If you want to treat Dad this Father’s Day (20th June) and the way to his heart is through his tum, you’ll smash it out of the park with one of these easy peasy recipes from Carr’s Flour.
From gin and tonic drizzle loaf, to strawberries and cream Alaska, these treats will be a firm favourite with all the family this Sunday.
Easy Peasy Recipes – Gin & Tonic Drizzle Loaf
Makes 1 x 2lb loaf
Ingredients
- 1 Grapefruit/orange or 2 x lemons/limes
- 175g Self-raising flour
- 175g Caster sugar + 75g for soaking syrup
- 175g Unsalted butter, softened
- 3 Eggs
- 120ml Gin split into 50ml and 70ml
- 75ml Tonic water
- 150g Icing sugar
Equipment
- Knife
- Fine grater/zester
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand whisk
- Fork
- 2lb Loaf tin lined with baking paper/ loaf tin liner
- Saucepan
- Spoon
Method
- Preheat the oven to 165°c (fan).
- Take whichever citrus you are using and cut half into slices for decorating (½ grapefruit/orange or 1 whole lemon/lime). Zest and juice the other half using the fine grater/zester to zest and the fork to get the juice from the fruit.
- In the large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, citrus zest and 175g of caster sugar. Add the butter, eggs, 50ml of gin, 2 tbsp of citrus juice and mix with the electric hand whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake for 35 minutes until golden and springy to touch. Remove from the oven but leave in the tin.
- While the loaf is cooling slightly, pour the remaining citrus juice, tonic and 75g sugar into the saucepan and heat on a medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow to cool slightly before stirring in the remaining gin (70ml). Set aside 3 tbsp of the syrup for the glaze.
- Poke the loaf all over with the fork and drizzle with the syrup from the saucepan. You can do this while the loaf is still warm.
- When the loaf is completely cool, remove from the tin. Wipe clean your mixing bowl and then use it to combine the 3 tbsp of reserved syrup with the icing sugar to make a glaze and pour over the top of your loaf, slightly pushing it down the sides with the end of a spoon to create a drip effect. Decorate with citrus slices and serve.
Easy Peasy Recipes – Pistachio & White Chocolate Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
Makes 6 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 120g Unsalted butter
- 225g Light brown sugar
- 1 Egg
- 300g Plain flour
- ½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 300g White chocolate, roughly chopped
- 100g Pistachios, roughly chopped
- Tub Vanilla ice cream
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand whisk
- Teaspoon
- Knife
- Lined baking tray
- Ice cream scoop/spoon
Method
- Preheat the oven to 165°c (fan).
- In the large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with the electric hand whisk.
- Add the egg and mix until combined, before adding the flour, bicarbonate and salt. Mix well with your hands. When the dough starts to come together, add 150g chopped white chocolate and 50g of chopped pistachios. Bring together to form a ball of dough.
- Roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls and place on the lined baking tray, 6 at a time as the cookies need space to spread as they bake.
- Bake in the oven for 7 minutes, turn the tray and bake for a further 7 minutes then allow the cookies to cool completely. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough balls.
- When the cookies are cool, sandwich two together with a generous scoop of ice cream and decorate as you wish – melt the remaining white chocolate in the microwave in 10 second increments (stirring between each to be careful that it doesn’t burn) and dip them, roll them in the remaining chopped pistachios, do both or leave plain!
Easy Peasy Recipes – Strawberries & Cream Baked Alaska
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 Litre Clotted cream ice cream
- 150g Strawberries, roughly chopped
- 90g Self-raising flour
- 3 Egg whites
- 250g Caster sugar
Equipment
- 6” Bowl lined with cling film
- 6” Cake tin – lined with baking paper
- Large mixing bowl (heatproof – metal advised)
- Whisk or electric hand whisk
- Saucepan
- Heatproof serving plate
- Spoon
- Knife
Method
- Preheat the oven to 165°c (fan). Set 120g of ice cream to one side for the sponge base.
- Place the remaining ice cream in the large mixing bowl and mix it with the spoon to soften it up. Stir in the chopped strawberries before spooning the whole mixture into the cling film lined bowl. Place the whole thing (in the bowl) in the freezer while you make the sponge base.
- To make the sponge base, pour the 120g of reserved ice cream (this should be melted by this stage) into the large mixing bowl and combine with the self-raising flour and 50g of the caster sugar until a smooth batter is formed. Pour the batter into the lined cake tin and bake for 20 minutes until springy to touch. Allow to cool completely.
