Mini Poppy Seed Loaves

Mini Poppy Seed Loaves

These tiny loaves are deliciously moist and lemony and can be baked as cupcakes as well. The recipe yields about 10 mini loaves or 24 cupcakes.

200g flour
1,2ml baking powder
1,2ml bicarbonate of soda
1,2ml salt
15ml poppy seeds
105ml vegetable oil
210g sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
150g sour cream
7,5ml vanilla
15ml lemon juice

Lemon Buttercream:
200g butter, room temperature
grated zest of half a lemon
10ml vanilla
15ml lemon juice
330g icing sugar, sifted

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line 12 x mini-loaf tins with paper cups (2 x 12-hole muffin tins).
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together.
Add the poppy seeds and set aside.
Add the vegetable oil, sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Turn the mixer on medium-high speed and mix for 1 minute.
Turn the mixer down to a slow speed and add the eggs, one at a time.
Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
Turn back on to a low speed and add the flour mixture a spoonful at a time.
Now add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice and mix until combined.
Divide the batter among the paper cups and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the buttercream:
Add the butter and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on high speed for 2 minutes, scrape down the bowl and mix for another 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix until incorporated.
Turn the mixer to medium speed and add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time.
Pipe/spread on to the cupcakes.

Profiteroles

Profiteroles

There is absolutely no “hidden tricks” when it comes to baking perfect profiteroles! Follow the instructions and you will have the satisfaction of perfect fresh profiteroles on your teatime table.

250ml boiling water
125ml butter, cubed
250ml cake flour
2,5ml salt
4 eggs
80g dark chocolate, melted
1 batch crème pâtisserie (search this blog for the recipe)

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Pour the water into a cast-iron/heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a rapid boil.
Add the cubed butter and stir until melted.
Add the salt to the cake flour and then add it all to the saucepan with boiling water-butter, at once.
Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together in a ball in the centre of the saucepan.
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the eggs, one at a time.
Beat the mixture well. The egg should be completely incorporated before you add the next one. This is a real arm workout but do try and work quick as you need the steam from the heat!
Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the mixture on to the prepared baking tray, leaving enough space in between as the profiteroles expand quite a lot while baking.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn the oven temperature down to 160℃ and bake for another 20 minutes.
Take the tray from the oven and immediately slit a small sharp knife into the bottom of each profiterole, making as small a cut as possible, for the steam to escape.
Cool completely on a cooling rack.
Cut the profiteroles open and fill each of them with crème pâtissière (search the recipe on this blog: Custard Buns) or whipped cream.
Spoon some melted chocolate on to each filled pastry and set aside for the chocolate to set.
Serve with a smile!