 hours
Learn how to make it here

Chantilly Cream

Whipped cream with icing sugar and vanilla
Uses: Napoleons, choux pastries, custards, cakes and pastries
Storage: Up to 24 hours
Learn how to make it here

Almond Cream

A mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, custard powder and almond flour
Uses: Tarts, pithiviers, almond croissants
Storage: Up to 2 days
Learn how to make it here

Frangipane

Half pastry cream and half almond cream
Uses: Bakewell tarts, pear tarts, pithiviers, almond croissants
Storage: Up to 2 days
Learn how to make it here

How To Cool Creams Quickly

When making various creams, you may want to use it right away. Although, you must cool creams before using them otherwise they wont hold it’s shape. The best way to cool them down fast is to first line a baking tray with clingfilm. Then, take your hot cream and spread it in an even, thin layer over it. Cover with more clingfilm and set in the fridge. This step is important as it prevents a skin from forming on the surface. The thin layer of cream will cool a lot quicker than it would in a bowl!

How To Store Creams

When making creams, some store better than others. Whipped creams (such as Chantilly cream) are lighter and have a less stable texture. When whisking creams, bacteria as well as air gets incorporated. This makes it easier to go bad, so it best stored for less time. They also don’t hold up will in heat, so are best kept in the fridge.

All creams should be thoroughly cooled before storing. It is important to cover creams with a layer of clingfilm. This prevents a “skin” forming on the surface which takes away from the smooth, silky texture.

You can them transfer to an airtight container or zip lock bag and store for up to 2 days until ready to use.

Can You Freeze Creams?

Yes! Once put in an airtight container or zip lock bag, you can freeze creams for up to 1 month. Although, it is always preferable to make them fresh when possible.

How Are Creams Thickened?

Some creams need heat to thicken, others need to be whipped. When making pastry cream or custard, you should heat it until it has reached boiling point. It is then boiled for 1-5 minutes depending on the size of the batch. This ensures the starch has cooked out and it has thickened enough. If not heated enough, it will be a runny consistency. It may have a paste-like texture. and you can still taste the starch. You can also overheat creams, causing them to have a scrambled egg consistency.

The most common starch used when making creams is cornstarch, plain flour and custard powder. You can also use potato starch though!

When whipping creams, it is important to continue until as much air as possible is incorporated. Try to keep your utensils, bowls and environment as cool as possible. Whipped creams tend to deflate over time, so make it as close to when you need it as possible.

So there you have it! A breakdown of all the different types of creams, their uses and how to store them. If you liked this post, check out my Coconut Raspberry Cake which goes amazingly well with custard!

The post Different Types Of Pastry Creams appeared first on Zoes Cakes.

Different Types Of Pastry

Zoe — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:02:28 +0000

Puff Pastry

This dough is a laminated dough. This is a process of layering butter onto the dough and then folding. In the oven, the liquid from the dough and butter evaporates, puffing up each layer. This gives it a unique finish with lots of flaky buttery layers. This pastry is perfect for pies, tarts and desserts. It is time consuming to make as you have to let the dough rest in the fridge between folds. But the end result is well worth it.

Flaky Pastry

Flaky pastry is a quick version of puff pastry. Rather than folding a block of butter into the dough, butter is roughly added to the flour/water dough (detrempe). It is then folded and rolled in the same way as puff pastry. It is possible to do all the folds in one go without resting, required that the environment is not too hot/humid. Flaky pastry is easier to make than puff and still gives the desired finish.

Choux Pastry

Choux pastry is a delicate, light and airy pastry. It is usually used for profiteroles and eclairs. It’s method to make it is very different to the types of pastry above. First you heat a mixture of milk, butter and water until melted (with salt/sugar often added). Then, you add flour while beating until the flour has cooked out. Eggs are then added until you have a dough. It is then usually piped and baked in the oven, where it puffs up and turns golden brown. It is then filled and served.

Filo Pastry

Filo pastry is common in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s made up of lots of paper thin, crisp layers and used for baklavas and samosas. First you combine flour, oil, salt, vinegar and water and knead until you have a dough. There are different techniques to achieve paper thin layers in filo pastry. Some people roll the dough out all at once until large and thin. Others have mastered the authentic technique where they roll the pastry round the rolling pin again and again. This page does a great job at explaining this process.

For me, I roll out small portions of the rested dough until almost see through. I dust each one with a cornflour/flour mixture and then stack them together. I then roll it all out together. This creates one dough with many thin layers. I brush with butter before baking to give it a golden colour.

Hot Water Crust Pastry

Used in pies, particularly pork pies, this is a sturdy and firm dough. First you bring lard and water to the boil. Then you add it to flour and salt until you have a malleable and sticky dough. Sometimes you rub butter into the flour first to give it a richer flavour. It is then rolled out and filled before baking. The high water content and the heating before baking makes the end result stronger than shortcrust pastry. This pastry is special because it is the only time where you add the fat to the flour while it’s hot rather than cold.

