GARLIC CHIVE BREADSTICKS: sensationally more-ish; almost-instant

You could save these home-made breadsticks for a special occasion...

Home-made Garlic Breadsticks - a cut above

...but they're so delicious, quick & easy, why would you?

Trust 67goingon50 - these quick and easy breadsticks are fabulously delicious and the best alternative to garlic bread going.

They are soft and chewy inside.  They have a strong golden crust.  They taste sensational - salty, garlicy and lightly oiled.  

OK, they can be a teensy bit fiddly to form but no one will be put off by their shape once they've had a taste.  Get the kids to help -- they'll love it and it will be a good excuse for any deficiency in artistic merit.

As always, there's a good level of fibre with some wholemeal flour; oil and salt are kept to a minimum.  Chives add an onion-like layer of flavour plus vitamins & calcium but are optional.

For best flavour, eat on the day.  

Cost: £1.50

Makes: about 24

Ingredients:

Cup sizes: 67 used English cups (250ml) but any cup will do as long as the proportions are honoured, ie, it's used for both dry and wet ingredients

   1 cup plain flour, inc 2-4 tbsp wholemeal or wholewheat flour
   2 tsp baking powder
   1/2 tsp sea salt

   170gm/6oz 0-fat plain Greek/Icelandic yoghurt (other yoghurts will be too wet) 
   1 egg white, raw 
   
   Optional Toppings: sesame seed, Nigella seeds, sunflower seeds, onion flakes or a combination

Method:

Breadsticks

PRODUCTS/PLACES TESTED BY 67GOINGON50 (3)

1.  BELAZU TAHINI:

This Middle Eastern tahini is the 'bees' knees'!

Belazu Tahini is produced by a family of Samaritans on Mount Gerazim close to Nablus, the original home of tahini, close to Jerusalem.

  

67 tested it completely unadorned on wholemeal bread (first time ever) and was impressed.  Lighter and 'cleaner' than peanut butter, smooth, not at all claggy, it tastes and smells fresh and delicious.  

It only comes in 1 kilo jars but tahini isn't just for hummus.  It's an essential component of many popular global dishes from the Middle East, in China, Japan, India and contemporary health food.  

It's lower in sugar and saturated fat than peanut butter but equal in cholesterol.  

It's delicious on bread, with or without honey.  It also appears as a sauce for meat and fish, in salad dressings, on Chinese noodles (!!) or in sweet desserts.  (some recipes below)

If you're a small household, share the purchase price with friends.  It's worth it. 

Belazu Tahini £11/kilo; keeps a year from production date; from   Black Truffle on Englands Lane 

 

Lamb Kebabs with Spicy Tahini Sauce

Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad 

2.  70+% Cocoa Solids Baking Chocolate

   When it comes to baking chocolate, 67 uses a variety of brands.  If feeling frugal, it's Cadbury's Bourneville (though not 70% cocoa, it's good in baking and still produced in the UK); then, Morrisons's Dark Baking Chocolate (before it disappeared from the shelves).  

   Nowadays, it's M&S's 70% Dark Cooking Chocolate (£1.10 for 100gms).  

   Sainsbury's is now offering 76% Belgian Dark Chocolate.  It's not as sweet or creamy as M&S's and it has a slightly bitter undertone; nor is  it such a bargain at £1.50 for 100gms .  But if my local M&S runs out of baking chocolate (as it often does)  Sainsbury's will do fine.

Sainsbury's 76% Belgian Dark Chocolate: £1.50/100g

3.  Bournes Fishmongers and Seafood Bar/Restaurant, Belsize Village  

    Belsize Village is really up-and-coming these days.  

    This new fishmongers/deli/restaurant in Belsize Village was popular with locals, even before Covid-19 shut down its Wine Bar and downstairs restaurant...and before the new popular restaurant extravaganza Belsize Streatery.  

    The fresh fish is as pricy as any other fresh fish outlet but the quality is fantastic and the staff friendly, helpful and and knowledgable.  For the few pennies more, I'm happy to skip the long convoluted trek to my usual source, Whole Foods in Kensington. 

