Baking | RecipeTin Eats

Zucchini cheese muffin slab

Nagi — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 05:26:32 +0000

This is a savoury zucchini cheese muffin in slab form which is a handy big-batch zucchini slice recipe to serve lots of people without fussing with muffin tins (I know you hate cleaning them too!). Economical. Hidden veg. 5 day shelf life. CHEESE. I challenge you to think of a reason not to make these immediately!

Zucchini cheese muffin slab

Adapted from my Zucchini Cheese Loaf, this is a recipe that came into existence when I was shamelessly baking for the staff at the animal hospital when Dozer was in for surgery. Who me, bribing the doctors and nurses with baked goods to ensure Dozer got extra care and attention?? Never! 😇

Truthfully though, after 3 batches of muffins I lost the will to clean yet another muffin tin (paper liners just seem out of place with savoury muffins?) and flipped over to what I christened a zucchini slab-muffin. So much easier to make one big slab then cut it into pieces than using muffin tin after muffin tin!!

Though the initial versions were just fine, over the past few weeks I’ve been tweaking the recipe to make it even better (thank you team RTM for your brutally honest feedback!) to make the crumb softer and fluffier, and extend the shelf life to 5 whole days. I’m so happy with the end result, and I hope you love it too!

Ingredients in Cheesy Zucchini Muffin Slab

Zucchini is the key ingredient in this muffin slab. It’s not just about sneaking in extra veggies or the lovely little green bits inside. It’s also keeps this muffin-slab fresh for up to 5 days, thanks to the moisture in the zucchini!

Zucchini

I use 3 zucchinis in this recipe. Two are grated and stirred into the batter, after sweating out excess water using a little salt. Zucchinis are over 90% water! The third is used to decorate the top.

I haven’t tried other vegetables in this recipe because my gut tells me the crumb will be a little drier than ideal. Even after squeezing out the excess water in the zucchini, there is still plenty of water in it which gets leeched out into the batter as it bakes. In fact, you’ll notice that the batter is a bit thicker than typical muffin batters – that’s to allow for residual zucchini moisture!

Dry ingredients

Plain flour (all-purpose flour) – Not self raising flour which already has baking powder built in. Generally speaking, cakes and muffins don’t rise as nicely and the crumb is not as soft. Better to add your own rising agent, like baking powder.
Baking powder and baking soda (bi-carb) – This recipe specifically uses both because it makes the softest crumb with an even rise (rather than a big dome). I know it’s irritating to have to use both, but it really does give the best result. I tried all sorts of combinations! However, if you’ve only got baking powder, you can substitute the baking soda with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, though the crumb will be a touch less tender (it will rise almost as well though).

Plain white vinegar – Acidity that gives the baking soda a kick start on the rising! You can’t taste it at all, it’s just to activate the baking soda. Either vinegar or something else with acidity in it (like yogurt or sour cream) is fairly standard in most of my baking recipes that use baking soda. I use regular white vinegar but any clear(ish) vinegar will work just as well. Don’t use balsamic vinegar!!!
Cheese – Use your favourite melting cheese like cheddar, tasty, colby (this is my everyday cheese), Monterey jack (this was, but difficult to find in Australia these days), gruyere (if your wallet stretches to this) etc. PS Pre-shredded is fine for this recipe!
Mozzarella is not recommended because it does not have much flavour. If I were to use mozzarella, I’d probably use 150g / 5 oz mozzarella plus 75g / 2 1/2 oz parmesan.
Milk – Full fat cow milk is best, though low fat works too.
Large eggs, at room temperature – 55-60g/2oz eggs from a carton labelled “large eggs”. Make sure they are at room temperature not fridge cold. More on eggs for baking here (including a quick way to de-chill them).
Oil and butter – Oil keeps cakes and muffins moist whereas butter adds flavour. Muffins that dry out the next day really bother me, so I was adamant that I wanted to use a bit. However, I missed the flavour of butter when just using oil. So I landed on a combination of both! Use any neutral flavoured oil.
Garlic – I love the hint of garlic flavour in this muffin-slab! Use fresh garlic cloves (not dried), crushed using a garlic crusher or finely grated using a microplane. If using a knife, finely mince it then use the side of the knife to smear it into a paste.

How to make Zucchini Cheese Muffin Slab

I know it’s tempting to skip the zucchini sweating. I tried. And regretted it. The batter just got too soggy and didn’t cook through!

If you really short on time, you can reduce it to 10 minutes sweating time but use a tea towel to wring out the excess water (you’ll get more out than using hands).

Sweat 20 minutes – Sprinkle the grated zucchini with salt and toss. Set aside for 20 minutes to draw water out.
Squeeze out excess water using your hands. Just grab handfuls and squeeze. There’s no need to remove every single last drop (to do that, I’d ask you to use a tea towel) because the batter is deliberately designed a little thicker than typical as we will rely on residual water in the zucchini to add moisture as it bakes. But please make a bit of effort during this squeezing step!
How much you need – We need 2 very tightly packed cups of squeezed out zucchini. A little more of less is fine, the recipe is pretty flexible. But if you have, say, 3 cups, that will weigh down the batter a little too much.

Decorative topping – Slice the third zucchini thinly however you’d like (I do lengthwise then halve, coins is also nice). Then toss with a little oil and pepper (not salt, it makes it sweat, we will salt later).
Whisk dry – For the batter, it’s delightfully straightforward as most muffins as. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt).

Whisk wet – Then whisk all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Important to have all ingredients at room temperature else it won’t combine smoothly. For example, a jug of cold milk added into melted butter will make the butter solidify!
Combine – Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until the flour is mostly incorporated, but not fully. Stop mixing when you can still see some bits of flour.

