Peach Cobbler!! National Peach Month!! #AugustBreak

Today is the last day of August. Which means it's the last day of The August Break 2012 and the last day of National Peach Month!! 

When I was thinking of what to make with peaches this recipe comes from The Whoopie Pie Book by Claire Ptak of Violet stood out in my mind. Probably because it has nothing to do with whoopie pies and it is in a whoopie pie book! 

It was very good. I paired it with vanilla ice cream, but you could use cream. Enjoy!!

100g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

100g caster sugar, plus an extra 100g

160ml whole milk

100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

5-6 ripe peaches

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.

Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir in the salt and 100g caster sugar and then slowly whisk in the milk. Now whisk in the melted butter in a slow steady stream to form a pancake-like batter and then set aside.

Bring a saucepan of water to boil and set up a bowl filled with ice water with a slotted spoon (or spider) next to the stovetop. Once the water is boiling gently drop in the peaches (you may need to do this in batches). Blanch the peaches for a minute only and then remove them with the slotted spoon, submerging them in the ice water bath to stop them cooking. Slip off the skins and then quarter and core them, removing the stones. If you have big peaches you may want to cut them up some more! Pour the extra 100g caster sugar into a bowl and toss the peaches in the sugar before transferring them to a large gratin dish. 

Pour the batter over the peaches and bake in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour. The cobbler is ready when it bubbles and turns golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean! 

Goodbye August Break can't wait to meet you again! 

Until next year....

Parsons Bakery: bake the good stuff, Newbury Berkshire {bakery tour}

It's been ages since I've visited Newbury (I used to work there!) and it has changed a lot! As we were walking down the high street I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw the Clotted Cream Fudge in the window!!

There were a lot of other yummy looking baked treats on offer, but I was all about the fudge! Their clotted cream fudge was way better then my attempt. 

I think I'll be trying again! 

We also tried the Strawberry Fudge; was really hard not to eat it all at once!! 

 I will definitely be stopping in there every time I visit Newbury!! 

"My family has been making & baking for the people of the
South West for over 100 years. The Bakery was started by
my great grandfather in the early 1900s, and passed down
through the generations from father to son until my brother
and I took over 90 years later. We are proud to be fourth
generation bakers continuing our family's trade and tradition." 

-taken from the website

Newbury - 71 North Brook Street - 01635 46716

other locations

Double Chocolate and Sour Cherry Cookies!! #AugustBreak

About a week ago today I talked about Edd Kimber's book. Yesterday I baked these amazing cookies from said book!
They are super yummy!! I am suggesting that you buy the book just for these cookies! That is how good they are! Perfect for a chocolate fix and the sour cherries compliment the sweetness of the chocolate! It's genius!
August is almost over and I'll get back to posting recipes with my pictures. I sorta like just posting pictures. Might have to do it occasionally!
The end of August also means there are only a few more days to help me win a copy of Leon's Baking and Pudding book!! If you haven't voted you should I'd be forever grateful!! Click on the book at the top of the side bar and find my blackout cake under Lisa and vote!!

Triple-Citrus Cupcakes!! {Martha Stewart} #AugustBreak

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Triple-Citrus Cupcakes

Red-Velvet Cupcakes!! {Mexico Theme} #AugustBreak

To make these cupcakes double this recipe!!

I made these for my father-in-laws co-worker!
I was really pleased with the way the frosting turned out!
Red-Velvet's are generally loved by all! Hope they go down well!! 

Nigella's Buttermilk Scones!! #AugustBreak

I have been baking for a while now and have lived in the UK even longer. Yet, I have never made scones before. Before this weekend that is. These turned out great! Way better then the store bought ones! They were very easy to make! If you own Nigella's Kitchen you'll find the recipe in there on page 283. If you don't I think you should. It's one of my favorite cookbooks ever, it has the best of everything! It's also available on the BBC website. I had my copy of Kitchen signed!! Check it out here!

{Team Umizoomi} Milli Cupcakes!! #AugustBreak

Red Velvet Cupcakes {Martha Stewart} #August Break

Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

The Boy Who Bakes by Edd Kimber {book review} #AugustBreak

Tonight there will be no messing around at bedtime! Mini-bakers will be tucked up into bed by 19:30 no matter what!! I have something very important to watch tonight! The Great British Bake Off Season3!! I’m super excited! I can’t wait to see what this season will bring and to meet the contestants!

I thought, in light of tonight’s entertainment, I would talk about Edd Kimber's book. Mainly because it was his website where I learnt about the GBBO to start with. Back when I was still trying to figure out what I wanted my blog to be, I was writing posts on everything and anything I found that had to do with baking. I wrote this post about The Boy Who Bakes after discovering his website! Edd's book is a great addition to my collection! It has everything you could want in a baking book. You have cakes, cookies, the most exciting is a few recipes for ice cream and much more!

Having only acquired the book a few months ago I have yet to bake from it. It's not because there isn't anything I want to try. Just I have a list a mile long of things I want to bake; it's all about getting around to it! Here is a short list (yup a short list as this book has plenty to offer) of what I want to make:

• Caramel and Cinnamon Cake
• Chai Tea & Milk Chocolate Cupcakes (love chai tea!)
• Fudge Brownies (brownie quest)
• Double Chocolate & Sour Cherry Cookies
• Passion fruit Sandwich Biscuits (love passion fruit)
• Blueberry Crumb Tart
• Chocolate, Pecan, & Salted Caramel Tart
• Pumpkin Pie Éclairs (will probably be making these for Thanksgiving in November!)
• Matcha Ice Cream
• Liquorice Ice Cream

I think this is a great first book, bu I can’t lie about being more excited about his second book Say it with Cake out this September!

We all know what I’m doing tonight, but what will you be doing tonight? :0) 

Boulder Bundt Cake {Baked in America/Outsider Tart} #AugustBreak

Last August (August Break 2011) I bought a copy of Baked in America by the Davids [Outsider Tart]. This August I am showing you the Boulder Bundt Cake (pg 144) from said book.
If you are a coffee/toffee lover this is the cake for you! It's amazing. My bundt/tube pan wasn't big enough and it was overflowing and a tiny part of it at the top was under done, but it is amazing.
I love coffee flavored stuff and this has hit the spot! If you have the book then by default you own the recipe and if you have trouble finding coffee extract as I did, no worries, just make it yourself!!
I am sorry that I am not sharing the recipe with you, but I have already shared a few recipes from this book. I have my own rules of sharing recipes from books. I  really love this book, it's one of the few I have baked a lot from. It's an all around good book has a little bit of everything you would ever need!

For those of you in America you have your very own version coming out soon! You get a cool cover...the UK cover isn't as exciting and the cake on the cover isn't even in the book! A gripe of many Amazon reviewers! lol. It's also has a different title- Piece of Cake: Home Baking Made Simple. I think this cover is way better!! I thought it was a brand new book and almost pre-ordered it! I would buy it just for the cover; yes, I judge books by their covers. I try not too, but I love art and book covers are a form of art. :0)