Suet Crust Pastry

Suet pastry is somewhat of a forgotten treasure, used in steam puddings and jam roly poly’s. It’s similar to shortcrust pastry. and holds up wet fillings well, although it is more elastic and dense. It’s a traditional pastry that dates back hundreds of years and you can boil it, steam it or bake it. You make it by combining self raising flour, salt and suet before adding water to form a dough. Unlike other pastries, you should use it straight away and not rest it before use. This is because he raising agent in the flour will start reacting as soon as you add the liquid.. The beef suet gives this pastry a great flavour, although you can also use vegetarian suet.

So, that’s all the main different types of pastry! Try some out and see just how versatile pastry can really be.

Shortcrust Pastry

On this page are all the different types of pastry you could possibly dream of! The world of pastry can be confusing, so here is a breakdown of them all. They are all unique and wonderful in their own ways and have different uses. Learn about them all here!

This pastry is generally crumbly yet sturdy in texture with a buttery flavour. It is versatile and is great for tarts and pies. There are three different types of shortcrust pastry. Sablee (meaning sandy) , sucree (meaning sweet) and brisee (meaning broken). They have different textures, different methods to making them and are great for different purposes. Learn about them here.

Brisee

Your standard savoury tart pastry, this is crumbly and flaky in texture. It’s made by rubbing cold butter into flour and then mixing water to create a coherent dough. Add egg yolk to give it a richer flavour and colour.

Sucree

This is the standard sweet pastry and is most alike the brisee. Icing sugar makes it sweet. First you cream the butter and sugar together rather than rubbing in. This gives it a firmer and sturdier texture used in tarts that will hold up fillings well.

Sablee

This pastry has a sandy, biscuit like texture and is even sometimes used as a biscuit on it’s own! It’s made in a similar way to the sucree pastry via the creaming method. Instead of flour, you use ground almonds which further reduces the gluten. This gives the end result that desired sandy finish.

Check out joe pastry who has great definitions of these terms in a simplified way)

The post Different Types Of Pastry appeared first on Zoes Cakes.

Old School Cornflake Tart

Zoe — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 23:56:12 +0000

45 mins prep 20 mins cook 12 servings

Choose serving amount

Old School Cornflake Tart

Buttery flaky pastry, sweet strawberry jam and crunchy syrupy cornflakes.

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Unsalted Butter: 150 g
Plain Flour: 300 g
Caster Sugar: 30 g
Egg: 1
Cold Water: 2 tbspn

The Filling Recipe

Cornflakes: 100 g
Golden Syrup: 100 g
Unsalted Butter: 50 g
Dark Muscovado Sugar: 25 g
Salt: 1 pinch
Strawberry Jam: 5 tbspn

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Method

If you're using a shop-bought tart case, skip to the next section. Start by cutting the butter into cubes and then chilling in the fridge. Then rub this into the flour until it has reached fine breadcrumb consistency. Add the sugar and stir in. Add the egg and water and stir until it forms into a ball. Add more water if it's too dry. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 160º/320º. Once the dough has chilled, roll it out onto a silicone mat/floured surface until about 3mm thick. Press gently into an 8" tart tin. Place the rolling pin on top and press firmly to cut off the excess dough. Line the tart with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Then, remove the baking beans and baking paper. Mix an egg with 1 tbspn of water and then brush this over the pastry. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown.

The Filling Method

Heat the oven to 180º/350ª. Stir the jam in a bowl until smooth and then spread on the pastry. Combine the golden syrup, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan on a low heat until melted. Add to the cornflakes and stir until combined. Pour the mixture evenly on the pastry and then bake for 5 minutes. Leave to cool, cut into portions and enjoy! Serve with steaming hot custard.

This Cafateria Classc Will Bring Back Childhood Memories

This old school cornflake tart recipe will take you straight back to childhood. Flaky buttery pastry, crunchy syrupy cornflakes and sweet strawberry jam… there is honestly nothing better. Especially when you drown it in steaming vanilla custard. This “afters” as we used to call it, is close to many peope’s hearts and many of us remember being served in school. It’s guaranteed to please everyone and the smell that travels thr0ugh the house as it bakes is simply divine. It’s quick and easy to make and you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already. Why not give it a go!

The Pastry

The most time consuming of this recipe is making the pastry. Shop bought pastry cases are an option, but nothing beats homemade for the best flavour and texture. Check out my tips and tricks on making perfect pastry to get superb results.

The Jam

Strawberry jam is traditionally used in this recipe but any flavour jam works well. You can even mix it up and try nutella instead of jam to make a chocolate lover’s version!

The Cornflakes

Any brand of cornflakes works well. The best bit about this tart for me is the crunchy syrupy cornflakes. I could eat the entirety of this mixture straight out the bowl with a spoon. The butter, syrup, dark muscovado sugar and salt makes the most gorgeous rich caramel flavoured syrup to coat the cornflakes in. This recipe calls for golden syrup, however you can use maple syrup or honey instead.

How to store it

You can store this tart in an airtight container for up to a week. Or, you can make it ahead and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw at room temperature a few hours before you want to eat it.

What to serve with it

Nothing beats a big serving of cornflake tart, covered in hot vanilla custard. It’s the perfect cosy winter dessert! Or enjoy it in the warmer months with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream.

This tart is super easy to make and tastes too good not to try. It’s crazy how good your daily cereal can be when you add a few extra ingredients!

If you enjoyed this old school cornflake tart recipe, let me know in the comments below!

Why not try out my old school cake recipe too?

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