Add-ins – Then add the cheese and zucchini and mix them through. Stop mixing once the zucchini and cheese is dispersed. Over-mixing will make the crumb less soft than it should be!
Spread into a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13″ paper lined pan (I grease with butter).

Top with the zucchini slices.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let it cool for a bit, then it’s ready to eat!

Serving and storage matters

This is one of those foods that has a place from morning to night, whether it’s a breakfast on the run, a filler for your lunch box, after school snack or taking into the office to share with co-workers. I also particularly like that it’s “grab and go” without the need to fuss with plates for serving. Just a napkin, if you’re feeling civilised!

It will stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge, though if it’s not too warm where you are then you can even just leave it in the pantry. The crumb stays moist thanks to the moisture in the zucchini as well as the oil in the recipe. And even at the tail end of its shelf life, a quick little toast in the oven is all it will take to rejuvenate.

Love to know what you think if you try this! In particular, I’d love to know what people use it for. Feeding hungry teenagers? Morning tea in the office? Book club?? Tell me, I want to know! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Zucchini cheese muffin slab

Recipe video above. This is a savoury cheese muffin with zucchini in slab form which is a handy big-batch recipe to serve lots of people without fussing with muffin tins (pain to clean!). An excellent shelf life of 5 days, economical to make, this will easily serve 15 to 20 people and is great to tuck into lunch boxes or serve for morning tea.

Don't be alarmed by the thickness of the batter, it gets a lot of moisture from the zucchini as it bakes!

Course Baking, Snack

Cuisine Western

Keyword afternoon tea, lunch box, Savoury Muffins, zucchini recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings – 20 people

Author Nagi

Ingredients

2 zucchinis (300g / 10 oz, ~17cm/7″ long) (Note 1)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
2 cups (tightly packed) shredded cheese at room temperature , like cheddar, tasty, colby, I use pre-shredded (Note 2)

Decorative topping:

1 medium zucchini
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch black pepper
2 pinches sea salt flakes (optional, for sprinkling at end)

Dry ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour , plain/all purpose
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carbonate of soda (Note 3)
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Wet ingredients:

2 garlic cloves , crushed using a garlic crusher or finely grated using a microplane
1 cup milk , preferably full fat, at room temp (I microwave 20 sec)
50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter , melted, cooled
3 tbsp neutral oil (canola, vegetable, peanut)
2 large eggs (55g/2 oz each), at room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar (Note 4)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preparation:

Sweat zucchini – Grate 2 of the zucchinis using a box grater. Toss with the salt then set aside for 20 minutes. Grab handfuls and squeeze out excess liquid (no need to be super forceful here but make a bit of effort!). You should have 2 very tightly packed cups. Set aside.
Decorative zucchini – Finely slice the 3rd zucchini however you want, to decorate the surface. I cut the zucchini in half then into long strips. Thin coins is also nice. Toss with the oil and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" metal pan with butter. Line with paper with overhang (so you can lift it out later).

Bake:

Batter – Whisk the Dry ingredients in a large bowl using a handheld whisk. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the Wet ingredients in a separate bowl until combined. Pour the Wet into the Dry ingredients. Mix using a wooden spoon until the flour is mostly incorporated but there's still flour visible.
Add-ins – Add zucchini and cheese then mix through. Some flour lumps is fine. Minimise mixing else the crumb will be tough. The batter will be thick – the zucchini will sweat more in the oven.
Bake – Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Top with the zucchini slices. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool – Sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the excess paper to slide the slab onto a cooling rack then remove the paper. Cool for at least another 10 minutes.
Cut into pieces (3 x 5 pieces, or 4 x 5). Nobody ever says no to a smear of butter either, especially if served warm!

Notes

1. Other veg – I haven’t tried this with carrot and other vegetables because my gut tells me it will be a little too dry. Because even though we sweat the excess water out of the zucchini (don’t skip this step), even more comes out as it bakes. Zucchinis are 90%+ water!!!

2. Cheese – I know it sounds weird to ask for room temperature cheese! But this batter is quite thick and if the cheese is fridge cold, it will really bring down the temp of the batter so it won’t rise as well. PS I use pre-shredded. No need to grate your own for this recipe.

Mozzarella – Doesn’t have enough flavour for this recipe, so if you use this, add 1/2 cup shredded parmesan.

3. Baking soda – This really is best using both baking powder and baking soda (I tried all sorts of combinations to try to use just one instead of both). But it really is better using both – baking soda makes the crumb a little softer. However, still VERY good using only baking powder, use an extra 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and no baking soda.

4. Vinegar – Gives the baking soda a kick start to make the muffin rise. Similar effect that yogurt, buttermilk and sour cream has in cakes etc. You can’t taste the vinegar. Plain white vinegar is best but any neutral clear vinegar will work.

5. Storage – stays fresh for 3 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container, but serve at room temp or better yet, warm. Can be stored 2 days in the pantry as long as it’s not too hot in your house. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition per serving assuming 15 servings.

Life of Dozer

His first visit back to Bayview dog beach after his surgery. Look at that smile. ❤️

I know that photo is wonderfully upbeat. And it truly does capture a moment that made me so happy! But the reality is, he didn’t swim. He just broke out into a trot for a brief moment and I happened to snap a photo. 😂

The truth is, he is still very much on a path to recovery. I’m learning to be patient and to lower my expectations for the pace and how much fitness/strength etc he will manage to regain. He is still a shadow of what he was 3 months ago before his laryngeal paralysis came on so swiftly. But I’ve taken him in to see a canine physiotherapist who has given me exercises to help strengthen his muscles (it’s amazing how much muscle mass he has lost in 3 months) which will help let him enjoy being out and about more.