     I've not yet tested the bar/restarant but am looking forward to doing so.   

DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  Any information not sourced to a second party is the copyright of the blogger.

VANILLA SHEETCAKE WITH CHERRIES Indulgence

67goingon50 returns full-time on 22 July

Meanwhile check out b lee@BrightSunEnter1 for food tweets 

An American-style sheetcake is a terrific way to showcase fat, ripe cherries in all the shops...

Buffet/picnic dessert/treat in guilt-free('ish) portions
'Absolutely magnificent: moist, gorgeous & the cherries are perfectly ripe!' 

You don't need many cherries - just 200gms/7oz - and they're available at under £2 in most supermarkets.  But if the budget is tight, you can do without or replace with baking cherries blanched in boiling water to soften and remove preservatives.

67goingon50 has become very fond of single-layer sheet cakes which are baked in a large flat rectangular pan, almost always iced and perfect for feeding a crowd.  

Served in rectangular slices, the smaller portions contain less fat and sugar than conventional cake.  So one can enjoy the treat with less guilt.

The Vanilla Sheetcake with Cherries is scrumptiously rich with a fine textured crumb. The fruit is - literally - the 'cherry on top'  

Cost: £5, including cherries

Serves: a crowd

Ingreds:

   280gm/9oz self-raising flour (if using plain flour reduce flour by  1.5 level teaspoons) 

    2 level tsp baking powder

   1/4 tsp salt

   

   250gm/8oz soft unsalted butter

   375gm/12oz sugar

      5 large eggs, slightly cool

      2 tsp vanila extract

Toppings:

   Cherry Glaze

       1 cup icing sugar

       1-2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

        leftover cherry segments

A dusting of Icing Sugar

Or: whipped cream with fresh cherries

Method:

(SLIGHTLY) HEALTHIER SWEET PASTRY, EASY PEASY

 

 This recipe is repeated after dropping off some search engines  

Spectacularly simple sensational sweet pastry a la Great British Baking Champion Candice Brown...

Gorgeous sweet pastry (before trimming) from pie-phobe 67 without angst!! 
'On a par with 5-star hotels; the best I've ever had' Blogger 

This fantastic pastry is easily one of the best 67 has ever made -- or ever eaten.  Beautiful texture, wonderful taste, it's like pastry found in 5-star+ hotels.  It's hard to believe it's home made.  

For anyone afraid of pastry, this method from Candice Brown (she of the Bake-Off lipsticks) is a lifesaver.  The pastry is made like cake: butter and sugar are creamed, eggs are added and then flour. 

The result?  A melt-in-the mouth biscuit-like shell not unlike a delicately sandy French sable.  It's perfect for custard, fruit and cream pies.  

It is very rich with four egg yolks and is for special occasions. But brown sugar replaced some white and one-third of the flour is wholemeal.

 

The recipe can be turned into Sweet Pastry Biscuits to accompany mousses and fruit parfaits.  

Sweet Pastry Biscuits

Cost: £1.75
Makes: a 25cm/10inch shell or 35 biscuits

Ingred:
   100gm/3 1/2oz unsalted soft butter
     75gm/2 1/2oz white sugar
     25gm/scant 1oz soft brown sugar

  4 egg yolks

  125gm/4 1/2 oz white flour
    59gm/1 3/4oz wholemeal flour
    25gm/scant 1oz ground almonds
    zest 1 lemon

Equipment: 23-25cm/10-11inch loose bottomed fluted tart tin or equiv.  For biscuits: baking sheets 

Method

GIANT CHOCOLATE GINGER COOKIE: slightly healthier indulgence, easy

Man-sized Giant Chocolate Ginger Cookie: perfect indulgence for Fathers' Day...

For some reason, ginger in sweets is a man-magnet; combined with chocolate in an uber-sized biscuit?  'Beautiful! Very special.' Tasters

Ginger biscuits coated in chocolate are a much prized treat in upmarket delis.  Here's another variation that will go down well -- a home-made huge dark chocolate biscuit with ginger inside and out.  It could become a regular Fathers' Day delight. 

