Friday 29 April 2016

Bakewell-a-Tines

This was more of an experimentation, taking the form-factor of Chocolatines, and using it with some different. The flavours were partly based on what was in the house (since we came back off holiday, I haven't done a bake-specific shop). There was half a jar of raspberry jam in the fridge, and a load of flaked almonds, so going bakewell was the obvious choice!

I could have done a few things differently. I used a 20cm x 30cm traybake tin, and in retrospect I should have either done more sponge (4 egg mix), or used a smaller tin (20x20cm), as the cakes were a little thin. If I'd had more time, I would have chilled/frozen the cake to get sharper edges to them as well. Finally, I think they look a little pale, and some colour on top would have worked well (fresh raspberries?)

Bakewell-a-Tines Recipe

  • Pre-heat oven to 150'C
  • Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm tray-bake tin (see notes above on sizing concerns though!)

Sponge Ingredients

  • 160g softened butter
  • 160g caster sugar
  • 75g ground alomnds
  • 125g self-raising flour
  • A few drops of almond essence
  • 3 large eggs
1) Place all the ingredients in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment

2) Mix rapidly until all the ingredients are just combined and consistent

3) Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, and level the top (it's a slightly denser mixture than normal, more akin to madiera sponge)

4) Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, checking that a skewer in the middle comes out clean

5) Remove to a wire rack to cool

6) Once cool, using a sharp bread knife, cut the cake in half horizontally, to get 2 thin layers of sponge

Filling/Decoration Ingredients

  • 160g softened butter
  • 320g icing sugar
  • A splash of milk
  • A few drops of vanilla essence
  • 100g flaked almonds
  • Raspberry jam

1) Put the butter and icing sugar in a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment

2) Beat until the buttercream forms. Add the vanilla, and enough milk to get a soft, creamy consistency

3) Continue to beat until the icing turns white and very light
4) Spread the jam over one half of the sponge, all the way to the edge

5) Place the other sponge layer on top to form a sandwich

6) Using a sharp bread knife, trim off the edges of the sponge, and cut into 9 (or12) equal portions.

7) Using a knife, spread buttercream on the edges of each cake,
tehn roll the edges in the flaked almonds

8) Take the rest of the buttercream, and place in a piping bag with a star nozzle

9) Pipe rosettes of icing across the top of each cake