- When the sponge is cool, you’re ready to make the meringue. At this stage you should also heat your oven to the maximum temperature it will reach. Pour the egg whites and remaining 200g of caster sugar into the (clean) large mixing bowl and place the whole thing over a saucepan of simmering water.
- Whisk the egg whites and sugar together either by hand or with an electric whisk. You want to see the steam against the outside of the bowl dissolve the sugar into the egg whites. This will take around 5 minutes, and you can tell when this is done when you can no longer feel grains of sugar when you rub the mixture between two fingers. (It will get warm, so be careful). Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and whisk up the meringue (again, by hand or electric hand mixer) until thick and glossy and stiff peaks are formed when you lift the whisk from the mixture.
- To assemble, place the sponge layer on your heatproof serving plate, remove the ice cream dome from the bowl and place on top. Spread the meringue all over, creating peaks and swirls and then bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until the meringue just starts to brown. Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice with a hot knife to serve.
Easy Peasy Recipes – Crumpets
- 175ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
- 175ml Warm Water
- 225g Carr’s Plain Flour
- 2½ g Fast Action Dried Yeast
- 2 tsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- Vegetable Oil for cooking
- EQUIPMENT
- A heavy base frypan or flat griddle.
- Three or four crumpet rings.
METHOD
- Warm the milk and whisk in the flour, yeast and sugar. Then add half the warmed water and beat to a smooth batter, gradually add the remaining water to create a thick and smooth batter mix. Cover with cling film and rest in a warm place for up to 2 hours.
- Once the batter is foaming, whisk in the salt and bicarbonate of soda.
- Heat a heavy frypan or flat griddle on the stove. Apply a little oil with a brush or kitchen paper to grease the pan and insides of the crumpet rings. Place the rings in the heated pan or griddle and once hot add batter to each ring to just below the top of the ring.
- Cook for 5 minutes at a medium heat. Holes will appear in the top surface as the crumpet batter sets, flip each crumpet over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- 5. Repeat to make 12 crumpets. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
- When ready to serve, toast under a grill or in a toaster and serve with plenty of butter. Add the topping of your choice – golden syrup, jam or honey are perfect or marmite and Lancashire cheese toasted under the grill for a super snack.
APPROX 12 10 MINS PREP
2 HRS REST COOK 20 MINS
Easy Peasy Recipes – Simply The Best Brownies!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Eggs
- 400g Chocolate Spread
- 140g Carr’s Self Raising Flour
- 150g Fresh Raspberries
METHOD
- Preheat your oven to 180˚C (160˚F, Gas Mark 4). Grease a 25cm x 20cm tray bake tin.
- Beat the eggs well until thick and creamy.
- Weigh out the chocolate spread and place in a heat proof bowl over a pan of water. Simmer until it starts to melt.
- Gradually add the melted mixture into the egg. Fold in the flour, then add the raspberries, being careful not to damage the raspberries by over mixing.
- Pour the mixture into your tin, levelling with a spatula and bake for 40 minutes or until firm to the touch.
- Leave to cool then cut into squares and enjoy!
- Great as a quick pudding, served with ice-cream or fresh raspberries and cocoa powder.
15 MINS PREP BAKE 35 MINS
Easy Peasy Recipes – Victoria Sandwich
INGREDIENTS
- 225g Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 225g Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 Eggs
- 225g Carr’s Self Raising Flour
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 punnet of Raspberries
- 175ml Double Cream (lightly whipped)
- Icing Sugar (for dusting)
METHOD
- Lightly grease 2 loose-bottomed 20cm/8″ sandwich tins and line the bases with a double layer of non-stick baking parchment.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC (Fan 160ºC, Gas Mark 4).
- Place the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and cream until white and fluffy.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk. Gradually mix the eggs into the creamed mixture.
- Sift half the flour, gently fold into the mixture with a metal spoon and repeat until all the flour is completely incorporated.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the lined sandwich tins and level the surface with the back of a wet spoon or plastic spatula.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until well risen and golden. The tops of the cakes should spring back when ready.
- 8. Remove from the tins and allow to cool.
- Fill with lightly whipped cream and raspberries. Dust the top with icing sugar before enjoying!
1 CAKE 30 MINS PREP BAKE 20-25 MINS
Recipes from the Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by UK Flour Millers. You can find more Easy Peasy Baking recipes and information on the campaign over on the Fab Flour website or @fab_flour on Instagram or @fabflour on Facebook and Twitter.