It'll be fun bringing it to the table, serving it in wedges rather than the usual biscuit shapes.

A doddle to make, this indulgence does have sugar and butter and lots of chocolate, making it a truly awesome - if not very healthy - treat.  

Cost: £2.50 (2020)

Makes: one 9inch/23cm cookie, enough for 20'ish small portions

Ingreds

   180gm/6.4oz plain flour

     31gm/1.2oz cocoa

      1/2 tsp baking soda

      1/4 tsp salt

 

   113gm/4oz butter, soft

      90gm/3.2oz light brown sugar

      65gm/2.3 granulated sugar

   1 large egg

   1 tsp vanilla

   75gm/2.6oz dark chocolate chips OR baking chocolate, chopped medium-fine plus

   20gm/0.75oz shredded unsweetened dried coconut

   OR 100gm/3.5oz chocolate

 

   1/4 cup finely diced crystallised ginger

Icing: 

   2-3 tablespoons ginger syrup

   1/3-1/2 cup icing sugar

   OR 50gm/1.75oz melted white chocolate

   1/4 cup finely diced crystallised ginger 

 

Method:

SINGLETON/COUPLE'S CORNBREAD

A solution for small households that can't/won't/shouldn't eat an entire cornbread recipe in one go...

One lot for eating right away; the rest for freezing that day

Cornbread is one of those recipes which are easy to double but difficult to divide.

If you love cornbread but want good health, that can present a problem.  A whole loaf is tempting but not good for you even if stretched out over 3 days.  And cornbread can dry out if not stored properly. 

Originally, 67 was looking for a mini-version of cornbread cooked in an air fryer but the recipe isn't suitable for that.

67's solution?  Make the entire recipe but bake in separate containers; eat one straight away; flash freeze* the other on the day of baking, portion and bag up. Defrosted Cornbread is very close in texture and taste to fresh.  

This recipe is a little milder than 67's original Cornbread with Niblets, Chilli & Spring Onions and is slightly less grainy.  The blog's testers loved it. 

Produces: 1 small 6inch/15cm pan plus 5 large muffins OR 10 large muffins OR 18 medium muffins OR 2 small loaves
Cost: around £2.00

Equipment: a 6inch/15cm pan or similar sized cast iron skillet PLUS well-greased large muffin tin or a normal muffin tin OR 2 x 1 pound loaf tins  

Ingred:

140g/5oz plain white flour mixed with a tsp of baking powder 
125g/4.4oz coarse cornmeal/polenta, organic if poss  
1 Tbsp sugar (opt) (67 never bothers and the cornbread tastes fine.)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp (yes, tbsp!) baking powder

40g/1.4oz butter

30gm light vegetable oil 
2 med eggs
200 ml milk 

125g bell pepper (in any colour but green) in dice the size of corn niblets
4 spring onions sliced thinly on the diagonal, green and white

    OR 3-4 tbsp chopped chives OR both

generous teaspoon smoked paprika

Baked in large muffin tin 

1/2 tsp pepper
4 oz/110 gm grated strong cheddar (opt)

Method:
      Preheat oven to 190C/170fan/375F/gas 5

Method:

QUICK & EASY EXQUISITE HOLIDAY SHORTBREAD

Exquisitely scented, gorgeously textured and worthy of the most special guests...

Lime Almond Shortbread with Lime Icing, Easy-Peasy
'They smell gorgeous; the lime is exquisitely delicate' Tasters

Need something special for favoured guests?  These beautiful biscuits will convert even the most reluctant eater of sweets.

The exquisites delicate flavours make them a favourite for any occasion but at Christmastime, they offer a respite from the usual seasonal flavours.

They take only minutes to prepare but offer aeons of pleasure.

Conventional flour can be replaced with lower-gluten, higher protein Spelt flour.

Like most baked goods, they are best on the day but will keep in an air-tight tin for 3 days.  