He gets out and up more than did pre surgery, but still spends the vast majority of each day resting.

In good news though, high-value food does pique his interest enough to get up and get in the way once again, like he used to! Here he is at a photoshoot yesterday – that’s Rob Palmer (professional photographer) on the left and our Chef JB on the right.

And here are a few more snaps of Dozer over the Easter break. Babysitting the slow roasted lamb:

Ah yes, and his worried face at the sight of the Easter hats…. 😂

And I’m not quite sure if this is his tolerating face (from the bear hug) or relaxing face (from the belly scratches)!

Thank you once again for all the wonderful messages of support, cheering on Dozer’s recovery! I hope to be able to continue to bring positive news, and I promise to remain completely dedicated to his rehab! – Nagi x

The post Zucchini cheese muffin slab appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Mini chocolate cakes

Nagi — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We make mini chocolate cakes because they’re adorable, there’s an excellent ratio of frosting to cake, and you get the whole thing to yourself! With 3 layers of chocolate cake smothered in fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting, these are the perfect special occasion dessert.

Mini Chocolate Cakes

These adorable mini chocolate cakes are a petite 7cm/2.75cm size that’s made for not sharing with family and friends. Right in the spirit of special occasions that I’m suggesting you make these for! 😂

So, let me speak frankly. Individual portion mini cakes do take more time to decorate than a single chocolate cake. But they are more special. They look so great lined up on a platter. You don’t have to deal with the mess of cutting a giant cake.

And there is a high ratio of frosting to cake. These mini cakes call for half a batch of chocolate cake but a FULL batch of frosting! Not just because I’m being greedy, but simply because mini cakes have more surface area to cover.

So, for your next special occasion, there’s no need to spend $12 for a single mini cake from that posh patisserie down the road, only to be disappointed with how dry the sponge is and how meh the frosting is because it’s not made with real butter for cost cutting reasons. Let’s make our own!

(PS This recipe makes 7 mini cakes which is $84 worth for around $13 of ingredients).

3 layers = excellent frosting to cake ratio!

Ingredients in Mini Chocolate Cakes

We’re using my classic chocolate cake batter here. It’s the perfect cake to use for mini cakes because it’s moist and stays moist (small cakes dry out faster than large ones) with the bonus that it’s a really quick and easy batter.

Chocolate cake layers

Here’s what you need for the chocolate cake batter:

Flour – Just plain / all-purpose flour. The cake won’t be as soft using self-raising flour.
Sugar – Either superfine / caster sugar or ordinary white sugar (granulated sugar). They work the same.
Baking powder and baking soda (bi-carb) – This cake specifically uses both because it makes the softest cake with an even rise (rather than a dome). However, if you’ve only got baking powder, you can substitute the baking soda with an extra 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Cocoa powder – Just ordinary unsweetened cocoa powder. Not dutch processed, not hot chocolate sweetened cocoa!
Milk – Full fat cow milk is best, though low fat works too.
Large egg – A 55-60g/2oz egg from a carton labelled “large eggs”. More on eggs for baking here.
Oil is the fat in this cake which is what keeps this cake incredibly moist for days upon days. The sponge is drier if you use butter. Any natural flavoured oil can be used.
Coffee powder – Enhances the chocolate flavour, but you can’t taste coffee! Feel free to skip it.
Vanilla – For extra flavour!

chocolate buttercream frosting

And here’s what you need for the chocolate buttercream frosting.

Unsalted butter – Softened to room temperature so it can be whipped into a fluffy frosting. Don’t let it get too soft and sloppy else your frosting will be too! Technically in baking terms, “softened butter” should be 17°C/63°F – firmer than you think! This is soft enough to whip into creamy fluffiness but firm enough so it doesn’t turn frosting into slop.
Soft icing sugar / powdered sugar – As noted above, be sure to get soft icing sugar! If you use pure icing sugar the frosting will not be soft and fluffy, it sets hard.
Cocoa – As with the cake, use plain unsweetened cocoa. Not dutch processed or sweetened.
Vanilla – For flavour.
Pinch of salt – To bring out the flavours in the frosting.

How to make Mini Chocolate Cakes

It really is just your favourite chocolate layer cake in mini form. But I have some little tips to make your mini-baking-life a little easier because it can get a little fiddly!

1. The cake part (super easy!)

This is my classic chocolate cake batter with minor alterations to make a smaller batch baked in a thin layer that we cut rounds out of.

Whisk dry – Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. Add the sugar and salt, then whisk to combine.
Add wet – Add the egg, oil, milk and vanilla first, then whisk. Stir the coffee powder (if using) into the hot water then whisk that into the batter. It will be VERY thin!
Baking tray – Pour into a lined baking tray. I use a 40 x 28.5 x 2.5cm cm tray (15.8 x 11.3 x 1″ – US standard jelly roll pan). This makes a cake which is about 12mm / 1/2″ thick which is ideal for a 3 layer mini cake. Any tray around this size will work though smaller pans will make thicker sponges and larger ones will make thinner ones.
Bake for 13 minutes at 180°C/350°C (160°C fan-forced).

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then use the paper to lift it out onto a cooling rack. Leave to cool on the paper for at least 30 minutes, then refrigerate for another 1 to 4 hours (uncovered) to fully, fully cool. ⚠️ Cooling properly is an important step because otherwise the cake may be too fresh and crumbly to cut out neat circles.
Invert – ⚠️ Another important step – flip the cake upside down before cutting circles! Cover the surface of the cake with baking paper (it is quite sticky, so using paper is important). Then flip it upside down onto a cutting board so the sticky surface of the cake is facedown.
Why does this matter? Because if the sticky surface is facing up, it is difficult to cut out neat circles as the sticky surface gets stuck on the ring then drags down the cake as you press down.

