I • JI':... ... --� • .. . - • • . Wno e::an resist a cake that comes complete· with its own wings? These sweet little fairy cakes can't fail to impress . ... I have updated these dainty classics with a fresh raspberry buttercream paired with a fluffy white chocolate sponge. • • • ., 'f]Oll, lite call.e1, 115 g/6 oz. white chocolate 1 tablespoon whole milk 2 large eggs, separated a pinch of salt 115 g/8 tablespoons unsalted butter 115 g/2/3 cup caster/ superfine sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 145 g/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons self raising/rising flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder 85 ml/1/3 cup sour cream 'f]Oll, lite � 50 gt½ cup fresh raspberries 100 g/6½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 200 g/12/3 cups icing/ confectioners' sugar a 12-ho/e muffin pan, lined with paper cases a Jarg!#._(liping __ /}29-Jitted with a star-shaped nozzle/tip lll1JilR 12 wi1Ji Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4. Melt the chocolate with the milk in a heatproof bowl suspended over a bowl of barely simmering water. Leave to cool. Whisk the egg whites and salt together in a large mixing bowl until they form soft peaks. Cream together the butter and caster/superfine sugar in another bowl, until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, before adding the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Sift over half of the flour and beat in, then add the sour cream and beat again to combine. Sift over the remaining flour and baking powder and mix again until thoroughly incorporated. Tip in the beaten egg whites and fold in with a large metal spoon, being careful not to beat the air out of the mixture. • -• • • • Divide the cake batter among the paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool. Use a stick/immersion blender to blitz the raspberries into a puree and pass through a fine sieve/strainer to remove the seeds. In small bowl, whisk the butter until soft and creamy. Sift over half of the icing/ confectioners' sugar and whisk in half of the raspberry puree. Sift over the remaining icing/ confectioners' sugar and whisk in, before whisking in the remaining raspberry puree. Cut the top off of each cold cake and cut in half to make 'wings'. Pipe a generous swirl of buttercream on top of each cake, before attaching the cake wings. ... .. This American cal<e, invented in the 1920s, is incredibly light, moist and fluffy I adore vanilla and the use of both vanilla pods and extract make this cake enticingly aromatic. The cakes looks beautiful when baked in a cake ring and filled with seasonal berries. 6 large eggs, separated ½ teaspoon salt 220 g plus 1 tablespoon/ 1¼ cups caster/ superfine sugar 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 130 ml/½ cup sunflower oil seeds of 1 vanilla pod 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 220 g/1¾ cups plain/ all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/ baking soda 100 g/2/3 cup icing/ confectioners' sugar, sifted fresh blueberries and blackberries, to serve (optional) a 25-cm/10-in. cake ring, , greased and floured Preheat the oven to 180°( (350°F) Gas 4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt to soft peaks. Add the 1 tablespoon of caster/superfine sugar and whisk to stiff peaks, then whisk in the vinegar and set aside. Whisk the egg yolks, remaining caster/superfine sugar, oil, vanilla seeds and 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric hand whisk for a few minutes. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda over the wet ingredients and mix in. Fold the egg whites into the batter with a large metal spoon and pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in its pan completely on a wire rack before turning out. Mix the remaining pure vanilla extract, the icing/confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to make a loose vanilla-flavoured icing. Fill the hole in the centre of the cake with the berries (if using) and drizzle the icing over the top of the cake. • :C· •• t" 'f!.f;,,' 4.. ....... �� �� . � �-.:1e.::�!Z,">; • ..,. :t,, . -..I .. ... - .,. ,•·�·:-"i. '1,• \"1- .......... ._..,... <:- ., .,..;.� �--... �-�7.f..:.C"',.J.,::;2�t .... , .. a•--�◄ ,,...-� .. • • 1§-· 'j;�':6,r:. .... •· .,.._ ·� ,,,. • ,..,.,,,_ . . ..... , ...... _·:.;;. " r-.,,.--..,_ .. '\ ,. ,;.,,.., .. ;,, .• ,,_,.,..,.�. "'.'I'» . • . ": . .,, .,, -�.:..:.:t;�.! • ,.�... ·.,.. __ ....... , ,..,. ,. ::. ...... �,,, �---...;;;i..., �. ,._ ..... . .j, • � • ;..,_ ' ��-- ,. ,· ; ,•i ,, ..... ,. �?' ...... ,._,,��;:,,•·? t,oe. ·. ';,, ;�""'"✓ ..... � _.,,._ .,.J ... .,,.. • • ..., ... - r • - ��, �"'�---- .... ,. .. :;,;. ..,W; L•-•... .. · 1 .. w ; •\. } .-,. ... _��\._,-..;, .., ., ,�.t-•1 .. \.. , .... 1, · --!. ..... -i.� '4 ---�� ·t #,:1(. •�7;..4--:---,.J. ';_, 1.,, . .., ( .., � y ,... ..,. • • • .. • ,,.,. �•=>•:. ._ "' . .... ,.• -,, I• ;'\�L . . • .• \. �.•(:,;fi:1 ·,.' ,'. ,J; _:- :-."�• .. • • \ � l.,:,: � • 1 �!1 �. i...:.', -� ...... ., • ..._..,.,...,, • ., .. -. JIit -- .. _ ........ ,,. :\·• ... '; � .. - .. �-,. ll '/'\' \,,): "�i •�i, r',,., r r'•';./• •" • · -,,,j '"' • ' .J"'-� -. • (' .:�, �� ?;.-�.r ~ • ,. • •• .,.. �0�'1.i > �· � t, •• ,, ► \ •:11._, . r ·• • . .:. . . I<, , ... ,.,.. ". J ,;,,� �, ' ',· •• � 't'..,.J :.1 .. � • .,, , • ,. • •r;,. r _ • , . ' . " .,., � ... : '.!___ ,,,., ·, . ?- . . ' . • .al .-.:, ,, •<?,ill • ' ... ' -J,.;, • ;,.;.;.1 ·.o • "'"' .... -'I> '--0 ' • • • • I have a real soft spot for this nursery-sweet, British classic based on the flavours of toffee and banana. My late, beloved grandfather once declared his slice of banoffee pie to be 'bamboozlingly delicious'. This dessert really is astonishingly simple to make, especially considering its irresistible charms. The toffee in my banoffee omits the traditional, dangerous (and, at times, literally explosive) practice of boiling a can of condensed milk for most of a day So, you can breathe a sigh of relief tl1at, aside fro111 the calorie cou11t, this recipe is e11tirely risk free. 250 g/8 oz. digestive biscuits/graham crackers 140 g/1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter 1 x 397-g/14-oz. can condensed milk 75 9/1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 3 bananas 300 ml/1 ¼ cups double/heavy cream 25 g/1 oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, grated a food processor 6 individual loose bottomed tart cases llUlllel 6 .�_;,,-;;_�'1"-.... ...,. .. ;tl� Preheat the oven to 180°( (350°F) Gas 4. Melt 65 g/5 tablespoons of the butter. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until completely crushed, add the melted butter and pulse until fully combined. Press the buttery biscuit rubble firmly into the base and sides of the tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes to set and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. While the biscuit base is cooling, put the condensed milk, sugar, vanilla and the remaining butter in a saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the , • • ' \ " . • ,, • /, , ,, time, for a few minutes, until thick and golden. Pour the toffee sauce over the biscuit base and leave to cool. Once completely cold, transfer to the fridge for at least 1 hour to set. Carefully remove the tart case and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Slice the bananas and arrange them over the toffee in an even layer. Whip the cream to soft peaks and spread over the layer of bananas. Swirl the cream with a fork to create a more attractive finish, before scattering over the chocolate. ,, /'. / � / Next >