Cost:  £2
Makes: 24 biscuit but the recipe halves easily

Ingred:
    5 1/2oz/155gm plain flour 
   generous 2oz/60gm self-raising flour 
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 1/2 oz/45gms ground almonds
   1/2 tsp salt
     
   8 oz/250 gm softened unsalted butter, left out overnight or zapped in the microwave for 20 sec  
   4 oz/125 gm icing sugar
   
  1 tsp vanilla extract
   zest 2 limes
   2 tbsp lime juice
   75g coarsely chopped whole almonds

Lime Drizzle
   2oz/60gm icing sugar
   1-2 tbsp lime juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300f, 150c, gas 2-3.  Line 9x12 inch/30x23 cm tin or equiv. with greaseproof paper (use a bit of dough to stick corners down see How to...prepare tins for baking)
2. Toast whole almonds in the oven 3-5 mins; keeping a careful eye on them, they burn easily; chop coarsely
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, using a fine-mesh sieve.  Stir in ground almonds until well mixed
4. Using electric beaters or a free-standing mixer, beat butter & icing sugar until smooth & light coloured, about 3 mins
5. Beat in vanilla, lime zest & lime juice.  
6. Add flours; beat on low speed; stir in chopped nuts. 
7. The mix will be thick; scrape into tin, pushing dough into sides & corners; level with spatula or knife  
8. Bake 40 mins until top changes from shiny to dull & it feels firm 
9. As soon as the tin comes out of the oven, cut shortbread in the tin into fingers or squares 
10. Leave 30 mins, then move to a wire rack until completely cool
11. Lime Drizzle: Sift icing sugar, slowly add lime juice until the icing is the right consistency to drizzle over biscuits 

Tip: 

• A 50-50 split of white & wholemeal flour will make a healthier biscuit.  When sifting, bran will be leftover; simply mix it in.  

For more biscuits, go to NavBar: Recipes 1/Cookies 

Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

LOW-SUGAR CHERRY & COCONUT MACAROONS, A lower-sugar, lower-fat, flour-free gluten-free Indulgence

At the Royal Opera House in London, these gorgeous coconut macaroons were often made in industrial quantities for posh gatherings.

updated 11/25; first posted 2017

Indescribably yummy lower-sugar Cherry Coconut Macarons
'Yum.  The cherries make these very moist.' Taster

The macaroons rely on dried unsweetened coconut instead of flour.  That means the amount of sugar is surprisingly low and since only egg whites, not high-cholesterol yolks are used, they're low-fat too!   

Yet, they are delightful mouthfuls and they travel well.  The ones seen here feature cherries substituting chocolate chips also work well.   Or, plain with the bottoms covered in melted chocolate.  Or with melted chocolate drizzled over.  

Coconut flesh is high in healthy fibre but -- even when dried -- they are also high in saturated fat.  What saves the macaroons from being consigned to the  too darned unhealthy!' pile is their small size.  

The macaroons are easy to make and quick to bake.  Dried or glace cherries can replace fresh.  

Cost: £4.50'ish (11/2025)
Makes: 16

Ingred:
   2 large egg whites
   1/4 tsp cream of tartar 
   1/3 cup sugar
   1/2 tsp orange or vanilla essence (orange takes it up a level)
   1.75-2 cups dried, unsweetened dessicated coconut (not flakes, they'll be too big)
   1/2 -1 cup fresh cherries, stoned and cut into 8ths (best) OR if you must, dried or glace cherries blanched briefly in boiling water to remove preservatives

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325f/165c/155fan/gas 3. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper
2. Beat egg whites & cream of tartar until foamy
3. Gradually add sugar, beating continuously, until the whites are stiff and glossy (click for You tube tutorial)
4. Add vanilla or orange essence 
5. Fold in 1.5 cups coconut then gradually the rest, stopping when the mixture holds thickly together
6. Add cherries; mix to distribute evenly
7. Use a bit of the mix to stick corners of the greaseproof paper to the pan
8. Use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to dig out mix; place on the pan in cone shapes (don't be afraid to use your fingers to shape them); they can be pretty rough and ready
9. Bake 15 mins or until golden brown

Comments:
'These are really nice.  The cherries make them lovely and moist, not dry like ones I've had before.'  Political agent (eating two in a row.)