2. Cutting rounds

Use a 6cm / 2.4″ round cutter to cut circles out of the cake. Cut the circles as close to each other as you can to minimise wastage. You should have 21 circles. Feel free to use a different size cutter to make more smaller ones, or less larger ones!

See below for option to not cut rounds.

Prefer not to cut rounds? Or don’t have a cutter? No problems! Make square or rectangle cakes. Cut the cake into 3 equal size rectangles. Frost and stack. Refrigerate to set the frosting (so it doesn’t smear when you cut). Then cut into squares / rectangles, and frost the sides.

3. Chocolate buttercream

This is your standard buttercream, so the only things to watch out for is to start the beater on low once you add the icing sugar (to avoid a snow storm!) and to beat, beat, beat for a good few minutes at the end to get the frosting nice and fluffy!

Cream butter & icing sugar – Beat the butter first until nice and fluffy (a good 3 minutes), then gradually add the icing sugar and beat it in.
Fluff it! Beat in the cocoa powder, milk and vanilla, then once it’s all incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes. This creates volume and makes the frosting fluffy so don’t skip it!
Proof of fluffiness. Try not to eat too much!
Piping bags – Transfer the frosting to a piping bag to apply to the cakes. This is the fastest and easiest way to frost the cakes! Without, you will be tearing your hair out and cursing me. Here’s why:

Trust me – piping bag is best!

The fastest and easiest way to frost these mini cakes is to use a piping bag. This avoids the need for a two step “crumb coating” that we’d otherwise need to avoid crumbs smearing into the frosting as we spread it across the cake.

This is my standard way of frosting cakes these days, mini and full size!

The crumb smearing frustration – The chocolate cake is soft and delicate because it’s a moist, springy cake (rather than dry and stiff!). What this means is that in mini form, and especially once you’ve cut rounds, the cake is very susceptible to crumbs smearing into the frosting as you spread it across the surface, which makes it look untidy.

Getting around the crumb smear – One way to get around this is to do what is called a crumb coat whereby a thin layer of frosting is spread all over the cake to catch and “glue down” the crumbs, and create a smooth surface for the final layer. The cake is then refrigerated to set the frosting, then the final layer of frosting is applied.

The piping bag solution! However, we can bypass that fiddly two step process simply by using a piping bag. By piping the frosting on, we essentially avoid contact with the surface of the crumbs on the cake layers when spreading!

So, trust me on this. A piping bag is the way to go! You can even just use a freezer bag because this frosting is so smooth. Just something to pipe it on. You don’t need a piping tip.

4. frosting

OK, now that you’re fully on board the frosting piping train (which, by the way, is my standard way of applying frosting to cakes these days, mini or not), let me show you how easy it is to do for these mini cakes!

First layer – Place a layer on a small piece of paper on a cake turntable if you’ve got one (or lazy Susan). But it’s fine if you don’t, it’s easy to use this method on small cakes even without one. Then a snail on the first layer. No spreading needed.
Layer – Place the 2nd cake layer on top, pipe another snail then cover with the 3rd layer.

Surface – Pipe a snail on the top which will be the surface.
Sides – Then pipe the frosting around the side of the cake, starting at the bottom. No need to be meticulous here because we will spread it.

Spreading – Now, to spread the frosting, use a light touch and spread just the surface. Avoid making contact with the cake which will dislodge crumbs that smear into your frosting! No need to be meticulous with the frosting if you plan to cover the surface. And the sides are nice when they are left a little rustic!
Voilà! Crumb-free frosting mini chocolate cakes, ready for decorating!

5. CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS FOR DECORATING

Decorate as you please! The easiest would be a dusting of cocoa or icing sugar / powdered sugar, or colourful sprinkles for cheerful mini birthday cakes. Pictured in post are chocolate shavings. Here’s how to do them:

Chocolate blocks – Use chocolate of choice. In the video I use mainly dark chocolate with a bit of white for colour.
Shave – Stand the chocolate on a 45 degree angle then use a knife to shave shards.
Said shards!
White chocolate is softer than dark chocolate so you will get nice curls. Whereas dark chocolate is harder so is more flaky.
Pile onto the cakes. Avoid touching the chocolate because it will break / melt easily. A fork makes transference and pilling easy.
Decorated and ready to impress!

I know, you’re already visualising the look on everybody’s face when you walk into the room with a platter of these mini cakes.

Surprise. Delight.

And of course, so, so impressed. So if the eat part isn’t enough to spur you on to make these, do it for the praise! People will be talking about your mini cakes for days to come. Weeks! Month! (I really need to grow up. Who encourages people to bake things just for the praise? 😂) – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Mini chocolate cakes

Recipe video above. We make mini chocolate cakes because they're adorable, there's an excellent ratio of frosting to cake, and you get the whole thing to yourself! With 3 layers of chocolate cake smothered in fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting, these are the perfect special occasion dessert.

No round cutter? Make square or rectangle layer cakes instead!

Makes 7 x 3 layer cakes that are 7cm / 2.8” wide.

Course Baking

Cuisine Western

Keyword individual cake, Mini cakes, Mini chocolate cake

Prep Time 45

Servings mini cakes

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa , sifted (unsweetened, not dutch processed – Note 1)
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda / bi-carb (Note 2)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 large egg , at room temperature
1/2 cup milk , preferably full fat, at room temperature
1/4 cup plain oil , like vegetable, canola, peanut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tsp instant coffee powder , option (Note 3)

Chocolate Buttercream

250g / 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
4 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder , unsweetened
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp milk , preferably full fat

Decorations

Dark chocolate , finely shaved using a knife (white chocolate is also pretty)
Raspberries, rosemary sprigs

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced).
Baking pan – Butter a 40 x 28.5 x 2.5cm cm tray (15.8 x 11.3 x 1" – US standard jelly roll pan) then line with baking paper (parchment paper).