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

HOW TO...PREPARE TINS FOR BAKING

Tricks for making baking easier


The members of the Luncheon Club the Blogger ran were fascinated by the steps taken to prepare baking tins for the oven.  They were thrilled with the simple tricks of the trade which made baking and removing products so effective.  

For many of you, this post may not add to your culinary knowledge but for others, it could be helpful.  Certainly without what was learned in pastry departments over the years, the Blogger would never have been able to present the very delicate Vegetarian Chocolate Cake in one piece!! 

The modern baker has two magic baking ingredients: greaseproof paper  and silicone baking tins.

GREASEPROOF PAPER

Greaseproof paper is a godsend for bakers.  It stops stuff sticking to the bottom and sides and makes sure your product comes out without leaving big chunks behind or breaking up in several pieces! Using greaseproof paper also means less soaking and scrubbing when washing up.    

Using greaseproof paper to line baking tins ensures a semi-professional finish.  A few simple tips will stop the paper from slipping around as you pour batter into a tin or drop dough into a pan. 

Greaseproof paper can also be used effectively in heat-proof ceramic dishs


Rectangular Cake Tins

1. Cut a piece of greaseproof paper big enough to extend a couple of inches all round if you lay it on top

Cutting corners

 2.  At each corner, cut at a 45 degree angle; you will have two triangles which are still attached at the bottom (see top left)

3.  Push paper into the pan; you may need to cut a bit more off the sides but the flaps should fit neatly, one over the other, in the corners

Fold one flap over the other 

Round Pans

1. Cut a square of greaseproof
2. Fold it in half and half again to make a small square
3. Fold in half to make a triangle
4. Fold again
   
5. Place the point of the triangle in the centre of the pan; put a finger on the point where the end of the triangle touches
   
   the edge of the pan; cut there 
6. Unwrap the triangle; the paper circle will fit 
   the bottom of the pan.

   

   This is a silicone cake pan

Cookie Trays 

1. Trim the greaseproof paper more or less to size
   
2. Cut corners at a 45degree angle as above
3. Stick the corners down with cookie dough; this stops the paper sliding around when dropping and/or flattening cookie dough on the tray

Loaf Pans

1. Lightly grease sides and bottom
2. Cut a piece of greaseproof the width of the pan but twice as
   
   long as its length; push it into the tin, leaving the edges overhanging 
3. Once the cake is cooked, slide a sharp knife between the baked loaf and the sides of the tin; use  the overhanging edges of the paper to lift out the loaf easily
4. Note: some prefer to do this along the length, not the width of the pan

Pie Plates

Pie plates don't need greasing or lining but to prevent the pastry shrinking too much, professional bakers trim the pastry after baking, not before.  The pastry is used to effectively line the pan.

1. Roll out pastry to a 3-4 inches larger than the pie plate.
2. Roll the pastry on to the rolling pin and unroll onto the pan, allowing it to flop over the edge
3. Gently and without stretching, press it into place, making a neat line at the bottom; press gently against the sides
   
4. Line the bottom with a sheet of greaseproof paper big enough to hang over the edge, add baking beans
5. Bake as instructed
6. Remove from oven; remove baking beans and greaseproof; allow to cool for 5-10 mins,
7. Take a  sharp knife and saw the overhang off the edge of the tin
   

Tips:

• Heatproof glass or ceramic dishes could also be lined with greaseproof paper, especially for cakes; they help baked goods come away from the tin, which needs less effort to clean
• Silicone pans are marketed as non-stick but it's wise to have at least a circle of greaseproof paper in the bottom of the pan
• In North America, waxed paper is similar to greaseproof; in the UK waxed paper is often heavier and used for raw meats

                           For more How to...go to Navigation Bar 

 Please leave a Comment in the box below 

B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. The conclusions may not be reproduced without the author's permission.