Cake layers

Whisk dry – Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. Add the sugar and salt, then whisk to combine.
Mix in wet – Add the egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Dissolve the coffee in the hot water, then add into the batter. Whisk to combine. The batter will be VERY thin!
Bake – Pour into the pan and bake for 13 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes then use the paper overhang to lift the cake onto a rack and cool for 30 minutes (leave it on the paper). Then refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour before cutting rounds (cake is too soft when freshly baked).

Assembling & frosting:

Cutting rounds – Cover the sticky surface with paper. Then flip upside down onto a cutting board (ie sticky side down). (Note 4) Peel the paper off the base. Then press out 21 x 6cm / 2.4" rounds (or other size or shape as you desire).
Pipe frosting – Place a piece of cake on a small piece of paper, using a dab of frosting to stop it from sliding. Pipe coils of frosting on the layers, using 3 rounds for each cake. Pipe frosting around the sides and on the top. (A cake turntable is handy if you've got one but not essential.)
Smooth frosting – Smooth the frosting using a small offset spatula or knife, taking care to only touch the surface. Avoid touching the cake because it will dislodge crumbs that will end up in your frosting!
Decorate with piles of chocolate shards. I also used raspberries and rosemary for the photos in the post!

Chocolate buttercream:

Beat butter for 3 minutes on high until soft and fluffy. Add icing sugar in 3 lots. Beat it in, starting on low speed then increasing the speed (to avoid a snow storm). Once incorporated, add more icing sugar and repeat.
Beat 3 minutes – Once the icing sugar has all been added, added the cocoa powder, milk and vanilla. Beat again, starting on low speed then increasing the speed gradually. Once the cocoa is incorporated, beat on high for 3 minutes to make it really nice and fluffy.
Piping bags – Transfer to a piping bag for frosting. (This is the fastest and easiest way, trust me on this. Even a ziplock bag will work here).

Notes

1. Cocoa – This recipe calls for ordinary unsweetened cocoa powder, though the pricier dutch processed cocoa powder (which has more intense chocolate colour and flavour) can be used.

2. Baking soda – Can be substituted with 2 1/4 tsp extra baking powder (baking soda is an insurance policy to ensure even rise).

3. Coffee in chocolate is a common practice these days to enhance the chocolate flavour. You can’t taste it. Optional!

4. Flipping upside down is important to help cut out neat rounds because the surface of the cake is sticky so it sticks to the cutter and you end up with rather untidy circles.

5. Square or rectangle mini cakes – Easier to assemble and no cake scraps! Cut the cake into 3 equal rectangles. Frosting the layers to make one large 3 layer cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour to set the frosting (so it cuts neatly). Then cut into square or rectangles. Frost sides as desired (whip frosting again to re-fluff).

6. Storage: If leaving cooked cakes overnight, make sure it’s 100% cool then cover the top with paper (it’s sticky) then cling wrap. Refrigerate until required – you can actually do this 5 days ahead because the cake stays fresh for 5 days. Or freeze for 3 months.

Assembled cakes will stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days – the cake sponge has excellent shelf life!

Life of Dozer

In today’s recipe video, you get to watch Dozer following me around the house while I eat the chocolate cake then eventually trapping me in a dead end (laundry). No chocolate cake for Dozer!!

The post Mini chocolate cakes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Melting Moments

Nagi — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Shortbread biscuits sandwiched with lemon icing. Melting Moments are a timeless Australian cafe favourite! True to their name, they literally “melt” in your mouth. They are delectable!

Melting Moments – flashback!

I am pretty sure Melting Moments is one of the first baked goods I ever attempted to make. The recipe from the Women’s Weekly “Best Ever Recipes” cookbook published back in the 1970’s or 1980’s which, to this day, is still my all time favourite cookbook. It holds such sentimental value, being the very first cookbook I ever owned. (Actually, “owned” is a bit of a loose term given I stole it from my mother. 😂)

The recipe I use today is based on the original Melting Moments recipe from this cookbook, though the ingredient quantities and mixing method has been slightly tweaked for what I think is a better “melt in your mouth” texture.

Also, the original recipe called for star shaped biscuits to be half dipped in chocolate then sandwiched with orange buttercream frosting, as pictured above. These days the popular cafe variety is plain biscuits joined with lemon frosting which is what I’m sharing today.

Shortbread biscuits

Plus lemon frosting = Melting Moments perfection!

Ingredients in Melting Moments

Melting Moments are shortbread cookies joined together with lemon buttercream frosting. While some recipes call for custard powder to make the cookies more yellow, I personally prefer the flavour without imitation custard flavour.

The cookies

Flour – Just plain / all-purpose flour.
Cornflour / cornstarch – This is what gives shortbread cookies the signature soft “crumbly” texture.
Icing sugar (soft) / powdered sugar – This is the sweetener for melting moments which gives the cookies the signature shortbread cookie texture (ordinary sugar makes them harder).
⚠️ Australia – Get packets labelled “SOFT icing sugar” or “icing sugar mixture” not pure icing sugar (packet labelled as such). Soft icing sugar is sugar mixed with cornflour/cornstarch, tapioca that is used for fluffy frostings. Pure icing sugar (packet labelled as such) is made with 100% sugar only and is used for icing that sets hard, like royal icing.
Unsalted butter – Softened to room temperature which is (technically!) 17°C / 63°F. Don’t let the butter soften too much else the dough is a little more tricky to roll into balls.
Vanilla extract – For flavour. Extract is better than imitation essence. I wouldn’t use vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste for this purpose – it’s a waste!

lemon ICING

Older-style recipes, such as the original Women’s Weekly recipe, tended to use icings which are not as creamy but firmer and a bit crumbly. These days, the cafe versions use buttercream frosting which is soft, creamy and fluffy, with the most common being lemon flavoured. So that’s what I use in my recipe. However, I’m also including a passionfruit version too!

Unsalted butter – Softened to room temperature so it can be whipped into a fluffy frosting.
Soft icing sugar / powdered sugar – As noted above, be sure to get soft icing sugar! If you use pure icing sugar the frosting will not be soft and fluffy, it sets hard.
Lemon – Both zest and lemon juice.

For a passionfruit frosting, you will need passionfruit pulp (fresh, not canned, it’s too sweet) plus a bit of lemon to balance out the flavours.

The recipe also includes a passionfruit icing version!

How to make melting moments

Cream butter – Place butter, vanilla and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy, starting on low speed to avoid an icing sugar cloud-storm.
Stir in dry in 3 lots – Add 1/3 of the cornflour and flour, then stir it in with a rubber spatula. Once the flour is incorporated, add half the remaining cornflour and flour, stir in, then repeat. The mixture is a a little softer than usual cookie dough, but it shouldn’t be pourable.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto the trays – 28 mounds in total. A cookie scoop with a lever is handy here!
Roll – Then roll into balls using lightly floured hands to prevent the dough from sticking. As mentioned above, this dough is a little softer that typical cookie dough.

Flatten with fork – Use a fork dipped in flour to press the balls down to 1 cm / 0.4″ thickness.
Bake for 15 minutes in a 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced) oven, switching the tray shelves and rotating at the 10 minute mark. The cookies should be very pale golden, not browned.

Fully cool on the trays.
Lemon icing – Meanwhile, make the lemon icing. Beat the butter first until creamy, then gradually add the icing sugar, starting on low with the handheld beater to avoid a snow-storm. Add the lemon zest and juice, then beat on high for 2 minutes to make the frosting nice and fluffy!

Sandwich the melting moments together with lemon frosting. A piping bag makes short work on this as well as making the edges of the icing nice and tidy, but you could just spread with a spoon or knife.
Refrigerate 1 hour – You can eat the cookies straight away but the frosting will be a little soft so it squirts out when you bite into the cookies. So to reduce squirt-age, I like to refrigerate the melting moments for 1 hour to set the frosting. Then bring to room temperature before eating which softens the frosting again, but it’s still not as soft as when freshly made so it won’t squirt out as much.
(I really never thought I’d use the word “squirt” so much in one paragraph. What has become of me?? 😂)

Why homemade tastes better

Make these for afternoon tea, for a bake sale, for book club with your friends. Or, just because homemade Melting Moments really are that much better than mass-produced store bought ones. Yes, I really did buy some so I could tell you that the cookies aren’t as “melt in your mouth” and the frosting is usually dried out rather than creamy inside.

But the thing that bothers me the most is that many store bought cookies aren’t made with butter but instead use more cost effective fat options like vegetable shortening which have no flavour. Butter is what makes these so good!!

I hope you get a chance to make these one of these days. They really are special! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Melting Moments

Recipe video above. These special cookies are an Australian cafe favourite. Shortbread cookies joined with lemon buttercream frosting, they are beautifully buttery, lemony and true to their name, literally "melt in your mouth" unlike any other cookie I know!

My cookies are generous sized because I like them big: 6cm / 2.4" diameter, 3.5-4cm / 1.5" thick. I wouldn't go any larger (too much cookie) but feel free to go smaller!

Course Sweet

Cuisine Australian

Keyword melting moments

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Cooling 1

Servings cookies (sandwiched)

Calories 335cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Melting moments:

250g (2 sticks + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter , softened (Note 1)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (not PURE icing sugar, Note 2)
1 1/2 cups plain / all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornflour / cornstarch

Lemon icing:

100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (not PURE icing sugar, Note 2)
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice

Passionfruit icing:

80g / 6 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted (not PURE icing sugar, Note 2)
4 tbsp fresh passionfruit pulp , (not canned, too sweet)
1 tbsp lemon juice

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced). Line 2 trays with paper.
Cream butter – Place butter, vanilla and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy (start on low to avoid an icing sugar cloud-storm).
Dry in 3 lots – Stir in cornflour and flour in 3 lots using a rubber spatula. (ie add 1/3 of flour + cornflour, stir in, repeat twice more).
Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto the trays (cookie scoop handy here), then roll into balls using lightly floured hands (to prevent it from sticking). You should have 24 – 28 balls.
Bake – Press down into 1 cm / 0.4" thickness using a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, switching the trays at the 10 minute mark. Fully cool on trays.
Sandwiching – Pipe frosting onto half the melting moments, then sandwich with remaining cookies.
Set – Refrigerate for 1 hour to set the frosting (else it's so soft, it squirts out!). Then remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to serving.

Lemon icing:

Cream butter – Place butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy. Add 1/3 of the icing sugar, then beat in starting on low and increasing to high (to avoid snow-storm!). Repeat another 2 times.
Beat 2 minutes – Add lemon zest and juice. Then beat on high for 2 minutes until fluffy. Transfer to piping bag, snip end off to make a 1cm / 1/2" hole. Use per recipe.

Passionfruit icing:

Same method as above for lemon icing.

Notes

1.Butter US measurement – You’ll need 17 tbsp of butter for this recipe which is 2 sticks + 1 tbsp.

2. Icing sugar type – If you’re in Australia, don’t get pure icing sugar, sets hard like for royal icing. Get packet labelled SOFT icing sugar or “icing sugar mixture”, or check the ingredients and ensure there’s either cornflour/cornstarch, tapioca or similar as well as cane sugar/sugar.

Storage – Keep in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. It’s best to store in the fridge but bring to room temperature before serving. Though if it’s fairly cool weather, you can just keep in the pantry.

Nutrition per Melting Moment. Remember, these are generously sized!

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

This happens a thousand times a day. You can see how much he loves it. 😂

The post Melting Moments appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

Nagi — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake! Think – blueberry crumble meets warm lemon cake with a crunchy buttery streusel topping and melty scoop of vanilla ice cream. It tastes even better than it sounds!

Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

I’ve done my fair share of blueberry desserts but I’ve always wanted to do a cake with an outrageous amount of blueberries in it. As in, BURSTING with blueberries. Not just studded. I dreamed of a blueberry crumble, except in cake form. (Yes, these are the thoughts that occupy my mind at night).

The question really was just how much blueberries I could bake into a cake without weighing down the sponge so much it became dense.

I peaked out at 500g (1lb). That’s almost double the typical amount used in most Blueberry Crumb Cakes.

And with extra blueberries comes extra streusel, that crumbly crunchy caramel top. I guess sometimes dreams can come true!!

Extra blueberries…

Extra streusel!

Ingredients in Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

Here’s what you need to make this.

The blueberries

The blueberries are tossed in a little flour and sugar so it forms a jam-like layer that mostly suspends on the surface of the cake. The lemon is used to provide wetness to make some of the flour stick to the blueberries.

You will find that not all the flour sticks to the blueberries. Be sure to scatter it all across the blueberry layer. We need the full 3 tablespoons of flour to ensure the blueberries don’t sink. Initial versions of the cake only used 1 tablespoon and the blueberries dispersed a little too much for my liking.

Frozen blueberries will work too! Use frozen because they bleed a lot when thawed.

The Crumb Topping

This is called a streusel in baking. It’s a mixture made with flour, sugar and butter combined to make a lumpy mixture that is used to add a terrific crunchy topping on the surface of cakes, muffins, bars etc.

No unusual players here. The only one worth noting is sugar. I prefer using caster sugar (superfine sugar) because the grains are finer so I can be confident that I won’t end up with sugar grains in the streusel. However, if you don’t have it, just substitute with regular sugar.

Lemon Cake

The Lemon Cake is adapted from the batter I use for my classic blueberry yogurt cake. However, the batter is a little sturdier built to withstand the combined 700g / 1.4lb of blueberries and streusel that we pile on top and still come out lovely and springy at the end.

PS I know that 700g/1.4 lb sounds like an insane amount of blueberries and streusel, but we do lose weight in liquid evaporation as it bakes.

Flour – just plain / all purpose flour. It’s best to use plain flour and add baking powder rather than self raising flour. Cakes just never rise as well.
Baking powder – This is what makes the cake rise. If yours is old, it’s best to check it’s still active!
Sour cream – This helps make the sponge lovely and moist because it adds wetness into the batter but it’s thicker than milk. So we can use less flour for the same volume of batter. Ensure the sour cream is at room temperature, ie not fridge cold, else it will not incorporate properly into the batter (eg it can make the melted butter solidfy. Yup, been there, done that!).
Milk – Full fat is best though low fat will work fine too. As with the sour cream, ensure it’s not fridge cold. Take it out 30 minutes prior, or microwave for 10 seconds.
Eggs – Use large eggs which are ~55 – 60g / 2 oz each (they come in cartons labelled “large eggs”) at room temperature. See here for what this means, and a quick way to de-chill fridge cold eggs!
Melted butter – Once melted, let it cool for a bit. It can still be warm, we just don’t want it to be super hot.
Lemon zest – Zest the lemon before you squeeze out juice to coat the blueberries! It’s impossible to properly zest a lemon once it’s been squeeze of juice. We only use the zest because it adds lovely lemon flavour. The juice, on the other hand, mainly just adds sourness.
Vanilla extract – Better flavour than imitation vanilla essence. I personally don’t use vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste in cakes because I think it’s wasted. Save it for things like Crème Brûlée and Flan Pâtissier!
Salt – Just a touch, to bring out the other flavours in the cake. Standard baking practice these days.

How to make Blueberry Crumb Cake

Streusel first (it’s a quick mix), then toss the blueberries, then make the batter last.

1. How to make Streusel

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt). Then add the melted butter and vanilla, and mix using a fork just until all the flour is wet but the mixture is still clumpy.
This is what you’re after. Lots and lots of lumps!

2. zest lemon fiRst, then toss the blueberries

Zest the lemon then keep it for the batter. Do this before juicing the lemon for the blueberries because it’s impossible to zest a lemon that’s been squeezed of juice!
Toss the blueberries in lemon juice first to wet the surface. Then toss with the flour and sugar. Then set aside until required.

3. The lemon cake batter

Line a 20cm / 8” springform cake pan with baking / parchment paper. See here for my easy way of doing it – no pencil required!
It needs to be a springform pan so the cake can be removed without inverting (which would cause the crumbly topping to fall off!)
Whisk dry – Whisk the dry ingredient in a bowl (flour, baking powder and salt).
Whisk wet – Then in a larger bowl, give the sugar, vanilla, zest and eggs a good whisk for about 15 seconds until the surface is a bit foamy. Add the melted warm-not-hot butter and sour cream, then whisk until smooth.
Add flour in 3 batches – Add one third of the flour then use a rubber spatula to fold it through. Once mostly incorporated, add half the remaining flour, fold through, then the remaining flour and fold through.

Milk last – When you can no longer see flour, add the milk and mix until incorporated. If you see tiny bits in the batter, it will be the zest not flour lumps!
Batter thickness – This is what your batter should look like. Pourable but not super thin like my Chocolate Cake and not super thick like a muffin batter.

4. ASSEMBLING AND BAKING

Pour the batter into the cake pan and smooth the surface.
Top with blueberries. For the most even spread, start from the outer edge then work your way in. If you start in the middle, the weight of the blueberries pushes the batter out and up the walls of the pan. But, don’t get too hung up on this step! This is a rustic cake, and the blueberry layer is always a bit of a pot-luck situation in terms of spottiness / jammy patches / how neat the line is (it is not, ever!).
Use residual flour – Make sure you tip the residual flour and sugar at the bottom of the blueberry bowl over the blueberries. We need all the flour to ensure the blueberries don’t sink (I had problems when I used slightly less flour).
Streusel – Then cover the top with the streusel, using your fingers to make nice big lumps across the surface. Aim for around 85% coverage – it’s nice to have some jammy blueberries peeking through the golden brown crumbly topping!
TIP: If you have powdery streusel at the bottom of the bowl, just clench a pile of it in your fist to make it clump together. Then break up into clumps and scatter!

Bake for 65 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced), rotating halfway to ensure the streusel browns evenly.
Note on oven temperature: it’s a little higher than the usual temperature for baking cakes because the blueberries and streusel add a thick protection layer so we need an extra blast of heat to cook the cake through. At the typical 180°C/350°F (160°C fan), the cake was taking 75 – 80 minutes and the sponge rose a smidge less.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan to give it a chance to stabilise. Then unclip the sides and use a spatula to slide the cake onto a cooling rack. Cool for a further 10 minutes before slicing to serve warm (so the ice cream melts!), or fully cool and serve at room temperature.

Warm vs room temperature serving

If you want to be a normal, this cake can be served at room temperature, with optional ice cream or whipped cream on the side. That’s the normal way Crumb Cakes are served. It is delicious and the way this cake was originally intended to be.

But, for the ultimate Blueberry Crumb Cake experience, serve it warm with a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream on top. It is just such a comforting combination – the warm blueberries that burst in your mouth mingling with the cool creamy ice cream, the crunchy bits of caramel-y streusel topping and the soft cake (which gets softer when warm!) with the hint of fresh lemon flavour.

I am firmly planted on the warm-serving side. Try it once, and I think you will be too! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

Recipe video above. With almost double the blueberries of normal recipes and extra crunchy streusel topping, this Blueberry Crumb Cake is like a blueberry crumble on a soft, warm lemon cake. Melty scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is perfection!

Please ensure your eggs, sour cream and milk are not fridge cold as they will not incorporate into the batter properly.

Course Cake

Cuisine Western

Keyword blueberry cake, blueberry crumb cake, crumb cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 20

Servings – 12

Calories 324cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Crunch crumb (Streusel):

2/3 cups flour , plain/all-purpose
½ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt
60g / 4 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon vanilla cake:

1 1/3 cups flour , plain/all-purpose
2 tsp baking powder (if old, check it’s still active)
1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 large eggs , at room temperature (what this means)
90 g / 6 tbsp unsalted butter , melted then cooled slightly (don’t use piping hot)
1/3 cup sour cream , at room temperature (sub plain yogurt)
1/3 cup milk , at room temperature (full fat best, low fat ok)

Blueberries:

500 g / 1 lb fresh blueberries (Note 1 for frozen)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
3 tbsp flour , plain/all-purpose

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a 20cm springform pan with paper (here's how I do it).
Crumb – Put the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and mix together with a fork. Then add the butter and vanilla, and use the fork to mix until all the flour is wet, then stop mixing. We want it lumpy and crumbly!
Zest the lemon first and put it aside for the batter before measuring out juice for the blueberry tossing.
Blueberries – Toss the blueberries with lemon juice to wet the surface. Sprinkle with sugar and flour, toss to coat. Set aside.

Lemon vanilla cake:

Whisk dry – Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
Whisk wet – In a larger bowl, whisk the sugar, vanilla, zest and eggs until the surface is a bit foamy (~ 15 sec by hand). Add the butter and sour cream, whisk until smooth.
Combine wet and dry – Switch to a rubber spatula. Add the flour in 3 batches, folding in between until the flour is mostly incorporated. Then add the milk and stir until combined. Some small lumps is ok!
Assembling – Pour the batter into the pan. Scatter blueberries on top. Sprinkle any leftover flour at the bottom of the blueberry bowl on top of the blueberries. Cover with chunks of crumb, aiming for ~85% coverage. If necessary, enclose powdery bits in your fist to press them into clumps!
Bake for 65 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (blueberry smear is ok!).
Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the cake from the springform pan then cool for at least another 10 minutes before cutting to serve.
Serving – For the best blueberry crumble-cake experience, serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Otherwise, be normal and serve it at room temperature. Ice cream or cream also welcome here.

Notes

1. Frozen blueberries can be used too. Don’t thaw! Toss with the flour & sugar just before using (if you do it before making the batter it will start to melt). It will take an extra 10 minutes to bake. If the top starts to get overly brown, just cover with foil.

2. Pan – Best to use a springform pan else you will lose streusel topping when inverting out of a standard cake pan.

3. Storage – Cake will keep for 5 days in the fridge. But always bring to room temp before serving, though best to serve slightly warm! If it’s quite cool where you are it will keep in the pantry too, in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Me: in Brisbane, at the final Good Food & Wine Show for the year. Dozer: at the Golden Retriever Boarders’ house. She’s always a little offended because Dozer gives her husband a more enthusiastic greeting than she gets.

She is a vegetarian. Her husband is a carnivore. Dozer is not subtle.

This is a photo she sent me yesterday of Dozer waiting at the gate to greet her husband when got home from work!

The post Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.